Yekaterinburg is the modern megacity, which has developed on the basis of factory-city of 18 century. The peculiarity of the city is that from the very beginning it was planned as administrative and economic centre of the enormous region (the territory of which is more times bigger than the territory of the Ural Federal region created in 2000). The contradictory tendencies connected to the changes of strategy and tactics of the development of the country and its economic state constantly appeared in the history of Yekaterinburg. These contradictories and zigzags of the development retain their traces affected the architectural aspect and planning of the city. In September 1999 the board of administration of the city approved the conception of the development of entrance tourism in Yekaterinburg which was worked out by famous specialists in the field of tourism planning according to the recommendations of the World-Wide
Tourist Organization (WTO). In 2001 this document was completed and adopted by the Yekaterinburg Duma as the Program of tourism development in Yekaterinburg. This Program concerns not only traditional cognitive tourism, but also the perspectives of the development of business, scientific and educational, congress, show, medical and shopping tourism. Within the bounds of the Strategic plan of the development of the city the program "Yekaterinburg is the cultural, sporting and tourist centre" was prepared.
There are a lot of museums each of which is interesting in its own way. The unique archaeological and historic memorials, geological rarities, goods made by native artisans (famous cast-iron moulding, chased copper, painted metal trays) and also the linens of the prominent painters are shown there. Walks around the city will afford real delight to amateurs of architecture because there are not a lot of cities in Russia where the masterpieces of the epoch of Classicism and of the middle of 19 century are in the vicinity of the most striking memorials of constructivism 20-30-ies 20 century.
Icy town.
It is arranged in January in the centre of the city on the Square 1905
and in all regions of the city. In the central icy town they install a gigantic decorated fir-tree, organize attractions, but what is the most important - they build an icy stronghold and various hills from small to enormous.
During January festive outdoors fete in the icy town gathers lots of adults and children. There in a special covered pavilion they conduct the Festival of icy sculptures.