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Yekaterinburg

Gem rush, miners’ mythology, the execution of the Romanovs, the rise of Russia's first president, Boris Yeltsin, and legendary gangster feuds of the 1990s – Yekaterinburg is not only Russia's fourth-largest city, it is like a piece of conceptual art with a fascinating historical subtext.

Bustling, but less than startling on the outside, the political capital of the Ural Mountains is overflowing with history and culture, while its economic growth is manifested in a thriving restaurant scene and, as in many other regional capitals, in atrociously trafficked avenues.

With one of the best international airports in Russia and quite a few agencies experienced in dealing with foreign travellers, Yekaterinburg is a good base camp for exploring the Ural Mountains.

Explore Yekaterinburg

Romanov Death Site
The massive Byzantine-style Church upon the Blood dominates this site where Tsar Nicholas II, his wife and children were murdered by Bolsheviks on the…
C
Church upon the Blood
The massive Byzantine-style Church upon the Blood dominates this site where the Romanov family was executed. While many believe the funds that went into…
V
Vysotskiy Viewing Platform
Take the lift up 52 floors to the viewing platform for one of Russia's best urban panoramas. Children under 15 years must be accompanied by an adult. The…
M
Military Technology Museum
This vast indoor and open-air collection of tanks and armoured vehicles is located on the northern outskirts of Yekaterinburg in Verkhnyaya Pyshma. It’s…
M
Museum of Architecture and Design
Situated on Istorichesky skver (Historical Sq), this museum is located on the grounds where the first ironworks was established in Yekaterinburg in 1723…
Y
Yekaterinbrug History Museum
At one of the more contemporary museums in town, most of the focus is on Yekaterinburg through the 18th and 19th centuries. Most exhibits are captioned in…
A
Ascension Church
The restored late-18th-century Ascension Church is the oldest in Yekaterinburg and rises up moodily alongside parkland that's perfect for a stroll.
B
Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center
Traffic was stopped the day the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center was opened in 2015. The mammoth site includes a museum, a conference centre, an art…
U
Urals Military History Museum
Worthwhile for buffs, this military museum has two halls, one dedicated to the Urals Volunteer Tank Corp. Entry price is for both halls, but you can pay…

Romanov Death Site
The massive Byzantine-style Church upon the Blood dominates this site where Tsar Nicholas II, his wife and children were murdered by Bolsheviks on the…
C
Church upon the Blood
The massive Byzantine-style Church upon the Blood dominates this site where the Romanov family was executed. While many believe the funds that went into…
V
Vysotskiy Viewing Platform
Take the lift up 52 floors to the viewing platform for one of Russia's best urban panoramas. Children under 15 years must be accompanied by an adult. The…
M
Military Technology Museum
This vast indoor and open-air collection of tanks and armoured vehicles is located on the northern outskirts of Yekaterinburg in Verkhnyaya Pyshma. It’s…
M
Museum of Architecture and Design
Situated on Istorichesky skver (Historical Sq), this museum is located on the grounds where the first ironworks was established in Yekaterinburg in 1723…
Y
Yekaterinbrug History Museum
At one of the more contemporary museums in town, most of the focus is on Yekaterinburg through the 18th and 19th centuries. Most exhibits are captioned in…
A
Ascension Church
The restored late-18th-century Ascension Church is the oldest in Yekaterinburg and rises up moodily alongside parkland that's perfect for a stroll.
B
Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center
Traffic was stopped the day the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center was opened in 2015. The mammoth site includes a museum, a conference centre, an art…
U
Urals Military History Museum
Worthwhile for buffs, this military museum has two halls, one dedicated to the Urals Volunteer Tank Corp. Entry price is for both halls, but you can pay…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Yekaterinburg.

See
Romanov Death Site
The massive Byzantine-style Church upon the Blood dominates this site where Tsar Nicholas II, his wife and children were murdered by Bolsheviks on the…
See
Church upon the Blood
The massive Byzantine-style Church upon the Blood dominates this site where the Romanov family was executed. While many believe the funds that went into…
See
Vysotskiy Viewing Platform
Take the lift up 52 floors to the viewing platform for one of Russia's best urban panoramas. Children under 15 years must be accompanied by an adult. The…
See
Military Technology Museum
This vast indoor and open-air collection of tanks and armoured vehicles is located on the northern outskirts of Yekaterinburg in Verkhnyaya Pyshma. It’s…
See
Museum of Architecture and Design
Situated on Istorichesky skver (Historical Sq), this museum is located on the grounds where the first ironworks was established in Yekaterinburg in 1723…
See
Yekaterinbrug History Museum
At one of the more contemporary museums in town, most of the focus is on Yekaterinburg through the 18th and 19th centuries. Most exhibits are captioned in…
See
Ascension Church
The restored late-18th-century Ascension Church is the oldest in Yekaterinburg and rises up moodily alongside parkland that's perfect for a stroll.
See
Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center
Traffic was stopped the day the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center was opened in 2015. The mammoth site includes a museum, a conference centre, an art…
See
Urals Military History Museum
Worthwhile for buffs, this military museum has two halls, one dedicated to the Urals Volunteer Tank Corp. Entry price is for both halls, but you can pay…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Yekaterinburg

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