Upper Pond in Kaliningrad is an artificially created pond located near one of the most famous sights of the city . Its history begins in the 13th century. Over the years, it has been an excellent place for both leisure and fishing.
There are many lakes in Kaliningrad. There are ponds where carp, perch, tench, eel and pike live. These places have long been chosen by fishermen. The upper lake in Kaliningrad in the nineties of the last century, like other recreation areas, remained in disrepair. Later the pond was put in order.
Today it is a fairly landscaped area, which is visited by both local residents and guests of Kaliningrad. We will certainly tell you about what is near the Upper Lake . However, we begin the story with an event that happened in ancient times. Then, when the inhabitants of the ancient castle " Königsberg " came up with the idea to block the tributary of the Pregoli river with an earthen dam.
Knights of the Teutonic Order
Representatives of the military monastic organization appeared on the territory of Prussia at the beginning of the XIII century. Here they built several castles, which later became the most important historical and architectural monuments of the city. Among them was Königsberg. In the era of the Crusades, destroying the pagans was considered a godly deed. The knights of the Teutonic Order were very successful in this matter. They spent their free time from a righteous struggle in a castle located at the confluence of two branches of the main river of the city of Kaliningrad . These are extremely picturesque places. Even modern infrastructure could not spoil them.
Knights of the Teutonic Order exterminated a large number of Prussian pagans, but otherwise were people of the right views. They did not recognize an idle lifestyle. And therefore, just having settled in a new castle, they created a nearby pond. This pond was later called the Upper Lake. The lower one was created four decades earlier - in the twenties of the XIII century. One of the oldest reservoirs in Kaliningrad is the Upper Lake. Only Nizhny has a longer history, located a few kilometers from it.
XX century
For six centuries, the area around the Upper Lake in Kaliningrad has not changed much. At the end of the XIX century, the reservoir was still outside the city. At the beginning of the last century, the city began to expand actively. Where today Chernyakhovsky Street is located, and it is located south of the reservoir , there were once defensive structures. Later they were demolished, and in the interwar period, luxurious villas appeared near the Upper Pond. This proximity to the reservoir has benefited. He was cleaned. Sea sand was added to the bottom.
In the thirties , several cozy restaurants appeared near the Upper Lake in Kaliningrad . Here, representatives of the Prussian aristocracy rested with children, held business and romantic meetings, talked about the likelihood of another war, and finally admired the sunset that fell on the silk surface of the lake . They could not have imagined that only two decades later they would be replaced by vacationers speaking exclusively in Russian, and after half a century no perch would remain in the pond.
Sculpture of the Cower
Near the lake in the XX century several small monuments appeared. During the Soviet years they were destroyed, but not so long ago restored. These sculptures are described in more detail below. There was another attraction here. Namely, the sculpture of S. Cower , an unsurpassed master in the manufacture of stone carvings. This work was called " Mother and Child. " In Soviet times, the work of a German artist was transferred to the local museum of local lore.
Nowadays
In recent years, the Upper Lake in Kaliningrad has changed a lot. The area around the reservoir was landscaped, today it resembles the embankment of a large resort city. There is a small fountain for children, many shops. The upper lake has become a full-fledged recreation area. A ferris wheel may soon be installed here. Nearby is the Youth Park.
Sea creatures
Beautification of the city at the beginning of the XX century is connected with the name of the German artist Hermann Thiel . His most famous works can be seen by the lake , which is discussed in this article. In 1913, stone figures were installed here, depicting a walrus, seal, elephant seal and other sculptures that meet the theme. Only the two works of Thiel survived the Soviet period, during which almost no restoration work was carried out. Today only they give a touch of antiquity to these places. The architecture of the embankment is made in a modern style, although the ancient tower rises a little at a distance, in the building of which the museum has been located for more than half a century.
Near the Upper Lake there is a large playground. Here you can rent a plain vehicle for a child . Advocates of an active lifestyle also visit these places - they are primarily attracted to catamaran rides here. Renting a six-seater option costs a thousand rubles per hour. Among the catamarans there are models resembling cars. From the side, such vehicles look quite unusual.
Fishing in Kaliningrad
In the nineties, there were few fish in the pond due to environmental degradation. Not so long ago, the situation was corrected. Here perch, carp, pike, tench live. Nevertheless, fishing on the legendary lake is practiced sluggishly today. For a big catch Kaliningraders go out of town .
Lakes, rivers and quarries of the Kaliningrad region are also popular among residents of nearby regions. Moreover, there are often fishermen from Europe. The most popular places are Lake Vishnetets , the Rzhavka and Matrosovka rivers, and the Mari lakes .
Basic data
The pond has an irregular elongated shape. It lies 22 meters above the Pregol . It occupies a fairly vast territory - in length it extends at a distance of a little less than a kilometer. The area of the reservoir is 41 ha. The depth of the Upper Lake in Kaliningrad is seven meters. In the immediate vicinity of the pond, once created by the knights of the Teutonic Order, there is the Amber Museum.
How to get to the Upper Lake in Kaliningrad? The pond is located in the very center of the city. There is regular bus number 144 from the airport. In the center of this large historical city, of course, there is no shortage of shuttle buses. You can use any of them. They usually get from the station by buses No. 44, 37, 17, 11, 19, 21, 159.