White city

The excursion route passes along the street of the Soviet, the main, central town-planning street of the White City, telling about the architectural appearance of the city, which was formed from the XVII century. Here the rich past of our region and its dynamic present are harmoniously combined.

The territory of the White City is limited by two intracity rivers - Kutum in the north and the man-made Varvatsievsky canals in the south. This is an original administrative, economic and cultural city center, the first city institutions and educational institutions were opened here, fashionable shopping complexes were replete with mirror windows, oriental bazaars were summoned with exquisite dishes, the first city parks and squares were beckoned with coolness.

During the tour you will get acquainted with the history and architecture of the part of the city adjacent to the Kremlin. By 1630, the residential buildings behind the Kremlin wall were surrounded by another stone wall and received the name of the White City. It is here that most of the surviving ancient buildings and merchant mansions are located. You will see the tower of the Savior-Preobrazhensky Monastery, the Demidovskoe compound, the farmsteads of oriental merchants and many other luxurious mansions, churches and business buildings of that era.

This is how one of the Moscow writers described the beauty of the White City: “The comprehension of beauty in everyone happens in their own way.” I remember as the plane climbed higher and higher, moving from the blue darkness through the morning fog to the sunlight. And then down there was a white city, spread wide by the lead ribbon of the river. It was like a layout. And in the middle is a toy white triangle of the Kremlin. Then the plane went to land, and the layout disappeared, the city swallowed the plane and its passengers, and with it me.

Preserved today, the appearance of the buildings, as in a mirror, reflects in its unity the unique architectural style of the central district of Astrakhan.