Filming in Kaliningrad on Baltic Sea of Russia

The land of amber full of medieval castles and the birthplace of Immanuel Kant, Kaliningrad Region is the Russian exclave in Europe.

Geography and Climate

Kaliningrad is the westernmost Russian region. It’s completely surrounded by Poland and Lithuania, so you need to cross through the European Union to get from Russia to Russia.

It has a total area of 15,125 km² (9,398 square miles).

Kaliningrad has a moderate and humid climate, as it’s located close to the Baltic Sea. Average temperature is -1.5˚C (29.3˚F) in January and 22.7˚C (72.86˚F) in July.

Nature

Kaliningrad region has the biggest amber deposits in the world, accounting for 90% of the world's total production. Total seashore length is 140 km, 100 of which is covered with sand beaches.

History and Сulture

The Teutonic knights founded a castle at the present-day Kaliningrad area in 1225. Three different cities started to grow around it. They coexisted for 400 years until they merged into a single city named Koenigsberg in 1724.

During World War II, British and Soviet air forces nearly destroyed the city. Red Army captured it in 1945.

The region became part of the Soviet Union, and Koenigsberg became Kaliningrad in 1946.

After WWII, Kaliningrad had to be rebuilt from scratch. It became one of the most militarized Soviet regions.

Cities

Kaliningrad is the capital with 460,000 people living in it.

The second biggest city is Sovietsk with 45,000 population.

How To Get There

Kaliningrad is located 1,259 km (782 miles) west of Moscow, it takes 1.5 hours to get there by plane. Flights to Warsaw, Kiev, Copenhagen, Minsk and Moscow are available from Khrabrovo Airport, located just 24 km away from Kaliningrad.

Population

The total population is 975,000. Russians are the majority with 82%.

Until WWII, Kaliningrad was mainly populated by Germans, Poles and Lithuanians. Now there are almost none left, as many of them got deported in 1947—1949.

Interesting Facts:

  • The cornerstone of German classic philosophy Immanuel Kant spent most of his life in Kaliningrad (then Koenigsberg);
  • One of the claimants for the title of the 7-billionth Earth resident was born in Kaliningrad in 2011;
  • The University of Koenigsberg, currently the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, is the oldest university on the Russian territory;
  • In 1946, Koenigsberg was renamed to Kaliningrad after Mikhail Kalinin, the nominal head of the Soviet Union. He has never been to the city;
  • Kaliningrad has the oldest tram lines in Russia;
  • The Curonian Spit is curved sand-dune spit that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea coast. It is 98 km-long and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, shared by Russia and Lithuania;
  • There is a place called the Dancing Forest on the Curonian Spit, where trees bend in a strange way. Scientists still can’t come to an agreement why does it happen;
  • Kaliningrad is going to be one of the host cities for FIFA 2018.
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Amber quarries

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Baltic Sea beach in the fall

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Bagrationovsk
Castle of Preysish-Eylay

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Baltiysk
Former infantry barracks

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Baltiysk

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Pionersky resort
Sand beach

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Balga Castle brick wall

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Lutheran church in Chernyakhovsk

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Chernyakhovsk

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Kaliningrad
Church

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Castle Eylau in Bagrationovsk

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Castle Eylau in Bagrationovsk

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Gvardeysk
St. John's temple

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Baltic sea in the winter

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Zelenogradsk embankment

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Kaliningrad
Historical reenactment of a WWI batle

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Kaliningrad

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Kaliningrad
Drama theater

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Kaliningrad
Former Koenigsberg exchange building

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Uschakovo
Kirche Heiligenwalde

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Krasnoznamensk
Lutheran church

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Mamonovo
Childen's school of art

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Gvardeysk (formerly Tapiau)
Old German buildings

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Gvardeysk
Old German buildings

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Gvardeysk
Old German buildings

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Ozyorsk
Hotel at Victory Square

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Ozyorsk
Hydropower station

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Polessk

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Primorsk
Water tower in the fall

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Curonian Split
Protective structures against the movement of the dunes

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Ruins of Insterburg Castle in Chernyakhovsk

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Marine village at the Curonian Split

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Promenade in Zelenogradsk

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Baltic Sea

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Sovietsk

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Sovietsk
Monument to a tram

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Ruins of Bismarck tower

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Gate of Castle Gerdauen in the Zheleznodorozhny village

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Baltic Sea shore
Svetlogorsk

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Yantarny settlement

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Zelenogradsk

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Amber quarries

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Baltic Sea beach in the fall

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Bagrationovsk
Castle of Preysish-Eylay

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Baltiysk
Former infantry barracks

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Baltiysk

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Pionersky resort
Sand beach

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Balga Castle brick wall

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Lutheran church in Chernyakhovsk

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Chernyakhovsk

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Kaliningrad
Church

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Castle Eylau in Bagrationovsk

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Castle Eylau in Bagrationovsk

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Gvardeysk
St. John's temple

Title #383

Baltic sea in the winter

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Zelenogradsk embankment

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Kaliningrad
Historical reenactment of a WWI batle

Title #386

Kaliningrad

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Kaliningrad
Drama theater

Title #388

Kaliningrad
Former Koenigsberg exchange building

Title #389

Uschakovo
Kirche Heiligenwalde

Title #390

Krasnoznamensk
Lutheran church

Title #391

Mamonovo
Childen's school of art

Title #392

Gvardeysk (formerly Tapiau)
Old German buildings

Title #393

Gvardeysk
Old German buildings

Title #394

Gvardeysk
Old German buildings

Title #395

Ozyorsk
Hotel at Victory Square

Title #396

Ozyorsk
Hydropower station

Title #397

Polessk

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Primorsk
Water tower in the fall

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Curonian Split
Protective structures against the movement of the dunes

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Ruins of Insterburg Castle in Chernyakhovsk

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Marine village at the Curonian Split

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Promenade in Zelenogradsk

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Baltic Sea

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Sovietsk

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Sovietsk
Monument to a tram

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Ruins of Bismarck tower

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Gate of Castle Gerdauen in the Zheleznodorozhny village

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Baltic Sea shore
Svetlogorsk

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Yantarny settlement

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Zelenogradsk