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Kerch, also known as Keriç or Kerich (Crimean Tatar: Keriç, Керич), is a city of regional significance[citation needed] on the Kerch Peninsula in the east of Crimea. It has a population of 147,033 (2014 Census).
Kerch
| |
|---|---|
City | |
 The Obelisk of Glory on Mount Mithridates | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Kerch Location of Kerch in Crimea  Kerch Location of Kerch in Ukraine  Kerch Location of Kerch in European Russia  Kerch Location of Kerch in Europe | |
| Coordinates: 45°21′43″N 36°28′16″E / 45.36194°N 36.47111°E | |
| Country (de facto) |  Russia |
| Federal Subject (Republic) (de facto) | Crimea |
| City (de facto) | Kerch |
| Country (de jure) |  Ukraine |
| Autonomous republic (de jure) | Crimea |
| Raion (de jure) | Kerch |
| Area | |
• Total | 108 km2 (42 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 10 m (30 ft) |
| Population (2017) | |
• Total | 149,566 |
| • Density | 1,464.49/km2 (3,793.0/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+3 |
| Postal code | 298300 – 298399 |
| Area code | +7-36561 |
| Former name(s) | Panticapaeum, Bosporus, Vosporo, Korchev, Cerchio |
| Sister cities | Mogilev, Smolensk, Çanakkale, Oryol, Odintsovo, Sochi |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | горсовет-керчь.рф (de facto) |
 | |
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | 104,443 | — |
| 1959 | 98,769 | −5.4% |
| 1970 | 127,804 | +29.4% |
| 1979 | 156,827 | +22.7% |
| 1989 | 174,365 | +11.2% |
| 2001 | 157,007 | −10.0% |
| 2014 | 147,033 | −6.4% |
| 2021 | 154,621 | +5.2% |
| Source: Census data | ||
Founded 2,600 years ago as the ancient Greek colony Pantikapaion, Kerch is one of the most ancient cities in Crimea. The city experienced rapid growth starting in the 1920s and was the site of a major battle during World War II.
Today, it is one of the largest cities in Crimea and is among the area's most important industrial, transport and tourist centres. As with the rest of Crimea, it has been occupied by Russian forces since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014.
History
Ancient times
Archeological digs at Mayak village near the city ascertained that the area had already been inhabited in the 17th–15th centuries BC. While many finds from Kerch can be found in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg and the local museum, a large number of antique sculptures, reliefs, bronze and glassware, ceramics and jewellery were excavated in 1855–1856 during the Crimean War by Duncan MacPherson, a surgeon from the British Army, and later donated to the British Museum in London.
Kerch as a city starts its history in the 7th century BC, when Greek colonists from Miletus founded a city-state named Panticapaeum on Mount Mithridat near the mouth of the Melek-Chesme river. Panticapaeum subdued nearby cities and by 480 BC became the capital of the Kingdom of Bosporus. Later, during the rule of Mithradates VI Eupator, Panticapaeum for a short period of time became the capital of the much more powerful and extensive Kingdom of Pontus. The city was located at the intersection of trade routes between the steppe and Europe. This caused it to grow rapidly. The city's main exports were grain and salted fish; wine-making was also common. Panticapaeum minted its own coins. According to extant documents the Melek-Chesme river (small and shallow nowadays) was navigable in Bosporan times, and sea galleys were able to enter the river. A large portion of the city's population was ethnically Scythian, later Sarmatian, as the large royal barrow (Kurgan) at Kul-Oba testifies.
In the 1st century AD Panticapaeum and the Kingdom of Bosporus suffered from Ostrogoth raids; then the city was devastated by the Huns in AD 375.
Myrmekion was founded in the eastern part of the Kerch, 4 km NE of ancient Panticapaeum. The settlement was founded by Ionians in the first half of the 6th c. BC.
Middle Ages
From the 6th century the city was under the control of the Byzantine Empire. By order of Emperor Justinian I, a citadel named Bospor was built there. Bospor was the centre of a bishopric, the diocese of Bosporus and developed under the influence of Greek Christianity. In 576, it withstood a siege by the Göktürks under Bokhan, aided by Anagai, the last khan (ruler) of the Uturgurs (tribe of Huns).
In the 7th century, the Turkic Khazars took control of Bospor, and the city was named Karcha from Turkic "karşı" meaning 'opposite, facing.' The main local government official during Khazar times was the tudun. During Khazar rule, Kerch was used as a major port for the Khazar slave trade, through which slaves were exported to the Black Sea slave trade.
Christianity was a major religion in Kerch during the period of Khazar rule. Kerch's Church of St. John the Baptist was founded in 717; thus, it is the oldest church in Ukraine. The Church of the Apostles existed during the late 8th and early 9th centuries, according to the Life of the Apostle Andrew by Epiphanius of Salamis.
Following the fall of Khazaria to Kievan Rus' in the late 10th century, Kerch became the centre of a Khazar successor-state. Its ruler, Georgius Tzul, was deposed by a Byzantine-Rus expedition in 1016.
From the 10th century, the city was a Slavic settlement named Korchev, which belonged to the Tmutarakan principality. Kerch was a center of trade between Russia', Crimea, Caucasus and the Orient.
In the 13th century, Crimea including Korchev was invaded by Mongols. After the Mongols, the city became the Genoese colony of Cerco (Cherkio) in 1318 and served as a sea harbour, where townspeople worked at salt works and fishery.
In 1475, the city was passed to the Ottoman Empire. During the Turkish rule Kerch fell into decay and served as a slave-market. It repeatedly suffered from raids of Zaporizhian Cossacks.
18th–20th centuries
In response to the strengthening of Russian military forces in Azov area, the Turks built a fortress, named Yenikale, near Kerch on the shore of Kerch Strait. The fortress was completed by 1706. In 1771 the Imperial Russian Army invaded Crimea and approached Yenikale. The Turks decided to abandon the fortress, though reinforcements from the Ottoman Empire had arrived a few days earlier. By the Peace Treaty of Kuchuk-Kainarji in 1774, Kerch and Yenikale were ceded to Russia. As a result, the Turkish heritage has been almost completely wiped out.
In 1790 Russian naval forces under the command of admiral Fyodor Ushakov defeated the Turkish fleet at the Battle of Kerch Strait.
Because of its location, from 1821 Kerch developed into an important trade and fishing port. The state museum of ancient times and a number of educational institutions were opened in the city. The ironwork factory was built in 1846 based on a huge iron ore deposit found on Kerch Peninsula.
During the Crimean War the city was devastated by British forces in 1855.
In the late 19th century, mechanical and cement factories were built, and tinned food and tobacco factories were established. By 1900, Kerch was connected to a railroad system, and the fairway of Kerch Strait was deepened and widened. At this time, the population had reached 33,000.
After suffering a decline during the First World War and the Russian Civil War, the city resumed its growth in the late 1920s, with the expansion of various industries, iron ore, and metallurgy in particular, and by 1939 its population had reached 104,500.
Kerch in World War II
On the Eastern Front of World War II from 1941 to 1945, Kerch was the site of heavy fighting between Red Army and Axis forces. After fierce fighting, the city was taken by the Germans in November 1941. On 31 December 1941, the 302nd Mountain Rifle Division recaptured the city following a naval landing operation at Kamysh Burun, to the south of the city, five days earlier. In 1942 the Germans occupied the city again. The Red Army lost over 160,000 men, either killed or taken POW at the Battle of the Kerch Peninsula. On 31 October 1943 another Soviet naval landing operation was launched. Kerch returned to Soviet control on 11 April 1944.
The German invaders killed about 15,000 citizens and deported another 14,000 during their occupation. Evidence of German atrocities in Kerch was presented in the Nuremberg trials. After the war, the city was awarded the title Hero City.
The Adzhimushkay catacombs in the city's suburbs were the site of guerrilla warfare against the occupation. Thousands of soldiers and refugees found shelter inside and were involved in counterattacks. Many of them died underground, including those who died of numerous alleged poison gas attacks. Later, a memorial was established on the site.
Kerch in the Soviet Union
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Kerch in Independent Ukraine
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On 11 November 2007, a powerful storm passed through the city, causing much damage and an ecological disaster as a few ships, including an oil tanker, were shipwrecked and blocked the Kerch Strait.
Russian occupation
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As with the other parts of Crimea, as of 2023[update] Kerch is occupied by Russian forces following the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014.
On 17 October 2018, a student killed 20 people and himself at Kerch Polytechnic College.
Geography
Climate
Kerch has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with cool to cold winters and warm to hot summers.
| Climate data for Kerch (1991–2020, extremes 1936–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 17.3 (63.1) | 17.8 (64.0) | 23.4 (74.1) | 27.6 (81.7) | 30.6 (87.1) | 35.2 (95.4) | 37.7 (99.9) | 37.9 (100.2) | 35.5 (95.9) | 30.9 (87.6) | 23.2 (73.8) | 19.4 (66.9) | 37.9 (100.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 3.8 (38.8) | 4.5 (40.1) | 8.8 (47.8) | 14.9 (58.8) | 21.0 (69.8) | 26.0 (78.8) | 29.0 (84.2) | 28.9 (84.0) | 23.4 (74.1) | 16.9 (62.4) | 10.2 (50.4) | 5.8 (42.4) | 16.1 (61.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.7 (33.3) | 1.1 (34.0) | 4.7 (40.5) | 10.1 (50.2) | 16.0 (60.8) | 21.2 (70.2) | 24.1 (75.4) | 24.0 (75.2) | 18.6 (65.5) | 12.6 (54.7) | 6.6 (43.9) | 2.8 (37.0) | 11.9 (53.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.0 (28.4) | −1.9 (28.6) | 1.2 (34.2) | 5.8 (42.4) | 11.3 (52.3) | 16.3 (61.3) | 19.1 (66.4) | 19.2 (66.6) | 13.9 (57.0) | 8.7 (47.7) | 3.5 (38.3) | 0.1 (32.2) | 7.9 (46.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −23.7 (−10.7) | −23.1 (−9.6) | −15.6 (3.9) | −6.5 (20.3) | −1.1 (30.0) | 2.8 (37.0) | 9.9 (49.8) | 7.5 (45.5) | 1.0 (33.8) | −5.4 (22.3) | −11.8 (10.8) | −17.6 (0.3) | −23.7 (−10.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 38 (1.5) | 29 (1.1) | 33 (1.3) | 29 (1.1) | 31 (1.2) | 53 (2.1) | 33 (1.3) | 41 (1.6) | 35 (1.4) | 31 (1.2) | 39 (1.5) | 37 (1.5) | 429 (16.9) |
| Average extreme snow depth cm (inches) | 1 (0.4) | 2 (0.8) | 1 (0.4) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.4) | 2 (0.8) |
| Average rainy days | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 111 |
| Average snowy days | 8 | 8 | 5 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 2 | 7 | 30 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 86 | 83 | 79 | 75 | 74 | 70 | 66 | 65 | 71 | 78 | 83 | 85 | 76 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 64.5 | 96.9 | 142.7 | 207.2 | 282.3 | 307.7 | 349.0 | 322.3 | 246.7 | 172.5 | 92.9 | 59.9 | 2,344.6 |
| Source 1: Pogoda.ru.net | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Administration
The city municipality stretches over a substantial area and includes several separate neighborhoods that are part of the Kerch city: Eltigen (Heroyevskoe), Kamysh-Burun (Arshyntsevo), Port Krym, Adzhimushkai, and Tuzla Island.
Economy
Today Kerch is home to many metallurgists, shipbuilders, and fishermen. It also has a significant tourism sector.
Industry
The largest enterprises in the city are:
- Kerch Metallurgical Works Factory launched in 1900
- Kamysh-Burun Iron Ore Plant
- Zaliv Shipyard that produces and repairs tankers and cargo ships.
Construction-materials, food processing, and light industries play a significant role in the city's economy. Kerch is also a fishing fleet base and an important processing centre for numerous fish products.
- Kerch Aircraft Repair Plant KeARZ
- KMZ KMK Metallurgical Plant, Kerch east
- Oil and Gas extraction industry petrochemical and storage
- Zaliv Shipyard, (Kamysh Burun Zheleznogoroda)
- Kvartz Quartz Glass Factory Plant KSZ (Glass (various) and optics, optical materials and instruments) (Kerch)
- PSZ Albatros, PSZ KMPZ Vityaz Priladobudivni (Instruments and Instruments making, Machinery, Engineering)
- Kamysh Burun Iron Metallurgy Plant
- KMZ KMTP SV Fregat floating docks yard and ship repair yard
- KSRZ uvas-trans floating docks yards and ship repair (also lesser Kerch ship repair yards around)
Tourism
Because of its location on the shores of the Azov and Black seas, Kerch became a popular summer resort among people of the former USSR. Also, several mud-cure sources are located near the city. Despite the seaside location, the tourist appeal of Kerch today is limited because of the industrial character of the city and associated pollution. Despite the lack of beaches in the town's area, there are a lot of them at a distance of 20 minutes' travel by bus, train or taxi.
Kerch has a number of impressive architectural and historical monuments. Ancient historical heritage of the city makes it attractive for scientific tourism. The most notable of Kerch's sights are:
- Site of ancient settlement Pantikapaeum (5th century BC–3rd century AD).
- Tsarskiy Kurghan (4th century BC) – burial mound for one of the Bosporian kings
- Church of St. John the Baptist (AD 717)
- Fortress of Yenikale (18th century)
- The Great Mithridates Staircase leading on top of the Mount Mithridat, contains 428 footsteps, built in 1833–1840 under the guidance of Italian architect
- Obelisk of Glory on the Mount Mithridat, built after World War II
- Lapidarium
- Memorial of heroic guerilla warfare in Adzhimushkay mines
- Kerch Fortress; restricted area in Soviet times but free to enter in present days. The fortress was built by the Russian military architect Totleben in the middle of 19th century.
- Sites of ancient settlements Mirmecium, Tiritaka and Nimphei. There are also some settlements which have gone underwater due to earthquakes.
- So called Demetra's Crypt, a crypt with numerous frescos dated 1st century BC.
Transport
Kerch has a harbour on the Kerch Strait, which makes it a key to the Sea of Azov. It has several railroad terminals and a small airport. The Kerch Strait ferry line across the Kerch Strait was established in 1953, connecting Crimea and the Krasnodar Krai (Port Krym – Port Kavkaz line); (as of November 2009) there are also plans for a Kerch-Poti ferry route. Tavrida Highway work in progress along Kerch railway (two rails) highway (four lanes) bridge to connect Rostov Krasnodar with peninsula.
There are several ports in Kerch, including Kerch Maritime Trading Port, Kerch Maritime Fishing Port, Port Krym (ferry crossing), Kamysh-Burun Port.
The railroad terminals include: Kerch, Kerch I, Kerch Factory, Arshyntsevo, and Krym.
A bus network connects Kerch to other cities in Crimea and Krasnodar Krai.
City transport
Kerch had a tram system that was established in 1935 and destroyed in 1941.
A trolleybus system was established in 2004, and has one line.
Crimean Bridge
On 25 April 2010, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed an agreement to build a bridge across the Kerch Strait. In January 2015, with Russia now in control, the contract for the construction of the bridge was awarded to Arkady Rotenberg's S.G.M. Group. In May 2015 construction commenced, and the road section of the bridge was opened to traffic in May 2018. The rail section was opened in 2019, with Russian President Vladimir Putin taking the first train across on 23 December. It was heavily damaged by an explosion on 8 October 2022.
Culture
Festivals and celebrations
- Liberation Day (11 April)
- Day of Fishermen (the second Sunday of July)
- Day of the City (the second Saturday of September)
Education
Kerch hosts (2004):
- 28 schools,
- 9 institutes and branches of Ukrainian and Russian universities,
- shipbuilding and polytechnical colleges,
- medical school,
- 6 PTU schools,
- a number of pre-school child institutions
Archaeology
Archaeological digs in Kerch were launched under Russian auspices in the middle of the 19th century. Since then the site of ancient Panticapaeum city on Mount Mithridat has been systematically excavated. Located nearby are several ancient burial mounds (kurgans) and excavated cities. Kerch takes part in UNESCO's "Silk Road" programme.
Treasures and historical findings of Kerch adorn the Lapidarium in Kerch and the collections of major museums around the world. Such as: the Hermitage, the Louvre, the British Museum, the Berlin Museum, the Moscow State Museum of fine arts and many others.
Currently, excavations at ancient fortresses of Kerch are led by scientists from Russia, Ukraine, and Poland.
Twin towns – sister cities
| City | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Mogilev |  Belarus | 1998 |
| Smolensk |  Russia | 1998 |
| Çanakkale |  Turkey | 1999 |
| Oryol | Russia | 2004 |
| Odintsovo | Russia | 2004 |
| Sochi | Russia | 2005 |
| Kyiv |  Ukraine | 1997 |
| Tula, Russia | Russia | 2014 |
Notable people
- Luke of Simferopol, (1877–1961), aka Saint Luke the Blessed Surgeon, surgeon and bishop
- Pyotr Voykov (1888–1927), a Ukrainian Bolshevik revolutionary and Soviet diplomat
- Yuri Terapiano (1892–1980), a Russian poet, writer, translator and literary critic
- Jia Ruskaja (1902–1970), a Russian dancer and choreographer
- Paul Soskin (1905–1975), Russian born, British screenwriter and film producer.
- Boris Khodorov (1922–2014), physiologist and professor of physiology
- Alime Abdenanova (1924—1944), a Crimean Tatar scout in the Red Army during WWII.
- Volodia Dubinin (1928–1942), a Pioneer Hero of the Soviet Union
- Vasily Filippenko (1936–1968), known as The Leningrad Strangler, a Soviet serial killer
- Anatoliy Kokush (born 1951), a Ukrainian film engineer, businessman and inventor.
- Yuri Adzhem (born 1953), a Russian former football coach and player with over 330 club caps
- Volodymyr Ivanenko (1954-2006), a Ukrainian television producer
- Sergey Dorenko (1959–2019), Russian TV and radio journalist
- Mikhail Reva (born 1960), a Ukrainian artist, sculptor, architect and jewelry craftsman
- Ihor Leonov (born 1967), a Ukrainian former football midfielder and manager
- Masha Efrosinina (born 1979), a Ukrainian TV host and media personality.
- Ulyana Nesheva (born 1983), a Ukrainian contemporary painter and tattoo artist
- Valeriya Strakhova (born 1995), a Ukrainian tennis player
Honours
A minor planet 2216 Kerch discovered in 1971 by Soviet astronomer Tamara Mikhailovna Smirnova is named after the city.
Gallery
 |  |  | ||
| Kerch Fortress | Interior of the Church of Saint John the Baptist | entrance. |
See also
- Bosporan Kingdom
- Kerch Fortress
- Kerch Polytechnic College massacre
- Kerch Strait
- Mount Mithridat
- Panticapaeum
- Tuzla Island
- Yeni-Kale
Footnotes
- Ukrainian: Керч, [ˈkɛrt͡ʃ] ; Russian: Керчь, pronounced [ˈkʲertɕ]; Old East Slavic: Кърчевъ; Ancient Greek: Παντικάπαιον, Pantikápaion; Medieval Greek: Βόσπορος, Bosporos; Turkish: Kerç
References
- Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2014). "Таблица 1.3. Численность населения Крымского федерального округа, городских округов, муниципальных районов, городских и сельских поселений" [Table 1.3. Population of Crimean Federal District, Its Urban Okrugs, Municipal Districts, Urban and Rural Settlements]. Федеральное статистическое наблюдение «Перепись населения в Крымском федеральном округе». ("Population Census in Crimean Federal District" Federal Statistical Examination) (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- "British Museum Collection".
- "British Museum Collection".
- "Antiquities of Kertch, and Researches in the Cimmerian Bosphorus, with Remarks on the ethnological and physical History of the Crimea by Duncan MacPherson ( 1857 )".
- See Talk:Kerch#Meaning of Greek name? for discussion about the Greek name Panticapaeum.
- Butyagin, Alexander (29 July 2008). "Myrmekion". Foundation of the Hellenic World. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- The World of the Khazars: New Perspectives. Selected Papers from the Jerusalem 1999 International Khazar Colloquium. (2007). Nederländerna: Brill. p. 233
- Cohen, Saul Bernard (2008). The Columbia Gazetteer of the World: A to G. p. 1876.
- Inalcik, Halil (1979). "Servile Labor in the Ottoman Empire". In Ascher, Abraham; Király, Béla K.; Halasi-Kun, Tibor (eds.). The Mutual Effects of the Islamic and Judeo-Christian Worlds: The East European Pattern. Brooklyn, N.Y.: Brooklyn College Press. pp. 25–43. Archived from the original on 4 May 2017.
- "Black Sea Fleet (BSF) Morskoyo Flota ( Naval Force)". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- Forczyk, Robert (2014). Where the Iron Crosses Grow. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. pp. 103, 110.
- Kottek, M.; J. Grieser; C. Beck; B. Rudolf; F. Rubel (2006). "World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated" (PDF). Meteorol. Z. 15 (3): 259–263. Bibcode:2006MetZe..15..259K. doi:10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
- Климат Керчи. pogodaiklimat.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020: Kerch-33983" (CSV). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
- L., S. (1 May 1952). "Iron and Steel in the Soviet Union". The World Today. 8 (5): 210–222.
- "Yushchenko says Ukraine to try quickly implement Kerch-Poti ferry route project". Interfax-Ukraine. 19 November 2009 – via Kyiv Post.
- Putin takes first train across Crimea bridge, AFP, 23 December 2019.
- Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names (5th ed.). New York: Springer Verlag. p. 180. ISBN 3-540-00238-3.
External links
- Моя Керчь multi portal My Kerch: news, photo gallery, announcements, etc.
- Керчь – это город interactive map of Kerch
- Керчь – это мой город unofficial website of Kerch: information, news, photos, forum etc. (in Russian)
- Webcams
- Kropotkin, Peter Alexeivitch; Bealby, John Thomas (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). p. 754.
- Photos of Kerch Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine from Panoramio
- Map of Kerch's Center (by "Kartografia", 2004)
- Infos and photos of Kerch in travelguide around Ukraine
- The murder of the Jews of Kerch during World War II, at Yad Vashem website.
You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Ukrainian July 2022 Click show for important translation instructions Machine translation like DeepL or Google Translate is a useful starting point for translations but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate rather than simply copy pasting machine translated text into the English Wikipedia Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low quality If possible verify the text with references provided in the foreign language article You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Ukrainian Wikipedia article at uk Kerch see its history for attribution You may also add the template Translated uk Kerch to the talk page For more guidance see Wikipedia Translation Kerch also known as Keric or Kerich Crimean Tatar Keric Kerich is a city of regional significance citation needed on the Kerch Peninsula in the east of Crimea It has a population of 147 033 2014 Census Kerch Kerch Ukrainian Kerch Russian Keric Crimean Tatar Kerich Crimean Tatar CityThe Obelisk of Glory on Mount MithridatesFlagCoat of armsKerchLocation of Kerch in CrimeaShow map of CrimeaKerchLocation of Kerch in UkraineShow map of UkraineKerchLocation of Kerch in European RussiaShow map of European RussiaKerchLocation of Kerch in EuropeShow map of EuropeCoordinates 45 21 43 N 36 28 16 E 45 36194 N 36 47111 E 45 36194 36 47111Country de facto RussiaFederal Subject Republic de facto CrimeaCity de facto KerchCountry de jure UkraineAutonomous republic de jure CrimeaRaion de jure KerchArea Total108 km2 42 sq mi Elevation10 m 30 ft Population 2017 Total149 566 Density1 464 49 km2 3 793 0 sq mi Time zoneUTC 3Postal code298300 298399Area code 7 36561Former name s Panticapaeum Bosporus Vosporo Korchev CerchioSister citiesMogilev Smolensk Canakkale Oryol Odintsovo SochiClimateCfaWebsitegorsovet kerch rf de facto Historical populationYearPop 1939104 443 195998 769 5 4 1970127 804 29 4 1979156 827 22 7 1989174 365 11 2 2001157 007 10 0 2014147 033 6 4 2021154 621 5 2 Source Census data Founded 2 600 years ago as the ancient Greek colony Pantikapaion Kerch is one of the most ancient cities in Crimea The city experienced rapid growth starting in the 1920s and was the site of a major battle during World War II Today it is one of the largest cities in Crimea and is among the area s most important industrial transport and tourist centres As with the rest of Crimea it has been occupied by Russian forces since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 HistoryRuins of Panticapaeum from the 6th century BC Ancient times Archeological digs at Mayak village near the city ascertained that the area had already been inhabited in the 17th 15th centuries BC While many finds from Kerch can be found in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg and the local museum a large number of antique sculptures reliefs bronze and glassware ceramics and jewellery were excavated in 1855 1856 during the Crimean War by Duncan MacPherson a surgeon from the British Army and later donated to the British Museum in London Kerch as a city starts its history in the 7th century BC when Greek colonists from Miletus founded a city state named Panticapaeum on Mount Mithridat near the mouth of the Melek Chesme river Panticapaeum subdued nearby cities and by 480 BC became the capital of the Kingdom of Bosporus Later during the rule of Mithradates VI Eupator Panticapaeum for a short period of time became the capital of the much more powerful and extensive Kingdom of Pontus The city was located at the intersection of trade routes between the steppe and Europe This caused it to grow rapidly The city s main exports were grain and salted fish wine making was also common Panticapaeum minted its own coins According to extant documents the Melek Chesme river small and shallow nowadays was navigable in Bosporan times and sea galleys were able to enter the river A large portion of the city s population was ethnically Scythian later Sarmatian as the large royal barrow Kurgan at Kul Oba testifies In the 1st century AD Panticapaeum and the Kingdom of Bosporus suffered from Ostrogoth raids then the city was devastated by the Huns in AD 375 Myrmekion was founded in the eastern part of the Kerch 4 km NE of ancient Panticapaeum The settlement was founded by Ionians in the first half of the 6th c BC Middle Ages Yenikale fortress From the 6th century the city was under the control of the Byzantine Empire By order of Emperor Justinian I a citadel named Bospor was built there Bospor was the centre of a bishopric the diocese of Bosporus and developed under the influence of Greek Christianity In 576 it withstood a siege by the Gokturks under Bokhan aided by Anagai the last khan ruler of the Uturgurs tribe of Huns Church of St John the Baptist built in the 8th century In the 7th century the Turkic Khazars took control of Bospor and the city was named Karcha from Turkic karsi meaning opposite facing The main local government official during Khazar times was the tudun During Khazar rule Kerch was used as a major port for the Khazar slave trade through which slaves were exported to the Black Sea slave trade Christianity was a major religion in Kerch during the period of Khazar rule Kerch s Church of St John the Baptist was founded in 717 thus it is the oldest church in Ukraine The Church of the Apostles existed during the late 8th and early 9th centuries according to the Life of the Apostle Andrew by Epiphanius of Salamis Following the fall of Khazaria to Kievan Rus in the late 10th century Kerch became the centre of a Khazar successor state Its ruler Georgius Tzul was deposed by a Byzantine Rus expedition in 1016 From the 10th century the city was a Slavic settlement named Korchev which belonged to the Tmutarakan principality Kerch was a center of trade between Russia Crimea Caucasus and the Orient In the 13th century Crimea including Korchev was invaded by Mongols After the Mongols the city became the Genoese colony of Cerco Cherkio in 1318 and served as a sea harbour where townspeople worked at salt works and fishery In 1475 the city was passed to the Ottoman Empire During the Turkish rule Kerch fell into decay and served as a slave market It repeatedly suffered from raids of Zaporizhian Cossacks 18th 20th centuries Kerch by Ivan Aivazovsky 1839 In response to the strengthening of Russian military forces in Azov area the Turks built a fortress named Yenikale near Kerch on the shore of Kerch Strait The fortress was completed by 1706 In 1771 the Imperial Russian Army invaded Crimea and approached Yenikale The Turks decided to abandon the fortress though reinforcements from the Ottoman Empire had arrived a few days earlier By the Peace Treaty of Kuchuk Kainarji in 1774 Kerch and Yenikale were ceded to Russia As a result the Turkish heritage has been almost completely wiped out In 1790 Russian naval forces under the command of admiral Fyodor Ushakov defeated the Turkish fleet at the Battle of Kerch Strait Because of its location from 1821 Kerch developed into an important trade and fishing port The state museum of ancient times and a number of educational institutions were opened in the city The ironwork factory was built in 1846 based on a huge iron ore deposit found on Kerch Peninsula During the Crimean War the city was devastated by British forces in 1855 In the late 19th century mechanical and cement factories were built and tinned food and tobacco factories were established By 1900 Kerch was connected to a railroad system and the fairway of Kerch Strait was deepened and widened At this time the population had reached 33 000 After suffering a decline during the First World War and the Russian Civil War the city resumed its growth in the late 1920s with the expansion of various industries iron ore and metallurgy in particular and by 1939 its population had reached 104 500 Kerch in World War II uk On the Eastern Front of World War II from 1941 to 1945 Kerch was the site of heavy fighting between Red Army and Axis forces After fierce fighting the city was taken by the Germans in November 1941 On 31 December 1941 the 302nd Mountain Rifle Division recaptured the city following a naval landing operation at Kamysh Burun to the south of the city five days earlier In 1942 the Germans occupied the city again The Red Army lost over 160 000 men either killed or taken POW at the Battle of the Kerch Peninsula On 31 October 1943 another Soviet naval landing operation was launched Kerch returned to Soviet control on 11 April 1944 The German invaders killed about 15 000 citizens and deported another 14 000 during their occupation Evidence of German atrocities in Kerch was presented in the Nuremberg trials After the war the city was awarded the title Hero City The Adzhimushkay catacombs in the city s suburbs were the site of guerrilla warfare against the occupation Thousands of soldiers and refugees found shelter inside and were involved in counterattacks Many of them died underground including those who died of numerous alleged poison gas attacks Later a memorial was established on the site Kerch in the Soviet Union This section needs expansion You can help by making an edit request adding to it October 2023 Kerch in Independent Ukraine This section needs expansion You can help by making an edit request adding to it October 2023 On 11 November 2007 a powerful storm passed through the city causing much damage and an ecological disaster as a few ships including an oil tanker were shipwrecked and blocked the Kerch Strait Russian occupation This section needs expansion You can help by making an edit request adding to it September 2023 As with the other parts of Crimea as of 2023 update Kerch is occupied by Russian forces following the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014 On 17 October 2018 a student killed 20 people and himself at Kerch Polytechnic College GeographyKerch view from Mount MithridatClimate Kerch has a humid subtropical climate Koppen climate classification Cfa with cool to cold winters and warm to hot summers Climate data for Kerch 1991 2020 extremes 1936 present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 17 3 63 1 17 8 64 0 23 4 74 1 27 6 81 7 30 6 87 1 35 2 95 4 37 7 99 9 37 9 100 2 35 5 95 9 30 9 87 6 23 2 73 8 19 4 66 9 37 9 100 2 Mean daily maximum C F 3 8 38 8 4 5 40 1 8 8 47 8 14 9 58 8 21 0 69 8 26 0 78 8 29 0 84 2 28 9 84 0 23 4 74 1 16 9 62 4 10 2 50 4 5 8 42 4 16 1 61 0 Daily mean C F 0 7 33 3 1 1 34 0 4 7 40 5 10 1 50 2 16 0 60 8 21 2 70 2 24 1 75 4 24 0 75 2 18 6 65 5 12 6 54 7 6 6 43 9 2 8 37 0 11 9 53 4 Mean daily minimum C F 2 0 28 4 1 9 28 6 1 2 34 2 5 8 42 4 11 3 52 3 16 3 61 3 19 1 66 4 19 2 66 6 13 9 57 0 8 7 47 7 3 5 38 3 0 1 32 2 7 9 46 2 Record low C F 23 7 10 7 23 1 9 6 15 6 3 9 6 5 20 3 1 1 30 0 2 8 37 0 9 9 49 8 7 5 45 5 1 0 33 8 5 4 22 3 11 8 10 8 17 6 0 3 23 7 10 7 Average precipitation mm inches 38 1 5 29 1 1 33 1 3 29 1 1 31 1 2 53 2 1 33 1 3 41 1 6 35 1 4 31 1 2 39 1 5 37 1 5 429 16 9 Average extreme snow depth cm inches 1 0 4 2 0 8 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 2 0 8 Average rainy days 10 9 11 11 9 10 6 6 8 9 11 11 111Average snowy days 8 8 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 7 30Average relative humidity 86 83 79 75 74 70 66 65 71 78 83 85 76Mean monthly sunshine hours 64 5 96 9 142 7 207 2 282 3 307 7 349 0 322 3 246 7 172 5 92 9 59 9 2 344 6Source 1 Pogoda ru netSource 2 NOAAAdministrationThe city municipality stretches over a substantial area and includes several separate neighborhoods that are part of the Kerch city Eltigen Heroyevskoe Kamysh Burun Arshyntsevo Port Krym Adzhimushkai and Tuzla Island EconomyToday Kerch is home to many metallurgists shipbuilders and fishermen It also has a significant tourism sector Industry The largest enterprises in the city are Kerch Metallurgical Works Factory launched in 1900 Kamysh Burun Iron Ore Plant Zaliv Shipyard that produces and repairs tankers and cargo ships Construction materials food processing and light industries play a significant role in the city s economy Kerch is also a fishing fleet base and an important processing centre for numerous fish products Kerch Aircraft Repair Plant KeARZ KMZ KMK Metallurgical Plant Kerch east Oil and Gas extraction industry petrochemical and storage Zaliv Shipyard Kamysh Burun Zheleznogoroda Kvartz Quartz Glass Factory Plant KSZ Glass various and optics optical materials and instruments Kerch PSZ Albatros PSZ KMPZ Vityaz Priladobudivni Instruments and Instruments making Machinery Engineering Kamysh Burun Iron Metallurgy Plant KMZ KMTP SV Fregat floating docks yard and ship repair yard KSRZ uvas trans floating docks yards and ship repair also lesser Kerch ship repair yards around Tourism Mithridates Staircase 19th century Lenina street in Kerch Because of its location on the shores of the Azov and Black seas Kerch became a popular summer resort among people of the former USSR Also several mud cure sources are located near the city Despite the seaside location the tourist appeal of Kerch today is limited because of the industrial character of the city and associated pollution Despite the lack of beaches in the town s area there are a lot of them at a distance of 20 minutes travel by bus train or taxi Kerch has a number of impressive architectural and historical monuments Ancient historical heritage of the city makes it attractive for scientific tourism The most notable of Kerch s sights are Site of ancient settlement Pantikapaeum 5th century BC 3rd century AD Tsarskiy Kurghan 4th century BC burial mound for one of the Bosporian kings Church of St John the Baptist AD 717 Fortress of Yenikale 18th century The Great Mithridates Staircase leading on top of the Mount Mithridat contains 428 footsteps built in 1833 1840 under the guidance of Italian architect Obelisk of Glory on the Mount Mithridat built after World War II Lapidarium Memorial of heroic guerilla warfare in Adzhimushkay mines Kerch Fortress restricted area in Soviet times but free to enter in present days The fortress was built by the Russian military architect Totleben in the middle of 19th century Sites of ancient settlements Mirmecium Tiritaka and Nimphei There are also some settlements which have gone underwater due to earthquakes So called Demetra s Crypt a crypt with numerous frescos dated 1st century BC Transport Private houses are common in Kerch Kerch has a harbour on the Kerch Strait which makes it a key to the Sea of Azov It has several railroad terminals and a small airport The Kerch Strait ferry line across the Kerch Strait was established in 1953 connecting Crimea and the Krasnodar Krai Port Krym Port Kavkaz line as of November 2009 there are also plans for a Kerch Poti ferry route Tavrida Highway work in progress along Kerch railway two rails highway four lanes bridge to connect Rostov Krasnodar with peninsula There are several ports in Kerch including Kerch Maritime Trading Port Kerch Maritime Fishing Port Port Krym ferry crossing Kamysh Burun Port The railroad terminals include Kerch Kerch I Kerch Factory Arshyntsevo and Krym A bus network connects Kerch to other cities in Crimea and Krasnodar Krai City transport Map of tram lines with opening dates Kerch had a tram system that was established in 1935 and destroyed in 1941 Trolleybus lines map with dates of opening A trolleybus system was established in 2004 and has one line Crimean Bridge On 25 April 2010 Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed an agreement to build a bridge across the Kerch Strait In January 2015 with Russia now in control the contract for the construction of the bridge was awarded to Arkady Rotenberg s S G M Group In May 2015 construction commenced and the road section of the bridge was opened to traffic in May 2018 The rail section was opened in 2019 with Russian President Vladimir Putin taking the first train across on 23 December It was heavily damaged by an explosion on 8 October 2022 CultureGames of Bogatyrs in KerchFestivals and celebrations Liberation Day 11 April Day of Fishermen the second Sunday of July Day of the City the second Saturday of September Education Kerch Brotherhood Kerch hosts 2004 28 schools 9 institutes and branches of Ukrainian and Russian universities shipbuilding and polytechnical colleges medical school 6 PTU schools a number of pre school child institutionsArchaeology Excavations in Pantikapaeum Archaeological digs in Kerch were launched under Russian auspices in the middle of the 19th century Since then the site of ancient Panticapaeum city on Mount Mithridat has been systematically excavated Located nearby are several ancient burial mounds kurgans and excavated cities Kerch takes part in UNESCO s Silk Road programme Treasures and historical findings of Kerch adorn the Lapidarium in Kerch and the collections of major museums around the world Such as the Hermitage the Louvre the British Museum the Berlin Museum the Moscow State Museum of fine arts and many others Currently excavations at ancient fortresses of Kerch are led by scientists from Russia Ukraine and Poland Twin towns sister cities City Country YearMogilev Belarus 1998Smolensk Russia 1998Canakkale Turkey 1999Oryol Russia 2004Odintsovo Russia 2004Sochi Russia 2005Kyiv Ukraine 1997Tula Russia Russia 2014Notable peopleLuke of Simferopol 1877 1961 aka Saint Luke the Blessed Surgeon surgeon and bishop Pyotr Voykov 1888 1927 a Ukrainian Bolshevik revolutionary and Soviet diplomat Yuri Terapiano 1892 1980 a Russian poet writer translator and literary critic Jia Ruskaja 1902 1970 a Russian dancer and choreographer Paul Soskin 1905 1975 Russian born British screenwriter and film producer Boris Khodorov 1922 2014 physiologist and professor of physiology Alime Abdenanova 1924 1944 a Crimean Tatar scout in the Red Army during WWII Volodia Dubinin 1928 1942 a Pioneer Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Filippenko 1936 1968 known as The Leningrad Strangler a Soviet serial killer Anatoliy Kokush born 1951 a Ukrainian film engineer businessman and inventor Yuri Adzhem born 1953 a Russian former football coach and player with over 330 club caps Volodymyr Ivanenko 1954 2006 a Ukrainian television producer Sergey Dorenko 1959 2019 Russian TV and radio journalist Mikhail Reva born 1960 a Ukrainian artist sculptor architect and jewelry craftsman Ihor Leonov born 1967 a Ukrainian former football midfielder and manager Masha Efrosinina born 1979 a Ukrainian TV host and media personality Ulyana Nesheva born 1983 a Ukrainian contemporary painter and tattoo artist Valeriya Strakhova born 1995 a Ukrainian tennis playerHonoursA minor planet 2216 Kerch discovered in 1971 by Soviet astronomer Tamara Mikhailovna Smirnova is named after the city GalleryKerch Fortress Interior of the Church of Saint John the Baptist entrance See alsoBosporan Kingdom Kerch Fortress Kerch Polytechnic College massacre Kerch Strait Mount Mithridat Panticapaeum Tuzla Island Yeni KaleFootnotesUkrainian Kerch ˈkɛrt ʃ Russian Kerch pronounced ˈkʲertɕ Old East Slavic Krchev Ancient Greek Pantikapaion Pantikapaion Medieval Greek Bosporos Bosporos Turkish KercReferencesRussian Federal State Statistics Service 2014 Tablica 1 3 Chislennost naseleniya Krymskogo federalnogo okruga gorodskih okrugov municipalnyh rajonov gorodskih i selskih poselenij Table 1 3 Population of Crimean Federal District Its Urban Okrugs Municipal Districts Urban and Rural Settlements Federalnoe statisticheskoe nablyudenie Perepis naseleniya v Krymskom federalnom okruge Population Census in Crimean Federal District Federal Statistical Examination in Russian Federal State Statistics Service Retrieved 4 January 2016 British Museum Collection British Museum Collection Antiquities of Kertch and Researches in the Cimmerian Bosphorus with Remarks on the ethnological and physical History of the Crimea by Duncan MacPherson 1857 See Talk Kerch Meaning of Greek name for discussion about the Greek name Panticapaeum Butyagin Alexander 29 July 2008 Myrmekion Foundation of the Hellenic World Retrieved 29 October 2018 The World of the Khazars New Perspectives Selected Papers from the Jerusalem 1999 International Khazar Colloquium 2007 Nederlanderna Brill p 233 Cohen Saul Bernard 2008 The Columbia Gazetteer of the World A to G p 1876 Inalcik Halil 1979 Servile Labor in the Ottoman Empire In Ascher Abraham Kiraly Bela K Halasi Kun Tibor eds The Mutual Effects of the Islamic and Judeo Christian Worlds The East European Pattern Brooklyn N Y Brooklyn College Press pp 25 43 Archived from the original on 4 May 2017 Black Sea Fleet BSF Morskoyo Flota Naval Force GlobalSecurity org Retrieved 29 October 2018 Forczyk Robert 2014 Where the Iron Crosses Grow Oxford UK Osprey Publishing pp 103 110 Kottek M J Grieser C Beck B Rudolf F Rubel 2006 World Map of the Koppen Geiger climate classification updated PDF Meteorol Z 15 3 259 263 Bibcode 2006MetZe 15 259K doi 10 1127 0941 2948 2006 0130 Retrieved 11 December 2012 Klimat Kerchi pogodaiklimat ru in Russian Retrieved 8 November 2021 World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991 2020 Kerch 33983 CSV National Centers for Environmental Information Retrieved 17 July 2021 L S 1 May 1952 Iron and Steel in the Soviet Union The World Today 8 5 210 222 Yushchenko says Ukraine to try quickly implement Kerch Poti ferry route project Interfax Ukraine 19 November 2009 via Kyiv Post Putin takes first train across Crimea bridge AFP 23 December 2019 Schmadel Lutz D 2003 Dictionary of Minor Planet Names 5th ed New York Springer Verlag p 180 ISBN 3 540 00238 3 External linksWikimedia Commons has media related to Kerch Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Kerch Moya Kerch multi portal My Kerch news photo gallery announcements etc Kerch eto gorod interactive map of Kerch Kerch eto moj gorod unofficial website of Kerch information news photos forum etc in Russian Webcams Kropotkin Peter Alexeivitch Bealby John Thomas 1911 Kerch Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 15 11th ed p 754 Photos of Kerch Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine from Panoramio Map of Kerch s Center by Kartografia 2004 Infos and photos of Kerch in travelguide around Ukraine The murder of the Jews of Kerch during World War II at Yad Vashem website
