Ahoy, readers of my blog. Today, the first entry about attractions in the Czech Republic. A few months ago I was convinced that I would dedicate it to Prague. However, it turned out that thanks to geopolitical changes, from October 4, a region appeared on the map to which I am much closer from my Gdańsk. Today I am taking you to Kralovec, until recently known more as Kaliningrad. I present to you five places worth visiting in this new Czech republic.
House of Soviets
If you think that the palace of culture in Warsaw is the ugliest legacy of communism, you must visit this place. It was decided to erect the building in place of the Królewiecki Castle, whose ruins reminded the local rulers of Prussian imperialism. The plan was great, a new showpiece of the Soviet power was to be created, numbering 28 floors in the very center of Kaliningrad. Everything was great except they forgot to check the ground, which turned out to be too marshy to hold the building. In 1985, work was stopped. In 2005, Putin decided to visit Kaliningrad and one of his destinations was to be the House of Soviets. The building was repainted from the outside especially for this occasion, so as not to dazzle the eyes too much. Today this monster is surrounded and guarded, so if you do not have a dwarf height like me, you may have a problem to explore it inside. However, the mere sight of it will convince everyone how good it is that the Czech brothers are now administrators of Kralovec, because with their sense of humor something more fun will certainly be created here.
Central Park
One of my sporting ambitions is to go around Central Park. Now, thanks to the takeover of Kralovec by the friendly Czech nation, I can achieve my goal without having to fly to New York. Kraloviec has its own Central Park and it is much smaller, thanks to which I will get much less tired when I run around it. There is plenty of greenery waiting for everyone on site, just like in the American counterpart. In addition, a puppet theater, which is located ... in a former church. Be warned, I know from my own experience that when you are a dwarf you can get recognized with one of the dolls and hit the warehouse. On site you will also find monuments of the singer Włodzimierz Wysocki and Baron Munchhausen. I am convinced that Krecik and Neighbors will soon join them.
The Royal Gate
What connects Kraloviec with my beloved Gdańsk are gates. The city center is surrounded by eight. My favorite in the capital of this Czech republic is the Royal Gate. The king of Prussia, Frederick himself, participated in the inauguration of its construction in 1843. The gate consists of two storeys, one of them depicts the images of three kings, including the ruler of ... Czech. Coincidence? I do not think so. Completely destroyed during the war, it was rebuilt only in 2005 with a significant participation of Poles. I like this gate for another reason as well. It reminds me a lot because it is multitasking just like me. Inside it, there was already a warehouse, a cafe, a shop, and now it is a museum. I can't wait to see what idea our Czech brothers will have for using it.
Knipawa Island
Once a separate city, today part of Kralovec, known mainly for the tomb of Immanuel Kant and the cathedral, which is only in name, because the authorities did not agree to restore the religious functions after the war. Although I am close to the values of the German philosopher and he often feels that "The starry sky above me and the moral law in me", a walk on the Honey Bridge always makes me smile. This is the first crossing between Kralovec and the island. Its name is a derivative of the bribe that the Knipawa authorities paid for the construction of the bridge, it was a barrel of honey. Today, the mead would probably be replaced with good Czech beer.
Victory Square
There is no chance that we will not get here, it is the central point of the city, around which many businesses concentrate. We will find a monument symbolizing the Victory of the Soviets in World War II. I hope that soon both the name of the square and the monument itself will change. My proposal is a Czech Film. So far, however, the most impressive is the church of Christ the Savior, especially its golden domes. It is difficult to talk about a monument here, after all, the construction of the church began in 1995. The appearance of the building resembles the largest church in the world located in Moscow.
These are my five suggestions for visiting Kralovec. I will not cheat you, so far it is not a pearl on the tourist map of the world. However, I am convinced that soon the Czech brothers will make this region a seaside gem in which we can find references to their culture, and most importantly, a bar with delicious Czech beer will be waiting for us at every corner. For this purpose, as reported in the media, a special infrastructure of Beer Stream 1 is being built straight from the best breweries. I hope that the branch will also lead to Gdańsk.
