Undoubtedly, the history of Simferopol is tightly connected with the Black Sea, and all the events that took place in the city, in one way or another, relate to this topic. Today the settlement is an important economic and cultural center of the Crimean peninsula. There are several variants of the translation of the name from the Greek language, which sound very nice - "collecting city", "useful city".
As part of the Russian Empire
The first mention of Simferopol dates back to 1784, therefore this year is considered to be the date of the city's foundation. After the territory of Crimea became part of the Russian Empire, it was decided to establish the center of the province, and Ak-Mechet became the place for it. Many historians object, considering this event a simple renaming of the existing settlement of Ak-Mechet into the provincial city of Simferopol.
Prince Grigory Potemkin-Tavrichesky is considered one of those who stood at the origins of the founding of Simferopol. Under his leadership, the construction of residential and public buildings, religious buildings, of course, Orthodox churches began.
The Greek name comes from the traditions introduced by Catherine II. During the reign of Paul I, there was an attempt to return the city to its former name Ak-Mosque, but the next emperor officially approved the name Simferopol, which has survived to this day.
Soviet time
If we talk about the Soviet history of Simferopol briefly, then the main events that took place here were a response to the life of the entire Soviet state, but taking into account local conditions and the mentality of citizens.
The first years after the revolution are considered one of the most difficult and tragic periods, as power passed from hand to hand almost every day. In addition to the confrontation between the so-called Red and White armies, there were many others who wanted to take power in the city and the surrounding area into their own hands.
Terrible pages in the history of Simferopol are associated with the period of the fascist occupation. There was a death camp in the vicinity of the city, the Nazis staged genocide against the local Jewish and Gypsy population, and shot communists, Komsomol members and their families.
Liberation came in April 1944, a new stage in the life of the city began. True, it is impossible to call him happy: immediately after the war, on the orders of Stalin, the forced resettlement of peoples began. People of different nationalities were deported from Crimea and Simferopol. Greeks, Bulgarians, Karaites, Tatars, Armenians were settled in different regions of the Soviet Union. Many died along the way. This is another terrible page in the history of Simferopol.
