Slyudyanka in 3 Russian words
This small town on the shores of Lake Baikal near the border with Mongolia has a population of only 18,000 people, but it has a number of famous landmarks. Here are three of them.
1. МРАМОРНЫЙ ВОКЗАЛ (Marble Station)
Slyudyanka is home to the world's only railway station built entirely of white and pink unpolished marble. The small town received such a monumental building in 1904 – Slyudyanka was to become an important transport hub on the Trans-Siberian Railway.
2. ПАМЯТНИК ‘МЕДВЕДЬ И ОБЕЗЬЯНА’ (‘Bear & Monkey’ monument)
This monument is dedicated to the fable ‘The Mirror & the Monkey’ by writer Ivan Krylov. It was installed in 1978 on an extremely hazardous section of the road on the way out of the city, so that drivers would be forced to slow down in front of such an obstacle. ‘Bear & Monkey’ is considered one of the most unusual monuments in Russia.
3. ВОДОНАПОРНАЯ БАШНЯ (Water Tower)
This beautiful red brick building in the Art Nouveau style with Gothic elements was built in the early 20th century by exiled Poles. There is a theory that they laid the foundation of the tower in such a way as to form a Russian swear word, but made a mistake in one letter.
