Ufa



Ufa

Name: Ramil Sitdikov

Age: 29

Profession: Photojournalist

City: Ufa

How long have you been doing photography? Six years.

What style or genre most interests you? Documentary photography and sports.

Can you give us a short description of your city? Where is it located? What is it famous for? Ufa is the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan. It is situated on the banks of the Belaya (White) River and is one of Russia's largest cities in terms of area of land covered. During the time of the Mongol occupation, their largest city was located here, Bashgirdt. A fortress was built in 1574, and in 1586 Ufa was officially given the status of city.

What are some things that only locals would know about the city? Ufa is the union of sky and water. The main reason to come here is not for cultural sites, but more for the authentic atmosphere. The monument to Salavat Yulaev [a Bashkir national hero] is placed on a high spot over the Bely River and it offers a truly regal view, with forest stretching to the horizon. 

Old Ufa is small and compact. Rare wooden homes live alongside massive palaces that once belonged to rich forest merchants.

Which places or sites are a must for someone to see if they visit your city? You must visit the House Museum of the writer Sergei Aksakov, and you should walk down Lenin Street to the Children's Palace named for VM. Komarov, where Rudolph Nuryeyev took his first dance classes.

There is a unique atmosphere to be sampled in the now marginal region known as Chernikovka (it's name has been officially changed, but locals still call it this). It maintains the triumphal spirit of the post-war era – in the faces of the homes, for example, in the Pobeda movie theater. There is also some very expressive architecture in the Museum of Military Glory, built by Dmitry Vinkelman in 1998, and comprised of a harmonious collection of prisms, cubes and smooth cylinders.

Anything else? You should definitely take a tour to Shulgan Tash Nature Preserve, home to some of the oldest caves of human habitation, to see the wall drawings made 15-16 thousand years ago, including over 50 images of mammoths, horses, rhinos, bisons, and geometric symbols. Most of the images were made with red ochre. It is one of the greatest mysteries of the art world. For such drawings have often been found in France and Spain, but it was entirely unexpected to find them in Russia.

Website: http://ramilsitdikov.com/

Instagram: @ramilsitdikov



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

Some of our Books

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

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.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

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.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

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.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955