Kirov (Russian: Ки́ров, IPA: [ˈkʲirəf] (listen)) is the largest city and administrative center of Kirov Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Vyatka River in European Russia, 896 km northeast of Moscow. Its population was 518,348 in 2020.[18] Kirov is a historical, cultural, industrial, and scientific center of Priural'e (territory on the west side of the Ural Mountains); place of origin for Dymkovo toys; the most eastern city founded during the times of Kievan Rus'.

Kirov Ки́ров
City[1]
View of Kirov
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: none[2]
Location of Kirov
Kirov Location of Kirov Show map of Kirov Oblast Kirov Kirov (European Russia) Show map of European Russia Kirov Kirov (Europe) Show map of Europe
Coordinates: 58°36′N 49°41′E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Kirov Oblast[1]
Founded	1374[3][4]
Government
• Body	City Duma[5]
• Head[6]	Kovaleva Elena[7]
Area [8]
• Total	757.0 km2 (292.3 sq mi)
Elevation	150 m (490 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[9]
• Total	473,695
• Estimate  (2018)[10]	507,155 (+7.1%)
• Rank	38th in 2010
• Density	630/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Administrative status
• Subordinated to	City of Kirov[1]
• Capital of	Kirov Oblast[1], City of Kirov[1]
Municipal status
• Urban okrug	Kirov Urban Okrug[11]
• Capital of	Kirov Urban Okrug[11]
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [12])
Postal code(s)[13]	610000–610002, 610004–610011, 610013–610021, 610025–610027, 610029–610031, 610033, 610035, 610037, 610040, 610042, 610044–610048, 610050, 610051, 610890, 610899, 610960–610967, 610990, 610995, 610999
Dialing code(s)	+7 8332
OKTMO ID	33701000001
City Day	observed in June[14]
Website	www.mo-kirov.ru

The city also had the names of Khlynov (Хлы́нов, from 1457 to 1780),[3] and Vyatka (Вя́тка, until 1934).[4][3]

History

Principality and republic

The native Slavic tribe of Central Russia and Volga regions, the Vyatichis (also called Viatichi), mixed here with the Novgorodian Slovenes and Finno-Ugric people.[19] According to the medieval chronicles the first Russian settlements in the area appeared in 12th century. Kirov itself was first mentioned (as Vyatka) for the first time in 1374[4] when Novgorod ushkuyniks plundered it on their way to Bolghar.[20] Vyatka was governed by a public assembly (veche) as other Northern Russian republics of Pskov and Novgorod.

At different times in the late 14th and 15th centuries Vyatka militias raided Ustyug, Novgorod and Tatar lands on Kama and Volga. Vyatka supported Yury of Zvenigorod during the Muscovite Civil War and after his party lost the victorious Vasily II sent Muscovite armies twice against Vyatka to subjugate it and eventually it was forced to accept the suzerainty of Moscow while retaining a significant measure of autonomy.[21] In 1469 Vyatka allied with Khan Ibrahim of the Khanate of Kazan and did not take part in the campaign of Ivan III against the khanate.[22][21]

After several unsuccessful campaigns by Moscow against Vyatka in 1480s, the latter was finally annexed in 1489.[21]

Part of Grand Duchy of Moscow and Russian Empire

Khlynov became known throughout Russia for its clay statuettes and whistles. The town's oldest surviving monument is the Assumption Cathedral (1689), an imposing structure surmounted by five globular domes.

In 1780, Catherine the Great renamed the town Vyatka and made it the seat of Vyatka Governorate.^{[citation needed]} The town also served as a place of exile, notably for Alexander Herzen, Alexander Vitberg, and Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin. By the end of the 19th century, it was an important station on the Trans-Siberian railway.

Soviet and post-Soviet period

In December 1934,^{[citation needed]} it was renamed after the Soviet leader Sergey Kirov, who was assassinated on December 1. However, whilst the name Kirov has remained since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, numerous institutions such as the university bear the former name of Vyatka.

Vyatka. Early 20th century

The northeastern part of the Vyatka		City wharf and the ensemble of the Central square		Spasskaya Street		Khlebnaya Square
S. Lobovikov

Administrative and municipal status

Kirov is the administrative center of the oblast.[1] Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is, together with 134 rural localities, incorporated as the City of Kirov—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.[1] As a municipal division, the City of Kirov is incorporated as Kirov Urban Okrug.[11]

Economy

Kirov is a major transport hub (railway; Trans-Siberian main) and river port. It is served by Kirov Pobedilovo airport. During the 1990s this airport was closed and for several years provided only irregular service. During the 2003-2006 summer seasons there were signs of a revival in air transportation as several companies attempted to establish flight routes from Kirov to Moscow and Krasnodar. Since 2006 Kirov airport has been used by a local company operating flights to Moscow.

The Kirov River port went bankrupt in the late 1990s and all its river boats were sold to other regions. Kirov is a center of machine building; metallurgy, light, the printing trade, biochemical and the timber industry.

Culture

Museums

• Kirov Regional Museum
• Kirov Regional Art Museum in honor V.M. and A.M. Vasnetsov

Vyatka Museum of Art, one of the oldest museums in Russia, was founded in 1910 by local artists.

The idea of creation belongs to natives of Vyatka land, brothers artists Viktor Vasnetsov and Apollinary Vasnetsov. At the core of the collection — works that received the most part in the 1910-1920s from the State Museum Fund, private collections and as gifts — from patrons and artists. Today the museum has more than fifteen thousand exhibits and is located in four buildings in Kirov downtown.[23]

• Museum of K.E. Tsiolkovsky, Aviation & Space
• Vyatka cabinet of curiosities
• Kirov diorama
• House-Museum of M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin
• Museum of A. Green
• House-Museum of N. Khokhryakova
• Kirov exhibition hall
• Kirov Planetarium
• Vyatka paleontological museum[24]

Theaters

• Kirov Oblast Drama Theater
• Kirov State Puppet Theater
• Kirov State Theater of Young Spectators "Theater of the Spasskaya"

Circus

• Kirov State Circus

According to a report in Pravda dated January 4, 2005, Kirov is known as the "city of twins" for the unusually high number of multiple births there.[25]

According to a report, the city is home to a high concentration of red-haired individuals.[26]

Sports

Rodina[27] plays in the highest division of Russian Bandy League. Their home arena has a capacity of 7500.[28] It was the venue of the national final in 2013.[29] Rodina-2 will participate in the Russian Rink Bandy Cup 2017.[30]

Education

Kirov is the home of Vyatka State University, former Vyatka University for the Humanities, Vyatka Agricultural Academy and Kirov State Medical University.

Climate

Kirov has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb). Summers are warm and rainy, coupled with cool nights, while winters are cold and extremely snowy, with snow falling on most days during winter.

Gallery

• 
  Kirov New bridge
• 
  Kirov. The bottom pond at a diorama
• 
  Armenian church. Kirov
• 
  Spasskaya Street
• 
  Kirov railway station
• 
  The bandy stadium

Twin towns – sister cities

Kirov is twinned with:[33]

• Siedlce, Poland

Notable people

• Anna Alminova (born 1985), middle-distance runner
• Yuri Ardashev (born 1965), theater director, actor
• Ekaterina Atalik (born 1982), chess player
• Mikhail Bagayev (born 1985), association football player
• Aleksey Borovitin (born 1954), ski jumper
• Yevgeny Charushin (1901–1965), illustrator, author of children's literature
• Oksana Domnina (born 1984), ice dancer
• Vyacheslav Dryagin (1940–2002), Nordic combined skier
• Boris Farmakovsky (1870–1928), historian, archaeologist
• Bl. Leonid Feodorov (1879–1935), first Exarch of the Russian Byzantine Catholic Church
• Matvey Gusev (1826–1866), astronomer
• Maria Isakova (1918–2011), speed skater
• Kirill Khaliavin (born 1990), ice dancer
• Lev Knyazev (1926–2012), writer
• Olga Kuragina (born 1959), athlete
• Alexey Kuzmichev (born 1962), businessman
• Boris Kuznetsov (born 1944), lawyer
• Andrei Malykh (born 1988), association football player
• Ksenia Monko (born 1922), ice dancer
• Sergey Obukhov (born 1974), bandy player
• Svetlana Pletnyova (1926–2008), historian, archaeologist
• Aleksei Pugin (born 1987), association football player
• Ivan Shefer (born 1983), ice dancer
• Yekaterina Shikhova (born 1985), speed skater
• Alexei Sitnikov (born 1986), ice dancer
• Alexander Stolbov (born 1929), painter
• Nikolai Tchaikovsky (1851–1926), revolutionary, politician
• Mikhail Tyufyakov (born 1974), association football player and manager
• Vladimir Urin (born 1947), theater director, actor
• Yuri Vshivtsev (1940–2010), association football player
• Valentin Yanin (born 1929), historian, archaeologist
• Julia Zlobina (born 1989), ice dancer
• Polina Khonina (born 1998), rhythmic gymnast

References

Notes

Sources

• Кировская городская Дума. Решение №42/19 от 29 июня 2005 г. «Об Уставе муниципального образования "Город Киров"», в ред. Решения №40/5 от 25 сентября 2015 г. «О внесении изменений в Устав муниципального образования "Город Киров", принятый Решением Кировской городской Думы от 29.06.2005 №42/19». Вступил в силу в соответствии со статьёй 56. Опубликован: "Вятский край", №130 (3538), 13 июля 2005 г. (Kirov City Duma. Decision #42/19 of June 29, 2005 On the Charter of the Municipal Formation of the "City of Kirov", as amended by the Decision #40/5 of September 25, 2015 On Amending the Charter of the Municipal Formation of the "City of Kirov" Adopted by the Decision #42/19 of Kirov City Duma of June 29, 2005. Effective as of the date set forth in accordance with the provisions of Article 56.).
• Законодательное Собрание Кировской области. Закон №387-ЗО от 2 декабря 2005 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Кировской области», в ред. Закона №249-ЗО от 29 декабря 2012 г. «О внесении изменений в Закон Кировской области "Об административно-территориальном устройстве Кировской области"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Вятский край", №228–228 (3635–3636), 13 декабря 2005 г. (Legislative Assembly of Kirov Oblast. Law #387-ZO of December 2, 2005 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Kirov Oblast, as amended by the Law #249-ZO of December 29, 2012 On Amending the Law of Kirov Oblast "On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Kirov Oblast". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
• Законодательное Собрание Кировской области. Закон №284-ЗО от 7 декабря 2004 г. «Об установлении границ муниципальных образований Кировской области и наделении их статусом муниципального района, городского округа, городского поселения, сельского поселения», в ред. Закона №350-ЗО от 11 ноября 2013 г. «О внесении изменений в отдельные Законы Кировской области». Вступил в силу по истечении 10 дней со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Вятский край", №233–234 (3401–3402), 21 декабря 2004 г. (Legislative Assembly of Kirov Oblast. Law #284-ZO of December 7, 2004 On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations of Kirov Oblast and on Granting Them the Municipal District, Urban Okrug, Urban Settlement, Rural Settlement Status, as amended by the Law #350-ZO of November 11, 2013 On Amending Various Laws of Kirov Oblast. Effective as of after 10 days from the day of the official publication.).

Further reading

• (in Russian) Vyatka. Materials for the History of the 17th and 18th Centuries (1887) (Вятка. Материалы для истории города XVII и XVIII столетий) at Runivers.ru in DjVu and PDF formats

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Kirov.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kirov, Kirov Oblast.

• Official website of Kirov (in Russian)
• Directory of organizations in Kirov (in Russian)

На других языках

[de] Kirow

[es] Kírov

[ru] Киров