The city of Kemerovo is one of the young regional centers of Russia, although its history is rich and goes back centuries. It is worth mentioning that the city was formed from several villages, for example, the village of Shcheglovo (founded in 1720), the village of Kemerovo (founded in 1863). And at first Kemerovo was the city of Shcheglov, only in 1932 it was renamed into the city of Kemerovo known to us. In a very short historical period, the city was transformed from a mining village into the capital of Kuzbass. Nowadays, Kemerovo is one of the largest industrial, cultural, and educational centers of the Siberian Federal District. In 2012, the city was recognized as the most comfortable in the country.
Kemerovo has a lot of attractions that will interest guests and tourists.
Monument "Memory of Miners"
It is difficult to imagine the main city of Kuzbass without monuments to miners. Kemerovo is the coal capital of the region. That is why a monument dedicated to representatives of this industry appeared in the city. The author of the monument is Ernst Neizvestny.
The history of the creation of the monument is remarkable. We have long wanted to celebrate the importance of miners’ work. This issue was first discussed in 1969 by the Council of Ministers. The name of the monument had already been thought up, and the sketches were ready. But it was not possible to implement the plan. The situation changed only several decades later. Then the governor of the region, Aman Tuleyev, first met with the Unknown, whose works had already been installed not only on the territory of the Russian Federation, but also in ten other countries of the world.
Initially, the monument was conceived as a mournful reminder of the miners who died in the mines of Kuzbass. But Ernst Neizvestny defined the theme of the work a little differently. He said that the main idea that the composition carries is resistance and heroism. After all, it is selfless labor, equated to military work, that distinguishes miners from specialists in other industries.
The opening of the monument took place in 2003 right on Miner’s Day - August 28. The installation location was chosen by the author. Ernst decided that the best place for his creation was Red Hill. By the way, the sculptor came to Kemerovo from New York to take part in the opening ceremony.
Kemerovo cathedrals and churches
The city was founded not so long ago, so there are few religious institutions here. But those buildings that are presented will be of interest to connoisseurs of church architecture and decoration.
Znamensky Cathedral
- Opening hours: daily, from 7:00 to 19:00
- Phone: +7 384 235‑71-51
- Address: st. Sobornaya, 24. Transport stop "Cathedral"
By decision of the Soviet authorities, the Znamenskaya Church was demolished in 1960; before that, it had existed for more than thirty years. After this, believers had to go to St. Nicholas Church, which was the only institution of a religious nature at that time and was located on the right bank. Only in 1991 the cathedral was founded and consecrated six years later. The five-domed temple was built in classicism and baroque style. Its main shrine is the ark with particles of the relics of 83 saints of the Russian land.
Holy Trinity Church
- Opening hours: daily, from 7:30 to 19:00
- Phone: +7 384 253‑87-44
- Website: http:/www.church-trinity.cerkov.ru
- Address: st. Khimikov, 32. Transport stop "Holy Trinity Temple"
Funds for the construction of this noble temple were collected by the whole world. The Church of the Holy Trinity has become one of the most expressive and colorful objects of urban architecture. It was consecrated in 2005. It is significant that the temple is divided into three portals, each of them topped with a gilded dome. The belfry, above which rises three drums with onions, is also very picturesque. The church can accept up to nine hundred believers within its walls. The white stone temple with gilded domes is especially impressive with its beauty on sunny days.
St. Nicholas Cathedral
- Opening hours: daily, from 7:00 to 19:00
- Telephone
- Website: https://www.nikolsky-sobor.ru
- Address: st. Goncharova, 51. Transport stop “Grigoryeva Street” or “St. Nicholas Cathedral”
Unlike other religious buildings in the city of Kemerovo, St. Nicholas Church is rich in historical events. The church of the same name has stood on the site of the temple since 1846, when Kemerovo did not yet exist. After 50 years, the building was expanded, but during the turbulent years of the revolution and grandiose historical cataclysms, in 1919 it was destroyed by the Red partisans. A few years later the building was restored and it was occupied by Old Believers. The cathedral became Orthodox again in 1945; for more than fifty years it was the only functioning church open to visitors by believers. And now many Orthodox believers travel from everywhere to worship Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Warriors Glory Memorial
In Kuzbass, not only miners are glorified, but also Soviet soldiers. There is a monument in Kemerovo dedicated to the soldiers who died in battles for their Motherland during the Second World War. It was opened on Victory Day in 1970. Architect Andrei Nikolaevich Kovalchuk and sculptor Alexander Dmitrievich Shcherbakov worked on the project. The height of the monument is 18 meters. It is made from Crimean limestone. And the curbs and steps are made of gray granite.
The place for installing the monumental composition was the beginning of Vesennaya Street. Pritomskaya embankment is a favorite place for Kemerovo residents to walk. That is why the monument was placed here. He represents a warrior in a helmet and overcoat holding a banner, and a young soldier with a machine gun in his hands. In front of the monument there is a star in which the “Eternal Flame” burns.
Beautiful places in Kemerovo that are worth visiting
Where should a tourist who comes on vacation go to admire the natural beauty? Since Kemerovo is located on the banks of the Tom River, there will be no shortage of beautiful views. And if you want to enjoy the picturesque places to the fullest, then you should definitely visit Krasnoye Lake.
Tom River
According to one legend, the river got its name from a Tatar girl whose name was Toma. The city was built on both banks of the Tom and Iskitimka. The long, winding river with changes in elevation attracts rafting enthusiasts. To see the beauty of Tom, you can simply walk along the embankment. For those interested, there is the opportunity to book a river boat excursion.
Address: Pritomskaya embankment.
How to get there: buses 3, 5, 9, 27, trolleybuses 2, 12, 15.
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Lake Krasnoe
These are famous places that have gained popularity among the residents of Kemerovo. When the summer season approaches, the water in the lake warms up quickly, so there are many vacationers here. In winter, ice fishing enthusiasts flock to the lake. The reservoir was given such an interesting name because of the red crayfish that live in it. There are two beaches near the lake - paid and with free places.
Address: ave. Leningradsky, 1.
How to get there: by buses 24, 29, 131, 188, by trolleybus 6.
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Monument-locomotive L3238
Guests of the city are greeted at the station square by a monument-locomotive. It was installed in 2006 in honor of Railwayman's Day. The locomotive, built back in 1953, arrived at its “eternal” parking place under its own power. Previously, it was located at Topki station.
Where was this black giant made, which became a monument to the city of Kemerovo? Of course, at the Voroshilovgrad plant. The released locomotive ran throughout the Kemerovo region, but just like other locomotives, it gave way to modern locomotives. Elka spent several decades at a reserve base. And finally, she waited for her finest hour!
Where to go with children in Kemerovo
There are also a lot of interesting entertainments prepared for young guests of the city, so they too will not be left without an interesting pastime.
Museum-Reserve "Red Hill"
- Opening hours: daily, from 10:00 to 17:30
- Ticket price: adult 150 rubles, reduced price 60 rubles, children 50 rubles.
- Telephone
- Website: https://www.redhill-kemerovo.ru
- Address: Krasnaya Gorka, 17. Bus stop “Rutgers Street”
This is a unique museum that all family members will not refuse to visit. It is located in the open air; a mine from the early twentieth century is recreated here. Guests find themselves in a real mine, where they can watch the reconstruction of adits and learn with their own eyes how black gold is mined. On the territory of the museum there are observation platforms from which it is convenient to view the panorama of the city. There are also monuments installed here, one of them is the pedestal of the Great Martyr Barbara, the patroness of all miners.
Park of Miracles
- Opening hours: daily, from 11:00 to 22:00
- Phone: +7 384 236‑50-36
- Website: https://www.parkchudes.info
- Address: st. Kirova, 4. Transport stop “Kirova Street”
Guests are presented with the oldest park in the city of Kemerovo, which was opened more than eighty years ago. It is perfect for a family holiday. There is a wide range of entertainment for people of all ages. Children's play areas, which feature safe swings and carousels for the little ones, a children's railway, more extreme attractions for older visitors, sports grounds, a shooting range, and a Ferris wheel. All this attracts more than half a million people every year. There are cafes on the vast territory of the park, and artists perform at several venues in the evenings. There are all the conditions for a rich, interesting leisure time.
Puppet show
- Opening hours: performances are given from Wednesday to Sunday. Performances start at 10:00, 13:00 and 18:00
- Ticket price: from 180 rub. up to 300 rub.
- Phone: +7 384 236‑02-02
- Website: https://www.kempuppet.ru
- Address: st. Vesennyaya, 18. Transport stop “Vesennyaya Street”
The puppet theater was founded in 1942. Since then, the theater has delighted young Kemerovo residents and guests of the city with its performances. All performances are popular and loved by children and adults. Productions based on children's works by various authors often attract full houses. Enthusiastic young spectators are partial to the theater's colorful shows. The theater troupe presents its performances at national and international festivals and often tours.
Monument to Mikhailo Volkov
There is a monument in Kemerovo dedicated to one of the key historical figures of the city - Mikhailo Volkov. It was this man who discovered coal deposits on the territory of the modern city in 1721. This discovery became the main one in the development of the region.
It is worth noting that the monument represents a collective image of Volkov. When the sculptor Georgy Baranov got to work, it turned out that practically no information about the traveler’s appearance had been preserved. As a result, a strong and courageous man came out from under the author’s hands, clutching a unique find to his chest - coal. This monument in Kemerovo was erected in 1968 opposite the Kuzbass Technical University - this educational institution trains specialists in the coal industry.
The main attractions of Kemerovo in one day
The proposed step-by-step route will allow you to have a fun time in Kemerovo. You are offered:
- admire exotic plants in the Botanical Garden ;
- see the beauty of the Munir Mosque ;
- see experiments in;
- take a ride on the Kemerovo Children's Railway ;
- visit the Znamensky Cathedral ;
- go on rides with your children in Antoshka Park ;
- take a tour of the Kemerovo Regional Museum of Local Lore ;
- admire the exhibition of the Kemerovo Regional Museum of Fine Arts ;
- watch a film at the Planet Kino cinema .
Monument to Russian hockey
One of the most unusual monuments in the city of Kemerovo is a monument dedicated to Russian hockey. It was installed in 2007 - when the first World Championship in this unusual sport was opened. The creation of the art object was initiated by the fans. They turned to the regional administration, where their idea was accepted and helped to implement. The monument is located near the Khimik stadium. It consists of two parts: three clubs and a huge orange hollow ball, the diameter of which is 2.5 meters! By the way, the ball is made of seven thousand real balls.
Victory Park
Address : bank of the Iskitimka River, between the Universitetsky and Krasnoarmeysky bridges Opening hours : 00:00 – 00:00 Mon-Sun
The park was founded in the 1960s. and fully lives up to its name. Here is a monument to Marshal Zhukov, a monument to home front workers, border guards and the now disbanded Kemerovo Command School. Models of tanks and airplanes are placed throughout the park. The park has playgrounds and sports grounds for children and adults.
Monument to a homeless dog
There are also social monuments in the city. For example, a sculpture depicting a homeless dog. In Kemerovo, the monument appeared in 2008; funds for its production were collected by concerned citizens.
The author, Valery Vasilyevich Treska, created a simply heartbreaking composition: a hungry stray dog is pressed against the cover of a sewer manhole. In addition, the monument was supplemented with a plaque with a poem calling on Kemerovo residents to be more humane and reduce the number of stray animals.
Streets
Sovetsky Prospekt
This is the main front street of the city. Here is the Kemerovo University, the Museum of Local Lore and the Museum of Fine Arts, the Kemerovo Drama and Musical Theaters.
The main development of the avenue took place in the 1940-1950s. Most historical houses are designed in the Stalinist Empire style. According to legend, these old buildings housed the basements of the NKVD, where people were tortured and shot. In the 1970s the dungeons were allegedly barricaded. No documentary evidence of this legend was found.
Spring Street
Spring Street is the oldest alley in the city and one of the favorite walking places for Kemerovo residents. Throughout the entire street (and it ends at Volkov Square) there are numerous sculptural compositions. This is a monument to Kuzbass residents who died during the Second World War, and the composition “At six o’clock in the evening after the war,” and a bust of cosmonaut Leonov. Newlyweds love to take pictures near the touching sculpture “Cradle”, dedicated to the theme of motherhood and childhood.
Boulevard Builders
Builders Boulevard is the longest pedestrian alley in the city (its length is 3 km). The boulevard is conventionally divided into 3 parts: lower (from Moskovsky to Oktyabrsky Ave.), middle (to the ring on Lenin Ave.) and upper (to Khimikov Ave.). The latter is best suited for entertainment: there are attractions, a stage for performances by local artists, and several fountains.
Several years ago, two sculptural compositions were installed on Stroiteley Boulevard: “He and She,” depicting a man and a woman; and “Fashionista” - a figure of a little girl wearing her mother’s shoes and beads.
In 2021, the boulevard was reconstructed and turned into a park area for walking with paths and flower beds, children's and sports grounds.
Pritomskaya embankment
Pritomskaya embankment is a pedestrian area located on the banks of the Tom River. In addition to the monument to test pilot Martemyanov, there are several more funny sculptures here - the “Smile” monument, which refers to the cartoon “Little Raccoon” and was installed with money from the “Smile” dentistry, and the Monument to a Stray Dog. The latter was created with donations from animal rights activists.
In 2021, the composition “I Love Kemerovo” was installed on the embankment.
Area of advice
The Square of Councils is framed by the city administration building and the Main Post Office. Every hour the chimes of the Main Post Office strike the melody from the song “Nightingale dawns float over Tom...”. Both buildings were built in the 1950s. and are typical buildings of Stalin's time.
In the center of the square is a monument to Lenin, a must for any former Soviet city. It differs only in a remarkable fact - a few years after the installation of the sculpture, observant Kemerovo residents noticed that the coat of the leader of the proletariat was a woman’s: the buttons were on the left. Since then, there have been no buttons on the clothes of the sculptural Lenin at all.
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Museum of Local Lore
Visit an interesting exhibition that will introduce you to the history of the mining region. The museum is located next to the Drama Theater stop.
The exhibition opened in 1929. The museum halls present several thematic exhibitions dedicated to the natural resources of Kuzbass, traditions, military pages and the history of the region.
Address: st. Nogradskaya, 22.
What to bring as a souvenir?
Original items and products that are only available here are brought from Kemerovo as souvenirs:
- Yeti figurines . You can buy it at any shopping center. The creature is considered a brand of Kuzbass. The price for a soft toy will be from 1000 rubles.
- Cone jam and pine nuts. It is better to buy these delicacies from local grandmothers during excursions. 100 g of pine nuts can cost from 300 rubles. A 200 gram jar of jam costs from 500 rubles.
- Siberians praise their sweets . Tourists take home gingerbread cookies and waffles with different fillings. You can buy them in company stores. Prices depend on the manufacturing company. But most Kuzbass gingerbreads cost from 100 rubles. for 1 kg.
- For collectors, you can give a vintage miner's lantern as a gift . You can buy it in shopping centers at a price of 2000 rubles.
The sights of the capital of Kuzbass, Kemerovo, are distinguished by their originality. All of them are imbued with love for their native land, respect for the courageous people living here.
Article design: Oleg Lozinsky
Live music
Just recently I shared my impressions of live music in Thailand, but here in Kemerovo, the guys from the local group “ZaPark Chudes” delighted with their performance; they played the hits “Chaifa”, “Resurrection”, Chizh, as well as songs of their own composition. The musicians have been playing for 25 years and this was felt in their harmonious, professional sound. By their own admission, they play simply for fun, and this buzz was automatically transmitted to passers-by and casual listeners, many of whom stayed for a long time. However, listen for yourself: I’m posting a video of the song “Hoochie Coochie Man” performed by them. On the back-up dancers was “Uncle Vanya,” who also received a fair share of applause.
Coal Museum
This exhibition, entirely dedicated to coal, is the only one in Russia. The museum opened in 1999.
It was not by chance that the city was chosen by the Academy of Sciences to organize this exhibition. Coal reserves of various grades in Kuzbass are among the richest in the world.
Address: st. Rukavishnikova, 21.
