Kurtamysh: Local History and Lake Gorkoye-Uzkovo

• The Children’s Creativity Center building is an architectural monument dating from the early 20th century.
• The local history museum has been housed in the former Shakhrin brothers’ home since 1966.
• Peter and Paul Church is a stone church dating from 1808.
• Nearby Lake Gorkoye-Uzkovo was declared a natural monument of regional significance in 2001.

The Children’s Creativity Center building was erected by local merchants in the early 20th century and is an architectural monument. It connects the city’s history with its merchant community, which also features in the local history museum. Kurtamysh thus brings together different ways of exploring the past: a preserved architectural landmark and a museum housed in a former residence.

The Kurtamysh Local History Museum has been housed in the former Shakhrin brothers’ home since 1966. On December 4, 1974, a resolution of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR recognized the building as a historical monument of regional significance. Its history as a museum building and its designation as a monument are two distinct aspects of the same house.

The exhibition invites visitors to learn about the early history and settlement of the Kurtamysh District. It also covers crafts and trades, as well as peasant life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Trade and the merchant community add the district’s economic history to these themes.

The exhibition also covers the participation of district residents in the world wars and the history of Soviet rule in the district. This takes the story from early settlement through political and social upheavals. Depending on your interests, you can explore everyday and economic history, regional development, or the effects of major historical events.

Peter and Paul Church is a stone church dating from 1808. Its main altar is dedicated to the Apostles Peter and Paul, and its north side altar to the Epiphany. These details give the church a distinct architectural and religious profile within the local history.

The church is also associated with a copy of the Icon of the Mother of God of Abalak, which has been kept there for about 200 years. Annual cross processions associated with the icon began in Kurtamysh in 1869, and the tradition of holding processions continued. The approximate length of time the icon has been kept there and the historically documented procession tradition add a religious dimension to the building’s history, without specifying a current event date.

Lake Gorkoye-Uzkovo is located near Kurtamysh and was declared a natural monument of regional significance in 2001. Its water is highly mineralized and contains hydrocarbonate and sodium. The mud deposits are described as having healing properties.

Alongside the town’s historical sites, the surrounding area offers a focus on natural history. The lake can be considered separately from the museum, church, and merchant architecture: here, the emphasis is on the body of water, its water composition, and its regional conservation value.

Those who look beyond Kurtamysh to Kurgan Oblast will find other distinctive cultural and natural attractions. The Dalmatov Monastery ensemble was founded in 1644 and is considered the earliest stone monastery in the Urals and Siberia, as well as the largest stone ensemble. Savin, also known as Trans-Ural Stonehenge, is an ancient observatory dating from the 4th to 3rd millennium BC and a cultural heritage site of federal significance.

Another highlight is the Ryabinovy Dol eco-trail. It passes through a pine forest with rowan undergrowth, a plant community that is rare in the forest-steppe zone. The trail has a pavilion, benches and tables, as well as art installations. These examples broaden the picture of Kurgan Oblast to include monastic history, archaeology, and landscapes; they are regional attractions alongside Kurtamysh’s sights and stories.

Discover more destinations: Cheremisskoye, Shchuchye, Borisova, Shadrinsk, Kurgan, Dalmatovo, Shumikha.

Which historical periods are covered by the local history museum?

The topics range from the early history and settlement of the Kurtamysh District to peasant life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The world wars and the history of Soviet rule in the district are also represented.

How does Peter and Paul Church differ from the local history museum?

The church is a stone building dating from 1808, with two consecrated altars. The local history museum, by contrast, is housed in the former Shakhrin brothers’ home and covers the district’s history, everyday life, crafts, and trade.

What is known about Lake Gorkoye-Uzkovo?

The lake is located near Kurtamysh and has been a natural monument of regional significance since 2001. Its water is highly mineralized and contains hydrocarbonate and sodium; its mud deposits are described as having healing properties.

For the broader travel guide: Kurgan Oblast.