Day 1
Breakfast in the café with Opera House view
Before a busy day, choose oatmeal or rice porridge with dried fruits and cappuccino at Simple Coffee. In addition, you can add cheese pancake and fruits to your order. Sit by the huge windows with Opera House view (one of the most beautiful buildings in the city) and slowly study the route of the first day.
Address: Lenin str., 46
Opening hours: from 8:00 to 23:00.
Website: simplecoffee.ru
Visit sightseeing platform of Business Center Vysotsky
After breakfast, go to the skyscraper Vysotsky. The highest viewing point (186 meters) is located here. Use the elevator and go to 52nd floor, explore the city from the top and make some beautiful panoramic shots.
From above you can examine not only the center of the city but also some remote areas. Pay attention to the building of the Temple-on-the-Blood, the hotel Iset, the main post office, the cinema Colosseum and Plotinka. If there is time, listen to the information about them in the audio guide.
The perimeter is enclosed with high ultra-strong glass, but is it still windy there so do not forget to put on a jacket.
Address: Malysheva str, 51.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri from 12:00 to 22:00; Sat-Sun from 10:00 to 22:00.
Website: visotsky-e.ru.
Walking around Chekist Town
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After examination of the city from the top, go to the Chekist Town. This is a unique complex of constructivist buildings, local people are very proud of it. It is city block formed by Lenin St., Lunacharsky St., Pervomayskaya St. and Kuznechnaya St. If you look at the complex from above, you can notice that its shape resembles a sickle and a hammer.
The town was built in 1930. The buildings were intended for the staff of the All-Russian extraordinary commission. Among these buildings also were schools, kindergartens, hospitals, etc. The houses have large apartments (they are considered «elite») and a small area, but they are all distinguished by high ceilings, windows and good acoustics. Urban legend says that hidden deep in the bowels of the Chekist Town lie former torture and execution rooms.
- Advice from the local:
Polina Ivanova, director of the arch-group PODELNIKI:
- Chekist Town has been attracting me for a long time — even before I learnt the meaning of the word «constructivism». I am very pleased that recently the residents of Yekaterinburg began to realize its value. Recently, in the basement of the 13th Corps, the «Sleeping Dog» bar was opened, the staff of which conduct excursions around the town’s cellars. I advise everyone to go there. However, you can go down only to the first level. If you want to go further, you will need a guide digger and a special suit and you should register in advance. Also, recently there was an interesting trend connected with town: people who are not afraid to live in a house with wooden ceilings appreciate huge ceilings, beautiful, elegant bay windows … If this continues, the Chekist Town will soon be renamed Artists Town.
Built in the shape of a semicircle, Iset Hotel is the Chekist Town’s central architectural landmark. It is a former hotel-type dormitory, later after the war it became a hotel. In September 2015, the hotel hosted the third Urals Industrial Biennale. The hotel is currently in an emergency condition and closed.
Address: Lenina str., 69/1
Take a picture of the Yekaterinburg’s Palace and Main Post Office
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After wandering around Chekist Town, go along Lenin Street in the direction of the Yeltsin Center. You can take a tram for a few stops to the Square of 1905, look up to Lenin’s monument and the building of the city administration. However, it is better to walk by feet and look at one more monument of constructivism — the building of the main post office. In addition, you can make a stop near the palace built in the first quarter of the 19th century — Sevastyanov House (Lenin str, 25). Now it is used as the governor' s residence.
Main Post Office
Address: Lenina str., 39
Sevastyanov House
Address: Lenina str., 25
Yeltsin Center and Boris Yeltsin' s Museum
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Yekaterinburg is the native city of Boris Yeltsin. It is the reason why the first presidential center appeared here. It includes not only the Boris Yeltsin' s Museum, but also educational children’s centers, a conference hall and an art gallery. Cultural and educational projects, like the science park «Newton» and the Children' s University, are adjacent to the shops of well-known brands and offices of commercial firms. Now in Yeltsin Center there is even a nightclub, and in plans — the opening of a fitness club.
- History from the local:
Maxim Putintsev, Chief editor of Ekho Moskvy-Yekaterinburg:
— Yeltsin Center quickly became a popular place among newlyweds. They take pictures inside, outside, near the monument of Boris Yeltsin … In my opinion, this speaks of a high popular assessment: when something important happens in people' s lives, they go to Yeltsin Center. I remember once Alexei Alekseevich Venediktov came to see us (Chief editor of Ekho Moskvy, 66.RU). I decided to show him the city, and together with Evgeny Roizman we went for a walk with him in the center. We went to the Museum of Fine Arts at Plotinka, and then went to Yeltsin Center. During the walk both Venediktov and Roizman were recognized and greeted. But when we got to Yeltsin Center, something unimaginable began. The newlyweds literally began to tear them apart. It was just a day off, and everyone wanted to take a picture with them. Of course, I was amused, and Venediktov was surprised. Soon he also got a phone and began to take pictures of all this and post it on «Twitter».
There is presidential ZiL at the entrance of the Yeltsin Center, which came on its own from Moscow to Yekaterinburg. The car is perfectly preserved, only the battery had to be replaced. To the right of the car is the Boris Yeltsin’s Museum. Linger around the stand with gifts, which were presented to the first president by leaders of different countries and ordinary people. They are on display in front of the cash register.
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In order to feel the vibe of the 90’s and don’t miss the main exhibits, it is better to order a sightseeing tour. You will see a nuclear suitcase, a facsimile copy of Boris Yeltsin' s letter addressed to Mikhail Gorbachev, a record of Boris Nikolaevich' s famous speech at the October plenum of the CPSU Central Committee in 1987, where he criticized the leadership of the party; a genuine Kremlin cabinet where the president recorded a farewell New Year' s speech in December 1999.
Address: Boris Yeltsin str., 3a
Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 10:00 to 21:00; ticket window: from 10:00 to 20:30.
Website: yeltsin.ru.
Eat bird-cherry cake from Naina Yeltsina in «1991»
There is historic cafe «1991» across the entrance of the museum. It has several dishes prepared according to the recipes of the wife of the first Russian president. It is known that Boris Nikolayevich loved homemade food, and Naina Yeltsina cooked by herself. We advise you to try a bird-cherry cake or a curd biscuit. It is better to choose a table by the window, with the city pond and the historic part view. From the cafe, you can see the domes of the Temple-on-the-Blood, built on the site of the execution of the royal family.
Address: Boris Yeltsin, 3a.
Working hours: from 11:00 to 23:00.
Website: yeltsin.ru.
Visit Kolyada Theater
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Nikolai Kolyada is known outside of Yekaterinburg for a while. His plays about touching and ridiculous provincial Russia are staged in Poland, Canada and even in Australia. Recently he opened the «Theater of New Plays» in Moscow. All plays there are written by Ural’s authors, of course. In December 2017 artists from Kolyada Theater were supposed to go to New York with the tour, but because of the «mutual vendetta between Russia and the United States» these plans had to be postponed for a while.
Kolyada Theater is located at the renovated building of the former cinema «Iskra», which is a tourist attraction by itself. Because of increased security measures during the World Cup and a ban of holding mass events, football fans could not witness a unique event — the festival «Kolyada-plays». But because of FIFA it had to be moved from summer to winter.
By the way, Nikolai Kolyada is known not only for his theater, but also for his bright, honest, tough and deeply philosophical statements.
Address: Lenina Str. 97
Working hours: from 10:00 to 20:00.
Website: kolyada-theatre.ru.
Drink kraft beer at the «bar street»
After the play go to Khokhryakov street. It is the street with the largest number of bars in Yekaterinburg. Beer lovers will appreciate the Nelson Sovin kraft bar. You can try rare varieties of beer from European, American and Russian breweries of the new wave and cheese from local cheese makers here.
Address: Malysheva Str. 21/4
Working hours: Mon-Thurs from 16:00 to 00:00, Fri from 16:00 to 02:00, Sat from 15:00 to 02:00, Sun from 15:00 to 00:00.
Website: nelsonsauvin.ru.
In addition, there are several places with large screens in Yekaterinburg, which always show the most interesting football games. We offer some options, if today is the game you don’t want to miss:
RatsKeller, 8 March str, 8 b, tel: 371–60–91, 8–953–38–46–711. There are TVs and large screens.
Alibi, Malysheva str, 74, tel: 350–06–90. There are TVs.
Fire. Burger. Bar, Chelyuskintsev str, 106, tel: 372–07–71. There is a big screen.
Most likely, during the days of the championship, you can watch football at almost any place in the city center (even in those where projectors and large screens have not yet been installed). Remember that you need to book a table in advance.
Day 2
Waffles for breakfast at Engels Café
Next day you can go to the familiar address and have breakfast at Engels Coffee House. We advise you to try unusual waffles: with duck meat and baked pumpkin or salmon and capers. Espresso, Americano or cappuccino are included in the price of breakfast, which is served from 8 to 12 hours.
Address: Malysheva str, 21/4.
Opening hours: 8:00 to 22:00
Website: engelscoffee.ru
Walk along Iset river and look at the work of Timofey Radya
After breakfast, go for a walk along the Iset river. In summer, you can sail on an oar or motor boat and make beautiful pictures of Ekaterinburg City from an unusual perspective. If you do not like boats, then just feed the ducks, and then go toward Cosmos Cinema and the sports complex «Dynamo» to walk round the embankment.
- History from the local:
Yaroslava Pulinovich, playwright:
— Embankment of Iset, or Plotinka, — this place is very important for the city. In summer they walk along the river. In the winter it' s cold here, and because of the strong wind people try to get away from Plotinka faster, but still — if a guest comes to the city, Plotinka will be one of the first places we' ll bring them to. About eight years ago, by the day of the opening of the Center for Contemporary Drama, Kolyada came up with a competition for plays about the city. I had a play called «Above the Yoburg, on the Milky Way» and it was written in the genre of fantasy. According to the plot, our city is inhabited by various mysterious creatures. As a result, for a long time I could not think up a story related to Plotinka, and then it hits me — mermaids, of course, mermaids should live in the Iset river! By the way, I still think that they really live there.
Make a stop at ex-classified facility — the building of former Ural Instrument-Making Plant. On the roof of the building you can see the work of the most famous street art artist of Yekaterinburg, Timofey Radya, left from the last Ural Industrial Biennale. Earlier there was the Soviet slogan «Glory to Labor» at that spot.
Address: Gorky str, 17.
Visit the exhibition at the NCCA
If you like modern art or you want to go to the unusual place, visit the Ural branch of the National Center for Contemporary Art (Dobrolubova str., 19a). You will definitely see some interesting exhibition, lecture, master class or become a witness of the performance, which will look nice at your Instagram.
Address: Dobrolyubova str, 19a.
Opening hours: Tue-Sun from 12:00 to 20:00.
Website: ncca.ru
Have a lunch at Dom Pechati
People usually go to the Dom Pechati for the perfomances of Slava KPSS, Luna or some other young singers, but today the doors are open during the daytime — it is also a restaurant. It is interesting that the club is located in the building of the monument to constructivism — the former printing house «Ural worker».
You will definitely like the industrial style of the room, the high bar counters, chandelier hanging on the massive chains and the home bright carpet. It is possible that during the FIFA the club will broadcast the matches on the big screen, as it was during the UEFA.
Address: Lenina str, 49.
Working hours: on working days, from 12:00 to 16:00.
Website: tele-club.ru/dompechati.
See the most famous Ural street art
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Artists who paint on fences and walls are rightfully considered new heroes in Yekaterinburg, because people here love street art more than anywhere else in Russia. With its help residents of Yekaterinburg communicate with the authorities («Make Officials Work», RA «Voskhod», «Gryazburg» and «Visibility», Slava PTRK), with the church and parishioners («Patriarch-piggy bank», Slava PTRK, «Sorry, God is temporary unavailable, try to call back later, «Roma Inc.) and the country (Figure # 1: Stability, Timofey Rada,» What are you going to do if the war starts, «art group» Evil «). In addition, of course, they include their name in the history of world street art (many of the works of the festival «Stenographfia» became part of the virtual gallery of the Google Cultural Institute).
A detailed excursion route of the most interesting street art objects with a map and addresses can be found here. It is designed for 1.5 hours.
Climb on the White Tower
The white tower is located in the district called Uralmash — one of the most famous «disadvantaged» districts of Yekaterinburg. It is a small city with a population of 300 thousand people, built in the 30' s around the «Uralmashzavod.» Simple walk there can become an adventure for you.
- Advice from the local:
Pavel Matyazh, designer:
— First of all, do not confuse Uralmash and Elmash. Local residents are very scrupulous about geography, so remember: on the left side, if you go from the center along Kosmonavtov Avenue, is Uralmash, on the right — Elmash. Secondly, never go inside the Palace of Culture. Lavrov. Outside of it — a cool Soviet mosaic and an awesome graffiti, and it seems that inside there is some similar cool stuff, but … no! Thirdly, do not go deep. Not that in the wilds of Elmash-Uralmash locals will treat you with hawthorn till 5 am (now this does not happen anymore) … But the farther from the «Zarya» or the boulevard of Culture, the more often you will meet old and unrepaired houses. So — again, I repeat — do not go deep, or the house on some Chernoyarskaya street will fall on you.
We offer you to visit only the White Tower — an avant-garde monument, well known around the world.
The White Tower is the water tower of the UZTM plant, which is not used now. It was built in 1931 by the design of Moses Reisher. Today you can enter the tower by registering for a group or individual tour. They are conducted by the arch-group PODELNIKI.
You can climb to the observation deck (28 meters), from which you can see the home stadium of the Ekaterinburg football team «Ural» — SKB-Bank-Arena. During the championship teams-participants will train there.
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The tower has a large media panorama «The reference point» and unique exhibits. The first general plan of Uralmash, which depicts the system of the three-time architecture by Peter Oransky, the layout of the White Tower, the first draft of the project by Moses Reischer, which he did in just one the night in 1929, and the plan for rebuilding the tower in an ice cream café.
Remember that the White Tower is an industrial facility, so do not forget to put on comfortable shoes. Children under 14 years old are allowed to enter the tower only with adults.
Address: Bakinskih Komissarov str, 2a.
Working hours: specify the schedule of tours on the website
Website: tower1929.ru.
Have a dinner at Uralmash
In a couple of blocks from the White Tower is a picturesque restaurant Medvezhya Pad’. You can relax here and have a rest after an active excursion. We advise you to order dumplings with moose, venison and wild boar or bear (or steak) and inspect the «hunting» interior. Here there are stuffed animals, and documentary films about the wild nature, and guns hanging on the walls and even the artificial waterfall.
Address: boulevard Culture, 30a.
Working hours: from 12:00 to 00:00
Website: mpadrgt.ru
Go to a concert at the Tele-Club or Opera Theatre
Tele-Club
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In 2017 Tele-Club updated the records of the Top 200 Clubs rating of the leading industry publication Pollstar. So, over 68 thousand people visited it during last year, and it has appeared on 57th place in the world and on 3rd in Europe. Today everyone in Yekaterinburg understands that if Garbage, Children Of Bodom, Guano Apes or Noize MC come here, they perform at the Tele Club.
The club is located in the box of the former industrial room, so sometimes during the concert there are some problems with the sound, which, however, with time, is getting smaller. To the merits of the place can be added a good work of lighting technicians and club’s capacity.
Be prepared that you will not be able to sit during the show unless you buy a VIP ticket to the second floor, and you will have to take a taxi in any case. The club is located in the outskirts.
You can check the schedule of concerts and buy a ticket on the website of the Tele-Club.
Address: Karyernaya srt, 16.
Working hours: check the schedule on the website
Website: tele-club.ru
Yekaterinburg State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre
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Opera Theatre, which turned 105 years old last year, is famous for experimental productions, work with foreign directors and «Golden Masks».
Unlike many other theaters, all the richest and the most chic productions after a loud premiere stay in a permanent repertoire. One of the last and most notable was the «Satyagraha» of Philip Glass in Sanskrit.
June playbill is not yet known, but we would recommend you to see the «Der Fliegende Holländer», «Le Comte Ory», «Carmen» or «Boris Godunov» — you will not regret it. If you prefer ballet, choose any production of Vyacheslav Samodurov (a star of Opera Theatre, former Prime Minister of Covent Garden).
Address: Lenina srt, 46a.
Working hours: check the schedule on the website
Website: uralopera.ru
