They want to make Dnipro nearly 250 years older
In Dnipro, a public hearing endorsed the proposal to date the city’s history from 1526. Researchers trace written, archaeological, and cartographic evidence of the settlement of Stara Samara—located within the territory of the modern city—back to this time.
Now the Dnipro City Council must make the final decision. If council members support the proposal, the relevant changes will be made to the territorial community’s charter.
Dnipro may officially change the starting date of the city’s history. During public hearings, participants endorsed the findings of a working group that spent a year researching the history of the territory that is now Dnipro. Experts examined various sources—archaeological finds, old maps, written documents, and other historical materials. Based on the results of this work, they proposed designating 1526 as the starting point for Dnipro’s history.
This primarily refers to the settlement of Stara Samara. Researchers believe that it existed on the territory of the modern city as early as the 16th century. In other words, Dnipro’s history may be significantly older than the date that had long been considered official.
Why the Date Changed
For a long time, the history of modern Dnipro was linked to the year 1776, when Katerynoslav was founded during the Russian Empire. Because of this, the city was often referred to in historical tradition as having been founded in the 18th century. However, modern research shows that settlements in this area emerged much earlier. These were Cossack centers that existed long before the emergence of Katerynoslav.
Andriy Denysenko, deputy mayor of Dnipro, noted that the view that the city has older origins is now supported by a significant number of scholars in Dnipro and Ukraine. “Dnipro was not founded by Catherine II in 1776, but has much older Cossack roots,” he stated. At the same time, the year 1526 is not cited as the moment when the city literally sprang up overnight. It is a tentative date based on a body of available historical sources. It is precisely from this period that materials confirming the existence of a settlement on the Old Samara originate.
What Was Old Samara Like?
Old Samara was located near the point where the Samara River flows into the Dnieper. Today, the ramparts of the Novobogoroditsk Fortress remain nearby. It was no coincidence that this location was so important. Waterways, land routes, and crossing points converged here, so the settlement gradually became a key hub for trade, transportation, and military affairs.
According to Denisenko, Old Samara became one of the early centers around which the territories of modern Dnipro developed. Over time, new administrative, economic, and military centers emerged here. Novyi Kodak also played an important role. It became one of the largest centers of the Ukrainian Cossacks in the territory of modern-day Dnipro. It was the development of such settlements that gradually shaped the urban environment, which eventually grew into a modern metropolis.
Therefore, proponents of the new date suggest viewing the history of Dnipro not only through the lens of Katerynoslav’s emergence in the 18th century, but as a long-term process of development involving settlements and Cossack centers.
What’s Next
After the public hearings, the issue is set to be referred to the Dnipro City Council. It is scheduled to be considered at the session on August 19. Council members will be presented with the working group’s conclusions, a draft resolution, and materials from the public hearings. If the city council supports the proposal, amendments regarding the city’s founding date and historical development will be made to the territorial community’s charter.
In other words, 1526 has not yet become the new official founding date of Dnipro. The public hearings merely endorsed the proposal, and the final decision now rests with the city council members. If the decision is adopted, Dnipro will effectively gain a new starting point for its history—approximately 250 years earlier than the date with which the city has traditionally been associated for many years.
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