Ural ile. Where is the Urals located? Minerals and gems
Often people find themselves captive of certain words, often used in communication and books (encyclopedias, student and school textbooks), without really thinking about their meaning.
For example, it would seem that the word “Ural”... It is so familiar and seems clear and understandable to everyone. But its meaning is most likely ambiguous. What is the Urals? We will try to find out this in this article.
The Urals are like a mountainous country
Few people know what the Urals are. This is a mountain range more than 2000 meters long. What does she have geographical position? It stretches from north to south, dividing Europe and Asia and the two largest plains - the West Siberian lowland and the Russian steppe.
Description of the mountains
The Ural Mountains are ancient rocks, heavily destroyed by time. The stone belt of these mountains, together with the adjacent plains of the Urals, stretches from the north (from the shores of the Arctic Ocean) to the south to the semi-desert territories of Kazakhstan. So what is “Ural”? What does this word mean if translated from the Turkic language? It means “belt” (more on the meaning of the word below). Amazing nature, fascinating with its unapproachable harsh beauty - all this is the Urals. Where else can you see such splendor?
Many territories of the Urals represent nature reserves, among which the most famous are the following: Zyuratkul, Taganay, Arkaim, Arakul, Denezhkin Stone, Kungur Cave, Kvarkush, Oleniy Ruchi. What other meaning is hidden in the word “Ural”? What is it really and what does it represent to all of us when we encounter this term?
Ural as a region
Officially, the Urals are a geographical region. The main part of this Russian region is represented by the Ural mountain system. IN southern zone it includes part of the Ural River basin, which flows into the Caspian Sea. The region, as noted above, is located at the junction of Asia and Europe. It starts from the shores of the Kara Sea and ends at Mugodzhar (the southern spur of the Ural Mountains in Kazakhstan).
The Trans-Urals and Cis-Urals are economically and historically closely connected with the Urals. These are the territories adjacent to it from the east and west. In all these areas, the following republics, regions and territories of Russia are collectively located: Bashkortostan, Kurgan, Chelyabinsk, Sverdlovsk and Orenburg territories and Udmurtia, the eastern parts of the Arkhangelsk region and the Komi Republic, West Side Tyumen region. In Kazakhstan, two regions belong to the Urals: Kustanai and Aktobe.
Region meaning
Ural - what is it? What does it represent for Russia in economic terms? Since ancient times, the Urals has amazed many researchers with the abundance of a wide variety of minerals, which is the main wealth of these regions.
The Ural Mountains store a huge variety of minerals in their depths. They contain copper and iron ores, nickel and chromium, zinc and cobalt, oil and coal, gold and other precious stones. These places have long been the largest mining and metallurgical base in Russia. In addition to all this, the riches of these places include huge forest resources. Average and Southern Urals have extensive opportunities for the development of agriculture. This natural region is the most important for all of Russia and its citizens.
A little about the toponym
There are a huge number of versions of the origin of the toponym (the proper name of a geographical object) “Ural”. Based on the results of studies of the languages of the peoples living in the region, there is a main version about the origin of the name of the area - this name is derived from the Bashkir language. And in fact, of all the nationalities living in these places, this name has existed for a long time only among the Bashkirs and is supported by the legends and traditions of this people (for example, the epic “Ural Batyr”).
The Urals are multinational. What does he represent to other peoples? In addition to the Bashkirs, the rest of the indigenous peoples of these mountainous places (Komi, Khanty, Udmurts, Mansi) have other names for the Ural Mountains. It is also known that the Russians learned about the name Uraltau from the Bashkirs in the mid-16th century, translating it as Araltov Mountain. In this regard, it is generally accepted that the name of the mountains is associated with the Turkic word “aral” (translated as “island”) or with “uralmak” (translated as “encircle” or “enclose”).
We can talk endlessly about this amazing “country” called the Urals. The works of great writers and poets are dedicated to her, and wonderful paintings were painted by famous artists. a huge number of nature lovers, and its peaks are conquered by brave and courageous climbers. All nationalities living in this region have their own unique story and a culture worthy of attention and respect.
Probably one of the most unusual landscapes in the Perm region is located in the city of Berezniki. A few steps back you were on the bank of the Kama, surrounded by a familiar forest. And suddenly the turquoise expanse of the tropical sea opens in front of you, lazy waves regularly roll onto the snow-white sand.
Places of extraordinary beauty lie in the north of the Perm region, near the city of Aleksandrovsk - the whole country mountain lakes, with water of a deep turquoise color. Surprisingly, these lakes are just man-made structures - old flooded limestone quarries.
Museum-reserve of wooden architecture, located on the high cape of the Kama River. Place for a museum open air well chosen. The buildings fit harmoniously into surrounding nature, the landscapes are very picturesque! In this article you will learn about the history and each object of Khokhlovka.
Azov Mountain is the most popular natural attraction near the town of Polevsky, the birthplace of Bazhov’s tales. The beauty of this place attracts many tourists. Various legends are associated with the mountain, and in 1940 an ancient treasure was found here...
Teeth of Shurale - this is exactly what, with a strange name at first glance, the Bashkirs call the northern slope of the Karatash ridge, decorated with beautiful rocks. There is another, poetic name: “Eagle’s Nest”. Tourists prefer another name: Aigir Rocks, after the name of the nearby railway station Aigir. And tourists are frequent guests here. In winter and summer, dozens and sometimes hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts go every weekend to conquer these beautiful rocks.
The Alapaevskaya Narrow-Gauge Railway (AUZhD) is the longest passenger narrow-gauge railway in Russia with a gauge of 750 mm. Its opening took place in 1898. IN Soviet time the length reached 600 kilometers, now it is 146 kilometers. Tourists often come to take a ride on the narrow-gauge railway.
In the Perm region, 44 km north of the ancient merchant town of Kungur, there is the village of Serga. It is located in a picturesque area on the shores of the Sylvensky Bay. The main natural attraction in the vicinity of the village is the beautiful Andronovo Grotto. From this article you will learn about the features of these places and what is worth seeing there.
These caves are located near the village of Arakaevo (Sverdlovsk region). One of them is the longest cave on the Serge River. The Arakaevo Caves are located on the territory of the popular Olenyi Ruchi natural park, but in this (southern) part of the park there are still significantly fewer tourists than in its central part.
The Argazin Reservoir (or simply Argazi) is the largest reservoir in the Chelyabinsk region, created on the Miass River. The places here are very picturesque, interesting as their own natural features, and history. Thanks to transport accessibility, Argazi attracts numerous vacationers. I propose to get better acquainted with this landmark of the Southern Urals, as well as admire the views from a bird's eye view.
Arkaim is one of the most famous sights of the Urals, having the reputation of an unusual, mysterious, even anomalous place. Every year many thousands of miracle lovers from all over the country come here. In addition to tourists, you can meet many esotericists, psychics and other extraordinary people here.
The Balbanyu River is one of the most famous in the Subpolar Urals among water tourists. This small, but extremely interesting and picturesque river originates near Mount Narodnaya - the highest point of the entire Ural range. By its name, which comes from the bizarre rocks located along the banks, Balbanyu is the “sister” of the now widely known Manpupuner-Bolvanoiz plateau.
Anyone who travels along the road from the city of Chusovoy towards Gubakha and Kizel ( Perm region), draws attention to the fact that thick taiga forest, after turning towards Gremyachinsk, it gives way to mountain crooked forests, and to the side of the road, through a gap, a view of the valley of the Bolshaya Gremyachaya River opens up...
At the beginning of the 18th century, settlers from the village of Alapaihi founded a village here, which they named after the river that flowed into Chusovaya, Kashka. Opposite the now former village stands the Rain Stone. Fascinated by the passage of the Kashkinsky search, not all tourists pay attention to it. Meanwhile, this place is interesting and significant...
To the west of Yekaterinburg stretch the low Varnachi Mountains. Of interest are the rocks found there, as well as the legends associated with them. The maximum height of the mountains is 320 m. According to legends, in past centuries robbers operated here.
Verkholovskaya pomegranate mine (or simply Verkholovka) is located in Sverdlovsk region, near the villages of Palkino and Severka, west of the city of Yekaterinburg. It belongs to the Evgeniy-Maximilianovsky mines, known since the 19th century.
The Merry Mountains are a mountain range stretching 52 kilometers from north to south. Most of the Vesyolye Mountains coincide with the main Ural watershed, where the border between Europe and Asia passes. The great Ural writer D.N. often visited the Merry Mountains. Mamin-Sibiryak. In the past, Old Believers hid here from persecution and religious processions were held to holy graves.
In the Krasnoufimsky district of the Sverdlovsk region, several picturesque bridges - viaducts - were built on the Moscow-Kazan-Ekaterinburg railway line. One of the most beautiful viaducts is located near the village of Pudlingovy. It is already more than a century old.
Search engines for the query “Ural” return more than 100 million pages. Here you will find the border between Europe and Asia, and tales of a giant with a belt in the shape of the Ural ridge, and Pugachev’s army, and Yeltsin’s homeland, and a “Farewell Letter” to America, and much more.
The Urals are a real treasure for adventure lovers. A huge piece of Russia, which has absorbed European order and Asian recklessness. It’s worth coming here if only to understand how large and diverse the country in which we live is.
How to get there
All major cities of the Urals can be easily reached. The region is one of the most convenient for Russian tourists. You can fly from Moscow by plane in just 3 hours; by train the journey will take just over a day.
The main Ural city is Yekaterinburg. It is located in the Middle Urals, so the low mountains made it possible to lay several transport routes here from Central Russia to Siberia. For example, you can travel through this region on the Trans-Siberian Railway.
Search for air tickets to Ekaterinburg (the nearest airport to the Urals)
Weather in the Urals
Typical mountainous, precipitation is distributed unevenly not only across regions, but also within each region. Interestingly, within the same zone on the plains of the Cis-Urals and Trans-Urals natural conditions noticeably different. This is explained by the fact that the Ural Mountains serve as a kind of climatic barrier. To the west of them there is more precipitation, the climate is more humid and mild; to the east, that is, beyond the Urals, there is less precipitation, the climate is drier, with pronounced continental features.
Large cities of the Urals
Large cities of the Urals: Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Ufa, Perm, Izhevsk, Orenburg, Magnitogorsk, Nizhny Tagil, Kurgan, Sterlitamak.
Yekaterinburg bears the unofficial title of the third capital of Russia and the third capital of Russian rock. A large industrial city that looks especially amazing in winter. Covered with thick snow, it looks like a sleeping giant - you never know when it will definitely wake up, but when it gets enough sleep, it will unfold in all its might. In general, Ekaterinburg makes a strong impression.
The city has notable buildings: the Church on the Blood, built on the site of the execution of the family of Nicholas II, the building of the former District Court, the Sverdlovsk rock club, and various museums.
And in Yekaterinburg there is the shortest metro in the world. It is listed in the Guinness Book of Records: 9 km - 7 stations.
Chelyabinsk and Nizhny Tagil became widely known in Russia thanks to the sketch show “Our Russia”. And although the characters in the program were fictitious, tourists are still interested in where milling machine operator Ivan Dulin works and how to find Vovan.
In Chelyabinsk, the panorama of local factories, which are located above the Miass River, is amazing. In the city there is a monument to love in the form of an iron tree, as well as a monument to Lefty with a shod flea. In Nizhny Tagil, the Museum of Fine Arts houses a painting by Raphael - the only one that can be found in Russia outside the Hermitage.
In Ufa there is a symbolic sign “Zero Kilometer”. Counting distance to other points globe is carried out from the local post office. The Ufa bronze sign weighs a ton and is a disk with a diameter of 1.5 m. And in Ufa, according to local residents, the tallest equestrian statue in Europe is located. This is Salavat Yulaev, or the Bashkir Bronze Horseman. A horse with an associate of Emelyan Pugachev rises above the Belaya River.
Orenburg is a country of endless steppes, a city that survived the siege of Pugachev’s troops, remembers the visits of A.S. Pushkin, Taras Shevchenko and the wedding of Yuri Gagarin.
Another city that has become famous among Russian citizens thanks to TV is Perm. Here in the areas live real boys about whom the series of the same name was filmed. Now they want to make Perm the next cultural capital of Russia. Gallerist Marat Gelman and designer Artemy Lebedev are interested in this: the first deals with contemporary art, the second with the external appearance of the city.
Southern Urals
Sanatoriums of the Urals
If you don't like alpine skiing, you can spend a couple of weeks in the sanatoriums of the Urals. Here the infrastructure and service are no worse than European ones, and the local nature is famous for its healing mud, healing mineral water and amazing air.
The sanatoriums of the Urals guarantee a serene pastime on an all-inclusive basis. Three meals a day, treatments, calm neighbors, walks in the fresh air and a positive attitude guarantee a long and happy life for everyone.
Resorts of the Urals
In the Urals, the main ski resorts are located in the Sverdlovsk region, Chelyabinsk region and Bashkortostan.
The most famous ski resorts in the Urals are Abzakovo, Bannoye and Zavyalikha. The first two are located near Magnitogorsk, the third - near the city of Trekhgorny.
The Middle and Southern Urals are a whole placer ski resorts. You can almost come here all year round come for the thrill. Good tracks for skis, sleds and snowboards are guaranteed.
Fans of descents mountain rivers can go to Magnitogorsk, Miass, Kropchaevo or Asha. True, the journey will not be fast, since you will have to get there by car or train.
The ski resorts of the Urals are good for both beginners and professionals. Popular resorts offer several trails of varying difficulty. There are separate trails for skiers and snowboarders. There are training slopes for beginners - they are easy and children can practice here.
On average, the holiday season lasts from October-November to April. For entertainment, you can ride snowmobiles and ATVs. In Zavyalikha, one of the most popular places in the Urals, there is a special trampoline where professionals practice complex elements.
Guides in the Urals
Entertainment and attractions of the Urals
Listing all the sights of the Urals may take several hours, and a detailed story may take a couple of months. All local attractions are divided into two types: created by nature and made by man. The first includes the mountain range, lakes, flora and fauna. The second includes numerous parks, museums, zoos, and historical buildings.
Ural Mountains
The center of everything is the Ural Mountains. The highest ones rise at a level of 1600 m, the foothills and foothill plains are riddled with rivers, of which there are a lot here. If you want to get to know the mountains better, you need to contact a professional guide - you shouldn’t explore the mountain alone, which doesn’t greet everyone with a friendly face.
Fauna
Civilization has had a negative impact on the rich fauna of the Urals. Many animals were forced to leave their habitats. For example, there are no longer saigas or wild horses in the Urals.
In the north of the region there are deer, in the south - marmots, shrews, and lizards. In the forests you can find brown bears, foxes, wolves, lynxes, stoats, and roe deer.
National parks
The national parks of the Urals are a human attempt to preserve local nature. Of course, in the reserves there are practically no places where homo sapiens would step, but he steps there very carefully - so as not to cause harm.
Among national parks“Zyuratkul” and “Taganay” located in the Chelyabinsk region stand out. Here you can go hiking in the forest, go down the river, climb safe mountains. If you're lucky, you'll meet a bear. Although it's still a question of who will be luckier...
Minerals and gems
Looking at the precious stones, gold and platinum that are mined in the Urals, you understand that the “Mistress of the Copper Mountain” is not a fiction, not a fairy tale, but a reality. The Urals are famous for its deposits of precious metals, as well as copper ores and rock salts. There are apparently invisibly deposits in the region that will supply Russia for many years to come.
Arkaim
Arkaim is a settlement in the Southern Urals, so ancient that it remembers the times before the birth of Christ. There are no treasures or any destroyed buildings here - Arkaim attracts lovers of mysticism. Those who want to know the truth flock here. The way he imagines it.
Archaeologists have found that people lived in Arkaim for about 100 years, after which they burned their settlement and left towards India. The Arkaim people were nomads, so when nature gave them everything it could, they wandered off in search of a better life.
Basic moments
This mountain system itself, which not only separates both continents, but is also an officially delineated cordon between them, belongs to Europe: the border is usually drawn along the eastern base of the mountains. Formed as a result of the collision of the Eurasian and African lithospheric plates, the Ural Mountains cover a vast territory. It includes the expanses of the Sverdlovsk, Orenburg and Tyumen regions, the Perm Territory, Bashkortostan and the Komi Republic, as well as the Aktobe and Kustanai regions of Kazakhstan.
In terms of its height, which does not exceed 1895 meters, the mountain system is significantly inferior to such giants as the Himalayas and Pamirs. For example, the peaks of the polar Urals are average in level - 600-800 meters, not to mention the fact that they are also the narrowest in terms of the width of the ridge. However, such geological characteristics have an undoubted advantage: they remain accessible to humans. And we are talking here not so much about scientific research, but about the tourist attractiveness of the places through which they lie. The landscape of the Ural Mountains is truly unique. Here crystal clear mountain streams and rivers begin their run, growing into larger bodies of water. Such big rivers like the Ural, Kama, Pechora, Chusovaya and Belaya also flow here.
A wide variety of recreational opportunities open up for tourists here: both for real extreme sports enthusiasts and for beginners. And the Ural Mountains are a true treasure trove of minerals. In addition to deposits coal, natural gas and oil, mines are developed here that produce copper, nickel, chromium, titanium, gold, silver, and platinum. If we recall the tales of Pavel Bazhov, the Urals zone is also rich in malachite. And also emerald, diamond, crystal, amethyst, jasper and other precious stones.
The atmosphere of the Ural Mountains, regardless of whether you visit the Northern or Southern Urals, the Subpolar or Middle Urals, is indescribable. And their greatness, beauty, harmony and clean air charge you with energy and positivity, inspire and, of course, leave vivid impressions for the rest of your life.
History of the Ural Mountains
The Ural Mountains have been known since ancient times. In sources that have survived to this day, they are associated with the Hyperborean and Riphean mountains. Thus, Ptolemy pointed out that this mountain system consists of the Rimnus mountains (this is the current Middle Urals), Norosa (Southern Urals) and the northern part – the Hyperborean Mountains proper. In the first written sources of the 11th century AD, due to its great length, it was called nothing less than the “Earth Belt”.
In the first Russian chronicle, “The Tale of Bygone Years,” which dates back to the same 11th century, the mountains of the Urals were called by our compatriots Siberian, Poyasov or Big Stone. Under the name “Big Stone” they were also applied to the first map of the Russian state, also known as the “Big Drawing”, published in the second half of the 16th century. Cartographers of those years depicted the Urals as a mountain belt, from where many rivers originate.
There are many versions of the origin of the name of this mountain system. E. K. Hoffman, who developed the so-called Mansi version of this toponym, compares the name “Ural” with the Mansi word “ur”, which is translated as “mountain”. The second point of view, also very common, is the borrowing of the name from the Bashkir language. She, according to many scientists, seems the most convincing. After all, if you take the language, legends and traditions of this people - for example, the famous epic "Ural-Batyr" - then it is not difficult to see that in them this toponym has not only existed since ancient times, but is also maintained from generation to generation.
Nature and climate
The natural landscape of the Ural Mountains is incredibly beautiful and multifaceted. Here you can not only look at the mountains themselves, but also go down into numerous caves, swim in the waters of local lakes, and get a dose of thrill while rafting down wild rivers. Moreover, each tourist chooses for himself how exactly to travel. Some people like to hike independently with a backpack on their shoulders, while others prefer more comfortable conditions a tour bus or the interior of a personal car.
No less varied is the animal world"Earth Belt". A predominant position in the local fauna is occupied by forest animals, whose habitat is coniferous, broad-leaved or mixed forests. So, in coniferous forests Squirrels live, the main diet of which consists of spruce seeds, and in winter these cute animals with a fluffy tail feed on previously stored pine nuts and dried mushrooms. The marten is widespread in local forests, the existence of which is difficult to imagine without the already mentioned squirrel, which this predator hunts.
But the real wealth of these places is fur game animal, the fame of which extends far beyond the region, for example, sable, which lives in the forests of the Northern Urals. It, however, differs from the dark Siberian sable in its less beautiful skin of a reddish color. Uncontrolled hunting for valuable furry animals is prohibited by law. Without this ban, it would probably have been completely destroyed by now.
The taiga forests of the Ural Mountains are also home to the traditional Russian wolf, bear and elk. IN mixed forests there is a roe deer. On the plains adjacent to the mountain ranges, the brown hare and fox feel at ease. We did not make a reservation: they live precisely on flat terrain, and for them the forest is just a shelter. And, of course, the tree crowns are well inhabited by many species of birds.
As for the climate of the Ural Mountains, the geographical location plays an important role in this regard. In the north, this mountain system extends beyond the Arctic Circle, but most of the mountains are located in temperate climatic zone. If you move from north to south along the perimeter of the mountain system, you will notice how the temperature gradually increases, which is especially noticeable in the summer. If in the north during the warm period of the year the thermometer shows from +10 to +12 degrees, then in the south - from 20 to 22 degrees above zero. However, in winter the temperature between north and south does not differ so sharply. Average monthly temperature January in the north is 20 degrees with a minus sign, in the south 16-18 degrees below zero.
Air masses moving from Atlantic Ocean, also has a noticeable impact on the climate of the Urals. And although as atmospheric flows move from the west towards the Urals, the air becomes less humid, it cannot be called 100% dry either. As a result, more precipitation - 600-800 millimeters per year - falls on the western slope, while on the eastern slope this figure varies between 400-500 mm. But the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains in winter fall under the power of a powerful Siberian anticyclone, while in the south during the cold period of the year, partly cloudy and cold weather sets in.
A factor such as the relief of the mountain system also has a noticeable influence on fluctuations in the local climate. As you climb the mountain, you will feel the weather getting harsher. Different temperature can be felt even on different slopes, including those located nearby. Different parts of the Ural Mountains are characterized by unequal amounts of precipitation.
Sights of the Ural Mountains
One of the most famous protected areas The Ural Mountains is the Olenyi Ruchi Park, located in the Sverdlovsk region. Curious tourists, especially interested ancient history, make a “pilgrimage” to the Pisanitsa rock located here, on the surface of which are painted drawings made by ancient artists. The caves and the Great Failure are of considerable interest. “Oleniye Ruchiki” has a fairly developed tourist infrastructure: special trails are equipped in the park, there are observation decks, not to mention places for recreation. There are also cable crossings.
If you are familiar with the work of the writer Pavel Bazhov, his famous “Malachite Box,” then you will probably be interested in visiting the “Bazhov Places” natural park. The opportunities for complete rest and relaxation here are simply magnificent. You can take walks, bike rides or horseback rides. Walking along specially designed and thought-out routes, you will take in the picturesque landscapes, climb Mount Markov Kamen and visit Lake Talkov Kamen. Extreme sports enthusiasts usually flock here in the summer to go kayaking and kayaking down mountain rivers. Travelers also come here in winter, enjoying snowmobiling.
If you appreciate the natural beauty of semi-precious stones - namely natural, not subject to processing - be sure to visit the Rezhevskaya reserve, which combines deposits of not only precious, but also semi-precious and ornamental stones. Traveling to the mining sites on your own is prohibited - you must be accompanied by a reserve employee, but this in no way affects the impressions of what you see. The Rezh River flows through the territory of Rezhevsky; it was formed as a result of the confluence of the Bolshoy Sapa and Ayati - rivers originating in the Ural Mountains. The Shaitan Stone, popular among travelers, is located on the right bank of the Rezhi. The Urals consider this stone to be the center of mystical natural forces that help in various life situations. You can believe it or not, but the flow of tourists coming to the stone with various requests to higher powers does not dry out.
Of course, the Urals are a magnet for lovers of extreme tourism, who enjoy visiting its caves, of which there are a huge number. The most famous are Shulgan-Tash, or Kapova, and the Kungur Ice Cave. The length of the latter is almost 6 km, of which only one and a half kilometers are accessible to tourists. On the territory of the Kungur ice cave there are 50 grottoes, over 60 lakes and countless stalactites and stalagmites. The temperature in the cave is always below freezing, so when visiting here, dress as if you were going for a winter walk. The visual effect of the splendor of its interior decoration is enhanced by special lighting. But in the Kapova Cave, researchers discovered rock paintings, the age of which is estimated at 14 thousand years or more. Approximately 200 works by ancient masters of the brush have become the property of our time, although there were probably more. Travelers can also admire the underground lakes and visit grottoes, galleries and numerous halls located on three levels.
If the caves of the Ural Mountains create a winter atmosphere at any time of the year, then some attractions are best visited in winter. One of them is the ice fountain, which is located in national park“Zyuratkul” arose thanks to the efforts of geologists who drilled a well in this place. Moreover, this is not just a fountain in our usual “urban” sense, but a fountain groundwater. With the onset of winter, it freezes and turns into a voluminous icicle of a bizarre shape, also impressive with its 14-meter height.
Many Russians, in order to improve their health, go to foreign thermal springs, for example, to the Czech Karlovy Vary or the Gellert Baths in Budapest. But why rush beyond the border if our native Urals are also rich thermal springs? To go through full course healing procedures, just come to Tyumen. The hot springs here are rich in microelements beneficial for human health, and the water temperature ranges from +36 to +45 degrees Celsius depending on the season. Let us add that modern recreation centers have been built on these sources. Mineral waters are also used for treatment in the Ust-Kachka health complex, located near Perm and unique in its chemical composition their waters. Summer recreation here can be combined with boating and catamarans; in winter, ice slides, skating rinks and full-fledged ski slopes are available to vacationers.
Despite the fact that waterfalls are not so typical for the Ural Mountains, they are present here and attract the attention of tourists. Among them we can highlight the Plakun waterfall, located on the right bank of the Sylva River. It throws down fresh water from a height exceeding 7 m. Its other name is Ilyinsky, it was given by local residents and visitors who consider this source holy. There is also a waterfall near Yekaterinburg, named Rokhotun for its roaring “temper”. Its peculiarity is that it is man-made. It throws its waters down from a height of more than 5 meters. When to install summer heat, visitors are happy to stand under its jets, cooling off and receiving hydromassage, and completely free of charge.
Video: Southern Ural
Large cities of the Urals
Millionny Ekaterinburg, administrative center Sverdlovsk region is called the capital of the Urals. It is also, unofficially, the third capital of Russia after Moscow and St. Petersburg and the third capital of Russian rock. This is a large industrial metropolis, especially charming in winter. He is generously covered with snow, under the cover of which he resembles a giant who has fallen asleep in a deep sleep, and you never know exactly when he will wake up. But when he gets enough sleep, then, no doubt, he will definitely unfold to his full potential.
Yekaterinburg usually makes a strong impression on its guests - first of all, with many architectural attractions. Among them are the famous Church on the Blood, erected on the site of the execution of the last Russian emperor and his family, the Sverdlovsk rock club, the building of the former District Court, museums of various subjects and even an unusual monument... to an ordinary computer keyboard. The capital of the Urals is also famous for its shortest metro in the world, listed in the Guinness Book of Records: 7 stations account for only 9 km.
Chelyabinsk and Nizhny Tagil also became widely known in Russia, primarily thanks to the popular comedy show “Our Russia”. The characters of the program, beloved by viewers, are, of course, fictional, but tourists are still interested in where to find Ivan Dulin, the world’s first milling machine operator of non-traditional sexual orientation, and Vovan and Gena, hapless and drinking-loving Russian tourists who constantly find themselves in frankly tragicomic situations. One of the business cards of Chelyabinsk are two monuments: Love, made in the form of an iron tree, and Lefty with a shod flea. The city’s panorama of local factories located above the Miass River is also impressive. But in the Nizhny Tagil Museum of Fine Arts you can see a painting by Raphael - the only one in our country that can be found outside the Hermitage.
Another Ural city that has become famous thanks to television is Perm. This is where the “real boys” who became the heroes of the series of the same name live. Perm claims to be the next cultural capital Russia and this idea are actively lobbied by designer Artemy Lebedev, who is working on the external appearance of the city, and gallery owner Marat Gelman, specializing in contemporary art.
Orenburg, which is called the land of endless steppes, is also a real historical treasury of the Urals and all of Russia. At one time, it survived the siege of Emelyan Pugachev’s army; its streets and walls remember the visits of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, Taras Grigorievich Shevchenko and the wedding of the first cosmonaut of the Earth, Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin.
In Ufa, another Ural city, there is a symbolic “Kilometer Zero” sign. The local post office is the very point from which the distance to other points on our planet is measured. Another famous landmark of the capital of Bashkortostan is the Ufa bronze sign, which is a disk with a one and a half meter diameter and weighs a whole ton. And in this city - at least that’s what they say local residents– is the tallest equestrian statue on the European continent. This is a monument to Salavat Yulaev, who is also called the Bashkir Bronze Horseman. The horse on which this associate of Emelyan Pugachev sits rises above the Belaya River.
Ski resorts of the Urals
The most important ski resorts in the Urals are concentrated in three regions of our country: the Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions, as well as in Bashkortostan. Zavyalikha, Bannoye and Abzakovo are the most famous of them. The first is located near the city of Trekhgorny, the last two are near Magnitogorsk. According to the results of the competition, which is held as part of the International Congress of the Ski Industry, Abzakovo was recognized as the best ski resort in the Russian Federation in the 2005-2006 season.
A whole scattering of ski resorts is concentrated in the regions of the Middle and Southern Urals. Thrill-seekers and simply curious tourists who want to try themselves in such an “adrenaline” sport as alpine skiing come here almost all year round. Travelers here will find good trails for skis, sleds and snowboards.
Besides alpine skiing, descents along mountain rivers are very popular among travelers. Fans of such alloys, which also increase adrenaline levels, go for thrills to Miass, Magnitogorsk, Asha or Kropchaevo. True, you won’t be able to get to your destination quickly, since you will have to travel by train or car.
The holiday season in the Urals lasts on average from October-November to April. During this period, another popular entertainment is snowmobiling and ATV riding. In Zavyalikha, which has become one of the most popular tourist spots, they even installed a special trampoline. Experienced athletes practice complex elements and tricks on it.
How to get there
Getting to all the major Ural cities will not be difficult, so the region of this majestic mountain system is one of the most convenient for domestic tourists. The flight from Moscow will take only three hours, and if you prefer to travel by train, the journey by rail will take just over a day.
The main Ural city, as we have already said, is Yekaterinburg, located in the Middle Urals. Due to the fact that the Ural Mountains themselves are low, it was possible to build several transport routes leading to Siberia from Central Russia. In particular, you can travel through the territory of this region along the famous railway artery – the Trans-Siberian Railway.
And Kazakhstan, stretching between the East European and West Siberian plains. The main part of this region is the Ural mountain system.
The Urals are located at the junction of Europe and Asia and are the border between these regions. The stone belt of the Urals and the adjacent elevated plains of the Urals extend from the shores of the Arctic Ocean in the north to the semi-desert regions of Kazakhstan in the south: for more than 2,500 km they separate the East European and West Siberian plains.
Historically and economically, the Urals and Trans-Urals are closely connected with the Urals - the territories adjacent to it from the west and east. In the Urals, as well as in the Urals and Trans-Urals, there are the Perm Territory, Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan, Orenburg regions, Udmurtia and Bashkortostan, which make up the Ural economic region, the eastern parts of the Komi Republic and the Arkhangelsk region, included in the Northern economic region, and the western part of the Tyumen region , part of the West Siberian economic region. In Kazakhstan, geographically the Aktobe and Kostanay regions can be classified as the Urals.
The total area is 781.1 thousand km², 4.5% of the area of the entire country; population 17.7 million people. (as of January 1, 2010), 12.5% of the Russian population
Administrative division
- Southern Urals
- Middle Urals
- Northern Urals
- Subpolar Urals
- Polar Urals
Cities of the Urals
The largest cities in the Urals (with a population of more than 300,000 people):
- Izhevsk
- Magnitogorsk
- Nizhny Tagil
- Mound
History of development
The Urals were annexed to the Russian state and developed by the Russians in the 16th-17th centuries. From the beginning of the 18th century, a powerful industry was created in the Middle Urals: ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, mining of ores and gems, and mechanical factories. With the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Southern Urals began to actively develop. Initially, the Ural Mountains (Kamen, Kamenny Belt) were considered part of Siberia, but about 200 years ago the difference in natural conditions and settlement between them and Siberia became so obvious that the Urals were allocated as a special region.
The Urals are characterized by multinationality. Initially, the Ural Mountains were inhabited by dozens of peoples. During tsarist times, the region became a place of exile and voluntary resettlement. The ethnographic appearance of the Urals was created by three streams of settlers: Russian Old Believers who fled here in the 17th-18th centuries; peasants transferred to the Ural factories from the European part of Russia (mainly from modern Tula and Ryazan region); Ukrainians brought in as additional labor at the beginning of the 19th century.
Nature
The Ural Mountains consist of low ridges and massifs. The highest of them, rising above 1200-1500 m, are located in the Subpolar (Mount Narodnaya - 1895 m), Northern (Mount Telposis - 1617 m) and Southern (Mount Yamantau - 1640 m) Urals. The massifs of the Middle Urals are much lower, usually no higher than 600-800 m. The western and eastern foothills of the Urals and foothill plains are often dissected by deep river valleys; there are many rivers in the Urals and the Urals.
There are many lakes in the Urals, and the sources of the Pechora and the Urals are also located here. Several hundred ponds and reservoirs have been created on the rivers.
The Ural Mountains are old (they arose in the Late Proterozoic) and are located in the region of the Hercynian fold.
Climate
The climate of the Urals is typical mountainous; precipitation is distributed unevenly not only across regions, but also within each region. The West Siberian Plain is a territory with harsh continental climate; in the meridional direction its continentality increases much less sharply than on the Russian Plain. Mountain climate Western Siberia less continental than climate West Siberian Plain. It is interesting that within the same zone on the plains of the Cis-Urals and Trans-Urals, the natural conditions are noticeably different. This is explained by the fact that the Ural Mountains serve as a kind of climatic barrier. To the west of them there is more precipitation, the climate is more humid and mild; to the east, that is, beyond the Urals, there is less precipitation, the climate is drier, with pronounced continental features.
Fauna
A couple of centuries ago the animal world was richer than it is now. Plowing, hunting, and deforestation have displaced and destroyed the habitats of many animals. Wild horses, saigas, bustards, and little bustards have disappeared. Herds of deer migrated deeper into the tundra. But rodents (hamsters, field mice) In the north you can meet the inhabitants of the tundra - reindeer, and in the south the typical inhabitants of the steppes are marmots, shrews, snakes and lizards. Forests are inhabited by predators: brown bears, wolves, wolverines, foxes, sables, ermines, lynxes. They are home to ungulates (elk, deer, roe deer, etc.) and birds of various species. Otters and beavers are found along the river valleys. The sika deer was successfully acclimatized in the Ilmen Nature Reserve; muskrat, beaver, deer, muskrat, raccoon dog, American mink, and Barguzin sable were also settled.
Natural resources
From natural resources of the Urals are of utmost importance mineral resources. The Urals have long been the country's largest mining and metallurgical base. And for the extraction of some mineral ores The Urals rank first in the world.
Back in the 16th century, deposits of rock salt and sandstone containing copper were known on the western outskirts of the Urals. In the 17th century, quite numerous iron deposits became known and ironworks appeared.
Placers of gold and deposits of platinum were found in the mountains, and precious stones were found on the eastern slope. The skill of searching for ore, smelting metal, making weapons and artistic items from it, and processing gems was passed on from generation to generation.
In the Urals there are numerous deposits of high-quality iron ores(mountains Magnitnaya, Vysokaya, Blagodat, Kachkanar), copper ores (Mednogorsk, Karabash, Sibay, Gai), rare non-ferrous metals, gold, silver, platinum, the best bauxite in the country, rock and potassium salts (Solikamsk, Berezniki, Berezovskoye, Vazhenskoye , Ilyetskoe). There is oil in the Urals (Ishimbay), natural gas(Orenburg), coal, asbestos, precious and semi-precious stones.
