Ust-Labinsk: Fortress, Museums and Places of Remembrance

The Alexandrovskaya Fortress was founded in 1778 by order of Alexander Suvorov as part of a defensive line to protect the southern borders of the Russian Empire. In the city park, a memorial cross erected in 2013 and a light-and-music fountain recall other chapters in the city’s history. Open-air sculptures made from scrap metal stand by Lake Kopytse. The mouth of the Laba is also one of Ust-Labinsk’s sights.

The fortress links a specific reason for its founding with visible sections of a historic defensive structure. Sections of the palisade, earthworks and a log blockhouse have been restored. These features make it possible to understand the site as a fortification without requiring a reconstruction of the entire original complex.

Other features include faithful replicas of cannons. They were based on historical drawings and made using techniques from the late 18th century. The 3rd Bastion of the Ust-Labinsk Redoubt is also part of an 18th-century defensive complex. It was used to secure the border and protect against raids. Those interested in military history can use it to understand both the story of the fortress’s founding and the purpose of the bastion.

The I. A. Donchakov Museum of Folk Decorative and Applied Arts is housed in the home of a master woodcarver. He created three-dimensional wooden sculptures, miniatures inside bottles and wooden models of temple ensembles. The House Museum of woodcarver Ivan Alexeyevich Donchakov displays photographs, personal belongings, tools and his works. Craft and biographical artifacts sit alongside the unusual forms of his woodwork.

The main building of the Ust-Labinsk District Museum has six exhibition halls featuring archaeological, ethnographic and military history displays, as well as two halls for temporary exhibitions. The exhibitions listed include “Po sledam raskopok,” “V gostyakh u kazakov” and “Pamyat' i slava pobeditelyam.” The subjects range from archaeological finds and Cossack culture to the remembrance of war and history. Temporary exhibitions may vary; if a particular show is important to your plans, check the current schedule.

Open-air sculptures made from scrap metal create a distinctive artistic feature in the park by Lake Kopytse. They were created by local sculptor Furkat Baychibaev. The central city park offers another public attraction in its light-and-music fountain; no performance schedule is associated with it. A memorial cross was erected there in 2013, on the site of the iconostasis of St. Nicholas Church.

On the high bank of the Kuban stands the monument to Musa Pinkenzon, next to a mass grave of civilians shot by the Nazis. Another public place of remembrance is a mural dedicated to Alexander Suvorov on the façade of a five-story building. In addition, an inscription dating from 1946 was discovered in 2021 during façade work on a building in the city center. Together, these sites show different ways of remembering: a monument on the riverbank, a mural in the cityscape and a historic inscription.

The nationwide “Byt' kazakom” forum festival takes place every year in Ust-Labinsk and the hamlet of Argatov. It brings together folk traditions and culture with professional exchange. As event dates vary, check the specific dates if you want to plan your trip around it.

The mouth of the Laba is another scenic landmark and one of the city’s sights. You can therefore balance your interests between the fortress and museums, public art and memorial sites, and a natural attraction.

Discover more destinations: Verkhnevysokoye, Fadeevo, Kanevskaya, Temryuk, Perevalka, Chernomorskiy, Kabardinka, Ashe.

What can you see at the Alexandrovskaya Fortress?

Sections of the palisade, earthworks and a log blockhouse have been restored. There are also cannon replicas based on historical drawings and made using techniques from the late 18th century.

What topics do the district museum’s exhibitions cover?

The main building has six halls featuring archaeological, ethnographic and military history exhibitions, as well as two halls for temporary exhibitions. Those listed include “Po sledam raskopok,” “V gostyakh u kazakov” and “Pamyat' i slava pobeditelyam.”

When does the “Byt' kazakom” forum festival take place?

The festival is held every year in Ust-Labinsk and the hamlet of Argatov; the dates vary. Check the dates for the year you plan to travel.

For the broader travel guide: Krasnodar Krai.