Salekhard

Regions

Everyday Russia

Russia File

By Yevgenia Zhulanova

Name: Yevgenia Zhulanova

Age: 29

Profession: Photographer

City: Salekhard, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug

How long have you been doing photography? What style or genre most interests you? I have been doing photography for about four years. I am most interested in modern documentary photography.

Can you give us a short description of your city? Where is it located? What is it famous for? Salekhard is the only city in the world which lies directly on the Arctic Circle. It is the capital of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, a very rich region of Russia, thanks to the oil and gas sector. Yet there are no large production enterprises in the city itself. It is mainly a city of bureaucrats and functionaries.

Salekhard was founded in 1595 by Russian Cossacks. You can get to the city by airplane, or by train to the nearby city of Labytnangi, then cross the river Ob.

What is something about your city that only locals would know? The tastiest local fish is muksun, but there are limits to how many can be caught and therefore it can be difficult to find it on sale. Yet nearly every local knows how to get it. In the North, people are incredibly responsive and kind, and look ten years younger than their actual age. To this day many two story wooden homes have neither running water or toilets, and water is delivered a few times a week. Locals call the rest of Russia "the land" or "materik" (mainland).

Which places or sites are a must for someone to see if they visit your city?
The abandoned station Chaika in the tropospheric radio relay communication line Sever. This is a former Soviet communication system built for staying in touch with distant regions of the country. The Chaika station is located 12 km to the east of Salekhard. Chaika was rebuilt in December 2000, but the entire Sever system was taken out of commission in 2003. Locals call the place "the locators."

In the spring Salekhard hosts the Day of the Reindeer Breeder. This is a huge holiday and breeders come to the city from throughout the okrug. There are concerts and competitions in locally popular sports (log pulling and reindeer racing).

One of the symbols of the city is the monument to the mammoth, located at the crossing over the river Ob.

Any time of year is a good time to go fishing with locals.

Anything else you would like to add? The North purifies.

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

301 Things Everyone Should Know About Russia

How do you begin to get a handle on the world's largest country? This colorful, illustrated guide will get you started...

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.