Kyzyl

Kyzyl (Russian Кызыл, Tuvan Кызыл ) is the capital of the Russian republic of Tuva in southern Siberia and has 109 918 inhabitants (as of October 14, 2010 ). The city lies at 631 m above sea level at the confluence of the Great and Small Yenisei. " Kyzyl " means in the Tuvan language "red" and comes from the Old Turkic Qyzyl (compare Turkish Kızıl ).

Geography

Kyzyl shall, after the calculation of the British geographer Douglas Carruthers from the early 20th century can claim to be near the geographic center of Asia. The capital of Tuva is located in a plateau at the confluence of Big and Small Yenisei ( Tuvan Bii -Chem and Kaa -Chem, " Large " and " Small River " ) to the Yenisei, here Upper Yenisei ( Tuvan Ulugh -Chem, such as " Mighty River " ) called.

History

The city was founded in 1914 as Belozarsk (Russian Белоцарск ). From 1918 to 1926 the city was called Chem- Beldyr or Chem- Beldir (Russian Хем - Бельдыр or Хем - Бельдир ), which means " river city " or " city on the rivers ." Then she was given its present name and was until 1944 the capital of the independent Tuvan People's Republic.

The obelisk that marks the center of Asia, was created in 1964 for the 20th anniversary of the accession of Tuva with the Soviet Union by the sculptor W. F. Dyomin and the architect W. I. Baschin and W. P. Wetschinow.

1992 was revived with the new state coat of arms and the new flag of the symbolism of the existing until 1944 Tuvan People's Republic, although Tuva today as an autonomous republic is a federal subject of the Russian Federation.

Demographics

Note: from 1959 census data

Culture

The Tuvan theater celebrated on 1 April 2006 its 70th anniversary and the 100th birthday of its founder, author and actor Viktor Kok - ool. Kyzyl is home to a remarkable National Museum.

Also, there are some colleges in Kyzyl, many technical schools, other schools and high schools. A clinic of the shamans is located close to the mark of the Center of Asia. On the territory of Tuva are many mineral springs, on Tuvan " Arschaan ". One is located just outside of the city, near the monument to the shepherd.

In the center of Kyzyl the great Lenin Square with a carved fountain, with music and drama theater, the House of Artists, cinema, post office and government buildings. Tuva is also famous for its stone carvings.

Here you win agalmatolite colloquially soapstone or cast stone. The Tuvan call him " Tschanordasch ". The Tuvan hunters and ranchers carved from agalmatolite animals, their environment, even fantasy creatures and typical scenes of everyday life. Since the Scythian period the art of stone carving was created.

Economy

The hotel " Kyzyl " is the oldest hotel in the city and a four-story building in the center of Kyzyl. The other hotels " Mongulek ", " Odugen " and "cottage" located on the banks of the Yenisei. The camp offers Ai rather than rooms each have a yurt and is about 25 km from Kyzyl away at the Great Yenisei.

In Tuva, there are deposits of gold, coal, rock salt and asbestos that are processed in the city.

Traffic

Kyzyl is located on the Russian highway M54, which runs from Krasnoyarsk to the Mongolian border. By bus the journey takes on the Ussinsker on this section of road mentioned tract of Abakan over the Sayan Mountains about 11 hours by car under normal weather conditions under 6 hours. The other of the two leading after Tuva Kyzyl roads reached a further west running route from Abakan about Abasa, the 2206 m high Sajanski Pass and Ak - Dowurak ( A161 trunk road to Ak - Dowurak further A162 ).

In Abakan is the nearest train station. So far, no railway line leading to Tuva; the construction of such has been decided on 20 May 2006.

Kyzyl Kyzyl owns the airport with connection to Abakan (duration about 40 minutes ), and since September 2010 and again to Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk ( with a achtplätzigen Pilatus PC -12 the airline Dexter ). Until the early 1990s, there were also five-hour direct flights to Moscow.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Roman Sentschin (* 1971), writer