Don Riverside


A statue of And Quiet Flows the Don author Mikhail Sholokhov depicts the writer gazing thoughtfully at the river that helped make his name. Nowadays, the river embankment is not so quiet, especially on summer nights, when a carnival atmosphere takes over.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Nativity of the Virgin Cathedral

0.26 MILES

The lavish, gold-domed neo-Byzantine cathedral, built in 1856, overlooks the central market. If you approach from Soborniy per, it is framed beautifully…

2. Gorky Park

0.61 MILES

Leafy Gorky Park is home to blooming gardens, open-air cafes and plenty of cheerful kiddie rides. An impressive monument to the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution…

3. Ploshchad Sovetov

0.68 MILES

The 'Square of Soviets' is dominated by a colossal monument commemorating the Red Army soldiers who took part in the 1917–23 Russian Civil War. Prior to…

4. Regional Museum

0.81 MILES

The centrepiece of the regional museum are the exhibits covering the 3rd century BC until the 4th century AD, when Greek trading colonies flourished at…

5. Pushkinskaya Ulitsa

1.41 MILES

East of Voroshilovskiy pr, this idyllic promenade is blissfully free of traffic and sprinkled with fountains, sculptures, cafes and restaurants, with…

6. Fortified House of Kondraty Bulavin

15.24 MILES

Near the western end of ul Sovetskaya stands the fortified house of Kondraty Bulavin, the Cossack rebel leader during the Peasant War (1707–09). Bulavin…

7. Ataman Palace

15.53 MILES

Once the living quarters of the Cossack chiefs, the Ataman Palace now houses an exhibition that traces the development of Don Cossack culture from the…

8. Resurrection Cathedral

15.61 MILES

At the eastern end of ul Sovetskaya, the Resurrection Cathedral contains a soaring golden iconostasis, a baroque chandelier and an unusual floor of metal…