Near Blagoveshchensk (Amur Region, Far East, Russia), there is a monument to the Cossacks, who mastered this territory in the 19th century.
This landmark consists of two places, a Memorial Cross and a Monument to the Cossacks.
When you visit this place, you will immediately see a Memorial Cross, which serves as a symbol of their burial.
Inscription on the memorial: «We did not work in vain: the Amur region became the property of Russia. The Holy Orthodox Church prays for you! Russia thanks». Count Muravyov-Amursky
In order to see the Memorial to the Cossacks you need to climb the stairs to the hill.
Residents of Blagoveshchensk and guests of the city are very fond of visiting this place, since it has a beautiful view of the Amur River and neighboring China.
At the instigation of Governor General of the Eastern Siberia Nikolai Muravyov-Amurskiy after the left bank of the Amur River was assigned to Russia and included in the territory of the Russian Empire in 1854-1858 these lands had been primarily developed by Cossacks.
In late May — early June of 1856 one hundred and thirty eight Cossacks of the Amur united division (sotnya) of the Transbaikal Cossack Army commanded by Senior Lieutenant (sotnik) Nikhail Travin occupied Kutomanda, Kumara, Ust'-Zeya and Sungari posts for the purposes of organizing postal communication along the Amur and carrying out frontier guard duty. In autumn the Cossacks from the Sungari post returned to Ust'-Zeya. This division helped to maintain communication between Primorye and Transbaikalye until autumn of 1857. In the winter of 1857-1858 and later 26 Cossacks died of the hardships of service at the Amur posts. In spring they were buried in a notch near Karantinnaya Pad'.
At this burial site in 1998 the City Administration of Blagoveshchensk placed a memorial sign, in 2011 – a memorial cross.
In spring of 1857 Ust'-Zeya post was relocated to the territory of modern Blagoveshchensk, which in autumn-was populated by Ust'-Zeya migrant division under the command of ad interim yesayl V. Sofronov including 1800 people of both sexes. The united Amur division was disbanded. Due to laying foundation stone of the church dedicated to the Annunciation to the Theotokos in May, 1858, Ust'-Zeya post was renamed into Blagoveshchensk post, and on the 5th of July by the Emperor Alexander II Decree it became a city of Blagoveshchensk. The Cossacks populated Nizhne-Blagoveshchensk village and then gradually rehoused to Verhne-Blagoveshchensk and Ignatyevo settlements.
The migration of Cossacks to the Amur which started from the Ust'-Zeya post was carried out within Amur Cossack Army. The decree on its formation was signed on the 29th of December, 1858. From 1858 to 1863 13879 people of both sexes constituting 3095 households populated 67 Cossaack villages and settlements on the Amur and 29 settlements on the Ussuri. Former Transbaikal Cossacks became the first Russian citizens of Priamurye.
Thank you very much for your attention and your interest.
