Listvianka village

Village Listvyanka (Listvenichnoye) is situated 70 km from Irkutsk and stretches 5 km along the lake shore. It’s not a big village, only 1,500 people. Listvyanka got its name due to numerous larches (“listvenitsa” in Russian) which are widespread in these places. Thanks to its nearby situation to Irkutsk Listvyanka is visited by many tourists all year round. And that’s not a coincidence. Listvyanka has a well-developed infrastructure, including hotels of various categories and levels and restaurants. In Listvyanka there is Baikal Museum, a berth from where you can go to a trip across Baikal on a ship, an observation area situated on Mountain Cherskiy with a magnificent sight of Lake Baikal, a local market where you can buy famous smoked fish omul, souvenirs, etc. 

 

 

 

Shaman Stone is in the source of the River Angara at the entrance to the village Listvyanka. The source of the River Angara is considered to be the biggest river head in the world; its width reaches 863 meters. Opposite the Shaman Stone on the lake shore there is an observation area where local trades people sell smoked Arctic Cisco and souvenirs.

 

The museum is open from 09.00 till 19.00

The museum exposition was created in 1928 for collecting, studying and keeping the information about Lake Baikal flora and fauna. It received the status of museum in 1993. The museum exponents present the life of the lake, its geological structure, peculiarities of the coast line. These are stuffed animals and birds of rare species, fish, minerals, and other objects that have been found during scientific expeditions. In 2004 they did a capital repair of the museum and settled a limnological aquarium where the underwater life of the lake is presented. There you can see Arctic Cisco, sturgeon, pike, and other species of fish living in the natural environment. The water temperature in the aquarium is rather low – 4 °C.  The Baikal seals living in the museum aquarium are also of great interest for the visitors. They are mother and daughter. The conditions created for them are made as near as possible to their natural environment.

 

Mountain Cherskiy is an observation area situated on the top of the mountain. The mountain has its name after explorer of Baikal, a geologist I.D. Cherskiy. You can walk up the mountain in 30 minutes or go by cable road which is faster and takes only 5 minutes. From the top of the mountain there’s a beautiful sight of the southern part of lake Baikal, the mountain range Khamar Daban, the source of the River Angara with Shaman Stone, settlement Port Baikal, the Round-Baikal Railway, and the main pier in Listvyanka.

 

St. Nicolas Church is situated in Listvyanka, in Krestovaya valley 500 meters from the shore. There is a nice legend: a Russian merchant Xenofont Serebryakov got into a storm during his trip across Lake Baikal. The storm broke with a terrible force and the merchant could do nothing but pray god and St. Nicolas – the protector of sailors – for rescue. His prays were heard and he survived. On his return Serebryakov decided to build a church on the lake shore and started the construction. After Serebryakov’s death his wife completed it. In the 1950s the church was restored and inherited icons from various churches of Irkutsk. At present it is a functioning church.

 

This is a private picture gallery created by an architect and poet Vladimir Plamenevskiy. Vladimir Plamenevskiy is a member of Russia’s Architects Council and of Russia’s Writers Council. Works of various artists and craftsmen are presented at the gallery, all the works are dedicated to Baikal theme. You can buy pictures, costume jewellery, souvenirs made of birch bark there.

 

The zoo has been organized by V. Dunayev who lives in Listvyanka. You can see three bears, two foxes, a moufflon at the zoo.

 

The observatory is the only place in Listvyanka closed for tourists. The scientists watch the sun activity with the help of solar telescopes from the mountain top in Listvyanka and register solar flares. You can visit the observatory only by prior agreement.

 

To get to Listvyanka you can book a transfer (1 hour’s trip) or to go to Listvyanka from the bus station in Irkutsk (1.5 hour’s trip).