Kungur Ice Cave (Russia, Kungur): description, objects, schedule and reviews.
Kungur - popular tourist town, located in the Perm region, was founded in 1663. Since the 1970s, it has been considered historical city Russia.
Three rivers flow around the city - Babka, Sylva, Iren. The last two rivers are full-flowing than the first. The city itself is named after the Kungurka River, which flows into the Iren River. All who come here note its special aura, quiet grace and beautiful surroundings.
The main attractions of Kungur
Every year this small town becomes more and more famous; since 2008, excursions have been held here both for visitors and for the Kungur people themselves. Since the 19th century, Kungur has been famous as " tea city”, as it hosted about 80% of the major tea fairs. And this trade route was founded by the Honorary Citizen of Kungur, merchant and philanthropist Alexei Semenovich Gubkin.
In honor of the award of such a status and in memory of the founder, the monuments "Samovar" and "Monument dedicated to A.S. Gubkin. What else to see in this cozy Ural city?
ice cave
The main value of this city is the Kungur Ice Cave. The length of the cave is 5.7 km, of which 1.5 km is equipped for excursions. The Kungur cave contains 60 grottoes, 71 lakes, 146 so-called "organ pipes". The tour of the entire cave lasts several hours, and this time is barely enough to show its beauty. All visitors note the unusual air of the cave - it is very easy to breathe in it, although it is very cold there. Kungur cave - tourist facility of global importance. This is the largest karst cave in Russia and the seventh longest gypsum cave in the world. Air temperature inside +5°С.
It is impossible to enter the cave in summer clothes, and a sports suit is not good, but warm clothes can be rented on the square near the entrance.
The center of the world
The next attraction - "Navel of the Earth" - is the city center. Around the “navel” is the “Wind Rose”, it displays the distances from Kungur to world capitals. This attraction has titles: "The best existing object of tourism", "The best object of monumental art".
Gostiny Dvor
Nearby is the Gostiny Dvor, also called the Round Shopping Center. The name "Round" comes from its geometric shape - a circle, the building itself is very old and built in an unusual style, so they also devote time to it on excursions.
Churches and temples
Of great architectural and historical value are the churches of Kungur: Alekseevskaya, Spas-Preobrazhenskaya, Nikolskaya. There is also a modern Tatar mosque. And so interesting historical sites There are many more buildings and monuments. For a week, you can’t go around all these places and not stop admiring the beauty of this fabulous city!
Town
Near the famous Ice Cave there is a small fabulous "Town". This place is best to visit with children. All items: tables, sofas, chairs, stumps, huts, a well, fairy tale characters (Baba Yaga, a hare, a bear) are made of wood.
A small place is reserved for lovers - an intricate heart-shaped arch, next to which stands the Wishing Tree. It is made of stainless steel, the trunk and branches look like intertwined snakes. It is difficult to find a free place for your desire, because all the newlyweds come here to hang a “ribbon of love”.
Cultural life of Kungur
And that's not all that you can see in the city of Kungur, various holidays are held here, including international ones:
- International Aeronautics Festival, which traditionally ends with the enchanting "Dance of the Elephants" performed by airships;
- Young Shooter's Day - children's competitions based on military training are held;
- Youth Day - free attractions for children, concerts, performances by musical groups and much more.
Upon arrival in Kungur, you can stay at the hotel "Crystal" or "Iren". Each of them is good in its own way - "Crystal" stands next to the Ice Cave and "Gorodok", and the Iren Hotel is located in the city center, that is, next to the "Navel", the Krugly shopping center and many other attractions.
Speaking of Kungur and sights, you can be sure that once touching the history and traditions of the city, you will want to visit it more than once with your family and friends.
Photo by Margarita Kazina
To see this natural ice miracle, people come to the Urals from different parts of not only our country, but the whole world. The largest Russian cave, equipped for visiting, has been known for a long time, but tours of it have been held since 1914. Most of it is hidden from the eyes of tourists so as not to disturb the ecosystem.
Visiting card of the Urals
has long been recognized calling card Ural Kungur Ice Cave. Where is this unique wonder of nature located? It is located in the Kungur region Perm Territory, at the very base
Several stories are connected with the local attraction. It is said that the Cossack ataman Yermak wintered in the cave before his campaign in Siberia. In addition, the crosses found in the grottoes and even a small crypt testify that the Old Believers once lived here.
The Kungur Ice Cave is a huge labyrinth that stretches for almost six thousand kilometers, with spacious halls decorated with ice crystals.
Cave exploration
If you do not take into account the legend of Yermak, then until now scientists cannot say for sure who discovered the amazing miracle of nature. It is known that in 1703 famous explorer S. Remezov, after visiting Kungur, compiled detailed plan grottoes. However, there were a lot of inaccuracies on it, which academician I. Lepekhin tried to correct after 67 years, who examined a small part of the cave.
In 1879, an archaeological expedition led by I. Polyakov worked inside the labyrinths, and in Soviet times, a professor at Perm University G. Maksimovich even published a work in which he examined in detail the halls of the cave and various types of ice covering the grottoes. To this day, research is being carried out and scientific articles are published on current state object.
protected attraction
The Kungur ice cave is the oldest in the world. in a state-protected natural monument there are about 48 grottoes and about 70 lakes located underground. According to scientists, the age reaches twelve thousand years. It was then that a global catastrophe led to the extinction of many animals on Earth.
Kungur ice cave: opening hours
It is best to come here from February to April, when the cave stalactites and stalagmites reach incredible sizes. A kilometer-long route has been laid for tourists, and the duration of the journey through the magical halls of frozen music made of ice is an hour and a half.
Group tours are held daily, seven days a week. Starting from 10.00 to 17.00, the Kungur Ice Cave awaits all visitors, the prices for visiting which have increased since the new year and start from 300 and 600 rubles for children and adults tickets. Behind private tour grottoes will have to fork out for 1500 rubles.
ice palace
Everyone who visits the amazing halls of the cave for the first time feels like fairy-tale heroes who unexpectedly find themselves in the magical world of the Snow Queen. Admired by the beauties of the interior, adults turn into little children and walk around the natural palace with bated breath.
About 100,000 people visit the Ural sight every year. Tours are conducted along two main routes, and tourists note that it is best to visit both. Each group is accompanied by a guide who interesting stories associated with the cave, and talks about the main grottoes.
Surprisingly, the Kungur Ice Cave grows to this day, in which it is always cold. In some grottoes, the temperature drops to minus thirty degrees, which was previously used by merchants who stored meat here.
Routes and excursions
The Big Circle is the main route, laid out along concrete paths convenient for visitors and well lit. The most popular grottoes of the Kungur cave will not go unnoticed.
But rarely visited halls, barely touched by civilization and little studied, make up the Small Ring. Difficult passages on unpaved trails are not popular with older people, but are loved by young people. Often, at the request of tourists, they are led through the grottoes, lit only by the lights of candles, which add mystery. The most interesting route, which will not leave anyone indifferent, passes through the purest underground lakes.
Another innovation that visitors can take advantage of is signing up for thematic excursions with a final laser show. A stunning spectacle, in which ice icicles turn into different colors, shimmering and flashing with lights, will remain in your memory for a long time.
New Services
The Kungur Ice Cave, whose tour schedule is incredibly convenient for all visitors, introduces new services - lovers will be helped to organize romantic date and even register a marriage in one of the ice halls.
For tourists who want to visit not only the cave, but also stop for a few days to consider old City Kungur and its museum exhibits, cheap hotels, located at the very base of the Ice Mountain, offer their services.
Diamond Grotto
What awaits visitors inside the fairy kingdom? Let's consider what objects of the Kungur ice cave will appear before the visitors. It is simply unrealistic to tell about all the grottoes, so we will focus on the most interesting ones.
The first grotto, which is meaningfully called the Diamond Grotto, shimmers in the spotlights like Ali Baba's cave. Snow crystals that cover the walls and vault of the hall are lit with cheerful lights, and the cut passage to the next grotto is overgrown with ice.
polar grotto
The polar hall of the Kungurskaya cave once formed a single whole with the Brilliant Hall. Now the admirable spacious cave is famous for the largest accumulation of calcareous growths on the ceiling and bottom of the grotto, forming incredible beauty education. Fantastically beautiful stalactites and stalagmites of various shapes intertwined here, which create original fabulous compositions.
And in the niche of the Polar Grotto, a column is hidden, consisting of a monolith of ice and resembling a frozen waterfall.
Grottoes of Dante and Crypt
The journey through the ice kingdom continues, and a picturesque view of Dante's grotto, so named for the stone randomness, depicting the picture of hell described by the poet, opens before the eyes of astonished visitors.
Behind him begins the Crypt, from which there are forks of the Big and Small routes. The cave got its name from a small house built of stones here, which was mentioned by many research expeditions. Later, the shelter was destroyed, but the name remained.
Cross Grotto
Next to the Crypt is a new hall, in which they found an altar and icons left over from the Old Believers. Scientists are sure that here hermits were hiding from the persecution of the authorities.
Ruins of Pompeii
Grotto of the Ruins of Pompeii is a cave full of chaotic heaps boulders, as if left after an ancient city destroyed by a volcanic eruption.
In the center of the mess arranged by nature itself, there is a sculpture illuminated by the cave workers, the outlines of which resemble a turtle and a crocodile.
and Sculptural
Both children and adults will enjoy the following grottoes of the Kungur Ice Cave - the Seabed and the Sculpture. In the first one, the overgrown gypsum formations will amaze the imagination, in which the figures of the inhabitants of the sea day are guessed. And in the center of the second tourists are met by the Frog Princess, made of stone.
meteor grotto
The meteor grotto is known according to a legend that in the complete darkness of this cave, a person with a bad conscience will see the outlines of a lame Light speleologist, who remained here forever after the betrayal of a friend.
A huge spotlight goes out for several minutes, plunging all visitors into absolute darkness.
coral grotto
The Coral Cave will be remembered by fans of horror films, because the miraculous profile of Count Dracula is guessed in it. And against a bright red background, a bizarre silhouette of a huge rhinoceros without a tail appears, carved over many centuries by nature itself.
Cognitive adventure: reviews
According to tourists, the Kungur ice cave is wonderful world ice and cold. The stone chaos created by mother nature and the ringing silence take all visitors to an unreal world in which they begin to truly appreciate life.
After the end of an amazing adventure, a person realizes that he is just a grain of sand in a vast world, and his life is a moment compared to eternity.
Not far from Kungur there is something fantastic that makes tourists travel hundreds of kilometers to meet a miracle. What sight of the old town is of general interest?
Kungur ice cave
Unique grottoes created by nature, underground lakes with crystal clear water, bizarre shapes of stalactites and stalagmites delight travelers who have visited the famous cave on the banks of the Sylva River. From landscapes underworld temporarily lost the power of speech. This beauty is worth seeing!
Studies have shown that the age of the cave is more than 10 thousand years. The length of underground halls and grottoes is 5.7 km. excursion route stretched for 1.7 km.
There are more than seventy lakes in the ice cave. The depth of the largest reaches three meters, and the area is 1.4 thousand square meters.
The excursion program will satisfy the needs of different categories of tourists. Pass every day sightseeing tours duration 1.5 hours. It is possible to book a private tour.
Thematic programs have been developed: "On a visit to Grandfather Frost", "In search of Ermak's treasure", an excursion with a laser show. You can even have a wedding under the shimmering vaults!
A variety of handicrafts made from minerals are sold near the entrance to the Kungur cave. A modern hotel complex "Stalagmit" was built near Ice Mountain.
Ice patterns, unique sparkling sculptures, frozen waterfalls and fantastic shapes around are worthy of attention.
You can get from Kungur to the ice cave by bus or taxi. The Kungur miracle is located three kilometers from the city railway station.
Many tourists believe that in this merchant town, apart from the cave, there are no other notable sights. How wrong they are! Kungur is deservedly included in the list of historical cities of Russia.
Check out the most interesting places, which are definitely worth a visit while traveling to Kungur. Architectural monuments, religious buildings, original sculptures, expositions of city museums are of interest.
Museum of the History of Merchants
Kungur is an ancient merchant town, which in the 17th-19th centuries earned the fame of one of the most important shopping centers Ural. A rich collection is located in the building of the Small Gostiny Dvor.
The merchant past of Kungur is presented in several interesting expositions. The pride of the museum is the Royal Doors, delivered from the Annunciation Cathedral.
Gostiny Dvor
One of the symbols of the merchant city was built in 1876. On the territory of Gostiny Dvor in those days there were shopping arcades. The architectural monument is in good condition.
Museum staff bit by bit collected the collection. Now there are thousands of exhibits in the halls.
The history and cultural traditions of the peoples of the Perm region are traced from ancient times. Everyday and festive national clothes, tools, ancient hunting weapons, household items, handicrafts of the Ural masters are presented.
On Tuesdays, the staff organizes group tours. On other days, except Monday, you can leisurely walk around all corners of the museum.
Address: st. Gogol, 36.
See merchant houses and estates of wealthy citizens built in the 19th century. Most interesting:
The estate of E.Ya.Dubinin.
The mansion of G.K. Kuznetsov.
Ancient temples are another treasure of the city. All churches were built over a century ago.
Spaso-Preobrazhenskaya Church with a high bell tower.
Tikhvin Church, within the walls of which the miraculous icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God is kept.
Assumption Church.
St. Nicholas Church over the grave of the famous tea merchant A.S. Gubkin.
Monument to the flyer Nikitka
This sculpture was erected in honor of the famous serf Nikitka Kryakutny, who dreamed of overcoming the force of gravity in the middle of the 17th century. Having made wings, he jumped from a 50-meter bell tower. The retribution for the desire to conquer the sky was severe: the dreamer was executed.
The monument was opened in 2009.
Not only the local peasant dreamed of conquering the heavens. In Kungur, the annual ballooning festival attracts hundreds of participants from all over Russia. The Sky Fair takes place in July. A colorful show featuring bright balloons attracts thousands of spectators.
On the embankment of Sylva there is the “Navel of the Earth”. This is the name of the sculptural composition, which reminds the townspeople and guests of Kungur about the tea merchants who glorified Kungur. The monument was opened in 2007.
Yermak's Stone is located 10 km from Kungur - a limestone rock, which was chosen by fans active rest and climbers. The places here are incredibly beautiful.
Babinogorskaya cave is another natural miracle in the vicinity of Kungur. Underground labyrinths and spacious halls attract cave divers and speleologists.
That's how many attractions are in the merchant city of Kungur. Vivid impressions worth the money spent. Kungur is one of those cities that is worth going around far and wide. Wonderful corners will not leave you indifferent.
Visit other cities in the Ural region. Guests are invited by Nizhny Tagil, Kamensk-Uralsky and Chelyabinsk. Have a nice trip!
On November 15-16, a new two day trip participants of the Yekaterinburg and Perm "Uraloved" to the Perm Territory.
It was the anniversary - already the hundredth trip of the project.
On Sunday, someone went to Suksun and to the Plakun waterfall, someone to the Belogorsky Monastery, and the majority went to the former military base, on the territory of which many structures, vast bunkers of several floors, blown up missile silos, etc. have been preserved. Along the way, we looked into an old adit of a copper mine.
The trip was attended by 27 people from Yekaterinburg, Perm, Polevskoy, Revda, Kamensk-Uralsky.
We spent the night in a cottage near the Kungur cave. The place to spend the night exceeded all expectations. It turned out to be very cozy and comfortable, there is everything you need. And this is for very little money. I recommend! Who will need to spend the night in Kungur, please contact: 8-902-830-87-82 (Galina).
The anniversary trip was not without gifts. Elena Stryukova from Kamensk-Uralsky made souvenirs with the project symbols (pens, calendars and badges) for each participant. Polevchane Vladimir Kudryavtsev and Sergey Dunaev donated two walkie-talkies to the project, which will significantly facilitate our communication while traveling. And Stanislav Karpov donated his wonderful book "Journey through the Pole region". Many thanks to these good people!
The former city government of Kungur and the cross
Church of the Transfiguration of the 18th century
The next object after Yermak is Podkamennaya Gora. We arrived there after sunset, in the dark.
Therefore, they found and visited only one of the caves.
The cave is unusual, plaster. In her beautiful lakes with the purest water
The crew from Polevsky (Vladimir Kudryavtsev, Sergey Dunaev and Stanislav Karpov) presented the project with two walkie-talkies and a book by Stanislav Karpov "Journey through the Polevskoy region". For which we thank them very much!
On the second day, we saw an adit, presumably of the 18th century, where copper sandstone was mined
Path to an abandoned military town
There are a lot of various underground facilities in this area.
You can walk along the corridors of the bunkers for a long time. The total length is several kilometers. The longest bunker has at least three levels, but the third is flooded.
See more photos in
As promised, today there will be a continuation of that post. Today I want to tell you about the wonderful city of Kungur, after which the cave is named.
To be honest, perhaps some of the information from this article will not be entirely relevant, since I happened to visit Kungur back in 2008 and a lot could change. But I liked this small Ural town so much and when I looked at the photos of that trip the other day, I could not resist writing about it on my blog.
Since this article is more about the sights of Kungur, it Beautiful places and the history of the city, I think all this is more relevant now. But if there are still any inaccuracies, then please correct me in the comments to this article.
The city of Kungur was founded in the middle of the 17th century on the Kungurka River, after which it was named. But after only 14 years, it was burned down and then moved to a new modern place next to the Sylva River. At one time, Kungur was a rich merchant city and many merchant houses built in the 19th century have been well preserved to this day. No wonder Kungur is called a museum under open sky. Walking along its old streets, seeing the local sights is a pleasure!
After we made our unforgettable walk through the Kungur cave and spent the night in the local hotel complex "Stalactite", in the morning we walked around the neighborhood for a long time and admired the views, climbing a high hill next to the cave.
This is what the outskirts of Kungur looks like from a hilltop:
Outskirts:
And visited the geological museum, which is located next to the cave:
Some exhibits:
After that we went to the city itself. Since Kungur is a rather small city, we did not have much time to get to know it. As it turned out later - in vain! There are so many interesting things in Kungur that it is better to stay in it for at least a couple of days.
We walk around the city:
Monument to the pioneers of the Kungur region. Yermak sailed on such boats with his Cossacks when he mastered these lands.
One of the symbols of the city is the T-34 tank. It is installed on Victory Square in memory of volunteer tankers:
Names and surnames of tankers from Kungur who fought on the fields of the Great Patriotic War:
River Sylva in Kungur:
Sylvensky bridge is one of the main sights of the city. According to legend, the design of this bridge came to Kungur by accident.
As I said, we did not stay in Kungur for a long time and therefore did not have time to see all the sights. And in Kungur there were quite a few of them! Here are other sights of Kungur that we unfortunately did not see (there will be a reason to return):
– churches and monasteries: Church of Tikhvin, Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, Church of St. Nicholas, Ensemble of St. John the Baptist Convent, Assumption Church
- monuments: a monument to the merchant Gubkin, Nikita the Flyer, a monument to a samovar, the Navel of the Earth, an obelisk in honor of the defenders of Kungur from the troops of Pugachev;
- architectural monuments: Mikhailo-Antonino-Kirillovsky Syrup House, M.I. Gribushin, G.K. Kuznetsov, the estate of E.Ya. Dubinin, M.I. Gribushin, City Magistrate, Gostiny Dvor.
- museums: Art Museum, Museum of the History of Merchants.
Also, be sure to check out one of the pottery shops in the city. There you can buy beautiful dishes or souvenirs of very high quality! Before leaving for Chelyabinsk, in one such store of pottery goods, Elvira and I bought in full
The city of Kungur is indeed one of the most beautiful and historically interesting cities in the Urals. And if you decide to visit the Kungur ice cave - the main attraction of the city, be sure to visit Kungur itself!
This article is written more about my own experiences. I deliberately did not try to cover all the information about the city. So if you have something to add in terms of specific information, then welcome to the comments!
