The Tsar established this city to protect the honest merchants and traders from all sorts of brigands and troublemakers along the Volga.
Samara is the capital of the Samara Region and is home to 1.13 million people. Samara is one of the most prominent Volga region cities and it is famous as Russia’s aerospace centre.
- Founded in: 1586
- Population: 1,135,000
- Distance to Moscow: 1057 km
During World War II, Samara became a “second capital” of Russia as all government departments and diplomatic corps were evacuated there from Moscow. Places of interest for visitors include the massive 37-metre deep Stalin’s bunker and the beautiful nature preserve, Zhigulevskie Hills, on the Volga River.
Samara is an ideal city to enjoy the magnificent Volga River, the largest in Europe. The river is almost 2 kilometres wide here and has been a source of inspiration for poets and artists for centuries.
An iconic landmark of Samara is a 68-metre, 20-ton monument of the Soyuz carrier rocket, built to commemorate Gagarin’s space flight.
Samara is a major transport hub thanks to its international airport, major railway station and busy river port.