Why are the Lena Pillars protected? Lena Pillars National Park, Russia (30 photos). Natural objects of the Lena Pillars reserve

I’ve had this photo lying around on my computer for a long time, I thought everyone would get around to it and find out where this unearthly landscape is. What kind of rock piles are these! Now I got my hands on it and you know - I was surprised! Let me tell you in more detail under the cut.

Lena pillars— geological education and national science of the same name natural Park in Russia, on the banks of the Lena River. It is located in the Khangalassky ulus of Yakutia, 104 km from the city of Pokrovsk. The Lena Pillars are a complex of vertically elongated rocks stretching for many kilometers, intricately piled up along the bank of the Lena, cutting through the Lena Plateau with a deep valley. The pillars reach their greatest density between the villages of Petrovskoye and Tit-Ary.

The rock formations, whose height reaches up to 100 meters, are composed of Cambrian limestones. Tectonically, the Lena Pillars lie within the Siberian Platform. Beginning of formation rocks, which formed this natural monument, are usually dated to the Early Cambrian - 560-540 million years ago. The formation of the Lena Pillars as a relief form is dated back to a much later period - about 400 thousand years ago, that is, relatively recent geological time. The territory of the Siberian Platform was subject to gradual uplift, which resulted in the emergence of faults and the formation of deep river valleys. This led to the intensification of karst processes, which, along with ongoing erosion weathering, gave rise to such whimsical and various forms rocks composed of carbonate rocks.

The area of the park is 485 thousand hectares, the park consists of two branches - “Stolby” and “Sinsky”. In addition to the well-known stone “pillars”, the park contains such notable objects as blowing sand-tuculans with separate areas of the cold northern sandy desert, a parking lot ancient man at the mouth of the Diring-Yuryakh stream, during excavations of which stone tools were found (Diring culture). There are unique permafrost ecosystems. In the area of the park, fossilized remains of representatives of ancient fauna were discovered: mammoth (Mammulhus primigenius Blum), bison (Bison priscus Boj), woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiguibatis Blum), etc.

Up close, each pillar resembles a magical statue, a brilliant sculpture. They remind someone medieval castles, churches, eastern columns. Someone claims that the rocks are the heroes of the folk heroic epic. Lena pillars (Turuuk Khayalara) stretch along the river bank for a distance of more than 40 km. On the rocks rising along the banks of the Lena and Sinaya rivers, numerous rock paintings were discovered, made with yellow mineral paint by the ancient inhabitants of these places. These are stylized images of animals preserved to varying degrees, fragments of inscriptions of ancient Turkic runic writing, rock compositions depicting a person.

The Lena and Sinsk pillars are steep, completely vertical rocks composed of Cambrian limestones. Such limestones were first discovered and described in England, in the county of Wales (the ancient name was Cambrian). Time, precipitation, river water and wind have given the Earth's rocky surface bizarre shapes. The length of the pillars along with powerful stone rocks along the river bank. Lena is about 80 km. The Lena Pillars have long attracted the attention of travelers and researchers. They are located on the right bank of the Lena opposite the village. Batamai, 200 km above the city of Yakutsk. Depending on the degree of weathering, rocks break up into pillars, spiers, rocks, towers, and other bizarre shapes, and also form extended screes.

Above the Lena, the pillars usually rise in several tiers. The presence of tiers is explained by the outcrops of rocks of different stability. They are typical for the entire right slope of the river valley. Lena in this area. Nowadays the Lena and Sinsk pillars, the river valley. Sinaya and the interfluve of Lena and Buotam are included in the system of specially protected natural areas as national natural parks. This is a great place for those who love nature and new experiences.

The pillars on the Lena River are amazing evidence of the development of the Earth over millions of years. Numerous fossils of ancient organisms were found here - unique preserved evidence of a very important stage in the history of the development of the organic world and many biological species during the Cambrian era. The remains of mammoths, bison, rhinoceroses and many other animals were found here.

The Lena Pillars were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2006 as one of the most amazing places on our planet with an ideal ecosystem untouched by man.

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The reserve is located on the territory of the Khangalassky and Olekminsky districts (uluses) and consists of two isolated areas: the Stolby Site (located on the right bank of the Lena River and along the Buotama River basin) and the Sinsky Site (located on the left bank of the Lena River above the mouth Sinyaya River).

At all times this nature education it left people in awe. This place has long been sacred for the Yakuts and Evenks. Ordinary people were not allowed to go there. They feared the wrath of the spirits of the rocks. Many believed that the pillars were frozen statues of people created by unknown otherworldly forces. Only a select few, elders or almighty shamans, dared to approach these mysterious rocks.

It has been established that these rocks are Early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, and the age of the limestones is at least 530-570 million years. Once upon a time there was a shallow, warm sea that washed the shores of the ancient Siberian continent. For millions of years, the dead remains of various small shell organisms settled at its bottom, forming multi-meter strata. Over time, the sea became dry land. Hundreds of millions of years passed, only in the Anthropocene period, under the influence of tectonic processes, the continental Siberian platform slowly rose by 200 m, which led to a deep incision of the Lena River valley. Faults and deep river valleys arose, karst processes intensified, which, along with ongoing erosive weathering, gave rise to such intricate and diverse forms of rocks composed of carbonate rocks. This is how a geological and landscape phenomenon called the Lena Pillars arose. It should be noted that, unlike the northwestern regions of Russia, here during the glaciation era there was a very dry climate, which prevented the formation of glaciers. Even when the temperature dropped as much as possible in the Northern Hemisphere, there was apparently no ice shell here - there are no traces of its influence on the local landscapes.

Russian paleontologists in local sedimentary deposits found 350 Early Cambrian genera of organisms out of 2000 now known to science. The overall diversity of creatures in this region was the highest for the Early Cambrian anywhere in the world. These genera include the first archaeocyaths (primitive sponges), radiocii, corallomorphs, brachiopods, and several other groups of fossil animals with mineral skeletons. In addition, extinct organisms have been found here in exceptionally complete preservation (such as mammoths, woolly rhinoceros, etc.). They form the fossil Sin ecosystem, which includes a number of unique specimens with preserved soft tissues and cells, and even their embryos. The rocks that make up the Lena Pillars are a true treasure trove for science.

In addition to stone pillars, in the park there are such remarkable objects as blowing sand-tukulans with separate areas of the cold northern sandy desert and the site of an ancient man at the mouth of the Diring-Yuryakh stream, during the excavations of which stone tools were found.

Tuculans:

Numerous petroglyphs were discovered on the rocks along the banks of the Lena and Sinaya rivers - rock paintings made with yellow mineral paint by the ancient inhabitants of these places. These are stylized images of animals preserved to varying degrees, fragments of inscriptions of ancient Turkic runic writing, rock compositions depicting a person.

The number of travelers visiting these places has increased markedly end of the 19th century century, but even in the dynamic 20th century, due to the remoteness and sparse population of these places, not so many people visited here. In Yakutsk, they began to organize special tourist trips to the Lena Pillars by boat. By the end of the century, the leadership of the Republic of Sakha became concerned with the development international tourism in the region. To do this, it was necessary to preserve not only the stone forest in its pristine beauty, but also the surrounding areas. It is very important that local authorities did not wait for guidelines from the capital, but on their own initiative, with the support of the general public of Yakutia, in 1994 they decided to organize natural park"Lena Pillars".

Office national park:

Since then, unique landscapes have become increasingly famous. Pillars today - popular place recreation for tourists and Yakut residents (from Yakutsk to the pillars is about 180 km). In summer, river workers organize boat excursions here. You can't do without a camera, video camera or binoculars here! If you sail upstream of the mighty Lena River, then in the south-west of Yakutia there appears before the eyes of travelers grandiose panorama bizarre rocky cliffs. This is a unique natural formation in the form of a very extended series of outcrops, stretching in a continuous chain for tens of kilometers along the slopes of the right bank. In some places they look like a colossal, monolithic wall, which is occasionally interrupted by gorges of tributaries of the Lena. But as soon as you approach the pillars, the wall begins to divide into independent, dissimilar sculptures, reminiscent of fairy-tale medieval castles, Gothic churches, or the bell towers of Orthodox churches. Among the cliffs you can see other creations of the sorceress nature: figures of unknown animals and fairy-tale characters. If you swim for a long time along a ridge of rocks, at times it seems that they come to life and are about to move. This visual effect is especially strong before sunset.

The Lena Pillars were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2006 as one of the amazing places our planet with an ideal ecosystem untouched by humans.

Lena Pillars (Yakutia, Russia) - detailed description, location, reviews, photos and videos.

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“A kind of holy silence lies on the virgin creation, and the soul merges with the wild but majestic nature.”

A. A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky about the Lena Pillars

The Lena Pillars are a forty-kilometer line steep cliffs, stretching along the right bank of the Lena River. The city of Yakutsk is located two hundred kilometers downstream of the river, and the city of Pokrovsk is about a hundred kilometers away. The length of the rocks is more than forty kilometers. Today it is nature reserve Yakutia - cliffs from 40 to 100 meters high are becoming more beautiful and mysterious every year due to local climatic conditions.

The view of the Pillars at sunrise is especially beautiful: from a distance mountain range its outlines resemble an ancient castle or a magical palace, and the river at the foot serves as a mirror, making the pillars twice as large and majestic.

How to get there

The road to the Lena Pillars is tiring, but exciting. You can fly from Moscow to Yakutsk by plane, the price ranges from 11,700 to 25,000 RUB (depending on the time of year), travel time is about 6.5 hours. Boats go from Yakutsk to Lena Pillars. It is this part of the route that tourists most often remember, as the beauty of these regions is mesmerizing. You can make this journey on a small ship or boat, or you can hire a private boat. For more information, see the official website of the Lena Pillars National Park. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

Climate

The climate in the area of the rocks is sharply continental, that is, contrasting. If in winter the thermometer can drop below −35 °C, then in summer you can expect not only +20 °C, but also +40 °C. Because of the river, the air is humid, so it is bitterly cold in winter and stuffy in summer.

Reserve "Lena Pillars"

The Lena Pillars National Nature Reserve was created in 1995 and since then has attracted the attention of not only tourists, many of whom are foreigners, but also scientists. The fact is that the reserve, in addition to picturesque rocks, is famous for its flora and fauna. Many animals and birds live here, including rare ones: bears, lynxes, wolverines, wolves, squirrels, moose, wapiti, hares, squirrels, muskrats, golden eagles, eagle owls, falcons, egrets. There is a lot of fish in the river, including valuable sturgeon, nelma and grayling. Many representatives of the local flora and fauna are listed in the Red Book. For several years now, the Lena Pillars have been applying for inclusion of the reserve on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The total area of the reserve is almost 500 thousand hectares. These are not only rocks, but also picturesque forests, and on this basis the park is divided into two parts: the Pillars themselves and the Tukulan section (translated from Evenki as “sands”). Here you can walk for days along many routes, visit picturesque observation platforms, and raft on the river.

Kinds tourist routes:

visiting the Lena Pillars, sometimes including climbing to the tops of some of them,
excursion walks around Tuculan, including acquaintance with the flora and fauna of this amazing corner of our planet.

Archaeological value of the reserve

The ridge of Lena Pillars began to form about 400 thousand years ago. In fact, these are steep cliffs, the basis of which is Cambrian limestone.

Cambria is the ancient name for the county of Wales. The fact is that the limestones that form the rocks of the Lena Pillars were first discovered in England, in Wales.

On the territory of the Tukulan site, scientists discovered the remains of a mammoth, an ancient bison and an ancient rhinoceros. And these places also preserve the memory of the sites of ancient people. The Lena Pillars themselves testify to this: using natural yellow paint, people painted various scenes from their lives on the rocks. These drawings, discovered not so long ago, have seriously interested archaeologists and anthropologists.

According to a number of Yakut scientists, these very places may be the “cradle human civilization" The results of archaeological research suggest that the first man appeared in the area stretching along the Lena River. This hypothesis is confirmed by the fact that they were found here ancient tools labor.

Natural objects of the Lena Pillars reserve

The first pillars that appear in your field of vision make you forget about the difficulties of the path and attract attention. Cliffs of red sandstone, covered in places with forest, are reflected in the surface of the great river, cliffs of light gray limestone hang over the water, layers of quartzite glisten in the sun. The rays of the setting sun change the picture, turning it from majestic to almost ominous. Not any of these rocks can be climbed, but the reserve has several observation platforms at an altitude of about 100 meters, from here you can admire the surrounding area and the great Siberian river.

The reserve offers its guests one- and two-day excursions, during which you can see the unique topography and local vegetation, listen to a story about the animals that have long lived in these places.

Available in Russia wonderful place, which not many people know about. Personally, until recently I had never heard of it, and when I found out, I was very surprised at how little we are aware of the wealth of our country. I want to talk about the Lena Pillars nature reserve, located on the banks of the Lena River in Yakutia.

The Lena Pillars natural park was founded relatively recently, in the mid-90s. Its main purpose is the development of ecotourism and the protection of rock formations, actually pillars, rising in a bizarre forest along the banks of the Lena. And just a couple of years ago Lena Pillars entered the list World Heritage UNESCO as a natural site.

The formation of these formations, according to scientists, began in the Cambrian period, that is, about 500 million years ago. Many, many millions of years ago there were huge rocks here, and then the processes of erosion and weathering formed high, up to 100 meters in height, vertical stone pillars. Weathering pillars in the Komi Republic were formed in approximately the same way.

The Lena Pillars in the form we can observe them today have existed for about 400 thousand years, that is, by the standards of the age of our planet - “recently”. They stretch for several kilometers along the right bank of the Lena, about 100 km southwest of the city of Pokrovsk, and produce a mystical impression. The places here can be said to be wild, sparsely populated. The silence is unimaginable, and the purity of the air makes an unprepared city dweller feel dizzy. Peace and tranquility descend on tourists who dare to travel to meet these ancient rocks.

The reserve offers wide choose excursion routes– river rafting, relaxation at local camp sites, walking tours, fishing. It must be borne in mind that the park is a specially protected natural site with strictly regulated visiting rules that you must familiarize yourself with. But compliance with these rules, of course, is on the conscience of each individual tourist.

In addition to the pillars, there is another remarkable natural object in the park - Tukulany, which is called the “desert of Yakutia”. These are blowing sands, with a peculiar vegetation and ecosystem, very dynamic, constantly changing and very picturesque.

The reserve is undergoing active scientific research not only by biologists, but also by archaeologists, as ancient fossils of mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses and other prehistoric animals have been discovered here.

The Lena Pillars of Yakutia are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and at the same time are business card Yakutia. 50 kilometers of tall cliffs that stretch along the coast are a truly impressive sight. For some, when they see them, pictures of medieval castles come to mind, while for others their imagination takes them to the land of dragons, others see giants frozen for centuries.

A.A. expressed his admiration for this creation of nature. Bestuzhev–Marlinsky. Today, this mysterious corner of Yakutia attracts tourists from different parts of the world, and the natural park itself is becoming more interesting year from year. The special climate of the area contributes to such qualitative changes. The height of the rocks in some places reaches 100 m. This is truly impressive, and the closer the ship comes to them, the more delight and admiration is born in the chest of the traveler. Those who get here at sunset will be lucky; at this time the pillars, with their outlines, resemble a fairy-tale palace or some kind of ancient castle, and the river itself at the foot serves as a mirror, thanks to which the rocks seem twice as large and majestic.

Since 1995, the Lena Pillars natural park received the status national reserve. If earlier tourists from nearby came here, today foreigners make the pilgrimage, and scientists have also become interested in the place. The latter are attracted by unusual flora and fauna. It is inhabited by unusual species of birds and animals, including bears, wolverines, squirrels, lynxes, muskrats, hares, golden eagles, eagle owls, egrets, and falcons. In the waters of the Lena River there are many different fish, there are quite valuable species of it, such as sturgeon, grayling, and nelma. A considerable part of the local fauna and flora is listed on the pages of the Red Book.

The total area of the reserve is 500 hectares. This includes not only tall cliffs, but also forests. The reserve itself consists of two parts - the Lena Pillars themselves and (translated from the local dialect this word means “sands”).

Tours consist of visiting a natural attraction (sometimes mountaineering ascents are organized to some peaks), as well as excursion walks along a sandy area. The second part of the tour is to get acquainted with the local flora and fauna, enjoy beautiful views. There is something to do here for a tourist who is not used to sitting still: there are dozens of tourist routes, there are picturesque viewing platforms, and you can go rafting down the river.

As soon as mysterious things appear on the horizon high cliffs, then the person immediately forgets all the difficulties that had to be overcome on the way to this park. They literally catch your eye and it’s very difficult to stop looking at their greatness. The cliffs of the natural park are made of red sandstone, and in some places they are overgrown with forest. All this is reflected in the water, as if in a mirror, layers of quartzite sparkle against the sun, cliffs of light gray limestone hang over the water surface. The rays of the setting sun change the picture - from calm, silent it becomes almost ominous.

Not every rock allows climbers to approach it, but there are several observation platforms at an altitude of 100 m. They offer stunning views, give you the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the Siberian river, and deeply breathe in the grandeur of Russian nature.

Since the area of the Lena Pillars National Park is not so small, it is better to go here not for one day, but for at least two. Two-day sightseeing tours will open up a lot of interesting things for the traveler. Nature did a good job creating this corner of the planet. Stunning reliefs, unique vegetation and wildlife will forever remain in the memory of everyone who gets acquainted with all this.

The archaeological value of the reserve is great. Research suggests that the formation of a ridge of unusual stone massifs began approximately 400 thousand years ago. The basis of the steep cliffs is Cambrian limestone. And at the Tukulan site, scientists discovered the remains of a mammoth, rhinoceros and bison. Also in this reserve you can find traces of sites of ancient people.

Surprisingly, it was found that ancient people left information about their lives on the pillars themselves, using natural yellow paint. These inscriptions were recently discovered, which increased interest in the park among anthropologists and archaeologists. Some scientists suggest that this is where the “cradle of humanity” could have originated. Such conclusions were made after ancient tools were discovered along the Lena River. All this allows us to say that the Lena Pillars National Park in Russia is unique place and, definitely, everyone should visit it.

Where are they located?

Many of you have heard about this amazing reserve, but not many know where they are. The Lena Pillars on the map of Russia are located in the Eastern part, or more precisely in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), in the Khangalassky region, on the right bank of the Lena River. The length of the reserve is more than 50 km. In terms of area, this park occupies a huge territory - about 500 hectares, starting approximately from the village of Kachikatsi and ending near the village of Churan. The distance from the city of Yakutsk to the Lena Pillars is 200 km.

Climate Features

The climate here is perhaps not mild. It would be more accurate to call it sharply continental. In winter, the air temperature in the park drops to -65 degrees Celsius, and in summer it rises to +35 degrees. This is not surprising, because the Lena Pillars are located on the banks of a huge river - the Lena. It is this that gives high humidity, so the park is very cold in winter and stuffy in summer.

How to get there

In winter, when the Lena River freezes, you can get to the Lena Pillars by car straight from the city of Yakutsk. To do this, you need to go towards the city of Pokrovsk to the village of Batamai (200 km), and there, along the winter road, cross the Lena River all the way to the park. When the winter road officially opens, you can also get to the natural park by small car.

In the summer, because of the Lena River, it will not be possible to get to the reserve itself. Those who like to travel wild can drive their car to the village of Elanka (150 km), leave the car in a paid parking lot, order a motor boat and sail the remaining 50 km along the Lena River.

If you are in another region of Russia, then you can take advantage of various tours. It is best to fly from Moscow to Yakutsk by plane, and the flight duration will be approximately 7 hours.

Usually on ships that go to Lena Pillars Park there is a library, board games, karaoke, a cinema hall and even a sauna. You can refresh yourself in the restaurant, which serves quite familiar and tasty dishes.

Excursion

If you decide to visit Lena Pillars Natural Park, then we definitely recommend taking a tour. The cost of the excursion is not that high, in 2017 it was 350 rubles per person, but a friendly guide will take you on an entertaining excursion and tell you in detail the whole history and facts of the Lena Pillars.

Upon arrival at the Lena Pillars National Natural Park, you should try to do the following:

climb to the top of the cliff and see the nature of Yakutia from a 200-meter height;
meet at least one sunrise on the banks of the Lena in an ordinary tent;
swim in the waters of the great Lena (in summer the water temperature rises to +17 degrees);
be sure to visit the site of ancient people in the Lena Pillars Park - Dirin-Yuryakh;
study ancient inscriptions on the Pillars;
take a walk around sand dunes, which live their own lives and are almost completely devoid of vegetation;
visit the caves of the Lena Pillars;
catch a fish.

You will remember such a vacation for a long time. On the territory of the Lena Pillars Park there are still no hotels, entertainment centers, so you can still enjoy unity with nature there.

Video

We suggest you take a look The best video about Lena Pillars, which became a hit last season:

Photo

No matter how well the photos of the Lena Pillars are taken, they still will not be able to fully convey all the greatness and excitement that a person experiences at the sight of the stone giants. But, as they say, seeing once is worth hearing a hundred times.

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