旅人る - Tabibito

 

Kaliningrad

 

Former Prussian Königsberg, now a center of semi-exclave Russian Kaliningrad oblast. The town was heavilly bombed by Allies during WWII. Soviet authorities demolished most of the surviving buildings, including Königsberg castle, to make an exemplary socialist town. They failed. After the collapse of the USSR, a process of very slow restoration of the historical appearance began. For example the Cathedral, which in nearly 100% complete, stays in a park which used to be the historical town center, Kneiphof.

 

The House of Soviets on the original site of Königsberg castle. It is unfinished, the demolition of this Brutalist "masterpiece" is pending.

 

The panorama of Lenin's avenue was so sad that recently all the houses were disguised as old ones.

 

Königsberg's New Synagogue was destroyed by nazis in 1938 and recently restored. However it only slightly resembles the original.

 

But the building of the Jewish orphanage next to it is being restored almost perfectly.

 

I see faces.

 

Only one route remains from the former vast tram network. This old Czech-made tram runs near pseudo-historic "Fishermen's village".

 

A new tram.

 

Pedestrian Professor Baranov's street near the market.

 

Huge Covid graffiti on the commie block in the city center.

 

Remnants of the FIFA World Cup 2018. The Kaliningrad stadium hosted few games of its group stage.

 

The "fight for the future of the planet" has always been about saving on the consumer, but never before this has been so clearly manifested.

 

Kaliningrad has the haughtiest cats I've seen lately. The do not pay attention to the humans at all.

 

Letter Z on the sports hall behind the Olympic sign. Thomas Bach and Pierre de Coubertin would be so happy!

 

Getting in (as of September 2022): Kaliningrad airport to the north of the city has a lot of flights to other Russian towns, but owing to political situation, not even one to the rest of the world.

Where to stay: many international hotel chains still didn't withdraw from Kaliningrad oblast. Ibis or Radisson Blu would be the best choice.

Where to eat: The Brikas restaurant offers cheap and nice glimpse over the Lithuanian cuisine, especially Cepelinai.

What to buy: Kaliningrad oblast is famous for its amber, but be sure to buy jewelry, not the raw amber stones, because the export of latter is banned.

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