About Ekaterinburg. Yekaterinburg.
YEKATERINBURG (EKATERINBURG)
SIGHTSEEING. PLACES TO VISIT IN YEKATERINBURG
Yekaterinburg today is a beautiful city. The present
day Ekaterinburg is rich in sights - architectural monuments of Russian
classicism of the 18-19th centuries including the estate of Rastorguev -
Kharitonov; the house of the mining chief: the Mining Board; the
Church of Alexander Nevsky, the Church of the of the
Ascension and others; the Geological Museum which
features a
unique collection of minerals; the Fine Arts Museum which, along with a fine
collection of paintings by Russian and foreign artists, displays Kasly castings;
as also several museums dedicated to writers such as Mamin - Sihiriak and
Bazhov. There is also an Opera House, a Musical Comedy
theater, Childrens and Puppet theater, as well as a Philarmonic auditorium.
Ekaterinburg offers
also a wide range of museums, theatres, discos, clubs and restaurants for you to
enjoy.
People is the top
value of Ekaterinburg. In compare with such big cities as Moscow and St.
Petersburg, Ekaterinburg may be considered provincial in some ways. That
influents to people, they are more traditional, more open, more friendly.
Probably the main tourist attraction though is the spot where the Romanov
dynasty met its final gruesome end! This is beside Voznasensky prospect, 500
metres North of Prospect Lenina. At present a church (Church on the Blood)
is being constructed to
mark the site.
The city has a
unique appearance. It seems that history itself is embodied in its streets and
avenues, architectural ensembles and sights.
More than 600
monuments of history and culture are located in the city, and 43 of them are
considered to be top national monuments because of their special significance.
The heart of
Ekaterinburg is its dam (Plotinka), that permitted the initial development of
the city's industrial base. The dam was erected in 1723 and survived later two
reconstructions. At present it is an impressive industrial monument of the 18th
century. Unfortunately, very few buildings of the old factory area have been
preserved. Now only a few buildings remained: the Museum of History of
Architecture of the Urals, and the Nature Museum, both are located in the
so-called Historical Public Garden. Situated here is also the oldest building of
Ekaterinburg which dated from 1764 and that was recently reconstructed. At
present this is the Fine Arts Museum. Ekaterinburg of the 18th century was a
town made of wood. However, the first stone buildings also appeared here during
this period. At most these were administrative buildings, for example the
Main Board of the mining factories, where the Urals Conservatoire is located
now. In the late 18th and the early 19th centuries a new architectural style
(classicism) influenced Ekaterinburg landscapes. The palace on Voznesenskaya
Hill, with its luxurious park, is the most famous example of this style. Many
churches and chapels made the city's panorama very beautiful and picturesque. In
the beginning of the 20th century there were about 50 churches, and of this
number only 6 still remain today. There are quite a few buildings in the
constructivist style in the city. Typical of this style are such examples as the
Main Post Office, the "Uralski Rabochi" printing house, the film
studio, the famous White Tower, the "Dynamo" stadium, etc.
The Soviet Period
brought new trends to Ekaterinburg's architecture: luxury and rationalism, which
reflected the influence of both ideology and asceticism. New tendencies in the
development of world architecture have also affected the city. Some of the most
well known of these structures include the Military Headquarters, the Urals
State Technical University (UPI), the Railway Administrative Building, and the
Philharmonic Society.
Among the many monuments in Ekaterinburg are the monuments to Bolshevik
“Malyshev” and "The Black Tulip" - Russian soldiers during the
Afghan campaign named the airplanes which delivered the coffins of their dead
comrades back to Russia “The Black Tulips”.
The dynamics of
contemporary life does have its effect on the city. However, good care of its
cultural heritage helps to maintain the historical continuity of times and
confirms the right of Ekaterinburg to the status of a historical city.
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