Gothic towers, ancient mountains and Bashkir village

Orenburg: Gothic towers, ancient mountains and Bashkir village in the city center

Historians disagree on when exactly Orenburg was founded. The fortress was built in 1735 on the site of present-day Orsk, but a few months later it was flooded by the Yaik and Or rivers. The next place for the city was the Krasnaya Gora tract, but nearby there were villages of Bashkir nomads who raided. Finally, in 1743, the fortress was laid on the banks of the Ural River. It stood for more than 120 years until Orenburg ceased to be an outpost in 1861.


1. Steppe museum

Most passers-by do not pay attention to this building. It's in vain, because this is a unique architectural monument, a place where you can travel through time. Steppe tseikhhaus (German for "military depot") It was built in 1855 by order of the mayor V. A. Perovsky for the combat support of the Bashkir-Meshcheryak army. Together with the Cossacks, it guarded the southern borders of the empire.

The architectural ensemble consists of the main building, an inner courtyard and one-storey office buildings. The ornaments of the facades of the steppe museum resemble Bashkir embroidered towels or carpets. Everything has been preserved in its original form.

Unfortunately, the building is now empty and it will not be possible to get inside, even into the courtyard: the former military warehouse is at the disposal of the Ministry of Defense. A few years ago, the building was recognized as a cultural heritage site. This gives hope that the building will be preserved and maybe even turned into a museum or art cluster.


2. The architectural complex "Caravanserai"

The caravanserai is a place where you can get acquainted with the life of the eastern peoples of Orenburg region. The roadside building, traditional for Central Asia, served as a recreation area for travelers and merchants.

The Orenburg caravanserai was conceived to house the command of the Bashkir army, but the detachment was abolished until 1842, when the complex was completed. As a result, the buildings stood idle for several years until the city administration moved here.

In Soviet times, the caravanserai was used as a club, and a planetarium was opened in the mosque building. The "Caravanserai" Muslim religious association is now based in the complex, and the mosque is welcoming parishioners again.

If you are interested in this object, I advise you to go inside the mosque to admire the Bashkir ceiling decorations, colorful stained glass windows and carpets that cover the floor.


3. Water tower

Now I suggest you turn onto Postnikov Street and continue along Pobedy Avenue to the nearest intersection. It is decorated with a water tower, one of the most recognizable sights of Orenburg.

The high lancet windows in its lower part give the building grace and sophistication: their shape and position "facilitate" the construction of the building. The contrasting combination of red brick and ochre plaster decorative elements makes it look a bit like a gingerbread house.

The tower has been regularly supplying the city with clean drinking water since 1920, and in the middle of the century, artists' workshops were opened in its premises. Then there was a student club and various commercial organizations. There is now a burger joint and a hardware store in the tower.

4. Orenburg Regional Philharmonic

Continuing along Marshal Zhukov Street, you will pass a building of a delicate peach color. The Regional Philharmonic is one of the most important cultural venues in the Orenburg region. The building, made in the style of Soviet classicism, pleases the eye with its openwork pediment with floral elements and columns of the Corinthian order.

Ensembles of folk dances and songs perform at the Orenburg Philharmonic, classical music and jazz festivals are held, opera singers known throughout Russia come here.

5. The exhibition complex "Salyut, Victory!"

About 70 pieces of military and post-war equipment are on display at the "Salyut, Victory!" memorial complex-museum: combat vehicles, anti-tank rifles, tanks, scaled-down copies of fighter jets and anti-aircraft guns.

The complex is currently closed for renovation and free access is possible only on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

6. The building of the bank of the Mutual Credit Society

It's hard to say how many times I stopped and admired this building. This example of the Art Nouveau architectural style of the 1900s and 1910s is one of the most beautiful buildings in Orenburg. I advise you to bypass it from Leninskaya Street: the western facade of the building is in no way inferior in architectural beauty to the main (southern) facade.

7. The cursed house in Fabrichny Lane

If you are attracted to mystical stories, I advise you to find an old house at 31 Fabrichny Lane. This urban estate was built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. No one has lived here for a long time now — the house has been declared an emergency.

I found it for a reason: I wanted to see all the Gothic buildings in the city. History has not preserved the names of the owners of the mansion and its architect, but the legend associated with this building is alive. After the 1917 revolution, the Bolsheviks forcibly evicted the owners of merchant estates, and the owners of house 31 suffered the same fate. The owner of the mansion burst into curses in despair. It is said that since then, residents of neighboring houses have been plagued by illnesses and failures.

In my opinion, visiting "cursed" or other abnormal places can only harm those who take these scary stories seriously. On the contrary, I wanted to come back here again and again to admire the modest, but at the same time noble decor in the style of pseudo-gothic. Pilasters built into the facade support a frieze resembling the battlemented parapet of a medieval castle. The entrance is decorated with a carved wooden canopy — a real work of art.

It is always quiet and there are few people here, so I can recommend this place to relax from the hustle and bustle of the city.

8. Sovetskaya pedestrian street

Sovetskaya Street in Orenburg is a 3—kilometer-long local Arbat crossing the city center from north to south.

The most interesting section is the two—kilometer stretch from Postnikov Street to the Ural River. It begins at the city administration building (1914-1916), which was occupied by the mutual insurance company before the revolution.

9. The House of Soviets

A little further away is the monumental House of Soviets, which now houses the Legislative Assembly and the government of the Orenburg region. The huge Stalinist Empire style building was built in 1940.

Parades and celebrations were held on the square next to the House of Soviets. Previously, the Kazan Cathedral stood in its place, which at one time was the largest Orthodox church in Russia. He decorated Orenburg for 38 years. Fate is sad: in 1932, the Soviet government decided to get rid of the building.

One of the urban legends says that when the clergy learned about the authorities' intentions to destroy the temple, they moved the most valuable relics to secretly excavated underground passages, which they then walled up. Several independent sources report that these passages cover the entire central part of the city, connecting important urban sites and houses. It is said that a network of underground passages began to be built during the time of the first fortress in the middle of the XVIII century to deliver weapons and food to the townspeople if the city was besieged.

10. The Clock Tower

A clock tower with a weather vane — a silhouette of a bird appeared on the main pedestrian street of Orenburg not so long ago, in 1997. The building, similar to a Lutheran church, is notable for the clock mechanism: at a certain time, symbols of Orenburg come out to "say hello" to passersby — a Cossack, a pukhovnitsa, Alexander Pushkin, a soldier and several others.

"" The rest of the time, the chimes on the tower delight passers-by hourly with a beautiful bell chime that reproduces melodies familiar to citizens and tourists: the anthem of the city, the songs "Orenburg down shawl", "Farewell of the Slavs" and others.

11. Pushkin Boulevard and the embankment of the Ural River

Initially, the embankment of the Ural River ran a tier above the modern embankment, on the site of Pushkin Boulevard. Before the revolution of 1917, the most bohemian place in Orenburg, "Belov Railway Station" restaurant, was located there. The three-story restaurant with galleries and breathtaking views of the river was demolished more than 100 years ago, but its memory is alive: Orenburg residents call Pushkin Boulevard "Belovka".

For a long time, going down to the water was a risky business: a winding dirt path led down, which was washed away in rainy weather. In 1955, the problem was solved, and the embankment was decorated with a monumental staircase in the Stalinist Empire style. At the top there is a monument to the famous Soviet pilot Chkalov.

Part of the embankment is occupied by the city beach, a favorite vacation spot for citizens.

The coastline is covered with clean fine sand, on which comfortable deck chairs are located. The water is clear and clean, so you can safely swim. But there is nowhere to "roam around" here: in recent years, the Urals have become very shallow in this place, so only children can really enjoy swimming.

12. Children's railway station

On July 26, 1953, the first train set off from "Komsomolskaya" station of the Orenburg Children's Railway. The road was paved so that the children could comfortably get to the summer health camps.

The path starts in the city center from the pedestrian bridge over the Ural River. "Komsomol" station is followed by "Pionerskaya" station, where several beaches are located. "Dubki" and "Kirovskaya" stations are further away, where children's health camps are located.

Adults can also take a train ride along the Orenburg railway (even if the destination is not a summer camp). Trains run only in summer on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9:54 to 16:58.

Most of the road runs along the Ural River, and the views here are very picturesque. It is noteworthy that the trip itself is accompanied by young ushers and guides. Even children control the train — under the supervision of experienced adult drivers.

The total round trip lasts about an hour and a half. This is a great opportunity to explore the southern part of the city and give yourself and especially the children an unforgettable experience.

The cost of an adult ticket is 80 rubles, for children from 5 to 14 years old — 50 rubles. Children under 5 years old are free of charge.

13. Europe — Asia Pedestrian Bridge

The Ural River divides the city (and according to the locals, the whole world) into European and Asian parts. However, modern geographers draw the border between Europe and Asia not along the river, but along the Ural Mountains.

Orenburg Bridge is depicted on all calendars and souvenirs.

14. The Elizabethan Gate

At the top, which is reached by a park path, you will be greeted by two warlike angels, like gatekeepers guarding the mighty Ural River. The gate is a replica of an identical gate that was granted by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in 1755 after the suppression of the Bashkir uprising. A replica was installed on Pushkin Boulevard in 2008.

The original monument originally stood on the Water Gate of the city Rampart, at the intersection of modern Burzyantsev and M. Gorky streets. In the 18th century, this place had a view of the Kirghiz-Kaisatsky steppe. The monument served as a message to the nomadic peoples of the Orenburg region, reminding them of the Empress's anger and the decisive actions of her army in the event of a riot. Subsequently, a replica of the Elizabethan Gate was installed on the coastal slope in front of the "old" descent to the Ural River.

15. "Europe — Asia" cable car

A cable car connects the Orenburg embankment with the Zauralnaya Grove. Its length is 233 meters, and the journey from one coast of the Urals to the other takes two to three minutes.

The popular tourist attraction is open daily from 10:00 to 22:00.

The one-way fare is 70 ₽ for adults and 35 ₽ for children.

16. Orenburg History Museum

The Orenburg region has witnessed important historical events for the Russian state over the years. One of the most striking is the siege of the city fortress by rebel Yemelyan Pugachev in 1773-1774. At that time, the city, which lay near the border and through which trade routes passed, was already a strategically important point of the Russian Empire. That is why Pugachev captured Orenburg and eventually held it for almost seven months.

In the 19th century, the city became a place of exile for political prisoners, including famous writers. For example, the poet Taras Shevchenko was imprisoned in the fortress for ten years.

By the standards of that time, the Orenburg fortress was very large. It consisted of ten bastions and two half-bastions.

To learn more about the fortress and famous personalities associated with Orenburg, visit the city's history museum. His collection includes very rare exhibits. For example, the cage in which Pugachev was imprisoned, drafts of Alexander Pushkin's "Captain's Daughter", antique weapons and costumes. The expositions of the Orenburg History Museum allow you to visit several epochs at once: from the founding of Orenburg to the end of the 20th century.

This museum is quite small in size, but 90% of the exhibits are really very interesting. So a "full immersion" is guaranteed.

The museum building itself is worthy of being considered an exhibit. It's a real medieval fortress, like something out of a chivalric novel. The building, built in 1856, was planned to house the archive of Governor-General Perovsky, but in fact it was used for a long time as a guardhouse (prison for military personnel).

17. Cultural and entertainment complex "National Village"

""At the end of our walk around the city, I suggest you take a look at the National Village Ethnopark, where the traditions of numerous nationalities living in the Orenburg region are collected: Russians, Tatars, Kazakhs, Ukrainians, Bashkirs and others.

For the convenience of visitors, the ethnopark is divided into ten zones, here they are called farmsteads. Each of them is dedicated to the cultural characteristics of a particular ethnic group. The "Friendship" fountain is installed in the center of the "National Village", symbolizing the unity and brotherhood of all peoples of the world.In the evenings, it shimmers with bright colors thanks to the included backlight.

The territory of the "National Village" is free to enter. Some museums charge a small fee to visit. When planning a walk, take into account their working hours: Tuesday — Friday from 10:00 to 18:00, Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00, Sunday, Monday — day off.