The city of Abakan is the capital of the Republic of Khakassia. The city is located in the eastern part of Siberia, closer to the south. Just 400 km from Abakan is Krasnoyarsk. The location of the city is unique. It is here that the confluence of two rivers takes place - the Abakan and Yenisei rivers of the same name.
As for a capital city, not so many people live here - only 168 thousand, 12% of which are the indigenous Khakass population.
The city itself is not so rich in historical places, attractions, but still there is something to see.
Description
Abakan roughly occupies the same parallel as Minsk, Magnitogorsk and Hamburg. The Minusinsk basin became the place where the city was founded. The basin itself was formed between the mountains of the Kuznetsk Alatau in the west, the rocks of the Western Sayan in the east and south, and the ridges of the Eastern Sayan in the north. The mighty Yenisei River flows through the entire pit from north to south. In the center of the basin, the Yenisei joins the Abakan River. In thatthe confluence of two rivers and the beautiful city of Abakan is located. On its northern outskirts there are industrial zones, as well as the state-owned enterprises "Airport" and the Abakan aviation enterprise. In the east, the city is adjacent to the Minusinsk region. The southern city limits borders on the lands of Altaiskoye JSC and Alkom JSC.
Outskirts of Abakan
The city of Abakan is conditionally divided into two parts - right-bank and left-bank. On the right bank, the city borders on the small village of Verkhnyaya Sogra and a river cargo port located on the banks of the Yenisei. Immediately behind the river is the left bank of the city, which begins with the embankment of the dam. The dam, in turn, serves as a kind of protection against the rapid flood of the river, and also plays the role of a freeway.
What to see in Abakan? Attractions here are varied. For example, you can go to the observation deck - the bridge, and from there you can see the entire panorama of the city. Abakan can be called a green island. There are a huge number of parks and green spaces.
Legends of Abakan
Abakan owes its name to the river of the same name, the name of which is legendary. One of them says that the Abakan river was named by the hero Ochen Pig. Before that, it was called Ala-Ort. When the hero jumped across the river, he gave it a new name - Abakan. There is also another legend. It says that Abakan was previously called Alairt. On the bank of the river then lived the powerful hero Aba-Kann, which means "bear's blood." On your horsehe could jump over the river, and at the same time the horse's hooves did not even touch the water. But one day, when the river overflowed widely, the horse could not jump over it and plunged into the water with its hind legs and threw off the hero. After that, the river began to bear the name Abakan.
The following legend tells that in ancient times many bears walked along the banks of this river. This is where the name Abakan comes from. So, in translation from the Khakass language, “aba” is a bear, and “kan” is blood.
There is another legend about a giant bear. He lived near one aul and constantly repaired riots. Attacked livestock and people. Everyone was very afraid of him. But a hero grew up in the village, and he decided to fight the bear. They competed for a long time, but the bear gave up and ran away. The bogatyr decided to continue hunting the beast and followed in its footsteps. He walked for a long time until he heard the wounded beast screaming loudly, anticipating its near end. He destroyed everything in his path. Uprooted trees, broke mountains. The whole earth trembled from this horror. At dawn, the hero saw the dead body of the beast, which turned into a large rock. Streams flowed from the mountain, forming a powerful stream. Below it became a river, which the locals began to call Abakan ("bear's blood").
The city of Abakan is famous for such amazing legends. The history of the sights of Abakan - rocks that resemble a huge bear, is exactly that. Streams really flow from these rocks, which form the Abakan River.
Abakan. Attractions
Can't saythat there are many historical monuments in Abakan. But if you go from Krasnoyarsk, you can see all the most picturesque places of Khakassia. The very location of the city inside a huge basin is the main attraction. The city itself just breathes positive. Here you can just relax and feel life. Clean well-groomed streets, green parks and squares, neat small buildings - all this cannot but fill you with positive emotions.
The city center strikes with its provincial simplicity. One gets the impression that all passion has left the city, and only peaceful, measured people remain to live in it. Abakan is not at all like a city in Siberia. Rather, it can be said that it is part of the Krasnodar or Stavropol Territory.
The main sights of Abakan are temples, the Museum of Local Lore, the Preobrazhensky park complex.
National Local History Museum
Historical and cultural sights of Abakan - museums. The main exposition of the museum of local lore is the hall of ancient art. Here you can find the most unique steles of the Khakassian steppes. Impressions from visiting the hall remain in memory for a long time. The museum regularly holds various exhibitions. Some of the expositions not used at the moment are stored in the funds. The first floor of the museum is occupied by the hall of monuments of the steppe Khakassia, and on the second floor there is a gallery of a local artist.
The expositions of the museum consist of stone slabs decorated with petroglyphs, copies of rock paintings, ancient monumental stone sculptures,artistic stone products, as well as excavations made of bone and bronze found among the ancient burial mounds of Khakassia.
The museum also has ethnographic collections, consisting of household items and clothing of the local indigenous population, attributes of shamanism, clothing and household items of ancient Russians.
There are other interesting places that Abakan is famous for. The sights of the city are majestic temple buildings.
Savior Transfiguration Cathedral
This temple is quite young. Its construction began in 1994. The temple was built according to the project of Alexander Derigin, an architect from Barnaul. Due to the lack of sufficient funding, the construction of the temple was suspended. In 1999, construction was resumed, and in May the first stone of the cathedral was laid and consecrated by Bishop Vincent.
On the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord in August 2001, the lower church was consecrated. In December of the same year - the upper temple. Already in August 2006, the full consecration of the cathedral took place.
Outside, it is a seven-domed building. The upper temple consists of two aisles and a traditional five-tiered iconostasis. The sacrament of baptism is performed in the lower church.
Shrines
The cathedral houses valuable relics, such as icons with images of the saints of Siberia and particles of their relics. There is also a stone from the site of the Transfiguration of Christ - Mount Tabor.
In the cathedral there are two powerful icons of the Mother of God, which were consecrated on the prototypes in Greece on Mount Athos.
Church of Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helena
Until quite recently, the place where the temple now stands was completely inconspicuous. Today it is one of the most beautiful places in Khakassia. The city of Abakan, its sights are admired by tourists. Therefore, it is worth visiting this cozy town at least once.
The Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior and the Grado-Abakan Church are the holy sights of Abakan. The description of these places cannot fully convey all the beauty and energy emanating from them.
During the construction of the Temple of Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helena, the traditions of old Russian architecture were taken as a basis. This is a magnificent building that carries the greatest sacred meaning.
Outside the temple is decorated with relief painting with acrylic. This method allows you to emphasize even the smallest details. Mosaic icons are a special property of the architecture of the temple. There are also 8 more amazing icons outside.
Inside the temple is a real masterpiece of art - a five-tiered altar framed in gold leaf.
Despite the fact that many consider Abakan, its sights are insignificant, of little interest, it can still impress not only with its hospitality, but also with amazing places.
