Novosibirsk is a heart of Siberia and is considerd its cultural and industrial center with the population of 1.6 million people.

By all standards its a relatively young city founded in 1893. Actually at that time the city was called Novonikolaevsk aft the Nicholas II (Nikolay Alexandrovich Romanov) the last Emperor and Sovereign of Russia.

Considered the business center of Siberia, Novosibirsk is a home to the largest Siberian banks, as well as the Siberian Stock and Commodity Exchanges.

Aside from business, Novosibirsk has a rich cultural and spiritual life.

Six theatres, a philharmonic orchestra and a musical conservatory are located in the city.

The Novosibirsk Opera House, an architectural marvel in itself, houses two permanent ballet and opera companies known throughout the world.

The intellectual community is equally rich and is fostered by more than 16 institutions of higher education. Since 1957 city serves as a center for Siberian Science Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It has a special place called Akademgorodok (the Academic City).

However, both cultural diveristy and intellectual community fail to conceal the fact that Novosibirsk's major palette is based upon - and consists only of - all imaginable greys. Which comes at no surprise, since Novosibirsk was built for and by unqualified labourers. The city got a significant development boost from arriving workers in the early 1940s, when heavy machinery plants were hastily transferred inward the USSR from its western frontiers.

Novosibirsk can easily beat Novokuznetsk or Kemerovo in a battle for 'The Most Kafkaesque Settlement' title.

See also other cities of Russia:

Irkutsk Kazan Kizhi St Petersburg Murmansk Novgorod Moscow Orel Pyatigorsk Suzdal Tula Ulyanovsk Vladivostok Vladimir Yakutsk

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