Kaliningrad.

History

The city grew up in 1255 on the site of an Old Prussian settlement, when the Teutonic Knights established themselves here. For centuries Königsberg was the capital of successive Prussian states and the coronation city of Prussian kings, even after the capital moved to Berlin in 1701. Its Albertina university earned it wide renown. Heavily bombed in 1944, the city was taken by Soviet troops in April 1945 and renamed after Mikhail Kalinin in 1946.

Culture & traditions

The heart of the city is Kant Island, with the restored cathedral and the philosopher's grave. In 1736 Leonhard Euler wrote his paper on the Seven Bridges of Königsberg, which laid the foundations of graph theory and topology. The Amber Museum occupies the Dohna Tower, and at the Museum of the World Ocean you can board the research ship Vityaz and the submarine B-413. The city has drama and musical theatres and a puppet theatre, and its Baltic Federal University bears Kant's name.

Sport

The city's main football club is Baltika, which plays at the 35,000-seat Kaliningrad Stadium. The arena opened in 2018 for the FIFA World Cup and hosted matches of the tournament. Kaliningrad also has a volleyball tradition, and an American football team, the Amber Hawks, has existed since 2013.

Food & drink

From East Prussian cooking the city remembers Königsberger Klopse, meatballs in a creamy caper sauce, and Königsberg marzipan. Today you can find cuisines from many countries here, but the old Prussian recipes are still recognisable.

Practical information

Khrabrovo International Airport lies 24 km from the city. Trains run from the South Station to Moscow and Saint Petersburg; the journey to Moscow takes about a day. Trams have run here since 1895. Local time is one hour behind Moscow. The climate is mild and maritime, with cool cloudy winters and warm summers with showers; May to September is the best time to visit.

What to see

• Königsberg Cathedral on Kant Island — the restored Gothic cathedral holding the philosopher's grave
• Amber Museum in the Dohna Tower — Baltic amber shown inside an old fortification tower
• Museum of the World Ocean — you can go aboard the Vityaz and a submarine
• City gates — the Brandenburg, Friedland, King's and other surviving gates
• Fishermen's Village — a riverside quarter built in a historic style