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Observer Debrecen
Observer Saint - Petersburg
Text: Balkus Gergo, Observer Debrecen
Photographs: Web
Photographs: Anastasya Lapshina, Observer Saint - Petersburg
Debrecen is the 2nd largest city of Hungary and the economic and
cultural center of the Great Plain (Alföld). Its estimated population is
around 213 000. It is also a county administrative center, a road and
rail hub, and an industrial city that produces sagricultural machinery,
pharmaceuticals, furniture, and pottery.
Interesting facts
Debrecen was traditionally famous for its fairs and live stock markets
and is still a center for agricultural trade. Known in the 13th century,
the city grew as a market for cattle and grain. It became the stronghold of Hungarian Protestantism in the 16th century, and its Calvinist college later formed the nucleus of a university. Under the Turkish
occupation of Hungary Debrecen enjoyed semiautonomous status and
often served as a refuge for peasants fleeing from the Turks. It was
also an important trade center, but the wars in the late 17th century
between Christian Europe and the Turks ruined the city's economy.
Debrecen became the center of Hungarian resistance against the Austrian rule in the 19th century; and on April 14, 1849, Lajos Kossuth
proclaimed Hungary's independence in the great church in the heart
of Debrecen. Russiantroops, who had helped the Habsburgs crush
the Hungarian uprising, occupied the city briefly. Economic revival began in the early 20th century. In 1945, during World War II, Debrecen
served as provisional capital of Hungary.
Text: Grigory Malykhinm, Observer Saint - Petersburg
Today, St.-Petersburg is one of the most actively developing regions
in the country, and the best place to live in Russia. In fact, over the
past years has become a great place to live, work and study for many
Russians and some expats.
Saint-Petersburg was the capital of Russia from 1712 to 1918. Thanks
to its advantageous geopolitical position, a well-developed transportation system, its vast treasure house of art and a newly diversified economy, the city has great potential for economic growth. At present it is
the second largest economic, academic and scientific center in Russia.
Interesting facts
St. Petersburg had three different names in its history. Originally the
city was named after Saint Peter, the patron of the city. In 1914 the
city got Russian name, Petrograd (the city of Peter the Great). After
the death of Lenin in 1924 the city was named Leningrad, and finally in
1991 the original name, Saint-Petersburg, was restored.
The minor planet Leningrad discovered in 1968 is situated 220 million
kilometers from the city.
St.-Petersburg has 93 rivers and canals, which add up to a total length
of 300 km, although the main and the widest river is still the Neva. What
is more, there used to be 101 islands in the delta of river Neva, but now
this number has decreased to 42, it is also known as a Russian Venice.
St.-Petersburg has 182 museums, 1270 libraries, 50 theatres, 114 concert venues, 69 educational institutions, 7 parks, 63 movie theatres,
417 non-government cultural institutions, and 5830 cultural landmarks.
The literacy rate in Russia is 99%. Overall, people in Russia are very
smart, they love to read and study history and classical authors.
St.-Petersburg hosts to as many as 100 cultural and art festivals every
year, including 50 international ones, therefore Russians call it a Cultural Capital of Russia.
Saint-Petersburg has one of the deepest subways in the world – on
average, the stations are situated 60-70 meters beneath the ground.
For example, Proletarskaya metro station is 84 meters deep! And some
escalators are more than 150 meters long!
It is especially beautiful during the white nights, when the sun does not
descend below the horizon enough for the sky to become dark.
Observer
Debrecen
During World War II it withstood a 900 day siege and in the process
over 1.2 million Red Army soldiers and another 1 million civilians lost
their lives in battle, from hunger and exhaustion. In comparison the
Allies lost 745,000 soldiers in 1944 – 1945 (including D-Day).
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