The westernmost point of Russia is B altiysk. The sights of this city and its history are described below in the article.
The city of B altiysk: history
In the place of the city in the XIII century there was a small fishing village called Pillau ("fortress"). The village belonged to the Prussians. In the 16th century, the village became an important port of the duchy, which contributed to its unrest. With the opening of the navigable harbor, the first fortifications and warehouses began to appear here.
Swedes settled in the harbor in the 17th century. They began to renovate the old fortifications of the village and built a star-shaped fleet. Now this place is the main attraction of B altiysk. In 1635, the village was transferred under the control of Brandenburg, after paying a ransom by local residents.
Pillau is gradually expanding. At the end of the 17th century, a lighthouse and a stone church appeared, and in 1725 it received the status of a city. In the war with the French, Russian troops and Napoleon's troops took turns conquering the city. The last was Napoleon in 1807, but he had to retreat as peace was made with Russia.
The city of B altiysk appeared after the end of World War II, when the entire territory of the Kaliningrad region passed to Russia, and the name Pillau remained only in history. ATcurrently it is a port city, which is the westernmost point of the country. B altiysk is also a naval base of the Russian Federation.
B altiysk: sights of architecture
The first significant attraction is the lighthouse. It is considered the symbol of the city. It was built by Yakov Shinkel in place of the wooden one. The previous lighthouse was not clearly visible to ships, but the new one is visible for 15 miles.
The building of the old Gothic church is now the Cathedral of the B altic Sea Fleet. St. George's Cathedral was opened in 1991. In 2001, the relics of General Ushakov were brought here, who was canonized as a saint.
What else can impress B altiysk? The sights of the city are ancient architecture. The oldest buildings are considered to be the Western and Eastern Forts, as well as the ruins of Lochstedt Castle. The castle was built by the inhabitants of the village of Pillau. At first it was made of wood, but later it was replaced with a stone version. The western fort was built at the same time as the eastern one, however, it is much better preserved. Little remains of the East Fort.
Museum
When the city of B altiysk (Kaliningrad region) was under the rule of the Swedes, a citadel was built here by order of the King of Sweden. The construction was not completed and the locals themselves completed the construction of the citadel. It has been repeatedly rebuilt and reconstructed.
Now the citadel, according to the original plan, looks like a pentagonal star. Each side is 80 meters and hasown bastion: Prussia, Albrecht, Kronprinz, König, Königen.
Since 2000, the Museum of the B altic Fleet has been opened in the citadel. Visitors can see scuba tanks of various years, models of warships and their real parts. The museum also contains parts of military aircraft and missiles.
Monuments
B altiysk experienced many historical events. The sights of the city speak eloquently about this. There are many interesting monuments here, for example, a monument to Peter I. It is amazing to see such a monument in a city that became Russian only after World War II. But Peter I fell in love with Pillau and came here several times. In 1998, on the 300th anniversary of the B altic Fleet, a monument was erected to the Emperor.
In 2004, a monument to Empress Elizabeth was erected in B altiysk in honor of the victories of Russian troops during her reign. The Empress in the uniform of a colonel proudly sits on a galloping horse.
There is also a monument in B altiysk to a famous hydraulic builder and academician who lived in the city in the 19th century. Honorary citizen of the city Gottild Hagen - the author of most of the fortifications, the southern pier and the harbor. The monument to the academician was erected back in 1887.
The city has been a port for a long time, so the sculpture of a woman waiting for her husband to return from swimming is considered one of the main symbols of the city. A woman holds a child in her arms and looks into the sea distance, personifying the fate of the sailors' wives and their joy from the return of their husbands home.
Conclusion
On the shoreThe B altic Strait is the westernmost city of Russia - B altiysk. Sights testify to the interesting and turbulent history of the settlement: the remains of the fortress walls, castle ruins, urban architecture and interesting monuments, the Museum of the B altic Fleet - all this is worth seeing at least once.
