Photo: other places, River Station, Volgograd

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River Station: Port, Concert Hall and Restaurants

Other places

Volgograd stands on the banks of the largest river in Europe – the Volga. The River Station, which today, too, is the biggest river port on the European continent, is in Volgograd. The first port, that accepted goods from all over Russia, was built in the XIX century and back then its importance and size was inferior only to the river port in Nizhny Novgorod. In those days air traffic was almost not developed, and the river helped both goods and passenger transportation. The central pier and harbors owned by various shipping companies coexisted in Tsaritsyn (Volgograd).

After the establishment of the Soviet power, it was decided to merge several shipping companies and restructure the port. The development of the first plan of the River Station building for passengers began in the 1930s. But the Great Patriotic War started. In the terrible years of battles the River Station was an important strategic point, which brought together troops from all over the country, ammunition and other goods necessary for the victory. The River Station building, although wooden, appeared in the city only in 1952. The elegant staircase leading to the Volga was also built there at the same time. But the closure in 1964 destroyed the building. The new passenger station construction was delayed. Only in 1980 the present building was built on the waterfront. And in 1989 the River Station building was expanded with the addition of a concert hall with a real organ, exhibit areas, cafes and restaurants. It made the port or the cargo logistics hub a center of cultural life. It allows watching the loading and unloading of river ships or take an interesting cruise along the Volga.