Welcome to my Arkhangelsk...:-)

Once: Long time ago, when I was a child for the first time entering Arkhangelsk I was astonished by the view of the "old" bridge across Northern Dvina, by it's amazing size and especially by it's gracefulness. I was not spoiled by the urban views of colossal engineer beneficials at that time. It left a strong impression because the first impression is unforgettable...

There opens a beautiful view of Arkhangelsk if you would look left by the traffic. You may see the "sky-scraper", administration of Northern Shipping Company, marine passenger terminal.

Arkhangelsk - is a large Marine Port and entering the city you may see rising port cranes.

Non the less artificial scenery appears before us on the city entrance in the evening.

Here is another theme that could be brought up to the first acquaintance with the city. Further, over the snowdrifts the curve of the "old" bridge can be seen.

We'll continue our walk through the city streets. Here, two mane highways of the central part of the city cross each other: Voskresenskaya and Troitskiy prospect.

Troitskiy prospect. I can't say for sure, but frankly speaking it is one of the oldest streets of the city. I like it because of its houses, tramways, from time to time standing in a line and in summer I like it because of poplars and their sound in the wind.

Near Drama theater Troitskiy prospect is crossed by Karl Libkneht Street. Calm, short street entering embankment near Red Pier.

Former Lenin square is now named Petrovskiy Park. There are buildings of Region Assembly of Deputies, mayor, Regional Administry, "sky-scraper", Detskiy Mir, Central Post Office.

There is a line of shops on Pomorskaya that attracts citizens from the neighborhood to fill himself a buyer or just to hang around and that makes the street noisy and popular.

This is the view on Pomorskaya from a different side where are still left wooden buildings.

And here are Arkhangelsk famous wood-paved roadways.

"Masterpiece of wooden architecture" which are left in plenty in Arkhangelsk.

Also Pomorskaya street, but a bit closer to Troitskiy prospect. Here you can see stone buildings. On this photo you can enjoy the view of one of the most beautiful Arkhangelsk buildings. Unfortunately, there are unpleasant memories left among citizen because of Gandwinbank.

One more beautiful Arkhangelsk building. If I am not mistaken last century here lived a merchant with his family. But if you want to know for sure look through the last published ATK newspaper in the rubric "Old Arkhangelsk".

"City of contrasts" - as we may call this photo. From the yard of half-ruined wooden house we may see satellite aerial.

Near central supermarket the street of Chumbarov-Luchinskiy, so called "local Arbat" crosses Pomorskaya street. City authorities made a decision to leave this street with wooden architecture. There are new beautiful graceful houses being built though the street itself, to be precise it's center, which is called drive way is in dreadful condition.

From Pomorskaya Street we'll get to the Nothern Dvina Embankment in the region of House of children' art creation. Here you can admire Solovetsky Gostiny Dvor.

Let's turn back to the city center and get to the Drama Theater public garden. Walk through its quiet alleys. From time to time the silence is being broke up by the sound of the passing by tram.

When we pass the garden we get to the embankment and to the monument to Peter I.

Peter I visited the Arkhangelsk and played an important role in it's development. By Peter I efforts Arkhangelsk became the cradle of Russian fleet.

The monument, standing on the embankment is said to be of life-size. Grateful descendants periodically, mainly in summer, like to sit on the grass in the garden near the monument and to view Dvina while drinking beer.

We entered embankment that is Arkhangelsk pedestrian way all through the season. On this photo you can see the embankment in summer weekday but it's an absolutely different sight on holidays. Enormous crowds roam on the embankment as waives on Dvina's surface in different directions. There is music playing. And it is absolutely wonderful if Mr.Panov would bring fire-works and we may here viewers' screams of joy, piercing Arkhangelsk evening sky.

A walk along the embankment brings me, personally, pleasure. It's so wonderful to turn from Troitskiy, where the cars and trams are noisy, to the embankment. To walk without any harry hearing in the summer only wind and waives in the river and in winter - voices of playing children.

The sky above Dvina and the river itself in autumn turn to be gray, leaden. Rays of light rarely pierce clouds and stick into river surface as lonely lover into his sweetheart lips.

While the summer ends on the deserted beach, to the point closed for swimming, you can meet lonely fisherman awaiting his "golden fish" and dreaming of ordering a present for his wife and ice cream for his children.

And in winter: In winter the embankment looks like a fairy tale kingdom. Low sun brightens among trees covered with snow. Dvina is cold and deserted.

Walking along the embankment in winter you can only hear the crackle of the trees and crunch of the snow under your feet. Everything around is covered with snowdrifts. Skiers fiercely work with the sticks just not to freeze.

Except Peter I statue, there are few more monuments on the embankment. One of which is devoted to the victims of intervention you can see on the photo.

One more memorable monument is situated on the Pur-Navolok cape, Arkhangelsk cradle.

We can cut short our walk along the embankment for a while and visit smaller hall of Philharmonic Society, which is more often, called "kirha". We can listen to organ or enjoy classic music performed by Arkhangelsk chamber orchestra.

After the visit to Kirkha we'll come back to the river. During summer holidays you can see military ships there. It happens even a submarine come here. I've seen it by myself.

Some people are fond of travelling with "Veterok" ("Breeze"), on the boat, or with "Vikhr" ("Storm"). The boat-station is opposite Suvorov Street. ("Veterok" and "Vikhr" - a kind of boat engine.)

Commercial Liceum.

An old "refrigerator" in the territory of our river-port.

At last we reached Arkhangelsk highest building consisting of 24 floors. As we usually call it - "sky-scraper".

On the next few shots we can view the city through its windows.

View from the sky-scraper to the south. "Old" bridge, where we have entered the city, North Dvina, just from under the hillock starts Chumbarovka.

This beautiful view you can enjoy looking from the windows to the west. Kegostrov island divides the river into Nikolskiy branch and North Dvina itself. Red roof of post office, white columns of Regional Administration of Internal Affairs, park greenery, blue river surface - beautiful:

Another kind of weather - another view. The ship sliding down the river.

The same view in winter. The ship is no more is sliding, but fights it's way through the ice.

The sunrays struggle through the gloomy sky, dark gold of the river, endless northern spaciousness.

Some photo-makers have a unique opportunity to get to the sky-scraper's roof. The view is more interesting than the one from the windows.

But they are not always lucky with the weather:

Kirha - view from Troitskiy prospect.

From the house balcony, where there is Astra shop on the Square of Nations Friendship opens a good view on the city.

Everyone earns money as he can. Musicians near "Penguin" shop.

Typical Arkhangelsk homeless man.

The fans' and Arkhangelsk citizens' passions have not yet calmed down after the Russian hockey championship. 30 degrees frost didn't stop the admirers of Russian hockey. And I was there:

Fragment of the most interesting match of group tournament among combined Russian team and Sweden combined team. The results were defined only in the penalties after the match. We won. As we won the whole championship.

Text by Pavel Parfenov. E-mail: changer@stravt.ru

The author of photos, except specified specially, Pavel Parfenov.