Bodaybo and gold - between these two words there is a strong and inextricable link. Indeed, today this tiny town brings Russia at least 15 tons of precious metal annually. And it was founded in the second half of the 19th century exclusively as a gold mining center. In this article you will find out where the city of Bodaibo is located, how to get to it, and why it is called that way.
The Golden City of Bodaybo
In 1864, a search detachment of the merchant Sibiryakov, led by a certain Novitsky, discovered a gold placer on the banks of Vitim. Needless to say, a mine arose here, which soon grew into a whole village. In 1903, Nicholas II assigned him the status of a city.
Bodaibo, by all-Russian standards, is a small city. Today, only 13 thousand people live in it. But for the Siberian wilderness, this figure is not so small. The main and, in fact, the only branch of the local economy is gold mining. There are four companies operating in the city, in particular, Vysochaishy PJSC and Lenzoloto OJSC.
By the way, about the name of the city. There are two hypotheses about its origin - scientific and popular. According to the version of scientists, the toponym “Bodaibo” is translated from the Evenki language as “this place”. According to popular legend, the name of the city was transformed from the phrase "God, give me!" Allegedly in antiquity, measuring the area for himself, the prospector repeated it many times during his prayers.
So where is Bodaibo located? We will tell you more about this later.
Where is Bodaibo
Irkutsk Klondike is the administrative center of the Bodaibo district of the Irkutsk region. Where is Bodaibo located on a map of the region? You need to look for him in the north-eastern part of the region, on the right bank of the Vitim River. The city is located 1100 kilometers from Irkutsk.
A few words about the local climate. In Bodaibo, he is rather harsh. Winters are cold and long (average January temperature: –30 ° C), summers are short and hot (sometimes the air warms up to +40 ° C). Due to weather and climatic conditions, the city of Bodaibo belongs to the regions of the Far North of Russia.
Based on where Bodaibo is located, getting here is obviously not easy. There are two ways to get to the city from Irkutsk: by car or by plane. True, the first option is possible only if you have a car with good traffic. After Severomuisk there is no road as such.
Airplanes from Irkutsk to Bodaibo fly daily (except Saturday). Flights are operated by regional airlines (Angara and IrAero). On average, the cost of one ticket will cost 11 thousand rubles.
City coat of arms
The city of Bodaibo has its own coat of arms. And quite interesting. It was developed in 2004 according to the sketches of Oksana Fefelova.
In the red field of the shield is a lynx lying on a large chest. Both figures are golden, which is by no means surprising. The chest symbolizes wealth and its multiplication. But the lynx hints that these riches still need to be obtained, which is not so simple. In addition, this animal is quite common in the forests surrounding the city from all sides.
Sights and interesting facts
Well, where Bodaibo is located, we have already found out. And what interesting can a tourist see there, if, of course, by some miracle brings him into this distance?
In fact, there are few attractions in Bodaibo. First of all, the city guest can be advised to go to the local museum of local lore. Here you can find out in great detail about the history of gold mining in the region. The museum, by the way, has surprisingly rich funds. The total number of its exhibits exceeds 14 thousand.
Another iconic landmark of Bodaibo is the historical monument-locomotive GR-352. Few people know that at the end of the 19th century a narrow gauge railway was laid here. She connected the Bodaibo mine with the station Nadezhdinskaya. The narrow gauge railway lasted until 1968. Then it was dismantled as unnecessary. In memory of her in the city there was only a locomotive of German production, which the British brought here at the beginning of the last century.