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Ekaterinburg is the capital of the Central Urals. The city has always been reasonably prosperous, as one can see from the number of patrician houses and mansions around the city center. Contrary to popular opinion, the city's name (which translates as "Catherine's City") is not due to Empress Catherine II ("the Great"), but an earlier Catherine. Catherine I was the second wife of Tsar Peter the Great, and it was her practical good sense which helped establish this important industrial and mining center - so Peter named the city in her honor.
Ekaterinburg was most notoriously the scene of the assassination of the Romanov Royal Family in 1918. There were, of course, two Revolutions in 1918. The earlier one, in March, resulted in an understanding between the Tsar and the new Provisional Government; if the Tsar agreed to abdicate, he and his family would be allowed to live quietly in Russia. However, when the Socialists organized the October Revolution in the same year, to overthrow the Provisional Government, the Royal Family felt at risk with the new rulers, and tried to escape to France; they were arrested before even reaching the Russian border. From there, they were taken under house-arrest to Ekaterinburg, specifically the "Apatiev House," which is where the story really begins - and ends.
In 1924, Ekaterinburg was renamed to Sverdlovsk, after one of the revolutionary leaders. During the Soviet period, Sverdlovsk grew rapidly to become one of the biggest industrial, cultural, and scientific centers of Russia. During WWII, Sverdlovsk grew enormously, as the city was geared up to serve the front. Equipment was moved in from evacuated factories, and general investment into the war industry kept the city growing.
Modern Ekaterinburg reflects the rapidly changing tastes of different historical periods in its architecture. The population is now 1.5 million and is home to more than 100 research institutes headed by the Urals Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 15 institutions of higher education, and extensive cultural and sporting facilities. Ekaterinburg, on the surface, is a fairly typical regional Russian city and an excellent location for complete immersion in local culture. Unfortunately, there is not so much physical evidence of the story of the Romanov family, but certainly this city is a must for those interested in history and particularly the revolution. Find Out More!
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| Train from Moscow: 29 Hours | | Plane from Moscow: 2.5 Hours |
| Population: 1.6 million |
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