Anapa 1194038 222518236 2008-06-29T19:45:27Z Vermonter 6744542 {{Coord|44|52|N|37|22|E|type:city|display=title}} '''Anapa''' ({{lang-ru|Ана́па}}) is a seaport [[types of inhabited localities in Russia|town]] in [[Krasnodar Krai]], [[Russia]], located on the northern coast of the [[Black Sea]] near the [[Sea of Azov]]. Population: {{ru-census|p2002=53493|p1989=54796}} It boasts a number of [[sanatorium|sanatoria]] and hotels; along with [[Sochi]] and several other cities along the Russian coast of the [[Black Sea]], it has enjoyed a substantial increase in popularity since the fall of the [[Soviet Union]], which left traditional Soviet resort cities in [[Crimea]] and the breakaway republic of [[Abkhazia]] in [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] on the other side of a national border. Anapa is served by [[Vityazevo Airport]] (AAQ). Anapa, like the other Black Sea [[coast]] resorts, has a superb sunny [[summer]] [[climate]]. Anapa shows beautiful (and mostly sandy) beaches. However, Anapa seldom attracts vacation-goers from outside Russia due to its modest infrastructure and its inconvenient accessibility from [[Western Europe]] via [[Moscow]] or [[Krasnodar]]. Anapa remains an attractive and inexpensive option for Russians who prefer traditional Russian resorts to more expensive destinations such as [[Antalya]] on [[Turkey]]'s Mediterranean coast or [[Sharm el-Sheikh]] in [[Egypt]], both noted for their popularity among Russians. <gallery> Image:Gorgippia.JPG|Excavated ruins of ancient Gorgippia. Image:Anapa. Russian gate.jpg|The gates of the Ottoman fort (1787). Image:Anapa. Svyato-Onufrievsky hram.jpg|Church of St. Onuphrius was founded in 1829. Image:Anapa. Lighthouse.JPG|A lighthouse. </gallery> ==History== [[Image:Ancient Greek Colonies of N Black Sea.png|right|350px|thumb|Gorgippia and other ancient Greek colonies along the north coast of the Black Sea]] The area around Anapa was settled in antiquity. It was at first a major port ('''Sinda''') and then the capital of [[Sindica]]. The colony of '''Gorgippia''' was built on the site of Sinda in the sixth century BCE by [[Pontic Greeks]], who named it after a king of the [[Cimmerian Bosporus]]. In the 2nd and 3th centuries BC, Gorgippia flourished, as did its guild of shipowners, which controlled maritime trade in the eastern part of the Black Sea. A fine statue of Neokles (a local potentate, son of Herodoros) was unearthed by Russian archaeologists and is now on exhibit at the [[Russian Museum]]. Gorgippia was inhabited until the third century CE, when it was overrun by nomadic tribes. These tribes, thought to be of Circassian or [[Adyghe people|Adyghe]]an origin, gave Anapa its modern name. The city was later conquered by [[Ottoman Turks]], who completed a fortress in 1791. The fortress was repeatedly attacked by the Russian Empire and was all but destroyed during its last siege in 1829. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *{{ru icon}} [http://anapa.ru Official website of Anapa] *{{ru icon}} [http://www.anapa.info/ Information site of Anapa] {{Cities and towns in Krasnodar Krai}} {{Pontic colonies}} [[Category:Cities and towns in Krasnodar Krai]] [[Category:Settlements established in the 6th century BC]] [[Category:Pontic Greeks]] [[Category:Ancient Greek cities]] [[Category:Greek colonies in Russia]] [[Category:Seaside resorts in Russia]] [[ar:أنابا]] [[bg:Анапа]] [[da:Anapa]] [[de:Anapa]] [[et:Anapa]] [[es:Anapa]] [[eo:Anapa]] [[fr:Anapa]] [[ko:아나파]] [[hr:Anapa]] [[io:Anapa]] [[id:Anapa]] [[it:Anapa]] [[nl:Anapa]] [[no:Anapa]] [[pl:Anapa]] [[ro:Anapa]] [[ru:Анапа]] [[sr:Анапа]] [[sh:Anapa]] [[tr:Anapa]] [[uk:Анапа]] [[zh:阿纳帕]]