Barnaul, Altai Krai, West Siberian economic region, Russia

🇷🇺 Barnaul (Барнау́л) is the largest city and administrative centre of Altai Krai, Russia, located at the confluence of the Barnaulka and Ob Rivers in the West Siberian Plain. It is the 20th-largest city in Russia and the fourth-largest in the Siberian Federal District.

Located in the south of western Siberia on the left bank of the Ob River, Barnaul is a major transport, industrial, cultural, medical and educational hub of Siberia. Barnaul was founded by the wealthy Demidov family, who intended to develop the production of copper and silver, which continued after the factories were taken over by the Crown. Barnaul became a major centre of silver production in Russia. Barnaul was granted city status in 1771.

Geography Barnaul is located in the forest steppe zone of the West Siberian Plain, on the left bank of the Ob River, at its confluence with the Barnaulka.

The border with Kazakhstan is 345 km (210 mi) to the south, which makes Barnaul the closest major city to the Altai Mountains. The city is also situated relatively close to the Russian border with Mongolia and the border with China.

Geography: Administrative status Barnaul is the administrative centre of the krai. Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is, together with the work settlement of Yuzhny and twenty-four rural localities, incorporated as the city of krai significance of Barnaul – an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts. As a municipal division, the city of krai significance of Barnaul is incorporated as Barnaul Urban Okrug.

History The area around the city has been inhabited by modern humans, Neanderthals and Denisovans, for hundreds of thousands of years. They settled here to take advantage of the confluence of the rivers, used for transportation and fishing. In the late BC millennia, the locality was a centre of activity for Scythian and various Turkic peoples.

Russian Empire While 1730 is considered Barnaul's official establishment date, its first mention dates back to 1724. It was granted city status in 1771. Chosen for its proximity to the mineral-rich Altai Mountains and its location on a major river, it was founded by the wealthy Demidov family. The Demidovs wanted to develop the copper in the mountains, and soon found substantial deposits of silver as well. In 1747, the Demidovs' factories were taken over by the Crown. Barnaul became the centre of silver production of the Russian Empire.

In 1914, Barnaul was the site of the largest conscription riot in Russia during World War I. There were more than 100 casualties from the fighting.

Maria Stepanovna (née Zudilova) (1912–1996) was born and lived as a child in this city. She later became the mother of American actresses Natalie Wood (born Natalia Zakharenko) and Lana Wood (born Lana Gurdin). Her father Stepan was killed in the 1918 street fighting between the Whites and Reds following the Revolution. Afterward her mother took Maria and her siblings as refugees to Harbin, China. Maria married a Russian there, and they had a daughter Olga together. Maria eventually immigrated with Olga to the United States, where she married another Russian immigrant, from Vladivostok, and had two daughters with him.

History: World War II Over half of the light ammunition used by the Soviet Union in World War II is estimated to have been manufactured in Barnaul.

Economy Barnaul is an important industrial centre of Western Siberia. There are more than 100 industrial enterprises in the city, employing approximately 120,000 people. Leading industries include diesel and carbon processing; as well as production of heavy machinery, tyres, furniture and footwear.

Transport Barnaul is located on the South Siberian, Turk–Sib and Omsk–Barnaul railway lines. Barnaul has public transport of Bus, Trolley and Taxies. Barnaul International Airport is located 16 km West of the city center. It is served by airlines such as Aeroflot, S7, Nordwind, Iraero and Ural Airlines. It has regular flights to Moscow, Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg and Surgut.