View source for Fort-Shevchenko

{{dablink|This article is about the town of Fort-Shevchenko. For the nearby city of Aktau, formerly Shevchenko, see [[Aktau]].}}
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}} 
'''Fort Shevchenko''' ({{lang-kk|Форт-Шевченко}}) is a military-base town and administrative centre of [[Tupkaragan District]] in [[Mangystau Region]] of [[Kazakhstan]] on the eastern shore of [[Caspian Sea]]. Primary industries include fishing and the extraction of stone. Population: 5,559 (2016 estimate).<ref name="stat2016" />

==History==
The city was founded as a military stronghold by the Imperial [[Russian Navy]]. Until 1857 it was known as ''Novopetrovskoye'' (Новопетровское) and from 1857-1939 as ''Fort Alexandrovsky'' (Форт-Александровский).  It was named for [[Ukrainians|Ukrainian]] [[poet]] [[Taras Shevchenko]], who was assigned to military service here during his exile. Today the town is used by the [[Kazakhstan Navy]] as a base.

The coat of arms of  Fort Alexandrovsky was approved October 22, 1908, along with other arms of the Transcaspian field: It is black and silver depicting the fortress and two fish.

===Russian Civil War===
Fort Alexandrovsky was the site of naval action on 21 May 1919, when a Squadron of the [[British Caspian Flotilla]] attacked the port.<ref name=Halpern>{{cite book|last1=Halpern|first1=Paul|title=The Mediterranean Fleet, 1919–1929|date=2013|publisher=Ashgate Publishing|accessdate=18 May 2015}}</ref>

==Landmarks==
There are several landmarks of significance; Shevchenko Memorial Museum, National History, and ethnographic museums. The Shevchenko Memorial Museum opened in 1932 near where he had been hiding. There are also some remnants of the fortress, a monument to Shevchenko and a state grave of Civil War heroes.

31&nbsp;km from the city is the [[necropolis]] [[Beysenbay]] and up the coast the site [[Bautino]] (Баутино).

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commonscat-inline}}

{{coord|44|31|N|50|16|E|type:city(5134)|display=title}}

{{Mangystau Region}}

[[Category:Populated places in Mangystau Region]]
[[Category:Transcaspian Oblast]]


{{Kazakhstan-geo-stub}}