Yekaterinburg (Russian: Екатеринбу́рг yee-kuh-tee-reen-BOORG) is the capital of Sverdlovsk Oblast of Russia. A city of over 1.3 million inhabitants, it is a center of industry and culture in the broader Urals region, and the 4th largest city in the country after Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Novosibirsk. As such, it is one of Russia's most popular cities for foreign tourists, mainly known for its architecture.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
The city was founded in 1723 by the order of Peter the Great as a metallurgical factory. It was named after the wife of Peter the Great, Yekaterina. In 1918, the last tsar's family was imprisoned, and later executed, in a house in Yekaterinburg, which was demolished in 1997. The Church on the Blood was built on the former site of the house in 2003. During World War II, the city grew rapidly as industries and people were relocated east to escape the war.
You can either buy a street map from one of the many newsstands and shops in the train stations, print out a street map of Yekaterinburg, or pick up a free detailed street map from the Ekaterinburg Tourist Information Service at 8 Marta St. #21, office #2, in the city centre. Yekaterinburg has 1 underground metro line, connecting the city centre (the stop is near the Circus) to Uralmash, a large industrial and residential area, with a stop near the main railway station. The metro is popular with locals because it is quick and inexpensive, costing 32 руб per journey.
1 Ekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts, 5, Voevodina str (just south of the Gorodskoy Prud, on the west bank of the river). Some fine works by Russian 18th- and 19th-century artists, minor artists of the 16th- to 18th-century European Schools and some lovely small sculptures and jewellery. 50 руб. (updated Mar 2019) 2 Dam on the River Iset (Плотина Городского пруда на реке Исеть, «Плотинка») (Metro: Ploshchad 1905 Goda (Площадь 1905 года) cca. 300 m). 3 House of the Merchant Pshenichnikova (Дом купца Пшеничникова), Naberezhnaya. Rabochey Molodezhi (наб. Рабочей Молодежи), 2. 1830. 4 Building of the HQ of Mining plants (Дом Главного начальника горных заводов), Nab. Rabochey Molodezhi (наб.
Cross-country skiing: the trails stretch away for miles. There are some downhill skiing resorts as well. It will take you approximately 25 minutes to get to the nearest of them from the center of the city. Watch football at Yekaterinburg Arena, which hosted matches in the 2018 World Cup. The home team are FC Ural who play in the Russian Premier League, the top tier of Russian football - in 2018 they narrowly avoided relegation. The stadium dates back to 1957; it was upgraded and expanded for the World Cup but its capacity has now reduced to 23,000.
Many cafés and restaurants provide the usual mix of Russian, Japanese and Italian food, but the level of international cuisine is not that high. 1 Si! (Ural Pelmens), Prospekt Lenina, 69/1, ☏ +7 343 239 52 41. Italian entrees and desserts. Pizza Mia, Vaynera St 12. A cheap Italian fast-food place. Il Patio/Friday's/Planeta Sushi. A franchise found across all Russia. They offer respectively Italian, American, and Japanese accessible cooking. Food is reasonably priced and always ok. Noble House, 8 Borisa Yeltsina St (At the 2nd floor of the Hyatt Hotel), ☏ +7 343 253 1234, yekhr.noblehouse@hyatt.com. Offering Southeast Asian cuisine.
Simple Coffee, Khokhryakova St 23 (in the city centre near 1905 Square between Lenina St. and Malisheva St), ☏ +7 343 253-75-94. Daily 08:00-23:00. Artistic cappuccinos and food items. Rosy Jane, Prospekt Lenina 32-34, ☏ +7 343 317-18-53. Alibi, Malysheva st, 74, ☏ +7 343 350-0690. It's a pub very busy after midnight. Better book a table if you are not alone. There is a small dance floor. It's impossible to avoid rubbing others.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Jul, Yekaterinburg typically sees ~21°C daytime highs and 17 rainy days.
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