General Information

Chelyabinsk city is the capital of Chelyabinsk region, located in West Siberian Russia, in the southern foothills of the Urals, on the Mias River. The region is situated between Europe and Asia. It’s population reaches 3.5 million. Chelyabinsk region occupies the area of 88.5 thousand sq.km., that equals 0,5% of the Russia’s territory. It comprises 30 towns, 24 districts, 30 urban settlements and 1261 rural settlements, Chelyabinsk being the biggest. The population of Chelyabinsk is about 1,143,000 people.

Distance from Moscow: 1500 km

Time: UTC/GMT + 5 hours

City telephone code: +7 3512

History

Founded in 1736 as a Russian frontier outpost, it was chartered in the 1740s and grew into an agricultural and coal-trading town. It officially received the status of town in 1781.

Its industrial growth began with the building of the first steel plant in 1930. Chelyabinsk soon became one of the major industrial centers of Russia with heavy industry predominating. In 1934 it became the official center of the Cheliabinsk region of the USSR.

During the World War II, many plants were moved to Cheliabinsk. The city even received a nickname of ‘Tankograd’ or ‘Tank-town’ because of the number of tanks produced. The industry is quite strong in the city until today.

Climate and Nature

The climate in Chelyabinsk region is continental. Winter lasts 4 to 5 months and the average temperature in January is about –16C. The temperature of –22 or –27C is no surprise in the region in winter, but sometimes it may fall to –35C. Summers last from June till August, the average temperature in July being +23C.

 Mountains, lakes and forest represent a typical landscape for South Urals nature. There are more than 2,000 lakes in Chelyabinsk region, including the famous Turgoyak and Uvildy Lakes.

Economy

Chelyabinsk region is an industrially developed area of the Russian Federation. It ranks 12th among the Russian regions in terms of regional production and 8th in respect of its industrial production volume.

Chelyabinsk region has rich and various natural resources. Mineral resources are concentrated in more than 300 deposits; copper-zink ores, gold, refractory raw materials, talc, graphite and quartz are the most important. The region has practically unlimited reserve of cladding stone with a wide range of colours and pictures.

Known as a centre of ferrous metallurgy and the heavy engineering industry, Chelyabinsk produces steel, zinc, metal alloys, heavy chemicals, and agricultural machinery. Metallurgy, machine-building, metal processing, fuel-energetic, construction and agro-industrial complexes contribute to the regional development. The metallurgical complex leads the economy of Chelyabinsk region.

Over 78,000 enterprises and organizations of different kinds operate on the territory of the region. The city has many industrial and scientific institutes, but severe pollution makes it less attractive.

Transportation

Chelyabinsk is one of the biggest transport hubs on the Trans-Siberian Railroad that connects Moscow with Vladivostok. There is an airport in the city that serves daily domestic and international flights to the major cities of Russia and other countries. Motor roads connect Chelyabinsk with Kazakhstan, Bashkorkostan and Siberia.

The city transport network includes 23 tram, 26 trolleybus and about 100 bus routes. Subway is presently under construction.

Culture

There are 4 theatres, a Philharmonic Hall and 19 cinemas in Chelyabinsk. The city is famous for its Museum of Local Lore, that houses many exhibitions of local artifacts that tell visitors about the history of the region, and the Museum of Fine Arts with a good collection of paintings of Russian and foreign artists.

The collection of the Picture Gallery comprises more than 11 thousand pieces of painting, sculpture, drawing, decorative and applied arts and crafts, including architectural wooden carving of old Chelyabinsk. There are unique collections of icon paintings, old printed and hand written books, and plastics cast of brass and wooden sculpture, mainly collected in the Ural. The gallery is opened daily, except Monday, from 10 till 17. Address: Truda str., 92A. Phone: +7 3512 330 934.

Hotels

Berezka Hotel***. Address: Chapaeva str., 118. Phone: +7 3512 715 555, 620 955.

Cheliabinsk Hotel. Address: Stepana Razina str., 4. Phone: +7 3512 370 303, 601 660.

Kosmos Hotel. Address: Poselok Airport. Phone: +7 3512 783 221.

Malakhit Hotel. Address: Truda str., 52. Phone: +7 3512 635 478, 630 948.

Rossi Hotel. Address: Gorkogo str., 53. Phone: +7 3512 727 555.

Smolino Hotel***. Address: Chapaeva str., 114. Phone: +7 3512 622 953, 622 967.

Viktoria Hotel***. Address: Molodogvardeitsev, 34. Phone: +7 3512 989 820.

Visit Hotel. Adress: Elkina str., 76. Phone: +7 3512 634 601, 646 865.

Yuzhny Ural Hotel. Address: Lenina Prospect, 52. Phone: +7 3512 635 382, 631 752.

Evgeniya Stroganova