Ulyanovsk (Улья´новск, formerly Simbirsk (Симби´рск)) is a city on the Volga River in Russia, 893 km ( 555 mi ) east from Moscow. Both Vladimir Lenin and Alexander Kerensky were born there.
Geographical location 54°19′ N 48°22′ E Population (2002): 635,600 ( 19th largest city in Russia ).
A frontier fort of "Simbirsk" or "Sinbirsk" was originally built in 1648-1652 on top of the hill on the Western bank of Volga, designed to protect the eastern edge of growing Russian Empire from nomadic Tatars and to establish a foothold in the area. Just 20 years after founding, this fort managed to withstand a month-long siege by Stenka Razin's forces ( some 20,000 in number ). As eastern border of Russia was rapidly pushed into Siberia, Simbirsk soon lost its strategic status and started to grow as a provincial town. It was promoted to city status in 1796. Population of Simbirsk reached 26 thousand by 1856; 43 thousand by 1897. In 1924 the city was renamed "Ulyanovsk" in honor of Vladimir Ulyanov, better known as Lenin. An automobile and railway bridge across Volga was built in early 20th century, allowing for the city to expand on the Eastern bank of the river. By now, all traces of the original wooden fort are gone, as are all churches of old Simbirsk; only a few 19th century buildings remain in the city, most notably, the houses where Lenin lived in 1870-1887.
Ulyanovsk is a significant industrial city. It is home to a large automobile manufacturing plant - UAZ, and an airplane plant - Aviastar, best known as the manufacturer of heavy aircraft An-124 'Ruslan', as well as a number of smaller factories.
Ulyanovsk is the administrative center of Ulyanovsk Oblast.