Kaliningrad (Russian: Калинингра́д kuh-leen-een-GRAHD) , also known by its original German name, Königsberg, is the capital city of Kaliningrad Oblast in Russia. It has about 475,000 inhabitants (2018). It is also called 'Karaliaučius' in Lithuanian, as Lithuanians (cousins to the 'Old Prussians') used to live there. So it is truly the 'City of the Four Ks': Kaliningrad, Königsberg, Krolewiec, and Karalaucius. Following the Second World War, it was briefly known as Kyonigsberg (Кёнигсберг), the Russified form of the original German name.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Kaliningrad's history dates back to the 13th century, when it was under the rule of the Teutonic knights, an order of German knights, priests and laymen who sought to expand Christianity through missions and conquests. Known by its German name of Königsberg then, the city was the capital of Prussia. Kaliningrad was a hub for science and culture whizzes from Germany, Poland and Lithuania. The famous mathematical Königsberg bridge problem is based in the city. Kaliningrad was also home to renowned philosopher Immanuel Kant and prominent German writer Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann.
The city has bus, minibus, trolleybus, tram and commuter railway networks. The best way to explore the city is by bus. The public transportation system is relatively good. Half of the population live in the city, hence it is very well-connected. Fares are kept low, at a flat rate of 24 руб on the bus (26 руб on marshrutka, a shared taxi or minibus) and the waiting time is short. Journeys can be planned using Google Maps. Keep an eye out for the last departure. Some buses lines already stop running around 22:00-23:00. Tickets on the buses are handed out by the conductors.
1 The old cathedral of Königsberg, Kanta 1 (easily approachable by foot either from the direction of the Kaliningrad Hotel (take the left side of the Leninsky Prospekt auto bridge south, and descend the stairs when the cathedral appears on your left) or from the direction of the Fish Village), ☏ +7 4012 63-17-05. 09:00 to 17:00. Founded in 1333, largely reconstructed after World War II, the cathedral on Kneiphof Island along the Pregolya River is a sight to see. The cathedral links Kaliningrad to its German past, as it is where the Prussian kings were once crowned. There are two rooms in the Cathedral Museum devoted to the life of Kant, whose tomb lies beside the cathedral walls.
1 Walk the bridges (or mathematically fail to). Historically, seven bridges of Königsberg linked the two islands and the banks of the Pregel River. A famous mathematical conundrum was whether you could walk across each bridge once and only once during a tour of the city. In 1735 Euler proved that you couldn't, and in doing so he invented graph theory. The Königsberg example was simple enough to be proved by exhaustion of all possible routes, but Euler's contribution was to create a body of theory applicable to more complex networks.
1 Chaykhana Kaliningrad-Tashkent, Ulitsa Teatral'naya, 21. Uzbeki restaurant (updated Feb 2022) 2 Delimeal Food Factory, Ulitsa Serzhanta Koloskova, 1Б. (updated Mar 2022) 3 Шарк, Ulitsa Chernyakhovskogo, 19А. (updated Mar 2022) Papasha Beppe Pizzeria, in various locations. 11:00 to 23:00. Many locals consider this to be the best thin crust and thick crust pizza in town, also a wide variety of salads, pastas, risottos and desserts. (updated Mar 2022) 4 Steindamm 99, Zhitomirskaya ulitsa, 22, ☏ +7 401 238-84-70. M-Th 11:00-23:00, F-Su 12:00-23:00. Well-designed interior, good service, fairly priced lunch menu on weekdays. 600-800 руб (Jan 2019).
Local beer brands that are available in stores. 1 Hmel Restaurant and Brewery, Pobedi Square, 10 ('Klover' Shopping Centre, 2nd Floor), ☏ +7 4012-593-377. Live music starts at 21:00 every night. A gigantic brewery on the second floor brews home-made beer. 95 руб/glass.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Jul, Kaliningrad typically sees ~23°C daytime highs and 16 rainy days.
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