Tran-Siberian 10: Yekaterinburg City Tour - Kazan

“It doesn’t matter how slowly you go as long as you don’t stop...” - Confucius

(Kilometer 0, Asia-Europe Border, Yekaterinburg)

Day 10: Sunday, 11 May 2024
Route: Yekaterinburg City Tour
Train Route: Yekaterinburg to Kazan (15 hrs)

Breakfast was at the hotel restaurant. We had telur mata and croissants for breakfast. We started our Yekaterinburg Tour a bit late this morning. 

(Marins Park Hotel)

(Simple breakfast of croissants and eggs)

(Petite ballerina girls)

Yekaterinburg is a city in Russia, east of the Ural Mountains. It’s known for the golden-domed Church on the Blood, built in the early 21st century on the site of the 1918 Romanov executions. The Monument to the Founders stands by the banks of the Iset River among other monuments which we would visit if time permitted. 

(The railway station is just opposite the hotel)

(A monument to soldiers of Ural)

By 0945 hrs we checked out and stored our carry-on bag in the hotel store room. By 10:00 hrs we boarded a van and began the Yekaterinburg Day Tour, accompanied by Mr Eugene, our local guide. Our first stop was at The Masks of Sorrow, the KGB Secret Cemetery where political dissenters were summarily detained and executed. The monument by Ernst Neizvestny was erected in 1996. Its two weeping faces, one facing Europe, the other Asia, symbolize repentance and respect for the victims of the Stalin era.

(Weeping faces of The Masks of Sorrow)

(The KGB Secret Cemetery)

(Historical details of the cemetery)

(Engraved names of victims of war)

(Monuments at the secret cemetery)

There is more than one Europe-Asia border markers in the Urals, near Yekaterinburg. On the way to the Ganina Yama Monastery, we stopped at one, the Kilometre Zero Asia - Europe Monument, located along the main highway.

(Walking with purpose in tandem)

(Kilometer 0 Asia-Europe Monument)

(Stepping on the Asia - Europe border)

(Some other monuments at the site)

(Interesting souvenirs on display)

We visited the Ganina Yama Monastery where the bodies of Tsar Nicholas II and his family were secretly buried by the Bolsheviks. The body of Emperor Romanov a.k.a.Tsar Nicholas II and family were discovered in a mine pit here. The brutal execution of Tsar Nicholas II, his wife and five children at Yekaterinburg in July 1918 was followed by apparently inept attempts to conceal the bodies. Despite this, the skeletons remained undiscovered until 1979.

(The layout map of Ganina Yama Monastery)

(The monastery where the Tzar and family were buried)

(Cafe and Souvenir Shops)

(Pilgrimage place for Orthodox Christian)

(Tzar Nicholas ll)

(The slain family of Tzar Romanov)

(A church with golden domes)

(The nuns and the priests)

Lunch was at Uzbeketzy Kulinar Muslim Restaurant located in one of the Tartar Muslim dominant satellite towns. We had samosa, kebab and pilaf rice for lunch.

(A modest halal eatery but serves good tasty food)

(Waiting for our orders to be served)

Solat jamak at Imam al-Bukhari Mosque also known as the Copper Mosque. The Copper Mosque is so named because of it's grey copper dome. It has an arched entrance which is similar to the orthodox church at the town entrance. The central dome and decorated minaret are Ottoman style architecture. There were five arches at the front over each of these arches was a small grey dome.

(Imam al-Bukhari Mosque)

(Beautiful stained glass decorating the windows)

(Ladies prayer area on the upper floor)

There was Arabic script over the double wooden entry doors. The sides and rear of the mosque had red and white designs over and around the windows. A wooden mosque used to be on this location, and it was replaced by this permanent structure in 2002. The prayer room was made of white marble, and was the most impressive room in the building.

(Quranic verses at the main entrance)

(White marble brightens the prayer hall)

We had a brief stop at the Church of All Saints or Church of the Spill Blood. It was the former house of the Tsar Nicholas II and his family. They were brutally murdered by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War here.

(Church of the Spill Blood)

(The site of the Ipatiev House)

(The family of Tzar Nicholas ll were murdered here)

Next attraction was the Yekaterinburg Dam and Iset River. The City Dam, more commonly referred to as Plotinka, is located in the heart of the city and is a must see attraction. It was built in 1723 and served as the base for the industrial expansion of the city. Today, it is home to a prominent monument of the Industrial Age, the statue of Tatishev and De Gennin. Due to its important historical value and its picturesque square, the Dam hosts numerous events.

(The Dam of the Central City Pond)

(Reliefs devoted to the history of the city)

(The concrete relief entitled 'The Birth of the City')

(Bridges on the Plotinka Dam)

(Water used to supply to factories and workshops)

From across the road is Sevastyanov House, President Putin Resthouse whenever he is in Yekaterinburg. Sevastyanov House was acquired in 1860 with Neo-Gothic and Baroque architecture.

(President Putin Resthouse in Yekaterinburg)

The van sent us back to the hotel at the end of the tour. We walked a short distance to a local supermarket to buy bread and fruit juice for our train journey tonight. Had coffee at a Muslim Tartar restaurant and bought Beef samosa for dinner on board later. Rested at the hotel lobby before it was time to go to the train station. Claimed our carry-on bag and walked to the train station to collect our left big luggage from the train station locker.

(Yekaterinburg Railway Station)

(A photo opportunity in front of the station)

(Beautiful murals on the ceiling)

Train from Yekaterinburg to Kazan was on time. We boarded the train at 2230 hrs. This third phase of the Trans-Siberian train journey took approximately 15 hours. Once we settled down in our cabin, fatigue took its toll on us and we slept like a log.

👈👈Day 09: Irkutsk to Yekaterinburg, Russia🚂

Day 11: Yekaterinburg to Kazan, Russia🚂👉👉