Former Koenigsberg, and now Kaliningrad - history, legends, interesting places of the ancient city

Year founded: 1255

City Day is celebrated
on July 4th
.

Koenigsberg

Kaliningrad

- a Russian city located at the confluence of the Pregolya River into the Kaliningrad Bay.

In 1255

German knights lay the foundation of a castle on the site of the Prussian settlement of Tuangste. The settlement of Königsberg appears near the castle walls. In 1286, this settlement received city status. In the 15th century, the capital of the Teutonic Order was moved to Königsberg. The city remains in this status even after the transformation of the Order into the Prussian Duchy.

In the 19th century, Königsberg rapidly transformed into a European industrial and commercial center. It was here that the first airport in Germany, Devau, opened in 1919, the first line “Königsberg – Riga – Moscow”.

During World War II, the city is heavily destroyed, not by Soviet troops, but by British aircraft. After the war, East Prussia and Köninsberg passed to the Soviet Union, German residents were evicted to Germany, and Soviet citizens were resettled in the city.

After the death of M.I. Kalinin in 1946 the city was renamed in his honor. The historical sites of the city destroyed during the war were not restored, and the ruins of the castle were demolished in the late 60s of the 20th century.

There is an amber museum in the Don Tower.
Attractions
In Kaliningrad it is worth visiting the amber museum, located in the building of the former defensive Don Tower. Interesting museums of the World Ocean and fortifications.

In good weather, it is nice to stroll through the central park of Luisenwall. It contains the Queen Louise Church, the rotunda and the bridge. The architecture of the city also attracts the attention of tourists, for example, the cathedral in the brick Gothic style, and, of course, the numerous city gates: Friedland, Ausphal, Brandenburg, Royal.

Interesting Facts

Kaliningrad is the birthplace of Immanuel Kant. Kaliningrad is famous for its treasures. Antique objects are found when building houses and cleaning lakes. There is even a museum of “found objects” in the city’s Friedland Gate.

Brandenburg Gate

The largest nugget in the amber museum weighs 4 kg 280 g. The Brandenburg Gate is the only one in the city that is still used for its intended purpose.

The population of the city is more than 440 thousand people (2013).

History of City Day

Until 2007, Kaliningraders celebrated City Day in July. Then it was decided to move the holiday to the second Saturday of September, so that creative groups and citizens had time to return from vacations and tours. However, in 2009, the celebration coincided with the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Fascism. Therefore, legislators moved the holiday to the first weekend of September. But the matter did not end there. In 2012, City Day in Kaliningrad was celebrated on July 7-8. In 2022, the main city holiday has been shifted to July 20-22 due to the requirements for the FIFA World Cup. In subsequent years, it was decided to celebrate the celebration on July 4, when in 1946 Konigsberg was renamed Kaliningrad.

Basic information

Story

It was founded on September 1, 1255. The beginning of the modern city was a castle erected on the site of the Prussian fortification of Twangste in the lower reaches of the Pregel River.
The founders are considered to be the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order Poppo von Osterna and the King of the Czech Republic Přemysl Otakar II. Tvangste was besieged by knights, but after help arrived from the king of the Czech Republic, the settlement fell. The first structure was made of wood, and in 1257 the construction of brick walls began.

The castle was named Königsberg ; it was besieged by Prussian tribes three times (in 1260, 1263 and 1273), but survived. In subsequent years, German colonists began to arrive to develop Prussian lands. The indigenous people were assimilated and by the 16th century only 20% of the total population remained.

You may also be interested in: “Koenigsberg City Gate: history, photo and description”

On February 28, 1286, the settlement near the castle walls, bearing the same name, was awarded city rights. Other settlements were rapidly growing around. In 1300, another city began to be called Löbenicht, where the first printing house was opened in 1523, and the first book was printed in 1524.

From an administrative point of view, both cities were independent, but in fact they formed a single whole . The united cities were named Königsberg, and the first and oldest part of it was renamed Altstadt (“old city”).

The third settlement to receive official status was Kneiphof and it also formed part of Königsberg.

In 1466, as a result of the Thirteen Years' War, the capital of the Teutonic Order was moved from Marienburg to Königsberg.

In 1525, the theocratic state became known as the Duchy of Prussia, and Grand Master Albrecht proclaimed himself duke. Since the 16th century, the city became a cultural center, important figures lived there and the first books were published in the Lithuanian language.

In 1660, the publication of its own newspaper began , its copies were regularly sent to Russia to compile reviews intended for the Boyar Duma and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
Territorially unified, but consisting of administratively independent districts, the city existed until 1724, then the official unification of the three cities, their surrounding suburbs, villages and the castle took place. The name remains the same - Koenigsberg.

During the Seven Years' War, the city was captured by Russia and from 1758 to 1762 was part of it. In 1762 it was returned to Prussia under the terms of the St. Petersburg Peace Treaty concluded with it by the Russian Emperor Peter III.

In the 19th century, Königsberg grew and modernized rapidly, with countless ravelins, bastions and defensive ramparts built (many of the buildings still exist).

In 1857, a railway appeared in Königsberg , and in 1862 a railway connection with Russia was established. In May 1881, a new type of transport appeared - horse-drawn (horse-drawn - city railway), and exactly 14 years later (in 1895) - the first trams. In 1901, the electrification of public transport began.

In 1919, the first airport in Germany and one of the first in the world, Devau, was built and put into operation. Regular flights Konigsberg - Riga - Moscow were organized in 1922. In the 20th century, the city expanded significantly; the following were built:

• train stations;
• residential buildings;
• commercial buildings.

The greatest contributions to the architecture of the city were made by Hans Hopp and Friedrich Heitmann. A large place was devoted to monuments and sculptures; they were created by both graduates and teachers of the Koenigsberg Academy of Arts. At the same time, research and reconstruction were carried out in the old castle.

In August 1944, during the British bombing, the city was heavily damaged and the entire old center of Königsberg was destroyed.

That same year, it was stormed by Soviet soldiers.

Assault and capture in 1945

The siege of the city began in December 1944, and assault troops were sent on April 5, 1945. On April 10, a flag was raised over the Der Dona Tower (the modern Amber Museum), marking the end of German rule. During fierce battles, both sides suffered losses of 50 thousand people .

We invite you to watch a video about the assault on Koenigsberg.

Who was given a medal for taking it?

On June 9, 1945, the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces ordered the establishment of a medal for the capture of the fortress city of Koenigsberg.
This medal was awarded to military personnel of the army, navy and NKVD troops who took personal part in the battle for the city, as well as the organizers and leaders of military operations in the period from January 23 to April 10, 1945.

This medal is the only one established in the USSR for the capture of a fortress; all the others were for the liberation and capture of capitals.

The Legend of Underground Kaliningrad

The essence of the legend is that under the city there is an underground city - a backup city, built during German rule . It has power plants, numerous warehouses for food and household goods, and tank and aircraft factories.

Also, the underground city is a repository for many valuables, including the Amber Room. There are two versions of the ending of the legend:

1. During the assault on the city by Soviet soldiers, the Germans collapsed and partially flooded several passages.
2. After the war, an expedition was sent to the dungeon, but it was not able to fully explore all the passages. It was decided to wall up the unexplored tunnels.

Some residents claim that all systems in the lower city are working properly and sometimes someone turns them on to check, then a rumble is heard from the basements and a glow appears.

According to some versions, people still live underground.

The legend originated back in the 1950s; its appearance was provoked by numerous artistic and documentary works of those times.

Where is it located on the map?

The city is located on the shores of the Baltic Sea . On the southern side it borders with Poland, and on the eastern and northern side – with Lithuania. It has no land borders with Russia.

What does this name mean in German?

• The center of the city was the castle, which at its foundation was called “Royal Mountain” (translated from German Königsberg), in honor of the Czech King Přemysl Otakar II, one of the founders.
• According to another version, the word “Königsberg” is of Gothic origin: kuniggs is the head of the clan, and berg is the shore.

Which country does it belong to?

In 1945, the Potsdam Conference was held, by its decision the German province, along with its capital, was annexed to the Soviet Union. After the death of the chairman of the Supreme Council M.I. Kalinin on July 4, 1946, the city received a new name - Kaliningrad , and its region became Kaliningrad.

Coat of arms

The modern coat of arms was approved on July 17, 1996 and finalized on April 28, 1999. The authors of the project are Ernest Grigo and Sergei Kolevatov.
The ancient coat of arms of Königsberg was taken as a basis. On a blue background there is a silver ship with one sail and a silver two-pointed pennant with the St. Andrew's Cross. The mast goes down with three green leaves. Under the ship are 12 gold bezants arranged in a wave shape.

In the center of the mast there is a shield crossed with silver and scarlet, in the upper part there is a crown, in the lower part there is an equal-ended Greek cross (both figures of variable colors). Around the shield is a ribbon of the medal for the capture of Königsberg .

Education

The population of Kaliningrad is rapidly increasing due to the presence of a large number of higher educational institutions in the city. Many applicants come here for admission and stay in the locality for many years, building families. The most popular is the Kaliningrad Law Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, which was founded in 1953. At the same time, the Kaliningrad Police School was created. The educational process here is organized in full-time and correspondence forms.

A lot of good reviews can also be heard about the Kaliningrad State Technical University, which began its work back in 1930. Here children can get an education in many engineering specialties. Graduates get the opportunity to work in the country's leading factories.

In Kaliningrad, attention is paid to the physical and creative development of the younger generation. There are music schools, centers for children and youth creativity, and numerous sports sections.

the Royal Castle

Story

Founded in 1255 on former Prussian territory. Initially, the structure was defensive in nature and was built of wood; later it was reinforced with stone walls. In the early period, the appearance of the castle was dominated by the Gothic style, but over time the purpose of the building itself changed and its architectural appearance changed.

With the coming to power of Duke Albrecht in 1525, the castle turned into a secular palace . Coronations and receptions were held in its halls. In the 18th century, in the basement of the northern wing there was a wine restaurant “Blütgericht”, translated as “Bloody Judgment”. Previously, the restaurant premises were a prison, and there was a trial over it.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the castle served as a museum; rare collections were located within its walls:

1. books;
2. paintings;
3. weapons.

The castle was captured by the Germans during the Second World War , where meetings were held and valuables from plundered countries were stored. One of these loots was the famous Amber Room, transported by the Germans from Pushkin. Its current location is unknown.

The castle was heavily damaged during the war, but the final “collapse” occurred in 1968 - by order of the Soviet authorities, the building was blown up, and the remaining stones were used for new buildings. Several attempts were made to begin the restoration of the castle. Excavations on its territory are periodically resumed, the last ones dating back to 2016.

Where can you find ruins?

The ruins of the castle are located at: st. Shevchenko 2 , public transport stop "Hotel Kaliningrad". Landmark – House of Soviets, built on the territory of a former castle. The visit is paid and possible any day from 10 to 18.

Transport of Kaliningrad

About 90% of the adult population of Kaliningrad have foreign passports, as well as issued Schengen visas. Many residents have small border travel cards, which allow them to cross the borders with Poland in their own transport without obstacles. In this case, there is no need to open an additional visa. Foreign passports are issued to local residents free of charge and no state fee is charged.

Kaliningrad is one of the most automobile cities in Russia. More than 300 thousand vehicles for personal use are registered here. The share of foreign cars is more than 80%. Water communication is also developed in Kaliningrad. The only ice-free port in Russia is located here. Communication is carried out with the ports of the Baltics, Sweden, and Germany.

Kaliningrad is an important railway junction. From the settlement you can get to many parts of Russia without transfers.

City public transport is also well developed. People who do not have their own means of transportation can get to their destination in a timely manner by tram, trolleybus or bus.

What other attractions are there?

• Fishing village . An ethnographic, craft and shopping complex on the banks of the Pregel River, stylized as old Prussia. It was built in 2006.
• Kant Island (Kneiphof). Located in the middle of the Pregel River, in the 14th century there was an entire city with its own coat of arms. In 1944, the island had 28 streets, 304 houses, public transport ran, and during the bombing in August of the same year, the city was completely destroyed. Now the only building is the Cathedral, surrounded by alleys and sculptures.
• Museum of the World Ocean . Opened in 1990 with the aim of preserving and popularizing Russia's maritime heritage. The museum presents the history of shipbuilding and exhibitions dedicated to marine flora and fauna, as well as the study of the seabed.
• Holy Cross Cathedral . Located on Oktyabrsky Island. Until 1945, there was a Lutheran-Evangelical shrine here, bearing the name of the Church of the Cross. Currently it is an Orthodox church. The central element in the external decoration is a mosaic Protestant cross on the facade, framed by an ornament with lilies and wind roses. The inside of the church is decorated in accordance with Orthodox traditions.

Physiographic indicators

It is no coincidence that many years ago the population of Kaliningrad began to grow rapidly. People were attracted by the proximity to the Pregolya River. Now the city is located on both its banks. There are many water bodies here that can improve the state of the environment. These are various ponds, streams and lakes.

The locality lives according to Kaliningrad time. The offset relative to Moscow is two hours ahead. The city's climate changes from maritime to continental. Winters here are much warmer than in the Russian capital. Sometimes you have to wait several months for snow. But in the summer it is quite hot here. It is no coincidence that there are many health resorts near the city.

Forts

Beginning in the 19th century, instead of a continuous wall, a network of forts (earthen fortifications with stone buildings that could accommodate 300 soldiers and a supply of ammunition) was built around the city. The territory between them was shelled by artillery, and at a later time by machine guns.

The defensive ring around Koenigsberg consisted of 12 large and 5 small forts and was called the “night feather bed”.

This defense system was tested in April 1945, coming under fire from the Soviet Army.

Most of the forts were destroyed, and the few that remained were abandoned until recently. Monuments of fortification art are gradually being restored. Two forts are available in excursion mode:

• No. 5 King Frederick William III;
• No. 11 Dönhoff.

Below is a video about the forts of Koenegsberg.

City museums

The Kaliningrad Population Support Center pays special attention to the cultural development of city residents. Museums are supported by the local administration. Funds from the federal budget are also allocated for their development. A lot of good reviews can be heard about the Kaliningrad Art Gallery, which was opened in November 1988. The museum is famous not only in the country, but also abroad. The works of world-famous artists are exhibited here. There are also works by local artists.

The Amber Museum, which opened to visitors in December 1979, may also be of interest to visitors. Here are various jewelry and paintings created from minerals.

Photo

In the photo below you can see the main historical attractions of the city:

Population gain or loss according to the census

The total and official population of the city of Kaliningrad, how many people live in it as of January 1, 2022, the number of people in each individual city district and municipality, further in the second table.

When and how did the deportation of Germans take place?

In 1946, Stalin signed a decree on the voluntary resettlement of 12 thousand Russian families from 27 different regions to Kaliningrad. From 1945 to 1948, several dozen Germans coexisted with Russians in the city, German schools, churches and public organizations operated.

But this neighborhood cannot be called peaceful - the Germans were regularly subjected to violence and looting by the Soviet population. The government tried in every possible way to eliminate hostility between peoples:

1. a newspaper was published;
2. training was conducted in German;
3. Working Germans were given food cards.

Due to the impossibility of peaceful coexistence and increasing incidents of violence, in 1947 a decision was made to forcibly deport the German population.

Between 1947 and 1948, about 100 thousand German citizens and Prussian Lithuanians were resettled.

The deportation took place peacefully and in an orderly manner; former residents of East Prussia were allowed to transport any amount of cargo with them, they were also given dry rations and conscientious assistance was provided during the movement.

Receipts were taken from all those leaving that they had no claims against the Soviet Government . Some German specialists were left to restore agriculture and production, but they also did not receive citizenship and eventually left the country.

The history of Koenigsberg as the Russian city of Kaliningrad is just beginning. Its cultural image has undergone significant changes over the past 15 years:

• new museums appeared;
• forts were restored;
• The first Orthodox church was built.

For a long time, the architectural heritage of the Prussian lands fell into decay, but modern society set about restoring them.

Kaliningrad population census, how many people live on January 1?

What is the official population of Kaliningrad for 2022, how many people live according to the census, how many people are in urban areas as of January 1, trends in income and decrease, is their number increasing or decreasing, such questions are of interest to many and we will try to get answers to them.

The city of Kaliningrad with all its administrative districts is part of the Russian Federation, the administrative center of the Kaliningrad region, which is the westernmost regional center.

We will look into the population of the city of Kaliningrad, how many people live as of January 1, 2022, and how many people officially live in urban areas.

Church of the Holy Family

This is the ancient name of the largest church in Königsberg. And today – the concert hall of the Kaliningrad Philharmonic. Therefore, if you are not going to listen to music there, it is unlikely that you will be able to get inside. But there is also something to see from the outside.

The neo-Gothic style building was built in 1907. Architect Friedrich Heitmann studied many Prussian temples before starting to develop this project. According to legend, when it was pointed out to him that there was a livestock market at the site chosen for the church, he answered - yes, that’s exactly what Joseph bought the donkey on which Mary and the baby rode to Egypt. According to legend, the architect always had the Bible on his drawing table; he wanted both the spirit of Christ and respect for his earthly family to be felt in the future temple. Solidity and aspiration to heaven are surprisingly combined in this building. There was a large organ installed inside and the acoustics were wonderful. Another name is Katharinen Kirche, nearby was St. Catherine's Hospital, where church servants gave food and things that parishioners donated.

During the war, fortunately, the church was not particularly damaged; it was saved by the dense development of the quarter where it was located. Of course, damage was done, especially to the main tower. But the building survived. It no longer became a church, although the local parish is trying to reclaim it. For a long time the building stood abandoned, used as a warehouse. The restoration was completed only in 1980.

The current building looks the same as it did a century ago.

Now the building almost completely repeats its original appearance, including elements of ornamental decor. A powerful organ was installed here again. And the former church turned into a philharmonic society, becoming one of the best concert venues in the country and the world. The building was recognized as a cultural heritage site of the Kaliningrad district.

Ethnic composition

The national composition of the population of Kaliningrad was formed within the framework of the state migration policy of the Soviet government. Skilled workers from Central Russia, Belarus and Ukraine were best suited to fill industrial jobs. Residents of the Baltic republics did not meet the necessary criteria. And not because they did not inspire confidence in the government to settle in the border area.

The main reason that there are practically no Baltic nationalities in the national composition of the population of Kaliningrad is the lack of a sufficient number of specialists in the Baltic republics in the 40s and 50s to work on industrial equipment. At the factories of Riga and Klaipeda, this was done by the Germans who lived there, who also left for Germany for the same reasons as the Germans of Konigsberg - Kaliningrad.

It is quite natural that the national composition of the residents of the Kaliningrad region as an industrial region today has formed in the following form:

The number of other nationalities represented in Kaliningrad indicates their appearance in this region outside the main migration trend, but also without contradictions with the usual national migration processes in the Soviet and post-Soviet space associated with new economic phenomena: Armenians (0.88%), Germans (0.87%), Tatars (0.50%), Poles (0.41%), Azerbaijanis (0.31%).

Also 1 - 2 tenths of a percent are represented by Mordovians, Chuvashs, Jews, Gypsies, and Moldovans. Less than 1 tenth of a percent of the population of Kaliningrad are Chechens, Latvians, Georgians, Koreans, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Bashkirs, Yezidis, Mari.

Fishing village

This is a project with a tourism focus, and it was implemented relatively recently, at the beginning of this century. Today, Fishing Village is the most popular place in Kaliningrad and includes more than a dozen facilities - hotels, cafes, souvenir and jewelry shops, entertainment centers. Observation towers add to the attractiveness of the area - from them you can view the city and the sea. And of course, one of the main objects is the river station. You can take a ride on a pleasure boat.

The fishing village is pleasant for walking. Once upon a time, real fishermen lived here, and today all the features of a German fishermen’s settlement have been recreated. Gothic towers, buildings, lanterns and benches in the old style - photographs against such a background come out amazing. This is a tribute to the city's past, when Kaliningrad was still Koenigsberg. A tribute to the unsaved but recreated past.

View of the Fishing Village from the Honey Bridge.

You can get to the Fishing Village via a drawbridge. This is also a special attraction - a romantic place for walks and dates with lanterns and an openwork fence. The basis for the current pedestrian bridge are the pillars of the Imperial Bridge, built more than a hundred years ago. It itself was destroyed during the Great Patriotic War. Now it is called Yubileiny, as it was opened in honor of the 750th anniversary of the city. The Bridge House is also equipped here, where the control mechanisms for the drawbridge system are located.