Kryvyi Rih

City in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine

Kryvyi Rih (Ukrainian: Криви́й Ріг [krɪˌʋɪj ˈr⁽ʲ⁾iɦ], lit. 'Curved Cape' or 'Crooked Horn') or Krivoy Rog is a city in central Ukraine (also is its largest city); it is the 7th-most populous city in the country. It lies within a large urban area and serves as the administrative center of Kryvyi Rih Raion. It hosts the administration of Kryvyi Rih rural hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Population: 619,278 (2020 est.)

Located at the confluence of the Saksahan and Inhulets rivers, Kryvyi Rih has been a major settlement for most of its history. It was founded as a postal station in 1775 by the Cossacks. Developed as a military settlement until 1860, it formed part of Kherson Governorate. It was incorporated during the 20th century with areas of Yekaterinoslav. The settlement began to expand "at an astonishing rate" at the beginning of the 1880s. Kryvyi Rih's urbanization was unplanned and stimulated by mining exploitation. French and English investment contributed to a boom in metallurgy, iron mining, and investigation of rich deposits of iron ore. The Catherinine Railway was built in 1884 to transport iron ore to the Donbas. This catalyzed the growth of Kryvyi Rih into a major industrial town; it gained city status in 1919.

Nationalization and investment spurred by Soviet authorities led to extensive growth. In 1934 Kryvorizhstal was built, the first of more than 500 factories. Kryvyi Rih National University was founded here. Financially, the city's postwar growth after the Nazi occupation increased after 1965 due to economic reforms. Also, investment spurred by Ukrainian Independence, institution of a market economy led to extensive regeneration, particularly in the city centre.

As of 2016 Kryvyi Rih is arguably the main steel-industry city of Eastern Europe. It is a large, globally important centre of the iron-ore mining and metallurgy region, known as the Kryvbas.

History

Etymology

The city was founded in the 18th century by Zaporozhian Cossacks. Kryvyi Rih in Ukrainian literally means "Crooked Horn" or "Curved Cape". According to local legend, the city was founded by a "crooked" (Ukrainian slang for one-eyed) Cossack named Rih. But, records pre-dating the founding of the city refer to the area by the same name. It appears based on the shape of the landmass formed by the confluence of the river Saksahan with the Inhulets.

Early history

The Inhulets Palanka (an administrative division of the Zaporizhian Sich, a polity of the Cossacks) was established in 1734. A list of villages and winter camps from that time mentions Kryvyi Rih. In 1770 the camp of Zaporizhian Sich was founded. Four years later Johann Anton Güldenstädt visited the area and made the first survey and scientific description.

On May 8, 1775, after the end of the Russian-Turkish War, Russian authorities opened a postal station and railway track, linking this settlement to Kremenchuk, Kinburn foreland and Ochakov, all garrisons of the Imperial Russian Army. The station was tended by five Cossacks.

Kryvyi Rih was still a village in the early 1800s. It had three water mills, which made up the largest industry. The first stone houses were built in 1828. The village became a township in 1860.

The tallest building at the end of the 1800s was the Central Synagogue, built by the thriving Jewish community. They worked as artisans, traders and merchants.

Industrial growth

Alexander Pol (also known as Paul), a Russian Imperial geologist, discovered and initiated iron ore investigation and production in this area. He is credited with discovering the Kryvbas. This stimulated formation of a mining district. In 1874 Alexander II initiated a railway, to run 505 km. This enabled transportation connecting to the nearest factories and greatly sped up the development of the region.

In 1880, with 5 million francs of capital, Paul founded the "French Society of Kryvyi Rih Ores". In 1882 16.4 thousand tons of ore were extracted from surface mines on the outskirts of town by 150 workers. A centre of capitalism, this region was the greatest area of ore extraction in the Russian empire. The first underground mine of the basin began operations in 1886. Metallurgy, a new branch of industry, was founded in 1892, when the first blast furnace of Hdantsivka ironworks was started. The export of ore to Silesia soon began.

Five schools were soon established. An aerial cableway was built in the town. The city's industry attracted new people looking for a quick profit. The supply of mined ore soon exceeded demand. Many mines had to temporarily suspend operations, and others had to reduce their workers and output by more than half. Workers had harsh conditions, lacking social security, or contracts. Environmental conditions in the mines caused them to suffer lung cancer, tuberculosis and asthma. The shutdown caused thousands of people to be out of work. At the same time, workers began to develop ideas about socialism and democracy. The labor unrest resulted in several terrorist attacks and strikes. In 1905 there were also anti-Jewish pogroms and repressions, and younger Jews left the area, many for the United States.

The First World War interrupted access to the export markets, and many workers were drafted into the military. The city survived Soldier and Worker's Deputies in 1917. Soviet power was established in January 1918.

The Donetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic, founded on 12 February 1918, became a self-declared republic of the Russian SFSR and sought independence from Ukraine. On 29 March 1918 it became a republic within Ukraine, but was fully occupied by German forces in support of the Central Rada. It was disbanded on 20 March 1918 when the independence of Soviet Ukraine was announced.

Around this time, Kryvyi Rih's status was changed from township to city. It was founded by Uyezd as part of the Yekaterinoslav Governorate. It included 30 volosts. In late 1919, it was briefly ruled by the Volunteer Army.

Soviet era

On January 17, 1920 the Red Army finally took Kryvyi Rih. The city's population totaled 22,571. The city did not have a drinking water system until 1924, when a 55.3 km (34.4 mi) system was laid underground. Foreign investments were stopped, and the mine operations were revived. The first Mining Institute opened in 1929. The Medical and Pedagogical Institutes were founded. In 1931 the foundation of the metallurgical works was laid. The first blast furnace of the metallurgical works produced steel three years later. The city grew rapidly. In 2002 it had 160 industrial enterprises and 947 shops.

Nazi occupation

During World War II, Kryvyi Rih was occupied by the German Army as part of the Reichskommissariat Ukraine from August 15, 1941 to February 22, 1944. From 20 September 1941 to August 1944, the Government, factories, and Kryvyi Rih Institute were evacuated to Nizhny Tagil.

Germans immediately began to build up local government, installing executives, gendarmerie and police forces. The Ukrainian national liberation movement in Krivoy Rog was organized by marching groups OUN. The Nazis conducted ethnic cleansing of mostly Jewish residents, in a large-scale holocaust. On October 13, 1941 the Nazis executed 700 people. From October 1941 to April 1942, the Nazis killed 6293 persons, in August 1943 – 13 people. A total of 5,000 Jews were murdered, and 800 POWs from a nearby camp. Thousands of Jews had fled the area to the east before the Germans reached the city.

Hitler had repeatedly stressed the crucial importance of this area "The Nikopol manganese is of such importance, it cannot be expressed in words. Loss of Nikopol (on the Dnieper River, southwest of Zaporozhye) would mean the end of war." The German bridgehead on the left bank of the Dnieper gave the German command a base in order to restore the land connection with their forces locked in the Crimea. During the first half of January, Soviet troops made repeated attempts to eliminate the Nikopol-Krivoy Rog enemy group, but because of the stubborn resistance of German troops, did not achieve success. The fleeing German Army almost totally destroyed Kryvyi Rih during the Nikopol–Krivoy Rog Offensive.

Post-Second World War and Post-Soviet

After the war, people lived among the ruins while rebuilding the housing stock. The housing shortage was met by innovative technological solutions, and temporary barracks and houses were quickly built. The two chief kinds of cheap new materials[clarification needed] were used later for years afterward.

In the late 1940s, initiatives such as Stakhanovite movement stimulated redevelopment: Khrushchyovkas, new mines, shoe and wool spinning-factories, the Central Iron Ore Enrichment Works, Northern Iron Ore Enrichment Works, and building the City Circus. Trolleybuses in Kryvyi Rih were launched in 1957,

Kryvyi Rih Airport became International. By 1990 Kryvbas produced 42% of USSR and 80% of Ukrainian ore.

Since the late 20th century, large sections of the city dating from the 1960s have been either demolished and re-developed or modernised with the use of beton and steel. Old flats have been converted into modern apartments. Nine microdistricts of 17 and 9-floor panelák apartments have since been developed.

The Kryvyi Rih TV Mast is a 185m-tall, guyed tubular steel mast, built in 1960. It carries three crossbars on two levels, which run from the mast structure to the guys. All three crossbars are equipped with gangways that carry additional smaller antennas.

The city was rebuilt with broad avenues lined by wide sidewalks. Tram lines run down the center of the major streets. The sidewalks have been lined with several rows of urban trees, such as lindens and horse chestnuts. Many people live in the 5- to 9-story apartment buildings that are built around large inner courtyards. Many courtyards have also been planted with trees, giving the impression that the city is within a park.

Ukraine's declaration of independence in 1991 has been followed by radical changes in every sphere of city life . In the 1990s the city was known for crime (mostly organized gangs from neighbourhood's raiding other neighbourhood's), but robberies have been suppressed. Investment followed the 2005 privatization of Kryvorizhstal by ArcelorMittal, and was aided further by Metinvest.

Kryvyi Rih's city centre has undergone extensive redevelopment. The city has one of the biggest flower clocks in Europe. New and renovated complexes such as Auchan and The Union have become popular shopping and entertainment destinations. Kryvyi Rih is ranked as among the 30 most comfortable cities for living in Ukraine.

Until 18 July 2020, Kryvyi Rih was incorporated as a city of oblast significance and the center of Kryvyi Rih Municipality. It also served as the administrative center of Kryvyi Rih Raion though it did not belong to the raion. The municipality was abolished as administrative division in July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast to seven. The area of Kryvyi Rih Municipality was merged into the Kryvyi Rih Raion.

Culture

Kryvyi Rih has a thriving theatre, circus and dance scene, and is home to a number of large performance venues. The first theater was the Coliseum, built in 1908. The New Theatre of Vyzenberh and Hrushevskyy followed in 1911, at the corner of Lenina and Kalynychenko streets. Kryvbas Theatre began its activities in 1931, and three years later was incorporated with the Shevchenko Theater. There are also the Doll Theatre and Movement Theatre.

Kryvyi Rih is noted as the birthplace Eugenie Gershoy. She emigrated to the United States with her family in 1903, and there became an American sculptor and watercolorist. Gershoy's work is in the collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Her papers are held at Syracuse University. Indie band Brunettes Shoot Blondes, folk musician Eduard Drach, actress Helena Makowska, and dancer Vladimir Malakhov also originated in the city.

The first film screenings were conducted in the city in the early 1920s. In 1934 Lenin Cinema was built. Today there are three movie theaters: Olympus, Odessa and Multiplex. The Kryvyi Rih Circus feature large-scale exhibition space where fairs are held. Soviet heritage are Palaces of Culture in every district of the city.

The local historical museum celebrates Cossack history, the industrial heritage of the area and its role in the Soviet State. The municipally owned Art Gallery houses a collection of local painting.

The nightlife of the city has expanded significantly since the 2000s. Big clubs such as Hollywood and Sky, have attracted touring djs, pop and rap performers. Another major scene of the city is the Palace of Youth and Students of the Kryvyi Rih National University (KNU). The most popular fast-food, McDonald's, is located at 95th Block.

Ukrainian cuisine is found adjacent to a range of Jewish and popular American foods: bagels, cheesecake, hot dogs, shawarma and pizza. Japanese cuisine and other Asian restaurants, hookahs, sandwich joints, trattorias and coffeehouses have become ubiquitous. Other well-known places – City Pub and Prado Cafe. The city is home to the annual electronic music Turbofly festival. Rock band music, a tradition in Ukraine, is an important part city's life and is hosted in few small pubs.

Landmarks

Kryvyi Rih's buildings display a variety of architectural styles, ranging from eclecticism to contemporary architecture. The widespread use of red brick and block apartments characterize the city. Much of the architecture in the city was built during its prosperous days as a center for the ore trade. Just outside the immediate city center is a large number of former factories. Some have been totally destroyed; others are in desperate need of restoration.

Stalinist architecture was the predominant style of postwar apartments, of 5 to 7 stories. City Hall is the best example of The decree On liquidation of excesses. Khrushchyovka is a type of low-cost, concrete-paneled or brick three- to five-storied apartment building which was developed in the USSR during the early 1960s. It was named after Nikita Khrushchev, then premier of the Soviet government. Dozens of these aging buildings around the city are now past their design lifetime. There are six microdistricts.

The city has many Christian churches, the most notable being the Savior Transfiguration Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox church. It is the base of the Kryvyi Rih Eparchy, which was established on July 27, 1996. Roman Catholic chapel located in old town. Pokrova church, Mykhailivska church and Christmas church were destroyed in the 1930s during the Great Purge, never to be used as a church again.

In Kryvyi Rih, the Jewish community built a new, large synagogue, that opened in 2010.

Large parks hold many of Kryvyi Rih's public monuments. There are numerous socialist realism-style monuments installed in the Soviet years to honor Cossacks, Olexander Paul, Taras Shevchenko (2), Bohdan Khmelnytsky (3, since 1954), Vasili Marguelov, Alexander Pushkin, Fyodor Sergeyev, Mikhail Lermontov, and Maxim Gorky. The few Lenin monuments were destroyed during euromaidan events in 2014. Dozens of cenotaphs and memorials to Second World War soldiers were erected. A Sukhoi Su-15 is on display near Aviator Club, Yakovlev Yak-40 at National Aviation University, Vyzvolennia Square hold IS3 tank. Russian locomotive class Ye placed near Railway station.

Kryvyi Rih has few designated natural monuments: the old pear near Karnavatka, another pear of 1789, Vizyrka landscape reserve, Northern and Southern Red Beam, Amphibolite, Arkose and Skelevatski Outputs, Mopr Rocks, Slate rocks, Sandstone rock. Park named after the newspaper Pravda is very famous by its ampir boat station. Kryvyi Rih Botanical Gardens of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NAS) was established in 1980.

Geography

At 47°55′0″N 33°15′0″E / 47.91667°N 33.25000°E / 47.91667; 33.25000, 415 kilometres (260 mi) south of Kyiv, the city extends for 126 km from north to south, paralleling the ore deposits. The city centre is on the east bank of the Inhulets River, near its confluences with the River Saksahan. Kryvyi Rih's geographic features were highly influential in its early development industrial city.

The city is set in the rolling steppe land surrounded by fields of sunflowers and grain. A short distance east of the city center, there is an area along a small lake where glacial boulders were deposited. As a result, this area was never cultivated and contains one of the few remaining patches of wild steppe vegetation in the area. The city's environmental and construction safety is a growing problem due to abandoned mines and polluted ore-processing waste. According to the Scientific Hygienic Centre of Ukraine, the city is one of the most unfavorable places to live because of these problems.