The city of Angarsk, where to go and what to see in Angarsk? This is my subjective review. I’ll tell you about the city of Angarsk, as well as food prices, real estate costs, city enterprises, people and weather. If you are going to Angarsk, then my note should help you decide whether to go or not.
There are many articles about Angarsk on the Internet, as well as many books written by local residents. For my part, I will try to give an independent and unbiased assessment of our city. It’s said loudly, of course, but I’ll try not to lose face.
Hi all! My name is Sergey and you are on my personal blog. As always, let's start in order.
Petrochemical Park
There is a well-kept and beautiful Neftekhimiki Park in Angarsk. It is notable for the fact that its lattice is an exact copy of the fence of the famous St. Petersburg Summer Garden, the presence of an interesting alley of love filled with red benches, and a playground for children.
While in this city, you can’t help but visit this wonderful place and feel the romantic atmosphere. Here you can also see a beautiful sculpture - “The Book of Wishes”. An amazing fountain, decorated with majestic lions, will complement the impression of visiting this landmark of Angarsk.
Monuments located on the territory of Angarsk (without non-urban territories and Kitoy)
• monument to political prisoners - located at the intersection of the street. Moskovskaya and st. Sibirskaya, (in the area of the old Kitoisky Bridge), block 38. The author is sculptor Anatoly Kuzmich Osaulenko. Opening date: November 6, 1967. • monument to Vladimir Ilyich Lenin - located on the Central Square of the city, block 63. Authors - architects A.I. Tarantul, I.M. Syroezhkin. The sculpture of V.I. Lenin and the base of the monument were made by a team of Leningrad sculptors: M.P. Shcheglov, I.A. Syroezhkin, V.I. Ingal. The height of the sculpture is 5 meters, the height of the pedestal is 5 meters. The opening date of the monument is April 22, 1961. • monument “Friendship of Peoples” - located at the intersection of the street. Glinka and st. Moskovskaya, block 64, near the Palace of Children and Youth Creativity. Authors: architects Yuri Afanasyev, Vitaly Nikolaevich Sokolov. Opening date: December 30, 1972 (on the day of the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). Height – 12 meters, scattering of chamomile petals – 10 meters. Manufactured and installed by specialists from the Angarsk Construction Department. • stele “Angarsk - a city born of Victory” • stele in honor of Angarsk being awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor in 1971 - located in Builders Park, block 87. Author - Anatoly Kuzmich Osaulenko. Opening date: October 1972. Height – 17 meters. Manufactured and constructed by specialists from the Angarsk Construction Department. • bust of Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky - installed in front of the building of the Department of Internal Affairs of the South-Western District of Angarsk (then the Department of Internal Affairs of Angarsk was located in this building) on the street. Krasnaya, block 205. Author – Anatoly Kuzmich Osaulenko. Opening date: September 1987 (to the 100th anniversary of the birth of F.E. Dzerzhinsky). • monument to Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (on the territory of the AECC) - installed on the territory of the Angarsk Electrolysis Chemical Plant (AECC). The author is architect Anatoly Kuzmich Osaulenko. Opening date: 1972. The height of the base and bust is 11 meters. • a monument to Angara residents who died in the performance of military and official duty - installed on the street. Gorky on a natural hill, block 95. The author is Krasnoyarsk sculptor Roman Tropnikov. Opening date: December 7, 2007. The sculpture of a bronze soldier was made in Krasnoyarsk, height - 2 meters, weight - 700 kilograms. According to the authors, the bronze soldier, holding a machine gun in one hand and a beret in the other, has just left the battle. He is tired, but alive. 86 names of the victims are carved on the memorial steles. • sculptural composition of the Holy Blessed “Peter and Fevronia of Murom” - the opening of the composition took place on August 1, 2014. Place of installation - to the right of the Holy Trinity Cathedral. The author of the sculptural composition is Konstantin Rodislavovich Chernyavsky. The composition was installed as part of the National Program “In the Family Circle”, created with the blessing of Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' in 2004. The installation of the sculptural composition is intended to mark the beginning of a new tradition among young people - on their wedding day, to travel to the sculpture of the Murom saints, learn about their pious life, and receive a blessing for family life from the holy saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom. • memorial sculptural composition “Doves of Peace” - installed on the memorial site in front of the Victory Museum, microdistrict 12a. Author – Sergey Pakhomovich Nazarov. Opening date: May 9, 2005. The composition consists of 17 sculptures of doves painted with silver paint. Each pigeon weighs 250 kilograms. The pigeons are mounted on steel rods; the wingspan of the pigeons is 1.5 meters. The weight of the entire monument is 9 tons, the height of the composition is 6 meters. Pigeons were cast at the Angarsk Mechanical Repair Plant. • a memorial plaque in memory of those killed while performing military duty in the Republic of Afghanistan - installed in Victory Park, microdistrict 12 “A”. Opening date: May 7, 2000. • Monument to the victorious soldiers, the first builders of Angarsk
Victory Museum in Angarsk
The Victory Museum occupies a place of honor among the city’s museums. It began with a small exhibition dedicated to the young guard in the small Hall of Military Glory, but the collection gradually expanded and already occupies 2 floors. Every year, about 40 thousand people visit the Victory Museum in Angarsk. Everything that was found in the city after the war and is related to it is collected here. Every resident of the city came here at least once to feel this terrible atmosphere of war and honor the memory of fallen heroes.
Angarsk character
This is how, despite the prohibitions, Angarsk created its own history. Residents of the city never followed the lead of fate. In the conditions of harsh Siberian construction, in neighborhoods fenced with barbed wire, people did not lose their sense of freedom, creativity and creation. A special Angarsk character has formed in Angarsk - a phenomenon that may still require a separate assessment by sociologists.
The Angarsk character is a consequence of many factors. In addition to the genetic component, the formation of this character was influenced by the special position of Angarsk in the 1970s and early 1980s. The city of petrochemists was then under the so-called St. Petersburg service for a long time. In stores it was relatively free to buy things that were not available for free sale in neighboring cities, including Irkutsk, even on major holidays. People of the middle and older generations remember how periodically Irkutsk residents with their entire families went to Angarsk - as they say now, for shopping.
A sense of its own exclusivity and self-sufficiency helped Angarsk survive during the years of perestroika. The city became the capital of Russia and one of the centers for the distillation of Japanese second-hand automobiles.
The genes of political prisoners and the Angarsk character formed over the past decades have become the reason for the special relationship between the townspeople and the authorities. Protest sentiments in Angarsk are traditionally strong. Only once in recent history has a city mayor been re-elected to a second term: this miracle happened to Evgeniy Kanukhin in 2005. Since the beginning of this year, the Angarsk character has asserted itself again. Pickets and rallies, including outdoor ones in Irkutsk, take place with enviable frequency. It is clear that the reason for these rallies must be sought in the imminent elections of the head of the Angarsk Moscow Region. But, you must admit, not every city can be pumped up like this on the eve of a particular election campaign.
Clock Museum
There is a unique museum in Angarsk where you can feel the passage of time. It owes its origin to the lifelong passion of collector Pavel Kurdyukov. Ten exhibition halls occupy two floors of permanent exhibition. Here you can see examples from primitive sundials to ultra-modern electronic samples and massive tower chimes: unpretentious and luxurious, floor and wall, wrist and pocket, musical and cuckoo, wooden and gold, military and space.
The collection contains rare, rare chronometers from different eras from England, France, Japan and Russia. And, what is most interesting, everything is in working order. During the excursion they will accompany you with colorful ticking and melodic chimes.
This museum is a real landmark of Angarsk. You can spend half a day looking at time-measuring mechanisms and not regret a second about the time spent.
Architectural pearl of Siberia
The architectural appearance gives Angarsk its unique flavor. No wonder Angarsk is compared to St. Petersburg. Many bright, beautiful buildings, built in the style of the 1930s and 40s, are located in the historical part of the city and make it truly unique. It is interesting that in the late 1940s, when it became clear that the matter would not be limited to an industrial village and that an entire city would grow here, architects from Leningrad came to Angarsk. They contributed to the appearance of the city, which is carefully preserved to this day.
“We recently completed a lot of work: we compiled a list of houses that will later be included in the list of monuments of local significance,” said the chief architect of Angarsk Lyudmila Sidorenko. — These are about 16 objects: residential buildings, the administration building, the Palace of Petrochemists, a colonnade, the entrance to the city and others.
When Angarsk was built, emphasis was placed not only on the appearance of the buildings, but also on creating a special urban environment.
“When you come to us, you immediately feel the breadth, space, some kind of sunshine,” says Lyudmila Sidorenko. — This is a special environment of the old city: there is space not only on the main streets, but also in the courtyards. Everywhere is cozy here. And the main thing is that Angarsk has returned to its roots in recent years: in the 90s, the gray houses lost their charm, and after being painted in pastel colors, their former appearance returned. And it’s surprising that the townspeople themselves even called us and asked us to repaint their house in a lighter tone. It is obvious that the need to restore the historical appearance is very high today.
Unusual monuments
There are many interesting monuments and sculptural ensembles in Angarsk. And each can rightfully be called a brilliant masterpiece. Both adults and children adore and consider the monument to the wolf from the cartoon “Once upon a time a dog”, which is known to everyone for its catchphrase “I’ll sing now,” as a symbol of well-being.
The steel figure (weighing 2 tons) is a gift to the city from local entrepreneurs. And the version of the monument was chosen by the children of Angarsk based on the proposed sketches. The wolf looks well-fed and very happy, and local belief says: if you stroke its plump belly, it will share a piece of happiness. The monument also has a secret: if you press the button on the pedestal, the famous saying of the wolf will sound.
Crime
Angarsk is a very crime-ridden city. And at all levels: starting from petty hooliganism in courtyards, where you can still see with your own eyes (and it’s good if you just see) what a “gopnik” is, and ending with city authorities, about whom there are many different rumors.
The drug business is developed in Angarsk, and dealers, as a rule, do not waste time on trifles, but immediately push heroin. Thus, there are many drug addicts and HIV-infected people in the city.
In fact, the situation has improved significantly recently; now people with glassy eyes are becoming less and less common on the streets. One can only guess what happened to them, and in case of special compassion, worry about them. However, there are practically no such compassionate people in the city.
Since there are still many "zones" around the urban area, former prisoners often settle in Angarsk, which greatly affects the composition and quality of its population. A wide variety of crimes are regularly committed in the city, including the most serious: deliberate murders and robberies.
Among the most high-profile cases, one can recall the destruction of an environmental camp in the summer of 2007, when a group of skinheads attacked the tent city of environmentalists who had come to Angarsk from all over the country to support it in the fight against a nuclear dump. More than ten people were injured then, one person died. It is significant that out of more than twenty attackers, only four were actually punished, and the verdict in this case was pronounced only four years later.
Most online media quite substantiate the point of view that local employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, if not themselves organized this action, then at least it happened with their knowledge and tacit approval. Residents of the city are also sure of this.
Baikal
Just a hundred kilometers from the city lies a miracle of nature - Lake Baikal. Its crystalline surface and the surrounding natural landscape will leave you in rapt amazement.
If you are not passing through Angarsk, be sure to set aside a day to visit probably the most important attraction in all of Russia. It is the largest fresh water storage facility in the entire world. The lake is shaped like a crescent and is about 700 kilometers long. It is surrounded by hills and a hilly ridge. The diversity of flora and fauna attracts tourists from all over the world.
About the city of Angarsk
Angarsk is a city (Angarsk city district) in the Irkutsk region, the city is quite young, turning 74 years old in 2021. Angarsk is located on the banks of two rivers, the Angara and Kitoi, 50 kilometers northwest of Irkutsk. The Angara River begins its journey from Lake Baikal; in summer the water is cool, but you can swim. The Kitoi River begins its journey from the taiga from the Sayan Mountains.
Our city is 5,150 kilometers away from Moscow. The city operates on Irkutsk time. The difference with Moscow time is +5 hours msk+5.
Of these two rivers, I love Kitoy for its clean, mountain water. In summer you can swim on the Kitoi River, the water is warmer than in the Angara, along the banks of the Kitoi River there are sandy beaches with a shallow river.
The area of the city is quite small. Basically, Anagrsk extends vertically from the Angara River from South to North. You can travel from one end of the city to the other by car in 25 - 35 minutes, taking into account the current reconfiguration of traffic lights and without taking into account traffic jams.
I would say that the city of Angarsk last year, 30 years ago and for almost 15 years, was a city of entrepreneurs, at that time the word shuttle traders was more appropriate.
The shortage of consumer goods that persisted after the collapse of the USSR and the low standard of living contributed to the involvement of large sections of the population in the mass, disorderly trade in consumer goods.
Wikipedia
In the early 90s, the enterprises stood still. As I was told, it was possible to enter the territory of the Angarsk Petroleum Chemical Company (ANHK) enterprise through a hole in the fence, approach the foreman, and in this way get a job. Now, in order to get a job at this enterprise, it is desirable to have, as they say, blat.
Therefore, as throughout the country, there was no work, those who survived as best they could (luckily China is nearby) began to go for consumer goods. As I remember now, there were many people who wanted to sell and buy, which led to the opening of a special open-air market, where they allocated an area outside the city, where the city’s population went, bought clothes, toys and much more.
In addition, some residents were forced (life forced them) to master a certain craft called sewing winter hats from animal fur, which were later sold throughout the country.
Another activity was to drive cars from Vladivostok, and now they continue to do so, but not in the same quantity and volume. They opened kiosks and their own shops; at the moment, these areas are almost a thing of the past, as modern market relations came, federal chains appeared, online stores and almost all individual entrepreneurs were forced out.
Holy Trinity Cathedral
The main Orthodox church of the city is located in the very heart of Angarsk. Construction of the cathedral began at the end of the last century and lasted several years. The building was built in a traditional style, and its holiness and purity are emphasized by the snow-white color . The temple is crowned with golden domes that sparkle in the sun.
The monastery consists of several buildings that are connected into one common structure. The facade of the building is decorated with elegant columns , and an ancient icon is placed in front of the entrance. The temple is decorated with arched windows and elements of decorative plaster.
The interior decoration is as beautiful as the exterior. Here you can see paintings on the walls and ceiling, tapestries on biblical themes. The main decoration of the temple is the altar , made of rare wood. In addition, within the walls of the cathedral there are many ancient icons, many of which are relics. The entire area around the temple has been landscaped, allowing parishioners to relax in peace and quiet.
