Holidays at seaside resorts at affordable prices without intermediaries! Former palmniken, turned amber.
Hello friends. In the west of the Kaliningrad region there is the village of Yantarny. A world-class attraction, here are the largest deposits of amber and the world’s only museum of this ornamental stone. Periodically, “amber storms” occur on the coast and the sea washes tons of “honey stone” ashore. They say that at the end of the 19th century, near the village after such a storm, so much amber washed ashore that residents of the area collected it for several years.
Now the village of Yantarny is a town surrounded by greenery with ancient history. Here, there is an open amber quarry, where industrial amber mining is carried out. A visit to Yantarny is definitely worth it, especially since tourism is developing well in the town and the service is decent. We'll tell you what to see here.
You can budget half a day/day for the trip, depending on whether you want to walk around the city, walk along the famous promenade, see the Anna mine, visit the museum and dig some amber for yourself, or limit yourself to an excursion to the mine and the museum.
Promenade and Baltic Sea
IN good weather You can stay here longer. Cleanest air and magnificent beach. By the way, this is the first beach in Russia, 3 hectares long, awarded the Blue Flag in 2016.
The Blue Flag is awarded to the most environmentally friendly clean beaches peace
True, you can swim here only in good weather, when there is no rain and a strong Baltic wind, which creates a picturesque wave that is not conducive to swimming. And good for water activities The weather doesn't happen here often.
There are many countries with beaches where people sunbathe with pleasure, but either do not go into the water at all or take a slight dip. These are the beaches of Germany and Portugal. Those planning to come to Yantarny should take into account the weather and the fact that the Baltic Sea here is cold.
A little history
These lands were inhabited by Slavic tribes, which are now called by one common name - the Balts. Where Kaliningrad and its region are now, the Prussians (Poruss) lived. Since time immemorial, they have been collecting amber ornamental stones and making jewelry from it.
Ancient Prussian
In those days, amber mining was done by hand, i.e. limited to what the sea brought.
- In the 13th century, the knights of the Teutonic Order began to seize the lands of the Balts and build their fortresses on them. They declared all amber their property, and those who did not agree were held “amber trials” and hanged.
- In the 14th century, the village of Palveniken was first mentioned, which translated from Prussian means “treeless swamp, wasteland.”
- In the 16th century, a new method of stone extraction appeared - fishing. Algae was caught with nets from the boats, and large amber was selected from them.
- The 17th century is the second mention of the village, now under the name Palmeniken.
- XVIII - the first experiments in extracting amber by digging. These mines along the shore were simple pits up to 20 meters deep. To prevent sand from falling asleep, they were reinforced with boards.
- XIX - the technology of amber extraction was significantly improved: open quarries appeared, where miners and divers worked, and the first steam engines, dredgers, scooped up the water.
- The name of the village was transformed into Palmniken.
- In 1946, the village was renamed Yantarny.
You can see for yourself how amber is mined now by visiting the observation deck of the amber quarry. I'll tell you about it a little further.
When talking about the village it is impossible not to mention two people - Becker and Stantien. These German entrepreneurs in the 60s of the 19th century became the owners of the land and the absolute masters of the amber industry.
The memory of one of them is preserved to this day. In Amber there is Becker Park and Hotel Becker.
Hotel Becker
If the park is related to the estate of this entrepreneur, then the hotel is not. It is new, built relatively recently. But Hotel Schloss- This is the former home of Maurice Becker. Which he built on a historical site.
Once upon a time, the hunting lodge of Elector George Wilhelm stood here, and later the Prussian King Frederick I expanded it. He came here from and to hunt. And then Moritz Becker became the owner. The Amber King demolished the hunting lodge and built his large manor house on its foundation, laying out a park in front of it.
Please note that there are many types on the Internet tourist maps where everything is mixed up. Apparently because there was an error on the map itself. In miniature there is a map with errors (for comparison), but below in the article the map is correct.
Let's finish the story about Becker's manufactory. Apparently, the businessman’s instincts did not let him down, and in 1899 he sold his possessions and business to the state at a very profit.
Friends, we are now on Telegram: our channel about Europe, our channel about Asia. Welcome)
Attractions
The map is clickable and opens in a large size
This is a map with the correct landmarks
I'll start with those for which bus excursions come here.
- Museum of the Amber Combine
You can come here with by excursion bus mostly from Svetlogorsk or Kaliningrad (perhaps there are also from other cities).
You can come here on your own, but you can only enter the plant territory in a group of organized excursion with a guide. This is a working enterprise and entry into it is only through the checkpoint.
Tours take place every day and every hour. The first starts at 9:00 and the last at 16:00.
The ticket can be purchased at the plant's entrance (checkpoint). Address st. Balebina, 1
- An adult ticket to the museum costs 180 rubles.
- Child 100 rub.
To avoid disappointment, it is worth knowing that you will not see the actual process of mining and processing amber. You will see a documentary film, unique exhibits: stones of different sizes and shades, magnificent products of amber craftsmen.
The guide will tell you about amber itself and how it is mined, about the Anna mine, where the tragic events of 1945 took place - the execution of 3,000 Jewish concentration camp prisoners. There is a monument to the Holocaust in the mine. Here traces of the famous “ Amber room».
You can learn even more about amber at the Amber Museum in Kaliningrad. These two museums are unique because they are the only ones in the world dedicated exclusively to amber and its products.
- Amber quarry and observation deck on it
The quarry is located at the entrance to the Yantarny Village. The landmark is the monument to the Mermaid. From the monument you walk about 2 kilometers through mud. Therefore, it is more convenient to get to the site by car or bicycle. But the work is worth it.
The scope of the action is enormous: from a height of 60 meters, truly lunar landscapes open up, along the hills of which insect excavators move.
Pleasant entertainment. There is a sandbox for adults on the observation deck. Everyone can feel like a prospector, digging out amber pebbles from the sand with a shovel or their hands (whichever is more convenient). Museum workers add a new portion of amber every day for tourists.
Whatever you dig up, you can take with you as a souvenir. You will also be given a document stating that you are a miner-miner, in which you will enter your last name.
A ticket to the observation deck costs 180 rubles. for adults, 100 rub. for children.
- Museum complex "Amber Castle"
This is a 14th century castle. Naturally restored. Everything inside has been rebuilt. The castle houses a variety of exhibitions – a little bit of everything. Overall the feeling is very pleasant. What's inside?
Dishes, household items, traditional Prussian costumes sewn by modern craftsmen, an amber pyramid, inside of which you can sit on a chair and recharge your batteries.
Grinding machines from production, amber cosmetics.
“Red Corner”, photographs of famous people.
A torture room (not a single cultural European castle can do without it - the Inquisition left its nasty mark everywhere), maps and models of Baltic houses and, of course, amber jewelry.
Museum opening hours: from 10:00 to 18:00. No days off or breaks.
Ticket price is 100 rubles.
- The next important attraction of the village is the promenade.
This walking road is located on the coast itself and goes along coastline seas. The length of the promenade is 2 km.
For the convenience of walkers, it is raised above the ground (on stilts) and made of boards. Therefore, neither puddles nor sand threaten you.
Walks along the sea are especially beneficial for those who have respiratory problems or asthma.
I talked about the beach at the beginning of the article. Now I would like to add that both the promenade and the beach are equipped with good toilets, there are sun umbrellas and cafes (not cheap and not as many as we would like, so you can take food with you).
You can get down to the beach in different places. The beach is very wide, something you don’t often see in the world. The sand is yellowish, not fine. Central descent/ascent to the beach along a wooden staircase leading to Maurice Becker Park and the Schloss Hotel.
The hotel is comfortable and beautiful. On its territory there is a swimming pool - a small glazed light building like a veranda.
Path from the sea to the Schloss Hotel
- Church
A former evangelical church, the architecture of which has not been changed. Built in 1892. Now this is the temple of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
Take a shoulder cape with you. Scarves are provided inside.
- Sport
There is a lake in Yantarny where divers train and dive.
You can also rent a catamaran there.
There is a bicycle rental service in the village.
- Another attraction is the Water Tower
This structure, preserved from Prussian times, can be seen if you move from the church towards the sea along the right road.
- Masters area
A modern square with nice shopping arcades. There are snack bars, cafes, restaurants, and toilets nearby.
I really liked the city. Quiet, pleasant, clean.
Although it can be noisy here when people pass music festivals and holidays. It's worth coming here.
Where to stay
Places a lot of. Excellent hotels: Schloss Hotel, Hotel Becker are the most famous. The lake has its own hotel for divers. Eat private sector. You can, as I understand it, rent an apartment or even a house and live outdoors.
How to get there
From Kaliningrad. The most convenient way to get there is by bus 120 route Kaliningrad - Sinyavino (via Yantarny). It departs from the South Station. Departs every hour/30 minutes. The journey is about an hour and a half.
The first bus leaves Kaliningrad at 6:30. The last one from Yantarny is at 21:05. Of course, the schedule may change.
From Svetlogorsk to Yantarny by bus No. 282 or 286 from the “Children and Youth Center” stop. Buses depart from 5:41 (No. 286). Return from Yantarny at 19:17 (No. 282).
Don't miss the storks! Their nests can be seen directly from the bus window to the left and right of the road, on poles. Before entering the village and in the village itself.
Village on the map
Thank you for reading our blog. We wish you memorable good travels. See you later!
On a fine clear day we went to the coast of the Baltic Sea, to the village of Yantarny, Kaliningrad region, for a walk and a swim.
The village of Yantarny (Palmniken) is considered an urban-type village and is located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. It is not called Amber by chance; it is here that the world’s only amber plant for the extraction and processing of amber is located.
The distance from Kaliningrad to the village is about 50 kilometers.
You can get to Yantarny from Kaliningrad either by bus or by car.
By car you can get to the village in several ways. Perhaps the most convenient road from Kaliningrad is the route towards Svetlogorsk, and then, according to the signs, move in the direction of Yantarny. We were driving according to the navigator.
Yantarny is a small village, you can get around it all on foot. With a population of just over five thousand.
We arrived in Yantarny, parked the car in the parking lot; there are plenty of them in the village and almost all of them are free. We went straight to the beach.
In the very center of the village, just along the route to the beach, there is a small square of craftsmen. The square contains souvenir shops and concession stands.
Let's go further to the sea. We go to the park named after Maurice Becker.
Even on the hottest day the park remains cool. You can always stroll along the alleys and wait out the midday heat.
Becker was an amber industrialist, lived and worked in the village of Yantarny, formerly the village of Palmniken. It was Maurice Becker, with the help of the gardener Löwner, who laid out this now beautiful park from the old park of the estate in 1881. Since those times, powerful linden, elm and poplar trees have been preserved in the park.
The park is home to such ornamental plants as red oak, Japanese crimson grass and pseudohemlock.
The brightest highlight of the park is the tulip tree, also called lyriodendron. There are two such trees in the park.
The name tulip tree was given to it for its unusual flowers, which look like greenish tulips with large orange spots at the base. The leaves of the tree are similar in shape to the ancient Greek musical instrument lyre, hence the second name - lyriodendron.
Memorial stone in the park named after the founder
Schloss hotel near the park
As we understand, the hotel in the photo above and its territory were previously Becker’s estate. It was they who founded the park near their estate.
The beach is wide, cozy, with a long coastline and, most importantly, uncrowded. Somewhat reminiscent of the beach in Sopot (Poland). Compared to the resort towns of Zelenogradsk and Svetlogorsk, the beach is very wide, there is room to turn around.
The entire coastline is sandy, the sand is white and so “delicate” that when you walk on it barefoot, it creaks under your feet.
The beach is equipped with changing cabins, benches, and a beach volleyball court. Sun loungers are available for a fee. There are kiosks with water and snacks.
The beach is not very clean, there are pieces of wood, small debris, and here and there gobies, but nothing large or cutting. It’s understandable, no resort town. Despite this, we enjoyed relaxing on Yantarny beach.
We met families grilling barbecue on the shore. In some places, not far from the shore, tents were pitched. I'll have to come with a barbecue too.
The entrance to the sea is smooth and shallow, especially for children. We went in early August, the water was excellent, 20 degrees, when you go in it’s a little cool, but then you get used to it and swim with pleasure.
It's getting dark. Sunset is coming soon
Along the entire perimeter of the beach there is a Promenade, or in our opinion, an embankment.
The promenade was built with co-financing from the European Union.
On the left side of the promenade is the beach and the Baltic Sea, on the right are small sand dunes with grass and M. Becker Park.
Walking along the embankment along the promenade we came to the lake with fresh water. Fish are splashing in the lake and ducks are swimming. Beautiful and peaceful. In general, living in the Kaliningrad region creates such a pleasant inner peace and tranquility.
We swam, walked along the promenade and went to the center of the village. We walk along its streets
The monument was erected in 1975 on the 30th anniversary of the Great Victory in honor of Soviet soldiers who died in the vicinity of Yantarny during World War II.
There is also a mass grave here. When the monument was erected, the remains of forty-three people were buried in the grave. In 2006, the remains of unknown persons, presumably two Soviet pilots who died near Yantarny, were additionally transferred here. In this connection, the memorial is also the tomb of the unknown soldier.
But one of the main attractions of the village of Yantarny is the Lutheran Church of Palmniken.
The church was founded in 1892 according to the design of the architect V.L. Bessel-Lorca. The church was illuminated on January 3, 1892. The church was a smaller copy of the Chapel of St. George in the garden of the royal castle of Montbignon on the outskirts of Berlin. The stained glass windows in the church were created based on local themes, and the interior decoration was made in the Romanesque style.
Since 1991, the building has housed the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
By Decree of the Government of the Kaliningrad Region dated March 23, 2007 No. 132, the church was included in the list of objects cultural heritage regional significance.
The search engine compares prices from dozens of airlines and issues tickets at the most favorable prices Cheap flights →
Sometimes, going on a Tourist package is not only easier, but also cheaper than organizing a trip on your own. After all, they can be very profitable
Yantarny from A to Z: sea and beaches, hotels, sanatoriums, hotels and boarding houses in Yantarny, reviews. Shops and restaurants, prices in Yantarny.
- Tours for May in Russia
- Last minute tours Worldwide
Yantarny is an urban-type settlement, the center of the Yantarny urban district in the Kaliningrad region. Until 1946, it was called Palmniken, and one of the areas of the village was a separate settlement of Krakstepellen - both, starting from the 17th century, were famous for the manual extraction of amber. Today, the world’s only amber plant is located here, extracting and processing amber industrially.
In the 19th century The company "Stantin und Becker" began industrial mining and processing of amber here. Maurice Becker and Wilhelm Stantien significantly influenced the fate of the village by opening the Anna and Henrietta mines. They not only made Palmniken an industrial center, but also gave impetus to tourism development terrain. For the needs of industry and tourism back in the 19th century. was laid here Railway from Fischhausen.
Since 2009, as part of the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Amber Room, every year the semi-final of the World Amber Fishing Championship is held in Yantarny. The winners go to the final, which takes place on the Polish part of the Baltic Spit.
How to get to Yantarny
Yantarny is connected by bus to Kaliningrad. Route No. 120 runs between the cities, covering 50 km in 1.5 hours. By car the journey will take half an hour less. If you don’t have your own car and don’t want to take the bus, you can take a taxi.
Read more about how to get to Yantarny on this page.
Search for air tickets to Kaliningrad (the nearest airport to Yantarny)
Beach
Yantarny is famous for the widest sandy sea beach. It is not uncommon to find pieces of amber on this beach or in its surroundings - a common occurrence here. All visitors to the village can take finds as a souvenir of their holiday in Yantarny.
Hotels
Today Yantarny is a small but beautiful, interesting and hospitable village. Fans of a relaxing holiday enjoy the clean, wide beach and swimming in the waters of the Baltic Sea, and those who like to spend their holidays actively engage in beach soccer, volleyball, paintball and even windsurfing. At the same time, Yantarny provides an opportunity to relax from the hustle and bustle and enjoy nature. You can stay in a small house on the coast or in a hotel in a quiet corner of the resort.
Entertainment and attractions of Yantarny
Yantarny is a small village, but it is actively developing in the tourism sector. In the near future, it is planned to build several parks for guests - including theme parks, a water park, sanatoriums, spa hotels and even a golf club.
Of course, the most famous place in the village there is an amber factory. Today it is also a tourist site: there is a separate excursion to the production, with observation deck working amber quarry, you can watch the work of employees, and also visit beautiful museum amber on the territory of the plant.
The Museum of Russian Superstitions is located in the Amber Castle museum complex on the territory of the village itself. Guests' attention is attracted by numerous wooden figurines depicting Slavic spirits, characters of folk beliefs and fairy tales: Babai, Zapechnik, Dvorovoy, Sandman, as well as Baba Yaga, Kikimora, Leshy. Each figure is complemented interesting description, so you won’t have to guess who is who.
An interesting place is also the lake on the site of a former amber quarry - now it is popular place for diving divers. For walkers, there is a city park with many rare trees. In common parlance, the park is called Bekkerovsky in honor of one of the owners of the amber manufactory and the founder of the park. Rare tree species such as tulip tree and red beech grow here. In addition, in Yantarny, a building built back in the 19th century has been preserved. Maurice Becker, the former evangelical church is now the temple of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
- Where to stay: in calm and cozy Yantarny, in Zelenogradsk, which is famous for its wide beaches, or in popular and cheerful Svetlogorsk, where there are a lot of boarding houses and hotels. In addition, miniature villages await their guests on the territory national park -