Volgograd.

History

The fortress of Tsaritsyn was founded in 1589 and guarded the southern frontier for almost two centuries. From the late 18th century it grew as an industrial centre, and in 1925 it was renamed Stalingrad. From 23 August 1942 to 2 February 1943 the Battle of Stalingrad, one of the deadliest in history, was fought here, and the city was almost completely destroyed. It was named a Hero City in 1945 and became Volgograd in 1961.

Culture & traditions

The city's defining monument is the memorial on Mamayev Kurgan with the 85-metre statue The Motherland Calls. The Battle of Stalingrad Panorama Museum holds the largest panoramic painting in Russia, with the ruined Gerhardt's Mill and Pavlov's House nearby. The Old Sarepta museum reserve preserves a historic quarter of the city. The city has musical, drama and puppet theatres, and its planetarium of 1954 was the second purpose-built one in the USSR.

Sport

The football club Rotor was founded in 1929. The 45,000-seat Volgograd Arena hosted matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Handball (Kaustik and Dynamo), basketball (Krasny Oktyabr) and water polo (Spartak) are also strong. Pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and figure skater Evgeni Plushenko come from Volgograd.

Practical information

The airport is about 10 km from the centre. The main station is Volgograd-1, with trains to Moscow, Saratov, Astrakhan and the Caucasus, and a new bridge across the Volga opened in 2009. The light-rail metrotram is a handy way around. Summers are hot, reaching up to +42 °C, so spring and early autumn suit sightseeing best.

What to see

• Mamayev Kurgan — the Stalingrad memorial and The Motherland Calls
• Battle of Stalingrad Panorama Museum — the largest panoramic painting in Russia
• Gerhardt's Mill — ruins kept as a memorial to the battle
• Pavlov's House — a symbol of the city's defence
• Old Sarepta — a historic district turned museum reserve