Once back in 1954, the governing bodies of the Altai Territory decided to organize an exhibition of the national economy in the image of the Moscow Exhibition of Economic Achievements in the area of Nagorny Park in Barnaul. At that time V. Kazarinov worked as the chief architect of the city, under his direct supervision a beautiful staircase was built, along which the townspeople climbed to Nagorny Park. It will be discussed in the article.
History of Upland Park in Barnaul
In the city of Barnaul, founded by the miner Demidov in 1741, it was planned to build a fortress to protect its silver smelter. However, there was no real external threat to the plant, so the project to build a fortress was not implemented. Instead of the fortress, it was decided to equip the Nagorny cemetery, where over the past century and a half since its opening (1772), burials of famous citizens were made, including researchers from the Altai land, merchants, scientists, artists, architects.
In 1857, near the cemetery, the Church of John the Baptist was consecrated. In the mid 30-ies of the last century, the temple and graves were destroyed, as this was contrary to the ideas of that time, and a park was created on the territory for the recreation of citizens.
The development of the virgin lands of the Altai Territory and factories and scientific institutions evacuated during World War II allowed the idea to create an exhibition of agricultural and industrial products to be born. As mentioned above, the district of Nagorny Park was chosen as the place of organization of VDNH.
Improvement of the park
Gradually, the territory of the Nagorny Park was being developed. Pavilions were built representing activities and specific plants. In 1957, a summer cinema was built and opened in the park. In the post-war years, people were pleased with the emergence of recreational facilities in the city, especially cinemas in the park area. After the last screening of the film, one could meet the townspeople walking along the alleys of the park, which has become one of the favorite vacation spots. There were always a lot of people on the stairs of Nagorny Park in Barnaul. Indeed, from its height it was possible to admire the beauty of the Ob and the city under construction. In the park there was a rental point where you could take a bicycle, a boat, a pedal catamaran. For children, they built playgrounds and the carousels and swing-boats that were popular in those years.
Opening of VDNH
Since 1958, the exhibition is officially called "VDNH with a wide profile of activity." At the same time, new pavilions were opened: for example, in 1962, a livestock town was made, where citizens and guests of Barnaul went on excursions. How to get to the Highland Park of Barnaul, not only the townspeople, but also the visitors knew. Information about the location was contained in the booklets of the exhibition. On the territory of VDNH, thematic exhibitions of floriculture, decorative birds and pigeons were held. To participate in them and to be their diplomas was very prestigious. The result could be an invitation to participate in the exhibition at VDNH in Moscow. That is why many sought to prove themselves here in order to receive the coveted invitation to the capital.
Exhibition closing
The exhibition worked for a little more than 30 years, and during perestroika, more precisely in 1992, it was closed. Fires and landslides in Nagorny Park destroyed most of the buildings of the exhibition, an artificial reservoir was bombarded, where vacationing townspeople rode boats. In 1993, the less damaged part of the park where the burial sites were located was declared a memorial zone.
In the mid-90s, huge letters were installed, 7 meters high, "BARNAUL" in the Nagorny Park. Photo clearly demonstrates how they look. Here, to these high letters, people were drawn to something that connected them with the past, running away from the unsettled present. They climbed the stairs, which gradually became unusable and crumbled, like so much in those years of perestroika and change. The letters are currently the most famous place in the Upland Park. They are visible at the entrance to the city.
Abandonment and abandonment
The fires in Nagorny Park did not end the streak of failure. In the 90s, the Ob River collapses by almost 50 meters. There was no money in the city treasury for the restoration of the burned part of VDNH and the reconstruction of the surviving part of the money. Gradually, part of the park, occupied by the former buildings of the exhibition, fell into disrepair. Those who went up to the letters about the park said that it was just a sad impression. Many in Barnaul forgot the address of Nagorny Park. What to do there? The dead zone, not interested in anyone, abandoned, gloomy and ownerless. During the existence of the staircase leading to the park, it did not undergo prophylaxis, gradually deteriorated and collapsed.
Reconstruction of Nagorny Park
In 2015, a tourism development program was adopted in Barnaul. In this regard, measures have begun to improve the park territory. The first steps were taken to reconstruct the neglected area of the park. The first step was to rebuild the destroyed Church of St. John the Baptist. But later they decided not to restore it, but to build in a new place.
The park remembers its past from the remaining in some places groomed, and in some places broken gravestones. At the memorial zone there is a preserved monument on the grave of the famous writer and publicist of Siberia Nikolai Mikhailovich Yadrintsev. A stone was erected in the same territory in memory of all those buried in the Highland Park of Barnaul.
Start of construction of a new staircase
To get to Nagorny Park, you need to climb the stairs. The city authorities of Barnaul decided to reconstruct it. First of all, it was necessary to strengthen the slopes, for this it was necessary to make terraces. The townspeople made their amendments to the plans of architects, proposing to make the terraces walking areas. The offer was pleasant and was approved. The terraces were paved with benches and lanterns. Now they are illuminated by reflected light fixtures made according to a special project. They simultaneously illuminate the terrace and illuminate the lamppost.
Disputes among the townspeople over the reconstruction of the old staircase or the construction of a new one have not subsided for a long time. There were suggestions to leave some fragments of the old staircase as a memory. But common sense won. The staircase is a new project, and it should not look like a Kunstkamera, but as an integral finished object, which contains new construction technologies, new ultra-strong materials. In principle, nothing bad has been done. The stairs were not demolished or removed, but restored. But they restored it, making it more beautiful, spacious, reliable.
Finds on Terraced Slopes
After the start of the dismantling of the stairs and terracing of the slopes, ancient graves were discovered. In this regard, Altai archaeologists conducted on-site security and archaeological work. Curious finds were found, for example fragments of uniforms. It is hard to say who owned these uniforms. The scientists who will be engaged in archival work and will be able to help establish the names of those who were buried in this territory have to answer this. Artifacts will be transferred to the city museum.
In the part of the park where construction was not carried out, the archaeological group did not excavate. During the construction of VDNH in the 50s of the last century, these graves were not touched, since the burials were at a depth of two meters. The remains of burials were also found during the construction of a new temple in the Highland Park of Barnaul.
New staircase
Everyone likes the new staircase. They say about it that this is one of the best places in Barnaul for walks, dates and vacations. On weekends, you can often watch performances from local talents on the terraces - play, sing, show soap bubbles. It’s nice to go up the stairs, the stairs are not steep, both children and elderly people can freely climb them. Each small climb leads to the terrace, where you can sit on a bench or walk along it, admire the city.
After the reconstruction of the staircase leading to the park area, there were cases of damage to the landscaping elements and inscriptions on the symbolic letters "BARNAUL". Therefore, it was decided by the city improvement committee to install CCTV cameras in Nagorny Park. The camera viewing area is circular with a 30x optical zoom. Thus, attempts to damage the property of the city in places of rest will be promptly suppressed by the police.
Barnaul - mining town
You can come to Nagorny Park on foot from nearby housing estates. Nonresident is also interesting to visit the stairs, take a selfie in letters and with a view of the Ob, look at the city from a bird's eye view. For those visitors who do not know how to get to Nagorny Park in Barnaul, you can take minibuses or buses to the Spartak-2 station, tram number 1 or number 5 to the Old Bazaar stop. For personal transport there is a parking near the Znamensky monastery.
Thanks to the tourist cluster "Barnaul - mining town", reconstruction began. But the stairs and terraces - this is only its first stage. Currently, the restoration of the temple. The plans include a staircase lift for people with disabilities. According to the project, playgrounds, retail outlets, summer equipment rental points will appear in the park (as it was in the 60s). The architects have grandiose plans. There are also attractive innovations in them: an amphitheater for mass events, a decoratively made fire tank and the Wings stela. The park will become a place where newlyweds will come.
Bringing to proper form the memorial part with burials is also in the plans. Some propose to leave part of the preserved foundation of the Church of St. John the Baptist, as an analogue of the ruins in tourist cities with ancient history. Need to do this or not, time will tell. Now the main thing is the reconstruction that has begun, which marks the creation of a new infrastructure not only of Nagorny Park, but also of the city.