Travel Wishes II – Destination “E”

We’ve virtually visited a large group of great destinations so far via “Destinations A-Z.”

Our second trip through the alphabet of destinations descends on letter “E” and Ekaterinburg, Russia.

We’ve visited Russia before – stopping off in the town of Perm, so we’re now heading just under 5 hours southeast to the town of Yekaterinburg or Ekaterinburg. Between 1924 and 1991, the city was named Sverdlovsk (Свердло́вск) after the Communist party leader Yakov Sverdlov.

All of these great images of the city are via Ekaterinburg Travel – photos by Vladimir “Ekamag” Zadumin.

The city of Ekaterinburg is the capital of the Province: Sverdlovskaya and the Region: Oblast – Middle Urals in the Russian Federation and Russia’s 4th largest city. Its population is around 1.3 million in the city and 4.7 million in the region. A quick check of the local temperature this morning shows a chilly -10 C (14 degrees Farenheit) so if you’re planning to leave for Ekaterinburg tomorrow – bring warm clothes. Average temperatures in July will be a more comfortable 63 degrees F.

This beautiful city known as the “capital of the Urals” lies on the Iset River which flows 606km (376 miles) – rising in the Ural Mountains 25km (15 miles) northwest of Yekaterinburg and flowing east into the Tobol River.

Known in the 18th century as a industrial city with Europe’s largest metallurgical production, a “gold rush” in the later 18th century helped develop this region. In the 1930′s, “Uralmash” the soviet’s largest heavy machinery plant was built in Ekaterinburg and during World War II, Sverdlovsk was the core of the Soviet military program. In 1960, American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down near Sverdlovsk.

If you’ve read anything at all regarding the Russian Revolution of 1917-1918 you will have heard of the Romanov family of Tsar Nicholas II and of Ipatiev House – also known as the “House of Special Purpose.” This property, site of the execution of the entire Imperial family, is now a museum. A “Cathedral on the Blood” has been built here.

Photo of Ipatiev House: Alexander Palace Forum

Prospective visitor’s to this Russian region will want to visit Ekaterinburg Travel for the best in local airports, car rental, and travel tips. Although Ekaterinburg is “foreigner-friendly” there are some areas where travel is restricted.

Read the helpful entry requirements or if coming from the United States, please visit the US State Department web pages for further info. For some additional travel scoop on Ekaterinburg, visit WikiTravel.org.

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