The film tells about the history of the old and new capitals of the Don Cossacks: the village of Starocherkasskaya (formerly Cherkassk) and the city of Novocherkassk, which stand on the left bank of the Quiet Don. The film uses the following filming: 1 part. Landscapes of the Rostov region - the Don river, fields, steppes; view of the mouth of the Don at the confluence with the Sea of Azov; view of the archaeological museum-reserve "Tanais", archaeological excavations at the site of the ancient Greek colony city of Tanais; Cossacks on horseback in the steppe; the courtyard of one of the Cossack houses in the village of Starocherkasskaya - a vegetable garden, chickens in the courtyard; General view of the cathedral square, the military cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ; interior decoration of the cathedral; General view of the houses of the Cossacks - kurens in the village of Starocherkasskaya; amateur folklore group "Stanichniki" on the high bank of the Don, singing a folk Cossack song (sinhr.); Cossacks sail in a boat along the river, go ashore. Part 2: Monuments to the General, Ataman of the Don Army MI Platov and the engineer-general, the first architect of Novocherkassk FP Devolan in Novocherkassk; residents of the city walk along the boulevard; general view of the Old Believer church, Catholic church and Lutheran church in Novocherkassk; General view of the Holy Ascension Cathedral on Novocherkassk Square; the bell ringer in the cathedral bell tower, ringing the bells; General view of dilapidated, abandoned houses in the village of Starocherkasskaya; general view of the city of Novocherkassk; the movement of automobile and urban transport - buses, trams along the highway, along the avenue, along the streets of the city; General view of the building of the Novocherkassk Technical University; the barge is sailing along the Don; carrying out the rite of initiation into the Cossacks: adult Cossacks initiate into the Cossacks a boy - the son of one of the Cossacks; members of an amateur folklore Cossack group on the banks of the Don, singing a folk Cossack song (sinhr.).