Perm, Russia

Perm
Пермь
From the top to the left: Kama River and Art Gallery (former Transfiguration Cathedral), Perm Embankment near the Motovilikha plant, A view over the city of Perm, Krasavinsky bridge
Flag
Coat of arms
Location of Perm
Perm is located in Perm Krai
Perm
Perm
Location of Perm
Perm is located in European Russia
Perm
Perm
Perm (European Russia)
Perm is located in Europe
Perm
Perm
Perm (Europe)
Coordinates: 58°00′N 56°19′E
Country Russia
Federal subject Perm Krai
Founded May 15, 1723
City status since October 29, 1781
Government
 • Body City Duma
 • Mayor Alexey Dyomkin
Area
 • Total 799.68 km2 (308.76 sq mi)
Elevation
171 m (561 ft)
Population
 • Total 991,162
 • Estimate 
(2018)
1,051,583 (+6.1%)
 • Rank 13th in 2010
 • Density 1,200/km2 (3,200/sq mi)
 • Subordinated to city of krai significance of Perm
 • Capital of Perm Krai, Permsky District
 • Urban okrug Perm Urban Okrug
 • Capital of Perm Urban Okrug, Permsky Municipal District
Time zone UTC+5 (MSK+2 Edit this on Wikidata)
Postal code(s)
614xxx
Dialing code(s) +7 342
OKTMO ID 57701000001
City Day June 12
Website www.gorodperm.ru

Perm (Russian: Пермь, IPA: [pʲermʲ]; Komi-Permyak: Перем; Komi: Перым), previously known as Yagoshikha (Ягошиха) (1723–1781), and Molotov (Молотов) (1940–1957), is the largest city and the administrative centre of Perm Krai, Russia. The city is located on the banks of the Kama River, near the Ural Mountains, covering an area of 799.68 square kilometres (308.76 square miles), with a population of over one million residents. Perm is the fifteenth-largest city in Russia, and the fifth-largest city in the Volga Federal District.

In 1723, a copper-smelting work was founded in the village of Yagoshikha. In 1781 the settlement of Yagoshikha became the town of Perm. Perm's position on the navigable Kama River, leading to the Volga, and on the Siberian Route across the Ural Mountains, helped it become an important trade and manufacturing center. It also lay along the Trans-Siberian Railway. Perm grew considerably as industrialization proceeded in the Urals during the Soviet period, and in 1940 was named Molotov in honor of Vyacheslav Molotov. In 1957 the city returned to its historical name.

Modern Perm is still a major railway hub and one of the chief industrial centers of the Urals region. The city's diversified metallurgical and engineering industries produce equipment and machine tools for the petroleum and coal industries, as well as agricultural machinery. A major petroleum refinery uses oil transported by pipeline from the West Siberian oilfields, and the city's large chemical industry makes fertilizers and dyes. The city's institutions of higher education include the Perm A.M. Gorky State University, founded in 1916.

Etymology

The name Perm is of Uralic etymology (Komi-Permyak: Перем, Perem; Komi: Перым, Perym). Komi is a member of the Permic branch of the Uralic languages, which is also named for Perm. In Finnish and Vepsian perämaa means "far-away land"; similarly, in Hungarian perem means "edge" or "verge". The geologic period of the Permian takes its name from the toponym.

History

Perm is located in the old Permiak area. Perm was first mentioned as the village of Yagoshikha (Ягошиха) in 1647; however, the history of the modern city of Perm starts with the development of the Ural region by Tsar Peter the Great. Vasily Tatishchev, appointed by the Tsar as a chief manager of Ural factories, founded Perm together with another major center of the Ural region, Yekaterinburg.

In the 19th century, Perm became a major trade and industrial center with a population of more than 20,000 people in the 1860s, with several metallurgy, paper, and steamboat producing factories, including one owned by a British entrepreneur. In 1870, an opera theatre was opened in the city, and in 1871 the first phosphoric factory in Russia was built. In 1916, Perm State University—a major educational institution in modern Russia—was opened.

Pokrovskaya Street (nowadays Lenin street) in central Perm around 1910
This house is a typical example of the wooden buildings of Perm in the early 20th century. Location home: 14a, Klimenko str.

After the outbreak of the Russian Civil War, Perm became a prime target for both sides because of its military munitions factories. It was heavily rumored from July–September 1918 that the Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna and her four daughters were imprisoned at the Perception and Berezine buildings. According to the File on the Tsar, the Grand Duchess Anastasia would have attempted to flee. On December 25, 1918, the Siberian White Army under Anatoly Pepelyayev (who acknowledged the authority of the Omsk Government of Aleksandr Kolchak), took Perm. On July 1, 1919, the city was retaken by the Red Army.

Soviet period

In the 1930s, Perm grew as a major industrial city with aviation, shipbuilding, and chemical factories built during that period. During the Great Patriotic War (World War II), Perm was a vital center of artillery production in the Soviet Union. During the Cold War, Perm became a closed city.

Modern city

TGC-9

The city is a major administrative, industrial, scientific, and cultural centre. The leading industries include machinery, defence, oil production (about 3% of Russian output), oil refining, chemical and petrochemical, timber and wood processing and the food industry.

On September 20, 2021, a mass shooting occurred at Perm State University, resulting in six fatalities and 47 injuries.

Geography

The Kama River in Perm
Map of Perm and the Yagoshikha River, 1898

The city is located on the bank of the Kama River upon hilly terrain. The Kama is the main tributary of the Volga River and is one of the deepest and most picturesque rivers of Russia. This river is the waterway which grants the Ural Mountains access to the White Sea, Baltic Sea, Sea of Azov, Black Sea, and Caspian Sea. The Kama divides the city into two parts: the central part and the right bank part. The city stretches for 70 kilometers (43 mi) along the Kama and 40 kilometers (25 mi) across it. The city street grid parallels the Kama River, traveling generally east–west, while other main streets run perpendicularly to those following the river. The grid pattern accommodates the hills of the city where it crosses them.

Another distinguishing feature of the city's relief is the large number of small rivers and brooks. The largest of them are the Mulyanka, the Yegoshikha, the Motovilikha (all are on the left bank of Kama River), and the Gayva (on the right bank).

Climate

Perm has a warm summer continental climate (Köppen: Dfb). Winters are long, snowy and quite cold. Summers are moderately warm with cool nights, although summers are shorter than winters. Due to its far inland location, there is a distinct lack of seasonal lag resulting in rapid cooling down of the warm weather as days get shorter. This is less evident during winter.

Climate data for Perm (1991–2020, extremes 1882–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 4.3
(39.7)
6.0
(42.8)
15.0
(59.0)
27.3
(81.1)
34.6
(94.3)
35.4
(95.7)
37.5
(99.5)
37.2
(99.0)
30.7
(87.3)
22.5
(72.5)
11.9
(53.4)
4.5
(40.1)
37.5
(99.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −9.3
(15.3)
−7.5
(18.5)
0.2
(32.4)
9.1
(48.4)
17.7
(63.9)
22.0
(71.6)
24.0
(75.2)
20.7
(69.3)
14.5
(58.1)
6.3
(43.3)
−2.6
(27.3)
−7.8
(18.0)
7.3
(45.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) −12.5
(9.5)
−11.3
(11.7)
−4.0
(24.8)
3.9
(39.0)
11.5
(52.7)
16.2
(61.2)
18.5
(65.3)
15.6
(60.1)
10.0
(50.0)
3.3
(37.9)
−5.2
(22.6)
−10.7
(12.7)
2.9
(37.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −15.8
(3.6)
−14.8
(5.4)
−7.8
(18.0)
−0.6
(30.9)
5.8
(42.4)
10.9
(51.6)
13.2
(55.8)
11.2
(52.2)
6.6
(43.9)
0.9
(33.6)
−7.6
(18.3)
−13.7
(7.3)
−1.0
(30.2)
Record low °C (°F) −44.9
(−48.8)
−40.8
(−41.4)
−34.8
(−30.6)
−23.5
(−10.3)
−13
(9)
−3.4
(25.9)
1.7
(35.1)
−1.9
(28.6)
−7.8
(18.0)
−25.2
(−13.4)
−38.5
(−37.3)
−47.1
(−52.8)
−47.1
(−52.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 45
(1.8)
33
(1.3)
34
(1.3)
37
(1.5)
55
(2.2)
89
(3.5)
78
(3.1)
88
(3.5)
64
(2.5)
63
(2.5)
56
(2.2)
48
(1.9)
690
(27.2)
Average extreme snow depth cm (inches) 48
(19)
61
(24)
60
(24)
19
(7.5)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
2
(0.8)
12
(4.7)
30
(12)
61
(24)
Average rainy days 1 2 4 11 18 18 17 20 21 17 7 3 139
Average snowy days 28 24 19 9 4 0.4 0 0 2 13 24 27 150
Average relative humidity (%) 83 79 72 65 62 68 71 77 80 82 85 85 76
Mean monthly sunshine hours 38 79 152 198 275 290 284 226 132 65 37 23 1,799
Source 1: Pogoda.ru.net
Source 2: NOAA (sun, 1961–1990)

Administrative and municipal status

Perm is the administrative centre of the krai and, within the framework of administrative divisions, it also serves as the administrative center of Permsky District, even though it is not a part of it. As an administrative division, it is, together with two rural localities, incorporated separately as the city of krai significance of Perm—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts. As a municipal division, the city of krai significance of Perm is incorporated as Perm Urban Okrug.

City divisions

Administrative divisions
Building of the Perm Administration
A view from the new bridge along the Stroiteley Street

For administrative purposes, Perm is divided into seven city districts:

City District Population (2010 Census)
Dzerzhinsky 155,632
Industrialny 157,575
Kirovsky 127,793
Leninsky 48,520
Motovilikhinsky 179,961
Ordzhonikidzevsky 111,204
Sverdlovsky 210,477

Economy

Perm has the largest industrial output among cities in the Urals, ahead of Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, and Ufa, although Perm has a smaller population than these. Thirty-five percent of Perm Oblast's industry is located in Perm. The largest industries in the city are electric power engineering, oil and gas refining, machine building, chemicals and petrochemicals, forestry processing, printing and food industry.

Several major industrial companies are located in Perm: Perm Motors and Aviadvigatel, major suppliers of engines to the Russian aircraft industry; rocket engine company Proton-PM, which will mass-produce the RD-191 engine for the upcoming Angara rocket family; electric engineering firms Morion JSC, Perm Scientific, and Industrial Group, and Perm Electrical Engineering Plant; Russia's largest exporter of cables and wires, JSC KAMKABEL; and oil and natural gas companies such as LUKoil-Perm Ltd. and LUKoilPernefteprodukt Ltd.

Transportation

Perm is an important railway junction on the Trans-Siberian Railway with lines radiating to Central Russia, the north part of the Urals, and the far east of Russia. Perm has two major railway stations, the historical Perm I and the modern Perm II. The Kama River is an important direct link between the European part of Russia to the seaports on the White, Baltic, Azov, Black, and Caspian seas.

Perm is served by the international airport Bolshoye Savino, which is located 16 km (9.9 mi) southwest of the city.

Perm's public transit network includes tram, bus, and city-railway routes. The formerly important trolleybus service was discontinued in July 2019.

Proposed metro system

The Perm Metro is a planned construction of a metro system that has been considered. The first plans date back to the 1970s. A feasibility study was compiled in 1990 but economic difficulties during the decade prevented its final planning and construction. The plans were revitalized in the early 2000s, but a lack of funding hampered the project and plans were once again put on hold. Light rail has also been considered.

Culture

Perm Opera and Ballet House
Perm Museum of Contemporary Art (PERMM) in the building of the Perm River Terminal

The Perm Opera and Ballet House is one of the best in Russia. There are many other theatres in Perm, including the Drama Theater, the Puppet Theatre, the Theatre for Young Spectators, the Theatre "Stage Molot", and the mystical At the Bridge Theatre.

Among the city's museums and galleries, the Perm State Art Gallery is recognized for its outstanding collections of art, including paintings from 15th- to 18th-century art movements, and wooden sculptures from the region. It is housed in a notable early 19th-century structure, once an orthodox cathedral. The spire of the museum towers over the rest of Perm, as it is situated on the Komsomolsky Prospect. Perm is receiving attention from the development of the new Museum of Contemporary Art, Perm Museum of Contemporary Art (PERMM) which officially opened in March 2009.

The RAV Vast steel tongue drum was invented in Perm by Andrey Remyannikov. This instrument is unique in the tongue drum and handpan world because each note has multiple harmonic overtones that resonate with other notes in the drum. The sound consequently has long sustain and reverberation.

The Legend of Perm Bear or The Walking Bear is a sculpture depicting a walking bear, which is also shown on the city's coat of arms. It is situated in the central part of the city on Lenin Street, in front of the Organ Concert Hall and close to the building of the Legislative Assembly of Perm Krai. The author of the sculpture is Vladimir Pavlenko, a monumental sculptor from Nizhny Tagil, a member of the Artists' Union of Russia and UNESCO International Association of Arts.

Education

Perm is a scientific center. Some of the scientific institutes are combined in the Perm Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Perm is a home to several major universities including Perm State University, Perm State Technical University, Perm branch of state university Higher school of economics, Perm State Teachers' Training University, Perm State Medical Academy, Perm State Pharmaceutical Academy, Perm State Agricultural Academy, The Institute of Art and Culture, Perm State Choreographic School, and others. There are also three military schools in Perm.

Education links

Demographics

Historical population
Year Pop. ±%
1897 45,205 —    
1926 82,249 +81.9%
1939 255,236 +210.3%
1959 629,118 +146.5%
1970 850,324 +35.2%
1979 999,157 +17.5%
1989 1,090,944 +9.2%
2002 1,001,653 −8.2%
2010 991,162 −1.0%
2021 1,034,002 +4.3%
Census data

At the time of the official 2010 Census, the ethnic makeup of the city's population whose ethnicity was known (907,955) was:

Ethnicity Population Percentage
Russians 823,333 90.7%
Tatars 34,253 3.8%
Bashkirs 7,729 0.8%
Komi-Permyaks 7,301 0.8%
Ukrainians 6,507 0.7%
Udmurts 4,847 0.5%
Others 23,985 2.7%

Sports

The city hosted 2002 European Amateur Boxing Championships.

Club Sport Founded Current League League
Rank
Stadium
Zvezda 2005 Perm Football 1994 Women's Supreme League 1st Zvezda Stadium
Oktan Perm Football 1958 Russian Second Division 3rd Neftyanik Stadium
Molot-Prikamye Perm Ice Hockey 1948 Higher Hockey League 2nd Universal Sports Palace Molot
Prikamye Perm Volleyball 1983 Volleyball Super League 1st Sukharev Sports Complex
Permskie Medvedi Handball 1999 Handball Super League 1st Permskie Medvedi Sports Complex
Parma Basket Basketball 2012 VTB United League 1st Universal Sports Palace Molot

In 1995–2008, Perm was the location of the Ural Great basketball team — the only Russian basketball champion besides CSKA.

There is also an amateur bandy team called Kama.

Notable people

The following people were either born in Perm or made names for themselves while residing there.

Sergei Diaghilev, 1910
Tatiana Totmianina, 2005

Sport

and

The Nobel-prize-winning writer Boris Pasternak (1890–1960) lived in Perm for a time, and it figures in his novel Doctor Zhivago under the fictional name "Yuriatin" where Yuri sees Lara again in the public library.

Marketing

Perm is an example of city marketing in Russia, where the city also has a logo.

Twin towns – sister cities

Perm is twinned with:

See also