Исследовательская работа "История г.Томска на английском языке"
занимательные факты по английскому языку на тему

ABOUT TOMSK

History of Tomsk

The city was founded in 1604 by Russian Cossacks (Tomsk stockaded town is on the south cape of Voskresenskaya hill, on the right bank of the river Tom). Within the first century Tomsk had been a fortress, helping the Russians to go further to Siberia. The Tomsk Cossacks had founded the Kuznetsk fortress (nowadays Novokuznetsk), Achinsk, Krasnoyarsk, Enisseisk.

In the eighteenth century the pivot of the town life had been presented by the Siberian high road connecting the center of Russia with its eastern suburb and giving an impetus to the development of Siberian towns.

Tomsk has been growing and becoming more attractive for living. Among wood housing there were rising beautiful stone buildings of Blagoveshenskaya, Bogoyavlenskaya, Voskresenskaya, Dukhovslaya, Znamenskaya churches. The first seats of culture began to glow in the Alekseyevsky monastery where a library and a school had been opened.  

To the end of the nineteenth century Tomsk had turned into the most populated Siberian town and to the end of the First World War had been reckoned among 20 largest cities of the country. According to the size of trade turnover the city took the first place in Siberia, had been developing as a traffic center of the region. In the city there had been formed a complex of industrial enterprises oriented to produce processing, banking and the exterior of Tomsk had got the features of a true city.

At the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries in Tomsk there were opened the first higher education establishments in the Asian part of Russia such as: the Imperial University and the Institute of Technology, Siberian higher female courses, along with secondary comprehensive and vocational schools.

The Soviet government had been claimed on the 6th (19th) of December of the year 1917, and on the 26th of January of the year 1918 the Tomsk city council had dissolved the region duma. In consequence of the revolt of Czechoslovakian corps on the 31st of May of the year 1918 Tomsk had turned upon power of White Guards, though on the 22nd of December of the year 1919 the Red Army had finally established the Soviet power in the city.

The period from 1918 to 1944 years was the time of Tomsk significantly falling into decay, declining of its regional status, there was a vigorous outflow of population to rapid-growing Novosibirsk and other cities and towns situated on the Trans-Siberian Railway. 

During the Great Patriotic War there were about 30 companies evacuated to Tomsk from the European part of Russia that had become the city industry base: in the course of the war years the volume of industrial production in Tomsk has tripled. Also the administrative status of the city had changed: on the 13th of August of the year 1944 Tomsk region had been formed and Tomsk became the regional center, but until the year 1960 had been continuing to longer out its life of an out-of-the-way, provincial town.

In the 1969es the city got an impulse of a dynamic, swift development: in that time its basic strategic environments – scientific-academic complex - had been developing; in Tomsk region the oil industry had been created from scratch; military production and electronics were being expanded; there had started a closed enterprise of the Soviet nuclear project (“the fifth post”); around the city there was started a bunch of agro-industry enterprises; there was created a vigorous base of building companies; Tomsk got a strong cultural development.

In 2004 Tomsk celebrated its 400th birthday since the foundation of the city. On the eve of the 400-year-anniversary the city was given a new look, having become an intellectual, architectural and cultural capital of Siberia.

Nowadays Tomsk is presented as a city of historic traditions, respect and interest in the old times and at the same time it is a city of youth, where every citizen is a person with great future, and every fifth person is a student.

The population of Tomsk is 535 165 people
The territory is 297,2 km2
The amount of city enterprises and organizations inscribed in the Statistical Register is 24944 units
The distance from Tomsk to Moscow is 3500 km.

Tomsk History Facts and Timeline

(Tomsk, Siberia, Russia)

Tomsk was founded at the beginning of the 17th century at the official request of the Tatar duke of Eushta. He approached the Tsar to ask for some form of defence in this area, which was suffering at the hands of lawless robbers from Kyrgyzstan. Boris Fyodorovich Godunov, Tsar from 1598 to 1605, subsequently ordered the building of the village, and thus, the history of Tomsk began, more than four centuries ago.

A strategic site was chosen at the meeting point of both the Tom River and the Ushaika River, and approximately 200 Cossacks were drafted in to begin construction of a fortress. The might of Tomsk saw this burgeoning town gain control of a number of ethnic settlements living nearby, to the south.

FIRE DAMAGE AND TOWN STATUS

By the arrival of the early 17th century, the village had managed to establish a good infrastructure and its community was steadily expanding. The year of 1629 was a memorable one in Tomsk history, since this growing village was awarded the status of a town.

With so many wooden buildings built so close together, Tomsk was really a fire waiting to happen, and sure enough, in 1643, a devastating fire swept through the entire town. The fire destroyed everything in its path, including the fortress. Not deterred by this catastrophe, the locals began to rebuild their town, including the fortress, which was encircled by a lengthy wooden wall with a number of lookout towers.

Being situated towards the end of the Moscow to Siberia route, Tomsk began attracting both visitors and emigrants. By the late 1730s, the town was beginning to draw various tradesmen, including blacksmiths, who set up shop here and added their skill base to the community.

THE SITE OF THE NEW GOVERNORATE

In the year of 1804, Emperor Alexander announced that Tomsk was to become the prestigious administrative centre of the region. Now a city, it was to preside over an expansive area, including Eastern Kazakhstan, Kemerovo and the Novosibirsk region (then named Novonikolayevsk), as well as the Altai Territory. This was a real turning point in the history of Tomsk and a new chapter of prosperity began.

A local council was formed and a number of official buildings for the new administration soon arrived, including a town hall, churches and even a police building. With the population set to increase further, more houses were built, many of which were now constructed in stone.

The wealth of the city was further increased when gold was discovered nearby at the beginning of the 1830s. However, the city was rather surprised when it was announced that the Trans-Siberian Railway of the early 1890s was to bypass Tomsk altogether, instead connecting Novosibirsk, to the south-west. This was the start of the gradual demise of Tomsk, and the subsequent rise of Novosibirsk.

EXILES, EDUCATION AND REVOLUTION

The city was to begin to attract exiles from other countries, who came to Tomsk to start a new life. Before long, the overall population was made up of some 20 percent of these exiles. The history of the city was looking rather uncertain, although a newfound confidence was to come in the form of both the Tomsk Polytechnic University and the National Research Tomsk State University, built in 1886 and 1888 respectively. The city soon became Siberia's true centre for educational excellence.

The 1917 revolution saw Tomsk officially join the Siberian Territory, while soon after it became a part of the Western Siberia Territory. Towards the end of the 1930s, the city joined forces with its neighbours, becoming a member of the powerful Novosibirsk Oblast region.

Many factories were erected in the city during the arrival of the First World War and a strong industrial period followed, right into the Second World War (1939 to 1945) and during the Great Patriotic War (1941 to 1945). Such was the growth and economic output that Tomsk drew the attention of the Soviet government, who decided to create a new administrative division here (oblast). A period of nuclear research followed, along with the discovery of oil and gas nearby in the 1960s.

THE CITY TODAY

Tomsk remains a city of science and students, and at the beginning of 1991, the city's very heart was given the title of 'historic town', preserving the oldest buildings for future generations.

Sightseers coming here can enjoy many beautiful landmarks, many of which line both the Ploshchad Lenina and the Prospekt Lenina. Those wishing to learn more about the city's interesting past will find that the Tomsk History Museum on Resurrection Hill is a good place to start, as is the Regional Museum within the Atashev Palace.

Usually people who have visited Tomsk say that this town has the special atmosphere. What’s the secret of the hospitable place? The most common association with the name of my town is its wooden architecture. Looking at The house with firebirds, everyone falls down to fairytale. On the other hand, only wooden sights can’t make the spirit of Tomsk.

Maybe Tomsk’s sense of humor makes people feel comfortable there? There are a lot of funny monuments: the one to Chekhov, monument to home slippers. No, it’s not enough.

I’ve caught the idea. Maybe Tomsk is so special not because of some reason but contrary to something? Tomsk was called so because of the name of the river Tom’ (it means ‘dark’). This town was a place of exile. As opposite to this facts Tomsk inspired a lot of people to make something significant. Khalfina, Tomsk writer, is well-known in Russia. The Tomsk poet wrote lyrics for hits like ‘It’s impossible to be so beautiful’, other ones. I’m an ordinary schoolgirl, but the spirit of my home town makes me to write poems too. Look at this one.

I watch a Siberian spring.
We know that all trees must be green,
A river must friendly splish-splash,
That eyes must be lightened by flash…
We know, it’s a very strict law.
I’m sorry but it is not so.

Look, what a fabulous sight!
The white snow is stereotype.
Do you believe in it? Hey,
Siberian snow’s always gray!

Tom’ is not fond of its banks,
And a peasant has given his thanks.
I’m not sure I need to repeat
(There aren’t words we used to read).

A bus helps me color my suit
By fresh, grayish, wonderful mud. 
Forgive me but I have a right
To say that the peasant was right.

You’ve watched Siberian spring.
You can say that all trees must be green,
The river must friendly splish-splash,
That eyes must be lightened by flash…
There must be a miracle… Well,
There is, I’ve forgotten to tell.

The peasant, the river, the mud
Make better my serious mood.
They’re awful, I know it. Then
I love them how nobody can.