Essay cultural monument of Bashkortostan

Each ethnic group is destined to go through its own path of development, overcome difficult times or endure persecution. And no era can ever exist without prosperity to one degree or another. The history of Bashkortostan is no exception. On the path of this people there was grief and satisfaction, victories and defeats, glory and shame. What countless epics tell about, which tell about warriors and other significant personalities of the past. Naturally, modern Bashkiria is a completely successful republic, an autonomous part of the Russian Federation (Ural economic region). But this was not always the case. The monuments of the Republic of Bashkortostan “speak” of its long-standing traditions.

general characteristics

Many sights of Bashkortostan reflect its centuries-old history. It dates back a very long time. 10 thousand years BC the first inhabitants already appeared here. The works of Herodotus tell us that by the beginning of our era, the Bashkirs separated from other cultures, becoming a separate nation living independently on the territory of the modern republic.

Historical facts prove: in the 16th century, the local population decided to voluntarily become part of Russia. In the 20th century, this territory acquired its modern status and became known as the “Republic of Bashkortostan”.

The sights of Bashkortostan are very diverse and numerous. Among them there are both man-made masterpieces (architectural and cultural monuments) and natural beauties.

Monument to the heroes of the October Revolution and the Civil War

The tragedy of all military operations within the country lies in the fact that not only yesterday’s friends, but also blood relatives rebel against each other. For Russia, the years of the Civil War and the Great October Revolution became more sorrowful in this regard.

Almost 40 years ago in Bashkiria, in memory of national heroism, a monument dedicated to the participants in these events was erected. On the pedestal there were several figures: a Red Army soldier with a gun, a blacksmith with a hammer, an ordinary peasant, in whose hands, instead of an ordinary agricultural tool, a gun froze. These characters, which are intended to symbolize certain groups of the population, covered the mortally wounded middle-aged fighter, as if kids were covering their father. This emphasizes the unity of the people in the struggle for their rights.

Monument to Salavat Yulaev

Such sights of Bashkortostan as the monument to Salavat Yulaev make it possible to pass on historical truths about the contribution of great people to the formation of the republic to younger generations. The image of this monument is on the coat of arms of the republic. He is thus a kind of symbol of it. The opening of the sculpture dates back to 1967. Moreover, all these years it has been the largest statue depicting a horseman in our country. The weight of the monument is more than 40 tons. The author of the sculpture undoubtedly coped with his work successfully. The view of the monument from afar is especially impressive. When you look at him, it seems that he is a rider frozen in a rapid run. The visual swiftness and dynamism are largely due to the fact that the sculpture has only three supporting points. The creator of this masterpiece monument is Soslanbek Tavasiev, whose work was highly appreciated. For it he received several state awards. The sculpture conveys strength and courage, heroism and courage. The rider’s facial features, his posture, the whip raised above his head - all this creates the impression that he is about to jump off his pedestal and rush into battle.

Bashkiria National Park

The natural attractions of Bashkortostan amaze the imagination with the diversity of flora, the beauty of rivers and the power of forests. All this relates to one of the most famous cultural monuments in Europe. Bashkiria National Park is a truly unique place, occupying a huge territory of 79 thousand hectares. This is a picturesque forest in which clear, deep-water rivers flow, and mysterious, unique caves are hidden in the mountain ranges. Flora and fauna are very diverse. It is here that the Nugush Reservoir with an area of 2,500 hectares is located, created thanks to the joint efforts of nature and man.

The unique objects of the park are the Shulgan, Kutuk, Sumgan and Yuriash streams. Forming turbulent streams in low-lying areas, in the upper reaches they disappear underground. There, under the limestones, they make their way. Thus, the formation of karst cavities occurs, such as the Kapova cave and the Sumgan failure.

The park has a huge amount of steppe, taiga, broad-leaved and mountain-meadow vegetation. It is known that this unique place is home to fifteen species of rare and endangered birds that are listed in the Red Book. A large species diversity of animals characteristic of the territory of the Southern Urals is very widely represented here. Fish such as pike perch, European grayling and others live in the depths of the river.

Distinctive features

The Republic of Bashkiria has its own state symbols:

flag (horizontal combination of blue, white and green, with a coat of arms in the middle);

Coat of arms of Bashkortostan
coat of arms depicting the Bashkir national hero, batyr, Salavat Yulaev against the background of the sun;
The anthem of the Republic is performed in Russian and Bashkir languages.

Climate

Bashkortostan is located in the zone of continental moderate-cold climate. Due to the frequent change of winds in the republic, the weather in this region is quite capricious. Usually changes are typical for the warm period of the year, while winter is stable. It is characteristic that the southern part of Bashkiria is hotter than the northern part. The local climate is influenced by the relief; the Altai Mountains especially stand out from the overall picture.

The average temperature in Bashkiria in January is -18, in July +18. The absolute maximum of the thermometer in winter reached -41, and in summer +42. Winter in the republic is long and stable, without sudden changes in weather and precipitation.

Basically, Bashkortostan has the longest duration of daily sunshine - that’s why the republic is also called “sunny Bashkiria”. The annual amount of precipitation is up to 600 mm, which falls geographically unevenly - more in the mountainous part. Also, most of the rain (70%) falls in the warm season from April to October.

Features of nature

Bashkortostan geographically consists of 3 regions: Western, Southern and Mountain. The republic has a complexly developed water system: there are 12 thousand rivers, 2.7 thousand lakes and reservoirs. The territory of Bashkiria is 40% forested - pine-deciduous, dark-coniferous taiga and birch.

Bashkortostan, whose natural attractions are located throughout the republic, is characterized by 3 types of landscape:

Ural ridge in the central part of Bashkiria;
Read also: What to see in Ufa and where to go - interesting places and attractions
plains in the west;
the Trans-Ural uplands in the east.

National dishes

Due to the predominant number of representatives of Bashkir nationality in the republic, their cuisine is deservedly recognized by all residents of the region. Characteristic features of Bashkir cuisine are a lot of spices and the use of horse meat.

The most popular dishes are:

horse sausage "kazy";
broth from fermented milk product - kuruta;
bishbarmak - meat and flour dish;
dried meat "kaklangan it";
ayran, kurut, kumiss - varieties of fermented milk products;
bekken – yeast dough with filling.
chak-chaka – dough with honey;
belish – butter dough with filling;
Gubadiya is a multi-layer pie.

Due to religious prohibitions, the national Bashkir cuisine does not contain dishes with pork or predatory animals and birds. It is also allowed to eat only those varieties of fish that do not have scales.

Population

In 2022, the population of the Republic, according to official data, was more than 4 million people. It is the largest republic in the Russian Federation.

The national composition of Bashkortostan is represented by 160 nationalities, most of which are:

Nationality	Percentage of total population (%)
Russians	36,1
Bashkirs	29,5
Tatars	25,4
Chuvash	2,7
Mari	2,6
Ukrainians	1
Other	2,7

In terms of religious composition, the majority of the population (67%) are Muslims who adhere to Sunni Islam.
In second place in the number of religious communities in Bashkiria is Orthodoxy (22%). In total, 22 areas of religious organizations are registered in the region. Traditions are actively maintained among the population of Bashkortostan, so religion, culture and celebration are an important part of the local society and their worldview. The basis of the Bashkir mentality lies in a strong attachment to religion.

The following main features of the local mentality can be identified:

do not interfere in each other's affairs;
strong religious worldview;
Bashkir women have more freedom than Muslim women from other eastern countries;
strong family traditions.

Currency

There is only one currency in use in the republic – the Russian ruble. Any foreign currency can be exchanged at airports or local banks.

Karst bridge "Kuperlya"

The sights of Bashkortostan are concentrated in large numbers on the territory of the national park. One of them is the Kuperlya karst bridge. Nature has been creating this object for many millions of years. The river with the same name Kuperlya disappeared into an underground channel, where, gradually making its way, it formed the contours of a cave. Over time, the roof of the cave became increasingly thin. And when it collapsed, a part remained in the form of a bridge.

Cathedral Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary

This Ufa temple, built in 1903-1909, was initially a brick building with a three-tier bell tower and a single-domed dome made of iron-clad wood. This church was destined to survive the difficult post-revolutionary years, but in the end it was closed, and the premises were transferred to aviation workshops. In the future, a cinema hall was opened there, disfiguring the premises beyond recognition. Only at the end of the USSR era, in 1991, was the temple returned to the dioceses. The reconstruction of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Cathedral dragged on for 15 years, but the sky-blue building with gold domes and beautiful paintings became a more comprehensive Orthodox church in the capital of the republic.

Kutuk-Sumgan

Another notable object is Kutuk-Sumgan. This is a kind of speleological museum, where river valleys are adjacent to karst caves, funnels of various sizes and a large number of springs. There are many different minerals in the underground hall. But most of all there are stalagmites, cave pearls, calcite plates, stalactites. This cave is rightly called the longest in the Urals. Multi-meter tongues of ice, like frozen waves, fascinate and amaze with their scale. Kutuk-Sumgan is very popular among tourists.

Rest

There are 110 hotels registered in Bashkortostan, which can simultaneously accommodate 7 thousand tourists. Over the past 3 years, more than 1 million tourists visit Bashkiria annually.

You can also stay at one of the local sanatoriums and health centers. There are 31 sanitary complexes in Bashkiria, of which the most popular are: “Chekhovo”, “Assy”, “Talkas”, “Krasnousolsky”, “Yangat-Tau”. It is worth choosing a health complex depending on what sources they work on and the type of mineral waters.

Yangat-Tau

Each sanatorium has its own target area. Therefore, it is better to choose a place for relaxation and recovery depending on your state of health. Most of the sanatoriums in Bashkiria are located near the Nugush reservoir and the river. Nugush. But also medical and health complexes are equipped on the Pavlovsk reservoir and near the lakes Kandra-Kul, Asly-Kul and Banny.

Holidays in the sanatoriums of Bashkortostan are suitable for everyone - the price categories of sanatoriums and rooms vary from 250 rubles. per day and up to 2 thousand.

Sights of the city of Oktyabrsky

One of the most ancient settlements in the republic is Oktyabrsky. Bashkortostan, whose attractions are mostly concentrated in Ufa and natural landscapes, has such a wonderful city on its territory. There really is something to see.

Lovers of antiquity will be interested in strolling along the streets of the central part of Oktyabrsky. There are a large number of buildings from the Stalin era. The buildings of the Devon restaurant, the Orpheus cinema, the Youth Palace, the Sports Palace, and the music school stand out most of all for their unusual architecture. V.I. Lenin Square amazes with its grandeur. The amazing beauty of the fountains of Youth Square attracts many vacationers here.

In the suburbs of Oktyabrsky there is Mount Narysh-Tau. Its height is more than 321 meters. A monument to labor glory was built right on the mountain - well No. 100. And from the top the whole city can be seen at a glance. Anyone can climb up there and enjoy the magnificent spectacle.

The sights of Bashkortostan, photos of which can be seen in this article, really deserve to be visited. Traveling through these regions will not leave anyone indifferent.

Municipal Nature Reserve "Shulgan-Tash"

The natural monuments of Bashkortostan contain a protected zone located in the interfluve of the Belosnezhnaya and Yuryuzan rivers. In addition to the rarest species of plants, animals, birds and fish, it attracts visitors with the Shulgan-Tash Cave (Kapova Cave). This is an archaeological monument of world significance, which at one time was a site for old people, as evidenced by the preserved rock paintings and ornaments.

The natural park “Muradymovskoye Gorge” is notable for the fact that caves have been preserved here, in which the first inhabitants of the Urals lived millennia ago. In total, there are more than forty objects located in this natural zone, many of which include the Bolshaya Labyrinthovaya, Ledovaya, Novo- and Staromuradymovskie caves. The site of our ancestors was also found in the Golubiny Grotto.

Modern Bashkiria is a very charming region that has preserved a unique, relict nature, diluted with state flavor. This is a place that it is impossible not to love from the very first visit; time itself is not imperative over it. Nature lovers are recommended to travel around the republic and enjoy the countless beautiful places that abound on the map of Bashkortostan.

Monuments of the Republic of Bashkortostan

Salavat Yulaev is the people's poet of Bashkortostan, a hero of the Peasant War, an outstanding figure of the republic. A monument to him was erected in the capital of Bashkortostan. The pedestal was installed on November 17, 1967 on the banks of the Belaya River and for a long time was the main calling card of the city. On the coat of arms of Bashkortostan you can see an image of the monument. Before the monument was erected, a city vote was held. The monument was prepared for its installation for a month and a half in Leningrad. The monument depicts the figure Salavat Yulaev on a horse. The poet holds a whip in his hand.

In November 2007, a monument to the janitor was erected on Oktyabr Avenue. The monument is bronze, weighs 300 kg. The monument was made in a relatively short time, 2 months. The bronze wiper was installed in honor of the celebration of the 450th anniversary of the official entry of the Republic of Bashkortostan into Russia. According to townspeople, the main purpose of the monument is a kind of reminder that it is necessary to maintain cleanliness and order on the city streets. Recently, the Government of Ufa has been paying great attention to improving the territory, residential buildings, commercial buildings, in particular, bringing cleanliness to the city.

The Friendship Monument is located on Pervomaiskaya Square. The granite obelisk rushed up 35 m. The creators of the monument are sculptors from Moscow G. P. Levitskaya and M. F Baburin and architects G. I. Gavrilov and E. I. Kutyrev. The two tall vertical steles are symbols of the conviction of friendship. The base of the monument is decorated with sculptures of two women sitting half-turned to each other. The sculptures depict Russia and Bashkiria; in their hands are laurel wreaths, symbolizing peace.

This obelisk is dedicated to those soldiers who left the village to defend their homeland during the Great Patriotic War, there were 34 of them in total - real defenders. This monument was built in 1967 for the 22nd anniversary and is made of brick and marble and has a height of more than 3 meters. Every year on May 9, a rally is held, as well as the laying of wreaths, painting and whitewashing. Every resident, of whom there are not many in the village, remembers and honors the memory of those who went to protect them in that difficult time

One of the pearls of Russian railway attractions is the Beloretsk narrow-gauge railway. This road perfectly combined the beauty of nature and the rich history of the region with numerous buildings at the stations. Construction of this railway began in 1909 and a few years later steam locomotives began to travel along it. Thanks to the advent of the railway, life at the ancient metallurgical plant changed, and the settlement around it became the beautiful Ural city of Beloretsk. Every year, the Belarusian Railway became an increasingly interesting railway both for citizens of our country and for foreigners, who admired the architecture of ancient stations, wooden passenger cars and diesel locomotives.

This monument was located on Mount Narysh-tau, which is at an altitude of more than 320 meters above sea level. She is called the patroness of Devonian oil in the Tuymazin region. The well began to be built back in 1943, and at the end of the next year until 1967, it was in operation. At the well there is a tower that was used for work, as well as concrete steles. On one of these steles there is an inscription that says that it was this well that marked the beginning of multiple developments of Devonian strata in the Volga and Uralsk regions. It was drilled at the end of September 1944, and such masters as V.N. took part in the work. Andriyashin and A.T. Tripolsky. On the second concrete stele a fountain of oil was depicted.

Mausoleum of Bendebike

The historical monuments of Bashkortostan contain a tomb in which the majestic lady Bendabike supposedly ended her earthly journey. She, thanks to her own exceptional wisdom and intelligence, was able to put an end to the strife between the Bashkirs and Kazakhs. This building is made in the form of an octagon with a dome made of bricks of two colors - the main one is grayish, and the Christmas tree ornament is reddish.

What is striking is that Bendebike was not a khan or a ruler. She is simply an influential, wise lady of an authoritative family, to whose advice all the tribal leaders listened. Her name was honored not only by the Bashkirs, but also by neighboring nations, because the fame of her wisdom was great. There are several legends and tales about her and her wife.

general characteristics

The sights of Bashkortostan are very diverse and numerous. Among them there are both man-made masterpieces (architectural and cultural monuments) and natural beauties.

Transport

The transport infrastructure in the republic is developing slowly, and road accessibility is not always good. According to recent government surveys, poor road communications are the main reason for the slow development of tourism and industry in Bashkortostan.

In addition to the air connection, several important highways come to Bashkiria - M5, M7 and P240. They provide fast and safe movement throughout the republic and convenient access to large cities - Moscow, Chelyabinsk, Kazan, Samara and Orenburg.

Buses

Buses are the main transport connection between regions and large cities in the republic.

Overground and underground metro

Despite the plan and ready-made metro project in Ufa, its construction was frozen several years ago . Instead, the construction of the city electric train is progressing.

Trams

Trams, like trolleybuses and buses, are the main means of transportation in all cities of the republic. The main carrier is Bashavtotrans. In 2022, the capital of Bashkiria began to develop a network of tram lines, which in the future should simplify movement around the city.

Trains, electric trains

The railway network is actively developing in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Now there is a direct connection with cities such as Samara, Zlatoust, Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg.

The railway lines of Bashkiria are of great strategic importance in public administration - they provide communication between the western part of Russia and the central regions in the Urals and Siberia. An equally important role for movement around Bashkortostan is played by suburban trains, which are one of the main public means of transportation.

Recently, the project to open a city train in Ufa has been actively developing.

Bicycles for rent

Popular ecotourism in the republic contributes to the development of the bicycle rental business. Tourists more often rent bicycles in Ufa, and only then move on.

A bicycle can be rented for several hours or for several days. Typically, daily rental will cost 500 rubles. per day, and hourly - 100 rubles. in an hour.

Taxi

Private taxi drivers work in Bashkiria, so there is no unified payment system. You can find a carrier here without any problems; they are also always ready to carry out long journeys within the republic. Typically, you will have to pay from 6 to 10 rubles for 1 km of travel.

Rent a Car

Tourism is rapidly developing in Bashkortostan, so you can rent a car here without any problems. Car rental services for 2 days or more are offered by different companies. The rental cost will cost from 1 thousand rubles per day - depending on the chosen model and subsequent rental by the customer.

Water transport

Due to the fact that the republic has a large length of waterways (1018 km), water transport is rapidly developing here. You can also travel around the republic and to neighboring cities by boat - there is a passenger water connection between Ufa, Kazan, Perm, Nizhny Novgorod, Astrakhan and other cities.

Boats and boats ply at shorter distances.

Monument to Salavat Yulaev

Bashkiria National Park

What to see for tourists in summer and winter

You can visit the historical and cultural sights of Bashkortostan at any time of the year. Depending on the season, you can have an active and fun time during ecotourism, expeditions to remote areas of nature, or ski tourism.

Throughout the year, the medical and health infrastructure is actively working in Bashkiria, where you can relax and improve your health.

Also, extreme and local history tourism is actively developing in the Republic. As part of the latter, in 2022, the “Bashkir Around the World” tourist route was successfully opened - the only interactive program, it has no analogues in Russia.

Winter activities: from skiing to hot springs

The season for winter activities in the Abzakovo ski center begins in November and lasts until May. Active winter recreation in Bashkiria includes such entertainment as horse-drawn sleigh rides on snowmobiles, winter bear hunting and skiing itself.

The republic has several ski resorts and recreation centers near hot springs - this is the mountainous part near Abzakovo and the tourist base on Lake Bannom.

Other resorts for skiers are no less popular. One of which, Metallurg-Magnitorsk, is located on the shore of Lake Yakty-Kul, and the other, Beloretsk ski center, is located on Mount Mratkino. The last resort is most equipped for family holidays, with trails of any complexity - even for children.

Summer activities: extreme and calm

In the summer season, active recreation on bicycles, boats and motorboats in inaccessible areas is especially popular. Tour operators have also developed many combined walking and driving routes to the most interesting natural and religious places.

Active recreation in summer includes pastimes such as:

horse riding excursions;
visiting tourist recreation centers;
tourist rafting on rivers on inflatable rafts and catamarans (Sakmara, Inzer, Maly Inzer, etc.)

Summer is a great opportunity to visit the unique natural attractions of Bashkortostan. For example, near the village of Akhunova, a megalithic complex was discovered, which is often compared to the British Stonehenge.

Also, climatic conditions in summer are conducive to long independent travels around Bashkiria on your own, like a savage.

Karst bridge "Kuperlya"

Various monuments of history and culture of Bashkortostan

Naturally, such a long and complex path of formation could not but be reflected in the statues and evidence of past eras. Today in Bashkortostan there are about 2 thousand various kinds of monuments of architecture, art, culture, and archeology under state protection.

More famous monuments of Bashkortostan (list):

1st Cathedral Mosque.
Monuments to Salavat Yulaev and Alexander Matrosov.
Aksakovsky People's House.
Mausoleum (tomb) of Bendebike.
Shulgan-tash cave.
Cathedral Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.

National parks and reserves are known far beyond the borders of the republic and constantly attract new guests.

The taciturn cultural monuments of Bashkortostan, which reflect certain processes taking place within society, can often tell much more than even archival documents. And their value is irrefutable from any point of view. This fully applies to religious buildings that show the spirit of the ethnic group. This is especially important for such a multi-confessional and multi-ethnic association, which is the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Kutuk-Sumgan

What to bring as a gift from the republic

The symbols of Bashkiria are:

horses;
kumiss;
honey;
bees.

Therefore, most tourists bring from the republic primarily honey, which is natural and of good quality here. It is best to choose an assortment based on “Bashkir honey house”. In second place in popularity among tourists is a variety of alcohol - tinctures and liqueurs.

The most famous local balms based on medicinal herbs are:

"Agidel";
"Arsky stone";
"Iremel";
"Kapova Cave";
"Belebey."

Among the drinks, they also bring kumiss - a medicinal fermented milk drink made from goat's milk. Bashkortostan is rich not only in attractions, but also in its own clothing brands (Ishimbay knitwear), sweets (Kondi), a meat processing plant and rose production.

Article design: Mila Friedan

Sights of the city of Oktyabrsky

The sights of Bashkortostan, photos of which can be seen in this article, really deserve to be visited. Traveling through these regions will not leave anyone indifferent.

1st Cathedral Mosque

The culture of Bashkortostan bears within itself a striking imprint of the East. An example of this is the 1st Cathedral Mosque built in 1830, which at first was a stone building with one minaret. In the future it was rebuilt a couple of times. This mosque was one of the largest in pre-revolutionary Russia, and its parish numbered almost a thousand people. In addition, a madrasah and a Russian-Bashkir two-year school operated under her. For 30 years (1960-1991), only this mosque did not stop its activities in Ufa.