Kaliningrad



Kaliningrad

Name: Alexander Podgorchuk

Age: 37

Profession: Photographer

City: Kaliningrad

Can you give us a short description of your city? Where is it located? What is it famous for? Kaliningrad is Russia's westernmost city. It is cut off from the "mainland" of the country by Lithuania and Belarus. The sea port is Russia's main naval base in the Baltic Sea.

What are some things that only locals would know about the city? 

  • Up until 1945, the city was in German territory.
  • The city's architectural "face" was seriously disfigured during the Soviet era. 
  • It is the world's largest source for amber.
  • Every resident of the oblast has visited Vilnius or Warsaw, but few have been to Moscow.

Which places or sites are a must for someone to see if they visit your city? Kant, the Cathedral, the huge unfinished House of Soviets, the sea, amber, the weather.

Anything else? It is a very interesting city, especially from the point of view of news. Things are never quiet here. Something is always happening. It is a rather lively and mercurial city. There are lots of visitors from all over and thus lots of different kinds of people.

Instagram: @podgorchuk



Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955