Chelyabinsk is a large city, located close to the geographical border of Europe and Asia. The regional center with a population of more than 1.5 million people can be considered the unofficial capital of the Southern Urals – a region of mountains, forests and lakes that attracts tourists from all over Russia.
Where to stay in Chelyabinsk
There are many hotels, apartments and hostels in the city – you can find accommodation from budget to luxury. Below we list options that have high ratings on travel portals.
ibis Styles Chelyabinsk is a three-star hotel, where a room for two costs from 3,800 rubles per night. At the four-star Holiday Inn, prices for standard accommodation with two single beds start from 4,600 rubles. ParkCity, another four-star hotel, offers rooms with a double bed for 5,000–5,500 rubles per night (breakfast included).
At the Castle hostel, overnight accommodation for two travelers will cost 600–1,100 rubles. “Good Hostel Chelyabinsk” books double rooms for 1,000 rubles; the rooms have a microwave or mini-oven. “Dreamcatcher” will accept two guests for a day for 1,600–1,700 rubles; you can choose rooms with a refrigerator and microwave.
There are also many options for those wishing to rent an apartment daily. Studios in the city can cost 1,700–2,300 rubles, and apartments for four or five guests can cost 2,700–3,500 rubles per day.
What sights of Chelyabinsk are worth seeing
Take a stroll through the park, visit the local Arbat and check out the museums.
1. Monument “Tale of the Urals”
Address: Station Square.
The monument is located on Station Square, so it is not difficult to find. A resident of the Urals carved from granite looks into the distance. His features are simple and stern. In them you can see not grace and subtlety, but calmness and strength. “The Urals are the supporting edge of the state, its miner and blacksmith,” is written on the pedestal erected in 1967 and recognized object of cultural heritage of the region.
2. Kirovka
Address: section of Kirova Street from Lenin Avenue to Truda Street.
This is a pedestrian street that has become one of the symbols of Chelyabinsk. It is located in the very center, not far from Revolution Square. Residents of Chelyabinsk often call Kirovka the local Arbat.
It gets crowded on weekends. On this street you will find many cafes and shops, including souvenir shops. Street musicians perform here. This is also a great place for photographs: next to the pedestrian area there are old merchant houses with beautiful facades.
You will also find many interesting bronze sculptures on Kirovka: a street musician-saxophonist, a lady in a 19th-century dress in front of a mirror, a policeman, a shoe shiner, a cab driver with a dog faithfully looking at him, and more.
3. Holy Trinity Church
Address: Kirova street, 60a.
This is an architectural monument and an active temple. He was built and consecrated in 1914. Today services are held here, but tourists are also frequent guests in the church.
The temple is very different from the modern buildings surrounding it, but fits organically into the landscape of the metropolis. The brick-red building with onion-shaped domes painted green attracts the attention of both Chelyabinsk residents and city guests.
4. St. Simeon Cathedral
Address: Kyshtymskaya street, 32.
A low light green building with blue “onions” and a large golden dome in the center – this is what another temple popular with townspeople and tourists looks like.
Once upon a time there was a cemetery with a small wooden chapel. In 1883, in its place erected church. Then the cemetery was closed, but the cathedral remained. Today it is active.
5. State Historical Museum of the Southern Urals
Address: Truda Street, 100.
Many come here to see the famous Chelyabinsk meteorite – the largest piece of space rock weighing more than half a ton. Find it can be found in the Hall of Nature and Ancient History. In addition to the heavenly guest, it is worth looking at rock samples of the Ural Mountains, learning the history of the mining of famous gems, and listening to a guided tour about the animals and plants of the region.
The museum also has large exhibitions on the topic of industry and factory construction. And also information about how the region established the production of guns during the First World War and tanks during the Great Patriotic War. There are halls where you can learn about the life of the inhabitants of the Urals in past centuries and see interesting historical costumes.
Museum open daily.
6. ChTZ Museum
Address: Lenin Avenue, 19.
Chelyabinsk is an industrial center with a century-old history. And the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant is one of the main city enterprises. His started build in 1929. And already in 1933 the first thousand tractors were produced. Things were going well for the plant: ChTZ equipment was even in Paris at an international exhibition in 1937. Later, during the war, tanks began to be produced here. And after its completion, the production of agricultural machinery was resumed.
The plant museum stores many unique documents. They talk about the difficult periods of the 20th century and the role of Chelyabinsk in the life of the country. Those who are interested in history will certainly be interested in seeing these exhibits.
7. Park named after Gagarin
Address: Central district.
The townspeople’s favorite vacation spot was open in 1934. Today, the park has many attractions, concert venues, and public events. And Chelyabinsk Bor is also nearby, and therefore it’s nice to walk here and relax from the bustle of the city.
The park is crowded not only in summer, but also on winter holidays. New Year and Christmas festivities, as well as other events, including very unusual ones, are held here. For example, flash mob snowmen.
8. Monument to Kurchatov
Address: corner of Lenin Avenue and Lesoparkovaya Street.
The facility is located near the building of South Ural State University. The monument consists of two pylons with halves of concentric circles, which symbolize a split atom. Between them is the figure of Kurchatov, the famous nuclear physicist. Height the pylons are 27 meters, so the monument looks very impressive.
What to bring from Chelyabinsk
In the Southern Urals they make interesting jewelry, original metal products, as well as delicious sweets and pastries.
Products made from Ural gems
In souvenir shops you can choose from items made of malachite, agate, apatite, jasper, serpentine and other Ural stones. Here you can buy massive necklaces and elegant carved pendants, bracelets and rings with gem inserts. And also boxes, tablet holders, candlesticks and stone figurines.
Kasli casting
One of the most famous Ural folk crafts is artistic casting from the city of Kasli. You can choose a small but heavy box, vase, ashtray, plate, candlestick. As well as sconces, elegant furniture handles, frames, original hooks for hangers or interesting cast iron figurines.
Zlatoust engraving
Unique products made from Zlatoust steel are another popular type of Ural souvenirs. These can be simple things with original engraved patterns, or collectibles with precious stones and precious metals. You can choose wall panels or photo frames, jugs, glasses, dishes and plates. And collectors will certainly appreciate souvenir knives, canes, writing instruments, elegant boxes or chess sets.
Souvenirs in the form of Ural dumplings
Souvenirs that replicate the famous dish are very popular in the Urals. White chocolate dumplings look almost like the real thing, but inside they may contain vodka or berry liqueur as a filling. You can find these in confectionery departments. And the souvenir shops sell keychains, dumplings made of different materials, and soap.
Souvenirs with meteorite fragments
The Chelyabinsk meteorite has already become one of the city’s brands. Tourists are happy to buy souvenirs or jewelry with small pieces of space rock.
You should look for authentic products in the State Historical Museum of the Southern Urals, the Ural Souvenir store, or in the store at the museum of the Ilmensky Reserve. They sell souvenirs with certificates confirming their composition.
Chelyabinsk candies
The products of the local confectionery factory are very popular among tourists. Among them are boxes of “Meteorite” candies with various fillings, sets where the sweets look like Ural gems, as well as gift packages with views of Chelyabinsk.
If you have been to Chelyabinsk or live there, share in the comments what other sights are worth seeing.
It’s also interesting in other cities of Russia 🧐
