In the first half of the 20th century Russia saw dramatic changes. Ideology changed and a new state was being built. Enormous construction sites could be found across the country and Uralmashzavod (the Ural Heavy Machinery Building Plant) was one them. The best experts were summoned to make the construction design and build it. People came there from all over the country craving for a new life built with their own hands at a new place.
Uralmash Plant and Uralmash District were intended to function as city within city. The Plant provided for all its workers’ needs – from food and household appliances to housing, kinder gardens and hospitals. The number of the Plant employees amounted to 70 000.
As time passed the country was going through many events and upheavals. The 1990s century brought about new large-scale shake-up. Everything changed – country, notions, ideals; heritage of the previous generations was swept away and forgotten. The Plant faltered and only a small part of it survives today. It cannot take care of the residential area any more, the idea of the socialist city failed. Touches of former grandeur can be seen in magnificent constructivist and Stalin era buildings and of course in memories of the people who lived and worked and were happy there back in the “old” times. These people were left alone with their memories and their parents’ dreams of the happy future that will be built one day.
