Early knowledge.

In the "History" written by Herodotus (5 century B.C.) was mentioned the "issedons' country" which stretched along unknown haze behind Scythia. Some investigators associate it with the Ural and the Iset river. The variety and accessibility of minerals cause already in antiquity the formation of one of the largest metallurgical centres in the Ural. Metals were consumed inside the region and were taken out of the bounds up to the Carpathian mountains and the Black sea. Along with the origin of the technology of receipt of finery iron in 1 millennium A.D. from this stronger material in comparison with copper and bronze they manufacture implements, ordnances and armours. It is interesting that the traces of ancient mining works ("chudskie kopy") would help afterwards to discover a number of perspective deposits, for instance Gumeshev's deposit which has become famous according to Bazhov tales.

The reasons for foundation.

Old-belief village Shartash is the oldest settlement on the territory of Yekaterinburg which appeared in 1672. The fiscal metallurgical plant was built on the river Uktus (now Patrushiha) near its confluence into the Iset river in 1702-1704. However they should repeatedly stop the plant because of the lack of water in the pond. Vasilii Nikitovich Tatischev who would afterwards become a famous statesman, historian and geographer came to the Uktuss new plant in 1720 with Peter the Great decree to hold a "survey of ore vein and construction of new plants".
Tatischev estimated the uncomfortable location of the Uktus plant and chose new place in 1721. He began the clearing of the place and the laying-in up to the dam. But his inquiry was refused by the Berg-colleague: "Not to built any metallurgical plants without the decree". Soon Tatischev was not only dismissed because of his conflict with the manufacturers Demidovs, but nearly was brought to trial. The superior of the Ural mining factories general Villim de Gennin recued him. He confirm the place on the Iset river for the construction of new plant, which was chosen by V.N. Tatischev.

The foundation of the city.

The project of new plant on the Iset river was approved by the senate in February 1723 and soon it complied with Genin's request to name the newly built city in honor of empress Ekaterina. In Oktober 1723 the church of St. Ekaterina was laid on the left riverside of the Iset river and in a month, the 7th of November 1723, was the starting up of the plant. This date is consider to be the date of the foundation of the city. However, the grand opening of the plant was in November 24 - on St. Ekaterina's Day. The celebration was sensational: the cannon shooted with blank cartridge, the soldiers of Tobolsk regiment were treated wine at public expense. Yekaterinburg primarily was planned as the administrative centre of mining industry of the Ural, that is why the administration of the mining plans and the mining office, which governed all Ural and Siberian plants, were transferred here. The city was built in European style in imitation of the mining cities of Saxony. According to the first census of the population in Yekaterinburg in 1724 there were 157 homesteads (it is about 300 livers) in the stronghold. The mint place was constructed in 1725. It was allowed by the senate decree to make special copper coins-plates. The plates were of quadrangular form, of the standard weight, that is the face value corresponded to the price of metal of which a coin was made. From 1 pood of copper were made 10 plates; the weight of a plate of the value of one rouble was 1kg 600g correspondingly. But already in a year it was directed to stop the making of plates, because the new currency shaked the faith of the population in traditional copper coins. Instead of them they began to make copper mugs for five-copeck coins, coining of which was in Moscow mint place 80% of all Russian coins were made here during one and a half century.
The professor of the Academy of science, who visited Yekaterinburg in 1733, wrote in his travel notes: "The city was built correctly; houses on the German pattern… I saw there that it was possible to keep people from hard drinking without beating in spite of their will. Here it is impossible to buy Vodka any time, but on Sunday in the afternoon." Vasily Nikitich Tatischev was appointed to be the head commander of the Ural, Siberian and Kazan plants instead of the recalled lieutenant-general de Gennin in 1734. During his ruling were built the first stone buildings, opened Latin, German and drawing schools, introduced a post of a chief of the city police like in Moscow and Petersburg. There lived 911 people in Yekaterinburg and its suburbs. There were 317 dwelling houses inside the stronghold and 303 - outside. In 1737 V.N. Tatischev was appointed the head chief of Orenburg region. His leaving was the end of the so-called epoch of "Fathers-founders" of the city.