Dniprodzerzhynsk (Ukrainian: Дніпродзержинськ, Russian: Днепродзержинск, Dneprodzerzhinsk) is a city in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast of Ukraine, and a port on the Dnieper River. First written evidence of settlement on the territory of Dniprodzerzhynsk appeared in 1750. At that time Romankovo and Kamianske (Russian: "Kamenskoe") villages, which make the modern city, were a part of Nova (New) Sich of Zaporizhian cossacks. The city was known as Kamianske until 1936 when it was renamed in honor of Felix Dzerzhynsky, the founder of the Bolshevik secret police, the Cheka. According to the latest data, its population is 273,700.
A Soviet leader, Leonid Brezhnev was born and raised in Dniprodzerzhynsk.
On 2 July 1996 a notorious traffic accident happened in Dniprodzerzhynsk. An overcrowded tram that was moving along a steep hill on Chapaeva Street began to rapidly slide downhill (because of the brakes failure), eventually derailing and running into a school. A total of some 30 people died and more than a 100 were injured as a result of that accident. Following a government inquiry into the causes of the accident, the then mayor, Sergiy Shershnev and his deputy Ihor Laktionov resigned. That accident has had a significant effect on the worldwide discussion regarding use of trams in the hilly localities.
Dniprodzerzhynsk economic base is almost exclusively centered in heavy industry, with ferrous metallurgy being the backbone of local economy. Around 57% of the total industrial production is metallurgy and metal working. Chemical industry comes second with ca. 17% share of the total industrial output. While the exceedingly industrialized nature of the local economy ensures a rather high employment rate (as of 01.11.2007, official unemployment stood at 1,40%), it also contributes to excessive pollution and radiation levels in the city.
Several Eastern Orthodox churches, the largest being the Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas which dates from 1894 serve the faithful of the city. By 2008 information, there were 14 parishes of Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Dniprodzerzhynsk.
The Roman Catholic Church of Saint Nicholas built by the city's Polish community at the end of the nineteenth century, has become one of the centers of Roman Catholicism in Eastern Ukraine. Catholic Parish of Saint Nicholas also includes a monastery run by the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin.
The town has an active Jewish community with a new synagogue and community center.
A large dam on the Dnieper river was completed in 1964 built by thousands of immigrant workers. Because of these workers, a restaurant culture unique in Ukraine has emerged. A variety of diverse Asian, African, and European influences continue to dominate the food scene in the region.
