Kaliningrad Regions and their features

Russia has its own island right in the center of Europe, comparable, however, to the area with another full-fledged state of the continent. It is, of course, the Kaliningrad region, in particular, the capital of this subject of the Russian Federation. Kaliningrad is a city very popular with tourists from other regions of Russia and countries. Many travelers prefer to build a route of their trip around the city, having first studied the features of its administrative structure, then from what regions it consists, and also by what features they are characterized.

Kaliningrad can also be studied in terms of the principles of local government in it, the features of the city's districts in terms of the availability of attractions or, for example, the development of transport infrastructure. What are the administrative units of Kaliningrad? How can citizens of other regions of the Russian Federation get to the Russian Baltic?

General information about the city

Kaliningrad is a unique city. It is Russian, but historically it is closely connected with Europe. Until 1945, Kaliningrad was called Koenigsberg and belonged to Germany. After this, together with the neighboring lands of East Prussia, the city was transferred to the Soviet Union, and later renamed. The European past and the Russian present predetermine the fact that the Kaliningrad regions and its architecture are characterized by the presence of a variety of objects - Soviet, built in the Russian Federation and, of course, classical, preserved or adopted their appearance from the German past.

Kaliningrad is not a very big city, if you compare it with the largest Russian and European megacities, but there are many sights in it. These are monuments of architecture, cultural objects, a zoo. Among the most noteworthy attractions is the Botanical Garden. Not only German culture is traced in the city, but also one that was formed under the influence of other nations - Lithuanians, Latvians, Poles. Actually, those states that are formed by these ethnic groups. It does not include Latvia, but it is also close and borders with the Kaliningrad region. In this case, active cultural exchange in the region is a completely natural process.

Kaliningrad: the main attractions

What are the tourist attractions that come to the Russian Baltic, visit most often? It is difficult to answer this question unequivocally. The fact is that travelers can like completely different areas of Kaliningrad. Some tourists prefer to visit historical sites, others - modern buildings.

So, many travelers like to just walk, for example, along the banks of the Pregoles. If you walk along the bridge that connects them, you can get to the wonderful Fish Village. Its traditional look has been reconstructed by modern masters.

Undoubtedly, the most popular places in the city include the Amber Museum. In this case, it is actually part of another famous object - the tower of the Don. Among the most famous enterprises of the city - Kaliningrad Amber Combine. Visiting the most diverse areas, the traveler will be able to meet the places in which this mineral is sold, as well as various decorations from it.

Another famous fortification is the Wrangel Tower. It was built in the 19th century. The Botanical Garden, which we mentioned above, is open to visitors since 1904. The city zoo in Kaliningrad has been operating since 1896. A wooden hunting castle was built in the city also in the late 19th century. Visiting various districts of Kaliningrad, you can see quite a lot of historical sites.

If we talk about the remarkable modern facilities of the city, it is worth paying attention to the largest shopping centers, such as "Europe", "Plaza", as well as, for example, "Epicenter". All of them are located in the center of the city.

Geography

We will now study, in fact, what areas in Kaliningrad there are today, how the administrative division of this settlement was carried out.

In the city there are 3 districts: Leningrad, Moscow, and Central. It is not customary to subdivide them conditionally into less and more prestigious ones. Note that not all tourists know Kaliningrad well. "Leninsky district" is among the carelessly invented names of Leningrad, you should bear this in mind. Anyway, all administrative territories form a unique cultural and architectural space and make the city unique.

The Leningrad region of the city of Kaliningrad, Moscow and Central are equally developed. At the same time, the most active construction is on the outskirts of the city. Although in principle this trend characterizes the majority of modern Russian cities, since in their central parts everything is mostly built up.

Between different areas of Kaliningrad there is a large number of buses and minibuses. However, when planning the movement with their help, one should take into account possible delays in the way due to traffic jams. Their appearance in the city is inevitable, since Kaliningrad is among the leaders among Russian cities in terms of motorization, and the width of the streets is not always enough to provide a dynamic automobile traffic.

Let us now consider what constitutes the Central, Moscow, and Leningrad districts separately. Kaliningrad, as we noted above, is a very developed city, regardless of the specific region, but each of them is characterized by a number of features.

Leningrad region of Kaliningrad: what are its features?

This area is located in the north-east of the city. The main transport arteries that are available here are the Moscow and Soviet avenues. In the Leningrad region there are also streets of Gorky, Nevsky, Chernyakhovsky, Gagarin. Here is the area of Selma. Kaliningrad, as we already know, consists of 3 official districts, but micro-districts are also allocated within them. Among these are Selma.

Another remarkable feature of the geography of the Leningrad region of the city is that it houses settlements. Among those - October. District (Kaliningrad, as we know, formerly belonged to Germany) is characterized by the fact that there are preserved traditional German mansions. They are located in Telman Street, not far from Lake Verkhny, as well as the Yunost Park. But you can buy modern real estate in this area. This can be multi-apartment buildings and townhouses. The new property, which is located in the Leningrad region, is characterized by a great variety of design and layout of apartments.

Among the most actively built up microdistricts within the Leningrad region, one can note those that are located along the streets of Artillery, Gagarin. To some extent, the popularity of these territories is due to the fact that they are among the most accessible in terms of transport in the city. Many types of transport pass through the Leningrad region. Kaliningrad is a city of attractions, and many of them are located exactly in the place in question.

Thus, a traveler who has arrived in the Leningrad region can visit the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Amber Museum. Here are located modern shopping centers - "Clover", "Passage".

Moscow District

The Moscow district of Kaliningrad is also developing very actively. The main streets here are: International, Gromov, Koshevoy. In the area modern schools and shops are built. The main problem here is the same traffic jams. They are especially noticeable in that the exit from the area to the center is carried out through a railway bridge, which is very narrow in itself and besides can not provide high throughput with intensive traffic due to the location of tramways on it. The central part of the city from the Moscow region can be reached by tram or trolley. There is a fairly developed network of minibuses. Although the advanced transport infrastructure in general is characterized by the whole of Kaliningrad.

The Moscow district of the city also has many attractions. The most recognizable is the Cathedral, which is located on the island of Kant. The temple is one of the symbols of Kaliningrad. In the area is a large number of monuments of architecture. It is in the Moscow region that the Fish Village develops, which according to architecture corresponds to the style of the former Koenigsberg.

central District

The largest in the area of the three administrative territories, to which Kaliningrad is divided, is the Central District. Its feature is the presence of a large number of industrial enterprises. Among the largest - "Quartz", "Baltterm." Here is located Fish Cannery, printing house "Amber Tale".

In the central area of the city you can see a large number of buildings built in Germany. For example, there is a structure in which the audience of the historical faculty of the Kant University (formerly of the Kraus and Gippel School) is located. In the building, which used to be the police department, now there are structures of the FSB. The city business center is housed in a building formerly the North Station. In the Central area of the city you can visit the Drama Theater, as well as the Zoo.

It should be noted that the areas of Kaliningrad in the modern form exist relatively recently - since 2009. The fact is that earlier the city was divided not into 3, but into 5 administrative units. Among those that existed earlier was the Baltic region. Kaliningrad is a city that became part of the USSR in 1945, and already in 1947 this region was formed.

In 2009, a separate decision of the Council of Deputies of Kaliningrad decided to combine it with Moscow. Another district of the city, formerly known as Oktyabrsky, was also established in 1947. Almost simultaneously with the Baltic, it was merged with the Central. At the same time, one more municipal entity bordered the Baltic Sea before the marked changes in its administrative division Kaliningrad, Guryevsky district, underwent marked changes. True, he refers not to the city, but to the region whose capital it is.

It can also be noted that the Oktyabrsky district until 1961 was called Stalin. Central, which is remarkable, was formed later than other parts of the city - in 1952, and part of it was Stalin. The remaining part of the October (formerly Stalin's) also became part of the Central in 2009.

Infrastructure of the city

So, we learned how Kaliningrad administratively divided the city's districts. Consider now other noteworthy information about it, for example, those that reflect the specifics of its infrastructure.

It can be noted that the network of urban roads is developing at an impressive rate in relation to the dynamics of the development of new areas. Significant sections of highways, those that were laid in Germany, have pebble cover, which requires a special approach from the city authorities to maintain their functionality.

As we noted above, public transport is very well developed in Kaliningrad. In terms of traffic intensity, the city is at the level of the largest Russian megacities. Effective operation of Kaliningrad's transport network can be complicated by traffic jams. They become particularly large, as in most other modern cities, in the morning and in the evening. Regarding the types of public transport that serves various areas of Kaliningrad, it is represented in almost all modern land types, namely: buses, trolleybuses, trams, minibuses. Gradually, the city's transport network is complemented by rail buses.

Educational establishments

It will also be useful to study what educational institutions are located in the wonderful city of Kaliningrad. The main university of the megalopolis is the Immanuel Kant University. The Technical University trains specialists of various profiles, for example, competent in the field of fisheries. Among other well-known educational institutions of Kaliningrad, one can mention the Ushakov Institute, the University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, and the Baltic State Academy. Graduates of urban universities are in demand both in their own region and beyond. Many Kaliningradians are trying their hand in Europe due to their geographical proximity to many developed countries.

Economy of the city

Kaliningrad is a significant industrial and port center. Among the largest enterprises of the city is the plant "Yantar", as well as the Wagon Works. The first enterprise specializes in both military and civilian orders. The second produces a wide range of engineering products, in demand in the field of rail transportation. Both enterprises have huge infrastructural and technological capabilities that allow implementing the most complex projects in the spheres in which factories operate.

Another large industrial enterprise of the city is Lukoil-Kaliningradneft. It produces oil, as well as produces various types of industrial products, for example, drilling rigs, containers, metal structures.

Perhaps one of the most famous enterprises of the city is the Amber Combine. However, it is located not in the territory directly Kaliningrad, and in the regional village of Yantarny. It can be noted that this town is connected to the capital of the region by a good road, so the distance between it and Kaliningrad, which is about 41 km, is overcome quite quickly. The factory carries out industrial extraction of amber, its processing, produces various jewelry.

Above we noted that virtually any administrative unit, divided into Kaliningrad (Moscow, Leningrad, Central), places large shopping centers, as well as shops operating in a network format. All of them also play an important role in the Kaliningrad economy. The largest retail chains of the city are Vester, Victoria, and Europe. Trade is also actively carried out in the markets of Kaliningrad - Central, Baltic, Moscow, Southern, and also Zakharovsk.

How to get to Kaliningrad?

So, we studied the main areas of Kaliningrad. How can you get to this wonderful city?

The main feature of this settlement, as well as of the region where it is the capital, is that the corresponding region is the exclave of the Russian Federation. That is, it is located in the environment of other countries, namely borders with Lithuania and Poland.

The easiest way to get to Kaliningrad resident of another region of Russia is to fly by plane. Firstly, the duration of the flight from Moscow takes only about 2 hours, from St. Petersburg - even less. Secondly, to visit Kaliningrad by plane, a Russian citizen does not need to issue a passport.

In turn, to come to the Russian Baltic on a bus, train or car, you will need a passport. Moreover, it will have to be a visa of Lithuania, Poland or another Schengen state. In turn, if a citizen of Lithuania or Poland travels to Kaliningrad, he will need a Russian visa. It is noteworthy that residents of the Kaliningrad region can make out a foreign passport for free, that is, without transferring the state duty to the budget. Also for residents of the Russian Baltic there is an opportunity to visit border settlements in Poland without a visa.

It should also be noted that Russian citizens have the right to issue a simplified transit visa through Lithuania. You can get it by contacting the structures with RZD. The Lithuanian transit visa is issued within 24 hours from the moment of submission of documents and is handed to the passenger directly on the train, which enters Lithuania. Next, we will consider the features of its use.

A corresponding visa is a kind of transit document issued by the Lithuanian authorities that Russian citizens who have a residence permit in the Kaliningrad region can receive. What is its specificity?

This permitting document can be of 2 types - ordinary simplified, and also railway. The first allows the citizen of the Russian Federation to enter Lithuania on any type of transport, use any roads, get out of his car if he rides on it. But a person must have time to cross the territory of Lithuania and enter Russia or Belarus within 24 hours. In order to receive the document in question, you need to apply to the Lithuanian consulate. Its validity period is up to 3 years. When issuing a transit document, a consular fee is paid.

The second document is the transit visa, which we mentioned above. It allows a Russian citizen to cross the territory of Lithuania only by train. At the same time, the document does not allow a person to leave the car while staying within the borders of the given state. The term of validity is up to 3 months (with the expectation of a return trip of a citizen of the Russian Federation within the given period). An appropriate document is ordered at the railway ticket office. It is issued free of charge.

How can I get into this or that administrative unit, to which Kaliningrad (Leningrad region, Moscow or Central) is divided, in case of arrival to the city by means of certain types of transport? If the traveler arrives to Kaliningrad by plane, then it will be necessary to get to the city from Khrabrovo airport. It is located 24 km from the capital of the region. Between it and Kaliningrad, there are buses and minibuses. As a rule, their movement begins at the bus station, which is located in the Moscow region. Nearby is the Southern Railway Station of the city. Most of the trains from Russia arrive on it. In turn, the Northern Railway Station takes commuter trains. In order to move between different infrastructure facilities in Kaliningrad, you can also use public transport or a taxi.