Today`s city was established in 1558, when on the island Dolgui (Long) a wooden fortress was built. Later there appeared a stone kremlin with the walls of 1,5 km long, 11 m high and 5 m large at the base. Near the kremlin a white-stone city was founded.
Under Peter the Great Astrakhan became the centre of the province of Astrakhan. Peter initiated the creation of the navy for the Caspian Sea, and in 1722 the tsar arrived in Astrakhan to head the campaign for capturing the west coast of the Caspian Sea. In the middle of the 17th c.and in the early 18th c. industry and navigation developed in the city.
Now Astrakhan is a major industrial and transport centre.
12 km to the north of the modern city stretches the hill called “Shareny hillock”. It was the site of the Old Astrakhan known as Khadji Tarkhan. In 1395 the site was assaulted by Timur`s troops and destroyed completely. In the middle of the 15th c. the city was reconstructed and became the capital of Astrakhan khanate. In 1556 the region was easily taken by Ivan`s troops and in 1558 a city was founded on the new site where it stands actually.     |
