Ingul	Ingul, Nikolaev	Yuzhniy Bug

Nikolaev. Washed by the waters of Ingul, Yuzhniy Bug from three sides, it resembles an open palm facing the sun from bird’s eye view. Fleet and ship city, favorite child of knyaz Potyomkin, founded in 1789 in a beautiful place, on an amazingly picturesque peninsula in Ingul and Yuzhniy Bug estuary, it could become a “southern capital” of Russia, its window to Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea. But history arranged differently.

Nikolaev became a wharf, cradle of Black Sea Fleet, one of Russia’s and afterwards USSR’s shipbuilding centers. Such specification influenced the destiny, character and even the looks of Nikolaev. The city grew, developed and lived its own life. Today Nikolaev is a big district centre of Ukraine with population of half a million people, industrial giants known all over the world, developed social sector. Nikolaev has wide, green lanes, enchanting centre, beautiful rivers – Bug and Ingul.

It is an ancient land, blessed south of Ukraine. Here hot plains meet blue waves of the Black Sea, bitter aromas of grass are mixed with salty winds of the sea. The land remembers Scythian people, ancient Greeks, Slavic tribes, Turkish hordes, free Zaporizhsky Cossacks… To this day summer rains wash out of these lands little pieces of Greek amphorae, blackened coins, clay Turkish and Cossack pipes and other ancient relics that help to reconstruct the history of Nikolaev.

Intensive colonization of Nikolaev began in the last quarter of ХVІІІ century after freeing Northern Black Sea coast from Turkish occupants. Russia got an outlet to the Black Sea and it needed a fleet. Before Nikolaev received an official status, it was named very modestly – Ingul wharf.  The foundation day of New Wharf that afterwards became Nikolaev is 27^th of April 1789. This date is found on an order from  to Faleev “To found a wharf on Ingul river”.

 It received its present day name in one year after triumphant assault of Ochakov by Russian troops under the command of Suvorov. Ochakov was taken on St. Nicholas’ Day. St. Nicholas is one of the most respected saints in Russia and Ukraine, patron of seamen. The new city was named after him. The name of St. Nicholas was also given to the first church built in the city in 1790, and to the first ship built here. Frigate “St. Nicholas” was launched in August 1790, and in July 1791 it already took part in its first battle.

Life of the city was totally under the command of shipbuilding and fleet. The Headquarters of Black Sea Fleet was located here for almost a hundred years. Names of famous naval commanders F.F. Ushakov, P.S. Nakhimov, V.A. Kornilov, A.S. Greig, F.F. Bellinsgausen, M.L. Lasarev, G.I. Butakov are connected with Nikolaev. The city grew, developed and lived its life. The building plan created in ХVІІІ was almost fulfilled during the first ten years of its existence, and without changes preserves into the present day. It is a unique town-planning monument of classicism. 

Opening in 1862 of a commercial port transformed Nikolaev into a big trade port. This can be seen in the emblem of the city. Thus, the project “Notes of military-seaport Nikolaev emblem” stated: “As Nikolaev is one of the main ports of Southern Russia, leaving mitre and staff behind, I suggest depicting a ship on this city’s emblem”. In the end of ХІХ century Nikolaev was the third port after St. Petersburg and Odessa in trading with foreign countries, and in exporting grain it ranked first in the country! Nikolaev became a big industrial centre in the South of Ukraine.With years old sailing ships were replaced with steam engine ships. New wharfs were built in Nikolaev, as well as new plants and factories.

Tempests of history influenced the life of our city greatly. In October 1917 it was called “red Petersburg of Ukraine”. In 1918 the city was first occupied by foreign troops. In 1920 Soviet power became firmly established in the city.

Here in Nikolaev, the founder of Russian epidemiology, the member of 12 West European academies and scientific societies  (Suschinskiy) finished his major research work.  Also, professor M. G. Livanov opened the first school of practical agriculture in 1790. Nikolaev gave the first experience of political struggle to L.D. Trotskiy (Bronstein). Such famous poets and writers as P.I. Sumarokov, A.S. Pushkin, A.M. Gorkiy, V.V. Mayakovskiy, N. A. Rimskiy-Korsakov visited the city. Leading figures of Ukrainian theatre – N. K. Sadovskiy and P. K. Saksaganskiy, M.L. Kropivnitskiy performed here. The first book of Ukrainian history written in native language – “Ukraine-Russia History” – was also written in Nikolaev. Its author is N. N. Arkas. Nikolaev was the birthplace of such celebrities as artist M. M. Bozhiy, outstanding astrologer and academician F. A. Bredikhin, Arctic researcher G. L. Brusilov, famous railway transport researcher V. N. Obraztsov, talented naval commander, oceanographic and polar researcher and inventor S. O. Makarov.

The city that devoted its life to shipbuilding cannot help being a romantic. So, it is not surprising that the first big sea crossing was performed by people of Nikolaev in 1884. Then the flagship “Oreanda” sailed around Europe to Krondstadt and winning the first prize of regatta, returned back the same way. On a different ship – “Ikar” that was built and designed by students and workers of Nikolaev Shipbuilding Institute, team of seven people (lead by B. S. Nemirov, honored captain of Nikolaev) performed world tour in 1987. Perhaps, “Ikar” was one of the first Nikolaevers that broke the “iron curtain” of secrecy and helped the city to open up to the big world.

Thanks to daily work, talent, intelligence and patience of many generations of Nikolaev people, the city turned from a little shipbuilding wharf into a big industrial, business, political and cultural centre of southern Ukraine in just a short period of history. After the first ship “St. Nicholas”, more than two thousands of ships were built on shipbuilding plants of the city (there are three of them now). Nikolaev is one of two cities in the world where heavy aircraft-carriers were built. The city searches for the ways of revival and development. Nikolaev population is starting to feel like a city community.  People of Nikolaev have revived the historical emblem and flag of the city, the statute of the city has been developed. The land is being revalued, businesses are being developed.

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