旅人る - Tabibito

 

Tambov

 

If you feel anxious about Moscow and St. Petersburg lacking symbols of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, you might go to the Southern regions. At least to Tambov (6 hrs drive from Moscow). You'll have plenty. "True meat products — Glory to the Russian soldiers!" says the kiosk.

 

"Free tea with cookies for the children of soldiers participating in the military operation" says the bakery.

 

Tambov buses vehemently support the special operation.

 

But the Tambov trolleybuses don't. Probably they are upset by the reduction of the network (only two routes out of almost 20 left).

 

Hard to guess the opinion on the special operation of Tambov trams, because there is no tram in the city. Similar looking tracks simply lead to the flour mill.

 

Patriotism requires sacrifice. But the funeral will be held in the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior, which is probably quite prestigious.

 

Not everyone support the military operation. "I love Ukraine" is written in Ukrainian on the garbage area.

 

It must be noted that the letters Z and V were often found in Tambov long before 2022.

 

But let's forget the vanity, let's look at the city as a whole. There is a lot of cool architecture and cozy backstreets with a varying degrees of decay.

 

Any square should have an information stand with an evacuation scheme.

 

An old sign leading to the telephone booth.

 

Communist party agitation telling "Lenin is always with us".

 

Lenin statue on main square. Seems like he wants to start dancing.

 

There are many tall bell towers in the city center. They are all newly built.

 

For example, the 107-meter bell tower of the Monastery of Our Lady of Kazan was erected in 2014 and twice as tall comparing to the original, which was demolished during the soviet times.

 

And surely the former bell tower didn't have an illuminated cross on the top.

 

Rather pretentious building of the seminary, rebuilt from a school completed in 1940 in the style of classicism.

 

"Bubble-gum" cathedral of the Ascension Monastery is also recent.

 

Too pity they saved too much on the quality of the paint.

 

Few older orthodox churches.

 

And a recently restored catholic church.

 

Cinema «Modern» (1908) on the Sovetskaya street.

 

It has a figure of a stork above the entrance.

 

Small and not particularly interesting pedestrian Kommunalnaya street.

 

Window well cover on the Karl Marx st. It tries to look like the pre-1917 original, but the Arial font was invented only in 1982.

 

The Revtrud plant, which produces military-grade circuits.

 

The inscription on the entrance: "Comrades, 8 am is the time you must start the work not the time you enter the plant".

 

Interesting low rise neighborhoods to the south of Internatsionalnaya st.

 

The city estate of the merchant Efanov on Leningradskaya st. It looks crumbling, but one of the tenants decided not to move out.

 

The buildings of the Technical University.

 

Bottles of "Chistiy" (clear) antiseptic with an ethyl content of 95% are lying around, used as a surrogate alcohol.

 

Tambov arguably has the most prominent garbage sorting office in Russia. Looks like there should be a manager inside who will accept French wine bottles and English-language newspapers for processing. But unfortunately the office was closed.

 

Where to eat (as of April 2022): Dacha (city center), Marfa (eastern suburbs).

Where to stay: Ples hotel.

What to buy: Tambov Wolf vodka if you don't want to try the "Chistiy" antiseptic? Some local cheese in Marfa restaurant? Some true meat products if aren't you pity of glorious Russian soldiers? It's up to you.

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