Vladivostok

 

Vladivostok is the capital and the largest city of Primorye. With a population of 660,000 people and a total area of over 600 sq.km (230 sq. miles), it is also the largest city of the Russian Far East and, of course, one of the most interesting and remarkable cities of Russia. Vladivostok is among the ten most prospective cities of the world, as determined by the special UNESCO Commission. Of all the European-style cities it is the closest to the Asian Pacific region.

On June 20 (July 2), 1860 the military supply ship Manchur called at the Golden Horn Bay to found an outpost of Vladivostok («possess the East»). In 1862 it officially became a port. On April 28 (May 10), 1880 Vladivostok was officially proclaimed a city and in 1889 - a fortress. The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railroad that began in 1891 served as a jump-start for the rapid growth of the city.

Everything in Vladivostok bears connection with the sea: the city's history, landscapes, and industry. Even the railroad, which ends where the ocean begins.

Being the home base of the Pacific Military Fleet, Vladivostok was closed to foreigners from 1930 till the 1990's. The only exception was made for US President Gerald Ford who met the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev in Vladivostok in 1974. In 1992, for the first time, Vladivostok was officially opened to travelers from other countries.

DALINTOURIST invites YOU to explore this city with dramatic past and great future, the sister-city of San Diego,Tacoma, and Juneau (USA), Niigata, Hakodate and Akita (Japan), Busan (Republic of Korea), Shanghai and Dalyan (China). Enjoy the view from a boat or from the top of one of the hills on which the city lies, walk the streets with ocean winds blowing through them, check out the historic sights, and capture the refreshing spirit of the natural surroundings.