Sakhalin is the true end of the world, a place dominated by the mighty Pacific Ocean, breaking powerful waves against coastal rocks. The incredibly picturesque and distant island attracts adventure seekers who are not afraid of difficulties and lack of civilization, but who appreciate the beauty of the wild and solitude.
At first glance, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is a typical, unremarkable city with Soviet architecture and the absence of significant historical sights, but on the other hand, it is a real mix of cultures, traditions and dialects. Who is not here only: Japanese, Koreans, Americans, Russians. For exotic things, it is better to go to the local market, where you can buy seafood delicacies and plunge into the atmosphere of the busy port.
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What to see and where to go in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk?
The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.
Museum of local lore
Looking at the building of the local history museum, the question arises - what is it: the palace of the Japanese nobility, or is it still a place where expositions are exhibited? This is not surprising, since the structure was built in 1937 in the traditional teikan-zukuri style, characteristic of the land of the rising sun at a time when Sakhalin was under the jurisdiction of the Japanese authorities. The expositions of the museum are quite diverse, during the excursion you can learn about the nature, history of indigenous peoples, culture and development of the region.
"Mountain air"
Ski resort and sports complex, existing, according to one version, since the days of Karafuto prefecture (1905-45). Even then, people were skiing here and held ski jumping competitions. In Soviet times, sports competitions were also held in the "Mountain Air", tourists from the Union republics came here. After desolation in the 1990s and reconstruction in the 2000s, the resort has become one of the most modern in Russia.
Lenin Square
The central city square with a characteristic landscape: a monument to Lenin, administrative buildings, a railway station, a fountain and paving stones. During the holidays, it becomes the main place for festivities and the organization of all kinds of events. On weekends, townspeople walk here, foreign tourists visit it as part of a sightseeing tour. In summer, the square turns into a rather pleasant and picturesque place.
Glory Square
The square is a memorial complex erected in honor of the liberation of Sakhalin from the Japanese invaders in 1945. It was built in the 1980s. The ensemble includes a monument to Marshal A. Vasilevsky, two sculptural groups depicting a soldier and sailors, a stele "Eternal Glory to Heroes", an Eternal Flame, the Walk of Fame with 14 busts of heroes installed and a memorial in honor of soldiers killed during the Afghan and Chechen wars. Also on the square are samples of military equipment.
Memorial complex "Victory"
The complex opened in 2016 in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Victory. It is a square and a building of a cultural and educational center, where historical expositions dedicated to the Russian-Japanese and World War II, a conference hall and a cinema are located on 3 floors. The square is located next to the temple under construction, which in the future will also be included in the memorial complex.
Railway Technology Museum
The museum was opened in 2004 on the territory of the House of Culture of Railwaymen. Its exposition covers the period from the beginning of the 20th century, when railways began to be built on Sakhalin. Visitors can see models of cars, rails in section, various devices and equipment used to organize traffic, the uniform of the driver and the station attendant. Real railway equipment is located in the open air.
Art Museum
On the territory of the Sakhalin region, the city art gallery is the only museum of this kind. In addition, it is quite young (it was founded in the 1980s). On the first floor of the museum, temporary vernissages are held, on the second, permanent exhibitions are available for viewing: "Russian art of the 19th - early 20th centuries", "Decorative and applied art of Japan", "Contemporary art of Korea".
Museum of the book of A.P. Chekhov "Sakhalin Island"
The museum is dedicated to a very specific event - A. Chekhov's trip to Sakhalin in 1890, as a result of which he wrote a whole book. But, contrary to expectations, his collection is quite diverse: paintings, graphics, documents, photographic materials, coins, decorative and applied art products. There are even personal belongings of members of the Chekhov family and various items that belonged to the exiles (in the 19th century Sakhalin was a convict island).
Theatrical center named after A. Chekhov
The main dramatic scene of the island, formed in the 1930s. The name of the writer was given to her in 1954. In addition to performances, a stormy theatrical activity is organized here: festivals, creative laboratories, various cultural projects, and competitions. The repertoire is dominated by plays by contemporary authors, although there are also classical productions. An interesting program for children is also presented.
Sakhalin Puppet Theater
The theater was created in 1981 thanks to a team of enthusiasts. At first, the performances were held in the rented premises of the sports club, until 2011 the stage shared the space with the pension center, then moved to a new building. The theater often hosts groups from Moscow, St. Petersburg and other large Russian cities, as well as from abroad. The Sakhalin Puppet Theater hosts the On Islands of Miracles festival.
Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ
The new cathedral of the city, erected in 2015 to replace the old one, which, due to its small size, could not accommodate everyone. The cathedral was created in the Novgorod style: five domes placed on a quadrangle and facades ending in symmetrical arches. The building is constructed from Indian red marble and granite as well as regular white marble. The outer walls are decorated with mosaics created in Jerusalem.
Resurrection Cathedral
The first cathedral church of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, erected in the 1990s. For quite a long time, no Christian churches were built on Sakhalin, since from the beginning of the 20th century the island belonged to Japan, and since 1945 it became part of the USSR, which was zealously fighting religion. The revival of temple construction on Sakhalin happened just in the 1990s. A large part of the funds for the work was donated by the townspeople.
Sakhalin Zoo and Botanical Park
One of the largest zoos in the Far East, founded in 1993. More than 170 animal species (500 individuals) live in it, of which dozens are listed in the Red Books of Russia and the world. The rarest representatives of the fauna: Ussuri bear, African lion, vulture turtle, raccoon dog, Amur tiger, Far Eastern leopard and other rare and endangered species.
Yuri Gagarin Park
The city park grew out of a small garden that existed in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in 1906. Naturally, it was decorated in a Japanese style with a characteristic harmonious combination of natural space, plenty of water and landscape design elements. After Sakhalin became part of the USSR, the territory was modernized, adding attractions, a dance floor and sports zones. In 1981, the park was practically destroyed by typhoon "Willis", later it was recreated from the ruins.
Chekhov Peak
The height of Chekhov's peak is over 1000 meters, it is one of the highest on the island. During the rule of the Japanese, a temple house was built on the top, which is still there.A tourist trail leads up the mountain, in some places equipped with ropes and marked with signs. Rare animals live on the slopes of the peak, in some places there are thickets of bamboo and dwarf birch.
Mount Frog
Ostanets Frog is a natural place of power of the island, where representatives of the indigenous Ainu people performed their mysterious rituals. It is located about 20 km from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk near the village of Vestochka. The frog is included in the list of the “seven wonders of Sakhalin”, it is considered a local “good gin”. The Ayichka river flows nearby. People believe that its waters have medicinal properties.
Lake Tunaicha
Natural reservoir with clean clear water, the second largest on the island. This is a unique natural monument and a place of attraction for fishing enthusiasts (about 30 species of commercial fish live in the lake, including valuable salmon species). In summer, lush greenery blooms around, in early autumn a rich harvest of berries ripens on the banks. Tunaycha connects with the Sea of Okhotsk through a narrow strait.
Cape Giant
One of the most beautiful places on the coast, with coastal cliffs covered with green grass. On the edge of the cape, nature has created bizarre stone arches, which were chosen by loud gulls. There is a narrow strip of sandy beach next to the rock. If you manage to get here in July-August, you can witness an amazing natural phenomenon - the spawning of Pacific salmon.
Cape Crillon
Cape Crillon is the southernmost point of Sakhalin, named after a French general. It is quite difficult to get here off-road, but the magnificent nature is worth it. On the cape, there is rarely good weather, since here the cold current of the Sea of Okhotsk joins with the warm current of the Tatar Strait. Rare visitors are greeted by stormy winds and rain, which really gives the feeling that this place is a real end of the Earth.
Cape and lighthouse Aniva
The narrow and rocky Cape Aniva is located in the southeastern part of Sakhalin. It resembles a huge stone ship, with difficulty overcoming the raging waters of the Pacific Ocean. In the 1930s, under the leadership of a Japanese architect, a lighthouse was built on the rocks in order to somehow reduce the number of wrecked ships. A little later, a village appeared nearby. Currently, the facility and settlement are abandoned.
