Exploring cultural margins and liminalities through visual and material culture: the case of Kaliningrad as presented in guided tours

Kaliningrad's place on the geopolitical 'margin' is well documented, however, little research has examined Kaliningrad as a certain type of margin in cultural terms. This article seeks to elucidate Kaliningrad's position in the dichotomy of margin-center in cultural terms by exploring how the material culture of Kaliningrad is displayed to tourists. Drawing on an analysis of the spatiotemporal aspects of three guided tours of Kaliningrad, this study shows that out of several material culture trends, 'Kaliningradized Konigsberg' (where the Russian present appropriates the Germanic past of the city) is the most highlighted. The results suggest that Kaliningrad emerges as a cultural liminality or a 'third space' in relation to its central cultural models.