This is my submission for the ‘3 Things in the City’ I Love contest by Velvet Escape, Traveldudes and Wimdu.co.uk

Envisioning Siberia, I pictured dirt roads, small towns and a complete lack of modern amenities. So color me surprised when the train pulled up in Ekaterinberg, Russia; a vibrate metropolis, home to over 1.2 million people.

Ekaterinberg is the first city in Siberia along the West to East route of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. It’s a city with a dark and bloody past that has managed to transform into a center of culture and commerce in Siberia. I love that the city is a confluence of Eastern and Western influence.

3 Things You Must do In Ekaterinburg

Europe/Asia Border

10 years ago, after a series of travelers were found wandering the forest in search of the exact border coordinates, Ekaterinburg’s local authorities erected the monument that stands today.

Set atop stones from the farthest reaches of each continent, sits a structure representing an A and E intertwined.

You’ll get chills and rush of excitement as you stand with one foot in each continent.

Church of the Spilled Blood

Throughout history Russian leaders had a habit of exiling political opponents to the depths of Siberia. Such was the case of the former Russian imperial family, the Romanovs. Following the Russian Revolution in the early 1900’s, Lenin and the Bolsheviks exiled the Romanovs to Ekaterinburg and later executed the entire family.

The church was built as a memorial on the exact site of the mass murder. Its rumored to be the most expensive church ever commissioned by the Russian government.

It’s a towering structure surrounded by smaller monuments and photos of the Romanov family, that stands as a reminder of Ekaterinburg’s dark history.

ZooPark

Ekaterinburg’s ZooPark is the largest in all of Russia. Compared to western zoos, it definitely feels a bit old, but is home to an impressive and quirky array of animals.

From bears and monkeys to tigers and elephants, all the basics are there. But so are some unexpected animals like hamsters, mice, common turtles and sea gulls. I found it incredibly interesting to see these creatures housed in a zoo – its all a matter of perspective on what’s exotic!