Mount Azov in Polevsky, whose photo invariably adorns the brochures of regional travel agencies, is considered one of the most mysterious places in the Urals. So many tales and legends about one place are rarely seen. Is it any wonder - among the forests lies a rocky peak of an unusual shape, resembling the battlements of a fortress wall. Hence the local name of the natural attraction - "azau", which is translated from Turkic as "tooth", "spearhead".
Description
Mount Azov is located in the Gornozavod administrative region in the south of the Sverdlovsk region, 8 km from the ancient city of Polevsky metallurgists. From a topographical point of view, it is not of particular interest, being one of the many, not the largest peaks of the Middle Urals.
But the Azov Mountain near Polevskoy is interesting as a unique geological object. It is a mountain range composed of spherical basaltic lavas, which are effectively dissected by vertically oriented veins of diabases, rare for this area. The mountain is cut into two peaks: the Bolshoi with a height of 589 m and Malaya - 565 m. The rocky elevations rise 25 m above the base.
The history of Mount Azov in Polevskoy
An unusual appearance from ancient times attracted the attention of people who worshiped deities here. Once, thousands of years ago, there was an ancient settlement of the indigenous people of Mansi. In the 1st millennium BC e. locals mined copper in the vicinity and smelted household items, weapons, bird-like and human-like figures of deities from it.
With the advent of Russian pioneers, metallurgy began to develop rapidly, based on the rich reserves of iron ore. Later, in the lower reaches of the mountain along the Zhelezianka River, gold mines operated, famous for a large amount of precious metal.
In the XVI-XVIII centuries, the area was chosen by robbers, one of the camps of which was located on the top of Azov. At the sight of a caravan of merchants or prospectors returning with goods, “dashing people” gave smoke signals to each other and attacked from all sides. One of the characters of the robbers is the girl Azovka, by whose name, according to legend, the mountain is named.
In the XX century, Azov cliffs were declared a natural-historical, geomorphological and geological natural monument. The area of the protected area is 217 ha. Tourist routes are laid in the park, and information stands are placed near particularly interesting objects. Many travel agencies in the Ural region organize excursions here, which invariably enjoy great success.
Ecology
The mountain is located in an ecologically clean area and is surrounded by taiga, rich in mushrooms, berries and various animals. Watching the wild creatures is an adventure in itself. An even greater delight is the breathtaking view of diabases soaring to the tops of trees. Especially beautiful are the red-brown rocks of the Azov Mountains in Polevskoy in winter, against the backdrop of a snow-white landscape.
Unfortunately, due to the influx of so-called "wild" tourists, a lot of garbage has accumulated. Significant funds are spent on cleaning the area and conducting educational work. Also a big problem are the grief artists painting the rocks, leaving indecent inscriptions and graffiti. The administration conducts awareness-raising events among local residents and visiting tourists.
Excursion trail objects
The following thematic and historical expositions (indicated in order of passage) are located in the Azov Gora Nature Park in Polevskoy:
- Information centre.
- Resting-place.
- "Carbohydrates".
- "Geology".
- "Toponym Azov Mountain."
- "Wonder white-eyed."
- "Archaeological treasure."
- The Miracle Mines.
- “Dear name.”
- "Legends about the girl of Azovka."
- "Legends of the treasures of the Azov Mountains."
- "Legends of the Azov mountain."
- Spring.
- "Slavic myths."
- "God of the Sun and God of the Moon."
- "Esoterics of the place of power of the Azov Mountains."
In Polevsky you can order both individual and group excursion programs, accompanied by a qualified guide.
Archaeological treasure
In the mid-1930s, the revolutionary and writer Pavel Bazhov, in a creative crisis, on the advice of his colleagues began work on a series of "secret tales" that prospectors told him in childhood. In 1936, the first of the stories was published - "The Mistress of the Copper Mountain." For several years, the writer has become the idol of the Ural youth.
In one of the tales (“Zhivinka in action”), a large semi-collapsed cave was mentioned in Azov Mountain near Polevsky, where “untold treasures” were hidden. By the way, the legend was not born from scratch. In the past, the mountain was indeed dotted with man-made niches-caches dug by robbers, and later by prospectors. Over time, they collapsed, as evidenced by excavations.
In September 1939, local children, impressed by the tales of Bazhov, went to look for a treasure. The schoolchildren turned over hundreds of stones and, in the end, discovered treasures, but not gold, but archaeological. From under the rubble they extracted over 40 valuable copper artifacts of a thousand years ago. They handed over the collection to the Polevo enthusiast-ethnographer and archaeologist N. N. Bortvin. The scientist and finding out about the find Bazhov visited the mountain, recorded in the records and photographed the site of unauthorized excavations.
The treasure included plaques, spearheads, a metal mirror, anthropomorphic and characteristic of the Urals bird-shaped copper cast figures of deities. Further studies showed that the objects belong to the period of the early Iron Age and were made 3000 years ago. Today, the collection is on display at the Polevsky and Sverdlovsk Regional Museum local history museum.
Coal burners
In the XVIII-XIX centuries, the inhabitants of the city of Polevsky near Mount Azov were engaged in charcoal burning, that is, the production of charcoal for casting metal by burning wood. This was due to the abundance of forests and the remoteness of metallurgical plants from places of coal mining. At that time, ¾ of all harvested wood was burned for charcoal, and this profession was one of the most common in the Gornozavodsky region.
The well-known storyteller P. P. Bazhov dedicated specifically to the Polevsky coal-burners a separate chapter in the essay “At the Old Mine”. Also, this profession is colorfully described in the tale "Zhivinka in action."
Rules of stay
Guided tours of Mount Azov in Polevskoy are carried out in accordance with the rules of staying in the nature park, which can be read on the stands located at the beginning of the hiking trail. Travel is permitted on equipped routes in accordance with signs and information signs. Special care must be taken when moving on high stones and rocks.
It is strictly forbidden:
- chop trees (including dead wood), break the spruce branches;
- leave garbage after yourself or bury it in the ground (you must take it with you);
- take dogs with you;
- consume wild plants, mushrooms, berries (some of them may be poisonous or toxic);
- to hunt, as well as chase animals;
- collect minerals, herbariums, bouquets;
- make inscriptions on billboards, stones, trees and other objects of the park;
- make bonfires, except for equipped places;
- organize tourist camps, set up tents;
- leave vehicles directly in the protected area;
- turn on loud music, use loud-speaking equipment, make noise, scream, use profanity;
- to hold mass events.
Compliance with these rules will make it possible to rest, on the one hand, and, on the other, to preserve the ecosystem of the park.
How to get to Azov Mountain
Polevskoy - the city is quite large, by the standards of the Urals, 62,000 inhabitants live in it. There are regular bus and train routes. The most convenient way to get from Yekaterinburg, which is only 58 km. The road by car along the Polevsky tract (P355 highway) will take about 50 minutes. Along the route there are 7 gas stations.
The district and regional centers are connected by buses:
- No. 145/66. Arrives at the Yuzhny bus station. The full fare (for 2018) is 118 rubles.
- No. 120/66 and No. 122/66. Arriving at the bus station "North". Cost - 98 rubles.
Traveling by train is not very convenient, as a local train travels only to the station Stantsionny-Polevskoy. It is 10 km from the city. Ticket price - 100 rubles.
From Polevsky to the mountain, you can get on the local bus number 106, heading to the village of Zyuzelsky. From the village you will have to walk another 3 km on foot towards Bolshaya Lavrovka. Therefore, it is most reasonable to use the services of travel agencies.
Reviews
People who visited the Azov Mountain, enthusiastically respond about their journey. This quiet place, located away from the settlements, allows you to stay alone with nature. From the peaks, the boundless sea of taiga, diluted with hardwood, is overlooked. An unforgettable sight opens in the fall. In good weather, you can see the city of Polevskoy and factory pipes rising above it.
Unpleasant feelings are caused by the “art” of irresponsible visitors, leaving inscriptions and whole drawings on the rocks of a unique natural monument. In general, the place is picturesque, leaving pleasant memories.