Kaliningrad
The tract of land sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland on the Baltic shoreline is an annexe of the Russian Federation. Its principal town is now called Kaliningrad, although it was known as Königsberg when it was the centre of German East Prussia. The area was ceded to the erstwhile Soviet Union following World War II. The territory’s future prosperity depends on the Government’s plans to give it special economic status. Architectural remnants which survived the war mark the city’s German heritage, such as the Cathedral. The philosopher Immanuel Kant, the town’s most famous son, is buried near here, and his memory is honoured by the Kant Museum. The Amber Museum, housed in a restored German fortress tower, celebrates this local precious stone. The town has many attractive parks and gardens, as well as a zoo. Nearby, Svetlogorsk is a verdant coastal spa resort which has lost none of its charm. The Kursche Spit is a beautiful sand peninsula extending nearly 100km (63 miles) along the coast, and is a rich habitat for plants and animals.
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