TOURS TO THE CITIES OF RUSSIA

TRIP TO NOVOSIBIRSK

SIGHTSEEING. PLACES TO VISIT IN NOVOSIBIRSK
 

• Novosibirsk-Glavny (The Railway station.) Before World War II this was the largest railway station building in the former USSR. Today it is still the largest in Siberia, and one of the largest in Russia. Having been planned in the constructionism style, it was altered to the neoclassical style during its construction. The unusual monumental building style is an example of the architecture of the 1930s, one of the symbols of Novosibirsk, and the main point of the Trans-Siberian Railway!
   
• The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was built in 1897 (one of the first stone-buildings of the city), but by 1937 was closed. In 1988 it was decided to give the Cathedral back to the Russian Orthodox church, and by 1992 it was fully reconstructed.
   
• In 1915, in honor of the 300-year anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty, The Chapel of St. Nikolai was built and served as a symbolic center of the Russian Empire. During the years of communism the chapel was destroyed; and later became the site for a Stalin monument, which has since been destroyed after the exposure of the Stalin personality cult. The Chapel was restored for the celebration of the city's 100-year anniversary and as before it bears the name of St. Nikolai.
   
• The Voznesensky Cathedral is the main Novosibirsk Orthodox Cathedral, and was built in 1914. Since then it has been reconstructed several times. It has retained its present look since the Orthodox Jubilee - Russian Orthodox Church Millennium.
   
• Zoological Garden (Novosibirsk ZOO)  is situated in a beautiful forested park. The Novosibirsk Zoo keeps 4000 animals of 399 species.
   
• There used to be towns built near fortresses, near monasteries, near factories, ports, and even town-museums, but Akademgorodok (Academic Town) is the first town of science! Within its territory there are 35 research institutes, Novosibirsk State University (one of the top three Russian Universities), apartment houses and cottages, Dom Uchonyh (Scientists' House) - a social center of Akademgorodok, which hosts a library (100 000 volumes), a picture gallery, lecture hall and a fine concert hall. It is one of the few towns in the world built right in the middle of a forest. This Siberian town, located on the shore of the man-made sea Ob (a reservoir) has preserved its majestic birch and pine forest abounding in birds and squirrels.
   
• Don't forget to visit the marvelous Novosibirsk Botanical Garden in Akademgorodok! Having been found in 1946, now it is the leading botanical institution in Siberia and the Far East.

SEE ALSO

• Museum of Novosibirsk
• Culture and art

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