←Svetlogorsk: The Essentials

Svetlogorsk: The Essentials

Photo of route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”
15 points5 km2.5 hours

The city's most important sights, history, and legends. Here you'll learn everything you need to know about Svetlogorsk, the former German town of Rauschen, and its most popular spots.

Route author

Susanin Team

Things to do

  • 📜 Learn the city's history
  • 🏞️ Enjoy the view
  • 🏛️🕰️ Compare the eras

Route points (15)

  1. Water Tower — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    Water Tower

    🏟️ Architectural landmark · 📜 Historic site · ⚙️ Industrial site

  2. Seestern Hotel — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    Seestern Hotel

    🏟️ Architectural landmark · 📜 Historic site

  3. Larch Park — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    Larch Park

    🌿 Public garden or park

  4. The Water Carrier — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    The Water Carrier

    🗿 Monument · 🕵️ Urban legend

  5. Cittaslow Snail — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    Cittaslow Snail

    🗿 Monument · 🕵️ Urban legend

  6. Forest Castle Guesthouse — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    Forest Castle Guesthouse

    📜 Historic site · 🏟️ Architectural landmark

  7. Central Square — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    Central Square

    ⛲ Square · 🗿 Sculptures · 🏟️ Architectural landmark

  8. The Wave Maiden — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    The Wave Maiden

    🗿 Monument

  9. Makarov Organ Hall — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    Makarov Organ Hall

    🏟️ Architectural landmark · 📜 Historic site

  10. Amber Hall — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    Amber Hall

    🏙 Modern architecture

  11. Elevator and Promenade — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    Elevator and Promenade

    ⚙️ Industrial site · 🚶‍♂️ Waterfront

  12. Chapel in Memory of the Children — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    Chapel in Memory of the Children

    🕍 Place of worship · 📜 Historic site

  13. Lutheran Church — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    Lutheran Church

    🕍 Place of worship · 🏟️ Architectural landmark · 📜 Historic site

  14. Lake Tikhoye — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    Lake Tikhoye

    🌿 Public garden or park · 🚶‍♂️ Waterfront

  15. Svetlo-hedgehogs — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

    Svetlo-hedgehogs

    🗿 Sculptures

Chapel in Memory of the Children in Svetlogorsk

Point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

Chapel in Memory of the Children — point on route “Svetlogorsk: The Essentials”

Point 12

Chapel in Memory of the Children

🕍 Place of worship • 📜 Historic site

Overview

A chapel church built on the site of the disaster in memory of those killed when a plane crashed into a kindergarten in 1972.

History and Memory

The tragedy happened on May 16, 1972: because of an engine failure, a military plane crashed into a kindergarten. Since it happened during the day, many people died: 24 children, 3 kindergarten staff, and 8 crew members, 35 people in all. The incident was kept quiet: Svetlogorsk was sealed off, the rubble was cleared, and no one was allowed into the town for a full day. By the morning of May 17 nothing remained to recall the disaster: a large flowerbed had appeared where the kindergarten had stood. In January 1994, with donations, a church of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” was opened on the site of the flowerbed. It was the first Orthodox church built in the Kaliningrad Region after the war.