Magnitogorsk (Магнитогóрскa), Russia

Church of the Ascension of Christ, Magnitogorsk, Russia
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Church_of_the_Ascension_of_Christ_(Magnitogorsk)_10.jpg
Author: trofi_a


Magnitogorsk (Russian: Магнитогóрскa) is an industrial city on the eastern side of the extreme southern part of the Ural Mountains in Russia. It is situated by the Ural River in Chelyabinsk Oblast. The city has a population of 408,000 people (2012 estimate).

The name Magnitogorsk means "magnet mountain city". This is in reference to the large deposit of iron ore found in the area. Although the city traces its history to a border fort built in 1743, it remained a largely insignificant outpost until 1929, when it was developed into a major industrial city in one of the Soviet Five-Year Plans. The intention was to built a massive steel mill similar to those at Gary, Indiana and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

At Magnitogorsk, workers' quarters were planned to be near the work place to reduce travel time. However, when Magnitogorsk was constructed, there was little room for residences, forcing a redesign of the city. Its inhabited had to cope with noxious fumes coming from the nearby factories.

Magnitogorsk became a closed city, out of bounds to foreigners at the height of the Cold War until the collapse of the Soviet Union, when foreigners were allowed to visit it once more. Since then, the Iron and Steel Plant of Magnitogorsk have been reorganized as the joint-stock company, Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works. It was instrumental in the construction of the local railway and airport. In 2006, it was listed as among the world's most polluted cities.

Visiting Magnitogorsk

There are flights to Magnitogorsk from Moscow's Vnukovo Airport and Domodedovo Airport.

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