Historical Abakan
Abakan city celebrated its anniversary on the 30th of April, 2006. First settlements appeared many centuries ago. Such information was mentioned in graphic materials, for example, on the maps made by Krasnoyarsk Cossacks in 1665 and also in a famous book “Drawing book of Siberia” made in 1701.
In 1675 stockaded town Abakan was built. That is why this year Abakan celebrated 325 anniversary of the day of the first state building on the territory of the city mentioned in historical documents. 1675 is the year when the first settlement was created on the place of modern Abakan. The author of a famous book “Abakan” Vladislav Torosov suggests that if you make the village Nizhnaya Sogra as an ancient settlement where archeologists found medieval fortress then Abakan is probably 1200 years, if we take into consideration crossroads of Askizskay and Kanskay streets where buildings of the V A.D then Abakan may be 1550 years.
But there are more ancient buildings discovered by archeologists – Hun palace. The city of Huns dated to 99 B.C. so Abakan may have 2100 years. Historians had not finished yet debates. Among nine settlements which joined the city, the leading place belongs to Ust-Abakan which was named into Abakan city in 1931.
In 1822 according to a new reform “about non-Russians” the village Ust-Abakan became an administrative centre of Kachinskaya Duma. The village Ust-Abakan made a new step in its development. Many public buildings were opened, cottage industry appeared. Trade grew. There was a great need in merchant activity because of Siberian backward. Merchants brought different goods, vodka. Many private shops were opened.
But the village Ust-Abakan did not have many stimuli for the development as for example neighboring Michurinsk that is why Abakan had a slower growth.
In the Soviet period Abakan had 4 steps of development. It was centre of uyezd (district), okrug (region), autonomous region, autonomous republic. City fortune was closely connected with political life of the country.
On the 30th of April, 1931 the village Ust-Abakan was renamed into Abakan. Abakan became the main city of Khakassia. At that time many educational establishments were opened, a net of cultural institutions grew. Unemployment disappeared, industry developed, ignorance was in past, a new culture appeared, Khakass people created national written language, formed own intelligentsia.
The first decade of Abakan made a big leap forward in the development. The population of Abakan increased 4 times. Abakan frontiers were extended. In 1940 the city had 20 square kms. The city was reconstructed, accumulated forces. But the war began. Many Abakan men fought in the Greta Patriotic War. About 20 thousand of soldiers were sent to the army during the war. Famous 309th shot division was formed in Khakassia. It participated in the battle for the Ukrainian city Piryatin and was renamed into Piryatinskaya shot division. And since that time the two cities Abakan and Piryatin are twin cities. More than 5 thousand of Abakan people died in the battle, 12 thousand returned from the war with wounds and contusions.
After the war city life revived. Many different buildings were constructed. The main attention was given to industry. During the first post-war 5 years confectioner, textile factories, juice-wine factory “Legmash”, meat canning factory were built. New possibilities appeared with perspectives of TransSiberain main. In 1958 the construction of the railway Abakan-Tayshet began. This construction was connected with “the way of courage”, with many good pages of labour exploits of Abakan people, In 1965 the railway was put into operation.
At the beginning of the 70s a strong industrial base was created: medren transport communications, energy supply, building industry. At that time city population was about 100 thousand, labour forces represented a big potential. Near the city on the territory of the region many natural resources were discovered, coal and timber cutting industry developed, the construction of Sayano-Shushenskaya hydro electric station began. In 1971 the decision to form Sayan territorial complex of energetic and industrial enterprises was made.
In these conditions Abakan became one of the most developed centers in Siberia. In the 80s Abakan took a leading place for growth rates in Russia.
In 1986 it produced industrial production for 480 million roubles (instead of 200 million in 1970). City population reached 150 thousand of people (today about 160 thousand).
History of Abakan is shown today through architecture of buildings, squares, monuments, written stories and myths, names of streets and squares. Streets can tell us a lot. They are called stone chronicles of the city. If you look at them very attentively, they will tell you about past, their creators, life, traditions and people; they remain many events.
There are 170 streets in Abakan. Many of names are modern history. They appeared in a certain historical period and that is why they reflect certain events and people (Lenin prospect, Dimitrov Street, Chapaev Street, etc.). Abakan people like their city and decorate it, make it more beautiful.
Abakan is wonderful. It has a nice geographical location. Nature is very picturesque, there are many rivers, people made Abakan a nice, green and hospitable city.