Where to go and what to see in Voronezh

Where to stay

Voronezh is divided into two parts by a reservoir. The right bank is considered the central one - all the main attractions are located here, and on the left there are sleeping areas and factories.

Housing prices do not differ much in different districts, so it is better to settle in the center - when searching, be guided by Revolution Avenue. If you want peace of mind, stop on the quiet streets: Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels or Ordzhonikidze. If you like the perpetual movement of the city, choose Revolution Avenue or Koltsovskaya. It is better not to rent an apartment in Donbasskaya and adjacent streets: they are located close to the center, but the houses are in poor condition, the lights do not work, so it will be scary to come back in the evenings.

On Airbnb, you can find an apartment with a view of the reservoir or with an atmospheric balcony. Prices for two start at 1,450 rubles for a light studio in the center. An apartment with panoramic windows and a view of the city costs 2,333 rubles. A stylish private house with a garden, a terrace and a view of the reservoir will cost 2,400 rubles.

The most budget option is to stay in a capsule hostel, where prices start at 350 rubles. In the cozy and light Bon Son Hotel and Hostel, a night will cost from 650 rubles. In Geek Hotel & Hostel with two-story rooms, the price starts from 490 rubles per bed or from 1,490 rubles for a separate room.

If you prefer to stay in a hotel, take a look at the author's "Bronze Boar" with a garden and a terrace. The Marriott Hotel is located on Revolution Avenue, rooms have panoramic windows overlooking the city. Prices start at 4,080 rubles. Mercure and Hampton by Hilton have a minimalistic and pleasant interior, unlike many other hotels in Voronezh. They charge from 3,700 rubles per night. Prices in budget hotels - from 1,500 rubles in Floris and from 1,700 rubles in Brno.

What sights of Voronezh to see

Revolution Avenue

It is better to start your acquaintance with Voronezh from the avenue, as from the main and most interesting part of the city. It is home to many restaurants, coffee shops, museums and attractions. Most of the buildings on the avenue were built in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries, and almost all of them are included in the list of cultural heritage sites.

In summer, Voronezh turns into a bright green city with a southern mood. This is especially noticeable precisely on the avenue, where in the evenings crowds of people walk lazily, taking drinks in one of the many coffee houses. It is best to start the walk from Lenin Square and walk straight past Koltsovsky Square, Proletary Cinema, Puppet Theater, Bristol Hotel, Kramskoy Museum, Petrovsky Square. On the way, it is worth stopping by Ptichka for delicious coffee. The Annunciation Cathedral is the final point of the route.

Puppet theater "Jester"

It is worth not only looking at the beautiful theater building from the outside, but also going inside, and if you're lucky, get to the performance. The theater also hosts performances for adults. The repertoire includes King Lear based on a play by William Shakespeare, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Aladdin's Magic Lamp and others. And in the 60s, Dante's "Divine Comedy" was even performed on the stage of the theater. All performances are subtle and ironic, and the puppets and decorations are tasteful.

On the second floor of the theater, there is a puppet museum, where puppets from performances that are no longer staged are collected. The entrance costs a symbolic 10 rubles.

Now the theater is closed and will start working, most likely, in the new theatrical season in the fall. Details about the performances and the poster are conveniently viewed on the theater's website.

In front of the building there is a monument to Bim from the famous story of Gabriel Troepolsky "White Bim Black Ear" - a sad story of a dog that broke the hearts of Soviet children. Traditionally, stroke Bima's nose for good luck.

Victory Square

In architectural terms, it does not differ much from the squares in other cities, but it is worth going there for a panoramic view of the Voronezh reservoir and the private sector. During the quarantine, repairs were completed on Victory Square. It now looks like a modern seating area with benches, walkways and a fountain.

A stone bridge

A place where you can feel the spirit of pre-revolutionary Voronezh. A small stone bridge was built by the Stone Bridge (Voronezh) - "Wikipedia" in 1826, since then it has not changed much its appearance. On weekends, there are crowds of newlyweds: it is believed that for a happy marriage you need to come here on your wedding day, break a bottle of champagne on the bridge and hang locks with your own names on it. Previously, they were snapped onto metal railings, but during the last reconstruction, the bridge was restored to its original appearance, and all the locks were moved to a special metal tree.

Soviet square

In the summer, Sovetskaya Square becomes the main attraction for the townspeople. A couple of years ago it was restored according to the project of a Voronezh architect and KB Strelka - dry fountains, picnic lawns and promenade alleys were made. On summer evenings, skaters ride here, couples dance tango, elderly townspeople read newspapers on benches, and children frolic in dry fountains.

Admiralteyskaya square and embankment

“Voronezh is the cradle of the navy” - this is how Voronezh residents often proudly say. It was here in the 17th century that Peter I began to build ships that formed the Azov fleet. On this place, the Admiralty Square, or the Admiraltyka, as the locals call it, has now been equipped, and a rostral column and a triumphal arch were installed in memory of the first fleet.

There is a sandy beach to the right of the square - you can grab a blanket from the house and have a picnic. On the left, there is an embankment, which is worth a walk or ride on an electric scooter along the water. But keep in mind that there are no lanterns there, so in the evening only the moon will illuminate your path.

Ship-museum "Goto Predestination"

"Goto Predestination" ("Divine Providence") became the first Russian battleship, it was built according to the project of Peter I. Now, a copy of it is moored near Admiralteyskaya Square, recreated from the surviving drawings and engravings of that time.

There is a museum inside the ship. The exposition contains more than 700 items of everyday life of sailors of the 18th century: coins, weapons, tableware, a ship's stove. Many cabins contain wax figures in antique nautical uniforms. Before visiting, you can take a virtual tour on the site of the local history museum.

Karl Marx street

The only partly pedestrian street in the city. It starts from Admiralteyskaya Square, then goes up the slope through a private sector with old wooden houses, then across the Stone Bridge, intersects with Revolyutsii Avenue and after that becomes a pedestrian.

Many beautiful old buildings have survived on Karl Marx, most of which were built in the 18th – 19th centuries. There is a fire station, a Lutheran church, a revolutionary's house, a new Chamber Theater, a house where Samuil Marshak lived. Look closely at each building - and you will definitely find something interesting.

House "Accordion"

Especially on Karl Marx, one building stands out - the house "Accordion", which is really similar in form to this musical instrument. It began to build UL. KARL MARKS, 94 ("accordion") in 1929 in the style of constructivism designed by the architect Nikolai Troitsky - many significant houses in the city were made by him.

During the Great Patriotic War, 90% of the city was destroyed, "Accordion" was also badly damaged. After the war, Troitsky took up the restoration of the house, decided not to change the plan of the building, but added the decor of classicism of the 50s.

In May, in front of the house, Voronezh artists created an art object - they drew a monkey wrench in memory of the industrialist Wilhelm Stoll. Using the QR code, you can find the mask on Instagram, hover over the key and see how its 3D model grows out of the ground.

Central park

Since the 1980s, the park has been in disrepair: mostly teenagers looking for adventure walked through it. But in 2014, a complete reconstruction began according to a project developed by the French landscape architect Olivier Dame and the Moscow company Megapark. Now it is a modern park with playgrounds, sports areas with a rope town, a pond with fish and ducks. The park has the Green Theater - an open-air area where concerts and performances are held in summer. The schedule is on the park's website.

Where else to go in Voronezh

Central market

Covered market with farm products and its own production. On the ground floor, they sell vegetables, fruits, cheeses, fresh fish, traditional for the market. But you can skip this part and immediately go up to the second floor, where they sell goods produced by the Central Market. Among them are goat's milk cheeses, sausages, airy marshmallows and marshmallows, chocolates and sweets. The process of creating products can be observed through the windows.

Synagogue

The townspeople have formed many myths about the synagogue: for example, that Masons hold their meetings there, so ordinary people are not allowed inside. In fact, you can get to the synagogue on any day except Saturday - you just need to agree with the guard at the entrance.

It is designed in the Moorish style, in which synagogues were built in Berlin, Budapest, Kiev, St. Petersburg and Kharkov. A few years after the construction, the authorities began to put pressure on the Jewish community, and in 1939 the synagogue was closed. History of the Voronezh Jewish Community. After nationalization, they wanted to equip a club in the synagogue, but the war broke out and the building was practically destroyed. In the early 2000s, the building was restored.

From time to time, the rabbi conducts excursions around the synagogue, where he talks about its history and the plight of Voronezh Jews. Event announcements are published in the community group.

Speakeasy Bars

“Voronezh is a city of courage,” locals often say. Therefore, it is simply impossible to come here and not arrange a raid on the bars. Several years ago, speakeasy bars appeared in the city - semi-secret establishments without signs, which only “their own” know about. Now there are three such bars - "Eight", Boulevardier and Mizuwari. For visitors, this is a great option to get to know the city, but before visiting such a bar, you need to write to your Instagram account and warn that you will come - they will explain to you how to find a place.

Bottoms

Voronezh is built on a hill, so in the city center there are many steep ascents and descents that you have to climb. Nizami is the name of the area on a slope with narrow streets and private houses leading from the city center to the reservoir. Many monuments of wooden architecture have been preserved there and the atmosphere of Tsarist Voronezh is being created. You can start a walk from Admiralteyskaya Square, the embankments of Petrovskaya or Massalitinov and go up any narrow street.

Gallery H. L. A. M

Voronezh is one of the main centers of contemporary art in Russia, and the H. L. A. M. became one of the first of its centers in the city. It usually hosts exhibitions and performances by artists from all over Russia. Last year, Pakhom showed his works in the gallery, and before that there was an exhibition of the controversial artist Polina Muzyka. In 2018, a festival dedicated to the work of the famous Russian theater and film director Boris Yukhananov was held here. TRASH.represents Voronezh artists at the main Russian contemporary art fair Cosmoscow, and in 2016 Winzavod hosted the exhibition In the Glorious City of Voronezh.

Now the gallery has no exhibitions, it is closed to visitors. It is convenient to follow the announcements in the group on the social network "VKontakte".

Pridachenskaya dam

A small island formed after the creation of the Voronezh reservoir. It has a cozy walking alley, a canoe base, and sports grounds. You can come in the evening and watch the training of athletes and paddle board heats. The island offers a view of both banks at once.

What to bring from Voronezh

District logo stickers

Voronezh designer Mark Boldyrev came up with daring logos for unofficial areas of the city, in which it is considered dangerous to walk in the dark, and made stickers with them. You can also order a T-shirt with the names of these areas.

Marshmallow and chocolate from the Central Market

An unobvious but pleasant souvenir is the products of the Central Market. Take marshmallows, chocolates, and handmade chocolates. You can choose sets in beautiful gift wraps.

Voronezh magazine

"Words" is a glossy magazine about the life of the city. In it you can read interviews with residents of Voronezh, stories about the city and residents, find a selection of the best establishments and a heading with discoveries of the month. The magazine can be borrowed for free in coffee shops, flower shops and beauty salons. The full list of places is in the group on the social network "VKontakte".

Zines of the Voronezh comic book authors

The comic publishing house Grotesk publishes zines (amateur small-circulation editions) and postcards related to Voronezh. For example, their authors have created a series of parody zines about anthropomorphic crows that save the city from Peter I, collect semcoins (from the word "bitcoins") and lead a wild life on the streets of Voronezh. This year, the publishing house released a zine about Yura Khoi from the "Gaza Strip": the musician lived in Voronezh, in one of the disadvantaged areas. Another great souvenir is the "Grotesque" postcards from the "Memory" series with Voronezh monuments, including Bim.

You can purchase zines and postcards directly from the publisher's creator, or buy from your local comicshop.

Antiques

For those who love unique antiques, but do not want to rummage through the flea market, we recommend bringing a souvenir from the Zanovo project. Here they sell Soviet posters, music boxes, vases, primus stoves and other household items. And if you are not intimidated by the size of the souvenirs, you can even take restored armchairs-shells, a table or a sofa.