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Saratov is a large city located in the south-eastern part of Russia.
There are many hypotheses about the name of the city. The most common is that Sărătov is derived from the words sărăta" and tau", which means yellow mountain. Currently, this hypothesis is incorrect, but the real answer has not been found.
The city was founded by decree of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich as a fortress in 1590 with the purpose of protecting the south of the country. Toward the second half of the 18th century, it became a major point on the famous Salt & Gold Roads. And from the 19th century it acquired the status of a large trading city. The main trade was in fish and grain.
The development process in Saratov led to the construction of large machine factories. Since 1945, the greatest development in Saratov has been in the field of instrumentation and radioelectronics. Today, Saratov is a major multinational center with many industrial, cultural and educational institutions. Saratov is one of the oldest universities in Russia.
A major landmark that will be remembered by visitors to the city is Victory Park: An open-air museum of military equipment, featuring real-life vehicles that were used during World War II, as well as contemporary advances in technology.
The heart of the city is Kiera Avenue, where the buildings of the old city of Saratov remain. Any visitor will be surprised by the uniqueness of the building of the Conservatory and the Church My Lady of Sorrows, located not far from the bank of the Volga River. It is also fascinating to see the motorway that connects Saratov to Ingalls. This motorway is striking for its structural design. It is 2,800 meters long and is one of the longest bridges in Europe.
You can also find a few hundred kilometers from Saratov the place where the first USSR commissar, Mr. Gagarin, was depicted.
The place where the first commissar of the USSR, Mr. Gagarin, was depicted is also a great attraction.
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- Tap water: No, not drinkable
- Religious government: Non-religious
- Population: 840,000 people
- GDP: $8,655 / year
- Foreigners can own real estate: Yes
- Power outlets: 230V50Hz
- Internet: 17 Mbps
- Best wireless: MTS
- Pay without cash: Yes, cards OK almost everywhere
- Tipping: Typically in Russia the etiquette is to tip anywhere between 10% and 15% of the bill. Tip in cash, and give it directly to the waiter. Many restaurants don’t accept credit cards. You don’t need to tip much, but don’t tip too little either.
- Apartment listings: Avito
- Apartments: Airbnb
- Hotels: Booking.com
- More hotels: Hotels.com
- Best taxi: Yandex Taxi
- Best coworking space: Srabotaemsya
- Online electronics shop: Ozon
- Best short-haul air carrier: Aeroflot
- Best intl air carrier: Aeroflot
- Monthly costs for expat: $500
- Monthly costs for family: $800
- Monthly costs for local: $220
- Meal: $2.5
- Small Cola: $0.4
- Beer 1 Pint: $1.3
- Coffee: $0.9
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