Misplaced Pages

#925074

77-443: In February 1952, construction of a new oil refinery plant near Volgograd began, which was completed by December 1957 and began operations soon after. In the following years, the refinery significantly expanded its production capacity and range. In 1990, the plant became a part of Lukoil . In 2005, the production of petroleum coke through calcination began at the refinery, with production at about 100,000 tons per year. In 2006,

154-519: A light rail service known as the Volgograd Metrotram . Local public transport is provided by buses, trolleybuses and trams. The Volga River still is a very important communication channel. At the time of the official 2010 Census, the ethnic makeup of the city's population whose ethnicity was known (999,785) was: A memorial complex commemorating the battle of Stalingrad, dominated by an immense allegorical sculpture The Motherland Calls ,

231-512: A moment of silence was observed nationwide at noon Moscow time. As the bells of the Kremlin Clock chimed the hour, sirens and horns wailed nationwide, along with a 21-gun salute fired from within the precincts of the Kremlin . Similar observances were also held in other Eastern Bloc countries including Mongolia , China and North Korea. Immediately after the silence ended, a military band played

308-500: A stroke , at age 74. He was given a state funeral in Moscow on 9 March, with four days of national mourning declared. On the day of the funeral, of the hundreds of thousands of Soviet citizens visiting the capital to pay their respects, at least 109 were later acknowledged to have died in a human crush . Stalin's body was embalmed and interred in Lenin's Mausoleum until 1961, when it

385-847: A "minute of silence". At the request of President Eisenhower , Secretary of State John Foster Dulles transmitted a message of condolence through the American Embassy to the Soviet Foreign Ministry. After Stalin's death, Patriarch Alexy I composed a personal statement of condolence to the Soviet Council of Ministers : "His death is a heavy grief for our Fatherland and for all the people who inhabit it. The whole Russian Orthodox Church, which will never forget his benevolent attitude to Church needs, feels great sorrow at his death. The bright memory of him will live ineradicably in our hearts. Our Church proclaims eternal memory to him with

462-513: A Soviet pilot and cosmonaut and the first human to venture into outer space. On the second floor, there are large stained glass windows, featuring images related to Soviet space exploration. The planetarium was outfitted with a Zeiss projector , the first produced by the Carl Zeiss Company in their Jena plant after the end of World War 2. The projector supplied was the UPP-23/1s model, which

539-546: A campaign was launched by the Regional Executive Council to close down the synagogue in Stalingrad. Due to local resistance, they were not successful until 1929, when the council convened a Special Commission. The Commission convinced local municipal authorities that the building was in need of major repairs, was unsafe and much too small for the over 800 worshippers who regularly attended for high holidays. In 1931,

616-480: A diverse place. An 1897 survey reveals 893 Jews (512 men and 381 women), 1,729 Muslims (938 men and 791 women), and 193 Catholics (116 men and 77 women). Land for the Holy Spirit Monastery was originally allocated in 1904, but construction did not begin until 1909 and was not complete until 1911. Sergei Trufanov , also known as the 'mad monk' of Tsaritsyn, was the driving force behind fundraising and getting

693-693: A floating church. The boat chapel sports three shining domes and was decorated with icons and religious motifs by a local Volgograd artist. On its maiden voyage, the Saint Vladimir reached Astrakhan in the south and Saratov in the north; traveling an 800 kilometer (~500 mile) span of the Volga River. Death and state funeral of Joseph Stalin Joseph Stalin , second leader of the Soviet Union , died on 5 March 1953 at his Kuntsevo Dacha after suffering

770-549: A group of medical experts were summoned to examine Stalin. Based on their examination, which revealed blood pressure of 190/110 and right-sided hemiplegia , they concluded that Stalin, who had a known history of uncontrolled hypertension , had sustained a hemorrhagic stroke involving the left middle cerebral artery . Over the next two days he received a variety of treatments. In an attempt to decrease his blood pressure, which had risen to 210/120, two separate applications of eight leeches each were applied to his neck and face over

847-623: A petition to Vladimir Putin , asking that the city's name be permanently changed to Stalingrad. President Putin has replied that such a move should be preceded by a local referendum and that the Russian authorities will look into how to bring about such a referendum. In 2011, the City Duma canceled direct election of the mayor and confirmed the position of City Manager. This was short-lived, as in March 2012, Volgograd residents voted for relevant amendments to

SECTION 10

#1732869091926

924-535: A result, in the three years spanning 1908 to 1910, Tsaritsyn lost 1,045 people to cholera. With a population of only 102,452 at the time, that amounted to a 1.01% loss of the population. Between 1908 and 1911, Tsaritsyn was home to Sergei Trufanov , also known as the 'mad monk' Iliodor. He spent most of his time causing infighting and power struggles within the Russian Orthodox Church , fomenting anti-semitic zeal and violence in local populations, attacking

1001-471: A rifle of the famous sniper Vasily Zaytsev ), uniforms, personal belongings of generals and soldiers involved in the battle and detailed maps and timelines of the battle. The Volgograd Planetarium was a gift from East Germany in honor of what would have been Stalin's 70th birthday. Neoclassical in style, the building facade is designed like a Roman temple, with six Tuscan columns topped by capitals decorated with stars. Designed by Vera Ignatyevna Mukhina ,

1078-435: A special feeling of abiding love." Alexy I also gave a eulogy on the day of Stalin's funeral. Other Orthodox officials, including Nicholas (Yarushevich) , attended the funeral and mourned for Stalin. Stalin left neither a designated successor nor a framework within which a peaceful transfer of power could take place. The Central Committee met on the day of his death, after which Malenkov, Beria, and Khrushchev emerged as

1155-532: A strong degree of local support for a reversion, but the Russian Soviet government did not accept such proposals. On May 21, 2007, Roman Grebennikov of Communist Party was elected as mayor with 32.47% of the vote, a plurality. Grebennikov became Russia's youngest mayor of a federal subject administrative center at the time. In 2010, Russian monarchists and leaders of the Orthodox organizations demanded that

1232-683: Is a short distance to the north of Volgograd. Volgograd is a major railway junction served by the Privolzhskaya Railway . Rail links from the Volgograd railway station include Moscow; Saratov; Astrakhan; the Donbas region of Ukraine ; the Caucasus and Siberia . It stands at the east end of the Volga–Don Canal , opened in 1952 to link the two great rivers of Southern Russia . European route E40 ,

1309-507: Is even more precarious than when Stalin was alive." This turned out to be correct; several months later, in June 1953, Beria was arrested and charged with a variety of crimes but, significantly, none relating to Stalin's death. He was subsequently found guilty of treason , terrorism and counter-revolutionary activity by the Supreme Court of the Soviet Union on 23 December 1953, and executed

1386-497: Is no surprise that the lower Volga region was a hotbed of revolutionary activity and civil unrest. The inability of the Tsarist government to provide basic protections from cholera on the one hand and subjecting the populace to strict but ineffective health measures on the other, caused multiple riots in 1829 , in the 1890s and throughout the first decade of the 1900s , setting the stage for multiple Russian revolutions and adding fuel to

1463-495: Is sometimes referred to by the title of the most famous of these sculptures, called "Having withstood, we conquered death". The Panorama Museum of the Battle of Stalingrad is a large cultural complex that sits on the shore of the Volga river . It is located on the site of the "Penza Defense Junction", a group of buildings along Penzenskaya Street (now Sovetskaya Street), which was defended by

1540-635: The Battle for Tsaritsyn . On April 10, 1925, the city was renamed Stalingrad, in honor of Joseph Stalin , General Secretary of the Communist Party. This was officially to recognize the city and Stalin's role in its defense against the Whites between 1918 and 1920. Once the Soviets established control, ethnic and religious minorities were targeted. The only Jewish school in the area was closed down in 1926. In 1928,

1617-829: The Soviet State Anthem , and then a military parade of the Moscow Garrison was held in Stalin's honor. In their efforts to pay their respects to Stalin, a number of Soviet citizens, many of whom had travelled from across the country to attend the funeral, were crushed and trampled to death in a crowd crush . They were crushed against building walls and Soviet Army trucks, which had been deployed to block off side streets. Mourners, along with mounted police and their horses, were trampled to death in Trubnaya Square  [ ru ] . The Soviet government did not initially report

SECTION 20

#1732869091926

1694-454: The city charter to reinstate the direct mayoral elections. Volgograd is the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast . Within the framework of administrative divisions , it is incorporated as the city of oblast significance of Volgograd —an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts . As a municipal division , the city of oblast significance of Volgograd is incorporated as Volgograd Urban Okrug . Although

1771-466: The 13th Guards Rifle Division. The complex includes Gerhardt's Mill , which is preserved in its bombed out state. The museum on the complex grounds houses the largest painting in Russia, a panoramic painting of the battlefield as seen from Mamayev Kurgan , where "The Motherland Calls" statue now stands. This museum also features Soviet military equipment from the 1940s, numerous exhibits of weapons (including

1848-495: The 1890s, the economy of Volgograd (then Tsaritsyn), relied mainly on the trade of grain, naphtha , fish and salt. Modern Volgograd remains an important industrial city. Industries include shipbuilding , oil refining , steel and aluminum production, manufacture of heavy machinery and vehicles at the Volgograd Tractor Plant and Titan-Barrikady plant, and chemical production. The large Volgograd Hydroelectric Plant

1925-511: The 2010s, but the most important findings were reported in a special bulletin in Pravda on 7 March 1953, as follows: "Pathological-Anatomical Examination of the Body of J. V. Stalin" Pathologic examination revealed a large hemorrhage, localized to the area of subcortical centers of the left cerebral hemisphere. This hemorrhage destroyed important areas of the brain and resulted in irreversible changes in

2002-467: The Anti-Plague Commission to Tsaritsyn in 1907, local municipal officials did not put any precautions into place, citing economic considerations. The city's drinking water came directly from the river, the intake pipe dangerously close to both the port and the sewage drain. There were neither funds nor political will to close the port (the main hub of economic activity) or move the intake pipes. As

2079-653: The German settlement-colony Old Sarepta (founded in 1765) became a district of Stalingrad. Renamed Krasnoarmeysky Rayon (or "Red Army District"), it was the largest area of the city. The first higher education institute was opened in 1930. A year later, the Stalingrad Industrial Pedagogical Institute, now Volgograd State Pedagogical University , was opened. Under Stalin, the city became a center of heavy industry and transshipment by rail and river. During World War II , German and Axis forces attacked

2156-548: The Soviet Press . Decades later, former senior officer and historian Dmitry Volkogonov described how, on 28 February 1953, Stalin and a small number of his inner circle, consisting of Lavrentiy Beria , Nikita Khrushchev , Georgy Malenkov , Vyacheslav Molotov and a few others, gathered together for an evening of entertainment and drinking. After the guests dispersed at approximately 4:00 a.m. on 1 March, Stalin retired to his private quarters with strict instructions that he

2233-597: The Soviet system were immediately implemented. Economic reform scaled back the mass construction projects, placed a new emphasis on house building, and eased the levels of taxation on the peasantry to stimulate production. The new leaders sought rapprochement with Yugoslavia and a less hostile relationship with the U.S., and they pursued a negotiated end to the Korean War in July 1953. The doctors who had been imprisoned were released and

2310-454: The city center. Between 1903 and 1907, the area was one of the least healthy in Europe, with a mortality rate of 33.6 for every 1000 persons. Untreated sewage spilled into the river, causing several cholera epidemics between 1907 and 1910. Although the region had an active Sanitary Executive Commission that sent out instructions on the best ways to prevent outbreaks and dispatched a delegate from

2387-493: The city on July 14. By September, the fighting reached the city center. It was of unprecedented intensity; the city's central railway station changed hands thirteen times, and the Mamayev Kurgan (one of the highest points of the city) was captured and recaptured eight times. By early November, the German forces controlled 90 percent of the city and had cornered the Soviets in two narrow pockets, but they were unable to eliminate

Volgograd Refinery - Misplaced Pages Continue

2464-533: The city should take back its original name of Tsaritsyn, but the authorities rejected their proposal. On January 30, 2013, the Volgograd City Council passed a measure to use the title " Hero City Stalingrad" in city statements on nine specific dates annually. On the following dates, the title "Hero City Stalingrad" can officially be used in celebrations: In addition, in January 2013, 50,000 people signed

2541-487: The city was on an important trade route for moving timber, grain, cotton, cast iron, fish, salt and linseed oil, the economic reach of the Volga was relatively small. When the first rail lines were linked up to Moscow in 1871, this isolated area was suddenly and efficiently connected to the rest of the empire. Thanks to that connection, the province became a major producer, processor and exporter of grain, supplying most of Russia. By

2618-408: The city, which, in 1942, became the site of one of the war's pivotal battles. The Battle of Stalingrad was the deadliest single battle in the history of warfare (casualties estimates vary between 1,250,000 and 2,500,000 ). The battle began on August 23, 1942, and on the same day, the city suffered heavy aerial bombardment that reduced most of it to rubble. Martial law had already been declared in

2695-630: The city. In 1691 Moscow established a customs -post at Tsaritsyn. In 1708 Tsaritsyn was assigned to the Kazan Governorate ; in 1719 to the Astrakhan Governorate . According to the census in 1720, the city had a population of 408 people. In 1773 the settlement was designated as a provincial and district town. From 1779 it belonged to the Saratov Viceroyalty . In 1780 the city came under the newly established Saratov Governorate . In

2772-535: The city. Of the population of more than half a million before the battle, only 1,515 remained following the battle's conclusion. In 1945, the Soviet Union awarded Stalingrad the title Hero City for its resistance. Great Britain's King George VI awarded the citizens of Stalingrad the jewelled " Sword of Stalingrad " in recognition of their bravery. A number of cities around the world (especially those that had suffered similar wartime devastation) established sister, friendship, and twinning links (see list below) in

2849-548: The coffin containing Stalin's body was put on display at the Hall of Columns in the House of the Unions , remaining there for three days. On 9 March, the body was delivered to Red Square prior to interment in Lenin's Mausoleum . Speeches were delivered by Khrushchev, Malenkov, Molotov and Beria, after which pallbearers carried the coffin to the mausoleum. As Stalin's body was being interred,

2926-579: The complex was used as an orphanage, a library, a cinema and a student hostel. Eventually, many of the buildings fell into disuse and became dilapidated. At the onset of the Second World War, the complex was given to the military and many of the original buildings were demolished. After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the Diocese of Volgograd was established and the military began the process of transferring what

3003-487: The crosses and bells removed and the liturgical objects confiscated. The cathedral was then used as a motor depot and eventually demolished in 1932. In 2001, the long project of rebuilding the cathedral was begun. The first foundation stone was laid in 2016 and the finished replica was finally consecrated in 2021 by Patriarch Kirill . The new church stands in central Volgograd, bounded by Communist Street (Russian: Коммунистическая Улица) and Mir Street (Russian: Улица Мира) on

3080-491: The dome is crowned by a female personification of Peace, holding an astrolabe with a dove. Opened in 1954, it was only the second purpose-built planetarium in the Soviet Union. The entryway interior features a mural of Stalin in the white uniform of a naval admiral, surrounded by lilies and doves, more symbols of peace. On either side of the mural, are busts of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky , a Soviet rocket scientist, and Yuri Gagarin ,

3157-752: The end of the Second World War . He had atherosclerosis as a result of heavy smoking, a mild stroke around the time of the Victory Parade in May 1945, and a severe heart attack in October 1945. The last three days of Stalin's life have been described in detail, first in the official Soviet announcements in Pravda , and then in a complete English translation which followed shortly thereafter in The Current Digest of

Volgograd Refinery - Misplaced Pages Continue

3234-441: The event, and the exact number of casualties is unknown. Khrushchev later provided an estimate that 109 people died in the crowd. According to Ogoniok , the mourners included the following foreign dignitaries (listed alphabetically by last name): Czechoslovak leader Gottwald died shortly after attending Stalin's funeral, on 14 March 1953, after one of his arteries burst. Fearing their departure might encourage rivals within

3311-535: The fortress; they left after a month. In 1708 the insurgent Cossack Kondraty Bulavin (died July 1708) held the fortress. In 1717 in the Kuban pogrom  [ ru ] , raiders from the Kuban under the command of the Crimean Tatar Bakhti Gerai  [ ru ] blockaded the town and enslaved thousands in the area. In August 1774 Cossack leader Yemelyan Pugachev unsuccessfully attempted to storm

3388-491: The heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad, which is the tallest statue in Europe, as well as the second tallest statue of a woman in the world. The city has many tourist attractions, such as museums, sandy beaches, and a self-propelled floating church. Volgograd was one of the host cities of the 2018 FIFA World Cup . Tsaritsyn was established in 1555 and was named after the Tsaritsa river  [ d ] . The name of Tsaritsyn

3465-529: The history of warfare, from which it received the title of Hero City . In 1961, Nikita Khrushchev 's administration renamed the city Volgograd as part of de-Stalinization . The Soviet victory at Stalingrad is widely held to be the turning point of the War, leading the to the destruction of the German army in the East. Volgograd today is the site of The Motherland Calls , an 85-metre (279 ft) high statue dedicated to

3542-584: The last pockets of Soviet resistance before Soviet forces launched a huge counterattack on November 19. This resulted in the Soviet encirclement of the German Sixth Army and other Axis units. On January 31, 1943, Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus , the Sixth Army's commander, surrendered; by February 2, with the elimination of straggling German troops, the Battle of Stalingrad was over. The bombing campaign and five months of fighting destroyed 99% of

3619-706: The longest European route connecting Calais in France with Ridder in Kazakhstan , passes through Volgograd. The M6 highway between Moscow and the Caspian Sea also passes through the city. The Volgograd Bridge , under construction since 1995, was inaugurated in October 2009. The city river terminal is the center for local passenger shipping along the Volga River. The Volgograd International Airport provides air links to major Russian cities as well as Antalya , Yerevan and Aktau . Volgograd's public transport system includes

3696-617: The moment of brain hemorrhage. Therefore, all treatment attempts could not have led to a favorable outcome and prevent a fatal end." As summarized above, rather than suggesting a plot by Beria, on whom suspicion fell for his purportedly telling Molotov that he "took him out" at one point, and his seemingly willful delay in obtaining medical treatment for Stalin, the physical changes seen during autopsy were consistent with extracranial changes that often occur in stroke victims. Beria's son, Sergo Beria, later recounted that after Stalin's death, his mother Nina told her husband that, "Your position now

3773-451: The name of the city to Volgograd ("Volga City") as part of his programme of de-Stalinization following Stalin's death. This action was and remains somewhat controversial, because Stalingrad has such importance as a symbol of resistance during World War II. During Konstantin Chernenko 's brief rule in 1984, proposals were floated to revive the city's Stalinist name for that reason. There was

3850-411: The next two days. However, Stalin's condition continued to deteriorate and he died at 9:50 p.m. on 5 March 1953. His death was announced the next day on Radio Moscow by Yuri Levitan . Stalin's body was then taken to an unspecified location and an autopsy performed, after which it was embalmed for public viewing. Attempts to locate and access the original autopsy report were unsuccessful until

3927-465: The nineteenth century, Tsaritsyn became an important river-port and commercial center. As a result, it also became a hub for migrant workers; in 1895 alone, over 50,000 peasant migrants came to Tsaritsyn in search of work. The population expanded rapidly, increasing from fewer than 3,000 people in 1807 to about 84,000 in 1900. By 1914, the population had again jumped and was estimated at 130,000. Sources show 893 Jews registered as living there in 1897, with

SECTION 50

#1732869091926

4004-405: The north and south and Volodarsk Street (Russian: Улица Володарского) and Gogol Street (Russian: Улица Гоголя) on the west and east, respectively. This area is also a park, called Alexander's Garden . The cathedral stands across the street from a World War 2 monument, and a statue of and chapel for, the eponymous Alexander Nevsky . Volgograd hosts one of the few self-propelled floating churches in

4081-428: The number exceeding 2,000 by the middle of the 1920s. At the turn of the nineteenth century, Tsaritsyn was essentially a frontier town; almost all of the structures were wooden, with neither paved roads nor utilities. The first railway reached the town in 1862. The first theatre opened in 1872, the first cinema in 1907. In 1913 Tsaritsyn got its first tram-line, and the city's first electric lights were installed in

4158-610: The party's dominant figures. The system of collective leadership was restored, and measures introduced to prevent any one member from attaining autocratic domination. The collective leadership included eight senior members of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , namely Georgy Malenkov , Lavrentiy Beria , Vyacheslav Molotov , Kliment Voroshilov , Nikita Khrushchev , Nikolai Bulganin , Lazar Kaganovich and Anastas Mikoyan . Reforms to

4235-460: The policy of De-Stalinization . The name was changed to Volgograd in 1961, derived from name of the Volga river, on whose bank the city is situated. Although the city may have originated in 1555, documented evidence of Tsaritsyn at the confluence of the Tsaritsa  [ ru ] and Volga rivers dates from 1589. The structure stood slightly above the mouth of the Tsaritsa River on

4312-775: The political fire. During the Russian Civil War of 1917–1923, Tsaritsyn came under Soviet control from November 1917. In 1918 White Movement troops under Pyotr Krasnov , the Ataman of the Don Cossack Host , besieged Tsaritsyn. The Reds repulsed three assaults by the Whites. However, in June 1919 the White Armed Forces of South Russia , under the command of General Denikin , captured Tsaritsyn, and held it until January 1920. The fighting from July 1918 to January 1920 became known as

4389-423: The press, denouncing local municipal officials and causing unrest wherever he went. The most permanent mark he left on the city was the Holy Spirit Monastery ( Russian : Свято-Духовский монастырь ), built in 1909, parts of which still stand today. In light of the explosive population growth, the lack of political action on sanitation and housing, the multiple epidemics and the presence of volatile personalities, it

4466-454: The project off the ground. The original complex had a church that could accommodate 6,000 people, the monastery itself could house 500 and an auditorium that held 1,000. There was a school, space for workshops, a printing office and an almshouse . The land the monastery stood on also hosted multiple gardens, a fountain and several inner yards. In 1912, the monastery was divided to a male and female section, housing both monks and nuns. In 1914,

4543-522: The ranks of the Party of Labour of Albania , neither Prime Minister Enver Hoxha nor Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu risked traveling to Moscow to attend the funeral, with Hoxha instead pledging eternal allegiance to the late Soviet leader. Guatemalan officials in the government of Jacobo Árbenz eulogized Stalin as a "great statesman and leader ... whose passing is mourned by all progressive men". The Guatemalan Congress paid tribute to Stalin with

4620-517: The refinery began to produce gasoline that fit the European emission standard of Euro-3. The refinery also began production of diesel fuel . In June 2015, the introduction of a new refining unit allowed immediate production of LNG , which increased the refinery's processing capacity to 14.5 million tons per year. In May 2016, the refinery began producing fuel that fulfill the Euro-5 standard . In 2020,

4697-519: The refinery ranked second among 480 enterprises across much of southern Russia . In February 2024, during the Russo-Ukrainian War , the refinery was hit by a drone from the Ukrainian military . Volgograd Volgograd , formerly Tsaritsyn (1589–1925) and Stalingrad (1925–1961), is the largest city and the administrative centre of Volgograd Oblast , Russia . The city lies on

SECTION 60

#1732869091926

4774-453: The respiration and circulation. In addition to the brain hemorrhage, there were found significant hypertrophy of the left ventricle (of the heart), numerous hemorrhages in the myocardium, in the stomach and intestinal mucosa; atherosclerotic changes in the vessels, more prominent in the cerebral arteries. These are the result of hypertension. The results of the pathologic examination revealed the irreversible character of J.V. Stalin's disease from

4851-462: The right bank. It soon became the nucleus of a trading settlement. At the beginning of the 17th century, the garrison consisted of 350 to 400 people. In 1607 the fortress garrison rebelled for six months against the troops of Tsar Vasili Shuisky . In the following year saw the construction of the first stone church in the city, dedicated to St. John the Baptist. In 1670 troops of Stepan Razin captured

4928-414: The same day, shot by General Pavel Batitsky . Some historians have conjectured that Stalin was murdered; Beria has been accused of poisoning him, but no firm evidence has appeared. According to a theory developed by historians Vladimir Naumov and Jonathan Brent , based on mentions of stomach hemorrhaging excised from his autopsy, Stalin was poisoned with warfarin , most likely by Beria. On 6 March,

5005-461: The school on the grounds of the Holy Spirit Monastery became part of the city school system and in 1915, housed 53 girls whose fathers were on the front lines. During the Russian Civil War , an infirmary was set up and the complex was alternately used by both the Bolsheviks and the Whites . In 1923, once the area was under firm Bolshevik control, the monastery was closed. During the following decades,

5082-518: The spirit of solidarity or reconciliation. One of the first "sister city" projects was that established during World War II between Stalingrad and Coventry in the United Kingdom ; both had suffered extensive devastation from aerial bombardment. In March 2022, this twinning link was suspended because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine . On 10 November 1961, Nikita Khrushchev 's administration changed

5159-413: The start of the Russian Civil War , Tsaritsyn came under Bolshevik control. It fell briefly to the White Army in mid-1919 but returned to Bolshevik control in January 1920. In 1925, the city was renamed Stalingrad in honor of Joseph Stalin , who then ruled the country. During World War II , Axis forces attacked the city, leading to the Battle of Stalingrad , the largest and bloodiest battle in

5236-471: The street from the Panorama Museum, stands Pavlov's House , another surviving monument to the Battle of Stalingrad. Several monuments and memorials can be found nearby, including a statue of Lenin, a statue in honor of children who survived war and another to the Pavlov's House defenders. The Musical Instrument Museum is a branch of the Volgograd regional Museum of local lore. As a port city along an important and busy trading route, Volgograd has always been

5313-424: The warmer months. Across from this Hall, there is a statue called Mother's Sorrow, which depicts a grieving woman holding a fallen soldier in her arms. During the summer months, this statue is surrounded by a small water feature, called the Lake of Tears. Further down the hill of this complex, there is a Plaza of Heroes (also known as Heroes' Square), featuring multiple allegorical sculptures of heroic deeds. This plaza

5390-542: The western bank of the Volga , covering an area of 859.4 square kilometres (331.8 square miles), with a population of slightly over one million residents. Volgograd is the 16th-largest city by population size in Russia, the second-largest city of the Southern Federal District , and the fourth-largest city on the Volga. The city was founded as the fortress of Tsaritsyn in 1589. By the 19th century, Tsaritsyn had become an important river-port and commercial centre, leading to its rapid population growth. In November 1917, at

5467-400: The world: the chapel boat of Saint Vladimir of Volgograd. Spearheaded by Vladimir Koretsky and assisted by a Dutch Orthodox priest who was part of the organization Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the Saint Vladimir was consecrated in October 2004 on the shore of the Volga. Originally a decommissioned landing craft found in a shipyard outside St. Petersburg, it took two years to convert it into

5544-399: Was erected on the Mamayev Kurgan (Russian: Мамаев Курган), the hill that saw some of the most intense fighting during the battle. This complex includes the Hall of Military Glory, a circular building housing an eternal flame and bearing plaques with the names of the fallen heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad. This memorial features an hourly changing of the guard that draws many tourists during

5621-468: Was left of the Holy Spirit Monastery back to the church. A theological school was established in 1992 and restoration of the site continues today. Construction of the cathedral began on April 22, 1901, with the laying of the foundation stone by Bishop Hermogenes . The domes were installed in 1915 and consecration took place on May 19, 1918. Almost as soon as it was built, the cathedral fell out of use. The Soviet powers closed it down officially in 1929, with

5698-652: Was moved to the Kremlin Wall Necropolis . The members of Stalin's inner circle in charge of organizing his funeral were Nikita Khrushchev , then-head of the Moscow branch of the Communist Party ; Lavrentiy Beria , head of the NKVD ; Georgy Malenkov , the chairman of the Presidium ; and Vyacheslav Molotov , previously the Soviet Union's Minister of Foreign Affairs . Joseph Stalin's health had begun to deteriorate towards

5775-444: Was not to be disturbed until sounds were heard indicating that he had awakened. Time passed and no sounds were heard throughout the day. At approximately 11:00 p.m. on 1 March, Stalin's housekeeper cautiously entered his room and found him lying on the floor, wearing his pajama trousers and a shirt. He was unconscious, breathing heavily, incontinent and unresponsive to attempts to rouse him. At 7:00 a.m. on 2 March, Beria and

5852-626: Was produced between 1954 and 1964; it is still operational and in regular use at the Volgograd Planetarium. The projector was supplemented by a digital system in 2019; the Fulldome Pro model LDX12. Zeiss also provided the 365mm refractor telescope for the observatory, which is still in operation today. The planetarium hosts scientific and educational lectures, provides Fulldome shows, has scheduled tours, features daytime and nighttime observations and runs an astronomy club for children. Across

5929-532: Was written as Царицынъ , with the hard sign . When Vladimir Lenin died in 1924, Joseph Stalin took charge as the General Secretary ; Tsaritsyn was renamed Stalingrad in honour of his role in the defence of the city. The name is derived from the compound of Stalin ( Сталин ; his name) and grad ( град : name for a settlement in Russian). In the aftermath of Stalin's death , Nikita Khrushchev announced

#925074