According to the formal data the beginning of the history of Samara dates back to 1586, but its ancestress - the small bunder-village Samar was marked on merchants’ maps of the 13th century.
In 1521 the village was burnt by the Tartars and rebuilt 65 years later as a fortress in the place of present-day Samara on the left bank of the Volga, where the Samara-river flows into it.
Samara was the only fortress which defended the Russian eastern frontiers from the nomads, and it has never been captured by the enemies.
As the fortress was situated on the crossing of important trade routs of that time, its economical life was based upon trade. Another important occupation was fishery. Samara turned gradually into a town of merchants and craftsmen.
In 1781 Samara became the chief town of the district (uyezd) and] in 1851 the principal town of Samarskaya province. By that time was abig industrial, agricultural and trade center. The city on the Volga was often called «the Russian Chicago» since the end of the 19th century.
I Samara was the second Russia's exporter of bread-corn. Every year six big grist-mills grinded eighty thousand tons of corn into top-quality flour. The brewery of Samara produced 30 million liters of beer annually. Two and a half hundred factories and workshops produced different consumer goods - from sausages to spring carriages. Shipping companies of Samara were among the best in Russia. In the beginning of the 20th century in Samara there were issued about 50 newspapers and 15 magazines.
Samara was famous for its beautiful orthodox churches. Most of them were ruined in the 30s, but there are still a lot of fine pieces of architecture in historical center of the city and every year new imposing buildings are carried up.
In 1935 Samara was renamed as Kuibushev after Valerian Kuibushev - one of the soviet statesmen. Now the city bears its historical name.
Modern Samara has a territory of 330 square kilometers and a population of nearly two million people. It is и large industrial center. During the Great Patriotic war many industrial enterprises were moved to Samara from the central part of the country. Here are a lot of enterprises of basic, processing and defensive industry as well as consumer goods production. Many products are exported to different countries: petrochemicals, aircraft, bearings, chocolate confectionery and some others. Considerable natural resources make Middle Volga area one of the richest parts of Central Russia.
Our city is a large educational and cultural center as well. In Samara there are more than ten schools of higher learning: SamaraStateUniversity, .AirspaceUniversity, MedicalUniversity, TelecommunicationAcademy, and others. Some of them are state ones, they are free of charge, others are fee-paying. Besides there are several newly opened branches of various further education establishments of Moscow and St. Petersburg
Museums and art-galleries of Samara offer interesting expositions involving history of our city, its culture and art. Several theatres are situated mainly in the central part of the city.The Drama theatre stands on the picturesque bank of the Volga. It is one of the oldest in Russia and is very popular in our country. The Opera House was built in the place of the ruined Vladimirsky Cathedral in the central square ofSamara. The building of Pmlharmonic Society was built anew in 1990 and is now a place of performances of musicians and actors of Samara and other cities.
Some new theatres have been founded in our city lately.
I Samara is often called «the Beauty on the Volga». It is one of the most beautiful Volga chies. If you look at Samara from the Volga, you will be greatly impressed by the view opening in front of you.