map of Mariupol [ Ukraine ] [ карта маріуполя україна ]
Mariupol ( Marioúpoli) is a city of regional significance in south eastern Ukraine, situated on the north coast of the Sea of Azov at the mouth of the Kalmius river, in the Pryazovia region. It is the tenth-largest city in Ukraine,] and the second largest in Donetsk Oblast] with a population of 431,859 (2021 est.).Mariupol was founded on the site of a former Cossack encampment named Kalmius] and granted city rights in 1778. It has been a centre for the grain trade, metallurgy, and heavy engineering, including the Illich Steel & Iron Works and Azovstal. Mariupol has played a key role in the industrialization of Ukraine. Today, Mariupol remains a centre for industry, as well as higher education and business.
From 1948 to 1989, the city was named Zhdanov, after the Soviet functionary Andrei Zhdanov, as part of the practice of renaming cities after Communist leaders.
Following the War in Donbas when the city of Donetsk became the capital of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in 2014, Mariupol was made the provisional administrative centre of the Donetsk Oblast. The city was secured on June 13, 2014 by Ukrainian troops, but has been under attack several times since. The city was besieged and severely damaged during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Mariupol is located in the south of the Donetsk Oblast, on the coast of Sea of Azov and at the mouth of Kalmius River. It is located in an area of the Azov Lowland that is an extension of the Ukrainian Black Sea Lowland. To the east of Mariupol is the Khomutov Steppe, which is also part of the Azov Lowland, located on the border with Russia. Mariupol is divided into four neighborhoods or raions.
Kalmiuskyi Raion (until June 2016 named Illichivsk Raion after Vladimir Ilyich Lenin) is the northern part of the city, the largest and most industrialized neighborhood in the city. It is commonly known as the Zavod (Factory) of Ilyich.
Livoberezhnyi Raion (until June 2016 named after Sergo Ordzhonikidze) is the eastern part of the city, on the left bank of the river Kalmius. Its name means the Left Bank. 11 churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchy.
3 churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchy.
52 various religious communities.
The city is adorned by the St. Nicholas Cathedral (in the Tsentralnyi borough) and other churches of the city, namely:
St. Nicholas (Primorsky borough)
St. Michael (Livoberezhnyi borough)
St. Preobrazheniye (Holy Transfiguration) (Primorsky borough)
St. Ilya (Ilyichevsky borough)
Uspensky (Assumption) (Livoberezhnyi borough)
St. Vladimir (Livoberezhnyi borough)
St. Amvrosy Optinsky (Illyichevsky borough, Volonterobvka)
St. Varlampy (Illyichevsky borough, Mirny)
St. George (Illyichevsky borough, Sartana)
Nativity of the Virgin Mary (Illyichevsky borough, Talakovka)
St. Boris & Gleb (Prymorsky borough, Moryakov)
St. Crimeajewel
Prymorsky Raion is the southern area of the city, on the coast of the Azov Sea. The everyday name of the central part this neighbourhood is simply the Port.
Tsentralnyi Raion is the central city raion. Its everyday name is simply the Centre or the City. Formerly it was known as Zhovtnevyi Raion (October Raion) commemorating the 1917 Bolshevik coup-d'état.
The Kalmius river separates the Livoberezhnyi Raion from the remaining three raions. The population is mostly concentrated in the Tsentralnyi and Prymorsky Raions. The Kalmiuskyi Raion houses the large Illich Steel and Iron Works and the Azovmash manufacturing plant. The Livoberezhnyi (Left Bank) is home to the Azovstal metallurgic combine and the Koksokhim (Coke and Chemical) factory. The settlements of Staryi Krym and Sartana are located in close proximity to the city limits of Mariupol (see map).
Coat of arms of Mariupol
The modern coat of arms of Mariupol was confirmed in 1989. It is described in heraldic terms as: Per fess wavy argent and azure, on an anchor or, accompanied by the figure 1778 of the last. The gold anchor has a ring on top. The number 1778 indicates the year of the city's founding. The argent represents steel; the azure, the sea; the anchor, the port; and the ring, metallurgy.
City holidays
Holidays exclusive to Mariupol include:
Day of liberation of the city from fascist aggressors (on September 10)
Day of the city (the Sunday after the day of liberation of Mariupol in September)
Day of the metallurgist – a professional holiday for many citizens
Day of the machine engineer
Day of the seaman and other professional holidays