Ekaterinburg is one of the largest Russian cities. It is the administrative center of the Sverdlovsk Province and also the center of one of the seven administrative regions of the Russian Federation – the Ural Administrative Region.

The city with its population of more than 1315 thousand inhabitants occupies approximately 1.000 square kilometers. Since its foundation it has become an example of peaceful coexistence of peoples belonging to various religious confessions.

Ekaterinburg is a big transportation junction and also a logistics knot on the Trans-Siberian Railway. The city is a concentration of big factories and plants practically of all branches of industry, including such as plastics production, chemical reagents production, rubber industry, medical preparations production, antibiotics production, ball-bearings production, steel-rope production, cable production, large-panel construction industry, cavernous concrete industry, plaster products, jewelry, non-ferrous metals industry, and many others as well.

Ekaterinburg is also the fourth Russian scientific center after Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, and Novosibirsk. It is the biggest cultural and educational center of the Ural Region.

There are 126 research centers, 15 state-owned and approximately 20 private universities and other high educational institutions in that city. Besides, it also has 22 theaters, two philharmonic societies, more than 40 museums, 35 exhibition halls, more than 40 concert halls and stages, 60 libraries, a circus, a zoo, an aquapark, many stadia, covered sporting facilities and sports palaces.

The old city of Ekaterinburg has more than 600 historical and cultural relics and monuments.

Since 2000 Ekaterinburg is rapidly becoming an important site of trade, business, and tourism. In 2003 a Russian-German Summit with the participation of President Putin and Federal Chancellor Schröeder was held in that city.

In 2003 the Ekaterinburg authorities have adopted the plan of future city development till 2015. This plan includes a precise direction of concrete activities aimed at the integration of the city into global economy and modern innovation processes both at the national and international levels. Such activities will help to create a more comfortable environment for the citizens of Ekaterinburg.

From the history of Ekaterinburg

In accordance with the decree issued by Peter I, the Russian Emperor, two prominent mahagers of that period in Russia named Vassily Tatishchev and Willim de Gennin founded a large iron and steel plant in the Urals. They have chosen a proper place after long examination of the territory. In 1723 that plant was set working. The plant and a small nearby settlement were named Ekaterinburg in honour of Ekaterina, the Emperor’s wife and future Russian Empress Ekaterina I, who succeeded to Peter I after his death in 1725.

Vassily Tatishchev (1686-1750) was born in a Russian noble family. He was a student in Germany, later he became an officer of the Russian Army. As Vassily Tatishchev was efficient in geology, the Emperor sent him to the Urals to build plants of mining and metallurgical industry. Ht also served as the Head of the Russian State Mint, dealing with the modernization of the Russian monetary system. Then for the second period in his career he served as the Head of the Russian iron and steel industry. Then he was named the Governor of the Astrakhan Province. After his dismissal connected with various not evident accusations he lived in a small village. Vassily Tatishchev was also a great Russian historian who wrote brilliant works on ancient period of the history of Russia. His remarkable contribution to the Russian history is based on the fact that he found, studied and published many ancient Russian chronicles and manuscripts.

Willim de Gennin (1676-1750) – a Dutchman who was taken into service by Emperor Peter I in 1698 and served 53 years in Russia. He received a high position in the Russian Army and the rank of the Lieutenant General. Willim de Gennin was very experienced and qualified practical manager of mining and metallurgy. Since 1722 till 1734 he was a chief manager of all state plants in the Urals.

Since the first period of its functioning and for a long period the Ekaterinburg factory has been the largest in the world. To facilitate its uninterrupted functioning a large dam on the Iset River was constructed. Nowadays this dam has become a favourite rest place of the citizens. The plant functioned till 1930s and was completely reconstructed, now it is called the Upper Iset Works. The old iron and steel workshops have become the Iron and Steel museum of the Urals.

Ekaterinburg has been built as a center of the mining and metallurgical region which occupies a vast territory on both sides of the Ural mountains and in two parts of the world – Europe and Asia. This geographical position of the city ensures favourable perspectives of its development in the 21 century.

It is no coincidence that Ekaterinburg is called the third Russian capital after Moscow and Saint Petersburg. The history of that city is abundant in vivid historical events, actions of talented personalities, and traditions. But there is also tragic part of this history. Exactly Ekaterinburg has become the place where the family of the last Russian Emperor Nikolas II spent the last 78 days of their lives and was shot in summer of 1918.

On the same place, where there has been the last location of the Emperor’s imprisonment and assassination, the huge Orthodox Cathedral commemorating this tragic event was built in 2000-2003. The consecration ceremony was held on July 16, 2003.

The Chapel of Saint Elizabeth Great Martyr is near the Cathedral.

The Cathedral has become the final point for many pilgrims not only from all regions of Russia but also from abroad. Besides, the Cathedral attracts many tourists, politicians, persons of arts and others who come to Ekaterinburg for sightseeing.