Sights of Solikamsk Good afternoon, dear reader! Dmitry is in touch.
This article is dedicated to the sights of Solikamsk. This is an ancient city in the Perm region, its main “salt shaker”.
The city of Solikamsk was founded at the beginning of the 15th century, when the Kalinnikov trading people, immigrants from Vologda, moved their salt pans from the upper reaches of the Borovaya River to the Usolka River. Here a settlement was founded in 1430, first named Sol Kamskaya, Usolye Kamskoye, and later Solikamsk. Salt production has been the leading sector of the city's economy for several centuries.
Usolka River, Solikamsk
The Usolka River flows through the city of Solikamsk (see photo above). And our first stop is precisely on the bank of Usolka, near the Lyudmilinskaya well. Why here?
Lyudmilinskaya well
The Lyudmilinskaya well is not just one of the interesting sights of the city of Solikamsk. This can be said to be the symbol of this city. After all, it was from here that the history of the development of a large deposit of potassium-magnesium salts on the Upper Kama began.
Three interesting facts about the Lyudmilinskaya well.
1. HISTORY It all started with the fact that in 1906, Nikolai Ryazantsev, an employee of the Troitsk salt plant, was tasked with drilling a well on the territory of the enterprise to determine the depth of the salt layers. The well was drilled to a depth of 100 meters, the salt found was unsuitable for human consumption, so salt samples were sent for analysis to determine the exact chemical composition. The result of the study showed that the salt samples contained an increased content of potassium chloride. The mined salt was used for industrial needs.
2. NAME In honor of the wife of Lyudmila, the owner of the plant, Ivan Vasilyevich Ryazantsev (Nikolai’s namesake), the well was named Lyudmilinskaya.
3. SALT MINING After the civil war in 1923, the Troitsky plant was closed due to the impossibility of its complete restoration, all the buildings of the plant were demolished, only the Lyudmilinskaya well remained. In 1925, as part of a geological expedition by Perm University professor Pavel Preobrazhensky, a new analysis of salt samples from the Lyudmilinskaya well was carried out. As a result of the analysis, sylvinite was discovered in the rock - a raw material for the production of potash fertilizers. Further research made it possible to discover the largest deposit of potassium-magnesium salts on the Upper Kama. It turned out that Solikamsk is literally located on the surface of a huge deposit measuring 140 by 60 km. It is from this small well that the largest industrial region of the Upper Kama originates, the leaders of which are now the likes of Silvinit.
(based on materials from Wikipedia and the site https://snovadoma.ru)
Near the Lyudmilinskaya well
Until now, the Lyudmilinskaya well remains operational, water from it flows to the surface, the water tastes salty, and the area around the well smells of hydrogen sulfide. Not long ago, the well was improved and wooden walkways were made for ease of access for tourists. Watch a short video:
Finding the Lyudmilinskaya well in Solikamsk is quite simple. The closest landmarks are the Cultural and Leisure Center and the Kalietz Sports Palace located nearby (by the way, a very beautiful landscaped area - nice to look at!). Very close to the well there is a good parking area for cars.
Lyudmilinskaya salt well on the map of Solikamsk:
Having seen enough, taken photographs, touched and tasted the water from the Lyudmilinskaya well, we go further to the historical center of Solikamsk, which is decorated with the elegant Holy Trinity Cathedral (pictured below). This is the central monument of the ensemble of Solikamsk churches, created in the 17th-18th centuries during the period of economic prosperity of the city.
Trinity Cathedral Solikamsk
Holy Trinity Cathedral in Solikamsk
Next to the Trinity Cathedral is the Cathedral Bell Tower (pictured below). We tried to get to the observation deck of the Cathedral Bell Tower, but it turned out that climbing there is only allowed in the summer months. We were a little upset, because... I really wanted to listen to the tour and take photographs of Solikamsk from above.
The bell tower building is interesting in itself. The first feature: the bell tower is tilted by 1.3 degrees, because During construction, a vertical displacement occurred due to the influence of groundwater and soil movements. Later, it was completed taking into account the emerging slope. The second feature: the bell tower consists of two parts. The octagonal tower does not stand on the ground, but on “stone chambers” - a two-story cube, the thickness of the internal walls of which is 3 meters.
Cathedral bell tower Solikamsk
