Saratov

Saratov was originally founded in 1590 as a watch fortress, surrounded by mountains on three sides. Later, the Saratov watch fortress was destroyed. It was not until 1674 that the city was rebuilt on the banks of the Volga River, close to Sokolovaya Mountain. There is, of course, wilderness and nature parks to discover, as well as the city’s museums and monuments. In the 19th century, Saratov became a major commercial center, especially after the railway to Moscow was built in the 1870s. The modern city has become a large industrial complex that sprawls for many miles along the river. The 2.8-km road bridge across the Volga, opened in 1965, is one of the longest in Europe.

Saratov’s varied and large-scale industries are headed by the production of heavy-equipment and chemicals. Petroleum and natural gas occur in the locality and help contribute to Saratov’s important chemical industries, which produce synthetic alcohol, synthetic fibres, acetone, and ammonium sulfate. In the 1960s, a large dam and hydroelectric station were completed at Volsk on the Volga immediately above Saratov.

You will enjoy the beautiful panorama of the city, which unfolds before guests from Sokolovaya Mountain, worship the monument to the soldiers of Saratov, who fell during the Great Patriotic War. You may join the walking tour along Kirov Avenue after that. Multidimensional tour introduces the basic milestones of the city life, of its past and present. You will see the oldest square of the city - the Museum square, and one of the newest - Gagarin square, will walk along Cosmonauts Embankment, which offers a wonderful view to the bridge across the Volga.