The Siberian city of Achinsk occupies an important position in the industrial sphere of the region and the country. The Achinsk Alumina Refinery, the Achinsk Cement Plant, and the Oil Refinery provide jobs for the townspeople.
Travelers arriving in the city will be interested in visiting the architectural monuments of the 19th and early 20th centuries. – Kazan Cathedral, the House of Public Meeting, an ancient women’s gymnasium and a synagogue. You can get a closer look at the history of Achinsk in the halls of the local history museum.
General information about the city
The city of Achinsk is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, it is the administrative center of the Achinsk region. The settlement is located on the banks of the Chulyma River (this is the right tributary of the Ob), at the intersection with the Trans-Siberian Railway. More specifically, where is Achinsk? The city is located 160 km from Krasnoyarsk, the regional center. The area of Achinsk is 102 square kilometers. This is approximately the same as the area of Rybinsk, Pyatigorsk, Ivanovo or Simferopol. The area of Kerch, Abakan and the Moscow region city of Khimki is slightly larger.
Brief historical background
The first Russian settlers near modern Achinsk appeared at the beginning of the 17th century. Initially, the city was located on the Bely Iyus River - it was there that the Achinsk fort was founded in 1641. After a major fire, the settlement was relocated to the Chulym River, where it is now located. The year of foundation of the city is considered to be 1683.
The name Achinsk comes from the name of a tribal group that once lived in this territory. The first settlers were 15 Cossacks. In 1710, a new fort appeared on the banks of the Achinka River, which flows into Chulym. Nowadays there is a transit prison on this site.
The first city development plan was developed in 1820. Six years later they began to build an Orthodox church. The first stone was laid on the spot where the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was found.
The impetus for the rapid development of Achinsk was given by the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway and the laying of the Moscow Highway. The city became the industrial center of Eastern Siberia, a large railway junction, significant for Russia.
Architectural beauties of the city of Achinsk
In modern Achinsk, buildings from the pre-revolutionary era have been preserved. They allow you to imagine what the city looked like one hundred and two hundred years ago.
The building of the former girls' gymnasium
- Address: st. Lenina, 10.
One of the most beautiful buildings in Achinsk was built in 1912. The structure has geometrically correct shapes.
The expressive risalit is topped with an elegant pediment; whitewashed decorative elements stand out against the bright background of the walls. Despite its age, the external appearance of the building has remained virtually unchanged. The only element of the original structure that has been lost is the roof of one of the wings. Destruction occurred as a result of a fire in 2004.
In 1928, the women's gymnasium was transformed into a teacher training college, which is still in operation.
House of merchant M.V. Kruglikhina
- Address: st. Lenina, 32.
The brick building, similar to a Gothic castle, was built at the beginning of the 20th century. Mikhail Kruglikhin used it as a personal residence. The two-story building is distinguished by its unusual decor: turrets, a pediment with figured masonry, carved stone, cymatium and guttas.
The windows are of particular interest - each of them is decorated differently. The front gate, the original balcony with balustrade and the chimneys on the roof have not been preserved to this day.
In 1922, the building was nationalized and housed communal apartments. In the 1930s, a pharmacy and a bank were located here. Before the building was mothballed, the first floor was occupied by shops. Today it is abandoned.
Mansion of the merchant Wartkin
- Address: st. Lenina, 22.
The mansion of the merchant Wartkin is the oldest private building in the city. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century as an apartment building. The first floor is made of brick and has a simple appearance, while the second (wooden) floor is striking with intricate carvings.
The openwork platbands themselves are masterpieces of ancient craft. Above them are high reliefs in the form of wings.
The top floor was occupied by an elite restaurant. On the territory of the mansion there were also barns, a warehouse, a grocery store and a tavern. All these structures were demolished at different times. Today the mansion is in an abandoned state, awaiting restoration.
Symbols: flag and coat of arms
Achinsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory), like any other city, has its own symbols. The flag of the city is a red cloth with an image of a white quiver with yellow arrows. Red color symbolizes beauty, courage, work, white - purity, sincerity, perfection, yellow - stability, wealth, respect. The quiver with arrows emphasizes the historical heritage of the city. The flag was designed taking into account the historical coat of arms, which will be discussed further.
The coat of arms was approved back in 1785, when the settlement became part of the Tobolsk governorship. In the upper half of the coat of arms is the Tobolsk coat of arms, below is a quiver for arrows as a symbol of the fact that the former inhabitants of these lands used this weapon. Over time, the coat of arms was changed. The Tobolsk sign has disappeared, leaving only the image of a quiver, which symbolizes the struggle for survival and the protection of the borders of the state.
Achinsk City Day is celebrated on June 16, while the city’s birthday is considered to be July 25, 1783, when the fort was founded, or June 18, 2006, the day on which the city received a new version of the coat of arms.
Population of the urban district
The population of Achinsk is just over 105 thousand people. At the beginning of 2022, the city was in 161st place among the populated areas of the Russian Federation. Since 2000, the birth and death rates have been practically equal, but recently the number of sad occasions has begun to exceed the number of births. The rapid decline in the population of Achinsk is also caused by such reasons as the outflow of students and the economically active population to large cities, especially to the nearest Krasnoyarsk, Omsk or Novosibirsk, where there are more jobs, higher salaries, and more opportunities.
The ethnic composition is dominated by Russians; Armenians, Ukrainians, and Germans also live in the city.
City districts and real estate
The city is not that big, so there is no division into administrative districts as such. Most of the settlement is private sector. There are also five-story panel buildings and brick houses, mostly three floors. The districts have only unofficial names, which once originated from an important infrastructure facility located nearby. For example, the areas adjacent to the bus station and railway station are called the Station Microdistrict, and Stroika is the area in which the cement plant is located.
By the way, the station is the noisiest area, as there is always a large flow of people here. This is due to the bus and railway stations and a large number of retail outlets. Everything calms down only closer to midnight, and at six or seven o’clock in the morning it begins again. In Privokzalny there are mainly five-story panel buildings. Housing prices here are lower than in other parts of Achinsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory). All because of the unfavorable environmental situation and constant noise and bustle.
The Privoz area is also not characterized by high housing prices. There is a market here, and next to it is a landfill where sellers throw away their stale goods, so that residents of nearby houses constantly smell a terrible smell. Another problem is the hordes of rats that live in the same garbage dump. Sanitary and hygiene services are trying to combat this problem, but it is not possible to eradicate it.
The Stroyki area (Dekabristov Street, Stroitelnaya, Yuzhnaya and others) is also characterized by polluted air. There are factories here that constantly emit harmful substances into the air. There are a lot of cars and other transport here. I am glad that recently the environmental situation in the area has begun to improve, because innovative technologies for cleaning flue gases and improved filters have appeared. Prices for purchasing real estate are approximately the same as on Privoz.
The population of Achinsk considers Victory Park an elite area. In addition, there is a fairly favorable environmental situation here. The cost of square meters in the Park area is the highest in the city. The center is a triangle - the intersection of Mira, Vatutina and Lenin streets. The area is prestigious, but not everyone wants to live there due to dust, exhaust fumes and road noise.
Picturesque surroundings of Achinsk
Tourists will find many amazing wildlife spots outside of Achinsk. You can go to some on your own, while others are worth visiting with a guide.
White Mountain (Ilek)
- Coordinates on the map: 56.317319, 90.475030.
White Mountain or Mount Ilek is the highest point of Achinsk and its historical place. In the 19th century it was built up with merchant estates, which were destroyed during the Civil War. The mountain is also the place from which the White and Red armies marched.
In Achinsk, the mountain is known due to an incident that occurred in the 1960s. During a school trip, students from school No. 8 passed at the foot of the mountain. One boy kicked a rotten stump. He never expected to discover a real treasure. Silver coins from the 19th century were stored in a cast iron pot under the stump. Today the treasure is kept in the local history museum.
White Mountain is famous for its beautiful places. From its top you can see the panorama of Achinsk. The Chulym River splashes nearby, and nearby lies the Cossack Meadow.
Chulym River
- GPS coordinates: 56.285867, 90.499061.
Translated from the Turkic language, the word “chulym” is translated as “running snow.” The peculiarity of the river lies in its tortuosity, due to which it is practically not navigable. In the Achinsk section, the river flow is smooth and calm.
In summer, when the water warms up, Chulym becomes a popular swimming spot. Walking along the shores, you can find many wild beaches. In winter, the river freezes and a skating rink is cleared on it. Chulym is also a good place for fishing. Here you can find bream, perch, ide, burbot and sturgeon.
Pine Lake
- Coordinates: 56.305814, 90.467859.
Pine Lake is a tiny village not far from Achinsk. It received its name in honor of a small reservoir of natural origin.
The lake has an unusual arc shape. The banks are covered with a luxurious pine forest, from where local residents bring a generous harvest of mushrooms and nuts in the fall. Pine Lake is a popular hiking destination. There are walking and driving routes here. Tourists love to stop on the shore, pitch tents and make fires.
It is interesting to visit the village itself. It consists of only six streets where you can see ancient wooden huts.
Aydashinskaya cave
- Coordinates: 56.203939, 90.310018.
Ten kilometers from Achinsk there is a unique natural site - Aidashinskaya Cave. It consists of several small depressions in a rock-soil ridge. This place attracts special attention from archaeologists, since in ancient times there was a pagan sanctuary here.
Mystical rituals were performed in the cave: worship of dead ancestors and spirits of nature, as well as sacrifices. Proof of this are numerous artifacts: ritual jewelry, metal plaques, arrowheads, clay and stone animal figures.
The cave was discovered in the middle of the 19th century. It was repeatedly subjected to robbery and vandalism, which is why the wall inscriptions and stone pedestals have not been preserved. Nevertheless, the cave is very popular among tourists.
Don't miss: Sights of the Krasnoyarsk Territory
The largest enterprises of the city
The economy of Achinsk is developing due to industry. The city-forming enterprise is the Achinsk Alumina Refinery, which was built back in 1980. This is the largest enterprise in Russia that processes nepheline ore into alumina, soda ash, aluminum hydroxide, and so on. The plant employs almost four thousand people, and there are almost always open vacancies.
Achinsk Cement Plant LLC, which is part of the large BaselCement holding, also operates in the city. The company uses alumina processing products. The plant produces two million tons of cement annually. The oil refining industry is also represented in Achinsk, and there are enterprises producing construction materials.
It would seem that the industry is working, there are vacancies for citizens, but in reality not everything is so optimistic. For example, DPMK "Achinskaya" - a plant focused on the production of materials for road, industrial, and urban construction - is now at the stage of filing for bankruptcy. The Achinsk Employment Center is approached not only by those who for some reason cannot find work, pensioners who do not have enough pensions for normal living, university graduates, young mothers, but also former employees of closed enterprises. Unemployment in the city is not catastrophic, but it does exist. The social protection service of the population of Achinsk is forced to pay funds from the budget to such categories of citizens.
Until 2005-2007, mechanical, brick, wax, asphalt, and electrical repair plants operated. The food industry was also developed: there was a meat processing plant and a dairy plant, a pasta factory, a confectionery plant, a brewery, a bakery plant, and a pig farm with more than 100 thousand heads of livestock. Previously, the city produced furniture and shoes. Now most of these enterprises have already been liquidated, the industry of Achinsk is not developing. At the same time, young employees who have just graduated from university are still often sent to the city on assignment.
In the vicinity of Achinsk, building stone, coal and manganese, and refractory clays are mined.
People without any special education or students who cannot yet find serious positions have an open path to the service and trade sectors. Retail trade in the city is developing rapidly; there are several large shopping and entertainment centers, business centers, markets, free-standing retail outlets and shops. Low wages are somewhat compensated by bonuses for experience, quality of service, conscientiousness, number of hours worked, and so on.
“The city hasn’t moved anywhere since then.”
Author: HP; Created 08/30/2013; Category: Articles
Unique details from the history of Achinsk, written by someone unknown
“In an average Achinsk family, where there is a father and son, the father has an old Toyota, the son has an old Zhiguli. Then, when the son is about to get married, they exchange cars.”
This is not an excerpt from a humorous story or a Kavehan joke. This is an episode from the history of our city, written by an unknown author and recently discovered on the Internet.
The “scientific” figure talks in detail about Achinsk. Particular pleasure is given by the sections “Crime”, “State of Infrastructure”, “Regions and Real Estate of Achinsk”. For those who have a few free minutes to laugh, we decided to duplicate this “story” on the Novaya Prichulymka website. As they say, the spelling, syntax and style of the author have been preserved.
General information and history of Achinsk
Achinsk is a regional center and railway station on the Chulyma River in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The city is subordinate to the regional center - Krasnoyarsk. According to the results of the latest population census, 110 thousand people live in Achinsk. Every year the number of residents is rapidly decreasing, this is due to the outflow of the working population to Krasnoyarsk, which is approximately 160 kilometers away. Some people work in the regional center and return home on weekends, but, as you know, the roads beyond the Urals leave much to be desired, so there are fewer and fewer such eccentrics. Now in the city there are mainly people who work at the Oil Refinery, Clay Quarry, as well as at all related enterprises.
In fact, it wasn’t always so bad here; Achinsk was once considered a very promising city, but first things first.
The first people lived in these places thirty thousand years ago. Archaeologists managed to discover the oldest lunar calendar on the outskirts of Achinsk. It is not known for certain reasons, but people left the bank of the Achinka River and went south.
For many years no human set foot here until the Turks appeared. The Turks did not cause much harm to nature; they calmly fished, hunted in the surrounding forests, and traded. Periodically, the Turks were attacked by warlike Kyrgyz, who wandered north, robbing everyone in their path. Relative calm in the region came when the Cossacks had already crossed the Ob and occupied the Siberian lands forever.
Initially, they built the Achinsk fort on the White Iyus River, but a terrible fire that happened in 1683 destroyed the fortress to the ground. Almost immediately, due to its important geopolitical significance, it was restored, but this time at the confluence of the Achinka and Chulym rivers. Since then the city has not moved anywhere. True, Achinsk became a city only in 1782, when it was annexed to the Tomsk province as a district town. In 1804 it became a district town of the Tomsk province, and in 1822 it joined the newly formed Yenisei province. But it was not these changes in status that gave impetus to the development of the city. Just as Russia began to grow with Siberia, so Achinsk began to grow with prisons. The first of them, the Achinsk transit prison, was built in 1710 by Ivan Tsipurin. Thanks to this man, after whom they didn’t even bother to name a street, a horse-drawn road was built to the city, along which settlers, prisoners and traders moved.
It is curious, but many educated prisoners exiled to the Achinsk prison had the right to visit it freely, while simultaneously teaching literacy to city children. Thanks to these people, the level of knowledge among Achinsk youth of the mid and late nineteenth century was very decent. By the beginning of the twentieth century, about ten thousand people already lived in the city, 4 churches were built, factories, shops and manufactories were operating, Ukrainians came to the city to engage in agriculture and cattle breeding.
Climate and ecology of Achinsk
Achinsk is located in a risky farming zone. The average annual temperature here is zero degrees. Winter lasts five months - from November to March. Autumn and spring are very short, on average one and a half months. Summer is not hot, but warm and not rainy. It is rare when the temperature exceeds thirty degrees Celsius.
In the rivers (Chulym and Achinka), despite the large volume of harmful wastewater, there is still fish. Children and old people catch it in reservoirs all year round.
The air in the city is quite dirty, as is the water and soil. The environment is polluted by industrial enterprises that were able to survive the crisis - the Achinsk Alumina Refinery, the Achinsk Cement Plant, and the Oil Refinery owned by Rosneft. Existing hazardous industries greatly poison the lives of local residents.
Green activists don't really dare to contradict industrial giants. If these factories also suddenly close, the city will simply die. This is unacceptable for a settlement with such a history; it is not for nothing that in 1990 Achinsk was included in the list of cities of historical and cultural value of all-Russian significance.
Population of Achinsk
By 2005, the mortality rate in Achinsk was almost equal to the birth rate, but now again people are dying more often than they are being born. In terms of national composition, Russians predominate in the city.
In the early 2000s, gypsies appeared in Achinsk, and now their diaspora is growing. All residents attribute the acute drug addiction problem in the region to the large number of Roma. Gypsies drive luxury cars, build huge cottages and do not work anywhere. Several times, after lengthy complaints from neighbors, inspections were carried out in Roma houses, as a result of which investigators discovered a certain amount of drugs. In all cases, the older women of the family took the blame, voluntarily agreeing to go to prison. Thanks to this bail scheme, it is possible to put an active drug dealer behind bars; older women almost always shield them.
With the closure of many medium and small enterprises, most representatives of the Armenian diaspora moved to Krasnoyarsk. Now there are practically no Caucasians in Achinsk. The Germans and Ukrainians assimilated very closely with the Russians.
The most educated and hardworking of Achinsk residents either occupy high positions in existing local enterprises or leave. Young people are not very eager to work in factories, so they strive for Krasnoyarsk, Tomsk or Novosibirsk. Novosibirsk and Tomsk are also not far from the city. 450 and 720 kilometers respectively. Due to the outflow of young people, the average age of workers in the Achinsk industry has already exceeded about.
For the most part, the city's youth are quite normal guys. There are no extremists, no oppositionists, no revolutionaries, or representatives of youth movements in the city. There are almost no Gopniks either. There are simply ignorant and ignorant people. The ignorant and ignorant are the grown-up children of those people who do not like it in Achinsk, but who for some reason did not leave. From a very young age, ignoramuses have a nervous atmosphere in their homes, which negatively affects their psyche. To avoid meeting them, it is better not to walk in the city beyond the Mazulka River, where the streets are 9 May, Nalichnaya, etc., and also avoid the area behind Lev Tolstoy Street. For some reason, ignorant people, dissatisfied with life, are grouped there.
Districts and real estate of Achinsk
There is no division into districts in Achinsk. The city has only 110 thousand inhabitants. Most residents of Achinsk live in the private sector. The private sector makes up about half the city. The remaining buildings are five-story block buildings and three-story brick houses.
Districts have only unofficial names in honor of some significant infrastructure facility. For example, the station area, a construction site (nearby is a cement plant, which is considered a construction site), Privoz (the largest market in the city is nearby), Victory Park (no comment).
The station neighborhood is considered the noisiest in the city, since every train is greeted with clamor by merchants. There is a whole diaspora of local residents who feed themselves by selling all kinds of Chinese consumer goods to train passengers, passing them off as folk art, and synthetic shawls, pretending that they are made of natural wool. From six in the morning you can hear the noise in the station area, which means that the first train has arrived. Traders calm down only at eleven o'clock in the evening.
The delivery area is bad because all low-quality fruits and vegetables, which, for example, are slightly rotten, are thrown by sellers into a landfill, right outside the market area. This dump carries a stench into nearby houses. This garbage dump is home to huge hordes of rodents that spread a variety of diseases. The main problem of Privoz residents is rats. No matter how rodent control agents fight them, rodents still cannot be completely exterminated.
The construction area is rightfully considered the dirtiest area of the city. The dust that the wind carries from the territory of the cement plant spreads throughout the courtyards and settles on cars, clothes and in the lungs of people.
Achinsk residents consider Victory Park to be the most prestigious and environmentally friendly area of the city. This is explained by the fact that around the area there are alleys planted with trees. Relatively clean air and the absence of strong winds make Victory Park an ideal place to live and walk.
According to statistics, the highest prices for real estate are in the center and in Victory Park. The center is determined by a triangle formed from Lenin, Vatutina and Mira streets. A one-room apartment in elite areas of Achinsk costs about one million rubles. The price for a two-room apartment reaches one million two hundred thousand rubles, a three-room apartment costs one hundred thousand more. You can rent a decent apartment in this area for seven thousand a month or more. In other areas, property prices are lower. For example, at a construction site, a one-room apartment can be sold for six hundred thousand rubles, and monthly rent will cost four thousand. In principle, apartments in all areas, except Victory Park and the central one, cost approximately the same.
Infrastructure condition
To ensure the educational process in the city there are schools, technical schools, vocational schools, branches of universities, including a branch of the largest higher education institution beyond the Urals - the Siberian Federal University. In addition, there is a branch of the Krasnoyarsk Technological University, Tomsk Polytechnic and Krasnoyarsk Pedagogical Institute. Local residents are especially not fond of these educational institutions, preferring to send their children to get an education in big cities, in the main universities. Teachers often come to the branches to conduct advanced training courses for employees of Achinsk enterprises, which allows specialists not to be taken away from production for a long time.
Schools and clinics are located evenly throughout the entire territory of Achinsk, without forming practically white spots. In the city center, where Zverev, Sverdlov, Nazarov, Kuibyshev streets and Pionersky Lane are located, several schools are within walking distance. Including the 17th Lyceum, considered the best institution of secondary education in the city. Only the children of wealthy people can afford to study there; they pay about twenty thousand rubles a year. For the average Achinsk resident, even per year, this is quite an impressive amount.
There is transport throughout the city. Once upon a time, during the industrial heyday, a tram was even built. The tram depot is still in operation. Old red, and sometimes red, carriages run from Sverdlov Street, across Lenin Street along Pionersky Lane to Dzerzhinsky Square.
Not to say that the route of the only Achinsk tram is popular, but it definitely adds color to the city. When the plans of the mayors were to launch a trolleybus line and even make a trolleybus connection with Krasnoyarsk. These plans were not destined to come true.
There are also buses in Achinsk. Their park is very old. It was updated in 2010. The administration of the Achinsk PATP bought decommissioned buses from Tomsk. Now Achinsk residents travel around the city in old Mercedes buses, which constantly break down. On routes going to the outskirts, you can meet the famous “lunar rovers”, the age of which usually exceeds the age of the drivers driving them.
There is nowhere to escape in Achinsk from the main problem of Russian roads - minibuses. Yellow beasts scurry back and forth, breaking the rules in every possible way and creating emergency situations. It is curious that there are only two registered taxi routes in the city - from the Mir cinema on Gagarin Street to the Sadko store on Davydova Street and from the terminus on Mamayev Street to the exit to the M-53 highway, where the Long-Range Shelter hotel is located, on Gornaya . These two routes, 102 and 311, form a cross on the map of Achinsk. Very symbolic. The rest of the minibuses travel as they please, inventing their own routes. Usually this route is written down on a board on the windshield. Sometimes this board is not there. You have to stop the car and ask. Very uncomfortable.
City dwellers are not very fond of public transport, preferring to spend their meager funds on cars. The city is dominated by old Toyotas and domestic Lada cars, mostly also old. In an average family where there is a father and son, the father has an old Toyota, the son has an old Lada. Then, when the son is getting ready to get married, they exchange cars.
By the mid-nineties, until Khodorkovsky, who was then in charge of a local oil refinery and helped residents in every possible way, was imprisoned, they even began to install gas and water supply in the private sector. In some places we made it, in others we didn’t. Many people connected the benefits at their own expense, since the pipes reached the house, but there was not enough money to connect the house to them, Khodorkovsky had already been arrested. Communal benefits were spared only by the settlement across the Mazulka River. Because of this, houses there are sold simply for next to nothing.
Garbage chutes can be counted on one hand. They are only in old houses built at the beginning of the century on Lenin Street. There are no elevators anywhere, even in high-rise seven-story buildings.
The housing rental market in Achinsk is underdeveloped. Who in health would decide to come here voluntarily? The nature is unremarkable, the water and air are not clean. Business travelers to the oil refinery stay in the only hotel, which is called, of course, “Achinsk”. On the outskirts of the city, where the routes pass, there are more inns - “Long-Range Shelter”, “Siberia” and “Muravushka”. Truckers, car drivers from Vladivostok and travelers heading to Lake Baikal usually stop there. If suddenly someone needs a place to live right in the city, then without any problems you can contact any private house. Be sure to allocate a bright room, feed, warm and treat you to wonderful local moonshine.
Enterprises and work in Achinsk
Until 2008, the following were opened in the city: a meat processing plant, a dairy factory, a confectionery factory, a pasta factory, and a beer factory. The pig processing plant and stud farm were closed. Achinsk has not yet recovered from the blow four years ago. Many people then lost not only their jobs, but also their faith in the future.
A person looking for a job has nothing to do in Achinsk. Mostly university graduates come here for assignments - to the oil refinery and to the railway. Salaries for young people here are average for the industry in the region.
The average salary in Achinsk is 18 thousand rubles. For the Krasnoyarsk Territory, this amount is negligible. It’s no secret to anyone that Russia has a lot of imported goods that are imported into the region from the territory of the East European Plain. It turns out that the goods in the store, the further east the city is, the more expensive it is. Even goods that are produced in the Krasnoyarsk Territory cost the same as those brought from the Volga region or, for example, the Moscow region. The issue of pricing in our country is generally worthy of a separate discussion. But the fact remains that Achinsk residents have little money. Fortunately, there is nowhere to spend them.
Railway workers receive from twenty thousand, oil workers from thirty. There’s nowhere in particular to spend money, so young people don’t go there in a hurry. Usually these are young people who studied under a contract, having agreements with one or another organization. Mature specialists are in no hurry to move to the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
The clay quarry and cement factory employ mostly locals. Getting there is considered a great prestige, since no serious education is required, and the money paid is not bad by local standards. They work in entire diasporas. For example, at a quarry it is not uncommon to find a team consisting entirely of relatives or relatives and friends. They don't like strangers here. This once again indicates the proximity of Achinsk to the village.
The tram depot, bus depot and other organizations barely eking out a existence do not hire anyone, periodically only cutting staff and laying off staff.
As taxpayers, the Oil Refinery and Cement Plants are registered in other cities, so they do not make any contributions to the city treasury, which negatively affects the local bureaucracy. Officials in Achinsk are evil, thin and greedy.
Crime
Despite the fact that Achinsk appeared as a city attached to a prison, it is relatively calm here. The prison has been closed for a long time and is of interest only to local boys who really love to climb its catacombs. In principle, there are enough catacombs in the city, especially now, when many industrial buildings are empty.
Until the end of the 90s, they were also empty. Sometimes very interesting finds were discovered there. For example, in 1997, schoolchildren found a black bag with the head of a middle-aged man near the building of a former bakery on Shchetinkina Street. In the end, it turned out that he was a mediocre bandit who died due to his stupidity.
In those years, Achinsk was simply bursting at the seams. From Krasnoyarsk, the “lads”, so as not to attract unnecessary attention, went to the showdown in the western direction, not reaching ten kilometers to Achinsk, there are wonderful clearings, former potato fields of the “Red Path” collective farm. It was on them that things were decided, destinies were decided.
Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his Yukos brought a certain calm to the city. Before the arrival of the famous oligarch, Russian bandits could not share the Oil Refinery with the Caucasian diaspora. The power at the enterprise, as in the film “Wedding in Malinovka,” changed several times a year. People did not receive wages, but they worked regularly. It was scary not to go to the factory. Who knows what these animals will think of doing? The Achinsk police in those days was so corrupt that one could safely talk about the power of crime in the city. Despite the presence of bandits, Achinsk was quite calm. The gangs did not allow themselves any crazy lawlessness and only conflicted among themselves. Khodorkovsky brought order and gave residents the opportunity not only to work at his enterprise, but also to do business. The oligarch brought money to the city, which the Achinsk residents tried to rapidly increase. Now they try not to remember the happy days of the late 90s - mid-2000s. Still, this topic is taboo among local residents. There is no point in poisoning your soul in vain, as they say.
Sights of Achinsk
Among the attractions in the city, we can only highlight two cinemas, where films are shown late after the premiere, and the Achinsk Drama Theater, which is still operating only thanks to schoolchildren. Pupils of Achinsk schools are forced into the theater, and then forced to write essays based on what they saw and learned. Some people believe that this is how the younger generation is taught to appreciate beauty. Apparently these people themselves have never been to the Achinsky Theater, otherwise they would quickly take back their words about beauty.
Only the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan, which was built in 1832, is one of the city’s attractions. Currently, “on paper” the church is carefully protected as a historical and cultural monument. In fact, it started to crumble a little.
Another institution that arouses awe among art historians is the Achinsk Museum of Local Lore named after Kargapolov. The building itself is a monument to eclecticism, with more than a century and a half of history, but that’s where its merits end.
In general, there are few attributes of modern cities in Achinsk; the city looks more like a huge village. No elevators, no traffic jams, no expensive cars. There are no nightclubs either. Or rather, there are, but they are painfully similar to rural discos. For example, under the sign of the Havana nightclub, on Kravchenko Street, where gloomy waitresses can offer you alcohol, and a DJ will play music from a computer through large speakers. The acoustics inside the club are simply terrible. There used to be a shoe factory there.
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#34 Beautiful 06/04/2019 09:55 I quote from the Car Enthusiast:
A clay quarry is not a mine village? But I don’t remember calling it a “quarry”... The 90s were fun. The police worked for the idea. Quickly and harshly: one idiot near the Prichulymka shopping center from PM almost had his male dignity shot off... a crowd of jackals rushed to the opera. Quickly brought some sense!!!
Something the Car Enthusiast to the dashing 90s... Strong memories?..Speak as if you were a participant in dramatic events... Quote
#33 Car Enthusiast 06/04/2019 00:59 I quote Funny:
Hmmm! And the author has at least been to the city…..the clay quarry is what it’s about. In the 90s the police WORKED! I see no point in commenting on the scribbler's inflamed mind!
A clay quarry is not a mine village?
But I don’t remember calling it a “quarry”... The 90s were fun. The police worked for the idea. Quickly and harshly: one idiot near the Prichulymka shopping center from PM almost had his male dignity shot off... a crowd of jackals rushed to the opera. Quickly brought some sense!!! Quote #32 Funny 06/03/2019 22:19 Hmmm! And the author has at least been to the city…..the clay quarry is what it’s about. In the 90s the police WORKED! I see no point in commenting on the scribbler's inflamed mind!
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#31 Left 06/03/2019 20:46 The article is too long. It was enough to write that the city is a dirty bottom, like most single-industry towns beyond the Urals. And this comprehensive description would be enough.
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#30 Siberian 09.09.2013 22:16 “If suddenly these factories also close, the city will simply die.” how many people work at AGK? I don’t get any benefit or benefit for myself from this polluting cesspool! I have nothing to do with the plant, and for some reason I have to breathe this shit, live on poisoned land, drink dirty water and swim in a polluted river, where there are practically no fish left... I wish he would fucking burn! We won't lose much!
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#29 Valery 09.09.2013 18:48 what kind of IDIOT wrote an article about ACHINSK. If only he came and just looked at our city, I’ve lived in ACHINSK for 27 years but I’ve never seen a tram running along LENIN street and to the square DZERZHINSKY and what market we are talking about, if you don’t know what to write about, then don’t write or write the truth.
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#28 Selek 09/02/2013 05:45 And what is this pretty city in the photo?
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#27 Temych 08/31/2013 04:35 Below is my comment: Lopatkin 12 May 2013, 08:45 # Nonsense from start to finish. This was written by some drunk based on the words of a drinking buddy. He called the districts idiotic. Delivery is from Privokzalny, not from the market. The construction is due to the fact that the builders of the alumina refinery lived here and there were two construction trusts. There is no proximity to the mythical cement plant. This plant is located far away and located inside an alumina refinery. The Victory Park area simply does not exist. There is a park with that name, but it is neglected. Nearby are the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th microdistricts. About buses and minibuses in general, this is nonsense that is impossible to comment on. About youth, clubs, work, salary levels and the state of the church and officials - the nonsense of a madman! Instead of the Kargapolov Museum, a photograph of the Employment Center is shown. Kill the author against the wall because he deserves it!
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#26 Temych 08/31/2013 04:33 I found it https://nesiditsa.ru/city/achinsk
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#25 1994 08/31/2013 00:59 I quote Temych:
We must not wait, but bring it closer. Anda Buscevica: “The world is moving towards new platforms” “The city has not moved anywhere since then”
What new platforms is Mrs. Bushevitz telling us, ordinary citizens of Russia?
Okay, my answer is that the world is moving towards something newer. What can you say about our city? Nothing. We set up stalls and this is what our city looks like today. Quote #24 Temych 08/31/2013 00:41 Quoting 1994:
Wait for this day first.
We must not wait, but bring it closer.
Anda Bushevica: “The world is moving towards new platforms” “Since then the city has not moved anywhere” Quote #23 1994 08/31/2013 00:39 I quote Hedgehog - fog AGK:
And what kind of pessimism is 1994? Do you think we won't wait? I hasten to please you - this day is just around the corner!
You will wait for this day, of course.
Wait for the officials to listen to the people. Wait for the new owner of the city to come. Wait. Quote #22 Hedgehog - fog AGK 08/30/2013 23:54 And what kind of pessimism is 1994? Do you think we won't wait? I hasten to please you - this day is just around the corner!
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#21 1994 08/30/2013 21:53 I quote Temych:
The city is what we are. Let's take the city back, let's talk.
Wait for this day first.
Quote #20 Temych 08/30/2013 20:49 I quote Korotaev:
If we exclude some not so important inaccuracies, then the description of the town of Vonyuchinsk is quite correct.
The city is what we are.
Let's take the city back, let's talk. Quote #19 Korotaev 08/30/2013 18:34 If we exclude some not so important inaccuracies, then the description of the town of Vonyuchinsk is quite correct.
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#18 Temych 08/30/2013 18:27 Oh, I read and commented on this article where it was posted online. I wrote in detail there, but here I don’t even want to waste time on this tourist nonsense. We found something to discuss.
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#17 Vasya 08/30/2013 16:47 Or maybe this is some other Achinsk? Someone wrote from a drinking binge or under a dose. Moderator, remove the article! Don’t embarrass yourself and respect us as residents and readers!
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#16 Vasya 08/30/2013 15:40 The author should have come to the city for the sake of decency. Doesn't know AT ALL!! Where is it on the territory of the Havana shoe factory. The author, please, please. Who is the author of this nonsense under the letters NP. If Novaya Prichulymka the newspaper has “sank” to…….. In general, they were disappointed.
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#15 Na_positive 08/30/2013 15:39 I quote Statistician:
Why nonsense? A wonderful humorous opus. Well, gentlemen, why did you take this so seriously?
Yes, because on the site where this “opus” is posted, not only Achintsy are present. We read and understood - nonsense (and even then not all of it). And people from other cities read and believe. Quote
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Social infrastructure
The population of Achinsk does not complain about the lack of educational institutions and healthcare organizations. The educational process is provided by general education and elite schools, private and public kindergartens, which are evenly distributed. Schools and kindergartens are within walking distance in every area. The cost of training in elite secondary educational institutions is about 30 thousand rubles per year. There are also technical schools, colleges, and universities. Higher educational institutions in the city of Achinsk employ highly qualified teachers with academic degrees. Despite this, many parents try to send their children to study in large cities.
As for medicine, there are both paid and government institutions. High-quality treatment is ensured by the presence of experienced medical workers, modern technology and prevention, which is regularly carried out for different segments of the population. The problem of queues, which is typical for most hospitals in Russia, is eliminated by an improved system for making appointments with a doctor. Hospitals, like schools or kindergartens, are evenly distributed throughout the city.
Of course, public transport operates in Achinsk. True, more and more city residents are trying by all means (save, borrow money from relatives and friends, or on credit) to buy a personal car, even a used one and/or from the domestic auto industry. The fact is that, although there is a tram service, it is in a deplorable state, buses break down very often, and the launch of a trolleybus remains in the plans of the city administration.
Achinsk has not escaped the problem of bad roads. The reason for the unsatisfactory condition of the road surface is untimely repairs. Sometimes here you can watch repairmen laying asphalt during a snowfall. And it immediately becomes clear that the quality of the roads is out of the question.
The private sector has gas and running water, but in some places such benefits of civilization do not exist to this day, for example, this is a residential village across the Muzykalnaya River. There are practically no garbage chutes anywhere in the buildings, as well as elevators (even in seven-story buildings), although the latter problem is already being solved. But, it must be said that Achinsk has some of the lowest utility bills throughout the Krasnoyarsk Territory. True, this is unlikely to greatly warm the souls of those who are forced to live without gas and water in the house.
TOP-3 - what to see in Achinsk in one day
First of all, tourists should get acquainted with the “calling cards” of Achinsk - these are special places that give the city its individuality. You can visit them in 1 day.
Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
- Address: st. Karl Marx, 21.
The Kazan Cathedral is without a doubt the most memorable building in Achinsk. The magnificent temple was erected in 1832 by architect P.F. Votsky. The building is made of stone in the Empire style. The facades are decorated with monumental porticoes with colonnades, pilasters and medallions.
All decorative elements are whitewashed, which makes them stand out against the azure background and give the building an elegant look. The composition is completed by a massive drum, on four sides of which there are rotundas-belfries.
The architectural ensemble includes the chapel of Panteleimon the Healer. This is a small stone gazebo with arched portals, abundant decoration and frescoes of icons in the niches. The main asset of the cathedral is the church library, numbering more than five hundred volumes. A chronicle has also been preserved, dating back to 1876.
The cathedral served the Achinsk residents until 1940. During the war, there was a grain storage facility here. In 1946, Achinsk residents collected signatures for the restoration of the temple and sent a petition to the authorities. The request was granted. The cathedral resumed its activities in December of the same year.
Now the Kazan Cathedral is the center of religious life in Achinsk. The ancient building is regularly restored, so it is in perfect condition. The church houses an Orthodox gymnasium, a Sunday school, and also conducts theological seminars. Local missionaries founded a sisterhood and temperance brotherhood.
Museum of Local Lore named after. D.S. Kargapolova
- Address: st. Lenina, 18.
The local history museum occupies a luxurious red-brick building, built by the merchant Mokrousov at the end of the 19th century. Interestingly, during construction, the materials were held together with egg mortar, which gave the mansion special strength. MM. Mokrousov made a huge contribution to the cultural development of the city and was fond of collecting paintings and antiques. The local history museum appeared thanks to his works.
During the First World War, the building housed the headquarters of the Red Army, and later the premises were occupied by various Soviet institutions. The museum exhibits collected by Mokrousov did not have a permanent home until 1992, when the museum finally settled in the mansion. Previously, the preservation and expansion of the collection was monitored by D.S. Kargapolov, after whom the museum was later named.
The modern exhibition is very diverse. Here you can see archaeological finds, objects of peasant and merchant life, weapons from different eras, as well as documents and photographs depicting the history of the formation of Achinsk. The most valuable exhibits are:
- a gramophone from the second half of the 19th century and 19 records with music popular in that era;
- a treasure of copper coins from the time of the exploration of Siberia, chain mail of a Siberian warrior, rare guns and tapestries;
- model of old Achinsk.
The highlight of the exhibition and the pride of the museum is the lunar-solar calendar, discovered at a Late Paleolithic site in the south of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. This calendar is the oldest in human history.
The preserved merchant interiors: stucco moldings, furniture and portraits add a special touch to the atmosphere of the museum. This makes the museum even more attractive.
Drama Theater
- Address: st. Puzanova, 38.
The Drama Theater is located in the building of the former Public Assembly. This is a brick two-story building in the neoclassical style. It is decorated with half-columns, an expressive pediment and decorative niches. The theater was located in this building in 1937; before that, it was a “nomadic” stage that traveled to villages and collective farms, without having a permanent shelter.
After receiving the building, the theater acquired the status of an official city organization. A.Ts. became its permanent leader. Brodetsky. The theater's repertoire included productions based on classical works by domestic and foreign writers. The theater's target audience was young people and adults.
In 2013, a children's drama club opened in the theater. This allowed children to take part in productions and master stagecraft. Since then, the theater has become popular with younger audiences.
Currently, the Drama Theater is loved by Achinsk residents and residents of neighboring villages. The creative team is expanding and improving its skills. The Achinsk troupe regularly tours the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
Environmental conditions and climate
Winters in Achinsk are cold, with heavy snowfall, which, however, is not unusual for the Krasnoyarsk Territory, which belongs to the Siberian Federal District. The average annual temperature is +0.8 degrees Celsius, and the amount of precipitation is 527 mm. The average temperature in winter is -18 degrees, but there are years when the thermometer rarely rises above -35 degrees. Before the New Year, the entire city glows with garland lights, and the administration ensures the construction of an amazingly beautiful snowy town.
In summer, temperatures hover around 30 degrees Celsius and there is little rain. The magnificent Siberian nature can be seen even in urban environments, where it is closely intertwined with modernity. The city has a lot of green spaces, flowers are pleasing to the eye on the main square, and there is a wonderful fountain. But the weather deteriorates, and the rains begin already in August.
The state of the environment in the city, even despite the abundance of greenery, is disappointing. Harmful emissions from industrial enterprises damage water and soil and pollute the air. Factories, of course, are taking measures to clean the air and dispose of waste, trying to improve the situation, but this is not enough to really bring the environment back to normal.
Temples, cathedrals and monasteries of Achinsk
The religious life of Achinsk is based on churches and chapels that attract the eye with their beauty.
Church-chapel of the Holy Righteous Daniel of Achinsk
- Address: 11A, 3rd Privokzalny microdistrict.
Daniil Achinsky is a revered saint. Real name: Daniil Kornilovich Delie. In 1812, Daniil took part in the Battle of Borodino, after which he refused to serve the sovereign and was exiled to hard labor. When the years of exile came to an end, Daniil settled in Achinsk, where he took monastic vows.
Daniel died in 1843 while staying in the Yenisei Monastery. He was buried in the local chapel. The monk’s grave was considered a shrine, and many residents of the Krasnoyarsk region came here for consolation and healing. In 1920, the chapel was closed, and Daniel’s relics were taken to the city for public display. The further fate of the remains remains unknown.
The story of Daniel has attracted the attention of researchers relatively recently. The impetus for this was the tombstone of Daniil Delie, a participant in the Battle of Borodino, which was discovered in the Yeniseisk landfill. Thanks to this find, it was possible to fill in the gaps in the monk’s biography.
In 1999 he was canonized as a saint. At the same time, a chapel was erected in Achinsk, consecrated in honor of Daniel. The three-tier building ends with a green dome with a dome. The second tier is decorated with four small domes. A few meters from the chapel there is a tented bell tower.
Chapel of the Archangel Michael
- Address: Baikal highway, on the street. Kravchenko next to the gas station.
The Chapel of the Archangel Michael is an example of modern wooden architecture. The two-story building has a rectangular base. The architects managed to expand the rooms through bay windows.
The facade of the chapel is decorated with an icon of the Archangel Michael. The composition is completed by a drum with a golden head. The chapel is located on a raised platform made of stones. There is a small area in front of the building.
Criminal situation
The city differs little from other Russian settlements in terms of crime. There are robberies and petty theft, and there is also drug addiction (this has become a particularly acute problem recently). Many people associate the spread of drug addiction with the appearance of gypsies in the locality. These individuals live in rich houses, flaunt gold, drive expensive cars, but do not work anywhere. Car thefts do not occur too often (most citizens leave their personal vehicles in garages); crime reports include domestic murders, bodily harm, and rape.
The most dangerous areas of Achinsk are Privoz, Stroika and Privokzalny. Each microdistrict is characterized by its own crime reports. Privoz, for example, is characterized by youth gatherings. Students and schoolchildren drink alcohol in public places, make noise, and start fights. Sometimes handbags are stolen in the central park, but this is more likely due to poor street lighting. The city administration is already struggling with this problem. There are also dangerous sections of roads. The authorities are also addressing this issue. The installation of CCTV cameras is currently planned.
