After our early morning arrival at the Krasnoyarsk station, we have a free morning to rest and settle into the hotel before lunch and a tour of this city located on the Yenisei River. The city is known for its nature landscapes; author Anton Chekhov judged Krasnoyarsk to be the most beautiful city in Siberia. It is the third largest after Novosibirsk and Omsk, with a population of over one million.
Arriving at the train station at 6:40am, we are greeted by a statue of the symbol of the city – a lion bearing a shovel, indicating the industriousness of the people.Krasnoyarsk train station in the early morning.Driving along the banks of the Yenisei River. The newer settlements are all on the other side.Statue of Anton Chekhov, who loved this city.Fountains representing Hercules bearing a ship, and maidens representing the major rivers of Siberia.Each maiden has the name of a major river written on the pedestal.Overlooking the fountains toward the river.Statue of Apollo on the main square.Clock tower they call “Little Ben” here.Strange Egyptian building housing the Krasnoyarsk Regional Museum of Local Lore. There is nothing inside relating to Egypt. The founder traveled to Egypt and wanted to erect something here that had an Egyptian feel. The skeleton of a wooly mammoth is inside, as well as relics of local tribes.Peace Square, with a statue of Nikolay Petrovich Rezanov, a commander who sailed to America and founded Fort Ross in California. The name “Russian River” came about because of his presence there.Philharmonic Orchestral hall with several venues for performances of all types of music.Eternal flame at the tomb of unknown soldiers from World War II.Graves of soldiers from World War II.Overlooking Krasnoyarsk from Karaulnaya Mountain.At the top of the mountain is a small chapel.A higher view overlooking Krasnoyarsk. There are remains of two volcanoes in the mountains in the distance.
We have a free evening, and several of us go to dinner at a beautiful restaurant named for the author Mikhail Bulgakov, just a couple of blocks from our hotel. A wonderful day. Tomorrow we begin the long train trip to Irkutsk and beautiful Lake Baikal. We’re all looking forward to a highlight of the tour!
