Welcome to Kurgan city
Traveler’s Brochure
Project made by Svetlana Khodko and cadets of School No 23
Kurgan Russia
Music by Modest Moussorgsky
Kurgan Region on the
Map of Russia
Kurgan is the city and the
administrative centre of the
Kurgan region.
Kurgan region is an
independent subject of
Russian Federation. The
region was founded on
February, 1943. The
territory of the region is 71.5
thousand square kilometers.
The population of the
region is over one million
people, over 90 % are
Russian.
Geographical Location
The region has a favorable
geographical
and
geopolitical
location
at
Eurasian continent. It is
situated at the turn of the
Ural Mountains and Siberia
at the basin of the rivers
Tobol and Iset. It borders
on such highly developed
Ural regions as Sverdlovsk
and Chelyabinsk, as well as
on Tyumen region and
Kazakhstan.
Nature and Climate
The region is rich in natural
recourses: forests, land
reserves, and wonderful
nature with its recreational
potentialities.
The climate is harsh
continental with long cold
winter (the average January
temperature is -18 °C).
Summer is warm, with
regular
droughts
(the
average )July temperature
is + 19 °C).
Kurgan Coat of Arms
Kurgan is one of the oldest
cities in Siberia. It was
founded in 1662 as a
peasant settlement on the
bank of the Tobol River
close to Tsar Barrow. The
settlement
was
called
Tsaryovo Gorodishcher. It
acquired its present name
in 1782.
Kurgan Flag
Some people compare this
place to the United States of
America underlining that
the majority of people living
here were persons who
came here by their own will
–independent and enterprising. Serfdom never
existed here.
Vegetation
All kinds of vegetation,
peculiar to forest steppe
zone of Western Siberia, can
be found in the region.
There are miscellaneous
herbs in the forest, a lot of
dog rose, steppe cherry,
current,
stone
berry,
strawberry, bird cherry,
various mushrooms.
The Fauna of the
Region
The fauna of the region is
various.
There
is
a
significant population of
elk, wild boars, as well as
wolves,
badgers,
foxes,
white hares. In the lakes
there are a lot of musk-rats
and different kinds of fish.
The most widespread birds
are ducks, white partridges,
black cocks, etc.
Mikhail Naryshkin
Up to the end of XIX
century it was developing
slowly traditionally serving
as one of exile places. In
different periods the town
saw
13
members
of
December revolt of 1825,
among whom there were
such famous people as
Vilhelm
Kukhelbecker,
Andrei
Rosen,
Mikhail
Naryshkin.
Kurgan Railway
station
During its life Kurgan had
two major impulses for
development: opening the
Trans-Siberian railway in
1894 and granting of
regional centre status in
1943
together
with
evacuation of major plants
from the western part of the
country during the Second
World War.
Monument to the
Soldiers of the 32nd
Reserve Regiment
Over 250.000citizens of
Kurgan region took part in
the Second World War.
Over 105.000 defenders of
their
Motherland
were
killed.
75.0000
war
participants were decorated
with orders and medals.
One hundred and eight men
were awarded the title of the
Hero of the Soviet Union.
Kurgan Nowadays
Nowadays Kurgan is a
modern centre of Eastern
Ural with the population
of334,1 thousand people.
Its territory is 390 square
kilometers.
Kurgan is twinned with:
Appleton, United States.
Rufina, Italy.
The Industry of the
City
The industry of the city is
represented by sixty large
and
medium
sized
companies with the overall
annual production of over
613 million $. Powerful
tractors,
buses,
bridge
construction
elements,
equipment for oil and gas
industry,
drugs
are
produced at the city plants.
A Bridge in Leipzich
made in Kurgan
A School Bus
Airport
An airport, a railway
station, a bus station
connect Kurgan city with
towns and cities of other
regions.
Drama Theatre
Kurgan is an important
cultural centre of the region.
Theatres, museums and
parks make it one of the
most exciting cities in the
region.
The regional Drama Theatre
welcomes a great number of
spectators
every
night.
People can enjoy brilliant
acting of many talented
actors.
Philharmonic Society
The Philharmonic Society
arranges musical festivals
and concerts.
The
Kurgan
Regional
History Museum contains a
unique
collection
in
archeology,
ethnography
and history describing the
culture of Kurgan region. Its
visitors can learn a lot about
the flora and fauna of the
region.
The Buildings of
Kurgan
The building of the Fine
Arts Museum is a fine
example
of
modern
architecture. Each year
many exhibitions of local
artists, as well as artists
from the whole of Russia
are held in the Museum.
Visitors to Kurgan are
struck
by
its
varied
architectural styles. There
are the buildings of the
XIXth century construction
Lenin Square
Gogol Street is the main
street of our town. The
central square named after
Vladimir Lenin is situated
in it. He was the founder of
the first socialist state in the
world. The square is the
place
where
different
meetings and festivals take
place.
Monument to the
Soldiers Died in the
Local Conflicts
Kurgan boasts the only
memorial complex in the
Ural Federal District in
memory of the soldiers died
in local conflicts.
Tsar Barrow
One of the most amazing
sights of the city is Tsar
Barrow. There is a very
interesting legend about
this historical monument.
In old times there was a
famous khan who had a
very beautiful daughter. She
died young and grieving
father told to bury her near
his house and build a
barrow on her grave.
Central Park
There are a number of parks
in the city. A favorite place
for rest for grownups and
children is the Central Park.
They can find swings,
merry-go-round,
sports
grounds and what not.
Trees, bushes and flowers
make this park an enjoyable
place for many people.
Additional Education
Kurgan has a highly
developed
system
of
educational
institutions
including schools, colleges,
and institutions of higher
education. The system of
additional education is
represented
by
75
specialized institutions in
which more than 100
thousand
children
and
teenagers study.
Palace of the Youth
One of the most popular
institutions
of
higher
education is the Palace of
the Youth founded in 1935.
Its beautiful building is
situated in the central
square. More than two
thousand children attend its
clubs and studios.
Straw Handiworks
Young Technicians
Tourist Club
Drama Club
Dance Ensemble
“Smile”
Katya Bondarenko has been
studying
Russian
folk
dances for seven years. Her
folk
dance
ensemble
“Smile” takes part in festival
performances
and
competitions. The ensemble
is very popular among
children and grownups.
Gavriil Ilizarov
Kurgan city is a home to
Ilizarov’s Scientific Centre
of Restorative Traumatology and Orthopedics. The
founder of the Center
Gavriil Ilizarov proposed a
unique method of fracture
healing
by means of a
compression and distraction apparatus.
City Day
People of Kurgan engage in
all kinds of leisure activities.
One of the most popular
events is City Day. It’s
usually held in August.
Traditionally the holiday
begins on Lenin Square.
The city authorities and
honored people of Kurgan
open the holiday. Many
well-known orchestras and
dance ensembles take part
in the festival program.
Special games are organized
for children.
Pancake Week
Pancake Week festival
enjoys great popularity with
the citizens of Kurgan. The
festival is held in the
squares and parks of the
city. Early in the morning a
fairy “Russian Stove” drives
along the streets and merry
clowns invite citizens to the
square .Grownups and
children enjoy taking up in
various traditional Russian
competitions and games.
Burning of the Straw
Dummy
Children like sledging. A
horse harnessed in a Russian
sledge decorated with bright
colors,
gives
them
an
opportunity to have a merry
drive. Grownups enjoy a
traditional Russian game –
the storm of a tall pole.
Girls in bright Russian
dresses sell pancakes with
butter
or
sour
cream.
Traditionally at the end of the
festival crowds of people
gather around a straw
dummy and burn it. Burning
the straw dummy is a symbol
of coming spring.
We’ll be very glad to meet our friends
in Kurgan