July 2019 - Informative Facts

Volgograd is a city located in the eastern part of Russia. The city is more famously known as Stalingrad because it was home to one of the greatest and most intense battles of the World War II. The city was almost completely destroyed and reduced after the war ended. It was rebuilt from scratch in the years following the war. Today Volgograd serves as an important industrial city, and its rich history can be found in the various war memorials, monuments and museums in the city.

Volgograd’s skyline at night
Photo: Michael Pagliaro / (CC BY 2.0)

Volgograd is located on the western bank of the Volga River in south eastern Russia. It’s part of the Volgograd Oblast(district).

The city has an approximate area of 565km² and is about 90km in length, making it the longest city in Russia.

Because of the heroism and bravery of the soldiers who fought in the city during the battle of Stalingrad, it is also sometimes called the Hero-City.

The city was formed in 1589 as a military fortress and was named Tsaritsyn at the time. It soon became an important trading settlement and military outpost.

For the next few centuries the city suffered several rebellions and enemy raids. At the start of the 20th century the city underwent rapid industrialization.

A painting showing Tsaritsyn under attack

During the Russian Civil War(1917-1922), the White Army(Pro-Communists) and the Red Army (Anti-Communists) fought for the city’s control because of its industrial wealth.

The Red Army eventually defeated the Whites and took control of the city. The city was renamed to Stalingrad in 1925 in honor of Joseph Stalin who played an important part in defeating the White Armies in the civil war.

Leaders of the White movement at a parade in Tsaritsyn(Volgograd) after capturing it in 1919. The city was captured later by the Red Army in 1920.

In August 1942 during World War II, The Germans invaded Russia and attacked the city in what became known as the Battle of Stalingrad. The battle lasted for more than 5 months. It is remembered for being one of the greatest battles in history and also the turning point of the World War II which eventually led to allied nations winning the war.

During the battle, the saw city saw intense and bloody fighting in its streets and buildings. Strategic points across the city were captured and recaptured several times by Russians and Germans. The city’s railway station changed hands 13 times.

Soviet soldiers of the 62nd Army in action in the ruins of Stalingrad.

At one time the Nazis took control of over 90% of the city. Eventually the Red Army launched its counteroffensive after receiving reinforcements and encircled the German 6th Army division which was in control of the city. The Germans eventually surrendered after their commander Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus was captured by the Russian Army in February 1943.

The battle is regarded as the most bloodiest in history. More than 2 million lost their lives including German and Russian soldiers and civilians as well.

More than 1 million bombs were dropped on the city during the war. The battle reduced most of the city to debris and rubble. At the end of the war the city’s population was reduced from half a million to only 35000.

After the war, the city was completely rebuilt. Most of the city’s older buildings were destroyed and much of the present architecture in the city is post World War II era.

A partially destroyed mill from the Battle of Stalingrad.
Photo: Anna Novikova / (CC BY 2.0)

In 1961, Nikita Khrushchev(Soviet Premier at the time) renamed the city to its present name, Volgograd. He did it as part of his de-Stalinization reforms to remove Stalin’s ideology from Russian politics.

Volgograd has a population of over 1 million people. The city’s economy is mainly driven by its industrial sector. Industries in the city include ship building, oil refining, aluminium, steel production and automobile manufacturing.

Photo: **justphotos.ru** / (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Volgograd has a slightly cold weather. The city’s average annual temperature is about 8.3 °C. The warmest month is July when the temperature is an approximate 24.3°C , while the coldest month is January when temperature drops to an average low of about -7.5°C.

Average rainfall in the city is about 380mm per year and average snow received is 27.1 inches per year. Snowy season starts from October and ends in April.

Volgograd has a lot of memorials and monuments including an 86m tall statue named “The Motherhood Calls”. The statue is built over Mamayev Kurgan, a hill that was one of the main battle grounds during the Battle of Stalingrad.

The Motherhood Calls
Photo: Alexxx Malev / (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The statue was built to commemorate the Stalingrad Battle and Russian Victory. 35000 soldiers are buried in the monument’s grounds including the famous Russian sniper Vasily Zaitsev who killed 225 enemy soldiers during World War II.

The Motherhood Calls at night
Photo: Alexxx Malev / (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Some buildings survived the destruction partially or completely and are now considered part of the city’s heritage.

The city also has a number of museums that have stories about the Battle of Stalingrad and other remnants from the battle, paintings and also a lot of stuff from the Russian Civil War.

Another memorial, Rossoshka Memorial Cemetery holds the graves of more than 80000 soldiers. 60000 Germans, 20000 Russian and 2000 Romanian soldiers who died in the Battle of Stalingrad are buried in this cemetery.

Monument dedicated to Soviet war hero pilot Viсtor Holzunov

Square of Grief: Shows a mother holding her dead soldier son.
Author: Кривошеина Мария / (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Square of Heroes: A statue of a nurse taking a wounded soldier from the battlefield.

Gabon nuts are tropical fruits grown on Gabon tree, scientifically known as Coula edulis which belongs to the Olacaceae plant family. These nuts are found natively in the tropical regions of western Africa. Gabon nuts have good nutritional value and a lot of health benefits. They are much similar to walnuts in shape and size but are not related. Because of the similar physical characteristics they share with walnuts, Gabon nuts are also sometimes called African walnuts or Black Walnuts owing to their dark color.

Gabon nuts are much rare then other nut species. They have thick shells which makes germination difficult and as such these nuts are not so commonly found outside their native habitat.

They are usually found in the tropical rainforests of Western Africa, typically in Gabon, Sierra Leone, Angola, Congo, Cameroon and Nigeria.

Each nut is about 3-4 cm in length and 0.5-0.6 cm in width. Gabon nuts have a taste similar to chestnuts and hazelnuts.

The nuts grow on the trees from August to January. During this period the nuts are plucked off for consumption by humans and animals like chimpanzees.

Gabon nuts are either eaten raw, cooked or boiled. Though it’s better to not boil them as they lose some nutritional and health value when boiled. Cooking them or eating them raw is more healthy.

They are also used as a flavoring especially in desserts and meat dishes. The nuts are also sometimes ground into flour.

Gabon nuts are also very rich in oil which is extracted and used in making cooking oil.

A Gabon nut contains 50% oil of which 87% is the fatty oleic acid. Protein content of the nut ranges between 8.96 and 21.80 percent. Raw nuts have the highest protein concentration. Boiling or cooking can result in some protein loss, hence it’s better to consume them raw to gain maximum protein energy.

These nuts have a lot of health benefits. The nuts are rich in proteins, vitamins, healthy fatty acids, anti-oxidants and fiber. Each nut has an abundance of vitamins such as Vitamins E, B1, B6, B7 ,B9.

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids present in the nut can improve heart health by reducing bad cholesterol, blood pressure. They also promote mental health, decrease memory loss and help in reducing liver fat.

Phytosterols and Omega-3 fatty acids present in the nuts can reduce the risk of getting cancer.

Research shows that the nuts also exhibit anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce the risk of chronic inflammation.

They also have a high fiber content which helps aid digestion.

Vitamin E present in Gabon nuts helps fight infections. Other Vitamins present like Vitamin B1 promotes healthy growth, Vitamin B6 keep the immune system strong, Vitamin B7 is important for strong hair and nerve health, Vitamin B9 helps in reducing the risk of birth defects.

Gabon nuts are also believed to increase male fertility by increasing the sperm count in males.

Archives for July 2019

Facts About Volgograd, Russia

Facts About Gabon Nuts