Khakassia is a popular holiday destination among tourists. Here you can find all the information about Khakassia: photographs, weather, interesting places and facts.
Republic Khakassia is a subject of the Russian Federation, located in the southwest of the Eastern part of Siberia, bordering the Altai Republic in the southwest, the Tyva Republic in the south, the Kemerovo region in the west, and the Krasnoyarsk Territory in the southeast.
The capital of the republic is Abakan.
Length of territory Khakassia from north to south it is 460 km, from west to east (in the widest part) – 200 km. Almost 35% of the republic’s territory is occupied by steppes and forest-steppes, the rest falls on mountain-taiga and high-mountain landscapes. The mountainous regions of Khakassia are represented by the eastern slopes of the Kuznetsk Alatau and Abakan ridges, the northern slopes of the Western Sayan (altitude up to 2930 m).
Khakassia is rich in lakes; there are more than 500 lakes. Lakes of Khakassia varied - salty and fresh, mountain and steppe, the water of many of them is healing. The most famous lakes are Tus, Shira, Ivanovskie, Belyo, Itkul.
The largest rivers of Khakassia are the Yenisei, Abakan, Chulym and Tom.
Climate Khakassia is sharply continental, with hot summers and cold winters with little snow. The average air temperature in July is +17°C...+19°C, in January – -15°C...-20°C, in the foothills and mountains it is cooler. South-westerly winds predominate. Strong winds are typical for the spring period. Precipitation ranges from 300 mm per year in the valleys and up to 700 mm in the mountains. The main amount of precipitation occurs in the summer.
Tourism and rest
Khakassia is a picturesque region, endowed with historical and natural resources, offering tourists an interesting and varied holiday.
Holidays in Khakassia can be carried out actively - hiking and horseback riding, visit unique natural and ancient sacred places, archaeological sites. Many tourists today travel in their own cars, choosing the most interesting route for themselves.
Therapeutic and recreational holidays in the republic it develops thanks to lakes with mineral water and healing mud (Belyo, Chernoye, Shira, Tus, Khankul, Shunet, Dikoe). Every year, the lakes receive thousands of vacationers who choose either a secluded beach holiday with treatment, or a vacation with friends on the shore. Some lakes have tourist infrastructure (places of recreation, food, entertainment venues) and offer water activities (water skiing, wakeboarding, knobboarding, buns, etc.).
Another popular tourism destination in Khakassia is ski holiday– prepared trails of varying difficulty levels on Mount Gladenkaya (southern part of Khakassia), off-piste skiing on various slopes in the vicinity of the village of Priiskovoye (in the north-west of Khakassia) and a ski slope in the village of Vershina Toi, certified by the International Ski Federation (in the west of the republic).
Attractions
Mountain range "Chests"- an array of five separate mountain-outcrops, up to 200 m high. On the first “chest”, at the top, there is an outlier, shaped like the outline of a chest, as well as outcrops in the form of fortress walls. Scientists have several versions about the purpose of this place: an observatory of the ancients, a cult place, a landing site for alien ships... There are rock paintings, a site with unique acoustics (even a whisper on it can be heard from several tens of meters away) and special stone structures that are all together , according to some archaeologists, were used by ancient people to observe the stars, sun and moon. The natural-historical monument of republican significance is located in the Ordzhonikidze and Shirinsky districts of the Republic of Khakassia.
Salbyk mound- a monument of Tagar culture, the burial place of one of the powerful Dinlin kings and members of his family. Around the mound there is a fence made of stone blocks with huge slabs installed vertically, weighing from 20 to 60 tons. In addition to the Great Salbyk Mound, here, on an area of several tens of kilometers, there are other, no less grandiose tombs of the leaders of the prehistoric kingdoms of the Middle Yenisei. The archaeological site is located in the Kamyzyak steppe, 60 km north of Abakan (5 km from the Abakan-Sorsk highway).
Lake Tus located 30 kilometers north of the village of Shira, among the hilly treeless steppe. What makes the lake unique is the highly mineralized water, close in concentration to the water of the Israeli Dead Sea, and the healing lake mud. According to scientists, the healing factors of Lake Tus have a beneficial effect on the human body and help strengthen the immune system.
Traveling around Khakassia you can see a lot menhirs- free-standing stone sculptures that were used by ancient people to perform sacrifices, religious rituals and as a treatment for various ailments.
Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP- one of the largest engineering structures in the world. The hydroelectric power station is located on the Yenisei River, in the southeast of the Republic of Khakassia, near Sayanogorsk. The grandiose structure is a concrete dam, the height of which is 245 m, the width of the base is 110 m, and the length along the ridge is 1066 m. In the summer, hundreds of tourists flock here to admire the majestic panorama of the hydroelectric power station and the Sayan mountain range, covered with dark coniferous taiga.
Sulek writing located in the valley of the Iyus River, 18 km from the village of Kopievo, Ordzhonikidze district, in the north of the republic. It is an object of religious heritage of federal significance. The rock, which is approximately 600 meters high, is completely covered with thousands of drawings dating back to different eras. The main theme of the drawings is wrestling - scenes of hunting, knightly battles, and animal struggles are depicted. There are stories related to shamanic rituals. The drawings are accompanied by texts from ancient Khakass writing.
Boyarskaya pisanitsa will introduce tourists to rock carvings on the Boyary mountain ridge (southwestern part of the ridge). Located 6 km south of the village. Troitskoye, Bogradsky district, Republic of Khakassia. On a low and long stone wall, ancient artists carved many drawings depicting dwellings, household utensils, people and animals. The boyar pisanitsa belongs to the Tagar culture (7th-3rd centuries BC) and partially covers the transitional stage (2nd century - 1st half of the 1st century BC) to the Tashtyk culture.
Cave "Pandora's Box" is located in the Shirinsky district of the Republic of Khakassia, 4 kilometers from the village of Malaya Syya, on the left bank of the Bely Iyus River. This is the longest limestone cave in Siberia. The cave, a cascade of grottoes, slopes and wells, goes down to a depth of almost two hundred meters. It has several lakes and sinter formations. The upper floors of the cave are accessible to mass tourists, while the lower floors are only accessible to trained speleologists.
Ulug-Khurtuyakh-Tas- a stone statue of a woman, in the form of a three-meter stele. It is located near the Ankhakov ulus in the Askizsky district of the Republic of Khakassia (127 km from Abakan). The stone deity is considered a protector of motherhood, a helper to pregnant and childless women; included in the UNESCO historical heritage list.
Tuimsky failure is a tourist site of man-made origin, a huge depression in the mountain with steep walls and a lake. The height of the stone wall is 125 meters. There was once a copper ore mine here. Currently, the Tuimsky Gap attracts numerous tourists and extreme sports enthusiasts - some who want to bungee jump over the hole, others who want to dive to the bottom of the lake.
general description
ABOUT Khakassia There is not much information and even on a map, not everyone will find it the first time. Khakassia was an autonomous region in the Krasnoyarsk Territory; in the early 90s it became a republic. Khakassia is very small on the scale of Siberia and the population density here is only ten people per square kilometer. And most of the population lives in cities, and there are only five of them. The cities are quite modern, but if you go outside the city limits, you find yourself in another dimension.
Boundless expanses where you can easily get lost, wild nature, steppes and taiga, lakes, rivers, caves, waterfalls. Time has stopped here. Entire peoples and races passed through these lands, and the Khakass Khanate was perhaps the most powerful khanate in ancient times. All that remained of the former power were mounds and menhir stones, which also saw the Huns and the hordes of Genghis Khan. Stones and mounds still excite the minds of scientists and seekers of everything unknown and unknown.
Little is known about the culture of the Khakass; they fought against shamanism in the Soviet years, but the shamans resisted and went out to rituals in secret. Now esotericism and ethnography have become the main components of travel to such places, since there are only more people wanting to communicate with the other world. Khakassians believe in spirits that control the past, present and future, and such places as the “Valley of the Kings” and “Valley of Spirits”, “Shaman Gate”, the Chests mountain range, a stone that cures diseases called “Akh-Tas” are associated with spirits ", the sacred mountain "Iney-Tas" and many others.
The best cities and resorts of Khakassia
Khakassian cities do not have old quarters or numerous museums, since they were founded during the Soviet years, and all the most interesting places in the republic are located far from them. Basic...
Khakassia has a sharply continental climate: Khakassia is located far from the sea, which could mitigate low temperatures. Temperatures vary widely between seasons and months, and this is noticeable even during the day. In Khakassia, southwestern winds blow, and it is especially windy in winter, when the already small snow cover is quickly blown away from the plains. Atmospheric pressure is high, as is the level of solar radiation.
In summer, on the plains the average temperature reaches + 20°C, in the mountainous areas it is cooler, only +16°C. Winters are cold; during the day on the plains the thermometer drops to -18°C, in the mountains to -14°C. But severe frosts are rare in Khakassia, although there are years with abnormal temperatures, and the region is cold in winter due to strong winds. Rains in Khakassia are frequent in the summer, the most precipitation falls in the mountains (up to two meters), and the least in the low-lying parts of the Minusinsk Basin (only three hundred millimeters).
Authors: Alexey KovalenkoVideo from Khakassia
Authors: Alexey Kovalenko, Alexander Gordiets (editor-in-chief)
Khakassians love holidays very much, and they attract a considerable number of both spectators and participants. The most famous holiday is “Tun Payram”, which is celebrated every two years and is organized in honor of the famous fermented milk drink ayran. They also symbolize the beginning of the migration of herds to summer pastures. During “Tun Payram”, competitions of Khakass takhpakh singers take place.
Among the colorful national holidays and events, it is worth noting “Chyl Pazy”, the Khakass New Year, an ethnic music festival and “Altyn As”, which tells about the gastronomic characteristics of the indigenous peoples of Siberia. At the Abakan hippodrome, once a year a Khakass harvest festival called “Urtun Toy” is held. During the holiday, guests are offered Khakassian cuisine, Khakassian clans with their traditions are introduced, and at the end of the holiday, horse races are held.
Khakassia offers travelers an extensive excursion program, both on land and on water. Tourists go on cruises on a motor ship along the Sayano-Shushenskoye Reservoir to not only admire the taiga and mountains, but also look at a unique fifty-meter waterfall called “Katushka”. In addition to an excursion to the already famous Valley of the Kings or to the “Chests” massif, you can go to the Tuimsky failure, where ore was previously mined, and now there is a beautiful underground lake, or see the Oglakhty nature reserve, where there is a route leading along the stairs to the mountain with petroglyphs. Lovers of esotericism are invited to walk along the “path of ancestors” in the Togys-As rock massif or climb Mount of the Sun, from where the Yenisei is visible.
History of Khakassia
Khakassia has such an ancient history that many scientists are lost trying to understand the intricacies of the peoples and eras that left their mark on this land. As a state, Khakassia took shape in the fourth...
Where is the best place to stay when traveling around Khakassia?
In the cities of Khakassia there are places to stay; choosing a hotel is not difficult, although there are not many of them. But outside the cities, tourists need to prepare for the fact that tourism in Khakassia has just begun to develop...
Active recreation in Khakassia
Khakassia seems to be created for active recreation and extreme tourism. The natural features of Khakassia, its mountains and rivers are perfect for hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing and even mountaineering. Trekkers have chosen the Borus Mountains with views of the reservoir and Alatau with its lakes, waterfalls, passes and unusually beautiful mountain peaks.
There are many rivers in Khakassia (Abakan, Iyus, Ona), with different thresholds of difficulty, but all of them are suitable for rafting even for beginners. The best time for rafting is May and early June. Rafting is also popular on Khakassian rivers. Speleologists are exploring the caves of Khakassia, of which there are almost one and a half hundred in the republic. The Shirinsky district has a large number of karst-type caves, where such famous caves as the “Black Devil Cave”, Kashkulakskaya and “Pandora’s Box” are located. For those who are just starting to explore this area, there are simpler caves - Borodino and Archaeological.
In winter, Khakassia turns into a skiing center. There are glaciers on the picturesque Ivanovo Lakes, which consist of several lakes interspersed with waterfalls. In winter, the shores of the two large lakes are flooded with skiers and snowboarders because the snow here does not melt until June. The resort is equipped with drag lifts. Another famous resort for ski lovers is the Gladenkaya base, where winter sports competitions are held. The length of the route is three and a half thousand meters, it is also equipped with ski lifts, and the ski season here ends at the beginning of summer.
In Khakassian cities there are no problems with transportation: buses, minibuses, and taxis are available to their guests. But, if a tourist wants to spend his vacation in nature, away from civilization, then he will have to forget about buses. Of course, organized tourists are transported from point “A” to point “B” on tourist buses. But the main means of transport for moving around the Khakassian steppes is a car. You can use the services of local companies that offer car rentals with a driver, or you can rent a car. It is better to explore the beauty of Khakassia in a jeep, and before leaving it would be a good idea to learn a little about the skills of driving such a vehicle.
Horses can also be used as transport, of course not for long distances; the average tourist is not a nomad, and he will not be able to stay in the saddle for days. In winter, dog sledding is popular, of course, this is mostly entertainment, but why not ride a sled from one ulus to another?
Authors: Alexey Kovalenko
The capital of Khakassia is Abakan, where travelers first of all arrive. There are enough ways to get there, including plane, train, and car. Planes fly not only from Moscow, the airport receives flights from such Siberian cities as Krasnoyarsk, Tomsk, Iruktsk, Novosibirsk and Norilsk. People travel to Abakan by train from Moscow and Krasnoyarsk. There is a fast train from Krasnoyarsk to Abakan, the trip takes ten hours.
You can’t get from Moscow to the capital of Khakassia by bus, but comfortable regular buses run from Krasnoyarsk to Abakan, the distance is 408 kilometers and the travel time is only 8 hours. The federal Yenisei highway passes through Khakassia, and residents of nearby Siberian cities will not have any difficulty getting to the republic by private car.
Authors: Alexey KovalenkoSouvenirs in Khakassia
Most of the souvenir products sold in Khakassia by local craftsmen are directly related to shamanic cults and the world of spirits. The republic is a real haven for fans...
Capital: Abakan city, founded in 1931.Republic formed: Khakass Autonomous Region was formed on October 20, 1930. It was part of the West Siberian Territory, and since its formation in 1934, it was part of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. In December 1990, she left its membership. In August 1990, it was transformed into the Khakass Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, in July 1991 it received the name Khakass SSR, and on May 16, 1992 it became a separate subject of the Russian Federation - the Republic of Khakassia.
Geographical position
The republic is located in Southern Siberia on the left bank of the Yenisei basin, on the territories of the Sayan-Altai Highlands and the Khakass-Minusinsk Basin. In the north, east and southeast, Khakassia borders on the Krasnoyarsk Territory, in the south – on the Republic of Tyva, in the southwest – on the Altai Republic, in the west – on the Kemerovo region. The length of the republic from north to south is 460 km, from west to east (in the widest part) – 200 km.
The predominant terrain is steppes, mountains and taiga. The Sayan Mountains, whose height sometimes exceeds 2000 m, occupy two-thirds of the territory of the republic. The largest rivers of Khakassia are the Yenisei, Abakan, Chulym and Tom. There are more than 500 lakes, rivers and small streams in the republic. The total length of the rivers is 8 thousand km.
The area of the Republic of Khakassia is 61,569 sq km, the population is 536.8 thousand people (2016).
Climatic features
The climate of the republic is sharply continental, with cold winters and hot summers (characterized by sharp fluctuations in air temperature). The average temperature in July is +17.9C, in January -18.9C. In April-May, strong winds are observed. The number of sunny days in the republic is significantly higher than in neighboring regions.
Tourist opportunities
The tourism potential of Khakassia is enormous - it has a colossal cultural, historical and natural heritage, as well as opportunities for active summer and winter recreation.
At the end of the 19th century, a resort was opened on Lake Shira, where people came not only for treatment, but also to relax. The lakes of Khakassia, some of which have healing properties, attract the attention of not only local residents, but also vacationers from neighboring regions. The most popular among tourists are lakes Belyo and Shira. Lake Tus is especially worth noting; the water in it is close in composition to the water in the Dead Sea. On the coast of the lakes there are recreation centers where vacationers can stay in comfortable houses or in a tent camp. For active recreation, on the banks of reservoirs there are many sports grounds for playing volleyball or table tennis, and rental of sports equipment and ATVs is available.
One of the most popular holiday destinations among tourists is Ivanovo Lakes, located in Kuznetsk Alatau. 4 clean mountain lakes, the water of which is icy even in summer. They are located at an altitude of 1100 to 1236 meters above sea level. The surroundings of the lakes attract with their pristine nature, the bright colors of alpine meadows, snowfields that do not melt even in summer, mountain streams and waterfalls originating in the upper lakes. The lakes attract the attention of freeriders and extreme sports enthusiasts from all over the world.
For lovers of active recreation, there is another ski tourist complex in the republic, known far beyond the borders of Khakassia, “Gladenkaya”. In terms of technical characteristics, "Gladenkaya" successfully competes with similar tracks in Russia and allows competitions to be held in all disciplines of alpine skiing.
In addition to lakes and active recreation, tourists are attracted by the unique cultural and historical heritage of Khakassia. The Republic of Khakassia is one of the best places in Russia for educational tourism. There are more than 30,000 cultural and historical monuments on the territory of the republic. The highlight of the republic is the creation of open-air museums. The first open-air museum was the national museum - the Kazanovka reserve, created in 1996. One of the most visited and popular tourist attractions is the open-air museum "Khurtuyakh Tas".
Excursions to the Great Salbyk Kurgan, the burial place of the great leader of antiquity, are popular among tourists; the monument is classified as Tagar archaeological culture. Khakassia is rightly called an “open-air art gallery”. On almost all monuments you can see rock carvings - petroglyphs. Images of people, usually warriors with weapons, as well as animals - horses, camels, bulls can be seen on most monuments. There are especially many of them on the writings – Sulekskaya, Boyarskaya and Maloarbatskaya, as well as “Oglakhty”.
For lovers of educational tourism, the ecological excursion complexes of the Khakassky Nature Reserve are interesting: on Lake Itkul, “Taiga Charter” in Abaza, “Oglakhty”. The complex, located on Lake Itkul, is a rare combination of almost all steppe plant communities of Khakassia. Several species of endemic and listed plant species in the Red Book of Russia live here. There is a visitor center on the reserve site, where visitors are presented with an exhibition dedicated to the reserve’s steppe ecosystem, wetlands and bird migration. During the summer, excursions are held for visitors to the reserve, including bicycle excursion routes.
The most rich in archaeological monuments is the Oglakhty complex, located in a picturesque place on the shore of the Krasnoyarsk reservoir. This is the largest location of petroglyphs (rock paintings) in Khakassia, preserving thousands of ancient images, embossed, carved and painted with mineral paint on rocky outcrops of beautiful reddish sandstone, which has the status of a monument of federal significance. A wooden staircase with 965 steps leads to the pisanitsa. The length of the stairs is about 500 meters, and the height difference is about 200 meters. In "Oglakhty" the ruins of an ancient fortress wall from the Middle Ages with a length of about 20 km have been preserved. and hundreds of mounds.
Detailed information about the ecosystem of the mountain-taiga areas of the reserve is presented in the information center located in the city of Abaza, which consists of a visitor center, an educational and ecological trail “Taiga Certificate” and the Museum of Siberian Crafts, which are open all year round. Here visitors can get acquainted with information about rare and endangered species of taiga plants and animals, features of taiga ecosystems, medicinal plants, and traditional types of taiga craft of the local population.
You can get acquainted with the best manifestations of the national traditions of Khakassia at holidays that are dedicated to significant events and various periods of human activity on earth. One of these holidays is Tun Payram - the holiday of the first ayran (fermented milk drink). At the festival, which is held every two years, tourists can get acquainted with the national cuisine of Khakassia. Dishes made from meat, fish and dairy products are a real feast for gourmets. At Tun-Pairam you can enjoy the enchanting sounds of chatkhan and hear the fascinating legends of the storytellers (haiji).
; significant cities: Sayanogorsk, Chernogorsk, Abaza, Sorsk. In October 1930, the Khakass Autonomous Region was formed, since 1992 - the Republic of Khakassia; is part of the Siberian Federal District. Leading sectors of the economy: mining (Yeniseiskaya coal mine and Chernogorsky coal mine; iron ore - Abakan Mining Administration; marble - Sayanmramor), mechanical engineering (production of cars - Abakanvagonmash, containers, truck cranes, non-ferrous metallurgy - Sayan aluminum plant, Sorsk molybdenum plant), light industry (wool - "Sitex"; knitting factory "Khakassia"; footwear - "Sayany"; leather - "Iskozh"). The Sayano-Shushenskaya and Mainskaya hydroelectric power stations are built on the Yenisei River.
Khakassia borders in the north and east with the Krasnoyarsk Territory, in the south and southwest with Tuva and the Altai Republic, and in the west with the Kemerovo Region. According to the nature of the relief, mountainous (eastern slopes of the Kuznetsk Alatau and Abakan ridge, northern slopes of the Western Sayan - height up to 2930 m) and flat (Minusinsk, Chulym-Yenisei basins) parts are distinguished. The flat areas are located along river valleys and are called steppes (Abakanskaya, Koibalskaya). In Khakassia, deposits of coal, iron ore, non-ferrous and rare metals (copper, molybdenum, lead, gold), gypsum, and building materials have been explored. The main rivers are the Yenisei and Abakan. There are numerous lakes with fresh (Chernoe, Firkal, Itkul) and salt (Bele, Shira) water. The climate is sharply continental. Winter is cold and with little snow (in the basins), the average January temperature is -18 °C. Summer in the basins is hot (average July temperature is +18 °C), in the foothills and mountains it is cooler. Precipitation ranges from 300 mm per year in basins to 700 mm in the mountains. The entire west and south of Khakassia are occupied by mountain taiga forests; the area covered by forests is 3.3 million hectares. In the steppe and foothill regions of Khakassia live the mole, ermine, weasel, in the mountains - squirrel, mountain hare, wolf, fox, bear, among the birds - hazel grouse, capercaillie, in the rivers - taimen, tench, burbot. On the territory of Khakassia there is the Khakassky Nature Reserve (formerly Maly Abakan and Chazy).
Story
At the beginning of the Middle Ages, the Kyrgyz (Khakass) Kaganate formed in the upper reaches of the Yenisei. Local residents used their own writing system, which existed before the Mongol conquest. From the 13th century, Mongol pressure increased, culminating in the Mongol invasion of the Khaganate in 1293. The Mongol period in the history of Khakassia is characterized by human losses, cultural decline, and feudal fragmentation. In the 17th century, four uluses (principalities) were formed: Altysar, Altyr, Yezersky and Tubinsky. The uluses were ruled by princes from the Kyrgyz clan.
In the 18th century, the Russians began to develop Khakassia. In 1707, by decree of Peter I, a fort was built in Khakassia. This year is considered the date of Khakassia's entry into Russia. To consolidate Khakassia within Russia, the Sayan fort was built on its southern border in 1718. By the beginning of the 1730s, copper deposits were discovered: Syrskoye, Mainskoye, Bazinskoye. In 1740, two factories were built: the Lugansk copper smelter and the Irbinsk ironworks. To supply metallurgical plants with raw materials in the 1730-1740s, the Karyshsky and Zastupovsky mines were developed on the Bely Iyus River, Erbinsky - on the Yerba River, Askizsky, Bazinsky, Syrsky and Tashtypsky - on the Abakan River, Mainsky and Uysky on the Yenisei River. Gold mining also played an important role in the development of the economy of the Khakass-Minusinsk region. By 1860, 127 mines were operating on the territory of the Minusinsk and Achinsk districts. The main gold mining areas were the Sarala, Bogomdarovanny (now Kommunar mine) and Balakhchino mines. In 1852, about 4 thousand people worked in the gold mines and mines in the Minusinsk district. The territory of Khakassia was developed by the Russian population in the first quarter of the 19th century, then there were 90 Russian settlements here. Cattle breeding predominated in Khakassian farms. Hunting farms engaged in hunting, kept some livestock and sowed grain on a small scale. In all livestock farms, herd horse breeding occupied first place in the structure of the herd. Fur trade became commercial in the 19th century. According to the 1890-1891 census, there were 1,714 hunters and commercial hunters in Khakassia.
In the 18th century, the Khakass remained shamanists. According to their ideas, the world was inhabited by master spirits; rivers, mountains, taiga had their own spirit-master. In the 17th century, with the arrival of the Russians, Orthodox churches were built in the Russian forts of Tomsk, Krasnoyarsk and Karaulny. At first, Khakassians who entered the service of the tsarist authorities were baptized; later Orthodoxy began to be implanted throughout Khakassia. Despite the adoption of Christianity, the Khakass believed in the power of shamans; the worship of spirits still remains in the everyday consciousness. In the 18th century, the social class structure of Khakassian society changed significantly. The concept of “Kyrgyz princes” gradually disappeared from use; bai from Kachin clan groups began to stand out more and more for their wealth. The Kartin family stood out for its wealth. The poor part of the Khakass population worked for hire from the bais, sometimes going to work in Russian villages with rich peasants and in the mines of gold miners. In the 1880s, in the mines of the Minusinsk and Achinsk districts, Khakass made up 5.5%, in the 1890s - 8.6% of all workers. By the end of the 19th century, the Khakass consisted of five ethnic groups: Sagais, Kachins, Kyzyls, Koibals and Beltyrs; they almost completely preserved their native language. According to data for 1910, 31% of the Khakass population knew the Russian language. On the territory of the Khakass departments, the indigenous population in 1910 was 98.3%.
On the eve of October 1917, a characteristic feature of Khakassia was a multi-structured economy, which included intertwined patriarchal-feudal, patriarchal-tribal, small-scale commodity and private capitalist structures. The absolute majority of the Khakass population at that time was engaged in individual agricultural production, and 93.7% did not use hired labor. Bai accounted for only 2.5%. Collectivization in agriculture was perceived with hostility by the Khakass. In 1929-1930 there was a decrease in the number of livestock. The thesis put forward later about the lack of prospects for small villages further aggravated the situation. In Khakassia in the pre-war years there were about 1000 villages, in 1959 - already 600, and in 1981 - only 256. At the beginning of the 1990s, only 137 ethnic villages remained in Khakassia. With the transition to market relations, the social situation in rural areas only worsened. The population of Khakassia in 1930-1989 increased from 155 thousand people to 567 thousand people, that is, 3.7 times, and the number of Khakassians increased by only 12 thousand people or 13%.
The collapse of the USSR and reforms in Russia changed the political and socio-economic situation in the country. Migration problems have worsened. In 1993 alone, 24 thousand migrants from the republics of the former Union arrived in Khakassia. In turn, 21 thousand people left Khakassia for other regions, which exacerbated socio-economic problems in the republic. With the transformation in July 1991 of the Khakass Autonomous Region within the Krasnoyarsk Territory into the Republic of Khakassia within the Russian Federation, a new stage of nation-state building began.
Attractions
Lake Shira, located in the north of Khakassia, is located at an altitude of 352 meters above sea level. It looks like a large flat bowl. This is a balneological and mud resort, considered a natural laboratory in which nature managed to solve the problem of maintaining a sustainable circulation of substances with a small number of hydrobionts. A research hospital has been organized and is successfully operating on Lake Shira. The station makes it possible to monitor the ecosystem of Lake Shira and nearby natural reservoirs of Khakassia, and to test new methods of environmental biophysics. In the sanatorium, located on the shores of Lake Shira, people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract undergo sanatorium-resort treatment.
The Khakass speleological region includes about 60 caves of various types. One of the longest caves in Russia in limestone is “Pandora’s Box”, the total sum of passages of which is more than 35 kilometers. There are a large number of sinter formations and lakes in the cave. The upper floors of the cave are accessible to unprepared tourists. In the area of the village of Malya Syya, sites of primitive man were found. The remains of sites of primitive people were found in the Archaeological Cave. The name of the cave “Cross” comes from the location of the entrance wells in the shape of a cross. The “Vinogradovsky Proval” cave is an abyss about a hundred meters deep with a hall of “White Mice”.
The Khakass Nature Reserve was founded in 1999 by merging two nature reserves: Maly Abakan and Chazy. Area - 104.5 thousand hectares. The territory of the reserve is located in the mid-mountain part of the northern slope of the Western Sayan. Species listed in the Red Book of the RSFSR grow here, such as: Martyanov's volodushka, Baltic palmate root, Siberian kandyk. In total, about 500 species of higher vascular plants have been described. Rapids mountain rivers with cold water allow only Siberian grayling, lenok and sculpin to live here. Amphibians include the gray toad and the sharp-faced frog. Common species of reptiles are sand lizards and viviparous lizards; the common viper is less common. 149 species of birds are registered here (osprey, black stork, golden eagle, saker falcon, white-tailed eagle, black vulture are listed in the Red Book). The area of the reserve is also home to brown bear, lynx, snow leopard, wild boar, musk deer, roe deer, deer, and elk. Near the little-studied southern and eastern borders, traces of the red wolf were noted, and to the south - visits of the Siberian ibex and the Altai mountain argali sheep. Valuable hunting and commercial species are: sable, American mink, lynx, brown bear, badger, roe deer, deer, elk and musk deer.
The Lykovs' homestead is located in the upper reaches of the Abakan, on the banks of its tributary Soksu. The peculiar microclimate of the intermountain valley of the Karatosh and Iserla rivers, landscape diversity, light snow cover (20-30 cm), and abundant food create optimal conditions for the wintering of wild animals migrating from adjacent territories at the junction of the borders of three republics (Khakassia, Tuva and Altai). Until the 2000s, economic activity in this territory was limited to commercial hunting (mainly sable hunting) and collecting berries, nuts, and medicinal herbs. The Lykov family of Old Believers, who fled from Soviet power, chose this place in the Sayan Mountains for settlement. There are no other settlements on the site. “Zaimka Lykov” is a standard of wild nature of the Western Sayan.
