If you want to have a better look of Arkhangelsk you need to start sightseeing from Pur-Navolok, the place, where in 1584 the city was founded by the order of Russian Tzar Ivan the Terrible. The original name of the town was "Novije Holmogori" and it's present name dates back to 1613.
In 17-th century Arkhangelsk became the major centre of Russian northern trade with foreign countries, a great sea and river port on the Northern Dvina. The oldest building in Arkhangelsk is Gostiniy Dvor, dating back to 1684. In ancient times Gostiniy Dvor was a trading centre and consisted of three parts: Russian and German yards and the central part-fortress. The Russian word "Gosti" meant "merchant", so it was often called merchant yard, a trading centre. In the 17-th century it was the largest building of its kind, but today we can see only small part of this magnificent and outstanding building, which is now used as an exhibition hall.
A few minute walk from this place will take you to the monument of Peter the Great who did the great deal towards Russian development. It is the work of the sculptor of 19-th century - Mark Antokolsky. Peter the First is depicted in the uniform of a Preobrajenstij Regiment officer. If you go down the "Krasnaja Pristan" your attention will be caught by a sailing ship "Zapad". This place is called the gates to the Arctic.
The centre of the city is the Lenin Square, where the main administrative buildings, museums and shops are situated. Here you can see the Northern Obelisk, so called the symbol of Arkhangelsk. The pedestal shows the main branches or economy of Archangel region in previous centuries: logging, fishing, cattle breading and sawing.
There are a lot of other interesting places to view, such as the embankment, Children's Park and many other.
