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The capital city of Chukotka okrug.
Anadyr is a port city in the extreme north-east of Russia, an administrative center of Chukotka autonomous okrug. The city is located in the permafrost zone, on the shore of Anadyr Bay in the Bering Sea.
The population of Anadyr is about 15,000 (2022), the area - 20 sq. km.
The phone code - +7 42722, the postal code - 689000.
On August 3, 1889, in compliance with the Decree of the Government of the Russian Empire on the formation of the Anadyr okrug in the most northeastern territory of the country, the Russian military doctor and polar explorer Lev Frantsevich Grinevetsky founded the post of Novo-Mariinsk at the mouth of the Kazachka River. This was the beginning of Anadyr.
The construction of the settlement was slow, mainly only state and private trading depots were expanded. By 1914, a long-wave radio station was built here - one of the most powerful in Russia at that time.
Soviet power in Novo-Mariinsk was finally established only by 1924. At the same time, by the decision of the Kamchatka Provincial Committee, the present name of the settlement, Anadyr, was approved. The word “Anadyr” is mentioned in chronicles in different variations: “Onandyr” - a river in Chukotka, “Anadyrsk” - a stockaded town of the mid 17th century (the times of Semyon Dezhnev and Kurbat Ivanov).
In 1927, Anadyr, with a population of only about 200 people, became the administrative center of the Anadyr district, three years later - the center of the newly created Chukotka National District. In 1931, a fishing plant was opened. Near it, the first in Chukotka power station was built. In 1933, the population of Anadyr was already 1,176 people.
On January 1, 1941, about 3,100 people lived in Anadyr. During the Second World War, Anadyr played a crucial role, first of all, in the implementation of the decision on the construction of the Alaska-Siberia air-route for the transfer of aircraft to the Eastern front. The “Special Air Line”, along which the Red Army received more than 7,000 aircraft under Lend-Lease, began operating on October 7, 1942.
Residents of Anadyr were directly involved in the construction of one of the reserve military airfields. Anadyr permafrost experts made an invaluable contribution to the construction of these military airfields.
A major impetus to the development of the village was the construction of a seaport on the shore of the bay in the late 1950s. In 1963, a dam was built on the Kazachka River, which made it possible to carry out water supply to Anadyr. January 12, 1965, the village of Anadyr received the status of a town. About 5,000 people lived there.
By 1975, the population of Anadyr reached 10,300 people. The average age of the locals was a little over 25 years old. In 1980, Anadyr became the administrative center of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. In 1984, the first non-stop regular flight of the Il-62 aircraft was performed along the route Moscow - Anadyr. In 1989, Anadyr celebrated its 100th anniversary.
In 2001, a period of intensive renewal and development began in Anadyr. This was due to the election of Roman Abramovich for the post of Governor of the Chukotka Autonomous Region. In a short time, the capital of Chukotka was renovated and partially rebuilt.
General view of the center of Anadyr
Stele on the shore in Anadyr
Anadyr Thermal Power Plant
Located in the border zone, Anadyr is the easternmost city of Russia. The distance from Anadyr to Moscow, if you fly by plane, is about 6,400 km.
There is a fish processing plant in the city. Near Anadyr, at Cape Observation, one of the largest wind farms in Russia is located - the Anadyr Wind Power Plant. In the vicinity of the city, gold and coal are being mined. Reindeer husbandry, fishing, and hunting are also developed.
The seaport of Anadyr is the largest in the region and connects the city with Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Vladivostok, Magadan, and other ports. Its facilities allow processing up to one million tons of various cargoes. The navigation period lasts four months (from July 1 to November 1).
The airport of Anadyr is located on the other side of the estuary in the village of Ugolnye Kopi. To connect the city with the airport, helicopter flights are carried out year-round. In winter, there is an ice crossing; in summer, there are also boats and small boats cruising. The airport has an international status, regular flights are carried out to Moscow and Khabarovsk, as well as to a number of settlements of Chukotka.
In 2012, construction began on the Kolyma federal highway (P-504), which will provide Anadyr with year-round transport links with the road network of the Russian Far East.
A lot of residential houses in Anadyr are painted in bright colors, and the facades are decorated with images of various animals, fish, tambourines, and shamans. This is done to revitalize the gray landscape of the tundra.
The brown bear on the emblem of Anadyr symbolizes the power of Russia, as well as the rich nature of Chukotka. The fish in the paws of the bear shows that Anadyr is a fishing center.
Holy Trinity Cathedral, located in the center of Anadyr, is the world’s largest wooden Orthodox church built on permafrost (Lenina Street, 21). The church seats about 1,000 people. Next to the church, you can see the largest monument of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the world - the height with the pedestal is more than 10 meters.
Anadyr is the sister city of Bethel located in western Alaska (the United States).
The climate of Anadyr is subarctic, marine, harsh. The average temperature in January is minus 22 degrees Celsius; in July, it is very different from year to year, but on average it is about plus 11 degrees Celsius. The warm period is very short.
Due to its proximity to the sea, winter in Anadyr is warmer and summer is cooler than in the continental parts of Chukotka. Winter is harsh, but softened by the sea, therefore milder than in Siberia at these latitudes. Fogs are frequent in summer. The water surface temperature in the summer months is around plus 10 degrees Celsius.
The absolute minimum temperature was minus 47 degrees Celsius, the absolute maximum - plus 31 degrees Celsius.
Summer in Anadyr
Colors of Anadyr
Colorful building in Anadyr
You can reach Anadyr from Moscow by air. Flights take off from Vnukovo Airport several times a week. The flight takes about 8 hours. If it is stormy weather in Anadyr, you may be stuck at the airport for a while.
Also, don’t forget that it is a border zone. Border guards check documents on board. Therefore it is necessary to reserve a hotel in advance and be ready to explain the objective of your trip and the place of stay. Usually special travel agencies organizing the trip deal with all these documents.
Today, Anadyr is a quite modern city adjusted to living. The buildings painted in pink, yellow and blue impress very much especially against the gray background of Chukotka tundra. There are some quite modern hotels too.
Different tourist trips are available, therefore there is always a chance to explore the Chukotka tundra. We also recommend you to visit Chukotka Museum of Local Lore (Rultytegina Street, 5). Opening hours: 10:00-19:00 (11:00-16:00 on Saturday and Sunday).
Anadyr is not like the rest of Chukotka. The city has several hotels, a lot of restaurants and cafes, a movie theater (Otke Street, 15), an indoor ice rink (Chukotskaya Street, 6). There are ATMs and you can pay with cards in most stores. Anadyr has the widest in Chukotka assortment of souvenirs and the fastest Internet. Bike rental is available.
If you are planning to explore Chukotka, then the best time to travel is early spring or the first months of autumn (in summer, roads are often impassable, in winter, it is too cold).
Anadyr scenery
Bright colors of Anadyr buildings
Apartment buildings in Anadyr
In the seaport of Anadyr
Hospital in Anadyr
Holy Trinity Cathedral in Anadyr
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