Kurchatov

Kurchatov is a town located in the Chita Oblast of Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia. It is situated on the left bank of the Upper Amur River, approximately 171 kilometers northeast of the city of Chita. The town serves as the administrative center of the Kurchatovsky District.

The town was founded in 1958 as a secret research facility affiliated with the Kurchatov Institute, a prominent nuclear energy research center. Initially, the site was used for the study and development of nuclear reactors, and it played a significant role in the Soviet nuclear program.

During the Soviet era, the town's population swelled with scientists, engineers, and support staff from the research facility. The town's infrastructure was constructed to accommodate the influx of workers and their families, resulting in a unique blend of modernist and Soviet-era architecture.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the nuclear research program was significantly scaled back, leading to a significant reduction in population and economic activity in the town. Today, Kurchatov is a small, laid-back community with a strong industrial heritage and a number of cultural attractions, including a museum dedicated to the history of nuclear energy in the region.