Volgograd, formerly Tsaritsyn and Stalingrad, is the administrative centre and largest city of Volgograd Oblast in Russia. It lies on the western bank of the Volga and has a population of slightly over one million. The city is the 16th-largest in Russia by population and the fourth-largest on the Volga. Its name has changed several times, reflecting major periods in its history, including the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II.
Early history
The city was founded as the fortress of Tsaritsyn in 1589, and documented evidence of the settlement at the confluence of the Tsaritsa and Volga rivers dates from that year. It soon grew into a trading settlement. In the 19th century it became an important river port and commercial centre, attracting many migrant workers and expanding rapidly. Living conditions were poor, and outbreaks of cholera caused many deaths between 1907 and 1910, while the region became a centre of revolutionary activity.
Battle of Stalingrad
After the Bolsheviks took control in 1917, the city was renamed Stalingrad in 1925 in honour of Joseph Stalin, who helped defend it during the Russian Civil War. During World War II, Axis forces attacked the city, leading to the Battle of Stalingrad, one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the war. The Soviet victory is widely regarded as a turning point, and the city received the title of Hero City. In 1961 it was renamed Volgograd, as part of de-Stalinization, after the Volga River.
Present-day city
Volgograd is home to The Motherland Calls, an 85-metre statue dedicated to the heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad, which is the tallest statue in Europe. The city has museums, sandy beaches and a self-propelled floating church. It was one of the host cities of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.