Belgorod (English) Белгород (Russian) |
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View of the central part of the city |
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Location of Belgorod Oblast in Russia |
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Anthem | none |
City Day | August 5 |
Administrative status (as of July 2013) | |
Country | Russia |
Federal subject | Belgorod Oblast |
Administratively subordinated to | city of oblast significance of Belgorod |
Administrative center of | Belgorod Oblast, city of oblast significance of Belgorod |
Municipal status (as of May 2013) | |
Urban okrug | Belgorod Urban Okrug |
Administrative center of | Belgorod Urban Okrug |
Mayor | Konstantin Polezhayev |
Representative body | Council of Deputies |
Statistics | |
Population (2010 Census) | 356,402 inhabitants |
- Rank in 2010 | 49th |
Population (January 2015 est.) | 384,425 inhabitants |
Time zone | MSK (UTC+03:00) |
Founded | 1596 |
Postal code(s) | 308000–308002, 308004–308007, 308009–308020, 308023–308027, 308029, 308031–308034, 308036, 308099, 308700, 308880, 308890, 308899, 308940, 308960, 308961, 308967, 308971–308974, 308991–308994 |
Dialing code(s) | +7 4722 |
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Belgorod (Russian: Белгород; IPA: [ˈbʲɛlɡərət]) is a city and the administrative center of Belgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the Seversky Donets River just 40 kilometers (25 mi) north of the border with Ukraine. Population: 356,402 (2010 Census);337,030 (2002 Census);300,408 (1989 Census).
The name Belgorod in Russian literally means "white city", compounding the sememes "белый" (bely, "white, light") and "город" (gorod, "town, city"). The city thus acquired its name because the region was rich in limestone. Etymologically, the name corresponds to other Slavic city-names of identical meaning: Belgrade, Belogradchik, Białogard, Biograd, Bilhorod, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi etc.
Records first mention the settlement in 1237, when the Mongol-led army of Batu Khan ravaged it. It is unclear whether this Belgorod stood on the same site as the current city. In 1596 Tsar Feodor Ioannovich of Russia ordered its re-establishment as one of numerous forts set up to defend Muscovy's Southern borders from the Crimean Tatars. In the 17th century Belgorod suffered repeatedly from Tatar incursions, against which Russia built (from 1633 to 1740) an earthen wall, with twelve forts, extending upwards of 200 miles (320 kilometres) from the Vorskla in the west to the Don in the east, and called the Belgorod line . In 1666 the Moscow Patriarchate established an archiepiscopal see in the town.