Kant Island, full name Immanuel Kant Island is a historical non-residential island part of the city of Kaliningrad, located surrounded by the Pregolya River, in the heart of the city.
Previously, the island of Kant was called Kneiphof. The name Kneiphof comes from the Prussian "Knypabe", which means "Surrounded by water, river".
Currently, Kanta Island is one of the main attractions of Kaliningrad.
In turn, the main attractions of Kant Island are: Kaliningrad Cathedral, Kant's grave and sculpture Park, as well as the Honey Bridge connecting the island with the Fishing Village.
Currently, holidays, fairs and other cultural and entertainment events are held on the territory of Kanta Island, near the cathedral.
Honey Bridge (German name Honigbrücke) is one of the bridges in the center of Kaliningrad.
This is a pedestrian bridge, and the passage of private transport, in addition to transport directly serving the island of Kant, is prohibited on it.
Honey Bridge connects Kanta Island with the Fishing Village and A new synagogue located on Oktyabrsky Island (formerly Lomze). These two sights of Kaliningrad (Fish village and Kanta Island), together form a single walking route - one of the most important and interesting in the city. More about the Fishing Village in Kaliningrad...
Photos of the Honey Bridge and the New Synagogue
On the railing of the Honey Bridge, on its northern side, there is an interesting miniature sculpture - Homlin grandfather Karl, also known as Grandfather on the bridge.
Homlin is a local interpretation of the brownie, they have lived next to people for many years and create amber products. According to legend, homlin brings happiness and goodness, so do not pass by and take a picture with this funny little house boy.
In total, there are several homlin sculptures in Kaliningrad, representing members of one large family - from the older generation (grandparents) to the smallest ones, which are installed in iconic places of the city. More about all homlins in Kaliningrad...
In addition to the Honey Bridge, you can get to Kant Island by descending from the Overpass Bridge on Leninsky Prospekt. There are no other ways to get to Kanta Island. Under the Trestle Bridge, on the side of Kanta Island, there are places for active sports.
View of Kanta Island from the Trestle Bridge
The Cathedral or the Dome Cathedral of Our Lady and St. Adalbert (German name: Konigsberger Dom / Konigsberg Cathedral) is a majestic cathedral gracefully towering on the island of Kant and is one of the symbols of the city of Kaliningrad.
Before the beginning of the church reformation of the 16th century, the cathedral was the main Catholic church of Konigsberg (it was dedicated to the Highly Consecrated Body of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, All Saints and Saint Adalbert). Also, during its rich history, the cathedral was the Lutheran church of Prussia.
Kaliningrad Cathedral is built in the style of brick (Baltic) Gothic and is one of the few Gothic buildings in Russia.
On the outer walls of the cathedral, along the perimeter, you can see historical elements - epitaphs with images and texts in Latin and German.
Currently, the Cathedral is not used for its intended purpose. Now concerts are held in the cathedral and the Kant Museum is open.
There is an organ in the main hall of the cathedral. Organ day and evening mini-concerts are held in the concert hall. The duration of the daytime organ mini-concert is 40-45 minutes, the evening - 30 minutes. The average ticket price is 350 rubles.
Near the entrance to the concert hall there are two stone sculptures of bears holding shields with the image of the Kneiphof coat of arms in their paws. Previously, sculptures of these bears were located on the stairs of the Kneiphof Town Hall and miraculously survived during World War II, when the town hall was destroyed.
Photos of the concert hall and the organ of the Cathedral
Photo of the Kant Museum in the Cathedral
Also in the cathedral there is a small chapel of the Icon of the Mother of God and an Evangelical Lutheran Church. Admission is free (free).
Photo of the Lutheran Church
Opening hours of the Cathedral: from May to September - from 10:00 to 19:00, from October to April - from 10:00 to 18:00. Learn more about the Cathedral in Kaliningrad (main hall, organ, altar space, Kant Museum, excursions)...
Immanuel Kant's grave, located on the north-eastern side of the Cathedral, annually attracts thousands of tourists.
In 1804 Immanuel Kant was buried in the "professor's tomb", who became the last person buried in the cathedral.
In 1996, among the works on the restoration of the Cathedral, Kant's grave was restored. In the column tomb you can see an inscription with the dates of Kant's life and a stone coffin cenotaph. Kant's remains are not in the coffin, they are deeper. More about Kante's grave...
Not far from the island of Kant, on Leninsky Prospekt 40-42a, on a residential building you can see a sign "There was a house in which Immanuel Kant was born on 04/22/1724 and lived until 1740." The house itself, in which Kant was born and lived, has not been preserved.
Near Kant's grave there is a bronze monument to Duke Albrecht, the founder of the University of Koenigsberg "Albertina". More about the monument to Albrecht...
On the back side of the cathedral there is a memorial sign with a bas-relief of the German progressive public figure Julius Rupp (1809-1884).
In front of the central entrance to the cathedral there is a miniature composition "Symbols of Konigsberg 1930".
In the center of the walking boulevard of the island (Kant Street), you can see a stone, an information plate on which reads "at this place the monument "Peace to all" will be installed. The stone has already been installed for at least a few years, but there is still no monument.
Also on the island, near the main entrance to the Cathedral, there are ticket offices of the cathedral, there are several outdoor cafes and kiosks with coffee, snacks and souvenirs, as well as a paid public toilet.
Sculpture Park - green park and open-air museum, located on Kanta Island, is a branch of the Kaliningrad Historical and Art Museum and is a green walking area, on the territory of which various symbolic sculptures are placed.
The collection of sculptures, diverse in content and style, arrived in Kaliningrad from Moscow. The works are made in different materials: bronze, marble, metal and granite. The authors of the sculptures are famous masters of fine art of the second half of the 20th century.
Currently, 23 works are presented in the park, united by the theme "Man and the World".
Another attraction of the Sculpture park on the island of Kante, in addition to the sculptures themselves, is the arboretum, reflecting the richness of the flora of the region. Here are plants from Europe, North and South America, Japan, China, etc.
Monument to Peter I
On the island there are also places to relax, alleys and paths for walking, swings and a plane tree embankment along the Pregoli River.
View of the embankment of Kanata Island and the Fish Village
View from the embankment of Kanata Island to the former building of the Konigsberg Stock Exchange, which now houses the Museum of Fine Arts of the city of Kaliningrad. Learn more about the exchange and the museum...
P.S. The unique island historical landscape with a collection of sculptures and the dominant Cathedral make Kanta Island one of the prominent sights of Kaliningrad, as well as one of their favorite vacation spots of Kaliningrad residents and guests of the city.
You can visit Immanuel Kant Island on your own or with an excursion
