Novosibirsk, the uncrowned capital of Siberia

Here you will find a Novosibirsk city center map and Novosibirsk metro map.

Please visit the photoalbums of present Novosibirsk and Novosibirsk in the past!

Download here the list of NOVOSIBIRSK EXCURSIONS!

The city was founded in 1893, owing to the construction of the Great Trans-Siberian Railroad and in the beginning was named Novonikolaevsk, having only been renamed Novosibirsk in 1926.

Novosibirsk is the geographical center of Russia (whether you go to the west or to the east till the Russian border, the distance is the same). An advantageous location on the crossroads of the major transport routes promoted a rapid growth of the city, sometimes being called the "siberian Chicago", because of its phenomenal growth rate. Among all the big cities Novosibirsk was the most fast-growing; it reached a million population mark in less than 70 years (Chicago - in 90 years, New York - in 250, Moscow - in more than 700 years!). Nowadays it's the third largest city of Russia (after Moscow and St. Petersburg) both by population and area, and is often called: The Uncrowned capital of Siberia!

Novosibirsk is the business center of Siberia and home to the largest Siberian banks, as well as the Siberian Stock and Commodity Exchanges. It is also one of the largest industrial cities of Siberia. The main industries are: instrument making, machine building, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, processing precious materials, and production of farm machinery and chemical concentrates.

Novosibirsk is also one of the most important transport centers of the country. It is situated at the crossroads of water-, air-, auto-, and rail-ways and is the major hub of the Asian part of Russia.

Seven reasons to visit Novosibirsk:

1. Novosibirsk is the capital of Siberia, the 3rd largest Russian city, and the geographical center of Russia!
   
2. Novosibirsk lies at the crossroads of Russia - one of the main Transsib points - from where it is possible to go to any direction!
   
3. The Novosibirsk State Opera House is one of the biggest in the world and its stage is still bigger than that of the Bolshoi Theater of Moscow!
   
4. Novosibirsk's scientific center "Akademgorodok" is the only scientific center in the world where ALL scientific branches are present!
   
5. Novosibirsk Zoo is the only in the world, where the Argali and Putoransky ram are preserved.
   
6. The prettiest girls live here!
   
7. After your journey you could brag of your courage: "I've been to Siberia and have come back safe and sound!!!"
   

Novosibirsk in numbers

The Climate of Novosibirsk

The city is situated in the central part of Eurasia and has continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. The average temperature during the winter is -18 to -20 degrees C, during the summer +20 to +22 degrees C. Novosibirsk has the same latitude as Moscow, Copenhagen, and Hamburg, but it has much more sunny days (about 2080 additional hours annually). The weather is a welcome surprise to many visitors: winters are cold but sunny, summers are short but warm and pleasant. The late spring and the beginning of summer, with hot and sunny weather, is the most attractive period to visit Novosibirsk.

Average high temperature
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
F	9	11	25	43	60	71	75	69	59	41	23	13
C	-12	-11	-3	6	15	21	23	20	15	5	-5	-10
Average low temperature
F	-2	-2	11	28	41	54	58	53	43	30	13	2
C	-18	-18	-11	-2	5	12	14	11	6	-1	-10	-16

Places to visit in Novosibirsk

The Novosibirsk Opera House is an architectural marvel in itself. It is the largest in Russia (more than the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow) and among the largest in the world! Its first theatrical season was opened on May 12th, 1945 - during the days when all the country celebrated victory in the Second World War. During the war, the exhibits from world-famous museums of Moscow (Tretyakovskaya Gallery), Leningrad (Hermitage), Novgorod, Sevastopol and other Soviet cities were kept and saved here. At present, the Theater houses two permanent ballet and opera companies, well-known throughout the world.

Novosibirsk-Glavny (The Railway station.) Before World War II, this was the largest railway station building in the USSR. Today, it still is the largest in Siberia and one of the largest in Russia. Having been planned in the constructionism style, it was altered to neoclassical style during its construction. That unusual monumental building is an example of the architecture of the 1930s, one of the symbols of Novosibirsk and main point of the Trans-Siberian Railway!

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was built in 1897 (one of the first stone-buildings of the city), but it was closed in 1937. In 1988 it was decided to give the Cathedral back to the russian orthodox church, and by 1992 it was fully reconstructed.

In 1915, in honor of the 300-year anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty, The Chapel of St. Nikolai was built and served as a symbolic center of the Russian Empire. During the years of communism, the chapel was destroyed and later became the site for a Stalin monument, which was destroyed after the exposure of the Stalin personality cult. The Chapel was restored for the celebration of the city's 100-year anniversary and, as before, it bears the name of St. Nikolai.

The Voznesensky Cathedral is the main Novosibirsk Orthodox Cathedral, and was built in 1914. Since then it has been reconstructed several times. It has retained its present look since the Orthodox Jubilee - Russian Orthodox Church Millennium.

The Regional Museum of Local Lore, History and Economy (Krasny Prospect, 23) presents the history and ethnography of Siberia. Some of the expositions are: A Thousand Year Panorama of Siberia, The Native People of Siberia, The Region at the End of the XIXth century/Mode of Life, The History of Novonikolaevsk´s Beginning, Fashion in the XIXth century, Development of Siberia in XVIth-XIXth c. and during the Soviet Period. The Siberian Flora and Fauna expositions include: Nature in general, Birds, Insects, Fish/Aquarium and Geology + Magic Stone World - Siberian and Far East stones, from the collection of The Mining Institute.

Novosibirsk Regional Picture Gallery (Krasny Prospect, 5) has a good collection of Russian icons, about 60 paintings of Rerich, the pictures of other famous painters, and many temporary exhibitions.

Zoological Garden (ul. Timiryazeva, 71/1) is situated in a beautiful forested park. The Novosibirsk Zoo keeps 4000 animals of 399 species. More than 120 species are entered into the Red Book. A zoological team participates in 32 international programs on preservation and reproduction of rare and endangered species. The Novosibirsk Zoo has contact with more than 100 Zoos in the world and is a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It is the only Zoo entered into the International Directors Union. Among all the world's Zoos, only the Novosibirsk Zoo possesses the unique Argali and Putoransky ram.

There used to be towns built near fortresses, near monasteries, near factories, ports, and even town-museums, but Akademgorodok (Academic Town) is the first town of science! Within its territory there are 35 research institutes, Novosibirsk State University (one of the top three Russian Universities), apartment houses and cottages, Dom Uchenykh (Scientists' House) - a social center of Akademgorodok, which hosts a library (100 000 volumes), a picture gallery, a lecture hall and a fine concert hall.
It is one of the few towns in the world built right in the middle of a forest. This Siberian town, located on the shore of the man-made lake Ob (a reservoir), has preserved its majestic birch and pine forest, abounding in birds and squirrels.

Don't forget to visit the marvelous Novosibirsk Botanical Garden in Akademgorodok! Having been founded in 1946, it now is the leading botanical institution in Siberia and the Far East.

Culture and Art

Novosibirsk Opera & Ballet House

Krasny Prospect, 36 (near the Lenin Square)

Chamber Chorus of the Novosibirsk Philharmonic Society

ul. Spartaka, 11

Symphony and Chamber Orchestras Halls

ul. Spartaka, 11

Novosibirsk Theatre of Musical Comedy

ul. Michurina, 8 (Near the Central park)

Siberian Russian Folk Chorus

ul. Krasnoyarskaya, 117

Circus

ul. Sovetskaya, 11

"Globus" Drama Theater

ul. Kamenskaya, 1 (near Lenin Square)

"Krasny Fakel" Drama Theater

ul. Lenina, 19 (near Hotel "Sibir")

"Stary Dom" Drama Theater

ul. Bolshevistskaya, 45, Metro Station "Rechnoy Vokzal"

Restaurants

Restaurant "Sibirskaya Troika"

Novosibirsk city, Krasny Prospekt, 17 (Central part of the city)
Metro Station: Ploshad Lenina
Opening hours: 12:00 – 02:00
Cuisine: Russian and European

A restaurant full of russian folk household appliances that make you capture the spirit of the old times. The hall of the restaurant resembles a museum of the old russian style, with vivid and cozy atmosphere . The dining areas are pictured with russian folk characters and you have a feeling that a fairy tale has come true


Restaurant "BELOYE SOLNZE"

Novosibirsk city, Krasny Prospekt, 157/1
Nearest metro station: Zaeltsovskaya
Cuisine: Uzbek

Restaurant "Beloye Solnze" is the only one in Novosibirsk city made in the Uzbek style. Exterior and interior of the restaurant prearrange quests to a unique atmosphere of the East. The restaurant's hall is made as a half-ruined mosque, embroidered skullcaps, the national costumes of the Central Asia, the old copper lamps, candelabrums, jugs, pictures and handmade carpets ginger up the design of the restaurant. You will be delighted with spending unforgettable time in this inimitable East atmosphere.


TAVERN "PECHKI-LAVOCHKI"

Novosibirsk city, Ulitsa Lenina, 1
Nearest metro station: Ploshad Lenina
Cuisine: Home Russian and Siberian

The tavern "Pechki-Lavochki" is a shining example of the rural décor.
Rugs, jugs, baskets predominantly made from wood will snug and bring you into the atmosphere of a squattage. The atmosphere of the restaurant takes you away from a big megapolis to a country cottage calmness. Besides, the cuisine associates newly drawn milk, sour cream and pancakes with a caviar–cuisine cooked with care and served hot out of the oven.