And now Сaturday has come again.
Greetings, my friends.
Friends, welcome to Zelenogradsk, the city of cats. In fact, this small Baltic resort town is the only Russian city where cats are not just animals, but real symbols, heroes of legends, and favorites of tourists.
Zelenogradsk traces its history back to 1252. It was in this year that the Teutonic Knights built the castle of Zagen, around which the city, later named Krantz, grew up. The city received its current name in 1946 after the Second World War.
In the post-war years, cats assisted the city's residents in their fight against rats and mice. The locals quickly appreciated their usefulness, and cats began to occupy a special place in the hearts of the townspeople. But cats help people in this way, not only in Zelenograd, but why did cats become a symbol of the city in this particular place?
The love of the inhabitants of the old town for cats did not appear in the last century, but much earlier, when in the middle of the 19th century, the city received the status of a resort town and after the construction of a port and warehouses, a real rat attack began in the city. In one famous fairy tale, the city was rid of rats by the Pied Piper with the help of a pipe, and cats became the deliverers of rats in Krantz. Local fishermen and merchants brought cats from neighboring villages. These furry hunters quickly coped with the problem, catching the rats with incredible dexterity. Since then, cats have become the unofficial heroes of Krantz.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the city Administration thought about attracting tourists and began to look for a unique feature that would set it apart from other resorts, and remembered the legend of cats. Tourists fell in love with it, and the project grew.
In 2015, the "Cat Festival" was launched, where exhibitions, workshops, and fundraising for shelters are held. The city authorities even released souvenirs – magnets, T-shirts, and mugs with cat motifs. The cat theme has become so popular that in 2023, Zelenogradsk was included in the list of "the most unusual tourist destinations in Russia".
In 2024, volunteers estimated that there were about 300 stray cats in the city and created a sterilization program to preserve their population.
Perhaps the most charming thing about Zelenogradsk is the live cats walking the streets, especially along the main pedestrian street. There are hundreds of them here, and each one is a personality! The locals take care of them by arranging feeders and warm houses, especially in winter. Some cats have become local celebrities.
I have hardly seen this in other cities, only in Dagestan, where cats are also considered a noble animal, but they are not so well cared for there.
Drawings on the walls of buildings, statues, and other urban decor elements are all dedicated to the furry inhabitants of the city.
Zelenogradsk is a wonderful, cozy, cat-friendly resort town that you want to return to.
My adventures in the Kaliningrad region continue.
The first 2 parts are here 1 and here 2.
Thanks for reading...
