The Cathedrals of Rostov

Before the Revolution of 1917 Rostov had been known as «the town of churches», but then dozens of them were destroyed. However nowadays in Rostov there are churches and cathedrals of almost all the religions.

The most beautiful and imposingly looking among them is the Cathedral of Nativity of the Holy Mother of God. It was designed by academician Konstantin Thon and constructed near the central market in 1860. This Cathedral is a diminished replica of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow. During the battle for Rostov in 1942 its 72-metre bell tower was destroyed but now it has been restored and the ensemble resumed its initial shape.

The oldest cathedral in Rostov is the church of the Armenian monastery of Surb Khach (Holy Cross). Though it is surrounded now by modern buildings it looks very harmonious. It was built around 1792 by the architect Ivan Starov. It has perfect acoustics and the choirs which perform classical music make their concerts in it. Besides the surroundings of the Cathedral are very picturesque and attract many visitors.

Vocabulary

1. The Cathedral of Nativity of the Holy Mother of God – Кафедральный собор Рождества Пресвятой Богородицы

2. the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour – Собор Христа Спасителя

3. a bell tower – колокольня

TEXT 18

The Climate, Fauna and Flora of the Rostov Region

The climate of the Rostov Region is temperate. As the region is very large there are noticeable variations in the climate of its districts. In the North of the region winter begins in the middle of November, in the South and West – at the end of this month. Winter comes gradually. Sometimes you can’t understand if winter has already come or it is still autumn. The most part of winter is snowless. Such weather is dangerous for trees and other vegetation as the frost is stronger and the wind blows sharper. The severest frosts are in January and at the beginning of February. In the Northern part it is sometimes 25-35 degrees below zero. But when the wind blows from the Black Sea thaw appears on the ground and many icicles sparkle on the trees and on the roofs of the houses. People do not like this weather either because the pavements become very slippery.

Spring is the loveliest season in Rostov. It comes to our region at the beginning of April. Snow and ice melt and there are many brooks in the fields and even in the streets of the towns and villages. At the end of April cherry-, apple- and other fruit-trees start blooming. How wonderful the gardens are at that time! It seems that somebody has poured milk on them. And how beautiful the flower-beds with tulips and daffodils are! And green parks with lilac and lilies-of-the valley! One can’t help admiring nature of the Don during this season.

But summer is not less wonderful! It is such a pleasure to swim in the numerous rivers and ponds of the Rostov region when the weather is hot and sunny. Or one can sit in a shadow of high lime-trees, maples, birch-trees, poplars or acacias and watch the life of bees, ants, butterflies and other insects. If you are lucky you can notice some rodents, for instance, a hare, a hamster or a mouse or even a hedgehog, a fox, a roe-deer and numerous lizards in the green grass among clover, dandelions and cow-wheat.

In the steppes and forests of the Rostov region many beasts of pray live: a fox, a wolf, a boar, a weasel, a polecat, a raccoon, a coypu, a musk-rat and others. Sometimes you can see an elk or a deer. There are numerous birds in the fields and forests: a bustard, a crane, a partridge, a quail, a cuckoo, a skylark, a sparrow, a swift, a swallow, a starling, an oriole, a woodpecker, a tomtit, a duck, a wild goose, a heron, a crow and some birds of prey: a hawk, an eagle and an owl.

Rivers of the Rostov region are still famous for their fish: a pike-perch, a perch, a pike, a crucian, a sheat-fish, a mirror carp, a herring, a sturgeon and a craw-fish. Many people in our region like to spend their time fishing.

The Don land is washed by two seas: the Azov Sea in the South-West and the Tsemlyanskoye Sea in the East. In Rostov region there are also many lakes and ponds, big and small rivers. Almost all the rivers which flow on the area of the Rostov region fall into the Don – the main and the largest river in this part of the country. The Don begins near Tula. There it looks like a small shallow brook, but on its way towards Azov it becomes deep and wide. It length is about 2,000 km. The Don is of great importance for our region because fishery depends strongly on irrigation due to a rather droughty climate. Besides for centuries the Don has been serving as the means of communication and trade. This beautiful river has always inspired the folk musicians, writers and composers. People called it with respect: «The Quiet Don» and «The Father-Don».

Late autumn is the worst season in the Rostov region. After the warm and sunny days of September and October the continuous cold rains begin. The peasants who are busy with gathering a harvest are not pleased with such weather. Usually such damp, rainy days last till the middle of November and only a short period of Indian summer gives us an opportunity to see gold and red leaves, blue sky with flying spider’s web, beautiful asters and chrysanthemums and to say «Good-bye, dear summer!»