Mamonovo

Mamonovo (Russian: Мамоново; Polish: Święta Siekierka or Świętomiejsce; until 1945: Heiligenbeil) is in Russia's Kaliningrad exclave, about 45 km (28 mi) from the city of Kaliningrad.

Understand

Mamonovo is the closest town on the Russian side of Russia's only rail crossings with Poland. It is about 5 km (3.1 mi) from the border.

On the Polish side: by rail, Braniewo - about 6 km (3.7 mi) from the border by rail - is the first station after Mamonovo. By road, the first Polish village is Gronowo - right on the border. Gronowo is then another 7 km (4.3 mi) by road to central Braniewo.

History

Teutonic Knights, Prussians, Nazis and Soviets have spent several centuries killing each other in the area. The town's current namesake, Soviet Commander Nikolay Mamonov, died about 200 km (120 mi) to the south in 1944; since which time there hasn't been much killing. In fact, things are looking positively friendly with the 2012 signing of a visa-free travel arrangement between Russia and Poland.

Get in

Polish residents living within 50 km (31 mi) of the Kaliningrad border can cross visa free. Everyone else is subject to the regular Russian visa requirements.

In summer, one train in each direction heads through Mamonovo between Gdynia and Gdansk in Poland and Kaliningrad. All year, three trains per day run between Mamonovo and Kaliningrad (1hr20, 70 руб). Trains are less used than buses; some locals will even deny that there is a train station!

Buses and mashrutkas run the 50 km (31 mi) to Kaliningrad main railway station (60 руб). They leave from the bus stop near the park with the war memorial and the statue of Mamonov.

See

The most interesting building in town is probably the post office, a pre-war survivor that still bears the emblem of the German post office, a horn.

The ghastly statues of Mamonov that dot the town are also worth a look.

The sea is 3 km (1.9 mi) away.

Do

Cross the border

Buy

There is an ATM at the Sperbank in the centre of the town.

Petrol is cheaper on Russian side. Groceries are cheaper on the Polish side.

Sleep

There is a guest house called U Mosta (У Моста). It's on the road to the border.