Historical settlements of federal significance

According to the Federal Law “On the objects of cultural heritage (historical and cultural monuments) of the peoples of the Russian Federation”, a historical settlement is an urban or rural settlement within the boundaries of which objects of cultural heritage are located: monuments, ensembles, places of interest as well as other valuable cultural artefacts created in the past which are of archeological, historical, architectural, city planning, aesthetical, scientific or social and cultural value, that are important for preserving the distinctiveness of the peoples of the Russian Federation and their input into the global civilization”.

The term “historical city” was introduced for the first time in May 1970, when the Council of Ministers of RSFSR approved the list of 115 historical cities of the republic. In 2010, the decree of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation approved a new list of 41 settlements with the “historical” status.

All the historical cities of Russia can be provisionally divided into four categories.

Category I includes historical cities of international (global) significance, with unique heritage acknowledged by the international community and needing special measures and procedures for its preservation. This group includes cities in which the historical territories make up the main part of the built-up urban lands (50% and more). These are mostly towns and townships with the population of up to 10-12 thousand people.

Category II includes historical cities of federal (national) significance with an outstanding heritage the preservation of which requires the development of complex programs and special projects for reconstruction and restoration of historical environment. This group includes cities in which historical territories take up about 30-50% of built-up urban lands, mostly small and medium-sized historical cities and a small part of large historical cities. 

Category III includes regional historical cities with heritage that justifies singling them out from the general list and needs preservation and use as urban planning heritage. This group consists of cities in which the historical territories occupy 15-30% of built-up urban lands. This category includes middle-sized cities and some of the large cities as well as a number of towns.

Category IV includes other historical cities in which the historical territories occupy no more than 5-15% of built up urban lands. This group mostly includes large and largest cities as well as some of the medium-sized cities. Their historical centers usually have preserved their integrity only in more or less significant fragments.

To ensure the preservation of the objects of cultural heritage as well as other objects of historical and cultural value or conservational, recreational or sanatory significance, urban planning in a historical settlement is subject to special control in accordance with the Urban Development Code of the Russian Federation, the Federal Law “On the objects of cultural heritage (historical and cultural monuments) of the peoples of the Russian Federation” and the legislation of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.