SibTourGuide.com - Krasnoyarsk 10-rouble Tour.

From our mail

We thoroughly enjoyed a number of days touring with Anatoliy. We never could have learned so much about the city and region of Krasnoyarsk without him. His encyclopedic knowledge of the area is impressive. His depth of knowledge of its history is phenomenal. He is enthusiastic about the region and has a deep appreciation for its natural beauty (and there is a lot to see!). His English is very good and his personality most enjoyable. He has given many tours to foreign visitors and knows how to make people feel at ease. His "10 Ruble Tour" is memorable. Given the fact that the city of Krasnoyarsk and its region has only been open to foreign travel for a short time, your travel experience will be much richer if you let Anatoliy show you around! We also had a most enjoyable and comfortable host home experience while in Krasnoyarsk. This can also be arranged through Anatoliy. Our visit to Siberia was far more enriching and enjoyable due to Anatoliy's custom made tour for us!

J & M Sullivan,
Connecticut, USA

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The "10 rouble" tour: 5-6 hrs

The most memorable souvenir from Krasnoyarsk is the Russian 10-rouble bank note because the sights of Krasnoyarsk are printed on it. Keep a 10-rouble note and you will be able to show pictures of these places in Krasnoyarsk. This is one of the best mementos from Siberia. That is why I suggest you to take the "10-rouble tour".

On the front side of the 10-rouble bank note you will see the Saint Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Orthodox Chapel, which is a symbol of Krasnoyarsk. The second place on this side is the Communal Bridge over the Yenisey River and the view of the Right Bank of the city. On the back of the note is the Krasnoyarsk Hydro Electric Power Station - one of most powerful in the world.

The Chapel of Saint Paraskeva Pyatnitsa is situated on the top of Karaulny Hill near the Kacha River. In 1804, the merchant Novikov built and decorated the wooden chapel, remembering his lucky lifesaving from a whirlpool of rapids. During 1852 to 1855, the architects Alfeev and Nabalov rebuilt it in stone. On the platform near the Chapel, the famous Russian painter Vassily Surikov worked. In 1887, the great Russian scientist and radio inventor Alexander Popov observed the solar eclipse here.

The Chapel was built on the place of a watchtower, which was erected when Krasnoyarsk was established as a fort in 1628. This chapel was closed after the revolution of 1917 and was an empty and ravaged building for almost 70 years. In the early 90’s it was restored and reopened. Now there are Orthodox Church services held in the chapel. It lies on a hill and is the highest point overlooking the city. The view is a breathtaking panorama of Krasnoyarsk. From this point, you can see the whole downtown, the Communal Bridge, the Trans Siberian Railway Bridge, the Railway Station and the Right Bank (you will be standing on the Left Bank). This place is one of the most popular places for newlyweds, where they take photos and enjoy the scenery.

You will also see a real cannon here, which was set up in 2001 at the celebration of City Day. This cannon is shot only one time every day, at 12 o'clock. It sounds pretty loud, setting off car alarms on this hill. People in downtown Krasnoyarsk can hear this too. Don't worry - although the cannon's target is City Hall, blank cartridges are used. Local politicians and officials like to visit this place in front of TV cameras when they are being interviewed.

The downtown embankment of the Yenisey River is a nice spot to view the Communal Bridge over this powerful northward-flowing Siberian river. In 1961, the Communal Bridge, the length of which is 2,100 meters, was put into operation. But even more grandiose is the Oktyabrsky road-transport bridge over the Yenisey, built in 1986. It is 41 meters wide and more than 5,000 meters long. The Yenisey does not freeze in the winter (even in extreme cold as low as -40 C/ -40 F) because of the fast current of the water downstream from the dam (Krasnoyarsk Hydro Electric Power Station). The dam is located 40 kilometers upstream of downtown Krasnoyarsk. While driving around downtown, you will pass the River Station, a Stalin-style architecture building, where river cruiser ships take passengers for tours (in shipping season) to such cities as Yeniseysk, Norilsk, and Igarka. Also, you will see an island, which is divided by the Communal Bridge. On this island, you will find a big soccer stadium and Yarygin's indoor sport arena.

The rest of the features on the banknote pertain to Krasnoyarsk as it relates to the mighty Yenisey River. The Krasnoyarsk Hydro Electric Power Station (dam), which is printed on the back of the 10-rouble bank note, is a huge work. It is an impressive concrete wall producing electric energy. Seventy percent of the electricity from this dam is consumed by only one plant in Krasnoyarsk, the Krasnoyarsk Aluminum Plant, which is the second largest aluminum plant in the world. The dam has a self-moving ship elevator, which is like a series of giant bathtubs that takes barges up to the top of the dam and back down to the river, making the upstream impoundment accessible to barge traffic. If you are lucky, you will meet a retired man who was one of the first workers there in mid-50s. He tells a very interesting story about the dam in German and English. He shows pictures of the beginning of construction and the dam's functions. For more details about visiting the dam see the "Trip to the Krasnoyarsk Hydro Electric Power Station".

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