# Kaluga

Kaluga is the capital of Kaluga Oblast, with a population of some 340,000 (2020), known as the "Russian Cradle of Space Exploration".

## Understand

The city is located on both banks of the Oka River and on its tributary, the Yachenka River, 160 km from Moscow.
Kaluga is a city with a developed infrastructure, a major transport hub, one of the scientific, cultural, economic and spiritual centers of Russia. Mechanical engineering and automobile construction are actively developed. The city is one of the historical centers of Russia, where a large number of architectural monuments have been preserved.

## Get in
### By plane

* 54.54666736.3688891 Kaluga International Airport (KLF ). Regular flights by Azimut, RusLine, S7 Airlines, from Moscow, Mineralnye Vody, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Yekaterinburg, Krasnodar, and Kazan.

### By train

* From Moscow from Kievsky railway station, on the suburban electric train "Moscow - Kaluga-1" (travel time more than 3 hours) or express train to "Kaluga-1" (travel time about 2.5 hours) or long-distance trains passing through the railway stations Kaluga-1 and Kaluga-2.
* From St. Petersburg from the Moskovsky railway station, by train number 139 (St. Petersburg-Bryansk), to the station Kaluga-2.
* From Tula from the Moscow railway station, by interregional rail buses: (Tula-Kaluga), (Uzlovaya - Kaluga) to the station Kaluga-1.
* From Vyazma from the railway station on interregional rail buses (Vyazma-Iznoski-Kaluga) with a change to Kaluga-1.
* From Bryansk from the Bryansk-Orlovsky railway station by train "Day Express" 738A or trains No. 107, 122, 741 , etc. (Bryansk - Moscow) to the station Kaluga-2.
* From Chisinau by trains № 047, 066, 341 (Chisinau-Moscow) to the station Kaluga-2.
* From Novozybkov by train number 132 (Novozybkov-Moscow) to the station Kaluga-2.
* From Klimovo by train number 086 (Klimov-Moscow) to the station Kaluga-2.
* 54.53361136.2786112 Kaluga-1 Railway Station, Vokzalnaya pl., 3 (bus # 1, 12, 19, 29, 30, 31, 45, 76, 83, 84, 94; tram # 1, 12), ☏ +7 800-775-00-00. The railway station of the Moscow railway on the chord line Vyazma - Syzran in the city of Kaluga. The station is located north of the city center. The main run of the line at this point makes a loop, going deep into the city.
* 54.53916736.1278893 Kaluga-2 Railway Station, ul. Pryvokzalnaya (Bbus # 20, 30), ☏ +7 800-775-00-00. 24 hr. Secondary station. The railway station of the Moscow railway on the line Tikhonova Pustyn - Sukhinichi, a railway station, in the urban district of Kaluga. Due to its remoteness from the main part of the city, it is not popular with passengers, although the bus takes only 15-20 minutes to get there. The station is about 11 km from the main part of the city.

### By bus

From Moscow: from bus stations near metro stations: Tyoply Stan, Shchelkovskaya, or from bus stations near Kievskaya, Yugo-Zapadnaya metro stations. Buses to Kaluga leave every hour (several flights per hour). The line operates daily from 05:00 to 22:00, depending on the point of departure in Moscow.
The city has a direct bus connection with the cities: Moscow, Kozels, Lyudinovo, Kirov (Kaluga region), Bryansk, Tula, Aleksin, Bogoroditsk , Venev, Dubna, Smolensk, Plavsk, Suvorov, Yasnogorsk.
* Kaluga Bus Station, Vokzalnaya square, 3 (near ​​the Kaluga-1 railway station; tram # 1, 12, M/T 1, 12, 29, 31, 45, 76, 83), ☏ +7 4842 78-36-78. 04:30-22:00. Order tickets by phone 78-36-86, 78-36-99 from 09:00 to 18:00. The cost of booking a ticket by phone is 60 руб. for each ticket. Additional point for the sale of tickets for suburban and intercity buses on Gagarina street, 5. (updated Apr 2016)

### By car

From any city on the M3 highways (distance from Moscow ~ 170 km) or A130.

## Get around

Municipal trolleybus, bus, and fixed-route taxi: flat rate (fare) - 35 руб. Passenger and cargo taxis can be easily ordered at any time. The city has many services that transport passengers and goods. Prices from 50 руб.

## See

* 54.51666736.228661 Vostok launch vehicle. On June 21, 1973, a real rocket (duplicate) "Vostok" measuring 38 m was installed in the park named after K.E. Tsiolkovsky near the Museum of Cosmonautics. (updated Apr 2016)
* 54.50986136.2473612 Stone bridge, Pushkin street (across the Berezuisky ravine). The stone viaduct was built in 1777, designed by the famous architect Peter Nikitin in the style of Russian classicism. The length of the structure is about 160 m, the height is about 20 m. The bridge rests on 15 large stone arches, the three central arches are made in 2 floors. After the completion of the construction, 28 stone trade shops were built near the bridge. The ravine, through which the stone bridge passes, was fortified with plantings by order of the governor Smirnov. Berezuyka stream flows along the bottom of the ravine. In 1910, the roadbed was filled with reinforced concrete. (updated May 2016)
* 54.50762336.2543523 Gostiny Dvor (Gostiny Rows), ul. Lenin (public transport stop "Ploschal Old Trading"). One of the unique architectural ensembles of Kaluga where elements of ancient Russian architecture are used. Gostiny Dvor appeared in Kaluga at the end of the 18th century. This is one of the main attractions of the city. N.V. liked to visit the bookstore located in Gostiny Dvor. Gogol, when he lived in Kaluga, and in June 1961, on the square near Gostiny Dvor, Kaluga residents met the first cosmonaut of the Earth, Yuri Gagarin. (updated Apr 2016)
* 54.5147936.2741934 Church of Cosmas and Damian, ul. Suvorov, 177/16. An architectural monument in the Baroque style, built in 1794. At the corners of the slender two-tier tetrahedron there are four strongly protruding exedra, turning higher into round turrets - the drums of the side domes. The apse of the church protrudes strongly forward. A five-tiered bell tower adjoins the refectory. The bell tower stood at first separately from the temple, but it has been connected to it by a porch. (updated Apr 2016)
* 54.50917236.0360785 Church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, p. Kozlovo. 08:30-22:00 (except for church holidays and services). A temple with six domes, a monument of architecture and urban planning, erected in stone in 1886. In 2012, not far from the church, a spring was found and consecrated in honor of the Martyr Kuksha, the enlightener of the Vyatichi. A particle of his relics was also brought from Kiev, which is in the temple. The feast day of the temple falls on June 26 (July 9) - the celebration of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. (updated Sep 2017)
* 54.51370936.273446 Monument to the Fallen in Local Conflicts, pl. Victory. The monument, designed by the architect Yevgeny Golyshev, was made in St. Petersburg. Part of the funds for the creation of the monument was donated by the participants in the hostilities. He represents the figure of a paratrooper in front of a marble arch. Nearby, there are three snow-white slabs with carved figures of cranes. On the slabs of artificial granite are carved lists of 197 names of heroes-internationalists who were called up from the Kaluga region, as well as the names of the dead soldiers whose families live in Kaluga. (updated Apr 2016)
* 54.51311436.258087 "Man with a bicycle", Monument to K.E. Tsiolkovsky, ul. Teatralnaya, 9. According to the recollections of contemporaries, "Tsiolkovsky rode a bicycle from the beginning of spring to the snow." Seeing him on this transport was familiar. Author of the work: sculptor Svetlana Farnieva. An obligatory requirement when creating a sculpture was its anti-vandalism. The smallest details - the pedals and the chain - were not made of bronze. They were taken off a regular bike, set up here, and covered with paint. The wheels are also protected from the inside. Therefore, the bronze inventor can calmly observe the sky without fear that his transport will be taken apart. (updated Apr 2016)
* 54.51538836.2585668 Monument to the theater spectator, Theater Square. The sculpture represents a girl holding a sign with the inscription: "Is there an extra ticket?" For the installation of the monument, local residents and guests of the city collected more than 515,000 руб. It is considered the first monument in the world dedicated to the theater audience. (updated Apr 2016)

### Museums

* 54.51686236.2307959 K.E. Tsiolkovsky State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics (Государственный музей истории космонавтики имени К. Э. Циолковского), ul. Akademika Korolev Street, 2 (M/T 1 and tram 1 to the stop "Tsiolkovsky Park", M/T 29.31 to the stop "6th School"), ☏ +7 4842 70-50-25. Tu Th F Su 10:00 - 18:00, W 11:00 - 21:00, Sa 10:00 - 19:00. The first in the world and the largest in Russia museum of space themes, created with the direct participation of S.P. Korolev and Yu.A. Gagarin. The museum has a modern planetarium and a cafe. (updated Apr 2016)
* 54.5111636.2302110 House-Museum of K.E. Tsiolkovsky (Дом-музей К.Э. Циолковского), ul. Tsiolkovsky, 79, ☏ +7 4842 74-61-80. 150 руб. (updated Apr 2016)
* 54.5182936.262811 House-Museum of A.L. Chizhevsky (Дом-музей А.Л. Чижевского), ul. Moskovskaya, 62, ☏ +7 4842 56-11-39, +7 4842 72-32-95. 150 руб. (updated Apr 2016)
* 54.5106236.24563812 Kaluga Regional Museum of Local Lore (Калужский областной краеведческий музей), ul. Pushkin, 14, ☏ +7 4842 72-16-18. Tu-F Su 09:30 - 17:00, Sa 11:00 - 19:00, closed M and last Friday of every month. Tickets from 50 руб.
* 54.50873436.25645813 Kaluga Museum of Fine Arts (Калужский музей изобразительных искусств), ul. Lenin, 104, ☏ +7 4842 56-28-30. Tu-Su 10:00 - 18:00, closed M and last Friday of every month. One of the leading state cultural institutions in the Kaluga region. Tickets from 50 руб. (updated Apr 2016)
* 54.51346436.26753914 Museum of Crafts, Architecture and Life (Музей ремесла, архитектуры и быта), ul. Kirov, 45/16 (1, 2, 3, 7, 13 and 4 to the Cinema Central stop), ☏ +7 4842 56-13-54. 10:00 - 17:00. Collection of medieval copper coins of the 15th-16th centuries, steelyards of the 18th-20th centuries, ceramics of the Kaluga region of the 7th-20th centuries, clay toys of Kaluga, frames of Russian icons of the 19th-20th centuries. Free. (updated Apr 2016)
* 54.51439436.03387815 Bereginya Museum of Dolls (Музей кукол «Берегиня»), village Kozlovo, 1, ☏ +7 910 912-50-72. 10:00-18:00. The museum presents a unique collection of traditional Russian dolls, numbering more than 2000 pieces. Museum curator Rimma Yakovlevna Tarasova is a national master of Russia. Pre-registration is required for the excursion. The Church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of Godis is 500 meters south-east from the museum. There are no direct buses to the museum, but you can get to the village of Kurovskoye and walk to the estate. From 100 руб. (updated Apr 2016)

### Theaters

* 54.51574836.25863716 Kaluga Regional Drama Theater (Калужский областной драматический театр), Teatralnaya Square, 1, ☏ +7 4842 57-42-57. One of the oldest operating drama theaters in Russia. Founded in 1777. Tickets from 350 руб. (updated Apr 2016)
* 54.50947636.25328317 Kaluga Regional Theater for Young Spectators (Калужский областной театр юного зрителя, ТЮЗ), ul. Teatralnaya Street, 36, ☏ +7 4842 57-83-52. The history of the Kaluga Youth Theater begins in 1964, when the actors of the Kaluga Drama Theater and enthusiasts created a theater troupe in Kaluga under the leadership of the Honored Artist of the RSFSR L.V. Volskaya and V.M. Tsvetkov.   Tickets from 200 руб. (updated Apr 2016)
* 54.51414936.26315518 Kaluga Puppet Theater (Калужский театр кукол), Kirov, 31 (entrance through the foyer of the Central cinema, tram # 1, 2, 3, 7, 13 and bus # 4 to the stop "Cinema" Central "or" House of Life "), ☏ +7 4842 56-39-47. Tuesday - Friday 13:00-17:30, Saturday Sunday 10:00-14:00. Cute puppet show. Tickets from 200 руб. (updated Apr 2016)

## Buy

* 54.51620336.2465821 Shopping complex XXI (Kaluga XXI Century, Торговый комплекс XXI), ul. Kirov, 1, ☏ +7 4842 79-02-00. The complex has two cinemas, a cafe, a restaurant, ticket offices for the sale of air and railway tickets, and workshops for minor repairs. (updated Oct 2021)

## Eat

* Grill-bar "Wings", ul. Kirov, 39 Shopping center "Evropeyskiy", 4th floor. ☎+7 (4842) 75-04-94. Friday Saturday 11:00 - 02:00, Sunday - Thursday 11:00 - 24:00. On average 280 ₽. Cuisines: beer, European, Russian. Grill menu, children's menu, cocktail menu. 2 halls, 240 seats. Children's play corner. Free Wi-Fi. Business lunch: 11:00 - 16:00. Apr 2016
* Restaurant "La Grillade", ul. Academician Korolev, 16. ☎+7 (4842) 41 00 61. Daily 11:00 - 00:00. from 390 руб. European cuisine with Asian flavors. Business lunches from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 15:00 (except official holidays). Apr 2016

## Drink

The club and entertainment life of the city is represented by a large number of establishments of various orientations, and different in size: from large clubs to small themed apartments.
* Entertainment center B-45, ul. Kirov, 43 building 1, ☏ +7 4842 56-51-42. 09:00- 05:00. Restaurant, banquet and conference hall, karaoke bar, sports bar, two dance floors (up to 200 people), entertainment for children and adults: bowling, billiards, slot machines, children's corner, bookmaker's office. Business lunches on the 3rd floor from 12:00 to 16:00. Delivery service works anywhere in the city. Kitchen to order: preparation and delivery of dishes +7 905 641 36-94 (kitchen). From 100 руб. (updated Apr 2016)

## Sleep

* Kaluga Plaza Hotel, 2nd Tulsky Lane, 1. ☎+7 (4842) 77-71-10.  From 2550 руб. Conference hall. Bath complex. Free wireless Internet Wi-Fi is available in each room and throughout the hotel complex. ATM. Transfer. Laundry. A restaurant. Apr 2016
* Hotel "Kaluga", Kirov street, 1. ☎+7 (800) 700-16-70.  From 2600 руб. The hotel is located in the central area of ​​the city, close to attractions and business centers. The hotel building is located on the Peace Square, where you can see the monument to Tsiolkovsky, and opposite the hotel - the Arbitration Court and the House of Music. Visa support. Shopping and entertainment complex, restaurant, bars, internet in rooms, minibars, elevator. Apr 2016
* Hotel "Zul", Gogol street, 2. ☎+7 842 212-010.  From 1000 руб. Each hotel room has a balcony, refrigerator, shower or bath, free Wi-Fi. A two-minute walk is the Museum of the History of Astronautics and a park with life-size rockets. Apr 2016
* Hotel complex "Donjon", ul. Semyonovo settlement, 6. ☎ +7 4842 56-57-56.  From 1500 руб. Apr 2016
* Hotel "Seaside", 2nd Berendyakovsky Lane, Building 1, Building A. ☎+7 4842 22-09-37.  From 1500 руб. There are 10 rooms in the hotel: one "Standard" room, two "Superior" rooms, four "Junior Suites", two "Suites" and one room "Apartment". Apr 2016
* Hotel "Prichal" ,Vorobyovskaya street, 24. ☎+7 4842 75-62-62, prichal-hotel.  From 3000 руб. In the rooms: TV, refrigerator with minibar, bathrooms with a set of accessories and cosmetics for the bathroom. The room rate includes a continental breakfast. Apr 2016

## Connect

Rostelecom holds the bulk of the local wire telephony and broadband Internet access market. Mobile operators are represented by MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, as well as Tele2 and Rostelecom-Mobile.
More than a dozen companies provide access to the worldwide network. In addition to wireline telephone and cellular operators, these include TTK (CJSC TransTeleCom Company), Maxnet and others.
There are free Wi-Fi hotspots in many shopping centers, educational institutions, squares and public transport salons. TransTeleCom Company (TTK) also provides Internet access through an electrical outlet.

## Stay safe

Tourist must carry their passports. Police officers may check documents. It is not recommended to walk along the outskirts of Kaluga in the late evening or at night; in some areas of the city you can find problems and trouble.

## Go next

* Tikhonova hermitage. Named after Leo Tolstoy. 4 km from Kievskoe highway. Numerous buses go there from Kaluga (to Tovarkovo, Kondrovo, Medyn, Palaces; the journey takes about 30 minutes. A large monastery 20 km from Kaluga. It was founded in the 15th century, but most of the buildings date back to the late 19th - early 20th centuries, including the pompous Assumption Cathedral with a bell tower. Oct 2021
* Museum-diorama "Great standing on the Ugra", p. Palaces, 3 km from Tikhonovaya Pustyn. From Kaluga 6 buses a day, the journey takes about 30 minutes. 500 руб per person, if there are fewer than 10 people in the group. At the Vladimir skete of the Tikhon Hermitage on the banks of the Ugra River, in the places where this historical event took place. Admission only as part of group tours (every hour). (Oct 2021)
* 54.0235.341 Ugra National Park.
* Milutychi is a maral farm. 160 km from Kaluga. You can go along two routes, which one to choose, it is better to call the maral farm on the eve of the trip and clarify which road is the most passing one at the moment. Better to go in the daytime and in a crossover.