Chelyabinsk is the seventh largest city in Russia, located to the east of the Ural Mountains on the border between Europe and Asia. While the city is rather unknown to the rest of the world, in Russia it is well known for being one of the most important industrial centers in the country. It was once named the most polluted city in the world after the secret Kyshtym nuclear disaster in 1957 which happened in a village nearby and contaminated the entire area.
Being the closest large city to Stepnoye where I spent five weeks on an archaeological excavation this summer, I had to fly into Chelyabinsk before driving three hours into the countryside to Stepnoye. Whenever I’d mention to Russians that I was going to Chelyabinsk, they would shake their heads in disbelief and ask why on earth I was going to such an ugly city. It made more sense to them when I explained that I was actually spending my time in the countryside!
I didn’t think I’d have time to explore Chelyabinsk while I was in Russia this time around. I’d flown into the city, but left it as soon as the plane had landed. But because Mikkel, Bri and I had an early flight back to Denmark on July 2nd, our project director Jim decided to send us up one day earlier with Natasha. That meant spending a night in the city and having an afternoon to explore this industrial pearl.
After everything I’d heard and read about Chelyabinsk, my expectations were at an all-time low. Especially after Natasha had jokingly told us that sightseeing would only take five minutes… But still, I was excited to be back in a city again after five weeks in the rural forest steppe. And as it turned out, I enjoyed Chelyabinsk much more than I thought I would.
The city of Chelyabinsk was founded in 1736 at the site of an old fortress when it was an important part of a trade route from Europe to India. The old buildings and cobbled streets of the center are the only remains from this time, and the rest of the city is made up of Soviet-style and modern buildings.
Jim had booked us into the fancy Arbat Hotel, located in the heart of the city center, so we didn’t have long to walk to the sights and restaurants. All three of us were really excited to see something new after spending so long in the same countryside village, and especially to eat something new! Chelyabinsk would serve as a nice transition from rural Russian village life to our comfortable and easy lives in Denmark. I felt grateful to be able to explore the city where our Russian teammates grew up and most still call home.
Mikkel, Bri and I wanted to explore Chelyabinsk during the afternoon we had available, just as much as we wanted to explore their exciting food scene. Ironically, we ended up choosing a Ukrainian restaurant on the main street, Ulitsa Kirova, after greeting Lenin on the Revolution Square. The restaurant was amazing. Both the exterior and interior were beautifully decorated in traditional Ukrainian style, and the staff were dressed in traditional Ukrainian costumes. I felt like I was back in Kyiv for a little while.
We each ordered two or three dishes and got enough food to last us for days. I ordered grilled vegetables, aubergine with fried onions and mushrooms and a plate of fries. Bri ordered two lots of dumplings and hashbrowns, and Mikkel had rabbit and hashbrowns. We were in food heaven.
The obligatory selfie with Lenin!
After we had all eaten for two, we headed out into Ulitsa Kirova, a cobblestone pedestrian-only street full of shops, cafés and bronze statues of local celebrities. The street was full of life. There were street musicians, couples enjoying the atmosphere and children playing in the sun. It seemed as though a new statue appeared for every few meters we walked. The old buildings were beautiful, and surrounding them were colourful gardens with flowers in different patterns.
It was obvious that a lot of care and maintenance goes into the city center, although I don’t know if it’s the same in the suburbs. All I know is that from what I had seen so far, Chelyabinsk was surprisingly nice!
We spent quite a while enjoying what the lively street had to offer, looking in different shops and buying loads of amazing souvenirs from a small market.
Ulitsa Kirova ends by the river Miass, which separates Chelyabinsk into two parts. Interestingly, the river is the geological border between Siberia and the Urals, so one side of the city stands on the sedimentary rocks of Siberia, and the other stands on the granite typical for the Urals.
This beautiful recreational area was the perfect place to end our short day of sightseeing in Chelyabinsk. We crossed the Leningradsky Bridge over the river to the other side, and were amazed by the views of the city skyline with its few skyscrapers and obligatory ferris wheel.
Chelyabinsk was definitely starting to grow on me, and I must say that it completely blew my expectations. It seems like a very romantic city to me with amazing atmosphere. Definitely a city I would be open to returning to.
Even though we were still full from all the food we had eaten at the Ukrainian restaurant, we decided to end our evening at an American Diner-style café on Ulitsa Kirova, enjoying some fries and fresh fruits before heading back to the hotel for a comfortable night’s sleep.
My adventures in Russia ended the next day when we flew from Chelyabinsk to Moscow and then to Copenhagen. I travelled home rich on memories and new beautiful friendships.
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