FROM THE BARENTS SEA TO THE SEA OF JAPAN

volgograd – волгоград

Volgograd was founded in 1589. The original name of the city was Tsaritsyn. In the Soviet period Tsaritsyn was renamed Stalingrad. In 1961, after Stalin fell out of grace, the city was renamed to Volgograd which literally means “a city on the Volga River”. Volgograd\Stalingrad is known as the venue of WWII's most decisive battle: the Battle of Stalingrad. The battle lasted from July 17, 1942 till February 2, 1943. The German, Romanian, Italian, Hungarian and Croatian armies were routed by the Red Army. Combined irretrievable losses amounted to two million people. The city was leveled. Mamaev Kurgan, a high ground overlooking the city, was the site of four months of fierce fighting. It is now a memorial to those who died in this bloody battle.

Mother Russia on top of Mamaev Kurgan at daylight, sunset, night and twilight.

The slope of Mamaev Kurgan running down to the Volga River is covered with statues and memorials.

The Pantheon.

The ruins of a flour mill left as a reminder of the devastating battle.

The museum of the Battle of Stalingrad is behind the flour mill.

The museum contains a 360-degree panorama of the battle.

After the war Stalingrad\Volgograd was rebuilt from scratch.