Listvyanka – a Key to Baikal
Listvyanka which has come to be Baikal’s visiting card is not written much about in spite of all remarkable events and facts that took place here. This is the very place for numerous guests and tourists to start their acquaintance with the miraculous world of Baikal and its surroundings. First Siberian settlers used to call the place by the Angara river source Listvennichnoye (“listvennitsa” stands for “larch” in Russian) due to a great amount of larches growing in the region. Now the name “Listvyanka” is more popular.
Listvennichnoye is located not only in the watershed between Baikal and Angara but also in the watershed of historical periods. At first sight it represents a modern tourist settlement with new hotels and an actively developing infrastructure. But should you take a stroll along the beach – and time loses its sense being surrounded by wild nature living according to its own laws for it has not ever been developed, nor tamed in the neighnourhood of unbounded mirror-like water surface and ever befogged mountain ranges.
Throughout its history Listvyanka has known the times of prosperity and decay, years of rapid growth and decades of deep sleep. Its development was not connected with any government decrees being a result of the proud, independent Siberian’s temper, keenness of wit, economy and carefulness. A lot of historic events are connected with this ancient village on Baikal. And should one mention the pioneers’ deeds, scientific research or the development of great Siberian trade-ways – the name of Listvyanka is not to be left aside.
Listvyanka was the very place where the road to the east of Russia took its starting point and it was the port for the Cossacks’ ships to sail away in search of new lands. Thus, in the course of time Listvyanka became a custodian of Baikal history.
In the course of more than 300 years the inhabitants of the village experienced the Cossack pistols and peasant tillage, saw gold diggers and the exiled, sea ships and fishing barges, railway passing-tracks, ice-breaker berths, and shipyards. The revolutionary years left their imprint on the village as well.
It has been a long time since Listvennichnoye became the tourist centre of Baikal. Just as in the old days ships sail off the Listvyanka port to please tourists and holiday-makers with excursions and long-term cruises.
The Baikal by the village is not that calm. In winter ice-thrusts are common which appear to be huge ice-walls, sometimes several metres at height. In 1960 such an ice-thrust tore the ice-breaker “Angara” off the mooring line, while many berths and wharfs were ruined.
Geographically Listvyanka is situated in a unique place, i.e. by the Angara source which is the only river flowing out of Baikal. The width of the source is about one kilometer, while at the outlet from the lake it seems as if the river drops 3,5 metres down. It seems as though the ledge fulfils the part of a natural regulator letting only a definite amount of Baikal water flow down into the river.
The huge non-freezing ice-hole of the source has become a wintering place for a great number of water birds. I. Georgy, a famous traveler and naturalist, pointed out as early as 1772 that «only in most severe winters gets this place ice-coated. It is covered with ducks and other swimming birds that spend winter here».
V. P. Bryanskiy wrote in his book «The Monuments of Nature»: «According to scientists, water-birds’ wintering at the Angara source is as a historically ancient phenomenon as the non-freezingness of the place itself. While the peculiar behaviour of the wintering birds makes us assume that it is not an accidental, but a special ecological group which adapted itself to exceptional life conditions ages ago».
The appearance of Listvyanka has started to change lately. The shore has been built up with new first-class hotels, such as «Mayak» («The Lighthouse») or «The Baikal Legend», while the streets have grown cleaner and well-equipped.
Still, Listvyanka is in for great changes. In the near future it is planned to start incarnating a long-term project aimed at a new economic zone creation. The objective of the «Baikal City» project is to create an all-seasonal tourist and business complex using the territory of Listvyanka and the neighbouring areas. The project is thought to radically change the village appearance and make Listvyanka still more attractive for travelers.
References:
1. Goldfarb, S. (2002). Listvyanka. Irkutsk: Agency "ÊP-Baikal", 144 p.
2. Kravkl, Ye.N. (2006). Listvyanka – the Baikal gates: historical and geographical sketch and guidebook to the village and its surroundings. Listvyanka, 48 p.
