Ekaterinburg (Yekaterinburg)

Yekaterinburg or (Ekaterinburg), located at the crossroads of two continents - Europe and Asia, is the capital of the Sverdlovsk region and the administrative center of the Ural district. It was founded under Peter the Great as the largest metallurgical plant in Russia of those times and named after Empress Yekaterina I, the wife of Peter the Great, and Great Martyr Saint Catherine, the patroness of mining. For three centuries the city-plant has been steadily developing as a center of mining industry of the Urals and Siberia. Nowadays Yekaterinburg is not only one of the biggest industrial centers in Russia but a very beautiful city with a lot of monuments of great historical and cultural value. Dozen of museums, several theaters, numerous movie houses, 14 high school institutions as well as developed infrastructure make Yekaterinburg the unique city where the past and the present mix together. 



If you have the opportunity to visit Ekaterinburg, you should make sure you stop by Kamenniye Palatki and Shartash Lake. The rocks of Kamenniye Palatki are completely natural though they look like the remains of an old castle. The lake is incredibly beautiful and is favored as a leisure spot. The Verkh-Isetski Pont is very popular for yachting and swimming while the Europe-Asia border obelisk is nationally renowned for its unusualness. We also highly recommend that you take in some theatre or visit some of the museums. Weather you are visiting for business or pleasure, you can be sure the Yekaterinburg will proved to be every bit enjoyable as it is pretty.

Facts about Yekaterinburg

Area: more than 400,00 sq km
Location: The capital of Sverdlovskaya oblast, middle Urals, Russian Federation, Yekaterinburg is situated right on the border between Europe and Asia.
Geographic coordinates: 56 49 N, 60 35 E
Population: approx 1,304,000 (2005 est.)
Foundation: 1723
Climate: Yekaterinburg is far away from Atlantics and close to Siberia, so the climate here is continental. In Yekaterinburg winters are cold and long, and summers are quite warm. The coldest month is January, when average temperature reaches -16 -17 C. The warmest month is July with the average temperature of 18 C
UTC/GMT Offset: UTC/GMT + 5 hours
Area code: 3432
Major attractions: Ipatiev House, Cathedral on the Blood, Opera House, Europe-Asia border obelisk