The Volga River, Russia
The Volga River
Flowing from Russia’s northwest to the Caspian Sea in the south, and measuring 3,530 m, the Volga river is the longest . The Volga has throughout its history become an integral part of the identity of the Russian people, who affectionately call the river “Volga Matuska” or Mother Volga. Together with its tributaries, such as the Kama, Oka or Vetluga, the Volga forms the arterial network that comprises the Russian heartland, with 11 of Russia’s 20 largest cities and half of Russia’s population located around the Volga basin. Together with an intricate system of and , the Volga connects the White, Baltic, Caspian and Black Seas into a commercial network that transports much of Russia’s inland freight.
History
Historically the Volga basin has been host to a number of civilizations, including the Golden Horde and Khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan, in its early history the lower Volga region has even been speculated to be the original cradle of proto-Indo-European civilization. Following the conquest of the region in the 16th century by the , leading the Grand Duchy of Muscovy, the Volga basin became integrated into the burgeoning Russian Empire, connecting throughout the region and allowing trade to flourish. In its modern history the Volga-Don region played host to the bloodiest battle in the history of WWII , and of all mankind, Stalingrad (now Volgograd), with troops crossing the Don in countless waves that extracted an incalculable toll in human lives. Today this sacrifice is memorialized with the iconic “The Motherland Calls” statue, the largest statue in all of Europe.
Traveling the Volga
One of the best ways to experience the Russia’s is by , with a being one of the more scenic ways to travel between , with the added benefit of some along the way. A will generally take you to iconic sites like the , as well as , the famous for its bright colours and , listed as a since 1990. Further up the river the of the , is another unmissable destination, with a likely to and such as , Kazan and the Winter , also known as the Hermitage. It is important to note when planning a or , that it is best to do so in the warmer months of the year, as in the coldest three months of winter much of the river will be frozen over.
