The hero city of Volgograd today is considered to be a symbol of the Great Patriotic War. In two hundred days (that is how long the bloody battles lasted here), more than a million citizens of the Soviet Union died on its territory. Over the past decades, Volgograd has recovered, changed its name and rose from the ruins. But, as before, this city is primarily associated with the great Victory. Perhaps that is why most of the attractions of Volgograd are connected precisely with the feat of the Soviet people. We offer you a virtual journey through this amazing city!
Mamayev Kurgan
Perhaps the main attraction of Volgograd can be called Mamaev Kurgan. It is a hill located in the heart of the city. It is here that the Monument-Ensemble “To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad” is located. This ensemble includes the Memorial Arboretum, the Mother Motherland monument, the memory of generations, the memorial cemetery, three squares - Sorrows, Heroes and Those Standing to Death. In addition, the Hall of Military Glory is located here.
The place for this complex was not chosen by chance - after all, it was precisely for a height of 102.0 that fierce battles were once fought. The thing is that the whole city was perfectly sweeping from this peak. Residents and guests of the city note - climbing this mountain through the alleys is more like a ritual than a walk, it leaves an indelible impression. Almost at the very foot of the hill, factories begin, for which during the war there were fights - "Barricades", "Azure", "Red October". And immediately after the sculpture "Motherland" begins a quiet and cozy park where you can comprehend everything you see.
Where is
Mamaev Kurgan is located in the city center, on the street to them. Marshal Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov. By the way, there is an opinion - the soldier with a grenade and a machine gun - the hero of the sculpture "Stand to Death" - is the face of Vasily Ivanovich, who (along with his soldiers) is buried at the foot of the monument "Motherland". You can get here by public transport - high-speed tram, trolley bus number 8 pass through Vysota 102. Visiting this Volgograd landmark is free.
Hall of Military Glory
Separately, we offer to talk about the Hall of Military Glory. It was created in memory of those soldiers who died in the battle of Stalingrad. It is here that the residents and guests of Volgograd carry flowers and wreaths, on Victory Day ceremonies are held here, the Guard of Honor carries out its service year-round, changing every hour. At any time of the year, the Eternal Flame burns in the Hall of Military Glory, and visitors either speak in a whisper or become completely silent. And here, without a break, the “Dreams” of Robert Schuman are heard.
The names of the heroes are carved on its walls along the perimeter of the Hall - on blood-red plates bordered with mourning ribbons.
Light Rail
Speaking about the sights of Volgograd, one cannot but say about the unique hybrid of the tram and metro. Forbes magazine has included it in the list of the most interesting tram routes on the planet. The main reason for this is the lack of direct sections of the intersection of underground tracks. Metrotram, as this type of transport is also called, appeared in the city in 1984, preliminary work took about eight years! It is worth noting that with the advent of such an unusual vehicle in Volgograd, the level of congestion has noticeably decreased! Annually, about fifty million passengers choose metrotrams! This system includes 22 stations that pass through five districts of the city. At the same time, there are only two ground stops at the light rail - Pionerskaya and Yelshanka.
Pavlov's House
Thinking about where to go in Volgograd? Landmark of the city, a historical monument of national importance - Pavlov’s house is ready to meet guests who are not indifferent to the history of the country. At first glance, it might seem that this is the most ordinary residential building, but its history is amazing: it was he who became the border that was never conquered by the Nazis. And this despite the fact that his defense lasted 58 days! When the Great Patriotic War ended, Pavlov’s house became the first restored building. However, the feat of soldiers was immortalized - it was decided to leave for posterity a part of the original wall: in the traces of shells and bullets. Residents and visitors of the city of Volgograd say: this living testimony evokes much more emotions in the heart than dry statistics and documentaries.
According to the pages of history
The house, which became a landmark of Volgograd, was built in the thirties of the last century. It was the most common four-story building, though, as they would say today, “superior comfort”. It was located in the center of Stalingrad (as Volgograd was then called). And this house was intended for responsible party workers. Fascist troops entered the city in the fall of 1942. Fights were fought over almost every street. On September 23, the Germans went to Pavlov’s house, but their attacks did not bring any result. The thing is that this building was defended by a garrison of 25 people. This garrison was entrenched in the basement and on the floors.
The Nazis attack was carried out several times a day, but the defenders of this house continued their resistance, opening heavy fire. Later it became known: on the maps this building was designated as a fortress! The defense of the house lasted until November 25 - almost 2 months, and ended only when the Soviet troops drove the Germans away from Stalingrad. After the reconstruction, the house received the name of Sergeant Yakov Pavlov, who commanded the department that occupied the building.
What about today?
In the photo of the sights of Volgograd it is clearly seen that residential apartments are located inside. So, to visit the house of Pavlov can only be outside. The house is located at: Sovetskaya street, house number 39.
This building can undoubtedly be called one of the most eloquent monuments to the courage of Soviet soldiers. Of course, the first thing that attracts attention is the memorial wall. It is worth noting that it is not built into the restored structure, but is a kind of application on the facade. Its structure, literally distorted by shells and bullets, a chaotic pile of masonry elements simply amaze the imagination. There is a memorial inscription on the house:
In this house the feat of arms and labor merged together.
And on the inset made of cement, the words are scratched: “Defend our native Stalingrad!”
Those wishing to learn more about the history of the house and the names of the defenders should pay attention to another memorial located on Lenin Square: a colonnade and a brick wall, the inscription "58 days on fire." And here is the Mass grave of the defenders of the square and the surrounding area.
Central promenade
Thinking about where to go in Volgograd? We advise you to visit the central city embankment. The attraction of Volgograd got its name in honor of the 62nd Army, which during the Battle of Stalingrad defended the northern part of the city. The arrangement of the embankment in this city began in the thirties of the last century. After the war, it was restored. The main symbol of the embankment is a staircase with eight-column cuts.
Today, guests of the hero city can admire the Church of St. John the Baptist, which was restored in 2001. Incidentally, he appeared on the site of another church, erected in the XVI century. Special attention should be paid to the colonnades, terrace and rotunda that adorn the central promenade. They were restored according to pre-revolutionary designs. It is worth noting that a significant number of monuments and various structures are also located in the coastal zone. This is a fountain with three muses - “Art”, and an armored boat called “Extinguisher”, and even a water pump, preserved from the 19th century!
But another attraction of the city of Volgograd is especially popular among tourists - the "Dancing Bridge" across the Volga River. His fame spread throughout the country in 2010: on May 21, it was blocked due to strong fluctuations. Eyewitnesses claim that the vibrations of the bridge were visible to the naked eye. The amplitude of the oscillations was about 1 meter.
Planetarium
This attraction of Volgograd (pictured) is called by residents and guests of the city one of the most interesting. This is not surprising: it is difficult to imagine a person who did not feel admiration, looking at the night sky or looking at the stars through a telescope. Employees of the Volgograd Planetarium warn: there are practically no exhibits here, only on the ground floor are mock-ups of Soviet spacecraft. Among them is the “Vostok” model, on which Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin first went into space, there is also a satellite - “Luna-3”, the first satellite that transmitted photos from outer space to Earth. The most interesting begins in the so-called Star Hall - the room where the huge domed screen is located. Here, visitors are shown at the same time more than six hundred thousand stars in our galaxy! By the way, the work of the projector is always accompanied by a detailed and incredibly exciting lecture. Planetarium visitors should be prepared for numerous lighting effects and a fascinating story about the universe.
This attraction of the city of Volgograd, the description of which is given below, looks more like an antique temple, its main feature is a domed roof. Here is the Astronomical Observatory, whose visitors say: with a telescope on a clear night you can see millions of sparkling stars, moon seas, planets of the solar system. Today, the planetarium of the city of Volgograd is recognized as one of the best in Russia. Despite his “childish” orientation, he attracts an audience of various ages!
Kazan Cathedral
Speaking about the sights of Volgograd, their names and descriptions, one can not help but say about ancient buildings, temples and other monuments of local architecture. One of them is the Kazan Cathedral. It is located on Lipetsk street. The Kazan Church, which was built a little over a century ago, in the mid-50s of the last century received the status of a cathedral. Today, Kazan Cathedral is the main temple of the entire Volgograd diocese. It is here that absolutely all significant events of religious life take place.
A look into the past
Mention of the church located in this place, came to us from the XVIII century. True, it did not last long - either it was destroyed, or simply burned down. And the building that has survived to this day was erected in the nineties of the 19th century. By the way, during the revolution, when almost all the shrines were converted into cattle pens, cultural and educational institutions, this church was used for its intended purpose until 1939. Shortly before the start of World War II, a bakery was located within the walls of the church. During the fighting, the building was almost destroyed. But after the war he was again given to believers, restored. Here again the ringing of the bell sounded, calling the congregation to the service.
Helpful information
The address of the cathedral is Lipetskaya street, building 10. On weekdays, services here begin at 7:00 and at 17:00. On Sundays, the Late Liturgy is added - its beginning at nine o’clock. A detailed schedule can be found on the official website of the temple.
Museum of Entertaining Sciences
Considering a list of Volgograd attractions? Where can I go with my child? Be sure to visit the Einstein Museum of Entertaining Sciences. The expositions of this unique museum acquaint guests with the laws of mechanics and physics, chemical reactions, amazing optical illusions, and, of course, various natural phenomena. What is the difference between this museum and others? Here you can not only look at the exhibits, but also interact with them! According to the description of the sights of Volgograd, here you can see how the piano is arranged, try to raise the car, shout at the light bulb so that it lights up. And in this museum you can create a real cloud with one motion of your hand, touch the lightning, instantly warm cold water or find yourself inside a giant soap bubble.
All experiments are conducted with the participation of a professional consultant who is surprisingly similar to a real scientist. It is he who shows interesting tricks. By the way, the props, and all the materials used for the experiments, are absolutely safe, and therefore even kids can take part in them!