Chelyabinsk

Archaeologists have discovered ruins of the ancient town of Arkaim in the vicinity of the city of Chelyabinsk. Ruins and artifacts in Arkaim and other sites in the region indicate a relatively advanced civilization existing in the area since the 2nd millennium BC, which was of proto-Indo-Iranian origin. The Arkaim site, located in the Sintashta-Petrovka cultural area, was known by Russian archaeologists for at least 70 years, but it was mostly ignored by non-Russian anthropological circles. The borders of the Sintashta-Petrovka cultural area run along the eastern Urals of the Eurasian steppe to about 400 km (249 mi) south of Chelyabinsk and to the east for about 200 km (124 mi). Twenty-three archaeological sites are recognized as being part of this area. The sites resemble towns, laid out in round, square, or oval shapes. …

Chelyabinsk is located east behind the south part of the Ural Mountains, 200 kilometres (124 mi) south of Yekaterinburg. It is elevated 200–250 metres (656–820 ft) above sea level. The city is bisected by the Miass River, which is regarded as the border between the Urals and Siberia. This is reflected in the geology of the area, with the granite foothills of the Ural Mountains to the west and the lower sedimentary rock of the West Siberian Plain to the east. The Leningrad Bridge crosses the river, due to this it is known as "the bridge between the Urals and Siberia". Chelyabinsk itself is also known as "the gateway to Siberia". Like Rome, Constantinople, San Francisco and Moscow, Chelyabinsk is said to be located on seven hills. The city of Chelyabinsk developed as a fortress. …

The city has several libraries, notably Chelyabinsk Regional Universal Scientific Library, the largest public library in the Chelyabinsk Oblast. The library has more than 2 million books, over 12,000 of which are rare, originating from the 17th to 19th centuries. Chelyabinsk is home to several theatres. The Chelyabinsk Opera and Ballet Theatre, also known as the Glinka State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, was built from 1936 to 1955 on the site of the former Nativity Cathedral, which existed from 1748 to 1932. The opening of the theatre eventually took place on 29 September 1956, with a production of Alexander Borodin's "Prince Igor". …