Many in the South Urals interesting mountains. But it stands alone. Is situated on picturesque coast Yuryuzan river. Translated from the Bashkir Burnt Mountain. Yangan - "burnt", tau - "mountain". Yangantau is low, only 504 m, but nevertheless it is called unique. At the top there is a rocky plateau, with some quartzite blocks emerging here and there. Hot steam constantly swirls over Yangantau both in summer and winter. It's like the ground is on fire under your feet.
The Bashkirs came up with a legend that once, in ancient times, people did not yet have fire, but one day it came down from the sky to the top of Yangantau and it was from here that people spread it all over the earth.
There is also a legend that once an old Bashkir shepherd was tending a flock of sheep and he was caught by a severe thunderstorm. He found a hole under the root of an ancient tree and climbed into it. Steam rose from the pit and it was quite warm and dry there. The shepherd fell asleep warmed up. After a few days, he noticed that his arms and legs stopped hurting. The perennial ailment has disappeared. Local residents learned about the discovery and began to go for treatment. Now there is even a statue of this shepherd in the year.
In fact, warm mountains in nature are not uncommon. But it is always associated with volcanic activity. Here in the Southern Urals there were volcanoes, perhaps 450-350 million years ago. These are long-extinct paleovolcanoes. Actually Mount Yangan-Tau is a geothermal phenomenon. Scientists say that the mountain is made up of bituminous shale, slowly oxidizing under the influence of air. During oxidation, a lot of heat is released, and hot gases rise up the cracks. The temperature of the gases reaches 150°C. It's on the southern burnt slope. Even in winter, dense green grass grows on the slopes here. The combustion process goes deeper with time. It is assumed that there is some kind of thermal core inside the mountain, but scientists cannot fully explain this phenomenon. After all, it is really impossible to drill this mountain even for the sake of knowing the truth, so as not to disturb the process and destroy it.
Is on the mountain mineral spring, whose water is saturated with radon and other healing components: iron, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, beryllium, molybdenum, copper, titanium, chromium, silicon, as well as a unique natural microflora. There are more than twenty components in total. It is no coincidence that this water is called living water. Three kilometers away is Kurgazak - a mineral spring. And there is also a hydrogen sulfide lake nearby, which does not freeze even at 40-degree frosts. A sanatorium was built nearby, where absolutely everyone is treated.
The traveler and explorer of the Urals, the German Peter Pallas, more than two hundred years ago (1770) visited here and described what he saw unusual phenomenon. “From the open cracks of the clefts, an incessantly thin vapor rises, trembling against the sun, which is impossible to touch with a hand; the birch bark thrown there or dry chips in one minute ignited with a flame; in bad weather and on dark nights it seems like a red flame or a fiery steam a few arshins high.
Yangantau is one of the most unique and famous places Republic of Bashkortostan.
GPS coordinates
55.298610, 58.131670
Yangantau on the map
The word "yangantau" is translated from Bashkir as "burnt mountain" and this is no accident. The fact is that this mysterious mountain has been on fire for several centuries!
The height of Mount Yangantau is small - only 504 meters above sea level. She became famous for the fact that hot jets of steam always come out of the cracks on the top of the mountain. Hot gases rise to the surface through cracks in the mountain, the temperature of which at the outlet ranges from +37 to +150 degrees, and in a well drilled to a depth of 90 meters, the temperature reaches 380 degrees! In total, five "hot" spots were found on the mountain. The researchers found that the highest temperature is on the southern slope of the mountain. This is despite the fact that no volcanic activity these places do not. There is still no consensus among scientists explaining the phenomenon mysterious mountain Yangantau.
According to the most common hypothesis, oil shales are oxidized inside the mountain. From the ongoing chemical reaction, heat is released, which heats the water, which then rises in the form of hot steam to the surface of the mountain.
The Bashkirs explain the mountain phenomenon in their own way. According to legend, several centuries ago, lightning struck a tree on top of a mountain. The tree completely burned down, then the fire went through the roots deep into the mountain. Since then, an unquenchable fire has been burning inside her. The Bashkirs considered the fire inside the mountain to be sacred, divine.
According to another legend, one autumn, a wet and chilled shepherd, exhausted, took refuge from the rain on a mountainside in a depression at the root of an old tree. The tired shepherd fell asleep soundly, and when he woke up, he noticed that warm steam was rising from the bottom of the pit. Subsequently, the already middle-aged shepherd came here more than once. Soon, his painful joints stopped tormenting him and his strength increased noticeably ...
In 1770, Mount Yamantau was visited by an academic expedition led by Academician P.S. Pallas. Shocked by what he saw, the scientist wrote:
“From open cracks (clefts) rises constantly thin, trembling against the sun, hot steam, which it is impossible to touch with a hand, but birch bark or dry chips thrown there in one minute ignited with a flame, in bad weather and on dark nights it seems to be a thin red flame or a fireball a few arshins high. But behind all that, nowhere on the mountain is there a sulfur or coal smell, and the steam coming out of the pits has no odorous property in itself ... The Bashkirs say that in these burnt places, not only does it not snow in winter, but also that the whole neighborhood is constantly green ... "
Currently, Mount Yangantau has the status of a natural monument.
The Yuryuzan River, popular for tourist rafting, flows under the mountain. She is widely known for her picturesque rocks, caves, archaeological finds. This river is associated with the Bashkir national hero Salavat Yulaev.
On the mountain there is a famous balneological resort "Yangantau" - the largest in Bashkiria. The sanatorium has water and heat clinics that use the natural healing properties of the mountain burning inside. For treatment, hot vapors and gases released from the depths of the mountain along the cracks are used. Water vapor from the bowels of the mountain contains resins, phenols and ammonia. At the same time, gases can not even be noticed - they have neither color nor smell.
The sanatorium was founded in April 1937, when the first clinical station was opened here. At that time, the sanatorium looked very modest. Here they simply put small wooden cabins in the places where gases escaped, in which patients were seated on chairs.
An invaluable contribution to the study of the healing properties of the "burning mountain" was made by the Soviet doctor Geniatulla Teregulov. He was one of the founders of the scientific school of balneologists.
Natural thermal baths have a multifaceted effect on the entire body: analgesic, anti-inflammatory, improve muscle tone, increase the range of motion in the joints. They have a positive effect on the microcirculation of internal organs.
Patients are successfully treated for polyarthritis, respiratory diseases, urological, gynecological and nervous diseases, and others.
Also, in the Yangantau resort-sanatorium, radon hydrocabonate water from the nearby Kurgazak spring is actively used. water with healing spring comes here through the pipeline.
The resort has a gym and fitness rooms, a stadium, you can always play badminton, volleyball, table tennis, billiards, bowling. In winter it operates ski slope and a skating rink. You can also ride a snowmobile and horses.
3 kilometers south of the sanatorium in the village of Komsomol is the famous mineral spring Kurgazak. Mineral water The source rises along a tectonic fault from a depth of 600-800 meters. All year round, the water rising to the surface has the same temperature: +16 degrees. The water is slightly mineralized, almost no taste is felt. Nevertheless, the water contains many trace elements so necessary for the body, such as iron, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, copper, titanium, beryllium, molybdenum, chromium, silicon and others. Kurgazak water cleanses and strengthens the body, removes toxins, salts and even stones.
Here you can see a curious waterworks with a functioning water mill.
How to get to Yangantau and Kurgazak spring?
Mount Yangantau is located in the Salavatsky district of the Republic of Bashkortostan.
By car, you need to go along the Chelyabinsk - Ufa highway, then turn onto Kropachevo. Pass Karatavly, Maloyaz, Komsomol (the Kurgazak spring is located in it). Further, after crossing the bridge over the Yuryuzan River in the village of Chulpan, turn right and climb the mountain, which will be Yangantau.
By bus from Ufa (from the Northern bus station), Yekaterinburg or Chelyabinsk.
Mount Yangantau is known for its extraordinary thermal phenomena: hot steam and gases are constantly emitted from its depths. The name of the mountain is translated from the Bashkir language as "burning mountain", but earlier it was called "Karagosh-tau" or "Berkutova mountain". The height of Yangantau is 504 meters above sea level, the mountain is stretched from east to west for 2.5 kilometers along the right bank of the Yuryuzan River.
Since 1965, Mount Yangan-Tau has been a natural monument. In 1980, a reserve and forestry area of 3,600 hectares was organized on its basis. On the slopes of the mountain birches, oaks and aspens grow, alternating with meadow glades and steppes. Shrub meadow-steppe complexes of steppe cherry, low almond, caragana, wild rose, warty euonymus and feather grass, fescue, thyme are also common here. Bird cherry-willow thickets grow on the lower slope of the mountain.
Mount Yangan-Tau became famous for its "burning hearths", there are five of them in total. From the cracks on the top of the mountain, jets of hot steam constantly come out, which have valuable healing properties. The temperature of these vapors at the outlet reaches +150 °C, and at a depth of 90 meters - +380 °C. Scientists still cannot explain this phenomenon, since the area is located at a great distance from the areas of manifestation of volcanism. The most common version explains the formation of hot vapors inside the mountain by the fact that the process of oxidation of bituminous shale occurs in its bowels. The result of this is the release of heat, which heats the water, which rises to the surface of the mountain already in the form of hot steam. According to scientists, the highest temperature was recorded on the southern slope of the mountain. In 1770, an expedition led by Academician P.S. Pallas visited the mysterious mountain. They were shocked by this phenomenon. In his notes, the academician wrote that the locals told him that there was never snow on this mountain. At local residents there is an explanation for this miracle. According to one legend, many centuries ago, lightning struck a tree standing on top of a mountain. The tree burned down, and the fire through its roots penetrated deep into the mountain. Since then, an unquenchable fire has been burning inside Yangan-tau, which the Bashkirs consider divine and sacred. The second legend tells of a shepherd who got caught in the rain and got very cold. He found shelter on the mountainside next to the root of an old tree. There he fell asleep, and when he woke up, he saw warm steam rising from the bottom of the pit. After this incident, the shepherd often came here, and over time noticed that his joints stopped hurting, strength increased.
On the mountain there is the largest balneological resort in the republic "Yangan-tau", where they use medicinal water from the mineral spring Kurgazak.
The mountain itself is almost invisible behind the sanatorium buildings, and in places of the most intense heat release, steam and dry-air clinics were built. At the foot of the Yangan-Tau, fresh and brackish springs, bicarbonate-sulfate calcium and calcium-sodium, and several sulfur sources come to the surface. The Yuryuzan River, popular for tourist rafting, flows under the mountain.
Yangan Tau is considered the most unique and very popular place in the Republic of Bashkortostan.
Translated from the Bashkir, "yangan tau" means "burnt mountain", which very accurately characterizes this place. The thing is that for several centuries, this mountain is actually on fire.
In height, Mount Yangan Tau is only 504 m above sea level. The fame of the mountain was brought by the fact that hot jets of steam stand out from the cracks on its top. Through the cracks, gases rise to the surface, the temperature of which is in the range of +370 to +1500 Celsius, and at a depth of 90 meters, the temperature of the gases reaches 3800 C. Five "hot" spots were found on the mountain, studies have shown that the hottest is the southern slope. The phenomenality of this phenomenon lies in the fact that in this area there is no volcanic activity that would explain this process.
The most popular hypothesis explains this phenomenon by the fact that oil shale is oxidized inside the mountain, and the heat from the ongoing chemical reaction heats the water, which rises to the surface already in the form of hot steam.
However, the inhabitants of the republic have their own explanation of this phenomenon. Legends are an integral part of the Republic of Bashkiria, Yangan Tau also has its own legends. People believe that a few centuries ago, lightning struck a tree standing on top of a mountain, the tree burned down completely, and the fire went inside through the roots. Since then, this unquenchable inner fire of the Bashkirs is considered divine, sacred.
Another legend says that one rainy autumn, a cold and wet shepherd found shelter in a depression between the roots of an old tree. From fatigue, he fell asleep, and when he woke up, he found that warm steam was coming from the pit. The elderly shepherd came to this place more than once, and gradually recovered from joint pains and became noticeably healthier. And today Mount Yangan Tau is decorated with a monument depicting a shepherd from this legend.
In 1770, Yangan Tau Mountain was visited by an expedition led by Academician P.S. Pallas. The scientist was shocked and wrote: “From the open crevices, hot steam continuously rises to the surface, which cannot be touched by hand, and if chips or dry birch bark were thrown there, then they caught fire in a minute. On a dark night or in bad weather, the vapor appears as a fireball or thin red flame a few feet high. However, there is no sulfur or coal smell anywhere on the mountain, and the escaping steam is also odorless. The Bashkirs say that there is never snow in these places, and the whole neighborhood is covered with greenery.
At its foot flows the Yuryuzan River - popular place for tourist alloys. This waterway is famous for its caves, rocks, archaeological fossils. She has a close relationship with the national hero of Bashkiria Salavat Yulaev.
Today, Mount Yangan Tau is known for its Yangan Tau balneological sanatorium, which is the largest in the country. The structure of the sanatorium includes heat and hydropathic clinics, using the healing natural qualities of steam from the inside of a burning mountain. Vapors and gases coming out of cracks and wells are used to treat various diseases. This water vapor contains ammonia, phenols and resins, but the gases are almost invisible, since they are colorless and odorless.
There are many other healing places in the Republic of Bashkiria, Yangan Tau, of course, stands apart, but just 3 km from it, in the village of Komsomol, there is another healing place - the Kurgazak mineral spring. The water of this source comes through a tectonic fault of great depth (600-800 meters), and the temperature of this water all year round keeps in the region of +16 C. The water has almost no taste, as it is slightly mineralized, however, it contains many microelements useful for the body: silicon, molybdenum, chromium, titanium, zinc, manganese, beryllium, phosphorus, copper, iron and others. Kurgazak water has a cleansing effect on the body, it can remove salts, toxins and even stones.
