Discover Kungur

• Four Orthodox churches are active in Kungur; surviving churches date from the 18th and 19th centuries.
• Fairs named after merchant and tea trader Alexei Semyonovich Gubkin are held every autumn.
• The landmark “Pup Zemli” was created in 2007 on the Sylva River embankment.
• At a pottery company, you can follow the production process from preparing the clay to the sale of the finished goods.

Surviving Orthodox churches from the 18th and 19th centuries include St. Nicholas Church, the Tikhvin Church, the Transfiguration Church, and All Saints Church. Together, they shape the cityscape and give a visit a clear cultural focus. The four churches are active; this does not guarantee that sightseeing opportunities are available.

Events also offer a range of experiences: the autumn fairs return every year and are named in memory of Alexei Semyonovich Gubkin, a merchant and tea trader. Kungur also hosts the traditional “Nebesnaya yarmarka” hot-air balloon festival. If you want to plan your trip around an event, check the specific dates announced in advance.

Another distinctive local landmark is “Pup Zemli.” It was created in 2007 on the Sylva River embankment in Kungur’s historic center. It points to a specific riverside location, while the churches offer a broader theme for exploring the city.

The “Kungurskiye narodnye promysly” company allows visitors to follow the production of pottery, from preparing the clay through painting and firing to the sale of the finished goods. This gives you an opportunity to learn about several stages of pottery production rather than seeing only the finished product. Check in advance whether this experience is available on your travel dates.

The grottos of the Kungur Ice Cave formed in gypsum and anhydrite. Water, cold air, and centuries of ceiling collapses shaped their present-day appearance. Described features include underground lakes, dome-shaped grottos, and ice crystals in the Iceberg grotto near the Sylva River. The cave is on the northeastern outskirts of Kungur.

Its operating status is important when planning a visit: on April 29, 2026, visitor operations were reported as closed indefinitely. Before visiting, check whether more recent information is available.

For a broader travel comparison, Perm Krai also offers outdoor and leisure activities. In the Basegi Nature Reserve, there is the “To the Summit of Northern Baseg” excursion route, as well as another route to Southern Baseg. The northern route is 11 kilometers long; its stated duration of five to eight hours includes the guided tour and rest breaks. It starts at the checkpoint by the Schastlivy ranger station and covers 3,700 meters on foot through taiga forest and the mountain-forest zone, followed by about 300 meters across mountain meadows. The excursion season runs from June to October. Check arrangements with the reserve before making plans.

The visitor center at the Basegi Nature Reserve has a small museum exhibition on the flora and fauna of Perm Krai. Environmental education discussions and lectures, quizzes, and games featuring films or multimedia presentations are held there regularly. This complements the routes with a separate option for visitors who prefer to explore nature topics through an exhibition or event.

Gubakha year-round resort, in the city of Gubakha on Mount Krestovaya, offers a different side of Perm Krai. Seven groomed runs are open there, and there are also eleven freeride slopes. If these figures are important for your plans, check the run information in advance. Khokhlovka, the Urals’ first open-air architectural and ethnographic museum of wooden architecture, is also in Perm Krai.

The hiking route and the resort are examples from Perm Krai, not descriptions of attractions in Kungur. You can first decide what you want to focus on during your trip, then compare accommodations.

Discover more destinations: Gubakha, Solikamsk, Chernushka, Chusovoy, Brekhovo, Kalinino, Gremyachinsk and Klyuchi.

Which Orthodox churches are there in Kungur?

St. Nicholas Church, the Tikhvin Church, the Transfiguration Church, and All Saints Church are active in Kungur. They are among the surviving Orthodox churches from the 18th and 19th centuries.

When are the fairs in honor of Alexei Gubkin held?

The fairs named after merchant and tea trader Alexei Semyonovich Gubkin are held every autumn.

Can you visit the Kungur Ice Cave?

On April 29, 2026, visitor operations were reported as closed indefinitely. Before visiting, check whether more recent information about its status is available.

To the broader travel overview: Perm Krai.