Escorted Rail Tour to Yekaterinburg
Infamous for its role in the downfall of the Tsars
Located on the eastern side of the Ural Mountains, Yekaterinburg
was founded in 1723 by the prominent statesmen Vasily Tatischev and
Georg Wilhelm de Gennin. It was named for Tsar Peter the Great's
wife, Catherine, and the settlement was granted the status of a
town in 1796. Easily the most famous episode in
Yekaterinburg's history occurred in July 1918, when the Imperial
family of Romanov was executed by the Bolsheviks at Ipatiev
House.
Tsar Nicholas II had abdicated the previous year, and was being
held under house arrest in the city. When it was discovered that
Tsarist forces were approaching Yekaterinburg, the decision was
made to kill the Tsar, his wife, their four daughters and only son,
to prevent them from becoming figureheads for rebellion. Their
remains were finally given a proper burial in 1998. Ipatiev House
was never used after these events, and was demolished in 1977.
In later years it was decided that a more fitting tribute to the
Romanov family was needed. With the fall of the Soviet Union in the
early 1990s, it was also reckoned that the new building had to be
less of a focal point. The Cathedral of the Blood was completed in
2000, and is a magnificent symbol of peace and worship.
All activities were well planned out. Our tour manager was wonderful.