The visit of the mission of the Mining Ministry consisting of artillery captain V.N. Tatishchev to Ural in March 1720 was alot of help for the foundation of the city. Initially Yekaterinburg was founded as a factory-fortress near Iset river. The place for the factory was chosen by V. Tatishchev. He undertook the construction of a new factory at Iset by himself, but in August 1722 he was discharged and a case was opened on him. Later in the year a new chief of the Siberian factories, Major General V.I. Gennin arrived in Uktus. He made the principal contribution to the foundation of the city, obtained the permission to build the factory and the fortress and, most importantly, assured the ratification of the new city.