Gogol Street · Saint Alexeyev Church

A Russian-style street in Nangang (1900s housing area for Chinese Eastern Railway officials), red-brick church (Saint Alexeyev Church, built 1931, Orthodox); Churin Company (the original shop of Lidaosi red sausage, founded 1900). Named after the great Russian writer, Gogol Street was, in the 1900s, lined with housing for Chinese Eastern Railway officials, and its Russian-style character lives on today. Beside the street stands Saint Alexeyev Church, completed in 1931 — a red-brick Orthodox church with delicately sized onion domes, called Harbin's "most beautiful red-brick church"; its square is a daily setting for locals' morning exercise and photos. Churin (Qiulin) Company was founded by Russian merchants in 1900, and the original recipe of Lidaosi red sausage came from here — "Churin red sausage + lieba (giant Russian bread)" remains Harbin's No. 1 souvenir pairing. Russian restaurants and cafés along both sides keep up old Nangang's style, making this a good second European-flavor route after Central Street.

Getting there: Bus / taxi