Blagoveshchensk

Blagoveshchensk, also spelled Blagoveščensk, city and administrative centre, Amur oblast (province), far eastern Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Amur and Zeya rivers. Founded in 1856 as a fort, Blagoveshchensk has become a major centre of the Russian Far East. Although remotely located, the city has good communications by the navigable Amur River, a connection to the Trans-Siberian Railroad, and several motor roads. The city’s industries include food processing; timber working; the making of gold-mining machinery, electrical apparatus, and woolens; and the building and repair of rivercraft. Blagoveshchensk is home to a number of ornate 19th-century buildings, many of which were restored in the late 1990s. Pop. (2006 est.) 212,183.