APEC 2012 → Vladivostok Guide → DOWNTOWN

Each cobble and nook of downtown Vladivostok reminds people of its diverse history.  Every building is totally unique.  Naval and commercial ships rock softly in their berths, sailors in their smart uniforms stroll the streets, sea gulls cry over the waves, a cannon fires its traditional noon shot – this is a picture of downtown Vladivostok. Vladivostok is entirely different from all other cities by its location, its landscape, its architecture, its climate and its people.

 

The place where the city founders landed is highlighted by a marker in the city’s water front area, Korabelnaya Naberezhnaya. Nearby, visitors can see a memorial honoring Vladivostok citizens who perished during the World War II. A real submarine, С-56, that fought against the fascist Germany, is part of the memorial. This submarine, which visitors can tour,  makes Vladivostok’s World War II Memorial unique in all of Russia.

 

Visitors can take Peter the Great Street (ulitsa Petra Velikogo) to the triumphal arch constructed in 1891 to commemorate the visit of Crown Prince Nikolay, Russia’s future Tsar, to Vladivostok. The Arch itself faces Svetlanskaya Street – the city’s main street with its fascinating buildings, offices and shops.  Svetlanskaya Street goes to Vladivostok’s Central Square with its distinctive Fighters for the Power of the Soviets Monument.  This well-known symbol of Vladivostok features a bronze Red Army soldier holding a banner in his raised arm. He stares into the distance and greets all the vessels calling at the port of Vladivostok.

       

Adjacent to the Central Square is Vladivostok’s railway station, where the great Trans-Siberian Railway terminates.  Vladivostok is probably the only city in the world where the marine terminal adjoins the railway station. 

 

  Vladivostok is also a city of many creeds where people of various religious denominations live peacefully together. They can go to Christian churches or Muslim mosque, Jewish synagogue or Krishna chapel and meeting houses. Besides Russian Orthodox Churches with their golden domes, there is a Roman Catholic Church and Lutheran Kirk in the city.

Pokrovsky (Protection of the Virgin) Orthodox Cathedral is in the city’s Central Park. Religious processions on Christmas and Easter are of special interest for the city’s visitors.   Orthodox priests in their embroidered, festive robes lead thousands of parishioners with candles in their hands.

 

A number of monuments in Vladivostok reflect the city’s history, but marine monuments are of special importance to its citizens.  A large rostral column with the figure of a Pacific Fleet sailor welcomes all visitors entering Vladivostok.  There are monuments honoring Admiral Nevelskoy, the famous researcher and seaman, and Admiral Makarov, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Fleet during Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905.  There is also a monument commemorating merchant mariners who died in the harsh years of World War II. 

 

In addition to maritime monuments, there are monuments honoring great Russian authors.  Residents of Vladivostok admire the celebrated Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. Usually on June 6, the poet’s birthday, enthusiastic lovers of his poetry gather by his monument to read their favorite pieces.  Another famous Russian author, Anton Chekhov, who visited Vladivostok on his way back from Sakhalin Island, is remembered by a monument set in one of Vladivostok’s observation platforms.