Minusinsk, Russia

Minusinsk is the largest city in the south of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, once the only county town in the upper reaches of the Yenisei. Having been pushed aside by the neighboring Abakan, Minusinsk has retained an impressive amount of merchant antiquity, along with a wonderful old temple and one of the best local history museums in Siberia.

Minusinsk is located in a basin of the same name, surrounded on all sides by mountains - the Kuznetsk Alatau from the west and the Sayan Mountains in all their diversity from the north, south and east. The climate of the Minusinsk Basin is considered quite mild, which is why it is called both Siberian Italy and Yenisei Switzerland: compared to other places of exile, the same Decembrists perceived Minusinsk as a resort - however, adjusted for its Siberian essence. Around Minusinsk there are bare hills, which every now and then loom in the perspective of city streets.

The outpost on the right bank of the Yenisei, at the confluence of the Minusa River, was founded in 1739, 30 years later than the Abakan and Sayan forts, which secured the Minusinsk Basin for Russia. In its first incarnation, Minusinsk did not exist for long, since the metallurgical plants opened in this area were soon closed due to unprofitability. The city was revived 30 years later, when a flow of free settlers, and later exiles, reached Siberia. Quite quickly, Minusinsk became the largest village south of Krasnoyarsk and in 1822 received city status, and even the status of a county center. Until the mid-1920s. Minusinsk was the center of a huge county that occupied the entire south of the modern Krasnoyarsk Territory and the territory of Khakassia. Minusinsk merchants grew rich through trade with China and semi-legal activities in Tuva, which did not belong to Russia at that time. These same merchants stood at the origins of the Khakass industry.

In the early 1910s. Vera Balandina, one of the richest residents of Minusinsk, initiated the mining of coal in present-day Chernogorsk and sponsored the construction of the Achinsk-Minusinsk railway. The road to Abakan was completed only in 1925, and they did not extend it to Minusinsk in order to save on the construction of a bridge across the Yenisei, and this played a cruel joke on the city. Abakan becomes the center of local life, and Minusinsk turns into a sleepy town, notable only for its port on the Yenisei and the stay of Lenin, who was going into exile.

Now there is no port (with the construction of Sayano-Shushenskaya and other hydroelectric power stations, navigation on the Yenisei above Krasnoyarsk has almost ceased), few people are interested in Lenin’s legacy, and the old part of Minusinsk, with its silence and antiquity, has begun to resemble northern cities like Veliky Ustyug. There is also a new city in Minusinsk with residential high-rise buildings, there is a food industry, but in terms of infrastructure, Minusinsk is not even close to Abakan, located 25 km to the west. In terms of attractions, everything is exactly the opposite: if for some reason you find yourself in Abakan, you need to go to Minusinsk first. Exploring the city will take at least 3-4 hours, and it’s quite possible to spend half a day here.

 

Orientation

The old, low-rise part of Minusinsk is located on the right (northern) bank of the Minusa, and the new one, built up with high-rise buildings, is on the left. Entering the city from Abakan, you will first find yourself in the new part of the city and only then, driving along Abakan Street and crossing the bridge, you will find yourself in the old one. It begins with a square with a church and a local history museum, and continues to the east, along Lenin, Karl Marx and Red Partisans streets, leading to Lenin Square - the city center. It is on this site that all the most interesting things are located, and then the luxurious old buildings are gradually replaced by one-story and wooden buildings.

 

How to get there

By train
There is only one Abakan-Krasnoyarsk passenger train passing through Minusinsk. There is also an electric train from Abakan to the east, through Minusinsk (once a day, to Koshurnikovo), but it’s hard to think of why you might need it.

1  Railway station, microdistrict. Zeleny Bor (outside the city, 10 km from the center). 22 rub. A small station with nothing but a rather large station building and a bunch of lazy taxi drivers occupying the platform when each train arrives. You can go to the city by bus 103, the interval of which is 30 minutes. Moreover, at each stop the arrival time of the bus on this route is indicated.

By bus
From Abakan to Minusinsk every 10 minutes, from 6 am to 9 pm, minibus 120 runs. In Abakan it goes along Pushkin Street (and possibly departs from the bus station), in Minusinsk it passes along Abakan Street and then along Mira Street from the final point to bus station. If you are going to see the city, it is best to get off the minibus at the “Museum” stop next to the church, right after the bridge.

Also, all those Abakan buses that go to the right bank of the Yenisei - to Kuragino, Shushenskoye, Ermakovskoye and, finally, to Kyzyl - stop in Minusinsk. Many of these buses depart from Krasnoyarsk, so Minusinsk has fairly regular connections with the regional center: the journey takes about 7 hours.

2  Bus station, st. Red Partisans, 120a. 6:00–23:30. A new building with a ticker and its own flower garden, which, however, does not disturb the atmosphere of slight desolation reigning throughout the city. Inside there is a cafe open during the daytime and a storage room. Another one, and a 24-hour cafe is located in a shed next door. The bus station is a kilometer east of the center; almost all city buses pass by it.

By car
Minusinsk is located on the M54 Yenisei highway, 440 km from Krasnoyarsk and 370 km from Kyzyl. It’s 25 km from Abakan, and it’s better to travel along a combined road-railway bridge over the Yenisei. From Minusinsk, signs will direct you to the Abakan bypass, as a result of which you will make a considerable detour. To the east the road leads to Kuragino and further to Krasnoyarsk along the right bank of the Yenisei (450 km).

 

Transport

There are about 20 bus routes in Minusinsk operated by PAZiki. Fare: 19 rubles (2017). In any case, you need to walk around the center, but you can take a bus to the bus station (any transport along Mira Street) or to the new part of the city (from the Museum stop, any transport going to the bridge).

 

Sights

Spassky Cathedral.
Vilner House, Oktyabrskaya street, 63, Minusinsk, Krasnoyarsk region, 662608.
Minusinsk Drama Theatre, Podsinskaya st., 75, Minusinsk, Krasnoyarsk region, 662608.
Museum of Local Lore named after. Martyanova, st. Lenina, 60. 10:00–18:00. 100 rub. The Minusinsk Museum was founded in 1877 and even before the revolution a special building was built for it. Since at that time the whole of Khakassia, and informally also Tuva, belonged to the Minusinsk district, the museum contained an absolutely stunning archaeological collection, occupying an entire floor: there are about 50 stone sculptures and blocks with petroglyphs alone, and there are hundreds of objects from ancient cultures. On the second floor they show the history of southern Siberia, and in a separate building there is the obligatory nature hall with stuffed animals. They say that there are many more interesting things in storage. A new building with additional exhibitions is due to open in 2017. Plan on at least an hour to explore the museum.
Museum of the Decembrists, st. Defense, 59a. Mon–Fri 9:00–18:00. 40 rub.
Museum-apartment of G.M. Krzhizhanovsky and V.V. Starkova, st. Oktyabrskaya, 73. Mon–Fri 10:00–18:00. 40 rub.
Museum of Automotive Technology, st. Zatubinskaya, 43.
Bath Neptune, st. Bograda, 4, Minusinsk, Krasnoyarsk region, 662602. 250 rub. Good steam, cleanliness and the atmosphere of a real Russian bathhouse. A common area with a steam room, a small bath, and a washing room. There are cubicles in the locker room with a lock, but no one uses them. There is a TV. It is not recommended to drink alcoholic beverages. And if you want, then go to the sauna. There you can.

 

Eat

1  Bistro “Samovar”, st. Lenina, 74 (center). Mon–Fri 7:30–16:00. A classic village diner, where during the day they cook something for lunch, and the rest of the time they serve you pies and whatever else you need. There are only two tables inside, so it can get crowded. Don't count on brewed coffee. Opening hours should be taken approximately: at 7:30 the cafe does not open, and there is no one on the streets at this time.
2  Dining room “Minus”, st. Oktyabrskaya, 95A (next to the market). 7:00–19:00. Large canteen next to the market; especially suitable for those who miss the aluminum spoons and forks of the Soviet era. The food is pretty much the same.
3  Burgernaya “Cutlet/ Kotleta”  , st. Abakanskaya, 44 (in the new part of the city). 11:00–23:00. If there were hipsters in Minusinsk, this establishment would be quite suitable for them. Judging by the prices (80 rubles for a burger and 100 rubles for a burrito), the cutlets are bought in local canteens, but the cafe is decorated quite modernly.

 

Hotels

Hotel "Amyl", st. Lenina, 74. ☎ +7 (39132) 2-01-06, +7 (39132) 5-10-26. Single room with amenities: from 1500 rubles, room without amenities: 600-1000 rubles/person. The only hotel in the old part of Minusinsk is located in a two-story merchant house. They promise quite decent rooms with or without amenities, and breakfasts can be arranged at the Samovar diner located next door (see above). Wi-Fi.

 

Etymology

The name of the city of Minusinsk comes from the hydronym Minus, which is of Turkic origin. The name of the river is derived from the Türkic words min "thousand" (understood as a lot, abundance) and su "water", or from the Türkic mines "many" and the Mongolian "us" or "river".

 

History

The city was founded in 1739 at the confluence of the Minusa river into the navigable channel of the Yenisei, as the village of Minyusinskoe (later Minusinskoe) as a result of the expansion of the southeastern frontier of the Russian Empire, formed radially from the fortress city of Tomsk. Earlier, near modern Minusinsk, the Abakan prison (now Krasnoturansk) was built in this way, and then, years later, the Abakansk prison (now the city of Abakan).

In 1797 the village of Minusinskoye became the center of the Minusinsk volost of the Tomsk district of the Tomsk region of the Siberian kingdom. Until the end of the 18th century, Siberia underwent a number of administrative and territorial changes. For example, in 1782 this territory became part of the Tomsk district of the Tomsk region, then in 1797 the Tomsk and Tobolsk regions were united into the Tobolsk province for several years, including the Abakan forts of the Kuznetsk district.

After the formation in 1822 of the Yenisei province with the center in Krasnoyarsk, Minusinsk received the status of a city and a district (district) center. Minusinsk district (district) united 4 volosts: Minusinsk, Abakan and Novoselovsk, transferred here from the Kuznetsk district of the Tomsk province. The district (county) also included the Kuraginskaya volost and the South Yenisei Shushenskaya volost.

In 1823, 787 people lived in the city, of which 156 were exiles.

In 1898 it became the center of the Minusinsk district (existed until 1925) of the Yenisei province.

In December 1925, the city became the center of the Minusinsk District, an administrative-territorial unit of the Siberian Territory (the regional center of Novosibirsk), which existed in 1925-1930. The district included 6 districts: Abakansky, Beisky, Ermakovsky (Leninsky), Idrinsky, Karatuzsky, Kuraginsky, Minusinsky, Usinsky. On July 30, 1930, the Minusinsk District, like most other districts of the USSR, was abolished. Its districts came under direct subordination to the West Siberian Territory with the center in Novosibirsk. At the end of 1934, the cities and districts that formed the Krasnoyarsk Territory separated from the West Siberian Territory. On May 11, 1942 Minusinsk received the status of a city of regional subordination.

 

Emblem
The shield is divided into two equal parts, the Yenisei provincial coat of arms is depicted in the upper half ("In a scarlet shield, a golden lion with azure eyes and tongue and black claws, holding a golden shovel in his right paw, and a sickle in the left"), and in the lower half, on azure field, running horse. The shield is adorned with a golden city crown.

The coat of arms was approved on November 19 (December 1), 1854.

Day of the city
Since 2004, on the penultimate Sunday of August, the city holiday has been celebrated as the Minusinsk Tomato Day. Since 2008, it has been awarded the status of a regional holiday. The record-breaking tomato was grown in 2011, its weight was 2146 g.