Volgograd
Volgograd (Russian: Волгогра́д; IPA: [vəlɡɐˈɡrat]), formerly Tsaritsyn (Russian: Цари́цын), 1589–1925, andStalingrad (Russian: Сталингра́д), 1925–1961, is an important industrial city and the administrative center ofVolgograd Oblast, Russia. It is 80 kilometers (50 mi) long, north to south. It is situated on the western bank of the Volga River. The population is 1,021,215 (2010 Census);1,011,417 (2002 Census);1,022,578 (1989 Census).
The city became famous for its resistance — and the extensive physical damage and death toll it suffered — during the Battle of Stalingrad against the German Army in World War II. Beginning in 2013, for nine days every year, the city may be officially referred to as «Stalingrad».Some residents have suggested that the city be permanently renamed «Stalingrad»; presidentVladimir Putin has expressed that such a move should be preceded by a local referendum.
Culture and recreation
A memorial complex commemorating the battle of Stalingrad, dominated by an immense allegorical sculpture The Motherland Calls, was erected on the Mamayev Kurgan, the hill that saw some of the most intense fighting during the battle. With its 85 meters it is almost twice the height of the Statue of Liberty; it is the tallest statue of a woman in the world.
The Panorama Museum sited on the Volga contains artifacts from World War II. These include a panoramic painting of the battlefield from the location of the monument on Mamayev Kurgan. A rifle of the famous sniper Vasily Zaytsev (popularized in Western media in the filmEnemy at the Gates) is also on display.
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Hotels in Volgograd