There are many small little-known cities in Russia. One of them is Sarapul, an ancient merchant town in the south of Udmurtia, standing on the banks of the Kama River. It is a unique city with ancient architecture and an interesting history. Sarapul has preserved to this day historical merchant houses and architecture of the XIX century.
The great Nadezhda Durova lived in Sarapul, who was Kutuzov’s orderly during the war of 1812. Sarapul is also the birthplace of the famous Udmurt writer I. G. Gavrilov and Soviet actor Oleg Zhakov. By the way, I was also born in Sarapul and lived here for 21 years, after which I went to look for the city of my dreams and found it in Kazan. In 1993, against the background of the ancient Kama town of Sarapul, the shooting of the comedy “Tram-tararam, or Bay-Barakhty” with the participation of actor Alexander Pankratov-Cherny took place. I suggest you to plunge into the historical atmosphere of the merchant city. I will tell you about the sights of Sarapul that have survived to this day.
Sarapul. What to see
Observation deck on the Ural Mountain
A favorite place of locals, wedding ceremonies, tourists and guests of the city of Sarapul. The mountain offers an incredibly beautiful view of the city, or rather its rich nature. This is an ideal place where you can admire the sunsets and meet the sunrises.
Bashenin ‘s dacha
My favorite building in Sarapul, you can admire it endlessly. A popular attraction of Sarapul is Bashenin’s dacha. The white building, made in the Art Nouveau style, was erected back in 1909. The owner of the building is Pavel Bashenin, a merchant of the First Guild, a public figure and a respected citizen of Sarapul.
After the death of Bashenin, the dacha was inherited by his younger brother, then the structure was nationalized. A sanatorium for street children, a tuberculosis dispensary, and a surgical building were organized here. Since 1991, the building has the status of a Museum of History, and since 1995 the cottage has opened its doors to visitors.
Koreshev ‘s House
Another architecture of merchant times with elements of Art Nouveau and neo-Baroque. Pay attention to the scaly domes and the stunning facade decoration. The owner of this mansion was a public figure, timber industrialist P. F. Koreshev.
The building housed: living quarters, an office and a shop. After the revolution (1917), the building was nationalized. Currently, the building houses the city Registry office.
The house of the pastry chef V.F.Wolf
The mansion of pastry chef Vasily Wolf was built in 1896 by local craftsmen. The building of this structure is a composite complex with a shop and outbuildings. The confectionery shop, which was located on the territory of the mansion, and the trading shop were connected by an underground passage through which fresh pastries and cakes were delivered to customers.
Currently, the building houses the city Prosecutor’s office.
Museum of History and Culture of the Middle Kama Region
For a more detailed acquaintance with the city, it is worth visiting the oldest museum of Udmurtia, which has unique stock collections collected over the century-old history of its existence. The museum holds over 200,000 items.
Memorial House-Museum of Academician Melnikov
Historical and Biographical Museum of scientist Nikolai Melnikov, who has done a lot for the development of mining science. This museum is the only museum in Russia dedicated to the life and work of a mining scientist.
The museum building is a two-story wooden house where the Melnikov family lived. On the ground floor you can see the interior of the living rooms of Nikolai’s parents. The second floor introduces the scientist’s work and scientific biography.
Sarapul Radio Factory Museum
This museum preserves the history of one of the oldest enterprises in Russia, which still produces communications and communications equipment throughout the country. In the museum you can see the exhibits that were produced at the factory over the years of its operation.
Monument to Nadezhda Durova
The monument to Nadezhda Durova in Sarapul was erected in honor of her service to the Fatherland. Nadezhda Durova is a Russian cavalryman, the first female officer in Russia who took part in the Patriotic War of 1812. She lived in Sarapul for more than 30 years and from here, together with the Cossack regiment, she joined the active army.
The monument is located on the place where Durova’s father’s house was once located.
Church of Xenia of St. Petersburg
A small functioning church of Xenia of St. Petersburg was erected in 1911. The architecture of the building looks majestic, and the sparkling domes are well preserved to this day.
Fire tower
A unique and unusual landmark of Sarapul, characterized by a pronounced centric composition – a fire tower. There are few such buildings in Russia.
Sarapulskaya tower was erected in 1887 on behalf of the City Duma. The structure was built on Freedom Square — on one of the highest points of the city. The most famous and attention–grabbing part of the building is the fire tower, from which most of Sarapul is clearly visible, and the height of the tower is a nine-story house.
Currently, an active fire station is located in the tower. There is also access to the observation tower, which offers beautiful views of the Kama River and the city itself.
Sarapul Administration Building
The administration building of the city of Sarapul or as it is also called the White House is one of the architectural monuments of Sarapul during the merchant development of the city, preserved since the end of the 19th century. The building was built by merchant Tatarinov in the 40-50s of the XIX century. Before the revolution, the building housed the District Court.
Steam locomotive-monument Ov-3705
On the forecourt of Sarapul there is a monument to the locomotive Ov-3705. It was discovered in the 1970s at one of the factories in the central part of Russia. It was on such a locomotive that bread was transported during the Civil War to the starving of the Volga region and V.I. Lenin.
School No. 15
A school where for five years I was enlightened and gained knowledge. This is the building of the women’s gymnasium, which is quite a famous landmark in Sarapul. A beautiful solid three-storey red brick building in an eclectic style. I still remember the grand staircase inside the building and the stucco decorations of the interior, high ceilings and large windows. How many myths there were about this building, because it has a rather interesting history. And the history of the school begins in 1860, when a women’s primary parish school was opened in Sarapul.
Sarapul Drama Theater
There is a place to spend cultural time in the city of Sarapul. The Drama Theater is the oldest theater in Udmurtia, it was founded in 1911. The theater occupies the building of the former merchant Penkin.
Sarapul. Embankment of the Kama River
I remember how in the years of my virginity, I loved to spend a lot of time on the Embankment of the Kama River and watch passing ships and meteors from the pier.
Sarapul embankment is one of the main tourist spots in the city. The embankment offers a delightful view of the Kama River and the picturesque nature surrounding it. On the territory of the Embankment there is a fountain with a sculpture in the form of a sterlet fish, which is a symbol of the city. After all, the name of the city Sarapul translates as “yellow fish”, “sterlet”.
Sarapul is a unique city of its kind, with ancient architecture, an interesting merchant past and picturesque.
Travel, and don’t forget about small towns, because there are a lot of interesting things there too!
Author Olga Avrakh
Photo Olga Avrakh
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