Taganrog

Taganrog occupies a projecting position on the northern shore of the Sea of Azov, near routes connecting the lower Don country with maritime traffic. Shallow waters, winds and coastal conditions shaped the practical use of its harbour. Fishing and the resources of the steppe hinterland supplied local needs, while ships offered connections with ports beyond the immediate coast. The site combined access to the sea with a landscape long crossed by mobile communities and competing powers.

Peter I founded Taganrog as a naval base in 1698, following Russia's capture of Azov. After the Ottoman victory in the war of 1710–1711, the town and its port were demolished and Russian troops withdrew. Russia recaptured the site in 1769, and the 1774 treaty formally incorporated it into the Russian Empire. The rebuilt port developed new maritime and commercial connections with the surrounding region.