Belokurikha: sights, photos, reviews

Belokurikha is a balneoclimatic multi-profile resort of federal significance, which belongs to the unique resorts of Russia.

This city is well known not only in our country, but also far beyond its borders. It is located in the foothills of Altai, on the spurs of the Cherginsky range. From the south, it is framed by evergreen slopes, on rounded peaks of low mountains, freakish rocks rise. On sunny days they are enveloped by a translucent haze. The name of the resort was given by the river Belokurikha, which winds among the boulders with a silver ribbon, crumbling into many small waterfalls. Among all this beauty are the buildings of the sanatoriums.

Natural factors

Belokurikha, whose sights are well known to our compatriots, is famous for its hot springs. They are classified as hot nitric-siliceous, radon-containing thermal waters with a high content of fluorine and a large spectrum of trace elements.

The famous Belokurikha thermal deposit is located at the junction of the West Siberian Plain and the Altai-Sayan mountain range, in a fault at an altitude of two hundred and fifty meters. Its history began in 1866, and in the middle of the 19th century the local inhabitants of Kazan and Gudkov became interested in the healing power of these sources. A great attention was paid to the quality of healing water by the scientist Gulyaev, who devoted himself to the study of Siberia. Since 1867 the first patients appeared here, which were attracted by local sights.

Belokurikha (Altai Territory): radon sources

This is a real natural masterpiece, which takes just a little more than one square kilometer. In the section it resembles a cupped granite sandwich. Water here circulates through aquiferous labyrinths, warming up in the sun's rays, while being saturated with microelements and radon. It moves along an inclined "bowl", breaking out onto the surface in the form of hot keys. Mineral substances rise from a depth of more than four hundred meters, heating to + 42 ° C. The chemical properties and therapeutic effects of these waters are striking in their uniqueness. Radon in its composition prevents inflammation, anesthetizes, cures allergy, significantly lowers cholesterol and has a rejuvenating effect.

"Snake well"

The source with this name is the symbol of the whole resort. Outwardly it looks like a small chapel. It is built on the place where the first baths of the resort once stood. Ever since, more than a century and a half have passed.

It is believed that its name is associated with abundance close to the curative source of reptiles: in warm wells huge snake tangles gathered. The natural temperature regime of this source is + 28 ° C, the level of radioactivity is about 18-20 Mahe. The composition of the water includes an array of radium from rubidium, granite, and potassium. Their decay leads to the release of a large amount of heat and radioactive substances, which include radon.

Climate

Another factor that has a beneficial effect on the human body is the local climate. This area is not distinguished by sharp changes in the main meteorological parameters: the summer is moderately hot, the winter is almost windless and sunny. The air contains many negatively charged aeroions.

Belokurikha River

Belokurikha, whose attractions are mostly natural, is striking in its primordial nature. The river with the same name originates on the Altaian mountain Sinyuha, more precisely on its northern slopes. She carries her water over the stony recesses to give them to her more powerful sister, the Ob River.

This is an unusual river. Probably, it is not necessary to talk about its beauty, which distinguishes all Siberian rivers. She has another mystery. Local residents could not understand why in places where coastal streams run into the river, the water does not freeze even in the harshest frosts and white steam swirling over the river, enveloping the whole neighborhood. And then we found out: these streams are warm. Much later scientists found that they are not just thermal, but also radon, able to cure many diseases.

Sanatorium treatment

Today, along the banks of the river Belokurikha, rest houses and sanatoriums have been built. Here they treat not only thermal waters, but also magnificent mountain air. In recent years, Belokurikha has become famous as a ski resort. Quite a mild winter for Siberia, with a sufficient amount of snow, you can ski from the beginning of December to the middle of April.

Mount Tserkovka

Many locals believe that the sights of the city of Belokurikha are, of course, Mount Tserkovka. In winter, skiers ride on its slopes. In the summer, the church becomes a place of real tourist pilgrimage - this is a very beautiful resort.

Climbing the lift to the top of the mountain, tourists can see a huge wooden cross, which is set on a round rock, shaped like a church dome. Once there was a chapel on this place, but at the beginning of the last century it was burnt, and from it there was only a cross. Therefore, the mountain is called the Church.

Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

Today many people are interested in Belokurikha. Sightseeing (excursions here are conducted by experienced specialists) usually begin to learn from the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In Moscow Rus, and then in the Russian Empire, the name of this saint is called a number of temples. In honor of St. Nicholas in the heart of the resort Belokurikha, near the sanatorium "Russia", the temple was opened (2003).

This church harmoniously blended into the sanatorium-resort territory. Its basis was borrowed in Novosibirsk from the chapel of St. Nicholas. True, this is not an exact copy of it, but a somewhat modified one. Today, this beautiful architectural structure, painted by icon painters from Barnaul, and a mosaic icon on the facade of the church was made in the Academgorodok of Novosibirsk.

Arboretum

If you want to see the sights of Belokurikha in summer, then you should definitely visit the arboretum, located 40 km from the resort, in the foothills of Altai. It occupies a vast territory, the area of which is more than eight hundred hectares.

On these lands, healing Altai herbs adjoin with exotic plants, flower beds and alpine hills create a harmonious landscape together with lakes. Here grow more than seventy kinds of valuable medicinal plants, fruit and berry and vegetable crops.

«Altai ail»

Not only ancient buildings and nature monuments are famous for Belokurikha. Sights (the photos you see in our article) were built in our time. The museum "Altai ail" was founded in the village of Novotyryshkino.

The museum complex consists of three parts. All of them are dedicated to the peasants of Siberia, the German immigrants, as well as all the indigenous inhabitants of the Altai Territory. You can get acquainted with their traditions by visiting the aile - the national housing of the Altaians. This is a very small building with an octagonal shape, an earthen floor and a domed ceiling. In the village there were no stoves installed, the dwelling was heated by an open hearth.

Swan Lake

It is no exaggeration to claim that these places have unique natural attractions. Belokurikha (Swan Lake, in particular) is of interest not only for tourists, but also for ornithologists.

The lake is located near the village Urozhainogo (Sovetsky district). This is a relatively small pond - its length is less than a kilometer, the depth is one meter. The pond is distinguished by crystal clear and transparent water, so it has a second name - Svetloe.

From the bottom of the lake beats a huge number of hot keys. Due to this, it does not freeze, and even in winter the temperature does not drop below + 4 ° С.

Every year a flock of swan-swimmers flies into this swan sanctuary and winters there, so the lake is more often called Lebedin. Here, gray goose, gogol, gray and gull gulls, white azure, reed oatmeal hibernate.

Today it is a nature monument, one of two reserves in our country, where swan-swans winter. This lake is proud of Belokurikha. Sights of this amazing place, including Swan Lake, are included in the famous tourist route "Small Ring of Altai". You can visit it by prior arrangement with the administration of the reserve.

On the shore of Swan Lake is a ten-meter observation deck, with it a stunning view. The lake is beautiful both in summer and in winter: among the snow-covered trees it is struck by a blue surface of water, in which graceful and proud birds float.

Cable-chairlift

Many travelers, tourists, nature lovers are interested in Belokurikha. Attractions of this Altai city include a cable-chairlift that stretches at a huge height (800 m) to 2,050 meters.

It consists of stations, a cable and two-seat armchairs with fastening. Most often, this dear people enjoy it when they climb Mount Tserkovka. Advantages of this road can be called the ability not to remove skis or snowboards. In such a journey, you can, without fear, take your children with you.

Reviews of tourists

Many positive reviews are left by people who have been treated in Belokurikha. They note a significant improvement in the condition with diseases of the joints and spine, respiratory organs, allergies. However, they recommend to be cautious to people with heart disease when taking radon baths. Although the sanatoriums employ specialists of the highest level who know the contraindications of such treatment well and always warn about them.

Tourists and lovers of alpine skiing are delighted with the beauty of these places and recommend everyone to come to Belokurikha for vacation with the whole family.