Zonal'nyy District: Nature, Archaeology and Cultural History

• The district is home to the regionally significant “Sokolovskiy” Nature Reserve, which also extends into other districts.
• Archaeological sites are concentrated in the western part of the district, around Lakes Bolshoy Itkul and Maly Itkul and along the Itkul River.
• Sokolovo has a museum belonging to the “Itkulskiy spirtzavod” company, a local history museum and the Epiphany Church.
• The open-air festival “Pesni Itkulskogo leta” has been held every July since 1999 near the village of Pleshkovo.

The nature reserve includes ancient river terraces with grass-and-forb meadow steppes and meadows, as well as pine forests and shrubby birch-pine grasslands. The landscape therefore encompasses both open meadow and steppe areas and different types of woodland. “Sokolovskiy” is located in Zonal'nyy District but also extends into other districts.

The area was established to protect the Priobsky pine forest and the beaver, as well as the black stork and white-tailed eagle. The black stork and white-tailed eagle are listed in Russia’s Red Book. Its conservation purpose and described landscapes give the reserve a distinct focus alongside the district’s archaeological and cultural themes.

Archaeological sites are concentrated in the western part of the district, around Lakes Bolshoy Itkul and Maly Itkul and along the Itkul River, which flows out of Maly Itkul.

The sites mentioned represent different periods and cultural affiliations. The Bolshoy Mys burial ground is attributed to the Eneolithic Bolshemyskaya culture. The Korchazhka 5 settlement belongs to the Late Bronze Age Korchazhkinskaya culture. The Soshnikovo fortification is attributed to the Soshnikovskiy stage of the Early Medieval Odintsovskaya culture. Taken together, this chronology spans the Eneolithic, the Late Bronze Age and the Early Middle Ages.

The museum belonging to the “Itkulskiy spirtzavod” company features an exhibition on Russian entrepreneurship from the 19th to the 21st century. The exhibition also covers the history of the distillery from its founding in 1868 to the present day. It offers both a broader perspective on entrepreneurship and the story of a single company.

The Sokolovo local history museum has four rooms: a historical and archaeological room, a local history room, an exhibition room and a literature room. The Epiphany Church in Sokolovo was consecrated on December 1, 2007. It was built on the site of the destroyed Epiphany Church and is an exact replica of it. Its history thus connects the consecration of the new church with the location and design of its predecessor.

The open-air festival for amateur composers, “Pesni Itkulskogo leta,” is held every July at Lake Utkul near the village of Pleshkovo; the tradition dates back to 1999. If the festival is important to your travel plans, July is the key time to keep in mind. Check the dates for the relevant year before making specific plans.

Discover more destinations: Smolensky District, Rebrikhinskiy District, Shebalinskiy District, Blagoveshchenskiy District, Egoryevskiy District, Barnaul, Talmenskiy District, Mamontovskiy District.

Which periods are represented by the archaeological sites mentioned?

The Bolshoy Mys burial ground is attributed to the Eneolithic, the Korchazhka 5 settlement to the Late Bronze Age and the Soshnikovo fortification to the Early Middle Ages.

What does the “Itkulskiy spirtzavod” museum exhibit?

The exhibition covers Russian entrepreneurship from the 19th to the 21st century and the distillery’s history from its founding in 1868 to the present day.

In which month is “Pesni Itkulskogo leta” held?

The festival has been held every July since 1999 at Lake Utkul near Pleshkovo. Check the dates in advance for a particular year.

For the broader travel overview: Altai Region.