Baikal, Turquoise Katun, and the Pink Lake: the beauty of Siberia at the "Journey Across Russia" exposition
The large-scale project "Journey Across Russia" kicks off at the National Centre RUSSIA on March 1. This exposition will showcase the achievements and natural wonders of all federal districts of the country. The Siberian section will introduce visitors to the taiga and its landmarks.
One of Russia's greatest natural treasures is the legendary Lake Baikal, which holds a quarter of the world's freshwater reserves. Its crystal clarity is due to the microscopic epischura crustacean, which filters the water as it feeds.
The surroundings and depths of Lake Baikal are home to approximately 2,635 species of plants and animals, with over a thousand of them being endemic — found nowhere else in the world.
Many legends are associated with Baikal, including one that speaks of a bottomless abyss connecting the lake to the Arctic Ocean. Another tells of a massive dragon sleeping at the lake’s bottom, awakening every 120 years to emerge onshore.
The exposition will also feature the famous Denisova Cave, located in the Soloneshensky District of the Altai region. This significant natural and archaeological site contains over 20 cultural layers from different historical periods. The most sensational discovery there was the remains of a previously unknown human species, representing a separate branch in the evolution of the Homo genus. Before this, it was believed that only two higher species of ancient humans existed — Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons. The newly identified species was named the Denisovans.
The resort area "Turquoise Katun" is another pride of Siberia. It got its name thanks to the unique shade of the Katun River, which appears especially bright from August to October and also in winter. This is because, in the cold season, the mountain river is fed by the purest underground springs, allowing the greenish sandstone at the bottom to become visible.
Siberia is home to the unusual Pink Lake. The higher the water temperature and the brighter the sun, the pinker the water becomes. This is due to a microscopic alga that produces a pink pigment. The Pink Lake is famous for its healing properties. It is also a site for salt extraction. Paths are laid across the lake all the way to its center, where a harvester with wagons moves as if gliding on water, collecting salt from the bottom.
Host Alexei Slushchev and philosopher Konstantin Matsan discuss how ideas about human values have developed and whether they can influence our lives today.
In addition to souvenirs, a tea collection and healthy sweets, visitors to the Department Store showed particular interest in books.
