catamaran channel crossing

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A record attempt for crossing the English Channel on catamaran that’s only 15 feet!

Bavarian Ernst-Michael Miller, designer of the small hydrofoil catamaran, the iFly 15, has had his mind set on it since the beginning of September. He wanted to prove his boat could not only sail offshore, but also at high speed, so he entrusted his baby to two professionals, 39-year-old Yo Wiebel and 21-year-old Tamara Baumann, with a simple and ambitious plan: to beat the Channel crossing record between Cowes and Dinard in the under-20-foot class.

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Published 19/10/2019

By Emmanuel van Deth

Published: nov. / dec. 2019

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The time to beat (19 hours and 42 minutes) over this 140-mile course was set by Yvan and his son Mathis a little over a year ago, aboard a Nacra F20. The small iFly, equipped with a wing mast and a gennaker for the occasion, kept her promises over the first three quarters of the course before the wind let started to let them down...

Hopefully the next attempt will be the one!

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Technology: Tasmanian catamaran cuts Channel crossing time

By Ian Anderson

3 March 1990

AN AUSTRALIAN-MADE catamaran, larger and more powerful than any that has gone before, is about to enter the cross-Channel ferry market in Europe. In June, the catamaran – which can carry 90 cars and 450 passengers – will start a run across the English Channel between Portsmouth and Cherbourg at speeds comparable to a hovercraft.

The so-called wave-piercing catamaran will travel across rough water that would not be possible for a hovercraft. In waves of up to 4 metres, the catamaran sits on its two outer hulls, but in rougher seas a third, central hull also comes into play. This centre hull redistributes the load and makes it act like a normal boat in rough water. The designers say that the boat could still operate in waves of 6 metres, but that it would be uncomfortable when the waves were coming right at the bow.

Hovercrafts need calm seas for smooth sailing. Between England and France, they are not allowed to operate in seas above 3.5 metres. ‘The hovercraft was a great idea, but it never progressed,’ said Robert Clifford, head of International Catamarans, the company which built the boat.

The catamaran was designed in Sydney and built in Hobart, Tasmania. The first boat – the Christopher Columbus – is nearing completion. The company will build three boats each year. Its shipyard is the largest in the world for the building of aluminium boats. Unlike most shipyards, it does not need cranes because of the light weight of the materials the company uses.

The Tasmanians, who have been building ever larger catamarans over the last 10 years, say they have a two-year technological lead over their potential rivals in Australia and Scandinavia. ‘The enormity of the economic benefits of these catamarans is starting to become apparent to others,’ said Clifford. The cost of the catamaran – about A$20 million – is about one-fifth of the cost of a car ferry or hovercraft capable of carrying the same number of cars and passengers.

Also, the catamaran – which can cover the same distance as a car ferry in about a third of the time – eliminates the need for expensive overnight journeys with large crews. The catamaran will carry fewer cars than some of the larger ferries, but it will do more trips.

The Christopher Columbus will undergo trials off Tasmania in early April. The craft, which is 74 metres long, is propelled by four 3650-kilowatt diesel engines coupled to four water jet engines. The water jets suck water in and blow it out at high speed. It can travel at 40 knots (75 kilometres per hour) but its normal cruising speed when loaded will be about 36 knots.

The Christopher Columbus is due to begin commercial sailings in June between Portsmouth and Cherbourg in France, a distance of 120 kilometres, for Hoverspeed, the hovercraft operator. It will make the journey in about two hours. The company has another catamaran being built and an option on three more. The company, according to Clifford, hopes eventually to run the boats on at least 15 routes, including several across the English Channel.

Various publicity stunts will be held before the catamaran begins service. It will attempt to break ocean-going records across the Tasman Sea and the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It will travel from Hobart to Bluff, on New Zealand’s South Island, across the Pacific to Punta Arenas at the bottom of Chile, up the Atlantic coast to Recife, Brazil, and then to New York.

In May, it will attempt the fastest crossing of the Atlantic by a passenger vessel without refuelling. The record between Ambrose Light, at the entrance to New York Harbour, and Bishop Rock, England, is three days 10 hours. Clifford expects the catamaran to shave about five hours off the record by averaging about 38 knots for the journey of 5550 kilometres. By Christmas, a third catamaran will begin crossing from Port Welshpool, Victoria, to George Town, Tasmania. The journey, at 4 hours, will take 9 hours less than the overnight ferry.

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English channel crossing: ifly15 single-handed 15ft. hydrofoil beach-catamaran to fly across the channel. wssrc record cowes to dinard / sain malo.

iFLY15 Blog | stay tuned

• iFLY15 - Foiling Catamaran

• Posted: 23/08/2019
• By: iFLY15 Team
• Category: iFLY15 - Foiling Catamaran

Stand by for the WORLD record attempt Cowes to Dinard-Saint Malo from the 5th of September at SBSC Stokes Bay Sailing Club.

The iFLY15 Hydrofoil catamaran is sailing in UK for the first time. During August and the first week of September it is possible to have a test flight and meet the designer E-Michael Miller at the tour’s stations, Weymouth and Stokes Bay (Reservations: [email protected] ).

When leaving the UK, the 15ft. single-handed foiling beach-catamaran will be sailed back to the continent from Stokes Bay Sailing Club. The brave record attempt for the official WSSRC distance Cowes to Dinard-Saint Malo is a big challenge for the small boat, crossing the channel by this especially rough route.   

The iFLY15 will be sailed by Yo Wiebel, world record holder of the 24h distance on a sport catamaran.

From 5 th of September the iFLY15 will be on standby for a favourable weather window at Stokes Bay Sailing Club. The boat is on public display from the 1 st of September and for test sailing.

iFLY15 is a 15ft. foiling catamaran with a 4 T-Foil configuration and a next generation active foil control. The FlySafe® mechanic flight control technology does not need to be operated by the sailor as it continuously supports stable flight.  

Together with other specific design features and innovations this smart boat is “born to fly”, providing unmatched flight stability allowing the iFLY15 to maintain high speeds beyond 28kts and still remain in control.

The unique flight control system FlySafe® makes it possible to foil in stronger winds and chop – conditions usually deemed unsuitable for foiling boats.

During the SailGP races on Sunday 11 th August, iFLY15 was foiling off the Cowes arena in winds of 25-30kts. See video at: www.bit.ly/Cowes_SailGP

In conditions stronger than this iFLY15 can be switched to “No Fly mode” with one flick of the wrist. The lift is reduced to prevent take off yet iFLY15 maintains its agility.

This is also the setting of choice in very light winds below 6kts, reducing drag when not flying.

The lower wind range for flying is around 7kt s. the 80kg light full carbon platform will then reach speeds more than double the true wind speed.  

iFLY15 is a unique hybrid, being both high performance and accessible.

Winning this year’s Garda Foiling Week, All Foiler’s Series on one hand, and on the other receiving this testimonial from Francois Gabart (record holder Round the World, single handed, nonstop in 42.7 days) after trying the iFLY15:

“ It was really great. It is a new boat that I didn’t know so far. Very stable, extraordinary stable. It is extremely interesting, because you immediately see the accessibility of the boat. Almost for anyone, who does a little bit of sailing. You just jump on the boat and it is stable flying. It is even flying in light winds. In my opinion a great boat to access flying on the water/foiling ”.

  iFLY15 is usually sailed single-handed but can fly with crew, as well, up to a combined weight of 160kg. The boat is easy to beach and handle on land with a conventional beach trolley, and the foil setup allows sailing in shallow waters whilst maintaining maneuverability.

“ The vision was to develop a flying boat that is accessible and suitable for everyday use by non-professional sailors and at the same time be high performing without loss of control.”

E-Michael Miller, the German avionics engineer, the man behind iFLY15.

“We love SPEED while keeping CONTROL”. In its first three years of sailing and the series production of 35 boats to date, iFLY15 has proven to be an accessible racing boat.

Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/iFLY-FoilingCatamaran

RESERVATIONS >>

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iFLY15 – Great Britain Tour 2019

• Aug 7, 2019
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François Gabart foiling on iFLY15

• Jul 24, 2019

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• Jul 13, 2019

We love SPEED while keeping CONTROL

• Jun 24, 2019
• Michael_Miller

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ENGLISH CHANNEL FERRY CROSSINGS

Cross the English Channel with our routes connecting the UK and France. We offer two routes into Dover from Calais and Dunkirk, and another route from Dieppe to Newhaven.

With regular departures in both directions, it’s easy to fit a ferry crossing into your holiday schedule. Having your own vehicle with you also means you don’t have to worry about luggage limits, and you can explore and travel at your own pace.

Please note: You cannot travel as a foot passenger on the two routes: Dunkirk-Dover and Calais-Dover, you can only travel with a vehicle.

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Our Calais to Dover route is the shortest crossing we provide and is the perfect way to cross the Channel to the UK.

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Sail across the English Channel with ease on a short crossing between Dunkirk and Dover.

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After your short Channel crossing from Dunkirk or Calais to Dover, enjoy convenient access to the rest of the UK. Dover’s surrounding region of Kent boasts a rich history and exquisite scenery.

You can also travel onwards with ease to England’s capital, London or venture further into the country to Oxford, Cornwall, the Cotswolds and beyond. 

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With fantastic, modern cities like Cardiff, as well as beautiful scenery including mountain valleys and beautiful coastline, visit Wales and experience this for yourself.

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Brittany Ferries offer the widest choice of  cross-Channel ferry routes  to France and northern Spain. We have a fleet of 9 spacious and comfortable cruise ferries and also operate a high-speed ferry service to France during the summer months.

With elegant surroundings, stylish bars and superb restaurants, not to mention our award-winning service and excellent on board facilities, you can just sit back, unwind and enjoy the experience.

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You can either sail the Channel or take a ferry. A very few have swum across, but it is rather demanding and not as efficient as using a boat . Sailing boats are clean, using wind energy from nature most of the time.

At the moment virtually all ferries are heavy oil bunker fuelled and must now comply with stricter MARPOL rules imposed by the International Maritime Organization aimed at reducing sulfur emissions that are one of the causes of acid oceans .

The new regulations are likely to mean higher operating costs for ferry operators, so higher crossing charges for holiday makers. At least that is thought to be the case, and if so, it opens the doors to a new era of zero carbon travel, where electrically propelled ships might come into their own.

ZERO CARBON GAME CHANGER - This diagram of a proposed cross-channel vessel shows a 2 wind turbine configuration allied to 58 solar panels to provide 16.7kW of generating power peak to drive a 12 to 16 tons, also utilizing a battery bank as a booster for enhanced performance. The passenger area of the Cross Channel Challenger is partly enclosed and partly exposed, though the layout can be changed to provide all open seating or all closed for up to 40 passengers. The basic design is to keep build costs low to interest ferry operators. The economics of operating such a vessel are yet to be worked out, but with marine fuels due to rise in price to meet the latest sulfur emissions regulations, solar and wind powered electric ships are sure to become a more attractive commercial proposition. Please note that this drawing is Design Copyright © September 8 2019, and the hull configuration and energy harvesting system are patent protected.

The English Channel stretches about 350 miles long and is 150 miles at its widest point, while the narrowest is a mere 21 miles in the Dover Strait. With some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, choosing where to cross this liquid highway, to avoid tankers and other cargo ships that pile through the Channel, can be daunting.

Most freighters travel between 15-18 knots, some faster, so outrunning them is energy intensive. The horizon is deceiving, with lane traffic creeping up on you alarmingly quickly. AIS is a boon here as it gives speed, course and CPA (closest point of approach) of the cargo ships. Shipping traffic is restricted to two traffic separation schemes (TSS). Solar powered ferries should cross these on a heading at 90° to ensure a speedy transit as safely as possible and to comply with the ColRegs .

There are 13 ferries that cross the channel, which are worth keeping an eye out for to avoid a 35 knot shock to the system. On this point autonomous eyes could be a real navigation benefit. The chief concern is shipping, which is compressed into a number of traffic separation schemes – one flowing northeast from the Dover Strait up towards Rotterdam, and the other leading north and in to Felixstowe or the Thames Estuary.

WHERE TO CROSS IF SAILING Cherbourg is a popular Channel crossing destination for pleasure sailors for its ease of stay and proximity to both Brittany and Normandy. There are plenty of visitor berths, and plenty of space in which to manoeuvre. Facilities are very modern, and the harbour masters generally speak English. Similarly the Channel Islands are a good stopover if you want a shortish holiday cruise, topping Cherbourg for their beauty and economic value – berths are very reasonable and diesel is VAT free. Calais is a good destination at the Eastern end of the Channel, either for those heading East to Holland and Belgium, and also for those berthed in the South East of East England. If heading to the Channel Islands, time your crossing through the Alderney Race carefully to avoid the 10 knot tidal stream at springs.

DISTANCE AND HOW LONG ? Salcombe to Tréguier (93nm) Poole to Alderney (68nm) Lymington to St-Vaast-la-Hougue (72nm) Brighton to Honfleur (86nm) Ramsgate to Ostend (65nm)

COASTAL TOURISM

For those of us without a boat of our own, taking a ferry crossing to France is one of the most popular ways to enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds of mainland Europe and France itself.

DFDS offer daily Cross Channel ferry services from two ports in the UK, including the main port Dover as well as and additional service from Newhaven. The routes connect the UK with 3 ports across The Channel including Dieppe, Dunkirk and France’s main port, Calais.

DFDS ferries offer crossings from: Dover to Calais = 90 minutes Dover to Dunkirk = 120 mins Newhaven to Dieppe = 240 mins

Brittany ferries offer a high speed crossing from Portsmouth to Cherbourg on a catamaran that takes just 180 minutes. This fast ferry is called the Normandie Express - taking just 3 hours to sail from port to port, this speedy catamaran carries up to 850 passengers and 235 cars on each crossing.

INTERFACING Speaking a little French can be very helpful: “Bonjour, je suis un beateau moteur, et je voudrais une port du place, s’il vous plait.”

Another way to get across that English Channel is by the Eurostar service. This is the high-speed passenger train linking London with Paris, Lille & Brussels via the Channel Tunnel at up to 300km/h or 186 mph. Eurostar is owned 55% by SNCF French Railways, 5% by SNCB Belgian Railways & 40% originally by the UK government but now sold to overseas investors. Don't confuse Eurostar with Eurotunnel , who own the Channel Tunnel and whose car-carrying trains shuttle vehicles across the Channel.

SEAPOVILL - The Sea Star 5 is a fast catamaran ferry of medium size.

INCAT - This fast powerboat is a catamaran designed to use less fuel for quicker journeys. 

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GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS - MS Turanor PlanetSolar (Switzerland) navigated the world in a westward direction from Monaco in 1 year 7 months and 7 days from 27 September 2010 to 4 May 2012. We wonder why nobody has attempted to improve on this design, to challenge the record in the intervening seven years.

TRANSFERABLE TECHNOLOGY - The design of the Climate Change Challenger might be adapted to Cargo, Container, Cruise and Ferry designs, without needing to radically alter port facilities. The designs above are not representative of adaptations of the concept, but serve to illustrate the thinking of other design houses.

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The best catamarans for ocean sailing/crossing

Sep 25, 2020

less than a min

The best catamarans for ocean crossing have to embody a few key features in order to be safe for anyone on board, including guests and crew members. Most catamarans do perform quite well in open waters and are regarded as safe vessels to be offshore. This is especially true with large catamarans with big hulls.

In addition, many catamarans have sailed through horrific weather and have managed not to capsize due to their great roll inertia. What basically happens to a catamaran in a rough sea is the boat just surfs sideways when a big wave hits.

Not to worry however as in most cases, weather forecasts will determine whether a catamaran can go offshore on that specific day or not. In addition, the highest risks are when catamarans sail on a north- south axis between seasons. That said, there are a few catamarans that do perform better when crossing oceans than others.

Typically, cruising catamarans are divided into two categories:

• Charter Catamarans
• High-Performance Cruising Catamarans

Charter catamarans have fixed keels, shorter bows, forward masts, heavier displacement, high-windage flybridges, and low-aspect rudders. These boats are mainly chartered to guests and are not designed for ocean crossing rather than sailing close to shore and enjoying views in a touristic way.

High-performance cruising catamarans , on the other hand, have deeper rudders, less displacement, efficient daggerboards, a small weight and large sail plans. They are able to go at a 50-degree TWA to windward in all weather conditions, and can even outsail keelboats. In addition, when a storm hits, all that is needed is for the catamaran to sail at a higher speed and maintain balance and lower loads.

These features make them some of the best catamarans for ocean sailing.

Which is the best catamaran for ocean sailing

After getting a quick glance of what makes a multihull a good fit for offshore sailing, let’s get to the good part: which one is the best catamaran for ocean cruising ?

Technically, there are thousands of options to choose from when it comes to catamarans. So today we are going to present our choice based on the criteria mentioned above.

One of the best catamarans for ocean sailing in 2020 is The Privilege 435 . This is a long-distance, light weight cruiser produced in the Gold Coast area of La Rochelle. The Privilege 435 is a heavy-displacement multihull that has been around for almost 30 years. This is a luxurious well-built yacht with a decent proportion that allows it to cross oceans safely. It has a 23ft 2in beam, 43ft 1in LOA, as well as good proportion with a low-slung superstructure which is perfect for low wind resistance. In addition, the Privilege 435 is equipped with 4 cabins and 4 showers and costs about $300,000 to $350,000. The ample interior makes for a comfortable vessel to withstand long- distance trips.

While this catamaran sits on the high-end of the spectrum when it comes to yachts, there are many other more affordable options to choose from, if you are looking to sail offshore on a long-distance trip. Use TheBoatDB with a free account to compare other catamarans to the Privilege435 and figure out which one is the best fit for you to ocean cruise. You can even browse through TheBoatDB database to get some more options on the table. Last but not least, make sure to take into account the route and predicted weather conditions before embarking on your adventure.

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The capital city of Ulyanovsk oblast .

Ulyanovsk - Overview

Ulyanovsk is a city in Russia located about 870 km southeast of Moscow, the administrative center of Ulyanovsk Oblast. It is named in memory of Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin), a native of this city.

The population of Ulyanovsk is about 622,900 (2022), the area - 316 sq. km.

The phone code - +7 8422, the postal codes - 432000-432073.

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History of Ulyanovsk

Ulyanovsk in the 17th-19th centuries.

In 1648, by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the fortress of Sinbirsk was founded on the right bank of the Volga River in order to protect the eastern borders of the Tsardom of Russia from the raids of nomadic tribes (Nogai Tatars), as well as to colonize the Volga region.

In the fall of 1670, Sinbirsk was unsuccessfully besieged by the army of Stepan Razin - the Don Cossack, who was the leader of the 1670-1671 uprising, the largest in the history of pre-Petrine Russia. In 1678, 1,579 people lived in Sinbirsk.

In 1729, the coat of arms of Sinbirsk was approved - a white pillar topped with a golden crown in the azure field. In 1780, Sinbirsk was renamed Simbirsk. In 1793, 13,317 people lived in this town.

In 1812, Ivan Goncharov, a famous Russian novelist and critic, was born in Simbirsk. In 1836, Emperor Nicholas I visited Simbirsk and made a lot of orders for the construction of new buildings in the town, especially in its central part. In 1840, the Simbirsk Theological Seminary was opened.

More Historical Facts…

In 1845, a monument to Nikolay Karamzin (1766-1826) was opened - the author of one of the first generalizing works on the history of Russia and a reformer of the Russian literary language, who was born near Simbirsk. Today, this monument erected in Karamzin Public Garden is one of the symbols of Ulyanovsk. In 1848, one of the first libraries in the Volga region was opened in this town - the Karamzin Public Library.

In the summer of 1864, a terrible fire occurred in Simbirsk, which lasted 9 days. Only one fourth of the town buildings survived. In 1867, the merchant Yurgens opened the first bookstore in Simbirsk. In 1870, the future “leader of the world revolution” Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin) was born in Simbirsk. Alexander Kerensky, a prominent Russian politician and statesman, was born here in 1881. According to the 1897 census, 43.3 thousand people lived in Simbirsk.

Ulyanovsk in the first half of the 20th century

From 1908 to 1912, Igor Kurchatov, the future creator of the Soviet atomic bomb, lived in Simbirsk with his parents and studied at the local gymnasium. In 1916, the construction of the Imperial Bridge over the Volga River was completed in Simbirsk. With a length of 2,089 meters, it was the longest bridge in the Russian Empire at that time.

After the First World War and the Russian Civil War, the city’s industry was in ruin. During the war years, not a single building was constructed in Simbirsk, street lighting disappeared, boulevards and parks fell into disrepair, up to a hundred residential buildings were destroyed.

On May 9, 1924, in connection with the death of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin), Simbirsk was renamed into Ulyanovsk, and Simbirsk Governorate - into Ulyanovsk Governorate. Other proposed options for the new name of the city were such as “Lenin”, “Leninsk”, “Ilyich”.

By the end of the 1930s, almost all churches in Ulyanovsk were destroyed or used for other purposes. On the eve of the Second World War, Ulyanovsk was a provincial city with a population of about 110 thousand people. There were no large industrial enterprises, with the exception of the 3rd State Plant named after Volodarsky (Ulyanovsk Cartridge Plant) - one of the oldest defense enterprises in Russia, specializing in the production of cartridges for rifled weapons.

During the Second World War, Ulyanovsk became the place of evacuation of 17 industrial enterprises from the occupied regions and the front line. The Minsk Tank School, renamed the 2nd Ulyanovsk Tank School, was relocated from Minsk, the Mogilev Military Infantry School, which became the Ulyanovsk Military Infantry School, was relocated from Mogilev. In 1942, a medical institute evacuated from Voronezh began to work in Ulyanovsk.

From October 1941 to August 1943, the Moscow Patriarchate was in evacuation in Ulyanovsk, headed by Metropolitan Sergius. From 1942 to 1945, Andrei Sakharov, the future creator of the hydrogen bomb, academician and human rights activist worked at the Ulyanovsk Machine-Building Plant.

On January 19, 1943, Ulyanovsk became the center of the newly formed Ulyanovsk Oblast. From the second half of 1941 to the beginning of 1942, the population of Ulyanovsk, due to the evacuees, doubled and amounted to more than 200 thousand people. By 1945, as a result of re-evacuation, it decreased by 50 thousand and amounted to 152 thousand people.

Ulyanovsk after the Second World War

In the post-war period, Ulyanovsk became an industrial city. In 1953, during the construction of the Volga cascade of hydroelectric power plants, part of Ulyanovsk was included in the flooding zone of the Kuibyshev reservoir. In 1957, the Ulyanovsk airport was built. Since the 1960s, thanks to the high rates of housing and industrial construction, Ulyanovsk began to grow rapidly both in area and in population. On May 5, 1967, the 300,000th resident of the city was born.

In the 1969-1970s, in honor of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Lenin, the historical center of Ulyanovsk was built up with modern buildings: the hotel “Sovetskaya”, the House of Artists, the Memorial Center of Vladimir Lenin, the hotel “Venets”, the new railway station Ulyanovsk-Tsentralny, the new river station, the central airport Ulyanovsk-Tsentralny, the central department store, the central bus station, the Palace of Pioneers, the park “Friendship of Peoples”, etc.

With the construction of the Memorial Center of Vladimir Lenin, Ulyanovsk became one of the main tourist centers of the USSR, after Moscow and Leningrad. The city was not closed to foreigners, which distinguished it from many other industrial regional centers, but foreign tourists were not allowed to deviate from the route. On June 1, 1973, the 400,000th resident of Ulyanovsk was born. On April 16, 1982, the population of Ulyanovsk exceeded 500 thousand people.

On June 5, 1983, in Ulyanovsk, the river cruise ship “Alexander Suvorov” crashed into the railway bridge across the Volga (the Imperial Bridge). By mistake of the crew, the ship tried to pass under the non-navigable span of the bridge. As a result, more than 170 people died. The large number of casualties is explained by the fact that at the time of the collision, most of the passengers were in the movie theater and on the dance floor on the upper deck, which was completely destroyed by the collision with the bridge girder.

On July 17, 1987, the 600,000th resident of Ulyanovsk was born. The city’s tourist significance declined sharply after the collapse of the USSR. In 1998, Ulyanovsk celebrated its 350th anniversary.

In the 2000s, there was a discussion about the reverse renaming of the city to Simbirsk, but the residents of Ulyanovsk for the most part did not support this proposal. In 2009, the arches of the old railway bridge were replaced. On November 24, 2009, the Presidential Bridge across the Volga was opened, the second longest in Russia, with a length of about 6 kilometers.

Streets of Ulyanovsk

General view of Ulyanovsk

Author: Vladimir Kropotin

Soviet architecture in Ulyanovsk

Hotel Venets in Ulyanovsk

Ulyanovsk - Features

From 1648 to 1780, the name of Ulyanovsk was Sinbirsk, and from 1780 to 1924 - Simbirsk. This name was given to the town by its founder, Bogdan Khitrovo, after the name of the settlement of Sinbir (named after the Bulgarian prince Sinbir), the remains of which were located nearby. In 1924, after the death of Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin), Simbirsk was renamed into Ulyanovsk.

Ulyanovsk is located in a forest-steppe zone on the Volga Upland, on both banks of the Volga River (Kuybyshev Reservoir). The climate is moderately continental. The average temperature in February is minus 10.4 degrees Celsius, in July - plus 20.2 degrees Celsius. A characteristic feature of Ulyanovsk is the constant winds blowing from the Volga.

This city is a major transport point, lying between central Russia and the Urals. Neighboring regional centers are three to five hours away by car. There are two international airports near the city - Ulyanovsk-Central (ULV) and Ulyanovsk-Vostochny (ULY).

The banks of the Volga in Ulyanovsk are connected by two bridges. The old railway bridge was officially opened in 1916 and was named “Imperial of His Majesty Nicholas II”. In 1917, it was renamed Freedom Bridge. In 2009, it again began to be called “Imperial Bridge”. The new bridge (also called “Presidential Bridge”) was commissioned on November 26, 2009.

Public transport is represented by trams, trolleybuses, buses, and minibuses. In Ulyanovsk tram lines are located exclusively in the right-bank part of the city and trolleybus lines are in the left-bank part. In the last years of the USSR, it was planned to build a subway in Ulyanovsk.

It is a multi-ethnic city. The ethnic composition according to the 2010 All-Russian Population Census: Russians (77.65%), Tatars (12.64%), Chuvash (5.02%), Mordovians (1.4%). The economy of the city is based on the enterprises of the automotive industry, engine building, aircraft building, instrument making, machine building, and metalworking.

Ulyanovsk has a high potential for the development of the tourism industry. The tourist image of Ulyanovsk as “The Birthplace of Vladimir Lenin” is supplemented with some new ones now: “Russian provincial town of the 19th century”, “Homeland of Oblomov”, “Architectural Museum in the Open Air”.

The City Day of Ulyanovsk is traditionally celebrated on the second Sunday in September.

Main Attractions of Ulyanovsk

Lenin Memorial - a whole museum complex dedicated to Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin) and his family. This is one of the largest historical and museum complexes in the Volga region. The main building was constructed for the 100th anniversary of Lenin’s birth in 1970.

This is the only museum in the world that reflects the entire life of Lenin. It has more than 70 thousand exhibits including authentic belongings of the Ulyanov family, documents, photographs, and other items related to different periods of Russian history. Lenin Square, 1.

House-Museum of Vladimir Lenin . The exhibition of this museum is located on the territory of a wooden estate - a monument of urban architecture that belonged to the Ulyanov family at the end of the 19th century. Lenin spent his childhood and youth here. Lenina Street, 68.

Novy Venets Boulevard - a pedestrian street in the center of Ulyanovsk located on the highest point of the city. From here you can see the Volga, Imperial Bridge, and city districts. The boulevard was finally built up in the 1960s. The construction of many buildings was related to the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Lenin’s birth.

Museum of Local Lore named after Ivan Goncharov . This museum occupies a beautiful mansion with an elegant tower built as a monument to the great Russian writer Ivan Goncharov. The exhibition halls display archaeological artifacts and fossils. A significant part of the exposition is devoted to the life and work of Ivan Goncharov. An interesting numismatic collection and an exhibition of folk costumes also attract the attention of visitors. Novy Venets Boulevard, 3/4.

Historical and Memorial Museum of Ivan Goncharov - a magnificent building, which is a historical and architectural sight of Ulyanovsk. In 1812, the famous Russian writer Ivan Goncharov was born in one of its rooms. The exposition occupies all three floors of the building. A separate hall is dedicated to the history of the building itself, in the remaining halls there are thematic exhibitions related to the personality of the writer and his family. There are also halls that house historical collections and a collection of merchant household items. The tower of the building houses the Museum of the History of the Simbirsk Town Clocks. Goncharova Street, 20.

Museum “Simbirsk Classical Gymnasium” . Simbirsk was one of the first Russian cities to introduce secondary education for children. The museum exposition is dedicated to the history of the development of education in the Russian Empire. It is located in a former gymnasium, where Vladimir Ulyanov and Alexander Kerensky studied at one time. Inside, the atmosphere of the 19th century has been recreated. The interiors of classrooms, halls, dressing rooms, and a gym have been restored. The building that houses the museum was constructed in 1790. Spasskaya Street, 18.

Museum “Fire Department of Simbirsk-Ulyanovsk” . The exposition of this museum is located in the 19th century building previously occupied by the town fire brigade. The museum was opened after the restoration of the building in 1979. The collection consists of pre-revolutionary and Soviet sections. In the central part there is a diorama depicting the fire of 1894 in Simbirsk. Lenin Street, 43.

Historical and architectural complex “Simbirsk Fortified Line” . At the time of the foundation of Ulyanovsk, the Simbirsk line protected the Russian land from the raids of nomads from the east. Today, you can find a unique historical and architectural museum here. It features a defensive fortress and an earthen rampart, which were restored based on historical documents and remains found by archaeologists in Simbirsk. The exposition includes examples of Russian weapons, old documents, maps, diagrams, decrees, and a model of a water mill. Leo Tolstoy Street, 43a.

Museum of the History of Civil Aviation . This museum located near the airport Ulyanovsk-Tsentralny has an airfield and 4 halls with exhibits illustrating the history of aviation from the time of the Russian Civil War to the present day. In terms of the total number of exhibits (about 9 thousand), it is the country’s largest aviation museum. One of the unique exhibits is the Tu-144 supersonic airliner. Aviatsionnaya Street, 20a.

Balalaika Museum - a unique museum with a collection of the rarest balalaikas (a musical instrument very popular in pre-revolutionary and Soviet Russia). The guests of the museum are invited to immerse themselves in the world of village music, to hear the sound of real peasant balalaikas. Here you can also taste tea made from herbs collected in the forests of the Ulyanovsk region. Bebelya Street, 19.

Savior Ascension Cathedral - a picturesque Orthodox church of sky-blue color built in the Baroque style in the 2000s to replace the demolished Ascension Cathedral (albeit in a different place). Ulyanovskaya Street, 2.

Holy Resurrection-Germanovsky Cathedral - one of the oldest churches in Ulyanovsk built in the early 18th century. During the years of Soviet power, it was closed and used as the state archive. In 2003, the building was returned to the Orthodox diocese. Gogolya Lane, 11.

House of Merchant Bokounin - a beautiful monument of wooden architecture, one of the architectural gems of Ulyanovsk. It was erected at the beginning of the 20th century on the territory of the estate of the Ulyanovsk merchant Sergei Bokounin. Part of the premises is occupied by the restaurant “Teremok”. Radishcheva Street, 4.

The Volga River (Kuibyshev Reservoir) - the largest artificial reservoir on the Volga created in the 1950s. The reservoir is 500 km long, with a maximum width of 44 km. Its powerful water resources are used to generate electricity. Due to its gigantic size, it significantly affected the Volga itself, changed the flow regime and began the processes of coastal washout. Home to many species of fish, the reservoir attracts fishing enthusiasts to its shores.

Ulyanovsk city of Russia photos

Ulyanovsk views.

Ulyanovsk Agricultural Academy

Architecture of old Simbirsk

Lenin is everywhere in Ulyanovsk

Sights of Ulyanovsk

Monument to Bogdan Khitrovo - the founder of Simbirsk (Ulyanovsk)

Author: Vladimir Baboshin

Tank IS-3 in Ulyanovsk

Light and music fountain Tornado in Ulyanovsk

Pictures of Ulyanovsk

Museum of Ivan Goncharov in Ulyanovsk

Simbirsk Photography Museum in Ulyanovsk

Ulyanovsk Museum of Local Lore

Author: Andrey Mishchenko

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