The boy wants to go to Tambov

From the heart of Russia I am setting out on a journey to one of the most beautiful and unknown parts to the country.

The way there lies through Tambov.

The route to the destination passes through Moscow, Ryazan and part of the Voronezh region.

The city is greeted by a broken four-lane road and a massive stream of cars.

We pass through hinterland areas and arrive at the center of the city.

The square itself is a vivid representation of the contradictions of our times.

At the park there is a modern Patriarch's Residence and several temples.

Next we go to the embankment and to the main park.

The Central Park is a weird alleyway with a 2000s design and a small stream with grassy banks.

Suddenly I felt like having something to eat so I went to the local 'Rio' mall near the park. It is generally a nice modern place.

After the snack I looked at the nearby parks and the 'Arbat'.

In general, there is nothing to see in the city except for a couple of main streets, and its current state does not present any interest. The city seems to have frozen in the 2000s.

Before the Revolution, Tambov was a thriving merchant city. Trade with the southern parts of the Empire played a significant role in the development of the city.

With time, the city lost its significance as a port of entry and became an ordinary provincial town. Just as ordinary, it remains to this day.

The city has neither fully preserved historical buildings nor impressive antiquities, and the district has no unique nature.

In the end, having enjoyed the grey sky and absence of anything interesting, I decided to move on to my next destination, the glorious city...

...Volograd!