"A CITY UNDER SAIL"

There is no city in the Far East older than Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. It celebrated the 260 anniversary in 2000. Its history is rich in numerous events. Many famous seafarers, scientists and travelers visited the city.
On October 17, 1740 the small boats of Second Kamchatka Expedition, the "St.Apostle Paul" and the 'St. Apostle Peter" arrived in Avachinskaya Bay. This date is considered the date of founding of the port of St. Petropavlovsk and of the city Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. On June 4, 1741 Admiral Vitus Bering led his expedition from Petropavlovsk to open up Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. In the center of the city there is a statue for the navigator Bering. This is the oldest memorial in the Russian Far East. In modern times the second memorial for the members of the expedition was established; it's a column, the top of which is decorated with a sculpture of the legendary boats.
Since 1956 Kamchatka has started its quick development and persistent approaching to the modern state, when it became the self-dependent oblast. The city quickly passed the stage of the medium-cized town and began to change into the big city of the Far-East. If one looks at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky from the scenery view site of the Petrovskaya Hill, he will see the city-bird, throwing its wings along the shores of beautiful Avacha Bay. Today Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky with the population of 205,500 is a modern, industrial, city-port. It became real scientific and cultural center of Kamchatka. And in some spheres (volcanology and seismology) it became the only scientific center of the Far-East and Russia. The cultural life of the city is greatly affected by: Drama Theatre, Puppet Theatre, music school, music technical school, the Museum of local Lore, The Museum of Battle Glory, the Museum of Art, the Museum of Volcanology, the Art Gallery. Here were born two unique, famous all over the world, familiar to all music lovers Kamchatka Choir and Kamchatka Chamber Orchestra.