Foundation Stone of Orenburg

The stele erected to mark the founding of the city of Orenburg in 1743 is a two-metre granite stone with gold lettering showing this historical date. The monument stands at the intersection of the pedestrian Sovetskaya Street and Krasnoznamyonnaya Street, and its open access makes it easy to see and photograph.

Orenburg was founded three times, in different places and for different reasons. The fortress was first laid out by I. K. Kirillov on the bank of the Or River, on the site of the present-day city of Orsk, on 31 August 1735. However, after Kirillov's death and the appointment of V. N. Tatishchev to head the expedition, a different site for the fortress was chosen because of flooding and an unsatisfactory location.

Tatishchev chose a new site for Orenburg at Krasnaya Gora, but his successor I. I. Neplyuev picked another, more suitable spot. On 19 April 1743, after Neplyuev was appointed head of the Orenburg expedition, construction of the city began at its present location — this date is considered the founding day of modern Orenburg, the third such founding. Neplyuev became the first governor of Orenburg Governorate and headed it until 1758.