Sarapul, River port city in Udmurtia, Russia.
Sarapul is a river port city on the right bank of the Kama River in western Russia, roughly an hour's drive southeast of the Udmurtian capital. The city spreads along the riverbank terrace, where apartment blocks and low wooden houses sit among small parks and paved streets that slope down toward the water.
The settlement emerged in the late 16th century as a small village and gained official town status in 1780 after growing into a trading post along the river. By the 19th century it had become a center for leather processing and shoemaking, which anchored its growth and economic role in the region.
Along the old riverfront, merchant houses from the 19th century stand as reminders of trading days, now serving as homes and small shops where locals go about their daily business. At the central market square, residents gather to buy produce and chat, while near the waterfront fishermen cast their lines and walkers pause to watch boats pass on the Kama.
The city is reached by highway from the regional capital, with the drive passing through flat farmland and occasional forests and taking about an hour. Within the city, local buses run between residential districts and the center, while the river port offers mooring points for freight and passenger vessels.
A small celestial body in the asteroid belt has carried the name of this city since 2007, assigned by a Belgian astronomer during his survey work. The naming is a rare honor for a city of this size and connects the riverbank terrace to a distant point in the solar system.
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