Manpupynyor (Ichet-Bolvano-Iz)
It is difficult to remember and pronounce the ancient names of these rocky remnants until one actually sees them. These are very interesting formations on the west slope of Manpupynyor Mountain. Seven rocky columnar remnants are aligned in a row, in an almost perfect line. The elevations of the remnants are 30-50 m. There is a great variety of forms (truncated pyramid, obelisk, column, etc.). Two further remnants rise on the opposite edge of the plateau: one has the shape of I a completely flat wall, the other presents a two-headed top and looks like a woman bending in a prayer.
The remnants on the top of Manpupynyor are interesting not only as natural objects with surprising forms, but also as sacred natural objects where sacrifices were made. The sacred character of the columns manifests itself in their names. Two names for the mountain - Manpupynyor in the Mansi language and Ichet-Bolvano-lz in Komi - mean the same thing: a small mountain of Idols. A trip to "bolvans" is one of the most interesting multi-day tours offered by the administration of the Pechora-llychsky Reserve. In 2000, a team of rock climbers from Ekaterinburg accomplished the first climb of the Pechora bolvans (blocks), but there are still many other unconquered places.
Ruins of The Town Which Never Existed
In the northern part of the Torre-Pree-lz Plateau, in the upper reaches of the Ichet-Lyaga river, an expanse of almost 10 km is occupied by the "town of mountain ruins". Deserted squares, walls; and remnants of all kinds are particularly beautiful during the "white nights", when white anemones and pink bearberries are flowering on the slopes. Nature has created a whimsical picture of ruins of a town. There has never been any town atop Torre-Poree-lz. These are merely the results of weathering - a creation of nature. All the same, many of those who like unusual things in the Urals come to walk along the fantastic streets of the town which never existed.
Caves
Over 50 caves are registered in the Komi Republic. Some of the caves of the Troitsko-Pechorsk area are most interesting - Medvezhya, Kaninskaya and Unyinskaya.
The Medvezhya Cave is the largest one discovered in the Komi Republic. The total length of its passages exceeds 480 m. The cave is located on the right side of the Pechora, 500 m from the current riverbank, and 16 km above the mouth of the Bolshoi Shezhim river. The entrance to the cave is shaped like a large arc and is located 40 m above the Pechora. It was rediscovered in 1926. The Medvezhya Cave is an important archaeological monument, since one of the northernmost sites of the Paleolithic man was found there. Discoveries made in this cave make it possible to assume that this is also one of the most ancient northern "mines" of humanity: silicon for primitive weapons was extracted not far from the cave, and the cave itself was a workshop for "semi-finished products".
The Kaninskaya Cave is located on the right bank of the Pechora, 47 km above the mouth of the Unya river and 1.3 km below the mouth of the Pikhtovka river. The cave consists of a grotto 7 m wide and 3.5 m high. The total length of the grotto is 63 m. There are beautiful dripstones of white and yellow quartzite on the walls and ceilings of the cave. Archeological digs have produced a great number of intact and fractured bones of the hairy rhinoceros, the musk-ox, the horse, the polar fox and other animals - which were found in the second layer from the bottom. In the fifth layer the scientists discovered 2,954 items of silicon, bone, copper, its alloys, silver, iron, glass and clay. Many of the items discovered prove that the Kaninskaya Cave was a sacred place in ancient times. This is also confirmed by the name of the cave: the word "kann" denotes "sanctuary" in Mansi.
The Unyinskaya Cave is located on the right bank of the Unya River (a tributary of the Pechora), 110 km from its mouth and 2 km above its confluence with the Bolshaya Dubrovka river. The cave consists of several galleries connecting three large halls. Judging by a number of discoveries made by archeological expeditions in the Unyinskaya Cave, it was used as a sacred place from the 2nd millennium B.C. to the 4-8th centuries A.D. Local people consider the Unyinskaya Cave to be an "evil place". They have known the cave since before recorded history, but the first reliable Information on the cave was published by the geologist Chekletsov, who briefly described the cave in 1883.
The Iordansky Ravine is located on the right bank of the Pechora, 16 km above the mouth of the Shezhimka river. It developed in the Devon Limestone, and is about 1 km long. The lordansky Ravine is a natural museum, with many different forms of karst relief.
Tatarskoye Vichko Cliffs
They are located in the upper reaches of the Ilych river, 6 km below the former community of Shantym. The group begins with a two-headed cliff, with one peak of about 30 m resembling the minaret of a mosque. The pointed peaks of the cliffs widen downwards in a tent-like form. The cliffs are white, orange and yellow. Below this group, on the bank of the Ilych, there is a solid cliff stretching for 250 m. It begins with a mighty tower 45 m tall. Then there are vertical steep layers coming abruptly from the water and divided by wide cuts into separate slabs.
To The Source of the Pechora
The Pechora, whose source is located in the Northern Urals in the Troitsko-Pechorsk area, is one of the major European rivers. Traveling to its source is a fairly complicated trip, requiring considerable time and expense, as well as good physical training and condition. Nevertheless, this is a multi-day trip that will be remembered forever. Those who do not care about expenses can charter a helicopter flight to the sign erected at the source of the Pechora. Then they can descend on foot, and go by kayak or rubber boat down mountain river - enjoying the rapids and the picturesque cliffs on its banks.
Resource:
Республика Коми: путеводитель / [cост. С. Журавлев]. - Изд. первое. - М. : Авангард, 2004. – С. 153 - 155.
www. tourism-komi.ru
Where to apply:
The Pechora-llychsky Reserve.
Tel.: (82138)9-56-99, 9-50-91
Е-mail:
Website: pechora-reserve.ru
Tourist Agency «Vertas Tour»
Tel.: (8212) 280-444
Website: vertastour.ru
Active Tourism In Troitsko-Pechorsk
Tel.: 8 904 108 35 64, 8 912 945 32 56
