| Novosibirsk, the capital of faraway
Siberia situated on the banks of the River Ob', celebrated its centenary year in 1993. |
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Amongst Russia's largest cities, Novosibirsk began
life as Gusevka, a small settlement of labourers who came in to build a bridge across the
River Ob' for the Trans- Siberian Railway. The shanty town metamorphosed into the city of
Novosibirsk, an important transit point and halt for travellers bound for the farthest
reaches of Siberia and the remote Altai area.
The city of Novosibirsk spread along the banks of the Ob' and those of its tributaries,
Kamenka and Yelsoka. Most of the ealy buildings lie on the right bank of the Ob' while the
left bank is the newer part of town, mostly comprising the industrial belt. Today, its
residents like to compare their city to Chicago - not as Windy City but because they think
Novosibirsk's growth rate matches that of Chicago!
As a vital junction and enroute stop for all trains on the Trans-Siberian line and as a
major river port, Novosibirsk became a transport hub for north Russia and Siberia. Better
air, land and river connectivity led to its development as a major commercial and
industrial centre with gold and tin mines, metallurgical and heavy industries as well as
chemical, textile and food processing plants. It became the regional business capital with
the opening of the Siberian Stock and Commodity Exchange and the burgeoning of banks and
other commercial establishments. The Academy of Sciences established its Siberian branch
at an exclusive township devoted to the pursuit of scientific excellence at
'Akademgorodok' giving Novosibirsk the additional status of an academic and educational
centre for Siberia.
Novosibirsk has extreme climatic conditions
with the mercury swinging from -35°C, in winter to 35° in summer! Winters are usually
very cold, with heavy snowfall and average temperatures that range between -18°C to
-22°C. Summer months are better in that they are hot and dry - temperatures average 20°C
to 22°C.
In its contemporary avatar,
Novosibirsk is a cultural capital with six theatres, a musical conservatory, opera and
orchestra companies and homebase of the world famous Kirov ballet company. The domed roof
of the Novosibirsk Opera House is an architectural landmark that has
become synonymous with the city. The silver dome, giant portico and opulent interior make
the theatre the city’s main attraction. The Local Studies Museum, an Art
Gallery, the little Chapel of St. Nicholas,
the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Cathedral of Ascension and the Central
Park are the other attractions of the city.
The city has two airports - Tolmachyovo (20km) and the Gorodsky airport (6km) - flights
connect Novosibirsk to Frankfurt, Hanover, Almaty (Kazakhstan) and to domestic
destinations of Moscow, Irkutsk, Vladivostok, Yakutsk and Abakan. But check flight
schedules as cancellations of flights are common. Long distance trains like the
Trans-Siberian, Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Manchurian all come through Novosibirsk. Other
train services connect to Yekaterinburg, Moscow, Abakan, Irkutsk, etc while international
destinations connected by train are Almaty (Kazakhstan), Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) and
Tashkent (Uzbegistan). Road travel is pretty formidable an option, unless it is for
shorter distances to destinations in the region.
Buses, taxis and trolleybuses provide public transportation in
Novosibirsk city, but the best bet is the Metro - it includes 10 stations and a metro
bridge acoss the Ob'- it is the safest, most economical and convenient way to travel
within the city. A long distance boat service runs to and from Nizhnevartovsk.
There are reasonable priced and conveniently located hotels in
Novosibirsk - some catering primarily to foreign business travellers and so have most of
the mod cons. Taste buds get more than just Russian fare with an Irish pub, Korean coffee
bar, authentic Mexican café and restaurants serving an impressive array of sandwiches,
continental dishes and salads.
Novosibirsk is a delight for the culturally keen visitor - there is
always something on, be it opera, ballet, classical music, blues or jazz concerts. The
banya (sauna) in the city is great for a long soak, steam and massage that sends the blood
rushing and the body tingling with energy.
Money can be exchanged at the post office, TsUM department store, at banks and at
counters in the lobbies of a couple of big hotels. The post office on ulitsa Lenina has
fax, telegram, EMS and an email service facility - it opens 8 am to 7pm on weekdays and
till 6pm on weekends.
For more country or visitor information, see Russia. |
