Hello everyone, friends! Starting today’s story about the Manpupuner plateau on the map of Russia, I want to say that even in my school years I was attracted by adventures. How do you feel about hitchhiking? I'm positive. Once my friends and I were hitchhiking to Kyiv. What's wrong with that, you ask? It’s only a few tens of hundreds of kilometers, and besides, finding a travel companion along this route is as easy as shelling pears.

And the fact that our journey did not end in the capital of Ukraine, after walking around the city for several days, we decided to rush to Baikal. It was a very exciting trip, we also visited St. Petersburg, met local artists, relaxed and even spent the night on the roof. And all this with a few thousand rubles in my pocket.

Many people think that traveling requires money, but believe me, no, you can see a lot for free. Today I will continue the topic of what interesting things you can see in Russia, and after the story about I decided to write about... Okay, now you can read about everything for yourself. Go.

What do you know about the seven wonders of Russia?

And where is Manpupuner on the map and the Komi Republic? Have you ever been to the Northern Urals?

But here one thing appears - it is very difficult to get to this place; it requires endurance, patience and the ability not to worry about all the hardships and adversities during expeditions. So it’s better to go on such trips or hikes with a good, trusted company. But believe me, if you reach your destination, nature will give you the greatest reward and you will see the large sacred pillars of the Mansi people.

What you see, plus the energy that reigns around this place, is all impressive, and no photo or video can convey it. This is where you begin to believe in the real power (maybe even someone will feel it) that comes from these stones. It is no coincidence that they are considered a place that develops strength. A place of power, so to speak.

One of the mysterious places in Russia

The monument that nature built deservedly won the all-Russian competition “the most amazing places in Russia.” You can imagine:

On the flat mountain there are stone pillars more than 40 meters high.

Some pillars are even narrowed to the base and look like a bottle. Is it even possible?

How did such structures appear and where did these stones come from?

If we take into account the point of view of the scientific leaders of various expeditions, these structures are weathering pillars that appeared as a result of the blowing out of soft rocks. Many millions of years ago there were real mountains in this place, but centuries passed, rains and wind washed away the soft limestone rock, leaving hard rock in the form of a pillar in this place. Thanks to the work of nature itself, we can admire the real miracle that exists in Russia.

But this is just the point of view of science. Residents of the Urals have a completely different point of view. There are at least several legends that explain where the Small Blockheads came from (this is how Manpupuner was translated from the Mansi language).

How to get to Manpupuner?

On Manpupuner you can purchase special tours, you can go to your destination on your own, but it is best to use the services of a tourist guide, since a lot of equally interesting and exciting places await you along the way. We signed up for a special expedition to Manpupuner. First, we hitchhiked to Yekaterinburg. We found the car very quickly and got there without any problems. Naturally, hitchhikers do not pay for the journey, so we managed to save money here. Then we had a long trip to Ivdel, we got there by train.

We took a car and drove to the Auspie River, the road was not long, in total we were on the road for about an hour.

After the village of Vizhay, real off-road conditions begin, so here we were glad that we went along with experienced forwarders, who immediately found SUVs. On the way to Auspiya, we visited the Ushmun village. There used to be prisoners there, today only destroyed barracks remind of it. Several families live in the village today; it seems that here nature is absolutely untouched by man, everything is so primitive. The houses of the Mansi people are located along the banks of Lozva. The locals built a suspension bridge across the river, which not everyone dares to cross because it rests on their “word of honor.”

If you decide to go on your own, ask the locals how to get to the Auspiya River. The residents of the village are very friendly, they are interested in talking with tourists, since they rarely see new people in their area.

In a few days we made a walk and saw.

Our road ran along Auspiya, we either moved away from it or passed right next to the shore.

On the river bank we saw the popular and famous “Spoon” stop, although at the time we were there, a fork and a knife had already appeared there, they said that they would also make a corkscrew. Maybe some of you have also walked this route? I wonder if “Lozhka” has changed over time and what new things have been added there?

After we passed the pass, our path passed through mountain ranges.

On the way, we saw the most beautiful place in the northern Urals, the Poritaitsori tract, where glaciers do not melt all year round, and small waterfalls create a fairy tale. Then Mount Ottortena and its famous “gate” appeared in front of us, Lake Lunthusaptur, which the locals call “lonely goose lake”, and many different mountains, the names of which I honestly didn’t remember, and it would probably be difficult to pronounce them.

We were told that if you were lucky you might see a reindeer, but we were probably out of luck. We reached our cherished goal a week after we boarded the train and went looking for adventure.

The Manpupuner plateau appeared before our eyes

The weathering pillars look fascinating and if you have been there, I am waiting for your photo report. There are a total of 7 stone pillars on the mountain, which have an amazing and unique shape. If you look at the figures from different angles, they resemble either the head of a horse, or the figure of a giant, or even in full growth. Locals say that stone statues even change their location. In fact, of course, they are easily confused with each other and look completely different from every angle. You can look at them for hours without taking your eyes off them, it’s really worth so many days on the road.

So evening came, and the whole expedition and I began to share our impressions. There were 10 of us, all different, with different social status and different views on life, but all of us were amazed by what we saw. And then, one girl began to tell different stories around the fire that the Mansi people told her. These are three different legends that tell about the origin of this “Miracle of Nature”.

The first legend says

that the local residents were hunted by Samoyed giants at a time when they wanted to cross the Stone Belt. The giants had almost caught up with the inhabitants, when suddenly the white-faced sorcerer Yalpingner stood in front of them. He just raised his hands and said a few words, when immediately all the giants turned into statues, and, unfortunately, the sorcerer too. Since then they have all stood opposite each other.

To be honest, I don’t really believe in these stories, giants, sorcerers. Somehow it’s not particularly believable. What do you think? It would be very interesting to read your comments.

The second legend says,

that giant shamans went over the mountains to kill all the local residents. When they climbed the mountain, they saw the sacred place of the Mansi and realized how majestic and powerful the Vogul gods were. They were horrified and turned into a statue, only the leader of the giants, the chief shaman, raised his hands up to shield himself from the god of the earth. But he, too, did not survive and turned into stone.

Well, this is also not particularly plausible, the plot of Marvel and Fantastic Four.

Finally, I will tell you the most dramatic story about the origin of stone statues

According to ancient mythology, the Yugras lived in these places. They were rich and happy, and legends circulated about their carefree life far beyond the borders of the Stone Belt. There were other tribes living nearby who worshiped Yalpyngner, and their leader was called Kuschai. He had a daughter, the beautiful Ayuma. She was the most beautiful in the whole wide world.

A local giant who lived far from the Ural Mountains fell in love with her. And so, one day, the giant came to Kushchai and told him that he wanted to take Ayuma as his wife, to which Ayuma herself refused him. The giant became furious, began to call his brothers and wanted to kill all the Ugras and forcefully take Ayuma as his wife. The giants approached the stone city where Ayuma was and began to destroy it.

At this moment, it seemed that the giants could not be defeated. Then Ayuma asked her God to tell her brother Pygrychum that their home was attacked. But the brother was very far away. The giants broke into the city center and destroyed the palace, which was made of crystal. Its fragments scattered throughout the area (since that time people have found particles of rock crystal here). The Ugra tribe began to flee.

And so, when the invaders had almost caught up with Ayuma and her friends, a brother suddenly appeared with a large shield made of pure gold and a sword that the spirits of his God had given him. He directed the light from the golden shield at the giants, and they immediately turned to stone. This is how stone statues arose.

What legend do you believe in?

You know, of course, it’s interesting to know the truth, but in fact, I like it when there is a mystery, you can fantasize and believe in miracles.

That night, when I saw Manpupuner, I slept like a baby. Emotions overwhelmed me, and I knew that my goal had been achieved.

The next morning we went back along the same route, we saw Mount Ottorten - Dyatlov Pass - Auspiya River. This was the end of most of the tour. All that remains is to get to Ivdel and get to Yekaterinburg.

What I recommend taking with you if you are going on a special tour or will get to the place on your own:

• raincoat and windbreaker;
• trekking boots and rubber boots;
• several pairs of woolen and plain socks;
• T-shirts and ;
• nightwear;
• warm hat;
• sweater or hoodie;
• gloves;
• tourist carpet, sleeping bag;
• set of tourist dishes;
• hygiene items;
• camera, video camera.

I want to warn you right away that such expeditions are designed for people with excellent training; you will not only carry your things, but also help carry public equipment, including food. Expect to walk at least 10 kilometers per day, and this is on a hilly road.

Rich people have the opportunity to get to Manpupuner by helicopter. It’s certainly cool to see everything from a bird’s eye view, if anyone has such experience, tell me, it’s very interesting to read your stories. I would be grateful if you subscribe and recommend it to your friends!

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On the Manpupuner plateau in the Troitsko-Pechora region of the Komi Republic there is one of the natural wonders of Russia - seven huge stone giants with a height of 30 to 42 meters, which are also known as weathering pillars or Mansi logs. It is believed that these pillars were formed by selective weathering and erosion of soft rocks.

Once upon a time, stone sculptures were objects of Mansi cult. It was believed that spirits lived on the plateau, and only shamans were allowed to visit them on the mountain. Manpupuner (Man-pupy-nyer) is translated from the Mansi language as “Small Mountain of Idols.” According to one of the local legends, six giants were chasing the Voguls (Voguls are another name for the Mansi people) and had almost caught up with them, when suddenly a shaman with a white face named Yalpingner appeared in front of them. He raised his hand and managed to cast a spell, after which all the giants turned to stone, but Yalpingner himself also turned to stone. Since then they have stood against each other. Travelers who visited the plateau say that the energy of the place is truly unusual; all thoughts subside there and peace sets in.

Photo by Peter Zakharov:

From the plateau there is a beautiful view of the virgin nature of the Northern Urals.

Photo by Peter Zakharov:

Photo by Sergei Makurin:

Despite the fact that Manpupuner is located in a remote area, this place is gaining increasing popularity among travelers and is becoming one of the actively visited sports tourism sites. To get to the plateau, tourists have to walk for three days through the taiga or hire a helicopter.
The growing popularity of the pillars is explained by the fact that in 2008 they took 5th place in the 7 Wonders of Russia competition and 1st place among the wonders of the North-Western Federal District.

On the way to Manpupuner:

To preserve the Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve (on the territory of which the pillars are located) in its original form, only 12 travelers will be allowed to visit Manpupuner at a time, while the total number of visits to the plateau should not exceed 4 per month. If previously tourists could come freely in winter, now it will be possible to see the wonder of the world only from mid-June to mid-September. To control the number of people coming to the plateau, a wooden house 5x8 meters was built, where a reserve employee will constantly be present to check the availability of permits for visits. Tourists can stay in this house in case of bad weather. The house is heated with an economical stove, the firewood for which will be delivered in the winter by snowmobile.

Weathering pillars or Manpupuner or Mansi boobies are a geological monument in the Troitsko-Pechora region of the Komi Republic of Russia.

The weathering pillars are located on the territory of the Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve on Mount Man-Pupu-ner (in the Mansi language - “small mountain of idols”), in the interfluve of the Ilych and Pechora rivers. The second name is “Bolvano-iz”, which is translated from the Komi language as “Mountain of Idols”. This is where the simplified popular name for the remnants came from - “Blockheads”.

Ostantsev - 7, height from 30 to 42 m. Numerous legends are associated with Manpupuner, before he was the object of the Mansi cult.

The Manpupuner weathering pillars are considered one of the seven wonders of Russia.

About 200 million years ago, there were high mountains in place of the stone pillars. Rain, snow, wind, frost and heat gradually destroyed the mountains and, first of all, weak rocks. The hard sericite-quartzite shales, from which the remains are composed, were destroyed less and have survived to this day, while the soft rocks were destroyed by weathering and carried by water and wind into depressions of the relief.

One pillar, 34 meters high, stands somewhat apart from the others; it resembles a huge bottle turned upside down. Six others lined up at the edge of the cliff. The pillars have bizarre outlines and, depending on the place of inspection, resemble either the figure of a huge man, or the head of a horse or ram. In past times, the Mansi deified grandiose stone sculptures and worshiped them, but climbing Manpupuner was the greatest sin.

They are located quite far from inhabited places. Only trained tourists can get to the pillars. To do this, you need to obtain a pass from the administration of the reserve. From the side of the Sverdlovsk region and the Perm Territory there is a walking route, from the side of the Komi Republic there is a mixed route - road, water, walking route.

Ancient Mansi legend

“In ancient times, in the dense forests that approached the very Ural Mountains, lived the powerful Mansi tribe. The men of the tribe were so strong that they defeated a bear one on one, and so fast that they could catch up with a running deer.

There were a lot of furs and skins of killed animals in the Mansi yurts. Women made beautiful fur clothes from them. The good spirits who lived on the sacred mountain Yalping-Nyer helped the Mansi because the wise leader Kuuschai, who was in great friendship with them, was at the head of the tribe. The leader had a daughter, the beautiful Aim, and a son, Pygrychum. The news of the beauty of young Aim spread far beyond the ridge. She was slender, like a pine tree that grew in a dense forest, and she sang so well that deer from the Ydzhyd-Lyagi valley came running to listen to her.

The giant Torev (Bear), whose family hunted in the Kharaiz mountains, also heard about the beauty of the daughter of the Mansi leader. He demanded that Kuuschai give him his daughter Aim. But Aim laughed and refused this offer. An angry Torev called his giant brothers and moved to the top of Torre Porre Iz to seize Aim by force. Unexpectedly, when Pygrychum and part of the warriors were hunting, giants appeared in front of the gates of the stone city. The whole day there was a hot battle at the fortress walls.

Under clouds of arrows, Aim climbed onto a high tower and shouted: “Oh, good spirits, save us from death!” Send Pigrychum home! At the same moment, lightning flashed in the mountains, thunder roared, and black clouds covered the city with a thick veil. “Insidious,” Torev growled, seeing Aim on the tower. He rushed forward, crushing everything in his path. And only Aim managed to descend from the tower when it collapsed under the terrible blow of the giant’s club. Then Torev again raised his huge club and struck the crystal castle. The castle crumbled into small pieces, which were picked up by the wind and blown throughout the Urals. Since then, transparent fragments of rock crystal have been found in the Ural Mountains.

Aim and a handful of warriors disappeared under the cover of darkness into the mountains. In the morning we heard the sound of a chase. And suddenly, when the giants were ready to grab them, Pigrychum appeared in the rays of the rising sun with a shiny shield and a sharp sword in his hands, which the good spirits had given him. Pygrychum turned his shield towards the sun, and a fiery sheaf of light hit the eyes of the giant, who threw the tambourine aside. Before the eyes of the astonished brothers, the giant and the tambourine thrown aside began to slowly turn to stone. The brothers rushed back in horror, but, falling under the beam of Pigrychum’s shield, they themselves turned into stones.

Since then, for thousands of years they have stood on a mountain that the people called Man-Pupu-Nier (Mountain of Stone Idols), and not far from it rises the majestic peak Koip (Drum).”

Another ancient Mansi legend tells of seven giants who walked across the plateau with the goal of destroying the Vogul people. But when they reached the top of Man-Pupu-Nera, they saw in front of them the sacred Vogul mountain Yalping-ner. The sight of her horrified the giants, and they turned to stone, and the drum, thrown aside by their leader-shaman, turned into a mountain peak south of Manpupuner - Koyp, in Vogul - and is the name of the percussion musical instrument.

Excursions to the Weathering Pillars

In 2016, the reserve was closed to pedestrian visits. Driving on vehicles is also prohibited. Helicopter excursions have become an alternative, and the helipad is being prepared.

Manpupuner is a hard-to-reach, uninhabited object of nature, but combined with its unforgettable beauty - its remoteness from infrastructure creates an extraordinary egregor around the stone boulders.

The virgin forests surrounding the reserve, the legends in the air that the pillars are idols and the habitat of various spirits, leave a truly fabulous, inexplicable impression of the greatness of this place.

The Man-Pupu-Ner plateau is called the Ural Stonehenge. And indeed, seeing the pillars of weathering, this is the word that comes to mind. There are beliefs that the plateau is a refuge for spirits.

Attractions in the vicinity of Manpupuner

Pechora-Ilychsky Reserve

One of the oldest reserves in the Urals was founded in 1930 to protect virgin forests, which are now included in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List. Objects of protection in the protected area of ​​the Komi Republic, covering over 720 thousand hectares.

The flora of the reserve is represented by almost 660 plant species. The fauna includes over 230 species of birds and almost 50 species of mammals - brown bears, stoats, otters, wolverines, beavers, moose. Birds are especially numerically represented by the grouse family - hazel grouse, wood grouse, black grouse. Among the inhabitants of the deep waters, salmon, grayling, and taimen are of value.

Moose farm

From the first years of the founding of the Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve, the world's first farm for domesticating moose was created. The animals turned out to be quite easy to tame. Initially, they were planned to be used as sled mounts. During the existence of the moose farm, over 300 animals were raised, significant research work was carried out to study the animals, and the moose population in the reserve was increased. Smart animals that live in the forest come to the farm before their offspring appear. You can see beautiful giants and little moose calves all year round.

Bear Cave

The location of the natural and archaeological monument near the mouth of the Jordan Log on the territory of the reserve has been known since 1960. Traces of an Upper Paleolithic site of an ancient man were found in a cave at a depth of 2-2.5 m. People lived in the shelter approximately 30 thousand years ago. Scientists have found numerous bone and stone artifacts, as well as bones of fossil animals - tiger lion, hoofed lemming, musk ox, woolly rhinoceros, mammoth.

Weathering pillars, or, as they are also called, “Mansi blockheads” are huge stone statues that are located on Mount Man-Pupu-Ner (Komi Republic, Troitsko-Pechersk region). These giant idols were created by nature 200 million years ago and are a geological monument.

The mystery of the origin

Previously, this territory was located, but under the influence of wind and snow, over several thousand years they slowly collapsed. First the soft rocks were washed away, then the hard ones. Some of the hard rocks of the former mountains have survived to this day. Now here you can see 7 large pillars, which amaze with their stern grandeur.

Legends about idols

Despite the existing scientific explanation of the origin of the stone statues, there are a variety of legends about this place.

One myth says that the weathering pillars are seven giant brothers who turned to stone. They came to these parts to take away the most beautiful girl from the Mansi tribe. The beauty refused to become the wife of her older brother and therefore they decided to kidnap her. A bloody battle ensued between the men of the tribe and the brothers, which continued throughout the day. First, the elder brother smashed the wall of Mansi, then he decided to destroy the crystal castle, the fragments of which were scattered throughout the Urals. The girl rushed to run away from her unloved one into the mountains. To stop the giants, the beauty's brother went to a sacred place to ask the Mansi spirits for deliverance from his sister's very annoying gentleman. The next day, the giants found the girl and were about to take her with them, but at that moment her brother appeared and, with the help of spells received from the spirits, managed to turn the giants into stone statues.

According to another legend, the weathering pillars (Man-Pupu-Ner) appeared somewhat differently. There were six mighty giants. They began to pursue one of the Mansi tribes, which lived high in the mountains. The giants came almost close to the tribe near the source of the Pechera, but here they were overtaken by a shaman. The sorcerer’s terrible and lime-white face greatly frightened the giants, and they themselves turned into huge stone statues. Since then, many shamans from the Mansi tribe have come to the idols to draw their magical power here.

The third legend says that the weathering pillars are petrified giants, frozen in eternal horror thanks to the powerful energy of the main mountain on this plateau - Yalping-ner, which is very close to the extraordinary place.

Plateau of the Seven Pillars

The Manpupuner plateau is one of the most picturesque in the Urals. Visiting this amazing place is the dream of hundreds of travelers. This mysterious plateau is located in the northern part of the Ural range. The territory belongs to the Pechero-Ilychsky reserve. Thousands of tourists visit it every day, and all because this is the place where the weathering pillars are located. The seven idols range in height from 29 to 42 meters. To say that they look quite unusual is to say nothing. The most powerful energy was concentrated in this place: being near the stone giants, you even feel special.

The Man tribes call this ridge Manpupuner (which means “small mountain of idols”). Hunters call him Blockhead-iz (that is, “stone blockheads”). It’s just that nature lovers nicknamed this place the Ural Stonehenge, and among tourists the statues were nicknamed Pupas, or “mountain of stone idols.”

Birth of kerkur

Weathering pillars (Komi Republic) are kerkurs. This is the scientific name for pillar-shaped rocks that stand apart from each other. They take quite a long time to create. First, magma penetrates into the lower rocks and solidifies inside in the form of oblong figures. Then such natural “helpers” as wind, heat, frost, water and wind wear away the stone for hundreds of years, gradually turning the mountains into plains. This is what happened with these pillars; their hard rocks continue to thin out even now.

Seventh Wonder of the World

“Stone blockheads” are included in the list of seven Six pillars, created by nature itself, stand on the edge of a cliff. A little further is the seventh idol. The forms of formations are bizarre and varied. Depending on the angle from which you approach them, they visually change their shape. People may think that they see images of animals, people, and various objects. For example, many tourists point out that the seventh “boob” resembles a bottle that has been turned upside down. The sixth pillar resembles the head of either a bull or a ram. Many visitors associate the fifth statue with a human figure.

Mystical stones

When you see all this with your own eyes, it is difficult to even imagine that the stone hulks are a geological monument or the result of the painstaking work of nature. Against your will, you begin to believe in legends. Firstly, it’s difficult to realize that wind, rain and snow can be such brilliant creators, and secondly, it’s just that somehow childishly you want to believe in a miracle.

The plateau is located in such a way that on the southern side everything is in bloom at the beginning of summer, but on the northern side there is still snow, and it begins to melt only in August. Many of those who have been there note that an inexplicable feeling of fear begins to overcome them near the stone pillars. Local residents are sure that in ancient times various shamanic rituals were performed there.

The closer you get to them, the more unusual the view becomes. All formations have a different shape, and around them lie stone boulders and ridges that form a strong wall, as if enclosing the kerkur. They look very beautiful in winter, when the pillars are completely white, as if they were crystal. In autumn there is often fog here, and the giants seem to appear through the haze.

Weathering pillars: how to get there?

It is worth noting that getting here is not very easy. Not all travelers have the willpower to reach the intended destination of the route. But still there is a way out. The first way is to get there on foot; for this you will have to overcome an impressive distance from the side or the Sverdlovsk region. The journey, however, will take a very long time - about 10-11 days. For the lazy, another option is suitable - a helicopter flight from Ukhta with refueling in Troitsko-Pechorsk. You can get there by helicopter in 4 hours. But such a pleasure, as you understand, will cost a lot of money. If you come from Syktyvkar, you will first have to get to Troitsko-Pechorsk, and then by car to the village of Yaksha. From there you will have to travel 200 km along the river by motor boat. At the final stage of the journey you need to walk about 40 km.

After you arrive at the Pechora-Ilychsky Nature Reserve, you will be met by an employee of the protected area and will be offered accommodation for a rest in a special house. This room is built of wood and heated using an economical stove. In winter, the house can be reached by snowmobile, and in summer - only by off-road vehicles.

A charming mystery of nature

“Mansky boobies” is an amazing and majestic place. Grandiose, like frozen idols, they amaze the imagination and create a feeling of a powerful surge of energy. If you still decide to overcome the difficult path and see Manpupuner with your own eyes, Weathering Pillars (Russia) are happy to welcome everyone at any time of the year.

Manpupuner.

Also Weathering Pillars, “Seven Giants”, “Mountain of Stone Idols”, stone pillars, Mansi blockheads — this mysterious place, steeped in many myths and legends, has quite a few names .
Manpupuner Plateau, perhaps - the main attraction of the Urals, a unique natural monument, which is more than 200 million years old. Manpupuner is much older than the Egyptian pyramids and the Sphinx; much older than the English Stonehenge and the Roman Colosseum. This is the most beautiful natural attraction of the Ural Mountains, and, probably, of all of Russia. A centuries-old ensemble of huge stone pillars-idols standing on the sacred mountain, about which legends have been formed for centuries. Place of power and energy anomalies. 40-meter Mansi dummy, which are sacred idols for all generations of the Komi and Mansi peoples. Unique and inimitable.

The pillars are recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of Russia.

Information about the Manpupuner plateau, Komi Republic:

Coordinates: GPS: 62°15′28.44″ N. 59°17′52.8″ E.;
A country: Russia;
Region: Komi Republic, the border of the Northern Urals and the Subpolar Urals;
Mountain system: Manpupuner Ridge(Man-Pupu-Ner, Man-pupy-nyer, Man-pupyg-ner, Manpupygner);
Top height: 42 m.

In 2008, the weathering pillars on the plateau took fifth place in the “7 Wonders of Russia” competition and first place among the wonders of the Northwestern Federal District.

Manpupuner- a unique miracle of nature, giant stone idols. Weathering pillars (Mansi logs) are a geological monument in Russia, the Troitsko-Pechora region in the southeast of the Komi Republic on the territory of the Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve on Mount Man-Pupu-Ner (from the Mansi language this name is translated as “Small Mountain of Idols”).

Video films - trailers about expeditions of members of the "Wild North" club with a helicopter transfer to Manpupuner .

Where are the weathering pillars located? Manpupuner, Ural Mountains, Russia.

One of the most amazing natural attractions of Russia - weathering pillars Man Pupu Ner - is located in a remote area in the Northern Urals, on the western slope of the Ural Mountains in the interfluve of the Pechora and Ichotlyaga (Ydzhydlyaga) rivers.
The mountain plateau Manpupuner (Man pupu ner, Man-Pupu-Ner, Man-pupy-nyer, Man-pupyg-ner) or the plateau with Weathering Pillars (Mansi boobies) is a geological monument. The natural monument of weathering pillars is located on the territory of the Pechora-Ilychsky Nature Reserve on Mount Man-Pupu-ner (translated from the Mansi language as “small mountain of idols”), in the interfluve of the Vychegda and Pechora rivers in the Troitsko-Pechora region of the Komi Republic of Russia. The second name of the stone pillars is “Bolvano-iz”, which in the Komi language means “Mountain of Idols”. This is where the simplified popular name for the remnants came from - “Blockheads”. There are 7 outliers on the plateau, their height is from 30 to 42 m. In fact, on the Manpupuner plateau there are more than seven weathering pillars, just one group of seven pillars stands more closely together.

Numerous legends are associated with the stone pillars. Previously, the slope where the weathering pillars are located was the object of cult of the local Mansi peoples.

This is an amazing place, shrouded in many secrets and mysteries, a place with extraordinary and very powerful energy.
Such a natural phenomenon as weathering pillars on the Manpupuner plateau, which cannot be called anything other than a Miracle, is a must-visit.

Weathering pillars (remnants) on the Man-Pupu-Ner plateau are the hallmark of the Urals.
Man-Pupu-Ner is located quite far from inhabited places.
The Manpupuner plateau is a popular sports tourism site. Only very prepared tourists can reach the pillars on foot. To visit it you also need a pass from the reserve administration.

Manpupuner -one of the 7 wonders of Russia.

Since 2008, the Seven Pillars of Weathering, located on the Ural Range, have been officially recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of Russia. About two hundred million years ago, on the site of the plateau where these weathering columns are located, there were huge mountains consisting mainly of weak rocks. These rocks were exposed to various natural phenomena. Rain, snow, wind, frost and heat gradually destroyed the mountains and, first of all, weak rocks. The hard sericite-quartzite shales, from which the remains are composed, were destroyed less and have survived to this day, while the soft rocks were destroyed by weathering and carried by water and wind into depressions of the relief. And only the weathering pillars remain today in their original form. The geological name of the pillars on the Manpupuner plateau is remnants. Their composition is mainly represented by sericite-quartzite schists, which are more resistant to the vagaries of nature and time. Geologists believe that the seven weathering pillars are rock kekurs.

The stone pillars were formed by selective weathering of rocks. Some of them are even narrowed at the base and look like an inverted bottle. How could this be born... From a scientific point of view, these pillars are the result of the weathering of soft rocks. About 200 million years ago, in place of the stone pillars there were full-fledged high Ural mountains. They stood proudly on the young planet Earth and witnessed many grandiose events. Rain, snow, wind, frost and heat gradually destroyed the mountains, and especially weak rocks. And today the Ural Mountains are among the lowest in the world. But there were places in the Urals where nature could not cope with the stone. The hard, beautiful sericite-quartzite schists, from which the remains were composed, were destroyed less and have survived to this day, while the soft rocks were destroyed by weathering and carried by water and wind to the foot of the mountain. This is where the name came from - Weathering Pillars. Thanks to this, we can admire the weathering pillars on the Manpupiner plateau.

Natural monument Weathering pillars.

Geologists call them remnants. On Manpupuner, the outcrops are huge stone pillars with a height of 30 to 42 m. This place is truly mystical, because the Weathering Pillars, as the outcrops are also called, are so ancient that even the Mansi during the pagan period worshiped them, and in translation from the Mansi language Manpupuner means "small mountain of idols" Mansi, unlike geologists, know the true origin of the stone pillars. There are a total of 7 stone sculptures on Manpupuner. The pillars have a bizarre shape and, from different angles, can resemble either the head of a horse or the figure of a giant. They say that stone sculptures even change their location. In reality, of course, they are simply easy to confuse due to their changing shape. The most ancient stone sculptures as tall as a 15-story building can in themselves amaze the imagination, and if we add to this the uninhabited nature of this place, then one can imagine what pristine silence and purity will greet travelers on this majestic plateau. Here, more than ever, you understand that time is just a convention.

One tall pillar, 34 m high, stands somewhat apart from the others; it resembles a huge bottle turned upside down. Six others lined up at the edge of the cliff. The pillars have bizarre outlines, and depending on the point of view, resemble the figure of a huge man or the head of a horse or ram. In past times, the Mansi deified grandiose stone sculptures and worshiped them, but climbing to the top of Mount Manpupuner was the greatest sin for Mansi families.

Until recently, only geographers and fans of sports tourism knew about the Manpupuner plateau. But after the Mansi idiots took 5th place in the “7 Wonders of Russia” competition, many heard the strange word. The tall majestic pillars really look like idols - on the relatively flat highlands there are giant stone sculptures with 10-17 storey buildings. The plateau offers magnificent views of pristine nature at any time of the year. This spectacle is simply breathtaking.

Seeing this Miracle of Nature is not at all easy. Around, within a radius of one hundred kilometers, there is no human habitation, roads or railways. The rivers nearby are small streams, only one of them is destined, having absorbed a mass of tributaries, to become the full-flowing Pechora and bring its waters to the Arctic Ocean.
The Man-pupu-Ner plateau on the Ural ridge is the most iconic. Location Man-pupu-ner - Northern Urals, 10 km east of the plateau, the Pechera River originates. A person, arriving on a plateau, cannot help but feel the mystical and mysterious influence of this unique place, especially close to the stone giants. When these gigantic stones appear before your eyes, such a definition as a geological monument or the reasons for their occurrence, named by geologists, seem like a myth, and legends, on the contrary, seem like truth.
In the Northern Urals, not only the Manpupuner plateau deserves epithets " magical" And " magical", but undoubtedly it is the most beautiful and impressive.

Manpupuner: how to get there.

There are several options to see this incredible creation of nature: fly here in summer or autumn by helicopter, come in winter or spring on a snowmobile, or walk many kilometers through completely uninhabited places.

What we saw is impressive; no photographs or videos can convey the living power of the giants...
Very quickly you begin to believe in real power, to feel it emanating from this place. It is no coincidence that this place is considered one of the places of Power.

Opinions differ about the best time of year to conquer Manpupuner. Some people believe that the best way to travel to the end of the world is in winter, on skis. At this time, there are no mosquitoes, midges or gadflies, the swamps freeze, and the pillars themselves, covered with frost, look incredibly beautiful. And the speed of movement on skis is higher than on foot. There is only one minus and it is obvious - the temperature in the Ural mountains in January drops to minus 40 degrees Celsius.

We recommend choose to visit this area in summer or winter, arriving here in summer on our Mi-8 helicopter, or traveling in winter on a reliable snowmobile .
The best summer month to visit the plateau is probably August. This is the warmest time of the year, there are fewer insects, and the water in the rivers decreases. It is at this time that from a bird’s eye view you can observe the pleasant red-yellow taiga, the piercing blue sky, rivers as clear as tears, breathe in the air sharp as a razor blade and enjoy the view of the majestic Manpupuner.

Pechora-Ilychsky Nature Reserve.

The Manpupuner plateau is located on o specially protected area Pechora-Ilychsky Nature Reserve. The reserve has its own task - to preserve vegetation and other components of ecosystems. A regulated schedule for visiting the reserve regulates the tourist flow: the schedule is planned in such a way that there are not many people on the territory of the reserve at the same time. There may also be bans on visiting due to the risk of forest fires. To make visiting the Manpupuner Plateau accessible and controllable, the Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve built a frame house for rangers on the ridge, the partners of the reserve poured and put into operation a helipad, and special crushed stone paths were laid out with crushed stone in order not to disturb the ecosystem of mosses growing on the plateau .
The reserve workers, however, are trying to make tourism on the Manpupuner plateau more “cultural” and environmentally friendly.

Pechora-Ilychsky Nature Reserve: official website.

Manpupuner. Ural mountains.

It should be noted that such a phenomenon as remnants and weathering columns is a very typical phenomenon for the Urals. The Ural Mountains are among the oldest on earth, and over the millions of years of their existence, bad weather and elements have battered them quite badly. So, no less beautiful and significant stone remains can be admired on the Torre-Porre-Iz plateau, in the Northern Urals near Krasnovishersk you can look at the Pomyanenny stone, you can also climb the Chuval, Kuryksar or Listvennichny ridges. Similar weathering pillars can be found everywhere. Of course, not as large-scale and pronounced as on Manpupuner, but no less picturesque.
In the immediate vicinity of the Manpupuner plateau there are several more Mansi sanctuaries - 20 km to the north - the stone city of spirits Tore-Porre-Iz, 100 km to the south - Dyatlov Pass (Kholat-Chahl ridge, Mountain of the Dead or Dead Mountain), where, according to legend, they died nine Mansi hunters. The legendary group of UPI students under the leadership of Igor Dyatlov died there (February 1959). The Yalpyngner ridge is located nearby, and the Molebny Stone ridge (on the territory of the Vishera Nature Reserve), where there was also a temple and a sacred cave of the Voguls and Mansi, was located relatively close.

The weathering pillars are located quite far from inhabited areas. Only trained tourists can get to the pillars. From the Sverdlovsk region and Perm region there is a walking route - first by car, then by boat, the rest of the way on foot. It will take at least a week to cover more than 400 kilometers in this way.

If you don’t have enough time for hiking in the taiga or you can hardly endure long treks on foot over rough terrain, mountains, swamps and impassable taiga, then this is ideal for you our option- exciting way get there to the Weathering Pillars by helicopter. The Wild North club offers both one-day and . In addition, organization is possible.
This will be a most interesting journey through the Ural northern taiga on snowmobiles. Difficult and extreme. The final goal is sparkling in the sun, covered sparkling ice and snow- winter Manpupuner.

Helicopter transfer is a very fast way to get to the Manpupuner plateau, and is also more gentle on the local ecosystem. Throughout the flight, as well as approaching Manpupuner, you will be able to enjoy the mesmerizing panorama of the Northern Ural taiga. A winter trip is more than a tour. This is a real expedition that allows you to make an unforgettable trip to the mountains through snow-covered remote areas and frozen rivers, see a continuous series of uniquely beautiful mountain landscapes that shock you with their uniqueness even in the most remote taiga regions of the Arctic Circle and see with your own eyes The Seventh Miracle of Russia and touch the legendary idols - weathering pillars on the Man-Pupu-Ner plateau, which served as cult idols for representatives of ancient civilization.

In fact, on the Manpupuner plateau there are more than seven weathering pillars, just one group of seven pillars is more crowded.
In autumn there are fogs there, and the Pillars appear through the haze - there is something divine in this spectacle. They were created by nature, but looking at them, it’s hard to believe that something like this could be repeated by a person.

However, this is just a scientific version of the origin of the pillars on the Manpupuner plateau. The Voguls, the local population of the Urals, have other points of view. There are legends that explain
the origin of the Small Blockheads (this is exactly what Manpupuner sounds like in the translation from the Mansi language).

The Mansi worshiped the remains as idols and created legends about them. Even now, looking carefully at the pillars, you can see images of fantastic animals or giant giants. Previously, this place was considered sacred, and climbing the mountain was strictly prohibited.
It is not surprising that the indigenous people surrounded this place with legends.

The Man-Pupu-Ner mountain plateau has always been a sacred place for the Voguls, but its power was negative. It was strictly forbidden for an ordinary person to climb the Manpupuner plateau; only shamans had access there to recharge their magical powers.

Six of the seven weathering pillars are located along the edge of the cliff, and the seventh is located further away from them. Each of the Mansi Blockheads has a unique and bizarre shape. Moreover, if you look at the weathering pillars from different sides, then each time you see different images. People, animals, objects may appear. One pillar, 34 meters high, stands somewhat apart from the others; it resembles a huge bottle turned upside down. Six others lined up at the edge of the cliff. The pillars have bizarre outlines and, depending on the location of inspection, resemble the figure of a huge man, the head of a horse or a ram. In past times, the Mansi deified grandiose stone sculptures and worshiped them, but climbing Manpupuner was the greatest sin.

Manpupuner: legends about weathering pillars.

Legends and Mansi versions of the formation of stone pillars of the Small Mountain of Idols:

1 . The Voguls, who roam here with their herds of reindeer, say that these stone pillars were once seven Samoyed giants who walked through the mountains to Siberia to destroy the Vogul people. But when they climbed to the top, now called Man-Pupu-Ner, their leader, the shaman, saw in front of him Yalping-Ner - the Sacred Vogul Mountain. In horror, he threw his drum, which fell on a high conical peak rising south of Man-Pupu-Nyor and called Koip, which means drum in Vogul. And the shaman and all his companions were petrified with fear.

2 . Based on another of the versions, behind the Younger Brothers, i.e. The Voguls were being chased by six Samoyed giants while they were trying to escape beyond the Stone Belt. At the source of the Pechora River at the pass, the giants had almost caught up with the Vogulichs, when suddenly a white-faced shaman, Yalpingner, appeared in front of them. He raised his hand and managed to cast one spell, after which all the giants turned to stone. Unfortunately, Yalpingner himself also turned to stone. Since then, they have stood against each other.

3 . The next legend says that seven giant shamans went beyond Riphean to destroy the Voguls and Mansi. When they climbed Koyp, they saw the sacred Vogul mountain Yalpyngner (the most holy place for the Voguls) and understood the greatness and power of the Vogul Gods. They were petrified from horror, only the leader of the giants, the chief shaman, managed to raise his hand to shield his eyes from Yalpyngner. But this did not save him - he also turned into stone.

4 . An ancient Mansi legend.
“In ancient times, in the dense forests, approaching the very Ural Mountains, lived the powerful Mansi tribe. The men of the tribe were so strong that they defeated a bear one on one, and so fast that they could catch up with a running deer.
The Mansi yurts contained a lot of furs and skins of hunted animals. Women made beautiful clothes from furs. The good spirits who lived on the sacred mountain Yalping-Nyer helped the Mansi because the wise leader Kuuschai, who was in great friendship with the spirits, was at the head of the tribe. The leader had a daughter, the beautiful Aim, and a son, Pygrychum. The news of the beauty of young Aim spread far beyond the ridge. She was slender, like a pine tree that grew in a dense forest, and she sang so well that deer from the Ydzhid-Lyagi valley came running to listen to her.
The giant Torev (Bear), whose family hunted in the Kharaiz mountains, also heard about the beauty of the daughter of the Mansi leader. He demanded that Kuuschai give him his daughter Aim. But she refused, Aim laughing at this proposal. An angry Torev called his giant brothers and moved to the top of Torre Porre Iz to seize Aim by force. Unexpectedly, when Pygrychum and part of the warriors were hunting, giants appeared in front of the gates of the stone city. The whole day there was a hot battle at the fortress walls.
Under clouds of arrows, Aim climbed onto a high tower and shouted: “Oh, good spirits, save us from death!” Send Pigrychum home! At the same moment, lightning flashed in the mountains, thunder roared, and black clouds covered the city with a thick veil. “Insidious,” Torev growled, seeing Aim on the tower. He rushed forward, crushing everything in his path. And only Aim managed to descend from the tower when it collapsed under the terrible blow of the giant’s club. Then Torev again raised his huge club and struck the crystal castle. The castle crumbled into small pieces, which were picked up by the wind and blown throughout the Urals. Since then, transparent fragments of rock crystal have been found in the Ural Mountains.
Aim and a handful of warriors disappeared under the cover of darkness into the mountains. In the morning they heard the sound of a chase. And suddenly, when the giants were ready to grab them, Pigrychum appeared in the rays of the rising sun with a shiny shield and a sharp sword in his hands, which the good spirits had given him. Pygrychum turned his shield towards the sun, and a fiery sheaf of light hit the eyes of the giant, who threw the tambourine aside. Before the eyes of the astonished brothers, the giant and the tambourine thrown aside began to slowly turn to stone. The brothers rushed back in horror, but, falling under the beam of Pigrychum’s shield, they themselves turned into stones.
Since then, for thousands of years they have stood on a mountain that the people called Man-Pupu-Nier (Mountain of Stone Idols), and not far from it rises the majestic peak Koip (Drum).”

Every shaman from the Mansi tribe necessarily came to the sacred tract and drew his magical power from it.
Climbing Manpupuner as a mere mortal was the greatest sin.

The time of year changes, and the appearance of the area changes. The area is very impressive in winter, when Mansi boobies are completely white, like crystal.

Local peoples claim that in pagan times there was a holy temple on the plateau.

In all legends, one constant motif remains - the presence of giants who wanted to destroy the Vogul tribe and the magical help of Yalpyngner. Man-Pupu-Ner has always been a sacred place for the Voguls, but its power was somewhat negative. It was strictly forbidden for an ordinary person to climb the Manpupuner plateau; only shamans had access there to recharge their magical powers. Very close to the Manpupuner plateau there are several more Vogul sanctuaries - Tore-Porre-Iz, Kholat-Chakhl (Mountain of the Dead or Dead Mountain), where, according to legend, nine Mansi hunters died. The legendary group of UPI students under the leadership of Igor Dyatlov died there (February 1959). By the way, Dyatlov’s group also consisted of nine people.

Yalpyngner itself is also not far away, and relatively close is the Prayer Stone (on the territory of the Vishera Nature Reserve), where there was also a temple and a sacred cave of the Voguls and Mansi.

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