The variety of cities on the Crimean peninsula is impressive. Simferopol, Sevastopol, Dzhankoy, Evpatoria and, of course, Kerch. This city is located on the shore of the Kerch Strait and is a kind of gateway connecting the Crimea with the Krasnodar Territory. It turns out, as it were, the transition: the city of Kerch - mainland Russia. This port city, although slightly smaller than the same Sevastopol (which, incidentally, is a strategic port), but it matters even more for the entire peninsula.
History of an extraordinary city
Kerch appeared about seven thousand years ago, but it can boast of the status of a city for more than two and a half thousand years. For this reason, the village is included in the list of the oldest settlements in the world, along with Rome and Athens.
There were wars on the territory of Kerch, and various famous battles. This city was considered a tidbit for the conquerors. For example, the Byzantine rulers tried to appropriate this territory, and even gave their name - the Bosporus. Nevertheless, the Slavs conquered the city and gave it the name Korchev. But after the battle with the Khazars happened, and they, in turn, renamed the village in Cherkio. Then the city passed into the possession of Turkey and became known as Karsha. Only after the Russo-Turkish war, after returning to the objects of the Russian Empire, did the settlement acquire its current name - Kerch.
The city took part in the Great Patriotic War. It was a kind of arena for the struggle of Russian and German troops. More than 85% of the buildings were destroyed, the population of Kerch lost fifteen thousand people. Given these events, in 1973, finally, Kerch was awarded the title of a hero city.
Location of Kerch
The city is spread on the banks of the Kerch Strait. On the territory of the village, in its very center, majestic Mount Mithridates rises . Kerch is a unique city, if only because in this village is the easternmost point of the Crimea - Cape Fonar.
The total area of Kerch is 108 square kilometers. An impressive number of various small rivers, mud volcanoes and salt lakes have long been discovered in the city.
The weather in Kerch is usually stable without sharp changes. The climate is temperate continental. According to statistics, winter is usually relatively warm, but summer is often very hot, even sultry. So people who love heat will definitely like the weather in Kerch.
The steppe type of vegetation prevails in the city, sometimes interspersed with meadow. The ecology of Kerch is significantly supported by the created large parks and quiet squares. They own about 28% of the entire settlement. The streets of Kerch, on which summer cottages are located, delight in spring with the flowering of such beautiful plants as pomegranate, quince, figs and grapes.
Population and national composition
Thanks to such a rich historical heritage, the village is very multinational. According to general information, about 80 of the most diverse nationalities coexist in Kerch. Among them:
- Russians - 78%;
- Ukrainians - 15%;
- Tatars - 2%;
- Armenians and other nationalities.
The population of Kerch at the time of 2016 amounted to almost 149 thousand people. If we cite statistics from 1979 to the present, it will be seen that the number of citizens living is relatively stable from year to year.
Citizens of working age make up approximately 40% of the total number of people. The unemployment rate does not exceed 1.5 percent. This suggests that the population of Kerch is employed almost completely. A significant place in this issue is occupied by the tourism business: if in winter the work is slightly less, then in summer the need to attract additional labor increases.
If you pay attention to the employment center, Kerch now mainly offers vacancies for the construction of a bridge across the strait. This is not surprising, because laying communications requires a large amount of labor. But after the construction of the bridge is completed, it is possible that the employment center (Kerch can really expect such a course of events) will turn out to be a completely superfluous institution, because there will be at least open vacancies.
Economy Kerch
In industry, the city has flourished since the 1960s. Shipbuilding and metallurgical plants in those days became town-forming enterprises.
In addition, in Kerch there is a sewing factory for the tailoring of children's clothing. The factory has its own online store engaged in the distribution of products in the CIS countries. Also on the territory of the settlement there are other industrial enterprises.
Since ancient times, fishing has occupied a significant place in the life and activity of the city. At enterprises related to fisheries, the population of Kerch still occupies almost all jobs.
Scientific and educational institutions
Like any other city, Kerch has a large number of schools on its territory, there are 28 of them in the settlement. This is quite comparable with the area and population. In addition to them, there are 6 vocational schools. There is also a medical school in which anyone can get an education in the profession of a nurse or paramedic.
The Kerch administration takes care of its citizens, so there are quite a lot of good kindergartens in the village. All of them are repaired in accordance with the norms and current legislation.
From secondary specialized educational institutions one can distinguish still ship-mechanical and polytechnic technical schools. But still there are much more higher educational institutions in Kerch. The main one is KSMTU - Kerch State Marine Technological University. Previously, it was called KMTI. The remaining eight higher education institutions are branches or divisions of other universities located in Russia, Ukraine and the Crimea.
The city's attractions
Kerch has the ability to provide tourists with a wide variety of recreation: both active and relaxing. Those wishing to enjoy the cultural heritage of the city can enjoy the sights of the ancient era. A large number of excavations of ancient cities, previously located on the site of Kerch, can impress the most inveterate tourist. Many different things of ancient eras discovered on the territory of the city are stored in the archaeological museum, their number is about 130 thousand samples. There you can see the famous pantry of gold that once belonged to the Bosporus kingdom.
In addition, the settlement boasts Christian temples. The very first of them - the Church of St. John the Baptist - has long become a very popular destination among tourists. This attraction is recognized as a well-known architectural monument.
Not all places that can be visited are listed. A more detailed list is publicly available.
Reviews of tourists about the city
A huge number of tourists come to Kerch annually. According to their reviews, one can judge how people relate to the appearance of this city and its population.
Many who visited Kerch note the cleanliness of the city. Also, those who were there during the Soviet era, warmly respond to the industry of the city and are incredibly happy to restore some plants.
You can also find many pleasant words about the inhabitants of the city. People pay attention to the hospitality and friendliness of the locals. The local cuisine and all kinds of drinks also won the hearts of a large number of tourists.
Finally
The city of Kerch is an important strategic object of the Republic of Crimea. But this is far from the only advantage of the village. Being the owner of a powerful industrial (and not only) production, the city is a value for any state. In addition, the cultural heritage of Kerch is a delight. This city can be safely called one of the most significant objects not only of the Republic of Crimea, but also of the Russian Federation.