Krasnoyarsk is the easternmost millionaire city in Russia and the capital of the second largest region of the country. Quite recently, until ten-ruble banknotes were taken out of circulation, every day we could see on this banknote the symbol of Krasnoyarsk – the Chapel of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, built in the century before last.
Today, to see with your own eyes the chapel, Krasnoyarsk “Pillars” and other interesting places of this ancient city, you can go there by train. Ticket price Moscow — Krasnoyarsk starts from 4,500 rubles, travel time is about three days, during which two-thirds of the country will rush past the windows. You can get there faster – from Moscow to Krasnoyarsk the flight is four and a half hours, and air ticket prices start from 9,500 rubles.
Already at the exit from the Krasnoyarsk airport “Emelyanovo” it becomes clear why this name was chosen for the city, which, by the way, has not changed since its founding in 1628. The fact is that the hills here consist of pink or brown mineral rock, which is especially noticeable on the “yars” – or cliffs – of the banks of the Yenisei, on which Krasnoyarsk stands.
Residents of Krasnoyarsk call it the city of fountains. At least 150 large, small, musical, illuminated, sculptural and simple fountains can be found on local streets and squares. The most interesting and famous fountains are located in the center of Krasnoyarsk. This is the “Rivers of the Region” – a cascading complex, which is a marble staircase on which six bronze girls-rivers of Siberia (Biryusa, Mana, Angara, Kan, Kacha and Bazaikha) gathered around the harsh Yenisei. Photo sessions are usually held near the “Rivers”.
On summer evenings, guests and residents of Krasnoyarsk flock to Teatralnaya Square, where a popular light and music show starring fountains takes place. Interesting fact: since summer in Siberia is short, similar shows are organized in Krasnoyarsk in winter.
“Roev Ruchey” is one of the largest zoos in the country, located near Krasnoyarsk, in the City Park of Flora and Fauna. It is believed that the zoological collection there is second only to Moscow in Russia and is among the top five zoos in Europe in terms of the number of species. For example, there are penguins and giraffes, the only ones in zoos in the Asian part of the country. In 2014, the Artificial Dinosaur Park began operating in Roevoy Ruchek.
“Stolbism” is a type of sport climbing without insurance, which originated in Krasnoyarsk, next to which there is a unique natural reserve with bizarrely shaped rocks, or “pillars”. “Grandfather”, “Baba”, “Feathers”, “Turtle”, “Chimney” – these were the names the pillars received due to their unusual shape.
It is believed that a person can climb small poles even without training, but it is better to do this with an experienced instructor, who are not difficult to find in the city, because pole climbing is probably the most popular local sport. It’s interesting that back in 1899, someone wrote the word “Freedom” on the “Second Pillar”, and since then it has been constantly updated for more than a century.
Vasily Surikov, a famous Russian painter, was born in Krasnoyarsk. The V.I. Surikov Art Museum is one of the twenty best art galleries in the country. The museum has more than 15 thousand exhibits, including works by Surikov himself, Aivazovsky, Grabar, Repin, Vasnetsov. A ticket without a tour costs only 100 rubles.
The Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric power station is considered the tenth most powerful in the world and the second in Russia. Also, this is the only hydroelectric power station in the country equipped with a ship lift. Tourists are brought to see the power of the power plant, and excursions are also organized to the plant’s engine room. The hydroelectric power station is depicted on the reverse side of the same ten-ruble bill discussed at the beginning of the article.
Usually Krasnoyarsk has very hot, sunny summers and there is no better time to travel to this Siberian city. And if you use the “flight + hotel” service, you can save on travel and hotel costs!
The journey through Russia continues:
Novosibirsk is the third largest city in Russia
The best tourist destinations in Russia
