Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad, is a city in the south of the Russian Federation. It has a population of about 1’000’000 people. It is a very long city, about 90 km long and 8 km wide. The entire city stands on the western bank of the longest river in Europe, the Volga River.
In 1961 Stalingrad was renamed Volgograd. Because of its historical past,the city has many monuments that are built in commemoration of its defenders. The most well known of the monuments is on Mamayev Hill, where lies the Memorial to the Heroes of Stalingrad Battle. At the center stage of this memorial is the Monument of the Motherland (Mat’ Rodina); it is the tallest freestanding statue in the world. It is three times as large as the Statue of Liberty, and has become the symbol of Volgograd.
The Volgograd Region boasts a rich cultural and historical heritage. There are enough theaters and museums to keep most any visitor to Volgograd busy for quite some time. The circus and the planetarium are also popular with visitors. The city also offers the music lover opportunities to enjoy the likes of Tchaikovsky, and Alla Pugachyova. The Central Concert Hall, located at the River Port, houses the famous Volgograd Symphony Orchestra.
Located in a semi-desert region, the city has a very dry climate. It is extremely hot in summer, up to +45 deg. Celsius, and very cold in winter as cold as -27 deg. Celsius.
Many cultural activities in Volgograd revolve around the Volga River. During the summer, one can find people promenading along the Volga Embankment, playing with children and pets in the park, fishing for catfish and sturgeon and eating in sidewalk cafes. In the winter, the Volga ices over and often freezes solid enough to allow for pedestrian traffic between its two banks. Fishermen drill holes in the ice along the Volga’s edges and huddle all day in hopes of nabbing a specimen or two for dinner.
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Volgograd is also known as the home to thousands of sports fans. It is the home of the ROTOR football (soccer) team which counts itself among the most elite clubs in Russia and Europe Whether you enjoy watching or participating, there are many opportunities to take advantage of the athletic side of Volgograd.
There is an abundance of institutes of higher learning in Volgograd, which range from agricultural colleges to law faculties to comprehensive universities. All in all, Volgograd offers the international student an exciting educational and cultural environment to pursue their higher education and to further their understanding of Russian cultures.
