World War II resulted in the demolition of pretty much everything bright and beautiful. That's not to say there's nothing to see. On the contrary, Kaliningrad offers some marvellous Soviet-era leftovers and a modest smattering of museums. Ticket offices close one hour before the museum does. The museum gift shops are great places to pick reasonably priced souvenirs.
Soviet Kaliningrad
HOUSE OF SOVIETS The area in front of the Hotel Kaliningrad is where Konigsberg began. The city Konigsberg - originally three separate towns - grew around walls of a 13-century castle. Severely damaged during WWII air raids, it could have been restored, but was dubbed by the Soviet authorities a symbol of fascism and Prussian militarism and therefore demolished. Despite letters of protest sent to the Kremlin, the castle was razed in 1968. The concrete House of Soviets was built in its place, designed to be the centrepiece of the new ideal socialist city called Kaliningrad. Today this half-finished construction sits decaying on one of the best pieces of real estate in the city as a monument to megalomania.
KILOMETRE ZERO
Kilometre zero in Kaliningrad is marked by a sad, broken down clock tower. The fanciful mosaic map details how many kilometres away cities as far as Shanghai or Sydney are from Kaliningrad. (Shevchenko at the lower pond)
German Kaliningrad
AMALIENAU
An area of impressive German villas and tree-lined, cobblestone avenues. This part of town was spared in air-raids and remains much as it was before the war. A poignant reminder og the city's heritage. (between Mira and Pobedy streets)
KANT STATUE As every Kaliningrader knows, this is not the original Kant, sculpted by Christian Daniel Rauch in 1857. The first statue was lost in the war, but the philosopher returned to his post in front of the university in 1992, ousting the "leader of the German proletariat" Ernst Thalmann who had been keeping watch in his stead. (Universitetskaya)
SCHILLER STATUE
Created by Stanislaus Cauer and erected in 1910, the statue was supposedly saved when both the Germans and the Russians scrawled messages on the statue`s pedestal, ordering the other side not to destroy it. (Mira, across the street from the Drama Theatre)
STOCK EXCHANGE
A former focal point of commercial activity, this Italian renaissance-style building on the river bank now serves as the Sailor`s House of Culture and the Monetny Dvor (The Mint) casino and nightclub. (Leninsky 83)
City gates
BRANDENBURG GATE
Named after General Friedrich Graf zu Dohna, and now housing the Amber Museum, the 19-century tower has a diameter of 34 meters. The Roßgärter gate depicts the German Generals Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, heroes of the war against Napoleon. (pl. Vasilevskovo 1&3)
KING`S GATE
The King`s Gate escaped relatively unharmed from WWII, but later suffered at the hands of vandals and thieves. From left to right: Bohemian King Ottokar II, Prussian King Friedrich I and Duke Albrecht. (Litovsky val & Frunze)
WRANGEL TOWER
This tower, built in 1853 and named after the Field Marshall Count Heinrich Wrangel, has fallen into disrepair and is closed to visitors. (Proletarskaya 109).
