Zelenogradsk

Zelenogradsk (in English)
Зеленоградск (Russian)
-  Town[1]  -

View of Zelenogradsk

Location of Kaliningrad Oblast in Russia
Zelenogradsk
Location of Zelenogradsk in Kaliningrad Oblast
Coordinates: 54°58′N 20°29′E / 54.967°N 20.483°E / 54.967; 20.483Coordinates: 54°58′N 20°29′E / 54.967°N 20.483°E / 54.967; 20.483
Flag
Administrative status (as of December 2013)
Country Russia
Federal subject Kaliningrad Oblast[1]
Administrative district Zelenogradsky District[1]
Town of district significance Zelenogradsk[1]
Administrative center of Zelenogradsky District,[2] town of district significance of Zelenogradsk[2]
Municipal status (as of May 2015)
Urban okrug Zelenogradsky Urban Okrug[3]
Administrative center of Zelenogradsky Urban Okrug[3]
Statistics
Population (2010 Census) 13,026 inhabitants[4]
Time zone USZ1 (UTC+02:00)[5]
Founded 1252[6]
Previous names Cranz (until 1945),
Krants (until 1946)[6]
Postal code(s)[7] 238326, 238530
Official website
Zelenogradsk on Wikimedia Commons

Zelenogradsk (Russian:  Зеленогра́дск​ ), prior to 1946 known by its German name Cranz (Lithuanian: Krantas), is a town and the administrative center of Zelenogradsky District in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located 34 kilometers (21 mi) north of Kaliningrad, the administrative center of the oblast, on the Sambian coastline near the Curonian Spit on the Baltic Sea. Population: 13,026 (2010 Census);[4] 12,509 (2002 Census);[8] 10,786 (1989 Census).[9]

In its heyday, Zelenogradsk (as Cranz) was a popular seaside resort on Germany's eastern Baltic coast, comparable to Bognor Regis in England. Since the end of World War II and the Soviet takeover, much of its tourist traffic has been diverted to nearby Svetlogorsk, formerly called Rauschen.

History

The site of today's Zelenogradsk was originally an Old Prussian fishing village, in the proximity of Kaup, a Prussian town on the coast of the Baltic Sea in the Viking era. The area became controlled by the Teutonic Order and settled with Germans. The German name Cranz, originally Cranzkuhren, derives from the Old Prussian word krantas, meaning "the coast". For most of its history it remained a small village in East Prussia.

During the 19th century, Cranz became the primary seaside resort for the Kingdom of Prussia on the East Prussian coastline, especially after the construction of a railway line connecting it with Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) in 1885. From 1816 to 1895, it was known as das königliche Bad, or "the royal bathing resort". Despite the increasing numbers of tourists, the fishing industry remained strong; smoked flounder was a regional delicacy. Although Cranz had over 6,000 inhabitants by the start of World War II, it never received a town charter.

Old postcard of Cranz with the Ladies Bath

The area was overrun by the Soviet Red Army during World War II and annexed to the Russian SFSR, although it suffered minimally through warfare. The German population fled during the evacuation of East Prussia or was subsequently expelled by force. Cranz was renamed Zelenogradsk in 1946[6] and was granted town status in the subsequent years.

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Zelenogradsk serves as the administrative center of Zelenogradsky District.[2] As an administrative division, it is incorporated within Zelenogradsky District as the town of district significance of Zelenogradsk.[2]

Within the framework of municipal divisions, since May 15, 2015, the territories of the town of district significance of Zelenogradsk and of four rural okrugs of Zelenogradsky District are incorporated as Zelenogradsky Urban Okrug.[3] Before that, the town of district significance was incorporated within Zelenogradsky Municipal District as Zelenogradskoye Urban Settlement.[3]

Tourism

The tourism industry was neglected during the Cold War and Zelenogradsk's tourism primacy was relinquished to nearby Svetlogorsk (formerly Rauschen). This policy changed in recent years. Zelenogradsk is becoming more popular with Russian vacationers, and many rich Russians own private houses in the area.

Notable people

Twin towns and sister cities

Zelenogradsk is twinned with:

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Law #463
  2. 1 2 3 4 Resolution #640
  3. 1 2 3 4 Law #420
  4. 1 2 Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2011). "Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года. Том 1" [2010 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1]. Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года (2010 All-Russia Population Census) (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  5. ↑ Правительство Российской Федерации. Федеральный закон №107-ФЗ от 3 июня 2011 г. «Об исчислении времени», в ред. Федерального закона №271-ФЗ от 03 июля 2016 г. «О внесении изменений в Федеральный закон "Об исчислении времени"». Вступил в силу по истечении шестидесяти дней после дня официального опубликования (6 августа 2011 г.). Опубликован: "Российская газета", №120, 6 июня 2011 г. (Government of the Russian Federation. Federal Law #107-FZ of June 31, 2011 On Calculating Time, as amended by the Federal Law #271-FZ of July 03, 2016 On Amending Federal Law "On Calculating Time". Effective as of after sixty days following the day of the official publication.).
  6. 1 2 3 Энциклопедия Города России. Moscow: Большая Российская Энциклопедия. 2003. p. 147. ISBN 5-7107-7399-9.
  7. ↑ Почта России. Информационно-вычислительный центр ОАСУ РПО. (Russian Post). Поиск объектов почтовой связи (Postal Objects Search) (in Russian)
  8. ↑ Russian Federal State Statistics Service (May 21, 2004). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек" [Population of Russia, Its Federal Districts, Federal Subjects, Districts, Urban Localities, Rural Localities—Administrative Centers, and Rural Localities with Population of Over 3,000] (XLS). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года [All-Russia Population Census of 2002] (in Russian). Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  9. ↑ Demoscope Weekly (1989). "Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров" [All Union Population Census of 1989: Present Population of Union and Autonomous Republics, Autonomous Oblasts and Okrugs, Krais, Oblasts, Districts, Urban Settlements, and Villages Serving as District Administrative Centers]. Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года [All-Union Population Census of 1989] (in Russian). Институт демографии Национального исследовательского университета: Высшая школа экономики [Institute of Demography at the National Research University: Higher School of Economics]. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  10. ↑ Patrick White. Flaws in the Glass. A Self-Portrait. London 1981, p. 41. ISBN 0-14-006293-9

Sources

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