Stavropol.
Stavropol, the administrative centre of Stavropol Krai, grew out of a fortress on the Azov–Mozdok defensive line. Its Greek name means "city of the cross"; today it is a green, fast-growing city on the hills of the North Caucasus.
- Region
- Stavropol Krai
- Population
- 550,147 (2023)
- Founded
- 1777
- Airport
- Stavropol (Shpakovskoye) · STW
Good news & stories
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All good newsHistory
The fortress was founded in 1777 on Prince Potemkin's plan, and Stavropol became a town in 1785. Legend says the builders found a stone cross on the site. From 1824 the city governed the Caucasus Oblast, and from 1847 it was a provincial capital and a major trading hub of the south. Between 1935 and 1943 it was called Voroshilovsk. During the war it was occupied from August 1942 to January 1943 and badly damaged; in August 1942 thousands of local Jews were shot near the airfield.
Culture & traditions
The city's leading stage is the Lermontov Academic Drama Theatre; the poet visited Stavropol, and monuments and a library keep his memory. The Prozritelev and Prave Museum-Reserve tells the story of the region's history and nature, and there is also a fine arts museum. The "Russia — My History" historical park opened in 2017. The city also has a state circus with nearly 1,750 seats and a botanical garden of about 18 hectares.
Sport
The city's best-known club is Dynamo, a football team that plays at a stadium of the same name holding about 16,000 spectators. Handball is strong here, with the men's team Viktor and the women's Stavropolye-SKFU, and so is basketball. The city hosted a stage of the 2010 Dakar Rally and Russian championships in boxing, wrestling and archery.
Food & drink
Stavropol Krai is farming country, and that shows on the table: local sausages, cheeses, dairy and bread. Food production makes up about a third of the city's industrial output.
Practical information
The city is served by Stavropol (Shpakovskoye) International Airport. Trains arrive at Stavropol station, linked via Mikhaylovsk with Moscow and Sochi, and federal highways pass through the city. Trolleybuses, buses and minibuses run around town. The climate is continental with warm summers; strong winds blow in February and March, so May to September is the more pleasant time to visit.
What to see
- Fortress Hill — the historic core where the 1777 fortress stood
- Tiflis Gates — a reconstructed triumphal arch
- Kazan Cathedral — one of the city's main churches
- Prozritelev and Prave Museum-Reserve — the region's history and nature
- "Russia — My History" park — a multimedia history exhibition
- Botanical Garden — 18 hectares for an unhurried walk
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Stavropol · STW
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Sources
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