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.[citation needed]
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.[15]
Russian Empire
While 1730 is considered Barnaul's official establishment date, its first mention dates back to 1724.[3] It was granted city status in 1771.[4] 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.[4] 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.[16]
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.[17]
Mary 'Marie' 'Maria' Stepanovna Zudilova Tatuloff Zacharenko Gurdin (1908–1998) was reputedly born in this city.[18] She later became the mother of American actresses Natalie and Lana Wood. Her father Stepan was reputedly killed in the 1918 street fighting between the Whites and Reds following the Revolution. Afterward her mother took Mary and her siblings as refugees to Harbin, China. Mary married Alexander Tatuloff there in 1925, and they had a daughter Olga together. Mary eventually immigrated to the United States, where she divorced Alexander in 1936 and later married Nicholas Zacharenko, from Ussuriysk, and had two daughters with him.[citation needed]
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.[19]
Recent history
In 2012, when residents of Barnaul were denied a permit for a street protest, they ingeniously circumvented the restriction by staging a demonstration with toys such as teddy bears, Lego figures, and toy soldiers holding signs denouncing electoral corruption. The photos of these rebellious figurines quickly spread across Russia, prompting others to replicate the protest. Faced with an awkward dilemma, Putin's government decided to ban the toy protests, asserting that toys, not being Russian citizens, were ineligible to participate in public gatherings, as explained by a government official.[20]
Demographics
As of 2021, the ethnic composition of Barnaul was:[21]
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.[22] The Barnaul Cartridge Plant, a major manufacturer of small-arms ammunition, is located in the city.
Transportation
Barnaul is located on the South Siberian, Turk–Sib and Omsk–Barnaul railway lines.[23]
Barnaul has public transport of Buses, Minibuses, Trolleybuses, Trams and Taxies.
Intercity bus routes are operate to Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Krasnoyarsk, Biysk, Rubtsovsk and other cities. Also there are bus routes to Kazakhstan cities Oskemen, Pavlodar.
Barnaul International Airport is located 16 kilometres 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, Surgut etc.
Climate
The humid continental climate of Barnaul (KöppenDfb) is defined by its geographical position at the southern end of the Siberian forest steppe: it is subject to long winters, with an average of −15.5 °C (4.1 °F) in January, but also enjoys a short warm season in the summer with an average temperature of 19.9 °C (67.8 °F) in July. Temperatures can vary in the extreme, from below −45 °C (−49 °F) in the winter to above 35 °C (95 °F) in the summer.
The climate is relatively dry. The average precipitation in the area is 433 mm (17.0 in) per year, 75% of which occurs during the region's warmer season. This means snow packs can be quite moderate in spite of the cold temperatures.
Climate data for Barnaul (1991–2020, extremes 1838–present)
Барнаульская городская Дума. Решение №789 от 20 июня 2008 г. «Устав городского округа — города Барнаула Алтайского края», в ред. Решения №766 от 31 марта 2017 г. «О внесении изменений в Устав городского округа — города Барнаула Алтайского края (в ред. Решения от 16.12.2016 №706)». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования (15 июля 2008 г.) (за исключением отдельных положений, вступивших в силу в иные сроки). Опубликован: "Вечерний Барнаул", №103, 15 июля 2008 г. (Barnaul City Duma. Decision #789 of June 20, 2008 Charter of the Urban Okrug—the City of Barnaul of Altai Krai, as amended by the Decision #766 of March 31, 2017 On Amending the Charter of the Urban Okrug—the City of Barnaul of Altai Krai (rev. #706 of December 16, 2016). Effective as of the day of the official publication (July 15, 2008) (with the exception of clauses which take effect on different dates).).
Алтайское краевое Законодательное Собрание. №3-ЗС 5 июня 1995 г. «Устав (основной закон) Алтайского края», в ред. Закона №118-ЗС от 1 декабря 2015 г. «О внесении изменений в Устав (Основной Закон) Алтайского края». Опубликован: "Алтайская правда", №100, 14 июня 1995 г. (Altai Krai Legislative Assembly. #3-ZS June 5, 1995 Charter (Basic Law) of Altai Krai, as amended by the Law #118-ZS of December 1, 2015 On Amending the Charter (Basic Law) of Altai Krai. ).
Алтайский краевой Совет народных депутатов. Закон №28-ЗС от 1 марта 2008 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Алтайского края», в ред. Закона №16-ЗС от 4 апреля 2017 г. «О присоединении станции Железнодорожная Казарма 572 км к посёлку Октябрьскому Октябрьского сельсовета Кулундинского района Алтайского края и внесении изменений в отдельные законы Алтайского края». Вступил в силу 8 марта 2008 г. Опубликован: "Алтайская правда", №67, 8 марта 2008 г. (Altai Krai Council of People's Deputies. Law #28-ZS of March 1, 2008 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Altai Krai, as amended by the Law #16-ZS of April 4, 2017 On Merging the Station of Zheleznodorozhnaya Kazarma 572 km into the Settlement of Oktyabrsky in Oktyabrsky Selsoviet of Kulundinsky District of Altai Krai and on Amending Various Laws of Altai Krai. Effective as of March 8, 2008.).
Алтайское краевое Законодательное Собрание. Закон №144-ЗС от 27 декабря 2008 г. «О статусе и границах муниципального и административно-территориального образования город Барнаул Алтайского края», в ред. Закона №44-ЗС от 2 июля 2009 г «О внесении изменений в Приложение 1 к Закону Алтайского края "О статусе и границах муниципального и административно-территориального образования город Барнаул Алтайского края"». Вступил в силу через 10 дней после дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Алтайская правда", №5–6, 15 января 2009 г. (Altai Krai Legislative Assembly. Law #144-ZS of December 27, 2008 On the Status and the Borders of the Municipal and the Administrative-Territorial Formation of the City of Barnaul of Altai Krai, as amended by the Law #44-ZS of July 2, 2009 On Amending Appendix 1 of the Law of Altai Krai "On the Status and the Borders of the Municipal and the Administrative-Territorial Formation of the City of Barnaul of Altai Krai". Effective as of the day which is 10 days after the day of the official publication.).