- Manpupuner
- Divnogorie
- Labyrinths on the Solovetsky Islands
- Whale Alley on Yttygran Island
- Cape Besov Nos
- Valley of Geysers
- Kungur Ice Cave
In pursuit of beautiful pictures and memorable impressions, many tourists plan to spend their holidays in distant countries and do not even suspect that there are no less amazing sights in Russia that are worth seeing at least once in their lives. These include wonderful natural beauties, for example, ice caves open to the public, or the inaccessible Valley of Geysers in Kamchatka. Objects created by human hands can also be attributed to unusual places in Russia: monasteries in rocks, petroglyphs on rocks, circles of stones in meadows.
To see some of the sights, you will have to make a lot of effort, spend a certain number of days moving, and sometimes even find guides. But then the shocked traveler will be able to proudly say: "I saw it!"
Other tourist sites are located in the cities closest to Moscow, so the road to them will not take much time and effort. And this is another reason to get together one day on a journey to unknown and as yet not very popular corners of our Motherland.
Manpupuner
Seven high (22-50 meters) pillars of unusual shape, called Manpupuner, are located in the Komi Republic, in the Pechora-Ilychsky nature reserve.
Manpupuner is a word from the vocabulary of the Mansi people. It can be translated as "Low Mountain of Idols." The plateau on which the pillars rise is considered a place of power among the Mansi. Shamans come here to replenish their energy reserves.
Local legend says that Manpupuner is the work of shamans. They turned into pillars of giants who attacked the Mansi during the difficult crossing of the Ural Mountains. Another myth tells that in the distant past a giant fell in love with a girl from the Mansi people, but the beauty did not want to become his wife. Then the giants went to war against the Mansi. The girl's brother with the help of a magic artifact defeated the enemy, turning the giants into stones.
Scientists believe that Manpupuner is the result of the impact of rain and wind on old mountains, which are millions of years old.
Until recently, Manpupuner was considered a public attraction. Tourists came here at any time of the year. The most beautiful photographs from the mountain were obtained in winter, when the stones under a thick layer of snow resembled the creations of the Snow Queen.
Now the weathering pillars are allowed only from June 15 to September 15. In one month, only 4 organized groups of 12 people each pass on the plateau. This turns the place of worship of the Mansi into one of the most inaccessible attractions in the world.
How to get there: tourists walk to the plateau along one of the many tourist routes that start in Komi or the Sverdlovsk region. You can also get to the weathering pillars by helicopter. If such extreme options are not suitable for you, then it is better to contact some travel agency and book an excursion to Manpupuner.
Divnogorie
Six chalk rocks in the middle of the plain in the Voronezh region have long been known to travelers, who gave them the name Divnogorie. Now the territory on which the pillars are located is a protected area. The Divnogorye Museum-Reserve with an area of 11 sq. km, operating since 1988, includes several interesting objects:
- Assumption Monastery with several cave churches, founded in the 17th century. During the Soviet period, it was first turned into a recreation center, and then into a tuberculosis sanatorium;
- Mayatskoe settlement - the remains of a village in which the Don Alans lived in the 9th-10th centuries. The settlement was part of the fortifications of the Khazar Kaganate. The settlement was protected from attacks by enemy armies by high walls and a moat. True, this did not save him from the raids of the Pechenegs, so in the 10th century the Alans left their homes and moved on in search of a better life. Now you can visit the ruins of a fortress, dwellings, tombs and workshops where dishes were made from clay;
- restored village of the 10th century. It is located next to the Mayatsky settlement. Here are the reconstructed huts of the Alans, which showcase various furnishings, dishes, etc.
Cretaceous deposits, which quickly absorb heat, create a unique microclimate on the plateau. Several dozen rare plants grow here, including those characteristic of the alpine slopes. For the abundance of mountain grasses, Divnogorie is often called the "Lowered Alps". Walking around the rocks, you can spot hares, ferrets and even foxes.
How to get there: from Voronezh, the way to Divnogorye passes through the town of Liski. Voronezh and Liski are connected by bus (passengers will spend about 2.5 hours on the way, the fare is about 350 rubles). In Liski, you need to change to another bus (only 2 trips per day). which in 2, 5 hours will arrive at the place.
Labyrinths on the Solovetsky Islands
Solovetsky Islands is a mystical place. The tribes that lived here in the Neolithic era considered these islands to be the entrance to the afterlife. Perhaps that is why dolmens, rocks with sacred drawings, burial mounds and labyrinths are found here in abundance. The latter are particularly noteworthy. The locals call them "Babylon".
Spiral structures made of stones were erected so that a soul that wished to leave the other world would get lost and could not find a way out to Earth. Shamans who wanted to subdue the spirits reached the center of the labyrinth, but at the same time they could no longer find their way back without special actions and words.
There are 35 labyrinths built by primitive people on the Solovetsky Islands. 14 of them (according to another version - 13) are located in the west of Bolshoy Zayatsky Island, in a small area on which Signalnaya Gora stands. The diameter of the labyrinths can be different: from 3 to 20 meters.
The paths of the labyrinths are marked with small stones the size of a human head. There are structures consisting of two spirals, combined into one whole.
The primitive labyrinths have survived to this day in an intact state due to the peculiarities of the local climate. Permafrost reigns here, which does not allow the grass to completely hide the stones installed in spirals.
Tourists during their holidays on the Solovetsky Islands do not miss the opportunity to see the local labyrinths. Walking on them is prohibited. For those who still want to walk through the labyrinth, a copy of one of the structures was built.
How to get there: you can come to Solovki during cruises that start in Arkhangelsk, Moscow, St. Petersburg. On your own from Moscow, you first need to take a train to the city of Kem (the journey takes 1 day), from there to move to Rabocheostrovsk, where the pier of the ship transporting people to Solovki is located.
Whale Alley on Yttygran Island
An unusual place is located on the “edge of the Earth”, in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, on the island of Yttygran, uninhabited since 1950, which is located in the Bering Sea, 30 km from the continent. This is the Whale Alley - the sanctuary of the ancient Eskimos, the only sacred monument of this people, preserved to our time from the XIV century.
On the shores of the inhospitable Bering Sea, 34 huge jaw bones of whales and 50 skulls of these mammals are successively dug into the ground. The width of each skull is 2 meters. Between the bones, 150 pits were arranged, in which provisions for people and dogs were stored.
From the pits, a path lined with stones leads to a special site where the hearth was located. According to the assumptions of scientists, the ancient Eskimos gathered here to discuss community affairs and conduct various ceremonies.
The creation of the Whale Alley required the extermination of about fifty bowhead whales, which are close to the island of Yttygran. The construction of the alley would have been beyond the power of the residents of the nearest abandoned Eskimo village. Eskimo settlements have never been large. They could house up to 200 people. Therefore, the construction of the Whale Alley, most likely, was attended by residents of several villages.
It is interesting that not a single Eskimo, who left the island of Yttygran for good in 1950, let slip about the abandoned shrine. The Whale Alley was discovered by accident - in 1976. Now the island of Yttygran is part of the Beringia nature reserve. Tourists are brought here in the summer. The road to the island is difficult and expensive, but this does not stop curious travelers.
How to get there: tourists are brought to the island of Yttygran by boats or helicopters from the village of Yanrakynnot. In winter, locals walk to the island on foot, but trying to overcome about 40 km on the ice on their own is not a very correct act.
Cape Besov Nos
A cape with an interesting name, Besov Nos, can be found in Karelia, on Lake Onega, one and a half kilometers from the mouth of the Chernaya River. The local flat rocks sloping towards the water are covered with images of various figures and mystical characters. It is believed that they were made by local tribes about 5 thousand years ago.
The most famous drawing, in honor of which the cape got its name, is the figure of a demon. His mouth falls right into a deep gap, under which water splashes. Scientists have suggested that sacrifices were made here in ancient times. Blood flowed down the crevice and dyed the water in the lake near the shore in a scarlet color.
It is interesting that this figure was called a demon by the holy fathers from the Murom monastery, who in the 15th century even knocked out a cross over one of the demon's hands. In addition to the demon, large images of catfish and otters are visible on the rocks of the cape.
Now the 750-meter cape and several islands closest to it have been declared a natural park. In addition to petroglyphs, you can see here:
- a copy of the settlement of ancient people, where tourists are entertained by animators, arranging spectacular shows. This village should remind travelers that numerous sites of primitive tribes have been found near the Besov Nos Cape;
- abandoned in the last century, the village of Besov Nos, whose dilapidated houses are hidden behind overgrown grass and bushes. Guided tours are organized around the village. Some of the houses and their former inhabitants are legendary;
- a 16 meter high lighthouse, built of wood and currently not being used for its intended purpose. The staircase that leads to the surviving upper landing has collapsed.
How to get there: a visit to the Besov Nos cape is included in many tours in Karelia. You can independently drive a jeep from the villages of Karshevo and Shalsky. They also carry boats from the first village to the cape.
Valley of Geysers
Another hard-to-reach, but incredibly beautiful sight of Russia is the Valley of Geysers in Kamchatka. It is located on the territory of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve and is practically closed to tourists. It is easier to get here as part of an organized group by helicopter. "Wild" tourism and independent trips to the geysers are also possible, but the number of visitors is strictly controlled by the employees of the protected area.
In the history of the natural park there was a period from 1977 to 1992 when idle travelers were not allowed here at all. Therefore, the current situation with tourist excursions to the geyser field is rather pleasing.
The Valley of Geysers is located near the channels of the Geysernaya and Shumnaya rivers. At this point, they are combined into a single stream. The area of the territory, on which there are about 20 geysers, is 2.5 square meters. km. The temperature of the water escaping from some geysers reaches 95 degrees. Most of the local geysers eject water with steam at an acute angle rather than vertically.
The only valley with geysers on the continent of Eurasia was discovered not so long ago - in 1941. By that time, the Kronotsky reserve already existed, but its lands had not been studied.
The Geyser Field, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is not protected from natural disasters. In 2007, the Valley was flooded due to a landslide. After 6 years, nature itself corrected the consequences of the unraveling elements. As a result of heavy rains, the water barrier was eroded, and geysers again began to delight tourists.
How to get there: from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to the Valley of Geysers can be reached as part of an organized excursion group, which will be delivered to the place by helicopter.
Kungur Ice Cave
The pearl of the Perm region, one of the most famous caves in the world - Kungurskaya - is located in the vicinity of the town of Kungur, in the village of Filippovka. It is separated from Perm by 100 km.
The Kungur Ice Cave is the seventh largest in the world. Its underground corridors stretch into the depths of Ice Mountain for 5700 meters. Tourists can only see the 1500 meter long section. Two routes have been developed for them - Big and Small circles.
In the Kungur cave, researchers have discovered more than 50 magnificent grottoes, several dozen underground lakes, a little less than 150 organ pipes - cavities that stretch in the thickness of the mountain to the surface.
The air temperature in the cave never rises above +5 degrees, so all tourists who decide to visit this underground formation should take care of warm clothes. In the Vyshka grotto, the temperature is kept at around -17 degrees, and in the Diamond grotto, the air is warmed up to –2 degrees.
Some grottoes are striking in their size. For example, tourists are shown the Giant grotto with a volume of 45,000 cubic meters.
Small crustaceans and frogs live in underground lakes. In the largest formation in the cave - the Geographers' grotto - there is a lake that collects all the water seeping from the outside. One stream flows into this lake, flowing along the corridors of the cave.
There are many thematic excursions around the Kungur Cave. You can join a sightseeing tour or sign up for a theatrical excursion. A route has recently been developed to learn more about the past of the cave. Children love the excursion programs "According to the Tales of Bazhov" and "Legends and Myths of the Ice Cave".
How to get there: buses and trains run from Perm and Yekaterinburg to Kungur. From Perm the road to the Kungurskaya cave will take about 1 hour 40 minutes, from Yekaterinburg - more than 5 hours.
