The main sights of Krasnoyarsk are near Theatre Square. From it you can go out to the Communal Bridge, which is a symbol of Krasnoyarsk together with the Chapel of Paraskeva. The city has only two museums, which are worth visiting. They are the Krasnoyarsk Museum Center (former Lenin Museum) and the local history museum.
It will be very interesting to visit the Chapel of St. Paraskeva on Karaulnaya Hill. As a matter of fact, Krasnoyarsk has got its name from the ostrog (prison) Krasny Yar (red ravine), which was built by the Cossacks on this hill in 1628. The town properly was founded at the foot of the hill. Now you can have a view of it from a lookout near the chapel.
The word «Siberia» has a special magic for anyone, and especially for the foreigners coming to Russia. The Siberian taiga occupies an area of millions of square kilometers from the Urals to the Pacific Ocean. However, it must be noted that it is mostly difficult to traverse forests, which are not very attractive for tourists.
The national reserves of Siberia are very beautiful but it takes a long journey with a tent to explore them, excepting the «Krasnoyarsk Stolby», which is suitable for a day trip and requires no special training and equipment.
Undoubtedly, this reserve is the main attraction of Krasnoyarsk. It is on the plateau of low (about 500-600 meters) and very picturesque mountains near the southern line of the city. The main stolby (pillars) are located rather compactly and connected by a foot route. You can come up to the stolby in two ways. The old road called «Pykhtun» starts on the bank of the Yenisei river. You will have to go 7 kilometers up this road to the place where the route begins. The other way is a cable way at the Beaver Ravine fun park. You can use it to ascend to the plateau and then pass to the main stolby. But in this case you won`t go uphill but along a picturesque path running on the top of the mountain ridge.
Among the other attractions you may also single out the Beaver Ravine fun park itself. You may use it not only as a starting point of a trip to the Stolby. In winter the park is at full disposal of downhill skiers. However, in summer you will find there many other amusements, as well as beautiful paths with wonderful views on Krasnoyarsk and mountain valleys.
For the lovers of large-scale constructions of the Soviet period we may recommend a trip to the Krasnoyarsk HPP, which is near Divnogorsk 40 kilometers from Krasnoyarsk. There you can see the HPP dam of 1065 m long and 124 m high. The Mininskie Stolby are at the Krasnoyarsk HPP on the bank of the Yenisei river.
