Today I visited Kaliningrad. I have been many times to this city, which is near Zelenogradsk, where I live when I am in Russia.
Kaliningrad was a German city before WW2. The name was Konigsberg, like Zelenogradsk was called Cranz. The region was called “Ost Pruisen”.
That’s why a lot of German history, art, names and architecture are present in Kaliningrad. There are a lot of German wood skeleton houses which has this typical look. After the Germans were defeated in WW2, the city was renamed to Kaliningrad.
New buildings were not only made in Russian style, but architects were so wise to make a mixture of Russian and the old German style of buildings.
That’s why Kaliningrad and it's region looks so good and as a European and Russian city at the same time.
Before the military operation, Kaliningrad was a well visited tourist attraction for people from Poland, Germany, The Netherlands and Denmark. It was easy to get an 8-day electronic visa.
But now these tourists are replaced by Russians coming from other parts of Russia.
There is the same kind of rush in the centre. In the centre there are two eye catching highlights.
The Russian orthodox church with the golden domes and the high rising CCCP monument which was placed there during the Sovjet Union time.
I like these old Sovjet monuments, something mystical about them to me. Some residents of Kaliningrad want that the old name Konigsberg will return.
I understand such desire while Kaliningrad is still this German city with German architecture, and which is connected to Immanuel Kant, the famous German philosopher.
But at the same time Kaliningrad became a Russian city and this you notice everywhere.
Königsberg or Kaliningrad, what’s in a name?
What ever they do with the city name, for me Kaliningrad feels like home, a city where I feel at ease!