M
Museum of the World Ocean
Strung along the banks of the Pregolya River are several ships, a submarine, maritime machinery and exhibition halls that together make up this excellent…
Getty Images/Robert Harding World Imagery
Kaliningrad
While Königsberg revelled in regal architecture and a cosmopolitan European culture, Kaliningrad carries more than a whiff of its days as an outpost of the USSR. But despite vast swaths of brutal Stalin-stamped buildings and unmistakably Soviet monuments, the city is a pleasant one, softened by leafy parks, revitalised historical enclaves, exceptional museums, charming neighbourhoods and its trademark city gates. Kaliningrad is easy to navigate: public transport abounds, as do welcoming locals all too willing to lend visitors a hand.
After Kaliningrad Cathedral, the most visible remains of Königsberg are its red-brick fortification walls, bastions and gates, built between the 17th and 19th centuries. The remains of the city's castle were destroyed and replaced by the hideous Dom Sovietov (House of Soviets) in the 1960s. During the eyesore’s construction it was discovered that the land below was hollow, housing a (now-flooded) four-level underground passage connecting to the cathedral. The decaying, half-finished building has never been used.
Explore Kaliningrad
- MMuseum of the World Ocean
Strung along the banks of the Pregolya River are several ships, a submarine, maritime machinery and exhibition halls that together make up this excellent…
- AAmber Museum
Housed in the 19th-century Dohna Tower on the southern shore of the Upper Pond (Верхний пруд), this is a terrific introduction to the 'sunstone' –…
- KKaliningrad Cathedral
Photos displayed inside this Unesco World Heritage site attest to how dilapidated the cathedral was until the early 1990s – the original dates back to…
- HHistory & Arts Museum
Housed in a reconstructed 1912 concert hall built on the banks of the pretty Lower Pond (Нижний пруд), this museum features an impressive diorama upstairs…
- KKant Island & Riverside
This once densely populated island – now a parkland dotted with sculptures – is dominated by the Kaliningrad Cathedral. A few nearby buildings – the…
- AAltes Haus
This unique museum is housed in a 1912-era apartment house, which has been restored to its former state of early-20th-century Königsberg glory and stuffed…
- FFriedland Gate
This history museum is housed in the 19th-century Friedland Gate, which was for years one of the main entry points into the fortified city. Admission…
- KKaliningrad Art Gallery
Housed inside a neoclassical former stock exchange building from the 1870s, this art gallery has a permanent photo exhibition of the wartime ruins of…
- KKaliningrad Zoo
This is one of the city's most popular attractions for families, so expect lines on the weekends. The zoo dates from 1896, when it was founded as the…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Kaliningrad.
See
Museum of the World Ocean
Strung along the banks of the Pregolya River are several ships, a submarine, maritime machinery and exhibition halls that together make up this excellent…
See
Amber Museum
Housed in the 19th-century Dohna Tower on the southern shore of the Upper Pond (Верхний пруд), this is a terrific introduction to the 'sunstone' –…
See
Kaliningrad Cathedral
Photos displayed inside this Unesco World Heritage site attest to how dilapidated the cathedral was until the early 1990s – the original dates back to…
See
History & Arts Museum
Housed in a reconstructed 1912 concert hall built on the banks of the pretty Lower Pond (Нижний пруд), this museum features an impressive diorama upstairs…
See
Kant Island & Riverside
This once densely populated island – now a parkland dotted with sculptures – is dominated by the Kaliningrad Cathedral. A few nearby buildings – the…
See
Altes Haus
This unique museum is housed in a 1912-era apartment house, which has been restored to its former state of early-20th-century Königsberg glory and stuffed…
See
Friedland Gate
This history museum is housed in the 19th-century Friedland Gate, which was for years one of the main entry points into the fortified city. Admission…
See
Kaliningrad Art Gallery
Housed inside a neoclassical former stock exchange building from the 1870s, this art gallery has a permanent photo exhibition of the wartime ruins of…
See
Kaliningrad Zoo
This is one of the city's most popular attractions for families, so expect lines on the weekends. The zoo dates from 1896, when it was founded as the…
Guidebooks
Learn more about Kaliningrad
Uncover the heart of travel and be inspired to see new sights with one of Lonely Planet’s in-depth, award-winning guidebooks.