Current archeological diggings and findings show that in ancient times Krasnodar territory hosted a city of Meotes (or Maeotae), surrounded by a wall. Ancient city was supposedly located at the confluence of Kuban and Karasun rivers, and mainly Meotes, Scythians and Sarmatians inhabited it. In the 6 century BC, the settlement hosted over 2000 inhabitants, with over 40 000 people living in the outskirts. The settlement had strong economic relations with Caucasus, Middle East, Greece, Rome, and later the Byzantine Empire. Later the same place revealed remains of neolithic site of primitive men, dating back to 20 thousand years before Christ.

In 1793 Black Sea Cossacks founded a military camp, which later grew into a fortress, and then – a city. The camp was called Ekaterinodar, in order to commemorate the fact Empress Catherine the Great granted these territories to Black Sea Cossacks. “Ekaterinodar” means “gift of Catherine” in English. In 1860 the settlement obtained the title of administrative centre of the newly formed Kuban Region, and the city status was conferred to Ekaterinodar in 1867. In the seventies and eighties of the 19^th century a railway was built through the Caucasus, linking Ekaterinodar with Tikhoretsk and Novorossiysk. The city became the large centre of trades, industry and transport of the North Caucasus.

During the Civil war, which had torn Russia between 1917 and 1923, Ekaterinodar changed city masters several time, being for a long time the citadel of the White movement and anti- Bolshevism of the North Caucasus. The Red army entered the city in 1920, and Ekaterinodar was renamed into Krasnodar. Since the decision about city renaming was made by the heads of regional Communist branch, and all they did was sending a telegram to Moscow, in order to notify Communist central committee about the decision they made, many people doubt that renaming was legal. Discussions and arguments about city’s name (Ekaterinodar or Krasnodar) still take place.

During the Great Patriotic War (World war II) Krasnodar suffered from fascist invasion – on August 9, 1942 the city was occupied by Wehrmacht troops (army group “A”), and Red Army liberated Krasnodar on February 12, 1943. Official data announced that Fascists used gas chambers against civil population of the city. Later, the memorial was built to commemorate those, who died during terrible months of occupation.

Today Krasnodar with its 700 thousand citizens, is among the largest cities of Russian Federation. The city has everything one can dream of having: theatres, cinemas, malls and other shopping centres, libraries, sport facilities, many educational institutions, museums, etc. City transport includes buses, trams, trolley buses; city administration thinks about building a tube. Krasnodar is an important transport artery of our country, since it is a junction of railway, car and water transport.

Among other sights Krasnodar is notable for hosting a unique hyperboloidal construction – a waffle-like tower made of steel by famous Soviet architect Vladimir Shukhov.