Discover Yekaterinburg

Lake Shartash is designated a natural monument; together with Shartash Forest Park, it forms a nature reserve of regional significance. Museums and exhibitions cover the cityscape, the fortress factory, and the 1990s. The nine-kilometre Krasnaya liniya is marked on the pavement.

The lake is in eastern Yekaterinburg. Scientists date its formation to more than a million years ago; most of the pine trees in the forest park are more than 120 years old. These are two different timescales: one figure relates to the lake’s formation, the other to the age of the trees. This lets you understand the natural features in terms of geological formation and old-growth woodland.

The exhibition “Nebesny kod Jekaterinburga. Klyuch k prochteniyu” uses original 18th-century maps, plans, and drawings, along with a multimedia book, to show how the city’s outline, streets, and building façades have changed. It also tells the story of the construction of Yekaterinburg’s fortress factory and everyday life there.

Another exhibition, “Jekaterinburg: ot zavoda k gorodu,” covers Yekaterinburg’s history from the granting of city status in 1781 through 1917, as well as the period of nationwide reforms that significantly influenced the city’s history. For the 1990s, the Boris Yeltsin Museum offers a different focus: it presents the period through documents, photographs, artefacts, media programmes, and interactive information panels.

The museum locations also offer practical points of reference: the Water Tower at Plotinka, 4v Gor'kogo Street, is in the historic centre and is a location of the Museum of the History of Yekaterinburg. The “Dom Metenkova” Photography Museum at 15 Turgenev Street is also part of the museum.

The nine-kilometre “Krasnaya liniya” route is marked on the pavement and is suitable for independent walks to Yekaterinburg’s main sights. The markings and stated length help you gauge the type of walk and its distance.

The Museum Complex of Civil and Military Equipment is located in Verkhnyaya Pyshma, in Sverdlovsk Oblast. Its collection includes more than 15,000 exhibits, including more than 2,000 items of civil and military equipment. It also includes railway and mining equipment. Collection figures may change over time.

The list of approved car tourism routes in Sverdlovsk Oblast, published in 2026, includes the Demidov Route between Yekaterinburg, Nevyansk, and Nizhny Tagil. It also lists “Vdol Iseti na zvuk kolokola: puteshestvie v Kamensk-Uralskiy” between Yekaterinburg and Kamensk-Uralsky, and “Otkryvaya Ural: priroda, istoriya, legendy” between Yekaterinburg, Irbit, Turinsk, and Tavda. Check route information before setting off.

Discover more destinations: Kirovgrad, Tygish, Priiskovyy, Verkhnyaya Sysert', Resh, Malysheva.

What is known about the formation of Lake Shartash?

Scientists date its formation to more than a million years ago. Most of the pine trees in Shartash Forest Park are more than 120 years old.

What does the exhibition “Nebesny kod Jekaterinburga. Klyuch k prochteniyu” show?

Using original 18th-century maps, plans, and drawings, as well as a multimedia book, it shows how the city’s outline, streets, and building façades have changed. The construction and everyday life of the fortress factory are also among its topics.

How is the Krasnaya liniya marked?

The nine-kilometre route is marked on the pavement and is intended for independent walks to Yekaterinburg’s main sights.

For the wider travel overview: Sverdlovsk Oblast.

Useful information for planning your trip:

Yekaterinburg: location, amenities, and booking; Yekaterinburg Airport: travel planning | poezdka.de.