Canon camera owners that came to me for Radozhiv, where the Sigma EX 85mm 1: 1.4 DG HSM version for Nikon cameras is described, it will be interesting to read the reviews and tests of the Sigma EX 85mm 1: 1.4 DG HSM for the Canon system at vlador.com and evtifeev.com.

Main technical characteristics of Sigma EX 85mm 1: 1.4 DG HSM:

Please note that the lens was produced in two versions, which differ in the body finish. The first version of the lens had a body covered with the characteristic Sigma rough velvet. The second version has a more classic matte black finish and is shown in this review.

Also note that the lens is available in different mounts: Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Sigma and Sony.

SIGMA AF 85 mm f / 1.4 EX DG HSM with adapter

Assembly

The lens is well built and the 'Sigma EX' (top-of-the-line lenses) branding is backed up by an impressive weight. The focusing ring is rubberized, wide and easy to use. Of course, such a fat man has a metal mount, but unfortunately the Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 is not waterproof or dustproof. They are relatives and have at least a rubber gasket on the side of their bayonet.

Personally, I would find fault with the focus mode switch. The switch is plastic and awkwardly switches from 'M' mode to 'AF' mode. And also, while focusing on the MDF, the internal electronics of the lens can be seen from the side of the rear lenses; cute velvet sigmo girls should be very ashamed! :).

It's nice that the kit comes with a special case, hood and an additional adapter for the main hood. The adapter itself is a small hood and fits between the lens and the main hood and serves as an extension for the main hood when shooting with cameras with an APS-C sensor (i.e. Nikon DX). So small and useful thing for crop camera owners, Sigma is adding this to many of its lenses. I saw a similar adapter, for example, at.

The main hood can be installed in the opposite position (transport mode), only in this position access to the focusing ring will be completely lost. If you attach an adapter, the main hood can also be carried in transport mode, in which case access to the focusing ring is only slightly restricted.

Important: the front protective cover can be put on the adapter, which is very convenient. At the same time, filters cannot be installed in the adapter. When the hood is undocked, the adapter itself is removed, which can be annoying at times.

Diaphragm

The lens uses an aperture of 9 petals that form a fairly even hole. Unfortunately, in some situations, polyhedrons can be seen in photographs on very closed apertures. The aperture closes down to f / 16, aperture control is performed using the camera controls. The Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 does not have an aperture ring and is analogous to Nikon Nikkor ‘.

On closed diaphragms, you can get ().

Focusing

Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 uses Hsm (H yper S onic M otor) - built-in ultrasonic motor for focusing, and therefore the lens will work. A characteristic slight hum is heard during autofocus.

Auto focus speed - high, closer to the middle. There are no complaints about focusing speed. Live View is slow on the camera just like any other lens.

During focusing the front lens remains stationary The Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 uses rear lens group focusing. In fact, with the lens attached to the camera, we get internal focusing (visually, during focusing, nothing moves).

There is a focus mode switch on the lens barrel AF-M... In autofocus mode 'AF', the focus ring remains fixed and you can hold the lens by it. In manual focus mode, the ‘M’ ring rotates approximately 90 degrees, when reaching the extreme positions it does not rest, but continues to slide without affecting the focusing. Manual aiming is not a problem due to the large diameter of the lens.

The Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 has a window with a distance scale in meters and feet. There is also a depth of field scale, but only for F / 16, but there is no mark for working in the infrared spectrum. The minimum focusing distance is 85 cm, while the maximum zoom ratio is not particularly pleasing and is as much as 1: 8.6.

The Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 suffers from the 'Focus Breathing' effect, which changes the angle of view during focusing.

The lens supports continuous manual focus even if 'AF' is on. But this is only a very distant semblance of the native function. Here the Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 grazes the rear. Unfortunately, manual focusing in ‘AF’ mode is only possible if the camera is using ‘’ focus mode and only after successful focusing (see manual for a detailed description). In focus mode, ‘‘ I had to fight the lens for focus control. Unlike the mode, the 'AF' mode of the Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 does not turn off autofocus when you start rotating the focusing ring manually, which causes various incidents. But it's not all bad, users who use the focusing method with a button (or a button programmed for this function) may not feel the lack of a full-fledged mode.

Focusing in real conditions:

On the camera (uses the focusing module), the lens misses quite often during autofocus. on the same camera it behaves much more confidently. In focus mode, the ‘’ Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 is constantly scouring in search of a target and is often mistaken. The 'AF-S' mode makes work easier. Also, it's a pity, but the sample from the review does not have a small front focus (focusing in front of the subject).

On the camera (uses the focusing module) everything is exactly the same, only there is no pronounced front focus. For the review, I took about 400 portrait shots in cloudy weather, after viewing it on a computer, it became clear that about half of the photos had poor focus. I understand that focusing on a high-aperture lens is a delicate and complicated matter, but with my native lenses, I always had much more successful shots at the exit.

I want to note that on different cameras, different specific copies of the Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 in different situations will behave differently... And my experience with this lens cannot be the ultimate dogma.

Image quality

The Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 is doing well. The lens shows confident sharpness at f / 1.4 in the center of the frame, only at the edges and corners the sharpness drops noticeably and vignetting increases. If you close the aperture to F / 2.8, then the edges of the image come back to normal, and at F / 4 the corners are pulled up. At f / 5.6-f / 8 and landscape photography, you can see any fine detail throughout the image. The lens creates a contrasting image at any value of the F-number.

In addition, the Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 does not have any noticeable distortion, which is the best for portrait photography, and also behaves well in back and side light.

In the zone of sharpness, they are very well compensated, but in the zone of unsharpness, freezing makes itself felt very strongly. I would single out freing as the main disadvantage of this lens.

And of course, as befits a fast short telephoto lens, the Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 has nice drawing.

Front lens SIGMA AF 85 mm f / 1.4 EX DG HSM

Sample photos on a full-frame Nikon FX camera:

at this link (34 files in ‘.NEF’ format, 480 MB). All photos were shot on (using a lens hood and using HOYA HD UV 77mm Made in Japan).

SIGMA AF 85 mm f / 1.4 EX DG HSM lens dimensions with adapter and hood attached

Sample photos on a camera with Nikon DX APS-C sensor:

You can download the source files in RAW format from this link (27 files in ‘.RAF’ format, 340 MB). All photos in this gallery are on-camera. All photos were shot with (no lens hood and HOYA HD UV 77mm Made in Japan).

SIGMA AF 85 mm f / 1.4 EX DG HSM with hood on

My experience

Sigma EX 85mm 1: 1.4 DG HSM me frankly liked even with a bunch of focusing misses. Focusing adventures aside, the Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 is absolutely working and reliable lens, for which it is not a pity to give your hard-earned funds. Negative experience in focusing accuracy is probably my personal experience and should not apply to the overall picture of this lens.

Many users are racking their brains when choosing a Nikon for their camera. Among the available high-aperture 85-currents for the Nikon system, I would adhere to the following sequence in choosing: -> -> Sigma 85 / 1.4 HSM (I, II) -> -> -> Nikon 85 / 1.8AF.

Hello, friends!

Today I can finally please you with some field tests of the new lens. Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art versus ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4.

Sigma 85 / 1.4 Art

It's actually pretty amazing how many people rushed to glorify the new lens from Sigma, when there weren't really normal tests yet. I did not undertake to judge him, although in general I appreciated the marketing course of the company Sigma, where the manager paid tribute at the presentation ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4 and said that they tried to focus on it and make the best AF 85mm lens.

Those who listen inattentively are not confused by the word "autofocus", while ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4 has manual focus and therefore soon articles and pseudo-tests appeared where Sigma turned out to be better.

Opinions of other reviewers

DXOmark

For example, we already have a test from DXOmark, which "became famous" for its measurements of cameras in "parrots" and lenses in synthetic megapixels.
What DXO tells us: "... That it outperforms the Zeiss Milvus and outrageously expensive Otus equivalents probably says enough for most people - and that’s even before discussing the merits of autofocus versus manual on high-speed lenses like this."

Those. Sigma won all (at least in their imaginary synthetic tests, since there are no testing methods and intermediate visual results - only final numbers and graphs).

LensTips

Next, we have tests from LensTips.
Also a well-known office, which is still sure that resolutions above 50 lp / mm at 50 are something outrageous (the rest, thank God, went through this stage in the 90s of the 20th century). They can be forgiven for this. they take their measurements on a somewhat outdated camera Canon 5D mark III with a resolution of 21 megapixels. Interestingly, in Poland it is so bad with cameras even at shops? Canon approved quite a large number of their lenses released after 2009 as 50 megapixels. What to say about ZEISS Otus which initially outperformed all lenses from Canon?

The-digital-picture

I went to the-digital-picture, which has been checked many times and whose results are more reliable, but, unfortunately, ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4 they have tested on camera Canon 1Ds Mark III which has the same sensor as Canon 5D mark II- 21 Mpix.

However, there is this phrase: "Compare axial / spherical / spherochromatism performance and the Otus comes out on top, followed by the Milvus with the Sigma trailing these other two lens." Those. by a set of parameters The-digital-picture puts Sigma 85 / 1.4 Art to the very end. But again, no visual tests.

DPreview

After that, speaks DPreview... It was a great resource until I started relying on DXO tests. Now what? And now we trust DXO and Lenstips: "DxO and Lenstip have both rated this lens as the sharpest 85mm lens that they" ve ever tested. "
What prevents to put Sigma on a tripod on a good camera (40-50 Mpix) and compare with Otus? It seems like he was the "king of the mountain", and not at all Sonya, with whom they compare and then conclude that Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art the sharpest 85mm lens to date ...

After such "confusion and vacillation" you already begin to believe in a worldwide conspiracy against Zeiss :)

So I decided to run my own test. ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4 I had Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art brought by my good friend Oleg Lashkov.

filmed with Sigma 85 / 1.4 Art

We shot a little portrait with both lenses (especially on Sigma, since Otus was already understandable and I shoot it from time to time - I'm very happy) and then climbed onto the roof of a house in the center of St. Petersburg with observation platform, took portraits there and I did a tripod test for resolution.

Technical details

The picture shows the MTF50 graphs for two lenses. Charts Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art presumably calculated, and the graphs ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4 after testing real lenses.

Sigma's design schedules are assumed because:

1) Most manufacturers of photo optics have them calculated and Sigma does not claim that they are from real samples, as they could and this would enhance her image (as does Carl zeiss and it also produces test benches for taking MTF charts).
2) The second graph is given taking into account the diffraction. But what kind of diffusion can be by 1.4? For other diaphragms, the graphics are not made, which would be logical in the presence of a test bench and difficult in mathematical calculations (you can miss a lot).

Pay attention to the bottom curve, it is responsible for the lens resolution. The finer the strokes (30, 40, etc.), the better you can show how the lens behaves at high resolutions. On one axis is the contrast of the image (in particular, the microcontrast for resolution), and on the other is the distance from the center of the frame.
Resolution plots at 40 lp / mm have been relevant since the 70s of the 20th century. Roughly speaking, 20 years have passed and since then the manufacturers of photo optics have not begun to implement graphics for a higher resolution, and some (Sigma, Canon, Nikon) generally use 30 lp / mm, which seem to be an anachronism nowadays.
The main point: the higher the resolution (10-> 40 lp / mm), the lower the curve will go on the graph of the same lens.
And with which lens this curve goes higher, that one shows the best results.

Schedule Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art given for 30 lp / mm, and for ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4 for 40 lp / mm, so the testing conditions for Zeiss are much more complicated and it is problematic to compare them according to the graph. The curve for Sigma is about 73%, while for ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4 at the level of 70%. But given the difference in resolution that the curve describes, the result y ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4 rather, it will be better in the center of the frame if you imagine a curve for Zeiss at 30 lp / mm. But these are just my assumptions, based on the fact that the difference between 30 and 40 lp / mm is much more significant than the 3% contrast.

Field tests

ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4 which I had - for the camera Canon... Therefore, a camera corresponding to his level of resolution was used for him. Canon 5DsR(50 Mpix). Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art Oleg was under Nikon's camera, so they used Oleg's camera - Nikon D810(the most top-end resolution that has Nikon). Ideally, I would like to test on one camera, it would be more reliable. But in fact, the resolution of optics at a fully open aperture, with rare exceptions, reaches a resolution of 36 megapixels. As a matter of fact, I know of only one such example - lenses ZEISS Otus.

For my part, I did what I could - took a super-stable tripod Gitzo GT3532 mountaineer designed for loads up to 21 kg.

Focusing was exclusively manual, according to LiveView(16x for Canon 5DsR and 23x for Nikon D810). I refocused several times to get maximum sharpness. Did a few takes, especially for 1.4.

F1.4

I recommend paying attention to the balconies on the left. On the ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4 the detail of these grids is much higher. You can also look at the poster with Vitas, signs of pedestrian crossings and so on. In my opinion, it is obvious who wins in the detail of the shot at f1.4.
I also recommend looking at what happens to the headlights of cars on Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art and on ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4(move the slider in full screen - the icon in the right corner of the comparison window). Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art severely "suffers" from the open diaphragm, while ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4 almost completely rid of them. Pay attention to the wall on the left, if you look closely, you will see HA there on all light relief details (all shooting parameters are the same).

no special comments required ... See how distinguishable the gratings are and where there are purple borders and where they are not. I repeat - this is manual focus! Autofocus error excluded. If Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art was as good as some people think of it, then we would see an absolutely sharp picture without HA, but at a lower resolution. And we see an unsharp one with HA, which suggests that Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art far from Otus in terms of characteristics.

On the ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4 I see details on the wall (black streaks), on Sigma 85 / 1.4 Art solid "soap" ... Plus HA y Sigma 85 / 1.4 Art very decent.

At more closed apertures, the situation will level out and at some point (maybe closer to 5.6) it will be difficult to distinguish one good 85mm lens from the best, but the point of a portrait lens is precisely to work at an open aperture and that is why we are more worried about how the lens behaves at 1.4, otherwise we could just as well take Canon 85 / 1.8 for 15 thousand rubles.

So at this point I finish my test "at infinity" and lay out the test files for you to analyze. Torment them however you want :)

I have a bunch of other equally interesting equipment on the test, subscribe to the news and, please, do reposts.

Portrait photography

Portraits are for evaluation, not for sharpness. at Sigma 85 / 1.4 Art severe misses in autofocus were noticed, and on ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4 manual focus and I cannot guarantee that 100% hit the eyelashes or "glass" of the eye. By resolution there is a comparison in field tests.

In portrait photography, a beautiful girl Anya helped us wonderfully :)

I apologize for the color of my skin, I didn't take it with me, and the light was chaotic from all sides.

ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4

ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4, F1.4, 1/125, ISO 400

ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4, F1.4, 1/125, ISO 400

Results and conclusions

Company Sigma released a wonderful lens Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art and, as far as I understand, this is really the best AUTOFOCUS lens to date. Those. they said without exaggeration. No Canon nor Nikon do not offer anything of the kind (especially the other players in the photo-optics market).

At the presentation of the lens Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art skillful PR people from Sigma respectfully mentioned ZEISS Otus 85 / 1.4... Again, they did not competently say anything superfluous, but many thought of it.
And about the competition with Otus, one joke comes to mind:

"- Forgive me for calling so late, Samuel Markovich.
- And you're not too late, Sofa, you are in vain! "

A spoon of tar

How much Oleg and I did not try, but Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art behaved very unpredictably on the Nikon D810. There were practically no sharp shots on F1.4.

Everything that happened is presented in the article and posted in the downloadable archive.
Oleg adjusting the lens at home made him a correction of +16 (using the scale Datacolor SpyderLensCal and Sigma dock usb, and the maximum correction is 20!) otherwise, at portrait distance, the lens missed the target.

However, it didn't help. We set the camera correction to +3 and it got better, but only for a distance of 1.5 m. At other distances, especially longer ones, the focus error increased and was unpredictable. So the lens will go to alignment in terms of focus. This does not mean that the lens is bad, it is good. But the problem of communication with a specific Nikon camera is obvious.

To be continued, after adjustment at an official Sigma service center

Our planet is beautiful, and in it you can find the most best places recreation . You can travel to popular tourist destinations, or you can choose places where you will not meet a large crowd of tourists.

Here are some less popular places for tourists to relax and have a good time:

1. Unusual places to stay: underground beach

Hidden underground, the secret beach of one of the Marieta Islands, in Mexico, boasts a crystal clean water... You can get to it by boat along a long tunnel or by swimming.

2. Rest a savage in Peru

Huacachina is an uninhabited oasis in Peru. It is located near the city of Lima, Peru. Today this place is visited by those who like wild vacations - people come with backpacks, set up tents, swim and do sandboarding (boarding on the dunes) and riding quads on the sands.

3. Holidays abroad: a village in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Those who have ever been to the village of Blagaj, Bosnia and Herzegovina, were delighted with the incredible beautiful monastery Blagai Tekiya, built right next to a rock in a cave where the Buna River originates. Tourists can see the beautiful wooden interior of the monastery.

4. Rest on the pink lake

Lake Hillier on Middle Island, southwestern Australia, is pink in color. Even if you put water in a bottle, it will be pink. Why the water is pink is still unknown, but scientists suggest that the reason lies in salinity and specific microorganisms that live in the lake.

5. Scuba diving between North America and Europe

Silfra is a rift located in Lake Tingvadlavatn in Thingvellir National Park, Iceland forms part of the divergent boundary between the N American Plate and the Eurasian Plate. Here, not only the purest water, but the rift itself is so narrow that divers can touch the hands of North America and Europe at the same time.

6. Where to go on vacation: Isola Bella island

In the 1600s, Isola Bella was transformed from an ordinary stone island in the center of Lake Maggiore, Italy, into a flower garden that surrounded the palace. Apart from the palace, the island is also famous for its Baroque gardens.

7. Family vacation in the Maltese village

Popeye Village in Malta was originally created for the 1980 film Popeye, but has since been converted into a theme park. Three trucks of paint (about 2,000 gallons) were used to create the movie set. Today tourists can go boating, visit a wine house and jump on water jumps.

8. Holidays in China: red land

Red earth in Dongchuan District is located 250 km from Kunming City. The high air temperature and frequent rainfall in the region have turned the color of Dongchuan's soil red. The soil contains oxidized iron and minerals that affect the color of the mail and flowering plants all year round.

9. Unusual places on earth: Darvaza

Darvaza is a gas crater in Turkmenistan. Both locals and tourists are nicknamed this place"Door to Hell", or "Gate to Hell". This huge hole of fire was created in 1971 when Soviet geologists foundunderground gas accumulationnear the village of Darvaza.

When the drilling of an exploration well began, experts discovered an underground void - at that moment the earth collapsed, after which a large hole filled with gas was formed. In order to avoid gas poisoning of people and livestock, it was decided to set fire to the gas. Geologists believed that the fire would go out after a few days, but they were wrong. The natural gas that constantly escapes from the crater has kept the fire going around the clock for several years now.

10. Rest on the island of Florish

Floris Island, an island off the coast of Portugal, is famous for its flowers dotted throughout the island. The name Flourish came about precisely because of this feature. The island also has natural hot springs and lagoons for swimming.

11. Active holidays in Greece

Giola on the island of Thassos in Greece is an isolated lagoon that arose naturally. This lagoon is located near the Astris settlement. Getting here is not easy, as the nearest road is about 1 km away and if you leave your car you will have to walk. But if you succeed, you will enjoy more than beautiful view, but you can also swim in an unusual place overlooking the sea.

12. Rest without the sea: an unusual cathedral above the rocks

Las Lajas Church is located 7 km from Ipiales, Colombia, on the border of Colombia and Ecuador. It is located in the canyon of the Guaitara River, above green cliffs and waterfalls, and is one of the most popular temples in the country. The neo-Gothic cathedral stands right on the bridge.

13. Where to go for a summer vacation: dunes in Brazil

During the rainy seasons, the Lencois Maranhenses National Park in the state of Maranhao, Brazil, appears in an unusual way. Frequent rainfall and 40-meter sand dunes, a large number of lagoons are formed here, but there is no vegetation.

The best time to visit this place is between July and September, when there are most of the deep lagoons.

14. Rest in the jungle of Guatemala

Guatemalan natural monument Semuc Champay is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful places in the country and in the world. This place is hidden from the eyes of tourists deep in the jungle. The name was given to it by the Kekchi Indians, and it is translated as "the place where the river goes underground." Around - the jungle, and among them you can relax in cool waters natural pools.

15. An unusual city in New Zealand

Plunge into the hot springs of Rotorua on the shores of the lake of the same name. They are located on the North Island, New Zealand... The city of Rotorua is also known for its geysers, thermal waters and mud pools. This city was nicknamed "Sulfur City" (City of Sulfur).

16. Holidays in Spain

The city of Setenil de las Bodegas appeared among a network of caves in the rocks above the Rio Trejo, Spain. The white houses of this cliff city are built into the cliff, and some even use it as a roof.

There are many bars and restaurants serving delicious food.

17. Unusual park in South Africa

National park Namaqualand in South Africa got its name in honor of the Nama people living in those places. It rains just once a year (usually in spring) in these arid valleys and turns into colorful flower carpets of orange and white daisies.

It is worth noting that tourists are prohibited from visiting this place, but during the daisy season, a huge number of people from all over the world come, settle in towns and arrange camping on the periphery of the park.

18. Cave in France

Discovered by a hunter in 1836, a cave in the commune of Saint-Marseille-d'Ardèche, France contains a whole network of underground reservoirs and rock formations with a total length of more than 60 km.

19. Rest in French Polynesia

Rangiroa is the largest atoll in the Tuamotu archipelago and is located in French Polynesia... Here you can find a large number of oysters that produce black pearls.

The land area is 79 sq. km, and it itself consists of a cluster of 415 small islands. This place is also famous among divers and dolphin lovers. In addition, manta rays live here, green sea ​​turtles and hammerhead sharks.

20. Unusual city in Italy

The small Italian town of Castelluccio, Italy, is located near the commune of Norcia. It is known for its huge variety of flowers that bloom between the end of May and July.

Bonus

Marble cave

The marble caves are located on Lake Buenos Aires (or General Carrera).

For thousands of years, waves beat against the calcium-carbonate walls and eventually formed marble patterns on the cave walls.

This glacial lake can be found on the border of Chile and Argentina.

12.09.2014

Tourist streams wash the Colosseum and the Eiffel Tower, hotels in Antalya and the Maldives, but there are places in the world that are clearly underestimated by the tourism industry.

And this is great! There are much fewer people there than on the trampled tourist routes, but at the same time they are no less beautiful and amazing.

Grotta Palazzese Restaurant, Italy

This restaurant, located in the Polignano cave on the Mare beach, is one of the most amazing places on a planet where you can have a delicious dinner.

Chichillian, Rhone-Alpes, France

The magnificent Mont Aiguilles mountain rises 2,000 meters above the French community of Chichillan. Mon Aeguy is known under the name “Inaccessible Mountain” - its slopes are equally steep on all sides. The summit was not conquered until 1492 and became the first mountain that people decided to climb just like that, from pure curiosity... It is believed that with its conquest, mountaineering was born.

Tiger's Nest Monastery, Paro Valley, Bhutan

This 17th century temple sits on the edge of a cliff, almost 1,000 meters above the Paro Valley. Holy place was built to protect the cave in which Guru Padmasambhava, a Buddhist leader, meditated for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik - ancient city with a rich history. The past generations have left stunning architectural treasures in Dubrovnik, which, combined with the beauties of the local nature, made the city the "Pearl of the Adriatic". Among other things, the series "Game of Thrones" was filmed there.

Albarracin, Aragon, Spain

A beautifully preserved medieval town in northern Spain, Albarracín is famous for its cave paintings (important evidence of Levantine prehistoric art) and for its Picaportes, unique doorknobs. Every door and handle in the city is unique and created by local craftsmen in accordance with ancient customs and technologies.

Bagan, Burma (Myanmar)

Pagan - ancient capital the kingdom of the same name in the territory of modern Myanmar. Currently, on the site of the ancient city, there is an archaeological zone with thousands of pagodas, temples, stupas, monasteries.

Aescher Hotel, Switzerland

The hotel is so high in the Alpine mountains that you can only get there on foot or by cable car. Therefore, the hotel is only available during the summer season and is open from April to October. The conditions of stay at the Aescher hotel can be called Spartan. Guests come here to hike and walk in the picturesque mountainous area, visit natural caves, and look into the museum of prehistoric finds.

Haiku Staircase, Hawaii

Known as the Stairway to Heaven, this walking route runs through the highlands of the island of Oahu in Hawaii. 3992 steps rise to a height of 850 meters above sea level and offer a magical view of the island.

Lake Thingvadlavatn, Iceland

The lake is part of Thingvellir National Park. The islands on the lake are of volcanic origin. The faults around the lake show that at this point the tectonic plates of Europe and America are opposed to each other. Lucky divers can swim between the tectonic plates of the continents, each year moving 2 centimeters apart.

Chefchaouen, Morocco

Chefchaouen is a small town located on the slopes of the Reef Mountains in northwestern Morocco. It was founded in 1471, and until 1920 only 3 foreigners visited it. Now the city is known primarily for its old part, almost all of the houses in which are painted in different shades of blue. The reason for this choice is religion. Besides Muslims, Chefchaouen has long been home to a fairly large community of Sephardi Jews. They brought with them the belief that blue is the color of the tassels of the prayer shawl, the tallit.

Lord Howe Island, Australia

This island is still practically untouched by man: a very small indigenous population and only 400 tourists admitted here annually. This restriction is intended to protect the unique landscape of Lord Howe, whose crystal-clear lagoon is home to a coral reef.

Marble Caves, Patagonia, Chile

Bright blue grottoes partially submerged in the turquoise waters of Lake Carrera on the Argentina-Chile border. Locals they call them the Marble Cathedral.

Bishop Castle, Colorado, USA

America is home to one of the craziest castles in the world, created solely by builder Jim Bishop. It is worth visiting for inspiration - and you can also get married here.

Huacachina, an oasis in the Sechura desert, Peru

A little more than a hundred people permanently live in the village of Huacachina. According to local legend, the lake was created after a beautiful princess was taken by surprise by a young hunter while swimming in the pool. The girl managed to escape, and the pool turned into a lake. The folds of the fleeing princess's mantle became the dunes surrounding Huacachina, and she herself soon returned to the lake and still lives there as a mermaid.

Bastei Bridge over the Elbe River, Germany

Bastei Bridge in Saxony is an engineering miracle of the first half of the 19th century. The monumental structure was built of wood in 1824, and after a quarter of a century it was replaced by a more durable sandstone structure. The length of the architectural monument is 76.5 meters.

Cappadocia, Turkey

Cappadocia is famous for its unique volcanic landscape, underground cities created in the 1st millennium BC. e. and extensive cave monasteries dating back to the early Christians. Goreme National Park and the cave settlements of Cappadocia are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. All this is better seen from balloons from which an amazing view .

Hallstatt, Austria

Hallstatt is a medieval village with a population of less than 1,000. Its main attraction is the salt mines, the oldest in Europe, the development of which has been going on for three thousand years. Information about the village appears in written sources since 1311. Almost no data has been preserved about the medieval history of Hallstatt due to its remoteness from the means of communication.

Leptis Magna, Tripoli, Libya

Once Leptis Magna was one of the main cities of the Roman Empire, and because of the peculiarities of its layout, it was even nicknamed “Rome in Africa”. Its ruins are now an excellent playground for the adventurer.

Alcazar in Segovia, Spain

The Alcazar of Segovia is the palace and fortress of the Spanish kings in the historic city of Segovia. Located on a cliff at the confluence of the Eresma and Clamores rivers, near the Guadarrama mountains. This cliff position makes it one of the most beautiful and recognizable palaces in Spain. The Alcazar was originally built as a fortress, but managed to visit the royal palace, the state prison and the royal artillery academy.

Alter do Chao, Brazil

This city, surrounded by the forests of the Amazon and with a magnificent beach, is known as the Island of Love. A few meters from the beach is the huge Lago Verde lagoon, home to many animals. It can only be reached by canoe.

Le Moulin du Roc Hotel, France

Deep in the Dordogne province, you will find an old mill converted into a charming hotel on the banks of a quiet river. There is nothing for kilometers around. And in the hotel itself there is one of the famous Michelin-starred restaurants.

Hall of peacocks in the castle of Sammezzano, Tuscany, Italy

The abandoned castle of Sammezzano, which housed a luxury hotel in the last century, is now almost closed to the public. You can get there only on special occasions. The most beautiful hall of the castle - the Hall of the Peacocks - got its name from the unique bright ceilings with carved ornaments in the Moorish style.

Deception Island, Antarctica

This ring-shaped island, difficult to reach for tourists, has become a haven from storms and icebergs for many creatures, including thousands of penguins. If you want to escape the cold, know that the island is active volcano and is teeming with hot springs.

Melissani Cave, Kefalonia, Greece

V Greek mythology Nymphs populated this mysterious cave and lured men with their beauty. Through a huge hole in the "ceiling" sunlight penetrates into the cave, shining on the surface the purest lake Melissani.

Meghalaya State, India

The Meghalaya Hills are constantly bathed in tropical rain and the valleys in this beautiful but remote forest often turn into rivers, and then vice versa.

Kraco, Italy

Not far from the Gulf of Taranto in Italy, on a high cliff, rises the ancient city of Kraco, whose inhabitants left it. People have been here for about a thousand years, but then they left this place, which has now turned into ruins. It is said that ghosts now inhabit it.

Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra, Portugal

The castle of Quinta de Regaleira, included in the palace complex on the UNESCO World Heritage List, is one of the most romantic places in Portugal. The main riddle of Regaleira is a well that goes deep into the earth. The spiral gallery around it has nine levels, each level has fifteen steps. These nine levels symbolize the nine circles of hell, the nine circles of purgatory and the nine circles of heaven described by Dante.

Weisgerbergasse street, Nuremberg, Germany

Weisgerbergasse is a historic street in Nuremberg known for its stunning wrought-iron signs.

Procida, Italy

Procida is the smallest of the islands Gulf of Naples... Residents of Procida still lead a very patriarchal lifestyle: instead of converting all their houses into apartments for rent, they still prefer to grow lemons in old gardens and fish in rocky bays.

Lofoten Islands, Norway

The Lofoten group of islands is located above the Arctic Circle. Here you can see the bizarre fishing villages, the deepest coral reef in the world and the northern lights of incredible beauty.

Coconut island, Costa Rica

The biggest uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean. It is known for the fact that, according to popular legends, the largest treasure is hidden on it, which has not yet been discovered by anyone. This island is also a paradise for divers thanks to its rich underwater fauna.

Rock tombs in the city of Mira, Turkey

The city of Mira was located 5 km from the coast Mediterranean Sea... The ruins of a magnificent Greco-Roman theater and tombs carved into the rocks have survived from the city. The uniqueness and originality of the tombs can be explained by the fact that the peoples of Lycia had a custom to bury the dead in high places, since it was assumed that this would help them get to heaven.

In the era of Christianity in AD 300. e. Nicholas of Patara, known in the Orthodox tradition as Nicholas the Wonderworker (aka Santa Claus), having completed his training in Xanthus, became Bishop of Myra, where he preached until his death.

Herrenchiemsee Castle in Bavaria, Germany

According to the plans of King Ludwig II, the "New Versailles", the Temple of Glory, in which the king wanted to arrange festivities in memory of Louis XIV... As a result, the king himself lived in this palace for only 9 days, but after him there was almost a copy, though reduced by 8 times, of Versailles itself.

Fez, Morocco

You are now looking at the oldest leather workshop in the world. In fact, this sight is not for the faint of heart - there is always a specific smell of leather and tannins, which will remind tourists for a long time to visit Morocco.

Blagaj, Bosnia and Herzegovina

By itself, the town of Blagai does not represent anything of itself, it is rather just a village. But next to it is the source of the Buna River, it is very picturesque. In the 16th century, a "tekia" (from Turkish - "tekke"), a monastery of dervishes, was erected here.

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

This city was founded in the 13th century and little has changed since then . A unique opportunity to visit the whole medieval city.

Nauru, Micronesia

Nauru is a tiny island nation with a population of less than 10,000. It is one of the least visited places in the world - simply because few people know about it. Nauru hides miles of pristine beaches and forests - so if you want to relax on a paradise island, hurry up to buy a ticket there. Until other tourists came running by.

Illokkortoormiut, Greenland

Getting to Illokkortoormiut is as difficult as pronouncing its name: only once a week from the capital of Iceland by plane to Greenland, and then by helicopter or boat to the town itself. But it's worth it: this colorful small city located on the longest ice river system in the world.

Marsaxlokk, Malta

Even in antiquity, this place was used by the Carthaginians, and then by the Romans as the main harbor of Malta. In 1565, when Ottoman Turkey attempted to seize the island, Marsaxlokk had an anchorage for the Turkish fleet.

Monument Valley Utah USA

The valley is a unique geological formation located on the territory of the Navajo Indian tribe, one of the national symbols of the United States. The valley serves as one of the most prominent tourist attractions in the United States; On its territory, scenes of many films were filmed, as well as clips and commercials dedicated to the "cowboy" theme.

We present the most Beautiful places of our country, which should be seen not only by every photographer and traveler, but also by every inhabitant of our vast Russia. Read our material and you will see: we all have something to be proud of!

Natural parks, reserves

Lena Pillars, Yakutia

Lena Pillars is a natural park in Russia, located on the banks of the Lena River in the Khangalassky ulus of Yakutia, 104 km from the city of Pokrovsk. The complex of vertically elongated rocks stretching for many kilometers, fancifully piling up along the Lena bank, cutting through the Prilenskoe plateau with a deep valley, never ceases to attract photographers and travelers. The pillars reach the highest density between the villages of Petrovskoye and Tit-Ary.

The height of rock formations reaches 100 meters. Scientists believe that the formation of rocks began 560-540 million years ago, and the very formation of the Lena Pillars as a form of relief - about 400 thousand years ago.

Nature Park"Lena Pillars" was organized on the basis of the decree of the President of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) dated August 16, 1994 No. 837 and the government decree of February 10, 1995 and is subordinate to the regional ministry of nature protection. The park's area is 485 thousand hectares, the park consists of two branches - "Stolby" and "Sinsky".

Valley of Geysers, Kamchatka

The Valley of Geysers, one of the largest geyser fields in the world and the only one in Eurasia, is located in Kamchatka in the Kronotsky State Biosphere Reserve, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Volcanoes of Kamchatka natural complex.

The valley is a deep canyon of the Geysernaya River, on the sides of which, on an area of ​​about 6 sq. km there are numerous outlets of geysers, hot springs, mud pots, thermal grounds, waterfalls and lakes. In this area, there is an abnormally high biodiversity and a high contrast of natural conditions and microclimate. The ecosystem of the Valley of Geysers is unique for the entire country. On the territory of the valley there is a reserve regime.

Since 1992, under an agreement with the reserve, helicopter excursions have been organized here; a strict system of rules for organizing excursions has been in force in order to maintain the balance of the ecosystem. In 2008, according to the results of voting, the Valley of Geysers was included in the list of the seven wonders of Russia.

Weathering pillars, Komi Republic

Weathering pillars (Mansi dummies) - a geological monument located in the Troitsko-Pechora region of the Komi Republic on the territory of the Pechora-Ilych nature reserve on the Man-Pupu-ner mountain ("Small mountain of idols" in translation from the Mansi language), in the interfluve of the Ichotlyaga and Pechora rivers ... Many legends are associated with this extraordinary place. The pillars are considered one of the seven wonders of Russia.

The Weathering Pillars are located quite far from inhabited places. To get to them is already in a sense a feat. To do this, by the way, you need to get a pass from the administration of the reserve. From the side of the Sverdlovsk Region and the Perm Territory there are hiking route, from the side of the Komi Republic - road, water and hiking routes.

About 200 million years ago, there were high mountains in the place of stone pillars. Rain, snow, wind, frost and heat gradually destroyed the mountains, and especially the weak rocks. Hard sericite-quartzite schists were destroyed less and survived to the present day, while soft rocks were destroyed by weathering and carried away by water and wind into lower relief.

One pillar, 34 m high, stands somewhat apart from the others. Six others were lined up at the edge of the cliff. The pillars have bizarre outlines and, depending on the place of examination, resemble either the figure of a huge man, or the head of a horse or a ram. Indeed, this place is ideal for the imagination of a photographer! In past times, the Mansi deified grandiose stone statues, worshiped them, but climbing Manpupuner was considered the greatest sin.

Curonian Spit, Kaliningrad region

Curonian Spit- sand spit located on the coast Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon. It is a narrow and long strip of saber-shaped land separating the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea and extending from the city of Zelenogradsk Kaliningrad region to the city of Klaipeda (Smiltyne) (Lithuania). The name of the spit comes from the name of the ancient tribes of the Curonians who lived here before the colonization of Prussia by the Germans.

The length is 98 kilometers, the width ranges from 400 meters (in the area of ​​the Lesnoy village) to 3.8 kilometers (in the area of ​​Cape Bulvikyo, just north of Nida).

The Curonian Spit is a unique natural and anthropogenic landscape and a territory of exceptional aesthetic value: The Curonian Spit is the largest sandy body, which, along with the Hel and Vistula Spit, is part of the Baltic complex of sandy spits, which has no analogues in the world. The high level of biological diversity due to the combination of various landscapes - from desert (dunes) to tundra (raised bog) - gives an idea of ​​important and long-term ecological and biological processes in evolution.

The most significant element of the spit relief is a continuous strip of sandy white dunes 0.3 - 1 km wide, some of them approaching the highest in the world (up to 68 m). Thanks to its geographic location and orientation from northeast to southwest, it serves as a corridor for migratory birds of many species flying from the northwestern regions of Russia, Finland and the Baltic countries to the countries of Central and Southern Europe. Annually in spring and autumn, from 10 to 20 million birds fly over the spit, a significant part of which stop here for rest and feeding.

Favorable climatic conditions allow you to rest on the Curonian Spit from May to November. In 2000, the Curonian Spit was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Natural reserve "Stolby". Krasnoyarsk region

The reserve is located on the northwestern spurs of the Eastern Sayan Mountains, bordering the Central Siberian Plateau. The natural boundaries of the protected area are the right tributaries of the river. Yenisei: in the northeast - the Bazaikha river, in the south and southwest - the Mana and Bolshaya Slizneva rivers. From the north-east, the territory borders on the city of Krasnoyarsk, you can get to the border of the reserve by bus. The reserve was founded in 1925 at the initiative of the residents of the city to preserve the natural complexes around the picturesque syenite outcrops - "pillars". At present, its area is 47,219 hectares. Submitted to the List of the UNESCO World Heritage Fund.

Lakes

Lake Baikal, Eastern Siberia

It is unlikely that Baikal needs any descriptions, but still ... Baikal is the most deep lake on the planet, the largest natural reservoir fresh water... The lake and coastal areas are distinguished by a unique variety of flora and fauna. Locals and many in Russia traditionally call Baikal the sea.

The value of the maximum depth of the lake - 1642 m - was established in 1983 by L. G. Kolotilo and A. I. Sulimov during the performance of hydrographic works. Average depth The lake is also very large - 744.4 m. Besides Lake Baikal, only two lakes on Earth have a depth of more than 1000 meters: Tanganyika (1470 m) and the Caspian Sea (1025 m). One of business cards Russia, a place that you need to see with your own eyes at least once in your life!

Lake Seliger, Tver and Novgorod regions

Another place that needs no introduction. By the way, Seliger has another name - Ostashkovskoe Lake, after the name of the city of Ostashkov standing on the lake shore. The area of ​​the lake is 260 sq. Km, including about 38 sq. Km. km falls on the islands (there are more than 160 of them on Seliger). The largest among them is Khachin Island. The area of ​​the entire pool is 2275 sq. km.

Seliger receives 110 tributaries. The largest are the rivers Krapivenka, Soroga and Seremukha. Only one river Selizharovka flows out of it. The lake lies at an altitude of 205 meters above sea level and is of glacial origin. This explains its peculiar shape - it is not a lake in the usual sense, but rather a chain of lakes stretching from north to south for 100 km and interconnected by short narrow channels. The coastline stretching for more than 500 km is notable for its ruggedness - forested headlands, deep picturesque bays thrust into the land, and islands of various shapes.

The water in Seliger is transparent, the transparency reaches 5 meters. On the shore of the southern part of Lake Seliger there are the town of Ostashkov and the estate "Novye Yeltsy".

Lake Kezenoy-am, Chechen Republic

Kezenoy-am is a lake on the border of the Vedensky region of the Chechen Republic and the Botlikh region of Dagestan. It is the largest and deepest lake in the North Caucasus, located at an altitude of more than 1800 meters above sea level. The surface of the lake is 2.4 sq. Km.

The depth of the lake reaches 74 m. The length of the lake from north to south is 2 kilometers, and from west to east - 2.7 kilometers. The maximum width is 735 meters. Length coastline- 10 kilometers.

Lake Baskunchak

Akhtubinsky district, Astrakhan region

Baskunchak - salt Lake with an area of ​​about 115 sq. km in Akhtuba district Astrakhan region, about 270 km north of the Caspian Sea, and 53 km east of the Volga. Lake Baskunchak is part of a unique natural complex that includes Mount Bolshoye Bogdo. In 1997 Bogdinsko-Baskunchaksky natural complex was declared a nature reserve (Bogdinsko-Baskunchaksky nature reserve), where a special environmental regime was established on an area of ​​53.7 thousand hectares.

There are deposits of medicinal clays on the coast of the lake. In June-August tourists come to the lake to bathe in brine and take mud baths. There is no need to talk about the beauty of these places. There are as many photographers here as those who want to improve their health.

Jack London Lake, Magadan Region

It is located in the upper reaches of the Kolyma River in the Yagodninsky District of the Magadan Region, lies among the mountains, at an altitude of 803 meters, the length of the lake in the northwest direction is 10 kilometers, the depth is 50 meters.

There are many small lakes around Lake Jack London. The most prominent in size are the lakes Mechta, Anemone, Seraya Chaika, Nevidimka, Neighborhood, and Kudinovskie lakes. One of the most beautiful and exotic lakes in the Far East. Old-timers say that the lake got its name thanks to an unusual find made by the "discoverers". When the lake was discovered, the researchers found Jack London's book "Martin Eden" on the shore.

Lake Elton, Volgograd region

Elton is a salty drainless self-sedimentary lake in the Pallasovsky district of the Volgograd region, located near the border with Kazakhstan. It is considered the largest mineral lake in Europe in terms of area and one of the most mineralized in the world. They say that the name of the lake comes from the Mongolian word "Altyn-Nor" - "gold mine".

Lake area - 152 sq. km. Until 1882, salt was mined on Elton, in 1910 a medical sanatorium "Elton" was founded on its bank (moved to a new place in 1945). In 2001, the lake and the adjacent territories of virgin steppes (106 thousand hectares) became part of the State Institution "Natural Park" Eltonsky "".

Blue Lakes. Cherek-Balkar Gorge, Kabardino-Balkaria

A group of five karst lakes in the Cherek region of Kabardino-Balkaria is located at the foot of a rocky ridge, from where the Cherek-Balkar gorge begins. Located at the entrance to the gorge, Blue Lake is unique a natural phenomenon, interesting not only for Kabardino-Balkaria, but also on a national scale. Lower Blue Lake has several names: Chirik-kel (balk.) - rotten (stinking) lake; Sheredzh-ana (cab.) - mother of Cherek; Psikhurei (cab.) - round water (lake), natural artesian well.

The uniqueness of the Lower Blue Lake lies in the fact that with a relatively small surface (only 235 × 130 m), its depth reaches 258 meters. The surface water temperature in winter and summer is about +9 degrees. Not a single stream or river flows into the lake, but about 70 million liters flow out daily. At the same time, the level of the lake remains unchanged, which is explained by powerful underwater sources. The blue color of the water is due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide and the refraction of light rays in the deep pool.

The nature here is quite picturesque: green hills, dense beech forests on steep slopes, and in the distance, in a blue haze, peaks sparkling in the sun. Closer to Babugent, the greens become brighter and juicier. There is a fork in the road near the village of Babugent. At the beginning of the road to the lake in the rock there is a cave in which traces of an ancient parking lots V-X centuries AD. Now many bats live there, and sometimes, in bad weather, shepherds take refuge with flocks of sheep.

Seidozero, Kola Peninsula, Murmansk Region

Lake in the Lovozero tundra on the Kola Peninsula. "Seid" in translation from the Sami language means "sacred". The lake is located at an altitude of 189 m above sea level. The length of the Seydozero is 8 km, the width is from 1.5 to 2.5 km.

According to a number of science fiction writers and ufologists, one of the supposed places of existence of the Hyperborean civilization. Seekers of the unknown have been exploring these places since 1922.

Lake (reservoir) Zyuratkul. Chelyabinsk region

Zyuratkul is located in the Satka district of the Chelyabinsk region on the territory of the national park of the same name. One of the highest (724 m above sea level) reservoirs in the Southern Urals. The reservoir is surrounded by mountain ranges covered with dark coniferous forests. To the southwest is the Nurgush ridge - the highest ridge in the Chelyabinsk region. The main river feeding the reservoir is the Bolshoi Kyl. Near the source of the Satka River and the dam there is a small village Zyuratkul, connected by bus with the city of Satka.

Previously, Zyuratkul was a natural lake. Now it is a reservoir formed by a dam built on Bolshaya Satka. A giant geoglyph was found in the area of ​​the lake. About forty stone tools made of quartzite were also found. The technique of chipping the stone makes it possible to date the instruments to the Neolithic and Eneolithic (VI-III millennia BC). Researchers are still inclined towards the Copper-Stone Age (IV-III millennium BC). It is noted that at that time South Urals there were practically no forests (they appeared only 2,500 years ago), so the figure was easy to build and then examine from a nearby ridge until it was covered with a layer of soil.

Until the winter of 2012, another popular attraction was located on the shores of Lake Zyuratkul - Kitova pier, which was also called the "Ural Disneyland". But in the fall of 2012, by a court decision, it was demolished.

Mountains and volcanoes

Elbrus, Kabardino-Balkaria

Elbrus is a stratovolcano located on the border of the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia. Elbrus is located north of the Greater Caucasus Range and is the highest peak in Russia. Given that the border between Europe and Asia is ambiguous, Elbrus is often called the highest European mountain peak, thereby referring it to the list of "Seven Peaks".

The height of the western peak is 5642 m, the eastern one is 5621 m. The gorges of Adylsu, Shkheldy, Adyrsu, the Donguz-Orun and Ushba massifs are very popular among climbers and mountain tourists. ski resort Russia. The total area of ​​the Elbrus glaciers is 134.5 sq. km. The most famous of them: Big and Small Azau, Terskol.

Altai mountains

The Altai Mountains represent a complex system of the highest ranges in Siberia, separated by deep river valleys and vast intramountain and intermountain basins. Mountain system at the junction of the borders of Russia, Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. It is divided into Southern Altai (Southwestern), Southeastern Altai and Eastern Altai, Central Altai, Northern and Northeastern Altai, and Northwestern Altai.

Altai, Katunsky reserves and the Ukok plateau together form the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Altai - Golden Mountains". Thousands of tourists come to Altai. This is a favorite place for photo tours and independent trips.

Divnogorye plateau, Liskinsky district, Voronezh region

"Divnogorye" - a hill and a museum-reserve in the Liskinsky district Voronezh region Russia. It is located 10 km west of the center of the district on the right bank of the Don River and 80 km south of Voronezh. The museum was founded here in 1988, and in 1991 it received the status of a museum-reserve. Currently, the museum-reserve is one of the most popular and most recognizable sights of the Voronezh region. Every season, from May to October, more than 60 thousand tourists visit it.

The area of ​​the museum-reserve is more than 11 sq. Km. The maximum height of the plateau above sea level reaches 181 meters, relative - 103 meters (the mouth of the Tikhaya Sosna River at the confluence with the Don, which flows at the foot of the plateau, is located at an altitude of 78 m above sea level).

Dombay-Ulgen, Karachay-Cherkess Republic

Dombai-Ulgen is the top of the western part of the Dividing Range of the Greater Caucasus (on the border of Abkhazia and the Karachay-Cherkess Republic). Dombay-Ulgen is the highest peak in Abkhazia, located east of the Dombay village, has three peaks: western (4036 m), main (4046 m) and eastern (3950 m).

A steep ridge departs from the main peak to the north, ending in a depression - "Dombaysky saddle". From the Dombaysky saddle up there is a classic route (category 3B), available for ascent in one day with a descent to the camp.

Putorana Plateau, Krasnoyarsk Territory

Putorana plateau - mountain range located in the northwest of the Central Siberian Plateau. In the north and west, the plateau ends with a steep ledge (800 m and more), while the southern and eastern parts are characterized by gentle slopes. The maximum height of the plateau is 1701 m, among the highest peaks are the mountains Kamen (1701 m), Holokit (1542 m), Kotuiskaya (1510 m). In the north, the Putorana plateau borders on the Taimyr Peninsula. The name Putorana, translated from Evenk, means “lakes with steep banks”.

The area of ​​the plateau is 250 thousand square kilometers, which is comparable to the territory of Great Britain. On the territory of the plateau is the Putorana State nature reserve, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site of Humanity.

Ruskeala marble canyon, Republic of Karelia, Ruskeala village

Mountain Park "Ruskeala" is a tourist complex located in the Sortavalsky region of the Republic of Karelia, near the village of Ruskeala. The main object of the complex is a former marble quarry filled with groundwater.

The quarries discovered by Pastor Alopeus began to be developed at the beginning of the reign of Catherine II. The first developments were directed by Captain Kozhin, who was consulted by Italian specialists. Today, the length of the quarry from north to south is 460 meters, width - up to 100 meters. The distance from the highest point of the quarry side to its bottom is over 50 meters. The transparency of the water reaches 15-18 meters.

Ruskeala marble was used in the construction of the most beautiful and significant buildings in St. Petersburg and its palace suburbs. St. Isaac's Cathedral was faced with it, the floors of the Kazan Cathedral were laid, the windowsills of the Hermitage were made, the windows were framed Marble Palace and the facade of the Mikhailovsky Castle, as well as the underground halls of the St. Petersburg metro stations "Primorskaya" and "Ladozhskaya". In 2010, a significant part of the filming of the film "The Dark World" took place in Ruskeale.

Eastern and Western Sayan Mountains. Eastern Siberia

Eastern and Western Sayan - a common name for two mountain systems in the south of Siberia. Distinguish the Western Sayan (length 650 km, height up to 3971 m - Mount Mongun-Taiga, which is the top of the ridge of the same name - the highest peak of Eastern Siberia, however, more often this ridge is not classified as Sayan, but is distinguished as a separate mountain system- Mountains of Tuva), consisting of leveled and peaked ridges, on which there is no glaciation, separated by intermontane basins, and Eastern Sayan (length about 1000 km, height up to 3491 m - Mount Munku-Sardyk) with typical mid-mountain ridges carrying glaciers. The rivers belong to the Yenisei basin. Mountain taiga prevails on the slopes, turning into mountain tundra.

The Western Sayan is bordered by Altai in its southwestern part. Main ridge its - the Dividing Sayan Range with the highest point - Mount Kyzyl-Taiga (3121 m). The ridges of the Western Sayan are characterized by steep slopes, rugged relief, and vast areas of stone placers. The height of the ridges in the west does not exceed 2500-3000 m, to the east it decreases to 2000 m.

The Eastern Sayan stretches almost at right angles to the Western Sayan. Its ridges form a system of "white mountains" (Manskoye, Kanskoye) and "proteins", which got their name from the snow that does not melt all year round on the peaks. In the central part, in the upper reaches of the Kazyr and Kizir rivers, several ridges form a "knot" with the highest point - the Grandiozny Peak (2982 m). In the southeast, there are the highest and most inaccessible ridges - Bolshoi Sayan, Tunkinskie Goltsy, Kitoiskie Goltsy, Kropotkina. The highest point of the Eastern Sayan - Munku-Sardyk (3491 m) is located in the ridge of the same name. Between the Sayan ridges there are more than a dozen depressions of various sizes and depths, the most famous of which is the Abakan-Minusinsk depression, famous for its archaeological monuments. It is worth noting the large number of waterfalls.

Almost everywhere in the Sayan Mountains, dark coniferous taiga spruce-cedar-fir forests prevail, rising in the western and central parts to heights of 1500–1800 m and more; light deciduous-cedar forests form the upper border of the forest at altitudes of 2000–2500 m. The fauna is as rich as the flora. The largest city located in the Sayan Mountains is Krasnoyarsk.

Shikhany mountains. Republic of Bashkortostan

Shikhany are isolated uplands in the Bashkir Urals, consisting of four single mountains: Tratau, Shakhtau, Yuraktau and Kushtau, which form a narrow chain stretching along the Belaya River for 20 km. Shikhany are located near the cities of Sterlitamak and Ishimbay. They are unique natural monuments - the remains of a barrier reef formed in the warm sea of ​​the early Permian period. In the stones from which these shikhans are made, the prints of the most ancient plants and animals have been preserved.

The highest shihan is Tratau (or Toratau). Its height is 402 meters above sea level, and its relative height is 280 meters. At its foot are the ruins of a women's prison - one of the islands of the Gulag archipelago. Shikhan Tratau flaunts on the coat of arms of the city of Ishimbay, is a symbol of the Ishimbay region of Bashkiria. In the past, this mountain was considered sacred.

Krenitsyn volcano. Sakhalin Region, Onekotan Island

Active volcano on Onekotan Bolshoi island Kuril ridge... The largest two-tiered "volcano within a volcano" in the world is located in the southern part of Onekotan Island. The height of the volcano is 1324 m.

The volcanic cone rises in the form of an island inside the Koltsevoe Lake (about 7 km in diameter) lying at an altitude of 400 m. The lake is surrounded by a somma - the walls of the more ancient Tao-Rusyr caldera (heights of 540–920 m with a bottom diameter of 16–17 km).

Only one historical eruption is known, which happened in 1952.

Tyatya volcano, Kuril Islands

An active volcano on the Kunashir Island of the Great Kuril Ridge, on the territory Kuril reserve... In geographical terms, Tyatya is a somma-vesuvius-type stratovolcano (“volcano within a volcano”). The height reaches 1819 m ( highest point Kunashira; in 1977 and subsequent years, the southeastern part of the edge of the summit crater collapsed and most of material collapsed into the northeastern crater. As a result, the total height of the volcano has decreased by about 30-50 meters and is currently probably less than 1800 meters above sea level) ..

The height of the somma is 1485 m, it has a regular truncated cone with a diameter of 15-18 km at the base and up to 2.5 km at the ring ridge. The foothills and slopes of the volcano are decorated with coniferous-deciduous forests with bamboo and thickets of stone birch and dwarf cedar. You can often see a bear in the forests at the foot. The path to the volcano is difficult, but most tourists get to the volcano from Yuzhno-Kurilsk.

Caves

Ordinskaya cave, Perm region

Orda Cave is located on the southwestern outskirts of the Orda village of the Perm Territory, on the left bank of the Kungur River. Consists of "dry" and underwater parts. The length of the dry part is 300 meters, the underwater part is 4600 meters. Today Ordinskaya cave is the longest watered cave in Russia. In addition, part of the cave is the longest siphon in the CIS - 935 meters.

The cave is ranked 21st among the longest gypsum caves in the world. The famous photographer Viktor Lyagushkin dedicated a whole photo project to the Orda Cave.

Kungurskaya cave, Perm region

This is one of the most popular sights of Siberia and the Urals, a natural monument of all-Russian importance. The cave is in Perm Territory, on the right bank of the Sylva River on the outskirts of the city of Kungur in the village of Filippovka, 100 km from Perm.

A unique geological monument - one of the largest karst caves in the European part of Russia, the seventh longest gypsum cave in the world. The length of the cave is about 5700 m, of which 1.5 km are equipped for tourists. The average air temperature in the center of the cave is +5 ° C, the relative humidity in the center of the cave is 100%. Kungurskaya cave contains 58 grottoes, 70 lakes, 146 so-called. "Organ pipes" (the highest - in the Efirny grotto, 22 m) - high mines, reaching almost to the surface.

Architecture

Leaning Tower of Nevyansk. Sverdlovsk region, city of Nevyansk

Not everyone knows that in Russia we have our own likeness of the Leaning Tower of Pisa - an inclined tower in the center of Nevyansk, built in the first half of the 18th century by order of Akinfiy Demidov.

The height of the tower is 57.5 meters, the base is a square with a side of 9.5 m. The deviation of the tower from the vertical is about 1.85 m, with the greatest inclination observed at the lower tier (3 ° 16 "). The exact date of the tower's construction is unknown, different sources give dates in the range from 1721 to 1745.

The tower is a massive quadrangle with 3 octagonal tiers built on top of it. Inside the tower is divided into several levels - floors.

The purpose of the first floor has not been precisely established. Demidov's office was located on the second floor, and during the Soviet era it was a prison. There was a laboratory on the third floor: traces of silver and gold were found in the soot taken from the chimneys of the stoves. According to one version, Demidov minted counterfeit money here. According to the other, here Demidov smelted silver and gold, which was mined in his mines in Altai, secretly from the state treasury.

Even higher is the so-called "auditory room". Its peculiarity is that while standing in one corner of the room, you can clearly hear what is being said in the opposite corner. The effect observed in the room is associated with the special shape of the ceiling - it is vaulted and at the same time slightly flattened.

On the seventh and eighth floors, there are chimes with musical striking, created by the English watchmaker Richard Phelps in 1730. The tower is completed by a roof and a metal spire with a weather vane mounted on it, made of perforated iron, in which the noble coat of arms of the Demidovs is embossed.

There is a legend that the tower tilted due to flooding of the cellars with all the workers minting counterfeit money. By the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR No. 1327 of August 30, 1960, the tower was included in the list historical monuments subject to protection as monuments of national importance.

Ivolginsky Datsan. Republic of Buryatia, the village of Verkhnyaya Ivolga

Ivolginsky Datsan is a large Buddhist monastery complex, the center of the Buddhist traditional Sangha of Russia, which is the largest Buddhist community in Buryatia. One of the most striking monuments of the history and architecture of Russia. Located in the village of Verkhnyaya Ivolga, 36 km from the center of Ulan-Ude.

Swallow's Nest. Republic of Crimea

Among all the sights of the Crimea, it is not easy to choose one thing. But we decided to stop at one of the most inspiring places. The Swallow's Nest is an architectural and historical monument located on the 40-meter-high Aurora cliff of Cape Ai-Todor in the village of Gaspra (Yalta City Council).

The structure resembles a medieval knight's castle like the Belem Tower or the Villa Miramare near Trieste. The first wooden structure on this site was erected for a retired Russian general after the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, it can be seen on the canvases of famous marine painters: I.K.Aivazovsky, L.F. Lagorio, A.P. Bogolyubov, and also in photographs of that time.

The second owner of this amazing dacha was the court physician A.K. Tobin. There is also very little information left about him. After his death, the house was owned for some time by a widow who sold the plot to the Moscow merchant Rachmanina. She demolished the old building, and soon a wooden castle appeared, which she called "The Swallow's Nest".

The "Swallow's Nest" got its present appearance thanks to the oil industrialist Baron Steingel, who loved to relax in the Crimea. Steingel bought a summer cottage on Aurora Rock and decided to build a romantic castle there, which resembles medieval buildings on the banks of the Rhine. The project of the new house was commissioned to the engineer and sculptor Leonid Sherwood, the son of the architect Vladimir Sherwood, the author of the Historical Museum on Red Square in Moscow.

At the beginning of the First World War, the estate was bought by a Moscow merchant P. Shelaputin, who opened a restaurant in the castle. In the 1930s, the reading room of the local Rest House was located here, but the premises were declared emergency and closed.

In 1927, the Swallow's Nest was damaged during a strong earthquake. Repairs were carried out only in 1967-1968. In addition to the monolithic slab, the entire structure was surrounded by anti-seismic belts. The increased height of the tower has acquired great decorativeness thanks to the four spiers. In 2013, cracks were found in the foundation slab, and in the fall the visit was suspended to carry out design work on reconstruction - strengthening of the rock.

And 6 more amazing places:

Charsky Sands, Trans-Baikal Territory

Charsky sands - tract in the Kalarsky region Trans-Baikal Territory, which is a sandy massif about 10 km by 5 km in size. Chara sands are located in the hollow of the same name, in the foothills of the Kodar ridge, 9 kilometers from the village of Chara, between the valleys of the Chara, Middle Sakukan and Upper Sakukan rivers. The massif is a geological natural monument of the geomorphological type of federal rank.

BAM Novaya Chara station is 10 kilometers away. The massif stretches from southwest to northeast and covers an area of ​​about 50 sq. Km. No other basin in Transbaikalia has such large massifs of free-flowing moving sands. Chara sands are outwardly similar to the deserts of Central Asia. The vegetation is slightly different from that of the taiga: there are areas with larch, dwarf birch and moisture-loving dwarf pine. In the northeastern part of the tract there are two small lakes - Alenushka and Taezhnoe.

Avachinskaya Bay, Kamchatka Territory

Avacha Bay - a large non-freezing bay The Pacific off the southeast-och-nogo - the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, is the main transport "gateway" Kamchatka Territory... The main advantage of the bay is that it is one of the largest bays in the world: it can accommodate any ship in the world!

The length of the bay is 24 kilometers, the width at the entrance is 3 kilometers, the total area of ​​the water surface is 215 sq. Km. Depth up to 26 meters. The rivers Avacha and Paratunka flow into the bay. The cities of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Vilyuchinsk are located along the shores of the bay. The bay is the main base of the Russian Pacific Fleet in Kamchatka.

A distinctive symbol of the bay and its attraction are the Three Brothers rocks, located at the exit to the open Avacha Bay.

Commander Islands. Aleutsky district, Kamchatka Territory

The Commander Islands are an archipelago of four islands in the southwestern part of the Bering Sea of ​​the Pacific Ocean, administratively part of the Aleutian region of the Kamchatka Territory of Russia. The islands are named after the explorer Commander Vitus Bering, who discovered them in 1741. On the largest of them, Bering Island, there is a seafarer's grave. The Commander Islands are a place where Russian and Aleutian cultures mix. They have great potential for the development of northern tourism.

Patomsky crater. Irkutsk region

The Patomsky crater is a cone of crushed limestone blocks on the slope of the Patomsky Upland in the Irkutsk Region. Discovered in 1949 by geologist Vadim Viktorovich Kolpakov. Among the local population it is called "The Nest of the Fire Eagle", also known under the names "Kolpakov's Cone", "Dzhebuldinsky Crater", "Yavaldinsky Crater".

This is a unique geological object in its characteristics, which is a ring structure of the central type with a bulk cone, composed of limestones and other rocks. Patomsky crater was formed for a long time about 500 years ago.

The diameter of the crater along the ridge is 76 m. The cone is crowned with a flat top, which is an annular shaft. In the center of the funnel there is a hill up to 12 m high. The total volume of the cone is estimated at 230-250 thousand cubic meters, its mass is about a million tons.

Agursky waterfalls. City of Sochi, Krasnodar Territory

A cascade of waterfalls located on the Agura river in the Khostinsky district of the city of Sochi. Distance from the Black Sea coast - 4 km. Further upstream of the river - the Middle waterfall, then the Upper one.

Lower Agursky waterfall is the first and most interesting of all three large waterfalls on the Agura river. It consists of two cascades: the lower one is 18 m high and the upper one is 12 m high. Beneath it is a wide and deep pool of blue water. From the Chertova Nora canyon to the Lower waterfall, it is approximately 1.5 km. Behind the first waterfall, a series of stairs and ascents go upwards, leading through 500 m to the Middle Agursky waterfall - 23-meter, and then to the Upper - 21-meter waterfall. Near the Upper Waterfall, to the left of the trail, there are rocks named Eagles.

Vasyugan swamps. Tomsk, Novosibirsk and Omsk regions

Some of the largest swamps in the world are located in Western Siberia, between the Ob and Irtysh rivers, on the territory of the Vasyugan plain, which is mostly within the Tomsk region, and in small parts - the Novosibirsk and Omsk regions and the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug.

The area of ​​the swamps is 53 thousand square meters. km (for comparison: the area of ​​Switzerland is 41 thousand square kilometers), the length from west to east - 573 km, from north to south - 320 km.

The Vasyugan swamps appeared about 10 thousand years ago and have been constantly increasing since then - 75% of their modern area was swamped less than 500 years ago. Swamps are the main source of fresh water in the region (water reserves are 400 cubic km), there are about 800 thousand small lakes, many rivers originate from swamps, in particular: Ava, Bakchar, Bolshoi Yugan, Vasyugan, Demyanka, etc. etc.

The Vasyugan swamps are home to numerous local fauna, including rare ones. Of the rare animal species, the swamps are inhabited, in particular, by the reindeer, golden eagle, white-tailed eagle, osprey, gray shrike, peregrine falcon. Squirrels, moose, sables, wood grouses, ptarmigan, hazel grouse, black grouse are found in significant quantities, mink, otter, and wolverine are found in smaller quantities. Flora also includes rare and endangered plant species and plant communities. From wild plants, cranberries, blueberries, cloudberries are widespread.

Now an animal and vegetable world swamps are under threat due to the development of the territory during the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas fields.

In preparing the article, materials from Wikipedia were used.

Happy travels!