NikolaevFleet and ship-building city at the bank of Bug estuary at Ingul river mouth. It was founded in 1789 under the order of Prince Potiomkin-Tavricheskyi at the place of Russian fortress Novo-Grigorievskaya (1774) and ship-building yard (1788). It was named in honor of Ochakov was occupied by Zaporozhye Cossacks in St. Nicolas Day. Headquarter and office of the Black Sea Fleet Commander-in-Chief allocated there since 1794. After defeat in Crimea War the Admiralty was closed and the building of military ship stopped. Till the end of XIX century Nikiolayev turned into trade port. During Soviet times it was the biggest center of military ship-building in the USSR closed for tourists. Battleship "Potiomkin", space ship "Academician Koroliov", aircraft-carrier "Kyiv" and the most powerful ship of Russia military fleet "Admiral Kuznetsov" cruiser aircraft-carrier were got down on water. The city was opened for visitors after 1999. Tourist centers are – pedestrian street Sovetskaya (partially with old buildings, many cafes and bars) and "Skazka" children town.
The history of Nikolayev is closely connected to the sea. For the very beginning of its life the city devoted itself to ship-building and Black Sea Military Fleet creation. A year before General-Governor of Novorossiysk region Prince G.A. Potiomkin on 7 August 1789, signed his famous order on the city St. Nicolas to be founded in Ingul river mouth, the ship-building yard was founded at the place where there is a plant named after 61 Kommunar exists. The beneficial geographic position of the city stipulated for its second purpose – to be the point of sea trade. Port and ship-building yard define the face of the city.
City of Nikolayev is the center of machine-building, including ship-building, non-ferrous metallurgy, food and light industry of oblast. There are more than 60 big industrial enterprises and their specific gravity in scope of oblast makes more than 51%. There is one river and three sea ports equipped with modern portal cranes and other equipment. Technical ability only of trade sea port on cargo processing reaches 9 mln. tonne per year. Navigation is performed all year round. Nikolayev oblast covered the territory of more than 24.6 thousand sq. km at the South of Ukraine at the basin of low flow of Uzhnyi Bug. It makes 4.1% of the territory of Ukraine. Nikolayev is the powerful transportation center. |
