Abakan.

History

The Abakan fort was built in 1675 at the mouth of the Abakan River. The village of Ust-Abakanskoye later grew up here and became the town of Abakan on 30 April 1931. In 1940 builders uncovered the remains of a large Han-era palace of about 1,500 m²; archaeologist Lidiya Yevtyukhova linked it to the Chinese general Li Ling, though other theories exist. In the 19th century Lithuanian and Polish rebels were exiled here, and their descendants still live in the city.

Culture & traditions

The city has the Khakass National Museum of Local Lore, and the wider region is known for its carved stone monuments, part of the Khakas heritage. There is also the Lermontov Drama Theatre and a zoo. Many Khakas keep shamanic traditions alongside Orthodox Christianity. The Polish community opened a school in 1994, and since 1999 Polish has been taught at the university.

Sport

Bandy is Abakan's favourite sport: the city is home to the team Sayany-Khakassia. The city twice hosted the Russian Government Cup in bandy, in 1988 and 2012. In 2015 a CSKA youth sports school opened here, offering wrestling, boxing and other disciplines.

Food & drink

Khakas cooking grew out of nomadic herding, hunting and fishing, and raising sheep and cattle is still common in the republic.

Practical information

Abakan International Airport sits just north of the city and has flights to Moscow, Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk. Abakan is the terminus of the Abakan–Taishet railway. Local time is Moscow plus four hours. The climate is sharply continental, with records from −47.6 °C to +38.5 °C; summer is the best time to visit.

What to see

• Khakass National Museum of Local Lore — the republic's history and culture
• Lermontov Drama Theatre — the capital's drama stage
• Abakan Zoo — an outing for the whole family
• Confluence of the Abakan and Yenisei — site of the 1675 fort