Kamchatka: historical points of interest,
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Museums

The Museum of Regional Studies
Operating hours: 10am - 1pm, 2pm - 8pm, closed on Monday and Tuesday. The museum's displays are devoted to the history of the region, its flora and fauna, the native peoples of Kamchatka and their ancient culture. You will learn about the ancient tribes that lived on Kamchatka thousands of years ago, about the discovery of this beautiful land by Russian explorers, the heroic history of Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky. There are interesting exhibits on Kamchatka's nature: the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, Kamchatka's volcanoes, its wildlife and natural resources. You will see an exhibition of handicrafts by local artists.

The Museum of Volcanoes
The museum is owned by the Institute of Volcanology and can be visited by special appointment only. Founded 20 years ago, it houses a unique collection of minerals, ores, lava samples from the numerous volcanoes of Kamchatka and from other places in the world: Japan, America, New Zealand, Iceland, Mexico, Italy, etc. You will have an oppurtunity to see incredible photographs and a video film of the latest
volcano eruptions on Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands.

Monument to Vitus Bering
It is the oldest monument in the Russian Far East and is believed to be made between 1823 and 1826 in St. Petersburg. It was erected in memory of Vitus Bering, the founder of Petropavlovsk, who died in 1742 near an uninhabited island in North America. Primarily placed near the Governor's residence, the monument was moved several times and now it stands on Sovetskaya Street, not far from the harbour from which the famous explorer started his expedition to America.

Monument to Charles Clark
This is the only monument in Russia which reminds about the 3rd round-the-world voyage of the famous British explorer and navigator James Cook. After Captain Cook died, his expedition was led by captain Charles Clark. On June 12, 1779 his ships sailed from the Avachinskaya bay to the Bering Strait, but were stopped by numerous ice-fields. On the way back to Petropavlovsk Charles Clark died and was buried on the site where in 1913 the British erected a monument in his memory.

Monument to La Perouse
The monument's story is as tragic as the story of Jean Francois de la Perouse in whose memory it was built. The prominent French explorer started on a round-the-world voyage in 1775, his ships were supposed to visit in 4 years North America, Japan, China, Australia and return back to France. In September 1787, after a short stay in Petropavlovsk, the expedition headed for Japan, but of 242
participants of the expedition, most of them talented scientists, artists and navigators, only one survived in the violent storms in the Pacific Ocean. The remains of the ships were found in 1959. In 1843, on the request of the French Government a monument was erected to commemorate the courageous explorers, but in August 1854 it was
completely destroyed by a cannon ball from a French frigate. It was rebuilt in 1882 and since 1930 it stands on Lenin street, in the city centre.

Memorial Complex on top of the Nikolskaya Hill
The Monument of Glory was erected in 1882 in memory of the heroic defense of Petropavlovsk. In 1854 the military ships of Great Britain, who wanted to diminish Russian influence in the Far East, and its ally in the Crimea War, France, entered the Avachinskaya bay. Being at that time Russia's main Far Eastern port, Petropavlovsk held a 10-day defence and made the enemy retreat. With 988 people and 68 coastal
cannons against 6 frigates, 212 cannons and 2,540 people of the British and French squadron, Petropavlovsk garrison led by General Zavoyko repelled many attacks. Finally, when the last Russian cannon was destroyed and only 300 people were alive, the Russian troops made the final attack and on August 26 the British and French left Avachinskaya Bay.

The Chapel
A small necropolis with a chapel built of stone is a sacred place in Petropavlovsk. 35 Russian defenders are buried on the right side of the Chapel and 38 French and English sailors on the left. All people are equal before God, the fact that people who faught against each other are now buried in one place shows the spiritual generosity
of Kamchatka's residents, who honour the dead and don't want the same tragedy to happen again. Five guns on wooden gun carriages symbolically guard the sea entrance to the city.

Monument to the Heroes of Lt. A. Maksutov's Battery
In 1954, the year of the 100th anniversary of the heroic defense of Petropavlovsk, a new monument was opened - the monument to the legendary 3rd Battery under command of lieutenant A.Maksutov. This battery defended the inner harbour of Petropavlovsk and repelled the main attack of the English-French squadron. The battery itself was reconstructed to its original appearance.