09 December 2010

#5 Moscow, Russia | RU-233918


Kaliningrad (RussianКалинингра́дPolishKrólewiecLithuanianKaraliaučiusGermanKönigsbergCzechKrálovec) is a seaport city and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea. The territory, the northern part of the former East Prussia, borders on NATO and EU members Poland and Lithuania, and is geographically separated from the rest of Russia.

Originally named Königsberg in German, the town was founded in 1255 by the order of the Teutonic Knights in honour of the Czech king Přemysl Otakar II and was part of Prussia and then of Germany until 1945, but was largely destroyed during World War II. Its ruins were occupied by the Red Army in 1945 and its German population forced out. It was renamed Kaliningrad in 1946 in honor of Mikhail Kalinin.

Wikipedia.org


Date of Issue: August 29, 2008 - Definitive Stamps

Thank you, Katherine (IvyDysthopic) !

Received on: October 18, 2010
Travel time: 16 days
Distance:  809 km (503 km)

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