Kirov
Kirov (Russian: Ки́ров KEE-ruhf) is the capital city of Kirov Oblast, Russia.
Understand
The population of Kirov is approximately 500,000 people. The city dates back to at least 1374 and was formerly known as Vyatka and Khlynov. It is named after Soviet leader Sergey Kirov who was assassinated on December 1, 1934.
Get in
See Russia#Get in for details of getting to Russia.
By train
- See also: Trans-Siberian Railway
- Kirov Rail Station (Kirov-I). The main railway station. All Trans-Siberian trains stop at Kirov-I. Trains from this station connect the city to Moscow (12-14 hours), Saint Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Izhevsk, and the Russian Black Sea coast.
- Kirov Kotlassky Rail Station (Kirov-II). A minor station serving trains on the non-electrified railway to points north (Kotlas, Komi Republic).
By plane
- 1 Pobedilovo Airport (KVX IATA) (is 22km southwest of the city centre), ☏ +7 833 255-15-80. There are regular to flights to Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Perm, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Samara, Ufa, and Simferopol.
By bus
Kirov Bus Terminal serves routes to Yoshkar-Ola, Kazan, Naberezhnye Chelny, Syktyvkar, Ufa, Cheboksary, Izhevsk, Ulyanovsk, as well as many towns in Kirov Oblast.
Get around
Public transport
Public transport includes a network of buses, trolleys and marshrutkas. A ride on public transport costs 16 руб. Route maps can be found online [dead link].
Taxi
Taxis are plentiful.
See
Museums
- Chocolate History Museum, Spasskaya 15.
- Vyatka Vasnetsovs' Art Museum, Karla Marksa 70.
- Dymkovskaya Toy Museum, Svobody 67.
- Kirov Regional Local Lore Museum, Spasskaya 6.
- Museum of Paleontology
- Diorama Museum Exhibition Centre
- Regional Museum of History of Public Education
- The Aircraft and Astronautics Museum of K.E. Tsiolkovsky
- Vyatka Kunstkammer Museum
- Railroad Transportation Museum
- Vyatka Paleontological Museum
- Museum of Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin
- Modern Art Center 'Gallery Of Progress'
- Museum of Alexander S. Green
Religious buildings
- Holy Uspensky Trifonov Monastery
- The Church of Faith, Hope, Love and the Mother Sophia
- The Saviour Cathedral
- Church in Honor of the Mother of God of the Theodore
- Church of Christ the Saviour
- Kirov St. Seraphim Cathedral
- St John the Baptist Orthodox Church
Parks
- Alexander Garden
- Dendrologic Park
- Pond near Diorama
- Botanical Garden
- Dvorets Pionerov Memorial Park
- Zarechny Park
Monuments
- Monument of the Family
- Marshal Konev Monument
- Tank T-34: Monument to the Heroic Work of Residents of Kirov
Do
Theatre
- A. Afanasyev Kirov Puppet Theater
- The Kirov Regional Drama Theater
Festivals and events
- Ice Climbing World Cup. March. Annual competition.
- Igloo Building competition - a team competition for the best snow sculpture in different nominations. It is held in the Fairy-Tale Preserve site in the "Zarechniy "park across the Vyatka River usually in March.
- Greenlandia Festival - a 3-day russian bard music festival that takes place in July every year in Bosharovo not far from Kirov. Alcohol free, kids friendly festival with multiple concerts. Some people camp, some just come for selected concerts.
Buy
Local crafts are unique and beautiful:
- Dymkovo toys - a famous local ceramic toy can be found in big shopping centers, in specialized crafts shops (e.g. Vorovskogo 52 or Upita 13) or in the special Dymkovo toy shop on Svobodi 67.
- Matryoshka nesting doll - Kirov is one of the center of Matreshka production. Matreshka from this region (Vyatskaya Matreshka) is inlaid with straw and is exceptionally beautiful and unique.
- Kukarka Lace (aka Vyatka Lace or Kirov Lace) is a type of traditional handmade bobbin weaving and one of the well-known folk Kirov arts. Together with other local crafts made out of straw, woodknobs (nodule), skein, or juniper keep they can be found in the multiple crafts shops around the city.
Eat
- "Danar" ("Данар")- is a turkish doner concept. Fresh ingredients from the region, low prices. More than 20 locations around the city.
- Koleso, Surikova 19.
- McDonald's, Vorovskogo 100A (adjacent to Globus trading center).
- Symposium, Krasina 10, ☏ +7 833 240-53-43. Greek food.
- Tsarskoe Selo, Gertsena 78, ☏ +7 833 240-53-43.
Drink
- Jackie Brown Pub, Karla Marksa 101.
- [dead link] Klever Irish Pub, Gertsena 88. Irish pub.
Sleep
Budget
- Dostoevsky Hostel, Karla Libknekhta St., 93-20, ☏ +7 (8332) 74-68-40. Modern hostel with all usual hostel amenities.
- [dead link] Vyatka Hostel, Volodarskogo 209, ☏ +7 (8332) 64-00-17.
Mid-range
- Hotel Kirov, Krasin 10, ☏ +7 (8332) 54-89-90, booking@astorhotel.ru. 32 rooms. Opened in 2012. From 1900 руб.
Splurge
- [dead link] Hilton Garden Inn Kirov, Oktyabrskiy 145/1, ☏ +7-8332-744-700. From 4200 руб.
Go next
| Routes through Kirov |
| Moscow ← Nizhny Novgorod ← | W  E |
→ Perm → Yekaterinburg |