Description of the attraction
The weathering pillars are a unique geological monument located in the Komi Republic in the Troitsko-Pechora region, namely on the Manpupuner mountain, between the Pechora and Ichotlyagi rivers. Translated from the Mansi language, the name "Manpupuner" means "Small Mountain of Idols". The second name of the Weathering Pillars is Mansi blockheads. There are seven pillars in total, and their height reaches from 30 to 42 meters. A large number of legends and legends are associated with the monument, because they were objects of worship of the Mansi.
Mansi dummies are located quite far from the local inhabited places, which is why only physically active people can get to them. From the side of the Perm Territory and the Sverdlovsk Region there is a walking route leading directly to the desired place. It should be noted that the Weathering Pillars are one of the Seven Wonders of the Russian Federation.
About two hundred million years ago, in the area of the stone pillars, there were high mountains, which over the course of many millennia gradually collapsed under the influence of heat, frost, snow and winds. The pillars themselves are composed of hard sericite-quartzite schists, which also collapsed over time, although to a lesser extent, for which reason they were able to survive to this day. Soft rocks were completely destroyed and were washed away by water currents and winds into the area of lower relief.
One of the Pillars is 34 m high and is somewhat apart from the others. In shape, it resembles a large bottle upside down. The other six doodles stand in a row at the edge of the cliff and have rather bizarre outlines, the appearance of which depends on the viewing angle. For example, one of the pillars closely resembles a human figure, while the other looks like a ram's head. In the old days, the Mansi people deified these stone statues, regularly praying and worshiping them. An important fact is that it was a terrible sin to climb to Manpupuner.
Until now, the oldest Mansi legend has come down to us, telling about the events of those times. In the impenetrable forests, stretching near the Ural Mountains, the Mansi tribe, famous for its power, lived. The warlike men were endowed with incredible strength, defeating even bears, and in speed they could match the agile deer. The Mansi people were very rich in bearskins and valuable furs, from which women sewed fur clothes. It was believed that good spirits lived on the top of the Yalping-Nyer mountain, who in every possible way helped the tribe, the head of which was the wisest leader by the name of Kuushai. The leader had a son named Pygrychum and a daughter named Aim. The daughter was famous for her incredible beauty, the rumor of which spread far beyond the ridge. The girl was incredibly slender, and the sounds of her voice attracted even forest deer from the Ydzhid-Lyagi valley.
People lived not far from the Mansi tribe on Mount Kharaiz. One of the giants named Torev learned about the unearthly beauty of the young girl Aim. Torev demanded that the leader Kuushai give his daughter. Aim just laughed at the suggestion. Then the angry giant could not contain his rage and urged the giant brothers to move to the top of Mount Torre Porre in order to capture the young beauty Aim. Everything happened very unexpectedly: Kuushai's son Pygrymchun was on a hunt with his warriors - at that moment Torev appeared near the gates of the tribe of a large stone city. Throughout the day, a bloody battle between the two tribes was fought.
Desperate, Aim climbed the tower and began to pray to the spirits for the salvation of the tribe. Suddenly lightning flashed, and black clouds eclipsed the entire city. Seeing Aim, Torev rushed to her, but the tower collapsed at the hands of the giant. He raised his club and smashed the crystal castle, so rock crystal can still be found in the area.
The beautiful Aim was able to hide with her warriors under cover of night in the mountains. The next morning the giants found Aim and were about to grab her, when her brother jumped out of the forest and repulsed the blow with a shiny shield, which was bestowed by good spirits. The giant was thrown aside, after which he and his companions turned into stones.
Since that time, stone statues have stood on a mountain called Manpupuner or the Mountain of Stone Idols.
