Nizhneudinsk

Nischneudinsk (Russian Нижнеудинск ) is a city in Irkutsk Oblast (Russia) with 36 999 inhabitants (as of October 14, 2010 ).

Geography

The city is located in the northern foothills of Sayan, about 500 km northwest of the Oblasthauptstadt Irkutsk, on the river Uda, the right- source river of Tassejewa in the basin of the Angara.

The city is the Nischneudinsk Oblast administratively subordinated directly and as the administrative center of the homonymous Rajons. The city is also the city about 75 kilometers north-west location Alsamai subordinated administratively.

Nischneudinsk is located on the Trans-Siberian Railway ( 4678 line kilometers from Moscow ) and the highway M53 Novosibirsk - Irkutsk - Listvyanka.

History

The town was founded in 1648 by Cossacks under the name Pokrovsky Gorodok. 1649 was a small, then in 1664 a new, larger Ostrog. 1783 a city charter was granted under the present name. The name refers to the river Uda; Nishne - means under, to distinguish it from Verkhneudinsk, which is further up in the Angarabecken the same opening into the Selenga river Uda; Werchne - means top.

For a long time Nischneudinsk important regional trading point for gold and products of hunting and animal husbandry.

Demographics

Note: Census data (1926 rounded)

Culture and sights

In Nischneudinsk different buildings have survived from the 19th century, including the Church of St. Nicholas ( Никольская церковь / Nikolskaja Tserkov ).

Along the Uda there are various natural attractions, so about 20 km downstream of the 20 meter high waterfall Ukowski and 75 km upstream the Nischneudinsker caves. The almost inaccessible high mountain area in the upper reaches of Uda, at the Territotium of Rajons Nischneudinsk is called Tofalarien. Here settled one of the smallest ethnic groups in Russia, the Tofalaren.

Since 1972 there are in the city, a local history museum.