Komarov Hill

Komarov Hill (Сопка Комарова) is one of the hills within the city of Vladivostok, the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, on the shore of the Sea of Japan. It rises 231 meters above sea level in the Zeleny Ugol neighborhood, between Ladygin Street and Admiral Kuznetsov Street, within Vladivostok's city district, not far from the Minny Gorodok area. The hill also carries an older name, Malaya Komendantskaya ("Little Commandant's Hill").

History

The hill's current name honors Nikolai Vasilyevich Komarov, a warrant officer and one of the first settlers of Vladivostok. In 1860 a detachment of soldiers under his command landed in Golden Horn Bay and set up a military post on the high ground above the bay, one of the strongholds of the future city. For a long time the hill was known as Malaya Komendantskaya, and only in the Soviet period was it renamed after Komarov.

What to see

From the summit there is a wide panoramic view of Golden Horn Bay, stretching from Lugovaya Square to the cable-stayed bridge across the strait. On a clear day almost the whole city is visible from here: port cranes, residential blocks on neighboring hills, and ships at anchor. A radio tower and the "Vladivostok" weather station stand at the very top, monitoring the city's weather.

Nature

In spring the slopes of the hill bloom with rhododendron, locally often called bagulnik. During these weeks the hill draws not only those after a panoramic view but also city residents who simply want to walk among the flowering shrubs with a view of the sea.

Getting there

Take a bus to the "Ladygina, 4" stop, from which it is about a 15-minute walk to the summit along a path through the residential quarter. By car, the hill can be reached through the same residential quarter near Ladygin Street: a dirt road runs alongside the garages there and leads almost to the top, though it can be difficult to drive in wet weather.