Winter. Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary
On Ziminka there is a very nice wooden church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it’s a pity we didn’t get inside.
Prokopyevsk. Monument to Jesus Christ on Tyrgan
Next, we climbed Tyrgan - the mountain of the winds. Here, at the highest point of the city, there is a monument to Jesus Christ, similar to the monument in Rio, only smaller in size.
Cathedral of the Nativity of John the Baptist
On the opposite part of the road, in a forested area, there is the Cathedral of the Nativity of John the Baptist.
External mosaic on the walls of the Cathedral.
The cathedral is only 10 years old, but there is an old temple nearby, and from everything you can see that it is much older.
Natural attractions of Prokopyevsk and its surroundings
The most famous natural sites in the vicinity of the city show how people can influence the environment: in some places people have created something beautiful in the bosom of nature, in others they have irrevocably ruined the priceless gifts of the earth.
Zenkovsky Park
- Coordinates on the map: 53.802826, 86.780467.
Fans of quiet walks in picturesque places will definitely enjoy the well-maintained Zenkovsky Park, located in the southern part of the city. The park was established in 1933 in a pine forest near the village of Zenkovo.
Over time, a large pond was built in Zenkovsky Bor, attractions, play areas, football fields, a boat station appeared, and a sanatorium opened. In 2012, the park was reconstructed.
Today, there are two sanatoriums, children’s health camps, and sports equipment rentals on its territory. Wooden figures of fairy-tale characters are placed throughout the park. In winter, a ski rental center is open for vacationers, and in the summer, a tennis court is open.
Youth Park (Victory Park)
- GPS coordinates: 53.870587, 86.627927.
A lesser-known, but no less interesting park is located on Tyrgan. Most of the territory is planted with pine trees, so the air in it is always filled with a pleasant and healing pine aroma.
In the dashing 90s, the neglected park was an extremely uncomfortable and even dangerous place; suspicious people often wandered through it. Through the efforts of the administration and local residents, the green area was transformed, paths were laid among the trees, along which benches and beautiful sculptures of people and funny animals appeared.
Zones with outdoor exercise equipment were organized on the territory. “Molodezhny” has become a favorite place for children and adults, because here you can not only walk and play, but also feed the birds and squirrels.
Aba River
- Coordinates: 53.843877, 86.768525.
A small beautiful river flows through the city, a tributary of the larger Tom River. There are several versions of the origin of its name, according to one of them, the name of the river was invented by the Shors, and in Russian it is translated as “father” or “elder brother”.
The length of Aba is more than 70 km, there are several settlements on its banks, but it originates precisely in the Prokopyevsky district. Aba is a picturesque, but, unfortunately, very polluted river. Several enterprises dump hazardous waste into its waters, making swimming and fishing in it hazardous to health.
Kara-Chumysh quarry
- Coordinates: 54.096792, 86.234776.
One of the most spectacular natural sites in the Kemerovo region is located in the Prokopyevsky district near the village of Kara-Chumysh. A stunningly beautiful old marble quarry has been preserved away from the roads.
A large deposit was discovered in 1953; valuable rock began to be sawed into multi-ton blocks and transported to a stone processing plant.
Today the quarry looks like a rectangular amphitheater, with surprisingly smooth two-meter steps descending to the bottom of a huge pit. You can only get down by special stairs. Pieces of white, pink and red marble are piled up at the top.
Fountain on Tyrgan
However, due to difficulties with logistics, we visited the Cathedral already when leaving Tyrgan, and before that we first found ourselves on the other side of the area near the central city fountain.
There are several sculptures installed in the square.
The main highlight of the composition is the monument to Adam and Eve.
Monuments and sculptures of Prokopyevsk
Back in Soviet times, a huge number of all kinds of monuments, memorials and memorial plaques were installed in Prokopyevsk. In the last ten years, several more particularly noteworthy sculptures have appeared on the streets of the city. Almost all modern monuments were created by the sculptor Konstantin Zinich.
Monument to St. Procopius
- Coordinates: 53.798125, 86.857740.
On the southern outskirts of Prokopyevsk, guests are greeted by a monument to the patron saint of the city - the righteous Procopius of Ustyug. The huge bronze sculpture, mounted on a high stone pedestal, can be easily seen from afar.
The total height of the monument is 8 meters. The righteous man is depicted at full height, holding three pokers in his left hand and raising his right hand in a blessing gesture. A three-dimensional bronze icon of the saint is attached to the pedestal. The monument was opened in the fall of 2015.
Monument to I. Selivanov
- Address: Institutskaya street.
In 2013, a monument dedicated to the outstanding artist Ivan Selivanov appeared near the Vernissage Convention and Exhibition Center. Ivan Yegorovich was one of the most famous masters of the so-called naive art.
The primitivist artist was born in the Arkhangelsk province, but in 1941 he moved to Kuzbass and lived most of his life in Prokopyevsk. Selivanov became famous throughout the world; his works were exhibited in the UK, Germany, France and many other countries.
Sculptor Oleg Ershov depicted Ivan Yegorovich sitting on a bench and thoughtfully looking into the distance. The bronze artist is dressed in a simple suit and tarpaulin boots, has a mop of thick hair on his head, and a long beard covers his chest. In his hands he holds a rooster - this is the bird that can often be seen in the master’s paintings.
Memorial to the Heroes of the Soviet Union
- Address: Alley of Heroes.
One of the main memorials of the Great Patriotic War was built in 1985 on Komsomolskaya Square. In the center of the small alley, a round platform was made of larch trees with a flower bed in the middle.
The flower garden was surrounded by 15 monuments with the names and portraits of Prokop residents who earned the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Each stele depicts a Hero's Star and a St. George's Ribbon. The memorial was dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Great Victory.
Adam and Eve
- Address: Gagarin street.
On Gagarin Street, the attention of tourists will definitely be attracted by an unusual monument. The composition illustrates the famous biblical story about the Fall of man: naked Adam and Eve stand near the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and hold the forbidden fruit in their hands.
The tree trunk is wrapped around the hidden Serpent-tempter. The monument symbolizes love and marital fidelity. The monument was erected in 2011, the authorship of the work belongs to the master Konstantin Zinich.
Soon after the grand opening, a new tradition appeared in the city: newlyweds make a wish and walk around the sculpture, holding hands. In recent years, thanks to wedding customs, the tree next to Adam and Eve has been “overgrown” with locks with the names of the lovers.
Monument to B.V. Volynov
- Address: ave. Shakhtyorov, 35.
Perhaps the most famous resident of Prokopyevsk is the famous cosmonaut Boris Volynov. Boris Valentinovich was born in Irkutsk, but grew up in the Kemerovo region. When the future cosmonaut was three years old, he and his mother moved to Prokopyevsk.
Here the boy graduated from school, then entered the aviation school. In 1960, the young pilot joined the cosmonaut corps, and in 1969 he made his first flight into space.
In 1976, Volynov again flew on a spacecraft. In 1984, Prokop residents erected a lifetime monument to the illustrious fellow countryman. The bronze bust of the cosmonaut stood on Gagarin Avenue for many years, and in 2016 it was moved to Victory Square.
Monument to a plumber
- Address: Nogradskaya street.
Prokop residents respect not only famous historical figures, but also ordinary people, representatives of simple working professions. So, in 2010, a monument to plumbers appeared in the city. The monument shows a scene from the life of a housing and communal services worker: a man in uniform with a helmet on his head stands waist-deep in a sewer well, holding the hatch with both hands.
The metal master quickly received the name Sanych in honor of the famous plumber in the city - Ivan Aleksandrovich Afonin. The author of the sculpture himself, Konstantin Zinich, claims that his creation does not have a specific prototype, but local residents discovered similarities between the bronze worker and the young Afonin. The monument is located in the most suitable place for it - Communal Workers Alley.
See the sights of other cities of the Kemerovo region - Kemerovo and Novokuznetsk
Prokopyevsk is the “heart” of Kuzbass, a child of mines and Soviet culture. It, a provincial town, continues to develop and constantly delights travelers with new attractions, which can always be seen on excursions.
Amusement park of the city of Prokopyevsk
In the gap between the fountain and the temple there is an amusement park, of course we couldn’t pass by.
We made 2 laps on the Ferris wheel, judging by the reaction of the ticket attendants to us - we are alternatively gifted)) But we were able to look at the city and take a photo of Tyrgan.
From here you can clearly see that Tyrgan today is the main district of Prokopyevsk. There are modern buildings, many shopping centers. The whole life of the city is concentrated on Tyrgan.
At one end of the park there is a football field with artificial turf. I walked on a real lawn, that was the case, but I saw an artificial one here on Tyrgan for the first time.
Cultural and entertainment institutions
In Prokopyevsk, tourists will find a wide range of entertainment: museums, art exhibitions, theatrical performances and amusement parks.
Drama Theater
- Address: ave. Shakhtyorov, 35.
The only theater in the city is named after the Lenin Komsomol. The origins of the theater were artists D. Leonov and V. Gardenin; the first performances were staged in 1945 in the city of Anzhero-Sudzhensk.
Despite the fact that the institution was transferred to Prokopyevsk already in 1951, it acquired its own building only in 1960. The luxurious building in the Stalinist Empire style is decorated with rows of huge columns. The auditorium seats 800 people.
The theater enjoys constant success with both audiences and theater critics and has repeatedly won various awards, including the prestigious Golden Mask. Artists are constantly experimenting and creating new and unusual productions.
The overwhelming majority of performances are staged by local professional actors, but from time to time the theater hosts troupes from other Russian cities. The Shpil Theater Studio was opened under the DT.
Cultural and exhibition
- Address: Institutskaya st., 12.
The idea of creation belonged to Prokopyevsk cultural figures. In 2004, city authorities supported the initiative and allocated funds for the Exhibition and Convention Center. An old building built in 1946 was renovated for the new institution. In 2008, Vernissage finally opened its doors to visitors.
The halls display works by local artists and craftsmen; the main pride of the center is the exhibition of birch bark products. The CEC also hosts exhibitions of ancient icons, museum exhibits and paintings by world-famous painters.
Tramway Museum
- Address: Vysokogornaya st., 2A.
In addition to the local history museum, the city has another museum with an interesting narrow specialization. You can find it in tram depot No. 1, which has been operating since 1959. The relatively small collection consists entirely of items related to trams. In addition to old photographs and documents, the museum contains models of carriages and tracks.
Museum of the History of Pioneers and Komsomol
- Address: st. Artyoma, 8.
The Prokopyevsky Palace of Children's Creativity represents several attractions at once: one of the oldest institutions in the city, a beautiful building in the classicist style and a small museum of pioneer and Komsomol organizations.
The museum was created in 1985 through the efforts of DDT methodologist and party veterans. Former pioneers collected a large collection of attributes of the children's and youth movement: ties, bugles, badges, tickets and much more. One of the sections is dedicated to the Great Patriotic War.
Entertaining
- Address: ave. Builders.
“Sunny Town” is a popular amusement park located in the very center of Prokopyevsk. In the fenced area of the park there are many attractions for children and adults: a variety of carousels, swings, Ferris wheels, a trampoline and much more.
The center also has small shops and cafes. Every year, employees decorate the park, plant trees and flowers, and cover asphalt paths with bright designs.
Alley of Heroes on Tyrgan
The Alley of Heroes leads from the other edge of the park into the depths of Tyrgan.
Mi-2 helicopter.
Monument to soldiers who died in hot spots of the planet.
Monument dedicated to the liquidators of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
There are several armored vehicles installed here.
BTR-40.
Tank T-62.
BMP-1.
There is even an L-29 fighter trainer.
Youth Park
The youth park closes the triangle on Tyrgan between the Alley of Heroes and the amusement park.
Squirrels live in the park. In the 5 minutes I spent in the park, I saw 4 times more squirrels than in the last three years.
Monument to Saints Peter and Fevronia.
Masterpieces by representatives of the local art school.
Vokzalnaya Street
But the central district of Prokopyevsk does not end there. After 5 minutes we are already walking along the station square.
Prokopyevsk station
The L-112 Steam Locomotive is installed here.
You can view train tickets from Prokopyevsk to Moscow and other destinations using the form below.
We also have a separate article on our website about the railway station in Prokopyevsk, which can be viewed here.
If Novokuznetsk, with the light hand of Vladimir Mayakovsky, is called the “garden city,” then Prokop residents consider their city “the black pearl of Kuzbass.”
The Prokopyevsk bus station is fenced on all sides by bars - the fight against terrorism.
Regional Clinical Orthopedic and Surgical Hospital of Prokopyevsk
On the outskirts of the central region there is the Regional Clinical Orthopedic Hospital.
The Stalinist building was surprisingly not renovated for the regional miner's day. In general, there is some kind of problem with hospitals in Prokopyevsk (if only). I remember in the summer they showed me photographs of the building and interior of the hospital for WWII veterans, it’s even worse there, and only that year was the anniversary of the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory.
Then the road from the central region leads to Krasnaya Gorka, and we turned left to climb through Ziminka to Tyrgan. There will be one more, third, final post about Tyrgan.
