(сделайте краткий пересказ С, in July + 25 С. Annual precipitation is 230 millimeters
in a year.
Here you can find the river and sea ports of the Volga Caspian
pond, transport junction of railway lines (towards Saratov, Kizlyar,
Guriev) and freeways (towards Volgograd, Stavropol and other cit-
ies), international airport.
High presence of different nationalities has become an Astrakhan
historic peculiarity. In Astrakhan there are more than 100 nationali-
ties.
Astrakhan is one of the oldest Russian towns. It has a long and in-
teresting history. Being located at the north of the Caspian Sea, it
stood on the Great Silk Way and played an important role connecting
West and East. During many centuries Astrakhan and its region was
the place, where different civilizations met. Many peoples inhabited
the Lower Volga since the ancient sea had retreated.
In the thirteenth century a large trade centre – Sarai Batu – the
capital of the Golden Horde – rose up in the Lower Volga. It at-
tracted the merchants from the most far away countries and was fa-
mous for its palaces.
The city of Hadzhy Tarkhan, the centre of the Astrakhan Khan-
ate, which had detached from the Golden Horde, rose up on the right
bank of the Volga. It was the historical predecessor of Astrakhan. In
different years it had different names: Ashtarkhan, Gitorkhan, Tsi-
trokhan. Such a variety of names still has no exact historical explana-
tion, as well as the name of modern Astrakhan itself.
Originally Astrakhan was located on the right bank of the Volga,
and only in the sixteenth century it was replaced onto the opposite
bank, as the new place was safer.
In 1558 a wooden citadel was erected on the left bank of the
Volga. It was the starting point of Astrakhan. And soon the Kremlin
was done of brick. It was being built since 1582 to 1589. The Krem-
lin in Astrakhan is righteously considered to be an outstanding monument of Russian architecture and fortification of the sixteenth
century. Being the main place of interest in Astrakhan, the Kremlin
hasn’t lost its spiritual significance. The ancient walls and towers of
the Kremlin remind us of the glorious deeds of our ancestors.
The main adornment of the Kremlin is the Uspensky Cathedral
erected in 1698 1710 by a surf architect Dorofei Myakishev who
managed to embody in his stone masterpiece the idea of the spiritual
strengthening of Russia. They say that when Peter I saw the Uspen-
sky Cathedral he exclaimed that there was no other cathedral of such
beauty in Russia and ordered to erect a similar cathedral in St. Pe-
tersburgh.
In June 1722 his Highness Peter I paid a visit to sunny Astrakhan.
The Tsar was getting ready for a march to Persia and that was why
he was personally interested in the fortification of the southern out-
post of Russia. On his initiative the Caspian fleet was created in the
mouth of the Volga. Long before the fleet was founded the first Rus-
sian military ship «Orel» was sent to Astrakhan to guard the trade
routes.
There are a lot of historical places in Astrakhan, especially in the
centre of the town. Its quiet streets and old houses are inexplicably
attractive. And the sad spirit of old times is flying over them.​

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