CITY OF KERCH, UKRAINE
 Kerch is a town in the east part of Crimea on the coast of the Kerch strait (151300 inhabitants (2006), Kerch is a town-hero. Kerch is one of the most ancient cities of the world, and now in its territory there is a set of monuments of a history and the architecture, concerning to various epoch and cultures.
Panticapaeum (means “a fish way” on Iranian) based on a place of modern Kerch by natives of Miletus at the end of VII century B.C. in the period of blossoming it occupied about 100 hectares. The acropolis settled down on the mountain – Mithridates. Due to the geographical position the town long time was on crossing of trading ways between Europe, Central Asia, China and the Mediterranean. The basic products of export of Panticapaeum were grain and a salty fish wine.
Systematic excavations in Kerch have begun from 30th years of XIX century. In 1872 at excavation in area of a fortress of Eni-Cale was found Ratibor’s seal, Ratibor was the deputy of Grand Kiev duke Vesevolod in Tmutarakan, and at excavation of 1912 seal Feofanii Muzalon - Byzantian patrician, wives of prince Oleg Svjatoslavicha was found.
In a town there are some barrows - funeral constructions under a high artificial embankment. Archeological works on mountain Mithridates, at which top in V a century B.C. - III a century A.D. has been placed acropolis of Panticapaeum are on a regularly made. Sites of ancient settlement Nimfeya, Kiteya and Porfimiya also are regularly excavated. Some ancient cities of period of Bosporan Kingdom have been found at the Azov coast of Kerch peninsula, however by present time they are not investigated. Kerch is included in the international program of UNESCO “Silk road”
Kerch is divided into three areas: the Center, Voykova factory, Arshintsevo.
The population of town is multinational. According to the dates of the All-Ukrainian population censuses of 2001 in the population of area were present the following ethnic groups: Russian - 78,7 %; óêðàèíöû - 15,4 %; Byelorussians - 1,1 %; Crimean òàòàðû - 1,9 %; Moldavians - 0,2 %; Poles - 0,1 % .
The town flag of Kerch is authorized by the decision of 11-th extraordinary session town soviet from October, 19, 1999. The flag of Kerch will consist of seven horizontal strips, alternately red and white. Red color repeats color of the coat of arms of the town, and also symbolizes courage of defenders of Kerch, blood spill for freedom, fidelity to the Native land, White symbolizes cleanliness of thoughts, honor and nobleness. Four red strips together symbolize four periods in a history of city: antiquity, the Middle Ages, Renascence and the present; and also four nations which have contribution in development of Kerch - Greeks, Scythians, Turkish, and Slavs.
The coat of arms of the town-hero Kerch represents the gold image of Griffon - a mythical animal with a body of a lion, eagle wings and a head of an eagle, "S" tail, located on a red board of the "French" type. In the bottom part of a board, under Griffon foots, the gold key with the oval ring having dredging in the top and bottom parts of an oval, îáîäêîì - a thickening on a core of a key. The coat of arms of Kerch the board of the Arms is framed by a wreath gold laurel (on the right) and oak (at the left) branches, three times twined with tapes of blue and red color, the Coat of arms is imposed on two black Admiralty anchors. In the top part the Coat of arms is topped with a crown, in the bottom part is image of a medal “the Gold Star” of the town - hero is placed.
In the second half of XX centuries Kerch became large ship-building and the metal-foundry center. The one of main Kerch enterprises at that time was Kerch a metal works Voykova. The factory is constructed more 100 years ago for processing the iron ore. Now the factory is renamed into Open Society “Kerch metallurgical industrial complex”.
Other large enterprise is the ship-building factory "Zaliv", engaged in construction of the military ships and supersize tankers. Also in town are located: a factory of building materials, glass production industrial complex, a number of the enterprises of the food industry.
During all history of the town the important role in its life was played with fishing, and now a significant part of the population of Kerch is occupied with work at the enterprises of a fish industry.
After disintegration of Soviet Union and transition to market economy metallurgical and ship-building branches came in decay. Have been stopped and closed a number of large enterprises of the town. Capacity of a ship-building factory "Zaliv" was reduced.
Inter-cities and the international transportations of Kerch are served by the railway station, auto station and the small airport, trading port, ferry port “Krim” between Kerch and Taman’. Besides in 14 km of Kerch there is a military air station “Bagerovo”.
As public transport in town buses and a fixed-route taxi are used mainly. In 2004 the trolleybus line first in town which designing has been started in 70th years of XX century has been started up. In 2007 the second turn of the trolleybus line which has connected a circle on Voroshilov Street and a factory Voykova has been started.
Due to the location on coast of the Black and Azov seas, Kerch in summertime attracts having a rest from the former USSR. In vicinities of town a number of boarding houses and bases of rest is located. On Kerch peninsula there are some curative mud sources.
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