Satka

“Mountain Heart of the Region”, “Cave Region”, “Ural Hollywood”, “Chess Capital of the Urals”, “Ural Switzerland”, “Ural Disneyland”, “Ural Ritsa” – this is usually the name of Satka by journalists.

Here created by nature and man a variety of attractions:

- the youngest national park - "Zyuratkul", occupying almost a third of the territory of the district,
- the highest mountain lake of the Urals - Zyuratkul, the freshest reservoir,
- the highest peak of the Southern Urals - Nurgush, 1,406 mnad at the level of the Baltic Sea,
- the largest number of open caves: on the Satkin section of the Ai River - more than 600 caves;
- the largest magnesite deposit in Russia,
- the oldest of the operating - Bakal iron ore mines,
- the most unique cave city - "Sikiyaz-Tamak cave complex".

In Satkin district there is a unique monument of nature, history, culture, industry - "The Thresholds", the birthplace of Russian electricity and ferroslavl production. The design of the hydraulic complex and the factory complex was carried out by a hydrodynamic scientist, politician and diplomat, Professor B.A. Bakhmetev – later the Ambassador of the Provisional Government of Russia to the United States and the founder of the world-famous Archive of Russian and Eastern European History and Culture at the Butler Library of Columbia University in New York. The plant was equipped with mechanisms and units of the best Western European companies in England, Germany and other countries.

Satka is the administrative center of the Satka municipal district of the Chelyabinsk region. The population of the city is 46 thousand people, the population of the district is 86 thousand. The city is located on the Big Satka River, 176 km from Chelyabinsk.

On the territory of Satka district there are 22 archaeological monuments, 14 architectural monuments, many memorable places associated with historical events, including religious buildings.

The ancestor of Satka was a metallurgical plant built by the most famous Russian industrialists Stroganov. November 19, 1758, the day of the start-up of the plant, is considered the birthday of the city.

In December 1773 – May 1774, the plant experienced the tragic events of the “Great Confusion” (rebellion led by E. I. Pugachev). There are many legends and places associated with the name of E.I. Pugachev and his associates.

In September 1824 the Satkin factory was visited by Emperor Alexander I.

The countdown of the new history of the city began with the launch of the Magnezit plant in 1901.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Satkins with dignity carried the title of the supporting edge of the state: they provided refractory products to the entire Soviet industry, as well as England and the United States, smelted high-quality cast iron for the production of military equipment, took children from besieged Leningrad, treated the wounded in hospitals. Satkin land raised 10 Heroes of the Soviet Union.

Currently, the tourism industry is dynamically developing. Favorite places of rest very quickly became the national park "Zyuratkul", ecopark "Zyuratkul", "Kitova Wharf", "Sonkina lagoon", Sikiyaz-Tamak cave complex, etc. The hotel and restaurant business is successfully developing.

Satka is known far beyond the Chelyabinsk region events in the field of sports, education, culture: 2004 - X Open (International) Championship of Russia in all-around search and rescue formations, organized by the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation; 2009 - VIII Interregional Ecological Expedition of Russian schoolchildren on the territory of Sikiyaz-Tamak cave complex with the participation of winners of the competitions "Teacher of the Year". Every year more than 300 mass sports events are held, including the All-Russian competitions in riding and ski joring, ski racing, rally "Southern Urals". World chess stars visited the city: world champions B. Spassky, A. Karpov, N. Gaprindashvili, outstanding grandmasters V. Korchnoy, E. Bebchuk, E. Vasyukov, E. Sveshnikov, E. Lagno and many others. Fans of pop songs annually since 1991 gathers all-Russian children and youth festival-competition "Magic microphone".

Satka is the object of attention of documentary filmmakers and television journalists. Films were filmed here by the German-French television and radio company ARTE, Leonid Parfenov’s studio Namedni, NTV TV channel (series Mysterious Russia).

Satkin land is covered with secrets and legends: romantics are still looking for Pugachev treasures, those who want to preserve youth and beauty are washed in Zyuratkul, children are waiting for gifts from the Ural Santa Claus, lovers of secrets are looking for a parallel civilization in the caves, hope to meet a white-eyed monster, those who believe in the special energy of these places climb Nurgush, swim along the Moon River.