Volga Hydroelectric Station
Волжская ГЭС
One of Europe's largest hydroelectric stations on the Volga, with a dam road linking Volgograd and Volzhsky, where you can see spillway releases and the locks.
The Volga Hydroelectric Station was completed in 1961 and is one of the great construction projects of the Soviet Union. It is still among the largest hydroelectric stations in Europe. A road and railway run across the top of the dam, connecting northern Volgograd with the city of Volzhsky on the opposite bank. In spring, the water released through the spillways is spectacular, and on the west side of the dam, a lock lets you watch large ships being raised and lowered. Visits inside the power station must be arranged in advance, so most visitors view it from the dam crest or the riverside viewing platforms. It is about 20 kilometers from the city center, roughly a 30-minute drive.
Opening hours
Exterior open all day; interior visits by appointment
Nearby sights
- Volgograd Arena
- Mamayev Kurgan & The Motherland Calls
- Gerhardt Mill Ruins
- Stalingrad Battle Panorama Museum
- Pavlov's House
- Volgograd Planetarium
- Mashkov Museum of Fine Arts
- Central Embankment (62nd Army Embankment)