The Seven Wonders of Russia

8/8/2019 The Seven Wonders of Russia

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Peterhof

Often referred to as the Russian Versailles the palace and park of Peterhof are one of

Saint Petersburgs most popular attractions. Versailles was indeed Peter the Greats

inspiration when he decided to build an imperial palace and many say Peterhof (Peters

Court in German) is even more beautiful than the famous French complex.


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Peterhof is an immense, luxurious estate, known as the capital of Russian fountains; the

Grand Cascade, built in front of the Grand Palace, is one of the largest fountain ensembles

in the world. The Upper Garden and Lower Park are also cultural masterpieces and the

magnificent Grand Palace was remodeled by the famous architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli.


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The Valley of Geysers This six kilometers basin is the only geyser field in all of Eurasia and

second largest in the world. It is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it has about

ninety geysers and many other thermal springs. It was discovered by Tatiana Ustinova, a local

scientist, in 1941 but serious exploration of the area began in 1972. In the 1980s The Valley of

Geysers was presented as one of the main attractions of the Kamchatka peninsula, in anattempt to raise tourist awareness. Foreign tourists were allowed access to the valley in 1991


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The Valley of Geysers suffered some modifications, due to a massive mud flow that covered a

part of the basin in the summer of 2007. However in recent months the waters have receded

exposing some of the submerged areas. The largest geyser, Velikan, able to shoot jets of water

40 meters high, was not affected by the landslide.


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Mamayev Kurgan

Just a strange name to most of us, Mamayev Kurgan is a place of great significance for the

Russian people. This dominant hill, overlooking the city of Volgograd (former Stalingrad) saw

some of the fiercest combat of all World War II, as it had immense strategic importance. It

changed hands several times during the Stalingrad offensive, but the soviets held their

positions heroically on the hill slopes until the German forces were finally surrounded and


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After the battle ended the hill was plowed and mixed with metal fragments, between 500 and

1,250 fragments per square meter. The hill remained black during the conflict because the snow

melted constantly due to bombing and it remained this way in the spring after the battle, because

nothing would grow. Even today its possible to dig up metal and bone fragments buried on the

hill.

The huge memorial statue of the Motherland, known as The Motherland Calls! was the largest

free-standing sculpture in the world when it was built on top of Mamayev Kurgan, in 1967.


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Mount Elbrus

Standing at 5,642 meters, Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain in the Caucasus and the

highest point in Russia. It is a stratovolcano that has lain dormant for the last 2,000 years. Set

near the border with Georgia, Mount Elbrus is a popular tourist destination and many attempt

to climb it, especially during the summer.A special cable-car system was created during the

70s that takes people up to 3,800m up the mountain. Up to 100 people try to reach Elbrus peakevery day.


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In the winter time, attempts are very scarce and only professionals venture up the mountain.

Its harsh winter weather and strong winds are notorious and it claims 15-30 lives every year,

mostly poorly equipped dare-devils trying to reach the top.


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Saint Basil cathedral

Also known as The Cathedral of Intercession of the Virgin on the Moat is considered the most

beautiful cathedral in Russia and one of Europes most beautiful holy places. It was

constructed during the reign of Ivan the Terrible and a legend says the architect was blinded

after finishing his creation, so he couldnt build anything as beautiful again.


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Built in the middle of the Red Square, in Moscow, St. Basils Cathedral commemorated Ivan

IVs victory over the Kazan Khanate. It is said that the cathedral features many elements of

Timurid culture, resembling the old Kazan Qolsharif Mosque. These are just speculations

however as the exact look of the mosque is unknown.


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Baikal Lake

Declared a World heritage Site by UNESCO, in 1996, Lake Baikal is truly a lake of records. It

is the deepest lake in the world, going as deep as 1,637 meters and it holds almost 20% of the

worlds fresh-water supply, making it the largest supply by volume on the planet. Research has

shown Lake Baikal is more than 25 million years old, which makes it the oldest lake in theworld.


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Over 1,085 species of plants and 1,550 species of animals live in Baikal Lake and between 80-

90 percent of them are endemic to this place. In July of this year Russia has announced it is

sending two small submersibles to descend to the bottom of the lake and conduct geological

and biological tests.


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Columns of Erosion

Set in the Troitsko-Pecherskiy region, in the Komi Republic, the Columns of Erosion, or

Manpupuner as they are known in Russia are one of the countrys most mysterious attractions.

The 7 Strong Men as the locals call them are 7 massive rock towers bursting out of a flat

plateau. Their height, that reaches 42 meters, and their abnormal shapes make them

inaccessible to even the most experienced rock-climbers.


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Not much is known about these mysterious 7

Strong Men and on an international level they are

virtually unknown.Although very hard to reach and

set in a harsh environment, Manpupuner offers a

great sight to its visitors. Many say that while thereyou feel no need of water, food or rest, all you want

to do is stare at these masterpieces of nature, where

locals say spirits used to gather in ancient times.

The Seven Wonders of Russia

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