Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is one of the oldest cities in the Far East; it is 118 years older than Khabarovsk and 120 years older than Vladivostok.
The city was originally founded as a base in Avacha Bay for the Second Kamchatka Expedition (1732-1743), which was led by explorer and seafarer Commander Vitus Jonassen Bering.
The construction of the first Russian houses in the settlement on the eastern shore of Avacha Bay began in June 1740 and was completed by the autumn of the same year. The navigator of Bering's expedition, Ivan Yelagin, was the city's first architect.
The settlement was named Petropavlovsk Harbour after apostles Peter and Paul. In 1822, it was classified as a city and was renamed as the Port of Petropavlovsk. In the 18th century and until the early 20th century, the settlement was recognised by the short name Petropavlovsk. In 1924, it was renamed Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
In 1850-1855, Petropavlovsk was home to the only Russian naval base in the Pacific. During the Crimean War (1853-1856), its small military garrison, which was under the command of Kamchatka Governor Vasily Zavoiko, defeated the Anglo-French fleet that attempted to seize Petropavlovsk in August 1854. It was the only Russian victory in the Crimean War.
The city developed slowly. For nearly two centuries it remained a large village, which became the intermediate base for supplying the holdings of the Russian-American Company and organising scientific marine expeditions. Only the stationing of the naval base in Petropavlovsk provided the city with an opportunity to develop.
During the Soviet period (1923-1991), Petropavlovsk also experienced periods of prosperity due to the emergence of various industrial enterprises, organisations, and social and cultural facilities in the city. Between 1956 and 1991, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky developed intensively. Large fishing companies with ocean-going fleet were based in the city. These companies and their affiliates became the backbone of the city's economy.
Modern Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky stretches for more than 20 km along the eastern coast of Avacha Bay from Babya Bay to the city of Yelizovo. The city's main street runs along the base of the Petrovskaya and Mishennaya hills and has had 15 different names. Most of the buildings stand on the slopes of hills and ridges and are typical five-storey buildings built from the 1960s to the 1980s.
The mountainous terrain, complex geological structure of the area, natural conditions, seismic and volcanic hazards, tsunamis and heavy snow cover have had a significant effect on the city's architecture. There are only five high-rise buildings in all of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
The city has 28 monuments and memorials reflecting its history. These include the first monuments to Vitus Bering, Charles Clark and Jean La Perouse in the Far East. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is included on the list of cities with monuments and landscapes that are of historic significance.
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky remains the industrial and cultural centre of the Kamchatka Territory. The city accounts for about 80% of Kamchatka's industrial output and is home to 200,000 people (60% of Kamchatka's population). There are no trolleys or trams in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The Russian mainland can only be reached by air from the Yelizovo airport.