The city was first mentioned in historical documents in 1589. Back then it was known as Tsaritsyn, named after Tsaritsa, a tributary of the Volga River.

By the beginning of the 20th century there were over 230 factories operating in Tsaritsyn; the previously small outpost has turned into a major industrial center.

One of the most important WWII battles, which became a pivotal moment of the war, was fought in the city from July 1942 until February 1943.

1. ©Sputnik/Zelma/The Battle of Stalingrad. Storming a house. November 1942
2. ©Sputnik/Natalya/Red Army soldiers fight in the streets of Stalingrad
3. ©Sputnik/Zelma/Sergeant Pavel Goldberg, commander of a submachine gunner platoon of the 241st Rifle Regiment of the 95th Rifle Division during the Battle of Stalingrad
4. ©Sputnik/Alexander Mokletsov/Battle of Stalingrad. A downed Nazi German plane is seen among the city's ruins
5. ©Sputnik/Stalingrad on fire. The Great Patriotic War (1941-1945)

The Battle of Stalingrad is considered to be the largest land battle in history, lasting for 200 days. The Nazi German forces lost about 1.5 million soldiers (killed, captured and missing in action) in that battle, which is about a quarter of the total number of troops deployed on the Soviet-German front. The Red Army also sustained heavy losses, and the city was completely razed.

After the war Volgograd was rebuilt and repopulated anew while retaining its original layout. The city waterfront, however, was cleared of warehouses and industrial facilities, which previously formed a bulwark of sorts between the river and the residential areas.

The Motherland Calls monument and memorial complex at the Mamayev Kurgan, a site of fierce fighting during the Battle of Stalingrad. The city's main attraction can be seen from anywhere in Volgograd; the statue is 85 meters tall.

The monument was built during the 1960s under the supervision of Yevgeny Vuchetich. The complex contains an exhibition hall, a military memorial cemetary and the All Saints Church. The 200 steps that lead from the foot of the Mamayev Kurgan to the monument on its peak serve as a reference to the 200 days of the Battle of Stalingrad.

1. ©Sputnik/Kirill Braga/Flowers laid at the Mamayev Kurgan memorial complex during Victory Day celebrations
2. ©Sputnik/Evgenya Novozhenina/Elements of an exhibition dedicated to the 72nd anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad, at the Battle of Stalingrad museum in Volgograd
3. ©Sputnik/Evgenya Novozhenina/A model of the city of Stalingrad on display at the Battle of Stalingrad museum
4. ©Sputnik/Kirill Braga/Flowers laid at the Hall of Military Glory at the Mamayev Kurgan during the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad
5. ©Sputnik/Evgenya Novozhenina/Honor guard detail seen during the celebration of the 72nd anniversary of the Nazi German forces' defeat at the hands of the Soviet forces during the Battle of Stalingrad, held at the Mamayev Kurgan memorial complex

The Panorama Museum of Battle of Stalingrad, located in the city center on the bank of the Volga River, tells the story of that pivotal battle. The complex comprises the Panorama Museum, the ruins of a steam mill (the only building that remained somewhat intact after the battle in this part of the city) and an open-air display of military vehicles.

Panorama - the largest artistic painting in Russia (about 2,000 square meters) - tells the story of the final stage of the Battle of Stalingrad, namely Operation Koltso (Ring), which took place on January 26, 1943. Other exhibits available on display at the museum include weapons, maps, medals, clothes, photographs and various military accessories of that time.

1. ©Sputnik/Alexey Filippov/The Panorama Museum of the Battle of Stalingrad in Volgograd and the ruins of a steam mill destroyed during the WWII battle
2 - 3. ©Sputnik/Alexey Filippov/Sergey Mamontov/The Panorama Museum of the Battle of Stalingrad n Volgograd

One of the city's attractions is the Volgograd Metrotram - part light rail, part subway. While most of its stations are located on the surface, six of them were built underground.

A stroll through the city center may also be a pleasant experience, as there are many parks, monuments and sculptures surrounded by fine examples of Stalinist architecture.

1. ©Sputnik/Kirill Braga/Light rail train at Yelshanka station in Volgograd
2. ©Sputnik/Vladimir Fedorenko/The Volga Hydroelectric Station near Volgograd

If you have the time, you can also visit the Volga Hydroelectric Station. Launched in 1961, it is the largest hydroelectric plant in the European part of Russia. And in the other part of the city, at the beginning of the Volga-Don Canal, one can see a monument of Vladimir Lenin, which was declared as the largest monument built for a historical character in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records.

In 2018 Volgograd will host four matches of the FIFA World Cup group stage. The new stadium is built at the foot of the Mamayev Kurgan memorial complex.

This is the first stadium in Russia to implement cable-stayed structures. According to estimates, the stadium can accomodate about 45,000 spectators and will feature a heated playing field and covered stands.

According to the architects working on the project, the stadium's facade will serve as a reminder of a celebratory fireworks display, while the arena itself will reflect the history of the city.

By plane: each day at least several flights from Moscow arrive to the city's main airport. There are also regular flights between Volgograd, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg.

By train: the Volgograd-1 Railway station serves as a destination for trains from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Yekaterinburg and many other cities. However, this method of transportation can hardly be considered optimal, as it takes a lot of time. For example, a train from Moscow would take about 20 hours to reach the city.