Astrakhan was first mentioned by historians, scholars and explorers in the 13th century. The old city was part of the Golden Horde. It was located 12 km upstream from modern Astrakhan on the right bank of the Volga. The birth of Astrakhan is associated with the name of Ivan the Terrible, who ordered a fortress to be built in the mouth of the Volga to fortify Russia's southern borders. In 1558, the first Astrakhan governor, Ivan Cheremisinov, built a Russian wooden fortress on the Zayachi, or Dolgy Hill on the left bank of the Volga.
Like many other cities in Old Rus, Astrakhan consisted of three parts: the Kremlin, the White Stone City and the Earthen City. The development of the White City, Astrakhan's centre, was prompted by the terrain. The layout matched the structure of the fortifications. In 1744-64, on Peter the Great's orders, a canal was built across the city west to east, linking the rivers Volga and Kutum.
For almost three centuries Astrakhan was the main administrative centre which supported trade and political links between the Russian state and the countries of the East, South and North Caucasus. Located at a crossing of caravan routes and waterways, in the 17th and 18th centuries Astrakhan developed from a small fortress into a major city of traders and artisans, and the Volga became the country's main transportation artery. Since 1717 Astrakhan was the centre of a province. From 1785 it was the centre of the Caucasus vice-regency.
From the beginning Astrakhan was the most tolerant Russian city of various religions where people of diverse nationalities and faiths - Russians, Tatars, Hindus, Armenians, Persians, Germans and Kalmyks - lived in friendship and mutual cooperation. The large city in the mouth of the Volga was the home of Orthodox believers and Muslims, Catholics and Protestants, Buddhists and Gregorians.
Today Astrakhan is a major industrial city with a population of 500,200 people which is developing harmoniously. It benefits from its geopolitical location, a vibrant industry, convenient transport routes and intellectual and human resources.
The basis of Astrakhan's industry is the gas condensate processing complex, the largest in the country. The city has more than 1,200 enterprises of various forms of ownership.
Astrakhan has four theatres, a philharmonic, the Kustodiev Picture Gallery, seven museums, exhibition halls, cinemas, unions of writers, artists and journalists and other creative organizations and higher education institutions. The city has 77 schools, 5 lyceums, 4 gymnasiums (with a total student body of 48,700), 20 secondary specialized schools, and 107 preschool childcare centres (18,800 children). The public health sector comprises 106 medical institutions.
Astrakhan is in the process of rapid transformation as new modern buildings spring up, the embankments of its canals are developed and historical buildings are restored.
Astrakhan will mark its 450th jubilee in October, 2008.