Severobaykalsk is the largest settlement on the shores of Lake Baikal. In addition, it is the second most populated city in the Republic of Buryatia. About the sights of Severobaykalsk, its history and the most interesting features, our article will tell.
Short biography of the city
Severobaykalsk is a young city. He appeared on the map of the country only in the mid-70s of the last century. The history of the city is closely connected with the Baikal-Amur Railway (abbreviated as BAM). It was Severobaikalsk that was one of the reference points of large-scale railway construction.
The city began with ordinary tents and railway cars, heated by portable diesel generators. But very quickly a huge workers' settlement was formed here, in which an inexhaustible stream of laborers and romantics flocked from all over the Soviet Union. In 1978, the first major house was erected in Severobaykalsk. A few years later, it was all built up with five-story panel buildings.
But, alas, the "construction of the century" has ended. And the once noisy and actively developing city suddenly turned out to be out of work. The gradual decline intensified as a result of the collapse of the Soviet state. Today, a little more than 23 thousand people live in Severobaikalsk. By the way, North Baikal residents often call their hometown simply Northern, or SBK (by analogy with St. Petersburg).
A city stuck in the eighties
Today Severobaikalsk is not going through the best of times. The few visiting tourists have the feeling that time here has completely stopped. And back in the 80s. The city has completely stopped in its development.
The economy of modern Severobaykalsk rests on the railway, forestry and fisheries. Local residents believe that tourism could save the situation. After all, for him there are all conditions: Baikal, favorable ecology, beautiful landscapes, as well as four types of geothermal springs located nearby. However, the lack of necessary infrastructure and the transport remoteness of the city are the main constraints to its development. So, the train from Ulan-Ude (the capital of Buryatia) to Severobaykalsk takes 40 hours by train!
But tourists, nevertheless, come to Severobaykalsk. Photos of the city now and then appear in the "Instagram", "Facebook" and "Live Magazines" travelers. From time to time, foreign tourists come here, which is especially pleasing to local residents. Further in our article you will find information about the most interesting sights of Severobaykalsk, with photos and detailed descriptions of each of them. We hope that our information will help you plan your trip to this distant, but quite interesting city.
Sights of Severobaykalsk
Due to the exceptional youth of the village, there are no outstanding historical or architectural monuments here. But there are clean neighborhoods, cozy courtyards and unusual Soviet architecture (we will pay attention to it in our article). The main natural attraction of Severobaikalsk, of course, is Lake Baikal. Plus, a lot of interesting things are located in the immediate vicinity.
We tried to collect all the most interesting places and attractions in Severobaikalsk. And here is the list we got:
- earthquake-resistant five-story houses;
- railway station building;
- monument to the pioneers of BAM;
- BAM History Museum;
- a monument to the builders of Severobaykalsk;
- city art gallery;
- Goudzhekit thermal springs.
City architecture
Perhaps the most interesting attraction of Severobaikalsk can be considered its development. The whole city (if you do not take into account the private sector) is, in fact, five small quarters consisting of houses of the same type in five floors. With their rather unusual appearance, they impress all guests of the city (see the picture below). Especially for those who are at least a little versed in the architecture of the Soviet period.
Almost all of these buildings are distinguished by broken lines of their facades. Some of them are built in the shape of the letter "G", others - in the form of open rings. The thing is that Severobaikalsk is located in a seismically dangerous zone, and similar designs of residential buildings provide increased resistance to earthquakes. Plus, it helps protect the courtyards from the powerful winds blowing here most of the year.
Interesting fact: Severobaykalsk was built up by architects from St. Petersburg. So, the 122nd series of prefabricated houses distributed here was specially developed by specialists from the Leningrad Institute LenZNIIEP. In many yards of Severobaikalsk, natural vegetation - pine trees - was preserved. Rowan trees planted by the first builders of the city grow along many streets.
Train Station
It is impossible not to mention another iconic architectural landmark of Severobaikalsk. This is the building of the city railway station, located on the avenue of the 60th anniversary of the USSR. It is made of concrete, metal and glass and has an original architectural solution in the form of a wave. By the way, a stylized silhouette of this building decorates the city coat of arms of Severobaikalsk.
Monument to the Pioneers of BAM
The history of Severobaikalsk, as mentioned above, is inextricably linked with the history of the construction of the legendary transport highway. A peculiar reminder of this fact is an unusual monument in the form of a tent, installed at the landing site of the first detachment of builders of the Buryat section of BAM. Next to the "tent" is an anchor on which all newlyweds hang their locks with vows of eternal fidelity.
BAM History Museum
Want to know more about the grandiose Soviet construction site? Then head to the local BAM Construction History Museum. It was opened back in 1981. The museum displays numerous photographs, retro documents, maps, devices, books and personal belongings of those people who were involved in this important event of a planetary scale.
Monument to the builders of the city
A spectacular obelisk with a monument to Leningraders participating in the creation of Severobaikalsk is located right at the building of the city station. It is curious that the sculpture depicts a real character - engineer Vladimir Denisenko. It was his team in November 1975 that laid the first symbolic stone in the foundation of the future city on the shores of Lake Baikal.
Picture gallery
Tired of walking around the city, you can go to the local art gallery. Here you can familiarize yourself with the works of both Buryat and foreign masters. In particular, the gallery contains paintings by A. M. Kamanin, A. I. Sokolov, P. F. Rozin and other honored artists of Russia.
Thermal springs
In the immediate vicinity of Severobaikalsk there are many natural attractions. For example, geothermal sources. Their visit is a mandatory item in the program of any tourist visiting this region.
The largest and most famous hot springs are located in Goudzhekit, which is 30 kilometers from Severobaikalsk. The water in them is saturated with many useful elements - magnesium, sodium, silicon, radon. She relaxes the body great. Baths with the addition of Baikal thermal water are recommended for many gynecological and dermatological diseases.