Volgograd [Russia] - ВОЛГОГРАД [in Russian]
Origin of twinning
Both are cities in States that have played a major role in resistance against the Nazis.
Description of the city
Volgograd, located on the right bank of the Lower Volga, 400 km from the Caspian Sea, developed around a fort built in the 16th century. In 1919, the city was victoriously defended against the white armies by Vorochilov and Stalin. Formerly known as Tsaritsyn until 1925, then Stalingrad until 1961, it was the theatre of one of the biggest battles in the Second World War: the Battle of Stalingrad, where, for almost 200 days (from 17th July 1942 to 2nd February 1943), the Russians clashed with the Nazi invaders. The defeat inflicted upon the Nazi army was a turning point in the Second World War. A museum as well as a major monument are consecrated to this battle.
Today, the entirely rebuilt city has a population of almost one million. It has become an important industrial centre. Its university, the "Volgograd Technical State University", is one of the leading establishments in the region.