In 1749, Rostov-on-Don town was founded with the main purpose to be a

customs house. The settlement received its name after Saint Dimitry Rostovsky.

The Don River connected the northern and southern regions of the Russian

Empire. Rostov-on-Don city became a major river port.

Rostov-on-Don became the capital of the region in 1928. The previous capital

of the region was Novocherkassk (Cossack capital. The city was heavily damaged during the World War II. German armies captured Rostov-on-Don twice (in 1941 and

1942). Nowadays the city is one of the centres of the new Russian economic growth.

Rostov-on-Don occupies an area of 354 square kilometres and has a population

of more than a million people. It is a junction of many important transportation routes providing the city with an access to three seas the Black Sea, the Azov Sea and the Caspian Sea - and immediate contact with all the countries of the European part of the CIS, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

Rostov-on-Don is the political, economic and cultural centre of the south of

Russia, with considerable industrial, banking, trade and scientific potential.

There are over 800 objects of cultural heritage in Rostov-on-Don. Among them

are 470 architectural monuments, 55 archaeological monuments and 106 monumental objects of arts and military glory. The historical centre of the city is especially rich in architectural buildings and monuments.

Large industrial companies have shown significant interest in Rostov as the

capital of the region's business.

Rostov-on-Don is a large educational and scientific centre of Russia. There are 4 theatres in Rostov-on-Don, the Don State public library (the largest in the south of Russia), S.V. Rakhmaninov Conservatoire, and various interesting exhibition halls.

The Botanical Garden of Rostov State University is considered to be one of the

largest in Russia, and it occupies about 161 hectares.