Museum of Local Lore
This is one of the oldest attractions in Transbaikalia. The local history museum in Chita is a major center of spiritual life not only of the city itself, but of the entire region. This cultural monument was built back in 1894, and 12 months later its doors opened to visitors for the first time. Initially it was a two-story building, which was in the possession of a men's gymnasium.
In 1914, the local history museum in Chita was reconstructed. Now the cultural center has turned into a stone building two floors high, in which residents and guests of the city could see interesting exhibitions.
Every year the museum staff does a lot of work. They attend research expeditions, find new exhibits and introduce tourists to the history of this amazing region. Today there is also a branch of this attraction. It features exhibits telling about the Decembrists, art galleries and sculptures.
Botanical Garden
The popular holiday destination occupies an area of 27 hectares. Hundreds of species of local and plant species from other regions, well acclimatized in the conditions of Transbaikalia, are collected here.
The landscape designers did a great job. It's a pleasure to spend time in the botanical garden. Paths are equipped, benches and lanterns are installed.
Address: st. General Belik, 24.
Monument to Muravyov-Amursky
This sculpture, 4 meters high and weighing 2 tons, is distinguished by its majesty and decoration. The monument was created in honor of Nikolai Muravyov-Amursky. This man is a grandiose and significant person for all residents of the region. He did a lot for the development of Chita. It was this man who in 1851 established the Transbaikal region and its center - Chita.
The monument to Muravyov-Amursky is located at the mouth of the Chitinka River. It was here that the rafts on which the first Amur explorers traveled first set off. In addition, Nicholas was the founder of the Cossack army. Today, the same monuments are located in Blagoveshchensk and Khabarovsk.
Wooden post office building
In the center of Chita, a building from the late 19th century has been preserved in good condition. The building has an interesting architecture: the central part with a small turret is adjacent to two symmetrical wings, separated by two-story stone vestibules. After the opening, a postal and telegraph office operated here for a long time.
The monument of urban planning, history and culture is included in all tourist routes in Chita. The building is pleasing to the eye and looks great in photos.
Address: st. Butina, 37.
Decembrists Museum
Speaking about the most interesting sights of the city of Chita, it is worth paying attention to this museum, which is often called a church. The walls of this cultural monument have become blackened by time, but this does not detract from the wonderful experience of visiting this place. The museum is the historical center of the region; the building is located in the old part of the city. The Church of the Decembrists was built in the 18th century. This is a double-altar wooden building, which was illuminated in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, as well as Archangel Michael. For a long time, this particular place was key for many residents of the city. The wives of the Decembrists and other people came here to pray.
The Decembrist Church was the wedding site of many key personalities. The museum was officially opened in 1985. In this place, tourists can get acquainted with documents, books, household items and other things that belonged to the Decembrists who were exiled in Siberia. Today the museum displays more than 850 exhibits of enormous cultural value.
Regional Drama Theater
Even before the revolution, Chita had its own theater, however, when the wooden building burned down, the construction of a new one was postponed almost until the Second World War. And in 1939, the Samara theater moved to the city, which was greatly developed by various famous directors.
Many talented actors, such as L. N. Kulagin, V. A. Prokhorov or A. P. Fedorova, visited the stage of the theater. In 1970, the theater received a new building. Style: Soviet modern architecture. The façade is lined with white tiles. The entrance is located slightly in depth, and is decorated with mirror panels.
Location: Profsoyuznaya street - 26.
Chita datsan
This is the first Buddhist temple built in the city in 2010. Its construction lasted 8 years. A year before the opening of the temple, a two-meter statue of Buddha made of brass was delivered to it. You can also see brass lions and a special sacrificial vessel here. All these things are used not only to decorate the Chita datsan, but also for real ritual events.
Visitors to the temple can attend the khural service and observe unusual Buddhist traditions. Sacred ceremonies are often held in the datsan to cleanse people of evil forces.
Kazan Cathedral
The main Orthodox church of the city. The solemn, beautiful building was built at the beginning of the 21st century.
The soft blue color of the walls and golden domes immediately attract the attention of tourists. The interior decoration is no less impressive.
Address: st. Butina, 6.
Palace of the Shumov Brothers
This castle is considered one of the most beautiful sights of the city of Chita and the entire Transbaikalia. However, you need to be prepared for the fact that you won’t be able to get inside the ancient building, since the regional office of the FSB is located at this facility. However, even an external inspection will be enough to appreciate the beauty of the castle.
Construction of the Shumov Palace began in 1912 according to the design of the Shumov brothers. They were millionaires and made huge amounts of money from gold transactions. The brothers demanded that the palace fully correspond to their status, be rich and magnificent. In the architecture of the palace you can see a mixture of Baroque and Classicism styles. However, the project was not completed. Therefore, to this day one of the facades of the palace is not fully decorated.
After the revolution, the building was not used for a long time. At the beginning of the First World War, prisoners of war were kept in the palace. In the 30s, the building came into the possession of the NKVD. Today the building houses a small historical museum. This is the only place where tourists are allowed. Here you can see the offices of the security officers, in which original furniture has been preserved. The museum also has a model of the entire palace.
Zazovsky Estate
Symbol of merchant architecture. This estate, at the beginning of the last century, was the most expensive. Over the first few years, many organizations rented rooms in the estate, and even after that it changed owners more than once, including the editorial office of a workers’ newspaper, until it finally turned into a residential building.
Location: Anokhin street - 56.
Titovskaya Sopka
This is the name given to the extinct volcano, which is largely located under the city. This natural monument is more than 245 years old. Titovskaya Sopka in Chita is an important historical site, as it is the only volcano in Siberia that the townspeople managed to develop. Since ancient times, many people have worshiped this miracle of nature. Artists and blacksmiths came here to summon good luck. Also, real celebrations and celebrations were held in honor of the volcano.
Chapel of Alexander Nevsky
The small chapel features original wall decoration. A pleasant combination of white, yellow and green colors creates a festive, solemn mood.
The chapel, built in 2001, is located on Titovskaya Sopka. Local artists presented the temple with an icon of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky.
Address: Moskovsky tract
Monument to the founder of the city
Peter Beketov is the first traveler who founded this city. He is famous for his travels and discoveries. In addition, the founder of Chita was an explorer, governor and famous explorer of Siberia. He also opened Yakutsk and Nerchinsk.
Today the monument to Pyotr Beketov is a decoration of the city embankment. He was not always in this place. It was moved to the embankment relatively recently, in honor of the celebration of the 363rd anniversary of Chita. All this is the merit of the current head of the urban settlement called Nerchinskoye.
Baunt Lake
The Nizhnyaya Tsipa River, known to Chita residents, flows from this lake. Not far from it is the small village of Baunt and a weather station. This freshwater water source is home to more than 20 species of rare fish. In addition, tourists will be interested in the resort of the same name.
However, when visiting Baunt you need to be extremely careful. The fact is that its shores are predominantly rocky and represent cliffs. Inexperienced hikers may also encounter marshy areas.
Daursky Reserve
In 1997, this area received the official status of a protected area and today is part of the sites protected by UNESCO. The Daursky Nature Reserve has a continental climate. Summers here are very short, and winters are dry and cold. This area experiences strong fluctuations in daily and seasonal air temperatures. This explains the features of flora and fauna. Many animals and insects of the reserve are officially included in the Red Book.
It will be interesting to know that the wildlife of the protected area changes depending on the water level and the proximity of lakes. Subpolar birds and birds from drier and hotter areas fly here.
Heetai Cave
It is also called ice. By and large, these are two caves located next door. They are connected to each other by a narrow tunnel located underground. The total length of the Ice Cave is 190 meters.
As a rule, tourists are very surprised when they come here after the sun-scorched steppes of Transbaikalia. This icy kingdom truly fascinates all travelers. You need to be prepared for the fact that you will first need to overcome the icefall, which is 12 meters long. Only after this do tourists find themselves in a huge grotto, the ceiling height of which is approximately 12 meters.
The air temperature in the cave ranges from -7 to +0.8 degrees Celsius. The walls and ceilings of Heetai are decorated with intricate patterns of ice crystals. If water gets into the cave, it freezes in the most unusual forms, creating amazing natural sculptures. That is why this landmark is also often called the Patterned Cave by the Buryats.
There are a total of 4 grottoes in Heetai. The cave itself is two-tiered. On the first level, visitors will find a large funnel, the diameter of which is about 60 meters. Its depth exceeds 30 m.
Museum and Exhibition Center of the Trans-Baikal Territory.
This center was formed primarily thanks to one exhibition that was held in the 80s. Visitors liked it so much that its best exhibits were soon exhibited in the new building. In 2009, a new round of development of the center came. It was then that he began his work fully. The exhibition brings together several areas, including jewelry, art of different nations, and so on.
Ingoda River
It is on one of its banks that Chita itself is located. This river was first mentioned by explorers back in 1650. The length of Ingoda is more than 700 kilometers, the capacity of its basin exceeds 37 square meters. m.
This river flows from the Khentei Highlands. Replenishment of Ingoda's resources is carried out mainly due to precipitation. In winter, the surface of the river is covered with a thick layer of ice. In the warmer months Ingoda is navigable.
Chita has a huge number of other natural attractions. This city is surrounded by beautiful lakes and rivers. Protected areas will delight tourists not only with their beauty and diversity of flora and fauna. However, when traveling in the mountains, you should always remain vigilant and not go into the wilderness without an experienced guide.
ODORA Park.
This is a favorite recreation park for local residents. And back in the 20th century, in its place there was an ordinary wasteland. Then, an exhibition of achievements in the field of agriculture in Transbaikalia was organized here. After several years, the area was ennobled, filled with beautiful statues, walking alleys, and attractions. A fountain, many benches for relaxation and a dance floor were installed in the park.
