KALININGRAD ... APPEALS TO YOUR SENSE OF ADVENTURE
Russia’s smallest oblast (region) of Kaliningrad is an enclave located 200 miles away from the border of Russia proper. Kaliningrad was a spoil of World War II, allocated from Germany to the Soviet Union at the Potsdam Conference. Kaliningrad was named after Mikhail Kalinin, formal "leader" of the Soviet Union from 1919 until 1946.
The oblast is a wedge-shaped piece of land along the Baltic Sea between Poland and Lithuania. The oblast’s primary and port city is also known as Kaliningrad. Approximately 400,000 people live in metropolitan Kaliningrad and a total of nearly one million are in the oblast.
Known as Konigsberg ("King’s Mountain"), the city was founded in 1255 by Teutonic knights after conquering Prussian tribes that were settled in this area. The German philosopher Immanuel Kant was born in Konigsberg in 1724; his tomb survived World War II and can be visited next to Königsberg Cathedral. The capital of German East Prussia, Konigsberg was the home to a grand Prussian Royal Castle, destroyed along with much of the city in the Second World War.
Since earliest times the city and the region that formed a part of the Prussian Duchy prospered and had big influence on Lithuanian culture. Many Lithuanians studied at Königsberg University. This was the place where the first printed books in the Lithuanian language were published in 1547 and it for long remained the center of the publishing in Lithuanian.
Kaliningrad today is a typical example of a post war Soviet city still with several historical buildings surviving, such as the Cathedral, some of the forts and city gates. The mixture of history and modern Russian culture is one of the major points that attract visitors to the area.
One of Kaliningrad’s most prized resources, often sought after by tourists, is Baltic Amber with about 90% of world amber supply found underground, just inland from the coastal area. At one time the World’s largest open pit amber mine and refinery was located there but was closed in 2002 for environmental reasons. Tourists can still visit the site to see how this Baltic gold was mined and purchase amber souvenirs which are so plentiful in this region.
A number of resort towns are located on the Baltic Sea coast offering varied standard of accommodation, medical and therapeutic wellness treatment services. Kaliningrad and Lithuania share the Kuronian Spit, a 90 km long sandy peninsula that was included into UNESCO’s World Heritage List because of the unique landscape and the intermingling of traditional fishermen villages. The most attractive feature of the resorts in the Kaliningrad area is the opportunity to enjoy peaceful relaxation and the luxury of spa treatments.
There’s no easier way to visit Kaliningrad and area from than Lithuania simply by traveling along the spectacular 90 km Kuronian spit and it is well worth spending a night or two there to get acquainted with this fascinating region and please don’t miss the opportunity to buy some unforgettable amber souvenirs.
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