![]() The ruins of this medieval settlement were found by archaeologists 12 km upstream from the modern-day city. From 1459 to 1556, Xacitarxan was the capital of Astrakhan Khanate by the Astrakhan Tatars. Tamerlane burnt it to the ground in 1395 during his war with the Golden Horde. Astrakhan was first mentioned by travelers in the early 13th century as Xacitarxan. The fertile area formerly contained the capitals of Khazaria and the Golden Horde. History Medieval history Īstrakhan is in the Volga Delta, which is rich in sturgeon and exotic plants. Another popular nickname is The Caspian Capital. The city has given its name to the particular pelts from young karakul sheep, and in particular to the hats traditionally made from the pelts.Ĭolloquially, the city is known by the short form Astra. Together, they denoted "the king who has visited Mecca". Tarkhan is possibly a Turco-Mongolian title standing for "great khan", or "king", while haji or hajji is a title given to one who has made the Islamic requisite of pilgrimage to Mecca. The name is a corruption of Hashtarkhan, itself a corruption of Haji Tarkhan ( حاجی ترخان)-a name amply evidenced in the medieval writings. The city is the center of the Astrakhan metropolitan area. The great ethnic diversity of its population gives a varied character to Astrakhan. The city is a member of the Eurasian Regional Office of the World Organization " United Cities and Local Governments". The oldest economic and cultural center of the Lower Volga region, it is often called the southernmost outpost of Russia, and the Caspian capital. Situated on caravan and water routes, it developed from a village into a large trading centre, before being conquered by Timur in 1395 and captured by Ivan the Terrible in 1556 and in 1558 it was moved to its present site. At an elevation of 28 meters (92 ft) below sea level, it is the lowest city in Russia.Īstrakhan was formerly the capital of the Khanate of Astrakhan (a remnant of the Golden Horde) of the Astrakhan Tatars, and was located on the higher right bank of the Volga, seven miles (11 km) from the present-day city. The city lies on two banks of the Volga, in the upper part of the Volga Delta, on eleven islands of the Caspian Depression, 60 miles (100 km) from the Caspian Sea, with a population of 475,629 residents at the 2021 Census. ![]()
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