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Krasnov Tourist Agency - Perm, Russia. Opening up the Urals...


Great Ring
of the Urals

Unique tour


Some facts about the towns of Prikamye

Usolye - the famous Stroganov’s patrimony

Stroganov's Chambers Usolye is an ancient town which still remains the memory of the past centuries. Having kept its look it is a living part of the past resembling about itself by the domes of the churches, stone merchant buildings, but not names. Sometimes it seems that the doors of the ancient private residence will open in a minute and the all-powerful master of the Usol’s Region Grigoriy Stroganov will appear…

During more than four centuries the Stroganov’s family led the defining role in the city’s fortune.The history of the city begins from 1606 when Nikita Grigoryevich Stroganov organized here a new salt business which got the name of New Usolye. Brines of the New Usolye differed by the high concentration bringring a lot of profit. That’s why the number of salt production units constantly grew and New Usolye turned into a trade settlement.

The ready salt was delivered by the river to Nizhniy Novgorod, Rybinsk, Yaroslavl there was transported into storehouses and from there “permyanka” (Perm salt) spread to Russia and was sold abroad. By the end of XIX century with the beginning of open extraction of the salt from the lakes in the south of Russia, with the development of the railway transportation, Usolye lost its past economical importance.

XX century prepared for Usolye serious checkouts. The city did not practically stay in its former state: in 1954 because of the foundation of the Kama hydro-electric station it was replaced on the mountain Kamen. Only the buildings of the old center remained unsubmerged, which were placed on the height. They have been keeping by our time the memory about “the golden age” of the rich Stroganov’s patrimony, former capital of the Russian salt- making.

Usolye complex (remained buildings) is more than 40 memorials of culture, civil and industrial architecture. Usolye architecture may be a bright example of not uniform buildings which is characteristic by the end of XVIII - first part of XIX century when the classical buildings adjoined with the ones existing before.
During the period of government of Peter I, a wonderful ensemble of Saint Transfiguration cathedral was started to be built at the bank. An interesting fact is that at that time there was a prohibition to build stone buildings because the stone was needed for Saint-Petersburg building but the Stroganovs evaded it. At that time appears the saying which was pretentious but well-taken: “Usolye city is Saint-Petersburg brother”.


Among the buildings of that time there are two ones which were marked by the famous architect Voronikhin who was born in Usolye and was the honored master of the Kazan cathedral. The private residence of princes Golitzyn and Nickolas church are the bright examples of classicism. As Usolye is named the museum at the open air, you should not pass the chapel of Saint Urbus, Pokrovskaya chapel, Stroganov’s Hall, bureau of the salt factories of the Stroganovs, Lazarev’s House, cathedral’s bell tower and trade rows.
Having visited Usolye region, where the past speaks with us today, you will get a great charge of old Russia.

 

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