Obninsk, Science city in Kaluga Oblast, Russia.
Obninsk is a town in Kaluga Oblast located about 100 kilometers southwest of Moscow along the Protva River. It hosts several research institutes and scientific facilities spread across its territory since decades.
The settlement appeared in 1945 as a closed research center working on Soviet nuclear technology. In 1954 the world's first commercial nuclear power plant began operating here, bringing international attention to the location.
The name comes from the nearby Obna River, while the town displays modernist architecture and wide avenues lined with trees that create space for pedestrians and public squares. Today many residents work in scientific facilities, and daily life revolves around laboratories, conference centers, and technical libraries that shape the local rhythm.
You can reach the town via highways from Moscow in about an hour and a half, depending on traffic conditions. Three major airports lie within range and provide international connections for visitors coming from abroad.
A meteorological tower rises here to more than 300 meters (985 feet) in height and ranks as the tallest of its kind in Europe. The structure gathers data on air movement and weather patterns at different altitudes and serves as a reference point for atmospheric research.
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