Volgograd

Welcome to Volgograd, a city that stands as a powerful symbol of human endurance and historical consequence. Best known to the world by its former name, Stalingrad, this city was the site of the most decisive and bloody battle of…

We stand now on Mamayev Kurgan, a hill that was simply designated as 'Height 102' on military maps during the Battle of Stalingrad. This ground was the site of the most fierce and prolonged fighting, as controlling this high…

At the absolute summit of Mamayev Kurgan stands 'Rodina-Mat Zovyot!' or 'The Motherland Calls.' At the time of its completion in 1967, this was the tallest statue on Earth, and even today, it remains the tallest statue of a woman…

Descending back toward the riverbank, we reach the Volgograd State Historical and Memorial Preserve, commonly known as the Panorama Museum. This facility is built adjacent to the skeletal remains of the Grudinin Mill, one of the…

Volgograd is home to one of the most interesting and unique public transportation systems in Russia: the Metrotram. This is a 'hybrid' system that functions as a conventional above-ground tram for most of its route, but then…

Standing at an ordinary-looking apartment block, we are actually at one of the most legendary sites of the Battle of Stalingrad: Pavlov's House. During the height of the urban warfare in late 1942, a small platoon of Soviet…

As we walk toward the river, we experience the Central Embankment, the city's vibrant riverside heart. Rebuilt after the war, it features a grand staircase with flanking propylaea towers that lead down to the water's edge. …

As our tour of Volgograd concludes, we look once more toward the mighty Volga. This river has witnessed the darkest hours of the 20th century and the triumphant rebirth of a city that refused to die. …