Chita.

History

The settlement was founded in 1653 by Cossacks of Pyotr Beketov's party and named after the Chita River. From 1827 Decembrists were exiled here, and the traveller George Kennan later wrote that the exiles were among the most cultivated and sympathetic people in Eastern Siberia. The Trans-Siberian Railway reached the city in 1897. From October 1920 to November 1922 Chita was the capital of the Far Eastern Republic.

Culture & traditions

The chief monument of the exile era is the Church of the Decembrists museum. The city also has the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, the Shumov merchants' house and a historic mosque from the early 20th century. Chita is a student city, home to Transbaikal State University and the Chita State Academy of Medicine. The actor Vitaly Solomin was born here.

Sport

The city has a football club, FC Chita. The professional bodybuilder Nataliya Kuznetsova comes from Chita.

Practical information

Kadala Airport lies about 15 km west of the city, and Chita station is on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Local time is Moscow plus 6 hours. The city sits at about 650 m, and its climate is sharply continental: winters are cold and very dry, averaging around −25 °C in January, while summers are warm, around +20 °C in July. Summer is the best time to visit, when the sunny weather is at its most pleasant.

What to see

• Church of the Decembrists museum — the key monument to the exile era.
• Cathedral of the Kazan Icon — the city's main Orthodox church.
• Shumov merchants' house — a striking example of merchant architecture.
• Chita station — a historic stop on the Trans-Siberian.
• Chernovskiye coal mines — a geological natural monument of international status.