Destinations > Siberia
Krasnoyarsk
For many people, Krasnoyarsk as well as Siberia in general is too stereotyped: cold, vodka, and steppe. Let’s break these molds together during the trip to this amazing city!
let's explore it
Travel to the Heart of Siberia
Krasnoyarsk is the city in the heart of Siberia. It’s the capital of the Krasnoyarsk Region which occupies the 7th part of the territory of the whole Russia! It’s so enormous that its surface exceeds several times the territory of some European countries: four times France and eight times Italy. Situated on both sides of the Yenisei River – the number one full-flowing and the second-longest river in Russia – the city is surrounded by wild nature: here you find endless forests called taiga, boundless steppes, dreamy mountains, and the cleanest rivers and lakes.
At the same time, Krasnoyarsk is a large industrial center which hosts a lot of enterprises. It’s also an important junction of the famous Trans-Siberian Railway.
short city information
LOCAL TIME | UTC+7 |
|---|---|
CLIMATE | Severe |
POPULATION | About 1,1 million people |
HOW TO GET | 4,5 hours by plane from Moscow
|
HIGHLIGHT | Krasnoyarskie Stolby, Krasnoyarsk Dam, Yergaki Natural Reserve, Table-land Putorana
|
types of tourism
Nature
Winter
Fishing
Eco
Active
Industry
Real winter
City of Snow and Winter Wonders
The bravest tourists come to Krasnoyarsk in winter. The weather can be really cold (even below -20C), but that’s the chance to experience real winter and to enjoy winter sports.
Siberia is a snow region and thanks to it Krasnoyarsk offers opportunities for practicing winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, and others. In 2019 Krasnoyarsk was honored to hold an international sports event: winter Universiade.
Another winter wonder is the Yenisei River covered with fog. The water downstream of Krasnoyarsk Dam never freezes, warm water mixed with cold air produces fog that makes an impression of Yenisei river “burning”.
City's landmark
Hike to the Top
The immense territory (in a total of 47,219 hectares) of this natural reserve called Stolby hosts about two hundred syenitic rocks of unusual shapes. Rocks (or pillars) are of volcanic origin, they appeared millions of years ago, shaped by wind, sun, and rain. Like natural totems, they greet you on your way to the top. Local people gave funny names to these natural masterpieces due to their extraordinary silhouettes: Grandmother, Grandfather, Feathers, Dove, Lion gates, etc. The most lovely and breathtaking views open from the viewpoint situated at the end of the itinerary, on the top of the mountain. Tourists come here for hiking and locals come to recharge, to breathe life, and to keep fit.
Photo by Alexander Nerozya
10-rouble city
Symbol of the City
Krasnoyarsk is recognizable by every Russian citizen for a very prosaic reason: you can see images of Krasnoyarsk on 10 rubles money banknote. Several years ago Russian bank started issuing 10 rubles coins instead of paper banknotes, but people in Krasnoyarsk still prefer to use paper 10 rubles with the views of their beloved city printed on them. On the front side of the banknote, you can see Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Chapel. This small (just 15-meter tall) brick tower became a symbol of the city. The chapel is located on the top of a mountain. Staying next to the chapel you will for sure enjoy the most fascinating view of the city. The fact that famous Russian artist Vasily Surikov often painted his sketches sitting here proves that the observation point next to the chapel is really worth visiting. A memorial plaque on the facade of the chapel tells that Great Russian scientist Aleksandr Popov observed a solar eclipse from the same point.
The other side of the…banknote
Glory of Siberian Energetics
On the other side of the 10 rubles banknote, there is the Krasnoyarsk Dam, the pride of Siberian energetics. The dam is in the Top-10 of the most powerful hydroelectric plants in the world and is the second one in Russia. The Hydro Power station produces more than 6000 MW. This electric energy is mostly used by Krasnoyarsk Aluminium Plant. The dam is equipped with a self-moving ship lift (the only one in Russia) that helps to transfer ships to the top of the dam and down to the river.
Golden City
Leader of Russia in Gold Supply
Due to the gold diggings situated on the territory of Krasnoyarsk Region, the city of Krasnoyarsk for a long time had been a prosperous trade center: some merchants even made their business cards on golden plates. Even now the city remains the leader in gold supply – the fifth part of Russia’s golden found is mined here.
Space Landscapes
Where Mountains without Peaks
Table-land Putorana is the northeast and one of the oldest volcanic table-lands in the world formed ten-twelve million years ago as a result of a strong earthquake. It’s a lost world that captivates you with its unearth beauty. Mountains here don’t have peaks and canyons seem bottomless; lakes stretch for kilometers and rivers fall down from the rocks forming cascades of waterfalls. Twenty-five thousand lakes of Putorana taken together form the second largest reservoir of fresh water in the world after Baikal Lake. Putorana table-land is a kingdom of water, rocks, and wild nature, a paradise for extreme trips lovers.
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To come once to fall in love forever
Pearl of Sayan
Mountains
The Natural Reserve Yergaki is an absolute must-see for nature lovers. Yergaki is a land of fabulous tors,
of horizonless taiga, and crystal waters. It was painters who were the first to open the beauty of this piece of land. Here you can find a famous pending stone weight of which is about 150-200 tones. In violation of physical laws, this stone is balancing on the brink of an enormous precipice and even flutters
in case of strong wind.
Photo by Alexander Nerozya
From a bird's eye view
Tsar-Ryba (King Fish)
In 25 km from Krasnoyarsk, there is a place created by Nature: it’s a cliff of 300 meters height with a magnificent view on the Yenisei River and its surroundings. The panorama that opens in front of you makes you lose your breath and makes you reflect on the Eternal. On the deck of the observation point, there is a particular monument “Tsar-Ryba” or King Fish. It represents a giant (4 m length and 400 kg weight) metal sturgeon also known to Russian people from a book of Krasnoyarsk writer Viktor Astafyev. You may not believe but in actual fact in the 70-s such big fishes (the famous Yenisei sturgeon) inhabited the Yenisei River.
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