The unknown Crimea

Dmitry Goryachёv at the opening of the "Crimean vacation" exhibition
Dmitry Goryachёv at the opening of the "Crimean vacation" exhibition

A map of the peninsula from the Society’s cartography collection was shown at the opening of a photo exhibition.

Dmitry Goryachёv’s photo exhibition "Crimean vacation" runs шn the Museum of the Russian Geographical Society’s Headquartersю

The centerpiece of the exhibition is an enlarged copy of the map of the Crimea from the Russian Geographical Society’s cartographic collection. The original, created in 1790 by Fedor Cherny (1745-1790), surveyor at the Geographical Department of the Academy of Sciences, was shown on the opening day.

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Svetlana Barabanova, curator of the cartographic collection of the Russian Geographical Society
Svetlana Barabanova, curator of the cartographic collection of the Russian Geographical Society

According to Svetlana Barabanova, curator of the cartographic collection of the Russian Geographical Society, the Geographical Department of the Academy of Sciences focused on the study of the geography of the country and on the compilation of relevant maps. 

Throughout the 18th century geographic and cartographic study of Russia and neighboring countries was carried out by numerous Russian surveyors and cartographers. 

In 1769-1772 surveyor Fedor Chyorny, representative of a Senior proficient group of the Geography Department, participated in the expedition to Siberia, and in 1790, 7 years after the annexation of the Crimea to the Russian Empire, he made independent determination of the geographical position of the most important cities in the Crimea. This map is the result of his work, Svetlana Barabanova added.

To see the copy of the map visit the "Crimean vacation" exhibition (the Museum of the Society’s Headquarters in St. Petersburg) until December 31, 2014 or January 12 - 31, 2015, 11 am - 7 pm daily. Free admission.

Photo: Tatiana Nikolaeva