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.
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.
Population of Angarsk
At the moment, approximately 226 thousand people live in Angarsk. Naturally, this number is falling every year. So, in a short period of time from 2010 to 2021, it somehow (unfortunately, it’s not hard to guess how) decreased by seven thousand people.
Like aging Germany, Angarsk is a haven mainly for middle-aged and elderly people. Young people are trying to move from there to at least Irkutsk, sincerely loving their hometown, but preferring to do this, if possible, from afar.
There are very good schools in Angarsk (among them schools with in-depth study of mathematics and English, lyceums and gymnasiums), but, unfortunately, among the opportunities for further education, the choice of young Angarsk residents is, for the most part, only secondary specialized educational institutions. Over the past few years, however, branches of some Russian universities have also appeared, but it is believed that the quality of education in them leaves much to be desired... So most of the young people who decide to receive higher education either leave for big cities (and most often stay there), or she is forced to travel to Irkutsk and back every day (the one-way journey takes an hour and a half). Of course, such a life strengthens...
May Day demonstration in Angarsk. Photo by kox1973 (https://fotki.yandex.ru/users/kox1973/)
In addition, in Irkutsk there are very good educational institutions, especially for IGLU, whose graduates often later move abroad, so many Angarsk schoolchildren are eager to go there. In general, emigrant sentiment is very common among city residents. Few people have the opportunity to put this into practice, but many secretly or openly dream about it. Not because everyone is so bad in small and cozy Angarsk, the views of which are objectively suitable for artistic postcards, but because people fear for their health and want a better life for themselves and their loved ones.
Those who are not planning to emigrate anywhere are improving the city as best they can. Angarsk has repeatedly won all-Russian competitions for the cleanest city.
Enterprises of Angarsk
At the moment, the main and large enterprises of Angarsk are as follows.
- JSC "Angarsk Petrochemical Company";
- JSC "Angarsk Electrolysis Chemical Plant" (bought out by Muscovites);
- JSC Irkutskenergo;
- JSC "Angarsk Polymer Plant";
- LLC "Transneft - Vostok";
- CJSC "Stroykompleks";
- JSC "Angarskneftekhimproekt";
- JSC Nitrogen Fertilizer Plant;
- CJSC "Reaktiv";
- CJSC Angarskcement (bought by Muscovites);
- JSC Karavay was founded in 1949;
- Motorcade 1948;
- CJSC Meat Processing Plant "Angarsky";
- Angaria LLC Ice cream factory, founded in 1956;
- CHP (2 pieces);
In addition to dirty production, the Angarsk urban district is developed in agricultural production. The largest agricultural producers of the Angarsk urban district are:
- CJSC "Angarsk Poultry Farm";
- OP "Megetskoye";
- Sayan Broiler LLC;
- JSC "Teplichnoye";
- JSC "Savvateevskoe";
- JSC "Odinsk";
- LLC "Complex Zverevo";
- LLC "Peasant Farm Zuev V.A."
Of course, like in any city there are municipal/budgetary organizations: an employment center, the Angarsk tram, schools, kindergartens, hospitals, art schools, museums and other “institutions” with low-paid professions (sorry, I didn’t want to offend anyone, but it is the way it is ).
The need for workers declared by organizations to the employment center, as of November 1, 2021, is 3,765 people.
The unemployment rate in the Angarsk urban district is 0.37% of the working population; in the Irkutsk region - 1% of the economically active population.
Link to the website Employment Center of the city of Angarsk
Where to go and what to see in Angarsk
Let's start with the visiting card of the city of Angarsk and this is the Clock Museum.
Clock Museum
- a unique exhibition of more than 1,200 exhibits from all over the world. The Clock Museum in the city of Angarsk opened in 1968 and became the first such museum in our country. The basis for its creation was the collection of Pavel Vasilyevich Kurdyukov, which was formed over more than 50 years. I recommend!
Link to the Angarsk City Museum website
Opening hours: Tue-Sat from 10:00 to 18:00. The Clock Museum is located at st. Karla Marksa, 31 Telephone
Mineral Museum
— more than 1,600 exhibits. Huge credit for creating the collection of minerals and rocks belongs to Vasily Mikhailovich Dubrovin. I’ll be honest, I’ve never been to this museum myself, but I’ll definitely go with my daughter, I promise) In general, they say it’s good and interesting.
Opening hours: Tue – Sat from 10:00 to 18:00. The Mineral Museum is located at st. Glinka, 25 Telephone
Victory Museum
— the exhibition halls contain authentic items from the Great Patriotic War. The museum was founded on May 8, 1968 by a veteran of the Great Patriotic War, Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Nikitovich Puras. Around the museum there are: an airplane, a tank and guns. Children play and climb with great interest in this technique (except for the airplane!).
Opening hours: Tue-Sat from 10:00 to 17:00. The Victory Museum is located at 12″a microdistrict, building 15. Telephone, 55-19-49
Zoo
(at the Palace of Children and Youth Creativity) - this zoo was visited by the whole family at the beginning of this summer. A very modest, simple and cute zoo, in which there are and live: rabbits, geese, a collection of owls, seagulls, ferrets, snakes, roe deer and many other animals. This year the zoo turned 55 years old. Cost: symbolic, as much as you can.
It’s hard to call it a zoo, but going with your child and showing them geese, a hedgehog, an eagle owl, snakes and a roe is definitely a must!
Opening hours: Mon – Sun from 10:00 to 18:00. The zoo is located at 64th block, no. 1 (behind the Palace of Children and Youth Creativity). The price is ridiculous 20 rubles per person.
Ice Palace "Ermak"
- the largest ice palace in Eastern Siberia and the Far East. Home matches of the Angarsk team "Ermak" (playing in the VHL) are held here. Residents love their team and every game is sold out. World and Russian figure skating stars regularly perform at the palace. Honestly, I’ve never been there myself (I don’t like local hockey, and all sorts of ice shows require time and money).
For those who like to skate, even in summer, you can use the skating rink of the small arena LD "Ermak". I visited more than once. In the summer, in hot weather, go for a ride in just a T-shirt and jeans - I recommend it, it’s worth it.
Cost: adult ticket 150 rubles (1 hour), children's ticket from 7 to 11 years, spectator ticket 100 rubles. Rental 100 rub.
Small Arena, tel., Angarsk, 192 quarter, no. 8
Park of wooden sculptures "Lukomorye".
I recommend going to this park! This is a stunningly beautiful, quiet, beautiful, I’m not afraid of the word “magical” place. The park is located outside the city at a distance of 30 kilometers (20-25 minutes by car), in the village of Savvateevka, st. Club, 4.
On my blog you can read a note about this park, the Park of Wooden Sculptures “Lukomorye”.
In addition, like in any modern city, we have cinemas: Rodina, Mega Sinima and the private NASA cinema. There is a separate review about the NASA private cinema on my blog. I recommend getting acquainted with the NASA cinema, in the note there are photos and a very interesting video. Also in Angarsk there are palaces of culture “Energetik”, “Neftekhimik” and “Sovremennik”.
A beautiful and large church was built in Angarsk called “Holy Trinity Cathedral of the City of Angarsk”.
Holy Trinity Cathedral
Angarsk is a sports city, and here is the proof: the Angarsky Ski and Biathlon Complex.
Camp sites and children's health centers: health, anniversary and star - are located 25 km from Angarsk. In 2021, the football field was revived. The football field is located at the Angara stadium.
On my blog you can read a note about: Park Hotel Zvezdny, my review, cost, photos and videos and about the children's entertainment center called Class Park, which is located in the shopping center.
The largest, modern and best shopping center in Angarsk is called “Festival”. You can buy everything in this shopping center, from bread to a TV for 250,000 rubles.
Prices in Angarsk
Is life expensive in Angarsk? I will give some prices for real estate, food, gasoline and travel costs.
The cost of real estate, as in any city, depends on the condition and the area of the city; you can buy a one-room apartment within 1,400,000 rubles (depending on the condition and area).
Apartment rental: on average from 10,000 rubles. Cost of a garage: on average 400,000 rubles.
Cost of food: milk 59 rubles per 1,000 ml, apples, tomatoes, cucumbers 90% Chinese, apples 120 rubles per kg, tomatoes 130 rubles per kg.
Nuts, in my personal blog I made a review about nuts (milk macadamia, Brazil nut and pecan), anyone interested can read Trying nuts, my review, the note indicates the cost of the nut.
For example, a pine nut costs 45 rubles per kilogram (this is a tasty and large nut).
Chilled broiler chicken drumstick - 210 rubles per 1 kg, Zlato sunflower oil - 82 rubles, Lipton tea - 289 rubles (100 bags per package).
Fare: bus 30 rubles, tram 20 rubles, taxi on average 120 rubles.
Cost of “clothes”: I think it’s very expensive, so we order clothes through online stores, in our case our orders amount to almost 90%.
The cost of AI-92 gasoline is almost 42 rubles per liter.
I confirm prices with photographs.
There is a note on my blog about two stores, click on the link Bread and Salt vs. Slat. Where is the best place to buy?
City infrastructure
The situation with the city's infrastructure is ambiguous. Prices for utilities do not seem to be exorbitant, but given the low level of wages throughout the city, even such amounts seem unjustified to some. For heating you have to pay about 20 rubles per 1 sq. m. m. Hot water costs about 60 rubles per cubic meter. In general, no more than everywhere else. It will take about one and a half thousand a month to fully pay for a one-room apartment.
Interruptions also occur no less often and no more often than in other cities. It's not fun, however, when this happens in the cold Siberian winter.
The city has a developed public transport system. In recent years, new buses and trams have appeared. True, travel prices are increasing all the time. So, for example, travel on a bus currently costs 16 rubles, on a tram - 14. If you remember that you can walk around the entire city in an hour and a half, such transport prices, of course, can hardly be considered adequate. Even in Irkutsk, which is still an administrative center, travel is cheaper. In addition, Angarsk citizens complain about poor service and rudeness of bus drivers. The latter can also be understood, because they are forced to do both their own work and the work of conductors, who for some reason are not in Angarsk.
Angarsk tram
The city has plenty of shops and places of entertainment. Everything is fine with schools and additional children's education, such as music and art schools.
There are problems with kindergartens, as there was a period when they were actively sold to private ownership, so now, unfortunately, there are not enough of them. And this despite the fact that there are not so many young people and children in the city. This problem is especially acute in disadvantaged areas.
The roads of Angarsk also leave much to be desired: they were once wide and spacious, but now that there are more cars in the city, traffic jams and accidents often occur on the streets. Unfortunately, nothing good can be said about the quality of the road surfaces themselves. On the central streets they are more or less on par, but if you drive a little further...
Angarsk roads
Hospitals, of which there are many in the city, are also doing with varying success, but there could be more, given the history with uranium. But most hospitals in Angarsk are periodically renovated and replenished with young staff, which inspires optimism.
Recently, paid medical centers with modern equipment have also begun to appear in the city. True, they don’t have the best opinions about the quality of medicine.
Angarsk's plans for the future
There are no plans. In the near future the following will appear in our city:
- The Ferris wheel, 30 years later, in the same place, namely in the 10th anniversary of Angarsk park, the structure will be 25 meters high + several carousels and attractions. You can read on my blog here: Ferris wheel in the 10th Anniversary Park of Angarsk.
- The new cinema in the Festival shopping center will be the largest screen in Angarsk, with a huge screen 20 meters wide. At the moment it has not opened yet.
- The embankment along the Kitoi River, behind Storitsa, will be a beautiful embankment - a place for walks and active pastime in the fresh air. It’s opened, I’ll definitely visit this place in the summer and write a short note.
- Cable car - from the 10th Anniversary Park of Angarsk to the Kitoi River. I'm sure it will be very interesting.
- New houses are being built in microdistrict 22, microdistrict 33, as well as along Aleshina Street.
Yes, so modest :).
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Old photographs of the city of Angarsk
Old photographs of Angarsk. They are not arranged chronologically.
Angarsk is located between the Angara and Kitoy rivers. The territory included within the city limits covers an area of 294 km² (21 thousand hectares). Angarsk is located at a distance of 5150 km from Moscow, 40 km from the regional center of Irkutsk, 50 km from Irkutsk airport, 117 km from Lake Baikal. In clear weather, from the upper floors of Angara high-rise buildings, the peaks of the Kitoi Goltsy, a mountain range in the Eastern Sayan system, are clearly visible...
In the summer of 1945, the area between the Angara and Kitoy rivers was designated for the construction of a plant for the production of artificial liquid fuel, the equipment for which was imported through reparations from Germany. According to the plan, it was planned to build a workers' settlement here. In October 1945, the first fifteen construction workers arrived on site. Construction of the first dugouts began in the area where the 18th quarter is now located.
In the spring of 1946, construction began on the village of Maiska.
In April 1948, construction of the first stone house began in the area of the 1st quarter, and Sotsgorod was founded. Along Naberezhnaya and Moskovskaya streets (between blocks 1, 26 and 38) the Komsomol Square was founded (currently there is a monument to the Decembrists in this place).
In the summer of 1948, the construction of the city and the plant was transferred to Glavpromstroy of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. Around the industrial zone, along the Trans-Siberian Railway, from the village of Kitoy to the Sukhovskaya station, the construction of barracks and yurts began. This is how the 2nd, 7th, 8th, 13th districts and the village of Yuzhny appeared.
In 1949, mass construction of two-story stone housing began. 26, 27, 35, 36, 37, 38 and other blocks were built.
By the beginning of 1950, over 100 thousand m² of housing, three schools, a kindergarten, shops and canteens had been put into operation.
On May 30, 1951, Angarsk was given city status. By this time, about seven hundred thousand square meters of housing had been built, half of which was in capital construction.
1.Yurts of city builders. The same yurts were in the pioneer camp in the floodplain of the Kitoi River. This camp was popularly called “Skovorodka” because it was round.
2. Quarter 24, st. Siberian
(The photo resembles some European city....)
3.Petrochemist Park
4. Angarsk tram, 60s - early 70s.
5.Neftekhimik Park, summer cafe pavilion. 70s (my personal thoughts: I need to clarify. I don’t remember something like that....)
6.70s, girls with books
7.First houses
8.Lenin Square
9.St. Karl Marx (then Stalin Avenue), 50-60 years
10. Pobeda Cinema, May 1, 1950s 11. One of the first trams, 1953
12. Ring on FZO. Now this ring is gone. 13. City Council
14. Oktyabrskaya Street 15. Construction st. Stalin. Now K. Marx Avenue.
16. City Council. Just planted blue spruce trees.
17. Lenin Street, 1970
18.Angarsk from a bird's eye view
19. There was a tailoring studio “Lyudmila” here
20.
21. Kitoisky Bridge 22. Sayany Hotel
23. Oktyabrskaya Street, the very first street in Angarsk, 1956
24.View from the park to the post office
25. Angarsk post office
26. Karl Marx Street, late 1960s. Crowded, practically no cars.
27.Angarsk, 60s, st. O. Koshevogo at the intersection with the street. Kirov 28. Angarsk Gate, 1970
29. The same Angarsk Gate, st. Lenin not cleared, late 1950s
31. Angarsk tram, FZO
32.Barguzin, 70 years old
33. Pool Sibiryak, 1980
34.Moskovskaya Street, 1949
35. 36. City Central Library, 70s. For several years in a row I went to this library
37. Hotel Sayany
38.
39. Pioneer House.
40. May Day demonstration, 1950
41.Park behind the Pobeda cinema
42.Skating rink at the Angara stadium
43.Gyms "Ermak"
44. Pobeda Cinema. Then there were two monuments - to Lenin and Stalin 45. Yunost Cinema
46. Ferris wheel in the park of the 10th anniversary of Angarsk .1986
47.Old collective farm market
48.Collective farm market, 1960-1970
49. Tram ring at FZO 50. Letniy Cinema. Now he is gone.
51. Shop Dawn, 1970
52. Children's World Store
53. Irkutsk store
54. Places that don’t exist. The first Angara cinema in the village of Maysk
55. Cinema Mir, then renamed “Miromax”. Now the cinema is not working.
56. In the petrochemical park, 1970
57.In the park
58. Pioneer Park, for the race Pobeda
59.First music school
60.First tram
61. Crossroads of Gorky and Karl Marx streets, 80s
62.Pioneer Cinema, 1960
63.Pioneer Cinema, 1970
64. Fountain near Ermak stadium
65. Siberian Shop, 1970
66.Silhouette Store, 1970
67.Construction of a post office on the square.
68.Sovetskaya Street, 1970s 69.Contemporary, early 70s
70.Contemporary
71.Ermak gyms
72.Angara Stadium
73. Old Angarsk railway bridge
74. Kitoisky Bridge (closer to the present day)
75. Builders of Angarsk
76. Construction of Lenin Square, 1950
77. Angarsk under construction
78. Tram
79. One of the streets of Angarsk, late 70s
80. st. Gorky. 95 quarter.
81. Grocery store, Bull Horn. O. Koshevoy Street
82.Kirova Street, 1960
83. Karl Marx Street
84.
85. Quarter 75.
86. Department store, late 70s.
87.Moskovskaya Street
88. Oleg Koshevoy Street, 60 years old 89. Oktyabrskaya Street. AUS-16 control
90.Kirova Street, 60 years
91. Socialist Street
92. Further behind the cinema, st. Pushkin
93. Half-dugout builders, 1945
94. Builders' half-dugouts, 1946
96. On the Kitoi River
97.First multi-family yurt, 1947
98. Stella to the city of Angarsk
99. Nurseries in the 1st quarter. Currently a dental clinic.
Climate in Angarsk
It is cold in winter, the average temperature throughout the winter is -20. In January (Epiphany frosts) the temperature drops from -35 to -40 degrees or more and can last from one to two weeks. Winter is dry. I’m writing a note and now it’s -11 outside.
Summer starts from the month of May (but not always, sometimes the whole of May is cold) and until mid-August, I would say that summer lasts only two full months. It rains for half of the month in September. Indian summer arrives in October; the warmth and sun can last for more than a week.
Residents of Angarsk, what are they like?
There are enough rednecks, drug addicts, and so-called patriots in the city who cannot throw a plastic cup, a cigarette butt or a beer can into the trash bin, as one example: heaps of garbage (bottles) that are thrown out of the window of their apartment directly into the yard or along the road, it’s very noticeable when the snow melts in the spring, you’re walking with your child, and there are bottles and trash lying along the road.
I’m writing about the residents and remembering Vietnam and Thailand - people really smile, joyful with life. I can’t say that about Angarchan, they are always busy, exhausted, it’s very rare to see a person on the street with a smile on their face.
Afterword
Many people leave our city, to cities such as St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Moscow and even abroad, so at the moment the number of residents of the city of Angarsk is decreasing every year, today the number is approximately 226,000 people, in the 2000s there were almost 250 000 people.
Thanks to the IGE, young people are leaving for other more promising cities and doing the right thing, I personally support them. Soon only grandparents will live in the city.
Unfortunately, Angarsk, in the list of Russian cities with the most unfavorable environmental situation as of 2010, occupied third place in Siberia and sixth place in Russia (the first 5 places: Norilsk, Cherepovets, Novokuznetsk, Lipetsk, Magnitogorsk).
From Angarsk you can drive to Lake Baikal in two hours, and the Arshan resort in three hours. For those interested, here is my note about holidays in Arshan Holidays in Arshan and Guest House “Chalet Sinegorye”. You can also read on my blog about where to rent inexpensive housing in Arshan and where to eat delicious food in Arshan.
I have a neutral attitude towards our city, I’m not in love with it, but I don’t admire our city either. I live because I was born in this city and, if possible, I am sure I will be ready to move to another city or country.
General information and history of Angarsk
At the entrance to Angarsk there is a stela “Angarsk - a city born of victory.” It sounds very proud, and most importantly, it’s the honest truth. The city was built shortly after the end of the Great Patriotic War, and according to the plan it was supposed to be a workers' village for builders who were building a plant there.
Stele at the entrance to the city
When the plant was built, workers and their families, as well as the staff of schools and hospitals, who, as usually happens, soon appeared there, also needed housing...
Maybe these are just urban legends, but they don’t arise out of nowhere; many residents of Angarsk believe that their city was built by former criminals, since in these taiga wilds of unconquered Siberia there have always been many prisons and penal colonies.
On the other hand, perhaps this is not so bad, because it was not ordinary criminals who were traditionally exiled to such a distance, but political prisoners, real rebels and revolutionaries, starting with the Decembrists, whose monument adorns one of the picturesque outskirts of the city, where their difficult road from Petersburg to nowhere, ending with the Moscow and St. Petersburg intelligentsia, fighters against the Stalinist regime.
Monument to the Decembrists. Photo by Smert113 (https://fotki.yandex.ru/users/smert113/)
Perhaps this pedigree of the local residents partly explains why the city still has a restless and rebellious spirit.
