When was Sevastopol founded and by whom?
Rear Admiral Thomas MacKenzie arrived at the Crimean coast in June 1783 to establish a naval squadron base. He named this new settlement Akhtiar, which translates to White Cliff in Russian.
Questions about Sevastopol
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Why did Empress Catherine II rename the city to Sevastopol?
Empress Catherine II issued an order for Grigory Potyomkin to construct a fortress in February 1784 and instructed that it be called Sevastopol instead of its previous name. This Greek-derived compound combines sebastos meaning venerable with polis meaning city to honor Augustus, the first Roman emperor.
How long did the siege of Sevastopol last during World War II?
Fighting lasted for 250 days before the fortress city fell to Axis forces in July 1942. German forces used railway artillery including history's largest-ever calibre piece known as Schwerer Gustav measuring 80-cm calibre to destroy extremely heavy fortifications like the Maxim Gorky Fortresses.
What administrative status does Sevastopol hold today under Russian control?
Mikhail Razvozhayev serves as Governor following amendments to the city charter on the 29th of November 2016. The Legislative Assembly replaced the City Council after Russia annexed Ukrainian Crimea on the 18th of March 2014 incorporating it as a federal subject alongside Moscow and St. Petersburg.
When was Sevastopol designated as a closed city by Soviet authorities?
On the 29th of October 1948, the Presidium of the Supreme Council issued an order confirming this special status requiring permits for non-residents. Any visitor had to apply to authorities for temporary permission to enter the restricted zone.