Ussuriisk

Ussuriisk is the second biggest town of Primorye. It stands 112 kilometres from Vladivostok in a broad valley on the left bank of Razdolnaya River.

In 1866 fourteen peasant families from the Astrakhan province founded a village here which they called Nikolskoye. Soon the village became a large trading center. Later on the Ussuriisk Cossack district was formed there and this also promoted the development of the settlement.

The construction of the railroad at the end of the XIX century and the railway workshops were also strong incentives. In 1898 the village Nikolskoye and the settlement Ketritzevo were united. Thus the town Ussuriisk arose.

To everyone’s astonishment this town has an accurate rectangular lay out and especially its central part. This was done in 1881 by the military officer of the Construction Department in the head-quarters staff of military governor of Primorsk territory the duke P.A.Kropotkin at the request of the headman Galichev. The ancient brick mansions are located in the old centre of the town. They form an architectural memorial of town-building and that’s why Ussuriisk is ranked among the historical towns. The architectural style of Ussuriisk at the end of the 19^th and the beginning of the 20^th century is called “modern”. One of the main departments in the town was the posttelegraph office. It was located in a magnificent building which still exists. The Tsar’s Gate was constructed in honour of the visit of grand duke Alexander Mikhailovich to Nikolskoye. The memorial was unveiled after the railroad construction had been finished. These memorials were destroyed afterwards. The triumphal arch-chapel was built in honour of the visit of Throne Heir Crown Prince Nikolay. Unfortunately this monument was also destroyed. Nikolay Thaumaturge (чудотворец) icon from the chapel is kept in Svyato-Pokrovskiy temple in Ussuriisk. A Magnificent stone cathedral in the centre of the town was the main building. In the 30-s the cathedral was blown up. Somebody found under the wreckage the icon of Kazanskaya Goddess, which is now kept in Svyato-Pokrovsky temple. The Svyato-Pokrovsky temple was built in 1907. It was founded by the deeds of the dean (настоятель) of Nikolayevsk Cathedral, the archpriest (протоирей) father Pavel (Michurin).

The town was renamed 3 times changed: Nikolsk-Ussuriisk, Voroshilov (1935-1957) and Ussuriysk until recently.

Nowadays Ussuriysk is an important centre of light and food industry. Its population is more than 160,000 people.

The town is situated in an agricultural region, a factor that sets the trend for its development.

The most important enterprises are the joint-stock companies “Dalsoya”, “Primorsky Sugar”, “Ussuriisky Balsam”. “Dalsoya” is the largest producer of soybean oil, margarines, laundry and toilet soap. “Primorsky Sugar” produces sugar with biologically active substances: eleuterococcus, schizandra. Pasteboard plant began working in 1991. There are Holland technological assembling lines producing linoleum and wallpaper.

The enterprise “Rodina” started restoring to life. It produces refrigerators, washing machines and TV sets.

Ussuriisk is an important railway junction on the Moscow-Vladivostok trunk line. There is a locomotive repair works, refrigerator, wagon and locomotive depots here.

Ussuriisk is a cultural centre with several higher educational establishments, a dozen or so specialized schools, two drama theatres, cinemas, clubs.

There are professional artists in Ussuriisk, Tkachenko, Usenko, Volkov, Galutin, Sedov, Nikitchic. In 1990 Ussuriisk Russian Artists’ Association was founded in the town.

Ussuriisk is considered one of the greenest towns of Russia. Its streets are lined with thousands of poplar, wild ash, linden, wild pears, apples and other trees. The Town park, popularly called Zelyony Ostrov (Green Isle) attracts a lot of visitors.

There are more than five hundred streets in the town. Some streets are called after civil war heroes. They remind us of the past: Blukher Avenue, Chimerkin, Ustimenko, Gerasimtchuk, Pinegin. Other streets are called after famous writers and poets: Nekrasov, Pushkin, Lermontov, Turgenev. But there are the streets, which are called after militiamen who gave their lives for our citizens. For example Teremetsky died during the fire saving the people of one of the houses in Lenin Street. Sergent Veis gave his life defending our dwellers. Glory to them!

Notes:

1. layout - планировка

2. is ranked among – отнесен к категории

3. grand duke – великий князь

4. chapel - часовня

5. joint-stock company - акционерное общество

Exercises

1. Suggest the Russian for:

to everyone’s astonishment, at the request, that’s why, architectural memorial, post telegraph office, railroad construction, unfortunately, magnificent cathedral, was blown up, has been existed, since, until recently, in present days, light and food industry, agricultural region, enterprises, joint-stock company, producer, biologically active substances, toilet soaps, locomotive repair works, wagon depot, a dozen or so, popularly called, the place of public festivals, remind us of the past, defend the life of dwellers.

2. Suggest the English for:

широкая долина, излучина, четкая прямоугольная планировка, староста, офицер строительного отдела, штаб военного губернатора, Приморская область, великолепное здание, все еще существует, в честь великого князя, мемориал был воздвигнут, впоследствии, царские ворота, триумфальная арка-часовня, в честь наследника престола, цесаревич, икона Николая Чудотворца, храм, взорван, под обломками, икона Казанской Богоматери, труды настоятеля собора, протоирей, крупнейший производитель соевого масла, хозяйственное мыло, биологически активные вещества, картонный комбинат, голландская технологическая линия, начал возрождаться, железнодорожный узел, железнодорожная магистраль, локомотивное депо, тополя, рябина, ясень, липа, привлекает много туристов, названы в честь героев.