Where are the most delicious watermelons grown in Russia? That’s right – in Astrakhan! However, this city is not only remarkable for the fact that almost the most delicious vegetables and fruits in the world are grown here. There is already something to see here, especially if you are interested in history and enjoy meeting new cities.
Once there was the Astrakhan Khanate, an independent country, which was later annexed to the Russian Empire. Tram service in Astrakhan appeared at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, a year later than in Moscow, and 7 years earlier than in the capital, St. Petersburg. The Astrakhan region is comparable in area with Slovakia. A hybrid of these two plants was bred in Astrakhan, famous for its watermelons and melons, calling it “moon watermelon”. Exhibitions of camels are held annually in Astrakhan. There are even camel farms. The famous French writer Alexander Dumas has a work entitled “From Paris to Astrakhan.” It is based on his own journey to this city. Astrakhan lies below sea level. Part of the Astrakhan region used to belong to the Republic of Kalmykia, but later the borders were revised. There is Vysotsky Street, named after the famous singer and musician of the last century. Once, a special variety of apples was brought from Astrakhan to Sweden. The cider variety made from these fruits is still called astrakan in Sweden to this day.
The population of this city exceeds half the population of the Astrakhan region. There are many rivers here, so many corners of the Astrakhan region are connected to the outside world only by ferries. Of the 16 twin cities of Astrakhan, 11 are located in other countries. Astrakhan is considered the most arid city among all major European settlements. After the Great Patriotic War, a monument was erected on Astrakhan Victory Street. However, not everyone knows that the street was so named long before the Second World War, in honor of the Bolshevik victory over the White Guards during the Civil War.
Astrakhan is stretched along the Volga coast for 45 kilometers. The composition of the urban territory of Astrakhan, in addition to its mainland, includes 11 fairly large river islands. The area of Astrakhan is five times the size of a country like San Marino. The origin of the name of this city is still not established reliably. Representatives of more than two hundred nationalities live here, which makes Astrakhan one of the most multinational cities in Russia.
