Russian Information Guide | Travel Russia | Discover Volgograd City

Welcome to Volgograd

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Welcome to one of the best cultural centres of Russia, the longest city of the country. A heroic place that had changed its name 3 times. The city of unforgettable sunsets, hospitable people and great heritage. The city that combines and keeps its historical heritage and the developing industry.

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Let’s have a journey to the past to see a significant history…

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Tsaritsyn. Fortress. Beginning.

Volgograd is considered to be found in 1589. At that time the city had a different name - Tsaritsyn. A peculiar piece of Asia in the European part of Russia. Initially Tsaritsyn was a watch fortress to protect the southern borders of the country. The fortress was attacked by rebellious peasants many times. In 1608 the foundation of the first stone church named after John the Baptist was laid in the city. The church was destroyed in late 1930-s and reconstructed in 1990-s in the same place. 
It is interesting that Tsar Peter the Great visited the city three times. According to one of historical versions, the project of the Tsaritsyn fortress was written by Peter the Great himself. The tsar presented his cane to the citizens and his cap which are still kept in the Regional Museum of Local Lore.
In 1765 due to the efforts of Catherine the Great, foreign settlers came to Tsaritsyn. At the mouth of the Sarpa River 30 km south of Tsaritsyn German haranguers founded Old Sarepta settlement. In short time it turned into a rich colony where mustard, cloth manufactures and other crafts were highly developed.
The construction of the railway line towards Kalach-na-Donu in 1862 and Gryazi in 1872 led to the economic growth and made Tsaritsyn a transport junction between the Caspian and the Black Seas, the Caucasus and the central part of Russia.
By 1913, the Tsaritsyn regional centre had 137 000 residents and outran many provincial cities by this index. That was the period of significant growth of the construction of residential, industrial, public entertainment buildings, hospitals, schools and hotels.
With the advent of Joseph Stalin, the city name was changed to Stalingrad. 

Stalingrad. Heroic. Recovery.

In 1920-s the era of Stalin began. An impact of the Soviet culture and ideals was crucial. Even nowadays, the city is a living masterpiece of Soviet architecture. 
In 1930-s Stalingrad was one of the most fast-evolving cities in the country, its population was about 480 000 people. Due to industrialization programme in the USSR during the period of the prewar five-year plans Stalingrad became a powerful industrial centre of the country. By the total production output the city was on the second place in the Volga Region and in the fourth place in the whole Russia.
The future of developments looked cloudless, but the Second World War changed everything…
The Second World War left a great mark on the history of the city and its citizens. 
Stalingrad Battle became a decisive battle between Russian troops and the Nazis, which began on the 17th of July 1942. A terrifying bombing covered the city, it literally turned into a fiery glow. However, the Nazis could not break down the resistance. On the 19th of November the Nazis were surrounded by the soviet troops. “…The Great Battle raged for two hundred days and nights…” The city was almost totally destroyed. More than 90% of the residential areas was burned and demolished. The whole Soviet Union took part in its restoration and thanks to courage and help of the whole country Stalingrad emerged from desolation. Stalingrad emerged from desolation. On 1 May 1945 Stalingrad was awarded by the status of the Hero City for its heroism according the order of Supreme Commander
When the battle came to an end, the Russian government session raised a question of inexpediency of the city reconstruction. It was calculated that it would be cheaper to build a new city than to renew the ruined one. It was suggested that Stalingrad would be built 10 km up the Volga River and an open-air museum would be found at the place of the former city. But Joseph Stalin ordered to reconstruct the city by all means. The reconstruction works started in March 1943.
The architects reflected the heroism of Stalingrad in the style of the buildings. This is where monumentality and complexity of usual residential buildings, constructed in 1950-s, comes from. The style that prospered in the years of the postwar construction went down in the history as Stalinist neoclassicism. The abundance and variety of architectural details, decorative elements create a deep emotional atmosphere.
The respect for Russian fighters’ feat is feeling everywhere in the city. Each Volgograd citizen knows and honors what a great fight it was and how much death it brought to the lands. There are lessons of patriotic behavior for children in schools etc. 
Not surprisingly, the main places of interest in Volgograd are related with Stalingrad Battle. There are more than 200 memorials and monuments which testify to the facts and events of the Great World War.

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Volgograd. New Page. Heritage.

In November 1961, the Decree about renaming the Stalingrad Region into the Volgograd Region and Stalingrad into Volgograd was adopted. It’s interesting that there were different variants of a new name for the city – Geroysk (“Hero-city”), Boygorodsk (“Fighter-city”), Leningrad-na-Volge (“Leningrad-on-the-Volga”) and even Khrushchevsk. 
Today, Volgograd is a great combination of a rich historical past and industrial development. The population of the city is more than 1 million people. The city is the longest one in Russia. its length is almost 100 kilometers! 8 administrative city districts extend from the North to the South along the Volga River: Traktorozavodsky, Krasnooktyabrsky, Tsentralny, Dzerzhinsky, Voroshilovsky, Sovetsky, Kirovsky and Krasnoarmeysky. Originally they were just working villages near industrial facilities.
The most developed industries are oil and metal processing, chemical and food industries, machine- and shipbuilding. Volgograd is also a big educational centre with universities and specialized institutions of higher education. Many foreign students come to the city for studying medicine, law, management etc. Studentship plays a huge role in the city development. Annually Volgograd students take part in different educational forums, for example, 'Student spring festival' (Studencheskaya vesna), work as volunteers at socially important events (including the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, 2014), form youth policy as a part of the Youth Parliament. Volgograd is also called the hottest point of the country. On summertime the temperature rises over 50 degrees above zero. 


What to see? 
The city is one of the most popular tourist attractions. Each Volgograd guest can find something interesting and exciting to see. There are some landmarks that are worth visiting if you have a weekend.

let’s start the trip from 
The Square of Fallen Fighters (Ploschad Pavshikh Bortsov) 
It is the very heart of the city, and one of the few places with a pre-war history. In the nineteenth century, Alexandrovskaya Square (as it was then called) was located outside the Tsaritsyn fortress. Tsaritsyn being the city's first name and was used for trade. It was given the name of Fallen Fighters in 1920, after 55 Red Army soldiers who died fighting against General Vrangel’s army were buried here. In 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad, tens of thousands of soviet soldiers died defending this relatively small area.

The Square of Fallen Fighters is one of the best view points from which to appreciate the scale and monumentalism of the post-war reconstruction. Before the war, the shape of the square was irregular. Today it has a symmetrical trapezoidal shape with its widest side opening towards the Volga and Alley of Heroes. Around the square you’ll see the buildings of the regional Communist Party school which today houses the Volgograd Medical University (architects Vasily Simbirtsev and Yefim Levitan), the Volgograd Hotel (architect Alexander Kurovsky), the Intourist Hotel (architect Boris Goldman) and the Gidrostroy/Hydro Construction building (architect Yefim Levitan). The latter two buildings frame the reconstructed Central Department Store.
The buildings share the same design: with rusticated lower walls, at the third-floor level there is a “wreath” of evenly-spaced Corinthian wall piers that give the architectural ensemble a solemn emphasis and memorial feel. The area was designed as a garden square to frame the common graves of the fallen heroes of Tsaritsyn and Stalingrad located at the axis of the esplanade. The graves are marked with a massive sarcophagus made of red polished granite, on top of which rests a bronze wreath and a bronze star with an Eternal Flame that was lit on 1 February 1963. The ensemble is crowned with a 50-metre high granite obelisk. 
In 1965, guard post № 1 was established near the Eternal Flame and an honour guard was organized by local schoolchildren. Each change of the guard included four children. Even today the local youth continue to hold vigils near the Eternal Flame. Only best students are accepted as guards. 

Address: Ulitsa Mira, Ploschad Pavshikh Bortsov

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Next, we walk down The Alley of Heroes. The Alley is enormously loved by citizens for its cozy cafes and restaurants where each person can find something delicious for dinner. There are also many street artists and musicians there. At night, the Alley is lighted up by a starry dome that became a remarkable symbol of the place. It runs from the Square of Fallen Fighters down to the Volga. It features a stone monument on which are inscribed the names of the 127 Heroes of the Soviet Union who gained the title while defending Stalingrad. 
Here we are at the Central Embankment. You can walk down to the Embankment via the granite steps, whose upper terrace is adorned with symmetrical eight-column classical-style entrances. The staircase goes down to the central part of the embankment. The embankment is another viewing point that helps the visitor to appreciate the splendour of Stalinist architecture and the beauty of Volgograd city centre. In designing the embankment, the architects kept in mind the need to create an expressive panorama of the city when looking back from the Volga River. The embankment was built in 1952-1953 using the designs of architect Vasily Simbirtsev.
At the upper level, you are treated to a breathtaking view of the river, its banks, and the river port. The embankment itself has two terraces, upper and lower. The upper terrace is adjoined by residential blocks, public offices, parks and garden squares. In the centre is the Art Fountain, which the locals call the “friendship fountain. This is a traditional meeting place for old friends from school and university. In 2012, following reconstruction, the fountain was “animated” and given light and music accompaniment. On weekend citizens enjoy watching films in open- air cinema, dancing by music played by the orchestra or watching music or dance concerts. It’s a lovely place for family entertainment. Skateboarding, roller skating, cycling and segwaying are extremely popular. 
The lower terrace is located 15-20 metres or 45-60 ft below, almost at water level. The terraces are connected by staircases and ramps. For the locals, the embankment is a favourite spot for leisurely walks. On national holidays or for concerts a stage is erected on the lower terrace, turning the embankment into an open-air concert venue for several hundred thousand people. 
Address: Ulitsa Alleya Geroev 

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A half-hour walk along the embankment will bring you to another important spot - Memorial Ensemble Battle of Stalingrad. It’s dedicated to the War Events. It is exceptional open-air museum dedicated to the great battle, with the ruins of the mill and other buildings, with communication trenches, firing positions, shell craters and obstacles. In this museum you can touch the heroism, military history, get acquainted with the exposition of military trophies and personal belongings of the Soviet and Wehrmacht soldiers (letters, postcards, household items). The Panorama-Museum consists of 8 exhibition halls, 4 dioramas. The main exhibit of the museum is a canvas with scenes of the battle. Since 1989 there is a continuously expanding exposition devoted to the military actions in Afghanistan and Chechnya. There are ruins of the old mill next to the museum. 

Address: Ulitsa Marshala Chuikova, 47

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Mamayev Kurgan

The central and main point on the city map. The biggest monument that has ever been built in memory of the Second World War soldiers. It is important to stress that Mamayev Kurgan is not just a monument, It’s a Memorial complex "To the heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad". Its symbol of courage, heroism and respect. “Height 102” or Mamayev Kurgan was extremely important during the Battle of Stalingrad. Whoever controlled the hill controlled the city. Of the 200 days that the battle lasted, 135 were spent fighting for this hill. The Soviet army finally entrenched itself at Mamayev Kurgan on 25 January 1943. In 2008 the memorial complex was put on the list of the federal monuments and included into the Seven Wonders of Russia.
Let’s find how was it created. Only some people know that there are many secrets and legends of other centuries lie in this place. One of the mysteries is connected with the name of the hill. There are lots of versions of the origin of the name "Mamayev Kurgan". According to one version during the reign of Khan Mamai there was an outpost of the Mongol-Tatars. Another version says that the etymology of the word "Mamai" is from ancient Tibetan means "the mother of the world", but why it is called Kurgan is not mentioned.
Mamayev Kurgan is the epitome of unsurpassed talent of the Soviet sculptor Yevgeny Vuchetich who is also the author of the magnificent sculpture "Warrior-liberator" in Treptow Park in Berlin, allegorical statues "We will beat swords into ploughshares" at the UN building in New York. People began to build the memorial in May 1959 and in October 1967 the monument to the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad was inaugurated. All people pay attention to the main monument the Motherland Calls (Rodina-mat’ zovet!)! It is one of the highest statues in the world. The height of the sculpture with the sword is 85 m (with pedestal 87 m) and it weighs more than 8000 tons. The statue is not secured to the foundation and stands on it freely like a chess piece on the board. The head of the monument, scarf and arms were made separately and then mounted using a tower crane. The figure is made of concrete. The whole statue is composed of individual cells inside. The rigidity of the frame is supported by 99 metal wires which are constantly in tension. Something more than the war is commemorated in the sculpture of the memorial. Here you can see faces of real people. Thus, the image of Marshal of the Soviet Union Vasily Chuikov is embodied in the sculpture "Fight to the death" and the face of the Motherland was created by Yevgeny Vuchetich in the image and likeness of his wife. Every year on 9 May above the memorial the fireworks thunder in honor of the defenders of Stalingrad in the memory of which the complex was created. 9 May 2045 is the 100th anniversary of the victory in the Russian Great Patriotic War. This day should be opened capsule buried at the Square of the Heroes on 9 May, 1970 with the appeal of the participants of the war to the descendants.
Address: Mamayev Kurgan, Ulitsa Rokossovskogo

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Where to eat in Volgograd? 

Volgograd is a perfect place for tasting something new and delicious. The city has a variety of national cuisine of different countries. Restaurants and cafés of national style are located in the city centre. The restaurateurs tried to take into account all tastes of both citizens and guests of Volgograd. 

There is a list of the coziest and best places of the city: 
Russian cuisine
Marusya Café (Ulitsa Alley of heroes, 1; www.marusya34.ru) - for breakfast, Marusya serves you homestyle curd-fritters garnished with sour cream and homemade jam. For lunch, you can get fragrant cabbage soup with fresh herbs, chicken Kiev cutlets, and delicious pastries. Also, for a special occasions, Marusya will do more than its best: cooks will bake a whole grass carp with vegetables and quail roasted on an open fire.

Sosnovy Bor (Ulitsa Angarskaya, 137/181; www.bor.gidm.ru) - there is a variety of meat and fish dishes, Russian pies (traditional dish with meat, fish, cereal or cabbage stuffing), candies, home-made beverages: kvass (popular Russian fermented beverage, made from rye or barley), mead. In summertime there is a big open-air swimming pool that is really loved by tan-lovers and families. 

BlinClub (Ulitsa Sovetskaya, 8; www.blinclub.ru)
BlinBerry – the chain of pancake restaurants. There are many kiosks in the city centre. Delicious pancakes with various kinds of fillings and toppings take away. BlinBerry pancakes are largely loved by guests and citizens.

European cuisine 
Le Balcon (Ulitsa Krasnoarmeyskaya, 7; www.lebalcon.gidm.ru) - Paris is in the centre of Volgograd. The menu surprises with a variety of dishes: Richelieu medallions, chicken- Latyuilya sauté, and specialty by chef de cuisine – Corsican baked lamb, delicious salads, and crispy croissants.

There are places where you can taste Czech beer, meat dishes with traditional Czech dumplings. Traditional German sausages, juicy stakes, different kinds of beer. 

Cheshsky dvor (Ulitsa Sovetskaya, 5; www.ch-dvor.ucoz.ru) 
Bamberg (Ulitsa Sovetskaya, 20; www.bamberg-beer.ru) 
Brauhaus (Ulitsa Kovrovskaya, 24; www.brauhaus.moy.su)

Here you can find a variety of Italian dishes: pizza, pasta, ravioli, lasagna, risotto, gnocchi, cannelloni, panna cotta and many others:
Trattoria Florentsia (Ulitsa Kalinina, 6 b; www.firenze-vlg.ru) 
Trattoria Rimini (Ulitsa Gagarina, 9; www.trattoria-rimini.ru) 
Bulvar Café ( Volgograd, Port-Said st., 9d; www.bulvar-cafe.ru) - In spite of its international status, the concept of "Boulevard" still retains its old-fashioned elegance and easy European chic. At its core, European cuisine is a blend of all the best culinary traditions of many nations. These are culinary delights and time-tested home style recipes. At the restaurant, you can enjoy hearty tasty dishes made with fresh products, natural spices, homemade pasta and smoked dishes. One of the key areas of the kitchen "Boulevard Cafe" are grilled dishes, which have caught the fancy of our guests, and that is our hallmark.