Ust-Kamenogorsk (around 400 thousand residents) is the centre of East-Kazakhstan oblast, the largest industrial and transport centre of Rudny Altai. The town appeared in 1720 as Ust-Kamennaya fortress near the merger of Ulba and Irtysh Rivers. Through three-four decades, when the role of Ust-Kamenogorsk as a fortress lost its significance, its role as a transhipment and trade centre increased. People started to call it “the Gates of Rudny Altai” because all the expeditions for the investigation and development of Rudny and Southern Altai through this town. Trade roads went from here to Mongolia and China. Later on, cargo started to go through Ust-Kamenogorsk, mainly ore concentrate transported by horses or ships along Irtysh to the metallurgical factories in Barnaul and to Central Russia.
At the beginning of XX century Ust-Kamenogorsk becomes the centre for gold-mining industry in the Kazakh part of Altai. Gravel deposits and fundamental deposits were developed intensively. In the whole history, according to the official reports, around 700 t of gold was extracted including the nugget weighing 27.57 kg.
Modern Ust-Kamenogorsk is one of the large centres for non-ferrous metallurgy. Its lead-zinc factory produces the major part of lead and zinc smelted in Rudny Altai. They smelt gold, silver, cadmium, gallium and tellurium at this factory. The basic power sources for the factory are Ust-Kamenogorsk and Bukhtarma hydropower stations. Not far from the town there is a titan magnesium factory. Besides non-ferrous metallurgy there are also metal processing and metal construction companies in the town; food industry, light and timber-processing industries are developing.
Modern Ust-Kamenogorsk is strikingly different from small Ust-Kamenogorsk fortress founded by the group of the pioneers during Peter I times almost three centuries ago in the mouth of stony mountains, where great Irtysh bursts out of the narrow stony area into the vast expanses merging with Ulba. Thanks to the efforts of many generations of Ust-Kamenogorsk citizens, a small provincial town at the edge of the empire turned into the largest industrial town and administrative centre of East Kazakhstan
The town is unique and its uniqueness is in the industrial potential. Nowhere in Kazakhstan is industry represented so fully and variously as here. Town-forming basis of Ust-Kamenogorsk constitutes three metallurgical giants: Ulba Metallurgical Factory (OJSC “UMZ”); Lead-Zinc Factory (OJSC “Kazzinc”); Titan Magnesium Factory (OJSC “TMK”);
Ust-Kamenogorsk has a well developed transport system the basis of which is railway and roads.
There are four large higher educational institutions with 4.7 thousand students in the town. Many young people obtain their education in 4 state and 7 non-state colleges, 6 state and 4 non-state technical schools.
Ust-Kamenogorsk is the cultural centre of the oblast with long-term traditions
The town has a full right to be proud of its athletes, most of which have been recognized in the world. Athletes from the local teams were representing the town, the oblast and the country in the republican, soviet and world competitions. Special fame to Ust-Kamenogorsk was brought by hockey. For many years the team “Torpedo” was preparing athletes for many hockey teams of the former Soviet Union.
The population of the town is 350 thousand people.
Modern Ust-Kamenogorsk is one of the centres for non-ferrous metallurgy of Kazakhstan. The leading industries in the region, non-ferrous metallurgy and mechanical engineering, were developing in close relation with local power industry. The administrative register of the legal entities in Ust-Kamenogorsk contains 6072 entities. There are 143 joint-stock companies, 2335 limited liability partnerships, 48 farms, 1333 commercial enterprises in the town. Large and medium enterprises and companies of Ust-Kamenogorsk employ 78.7 thousand people including 31.4 thousand people in the industrial sphere, 5.8 thousand people in construction, 16.1 thousand people in the field of education and healthcare, 9.7 thousand people in trade, 10.3 thousand people in transport and communications etc. 17.7 thousand people are working in the sphere of small and medium business.
Transportation system of East-Kazakhstan oblast is represented by the road, railway, river and air transport. The basis of the transport network is automobile roads.
On the territory of the town there are 10 hotels that can accommodate 631 people, 63 schools (52 state schools and 11 private schools) that have 47.1 thousand students, 14 higher educational institutions (17.1 thousand students), 11 high schools (6.3 thousand students), 7 vocational technical schools (3.4 thousand students), 26 kindergartens and 29 cultural institutions.
Ust-Kamenogorsk is one of the towns of independent Kazakhstan. State authority is based on the principle of the separation of legislative, executive and judicial authorities in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The legislative authority (representative body) in the town is represented by Maslikhat. Its structure includes 25 members elected by the population by secret voting on 10 and 24 October 1999 for the period of 4 years. Judicial authority in the town is conducted by Ust-Kamenogorsk municipal court, the arbitration court. The period of judges’ election is 10 years.
One of the first written evidences of the places where later Ust-Kamenogorsk fortress was built was made by boyar Fyodor Baikov.
1714 – Peter I learnt from Siberian governor M.Gagarin that somewhere in Irket River there is a lot of “gravel gold”.
In May 1720 the expedition of I.Likharev went upstream along Irtysh to Zaisan Lake. At the place where Ulba flows into Irtysh the new fortress was founded – Ust-Kamenogorskaya fortress. So Ust-Kamenogorskaya fortress appeared on the map of Russian Empire as the utmost southern end of Irtysh line.
1902 – one-storey building was built for Mariinsky women school. The studies were covered by the Public Education Fund.
1912 – “Echo” cinematograph appeared, which was later called “Oktyabr” Cinema.
1918 – Newspaper “Ust-Kamenogorsk Life” appears.
1924 – First city telephone line was installed in Ust-Kamenogorsk from the radio station of the Public Communications Commissariat to the Municipal Council.
1925 – first radio receiver (B-4 type) with an amplifier is installed.
October, 1930 – Municipal Telephone Station is opened based on the telephone equipment brought from Semipalatinsk. The equipment included the switchboard and 20 telephone sets.
In 1931 the construction of the railway Rubtsovka–Ridder started. In 1938 this railway connected Rudny Altai with Trans-Siberian and Central Asian trunk lines.
1939 – Ust-Kamenogorsk becomes the oblast centre of East-Kazakhstan oblast.
1939 – Construction of Ust-Kamenogorsk hydropower station started.
1942 - Construction of zinc electrolyte factory started.
September, 1947 – Zinc factory made its first gold bars.
October, 1949 – Ulba metallurgical factory issued its first products.
1950 – Production of metal cadmium started.
20 December 1952 – Hydropower station produced first industrial current. Capacity of Ust-Kamenogorsk hydropower station is not high. There are many such hydropower stations now. But it was the first in Altai. It was the beginning of Irtysh cascade of hydropower stations.
3 June 1953 – the unique one-chamber sluice of Ust-Kamenogorsk hydropower station is put into operation, first sluicing is conducted.
1954 – in January the railway Zashita – Zyryanovsk started to operate.
June, 1955 – New zinc factory started to operate. The modern technological scheme is introduced, which allowed obtaining metal according to the global standards. At the same time the progressive methods for obtaining non-ferrous and less-common metals.
15 March, 1958 – Ust-Kamenogorsk TV centre made a trial program, after some days, regular TV programs started.
October 1958 – Ust-Kamenogorsk construction and road institute was opened.
1958 – First smelting of steel was made at “Vostokmashzavod”.
April 1959 – Ust-Kamenogorsk condensate factory made its first product - 62 condensers.
19 April, 1960 Bukhtarma Reservoir started to be filled in.
16 October 1961 Ust-Kamenogorsk factory of appliances manufactured its first products.
10 October 1962 the experimental workshop of Ust-Kamenogorsk titanium-magnesium factory (that was still under construction) manufactured first product - tetrachlorated titanium.
3 March, 1963 the experimental workshop of Ust-Kamenogorsk titanium-magnesium factory produced titanium sponge.
27 March, 1965 Ust-Kamenogorsk titanium-magnesium factory started to operate (the construction of the factory started in 1958).
6 November 1965 wide-frame “Yubileiny” cinema opened.
January 1970 – trunk communication line started to operate and it allowed the people in East-Kazakhstan to regularly watch programs of the Central Television from Moscow and Kazakh Television from Alma-Ata.
9 August 1970 the bridge through Irtysh River was put into operation in Ust-Kamenogorsk.
October, 1970 – the largest hotel in the oblast was opened (“Ust-Kamenogorsk” Hotel).
December 1979 – the third line of the silk fabric factory (500 weaver's looms) started to operate.
May 1980 – decision is made about the reserves and natural parks on the territory of East Kazakhstan: Kurchum and Tarbagatai reserves, Markakol Reserve and “Rakhmanov Springs” Reserve.
1986 – First line of Maleyev mine was put into operation.
14 June 1990 the earthquake in Zaisan area (magnitude 9 in epicentre).
25 October 1998 new bridge through Irtysh River was put into operation in the area of the former pontoon bridge.
1999 The hockey national team of Kazakhstan almost completely formed from the players of “Torpedo” from Ust-Kamenogorsk, became the champions of Winter Asian Games.
Main sights of the town
There are monuments of history and cultural heritage in Ust-Kamenogorsk:
House and store of merchant Akmet (Akhtam) Rafikov – a wooden house, end of XIX century – the local architectural monument;
China-shop of Ivan Nikonorovich Kozhevnikov (finishing works are done by the captive Czechs) – the local architectural monument, 1914;
Merchant wine store – the local architectural monument, 1907;
Drugstore of Vasiliy Loginovich Inkov – the historical monument, local architectural monument, beginning of XX century;
Municipal primary men’s college, local architectural monument, 1881-1896;
Trade House “Savva Semenov and Sons”, architectural monument, 1910;
“Echo” Cinema, architectural monument, 1911;
Office of the gold-miner Andrei Savellevich Menovshikov, architectural monument, end of XIX century – beginning of XX century;
Yavorovsky’s House, owner of the brewery – architectural monument, 1908;
Parochial men’s school – architectural monument, 1897;
Primary school for men, architectural monument, 1912;
Friendship House of the EKO people;
House of Communications – the architectural monument, 1959;
Cultural Palace Metallurgists – the architectural monument, 1957;
The pride of the oblast historical heritage is its three museums with the unique exhibits.
East-Kazakhstan Museum of Arts
Address: 56 Tokhtarov St., Ust-Kamenogorsk, East-Kazakhstan Oblast
Contact Telephone: 26-52-63.
Year of Foundation: 1 July 1990. The Arts Museum is located in the centre of the town, in an old building – the architectural monument of the beginning of ХХ century – the former house of the merchant gold miner F. Menovshikov.
Activity Direction
Systematic formation of the Regional Fund “Cultural heritage of East Kazakhstan’s three arts: plastic arts, literature and music” includes the best works of the artists, craftsmen, poets, writers and composers of East Kazakhstan.
EKMA is the new poly-functional museum, which unique and no other museums are similar to this museum.
Achievements:
The collection of EKMA consists of 5583 exhibits – works of fine arts, decorative-applied arts, literature and music.
The Museum of Arts is developed by the Integral system of formation, study, preservation, development, propaganda and popularization of the Regional Fund “Cultural heritage of East Kazakhstan’s three arts”, which is implemented according to the fundamental operation principles (FOP) of the scientific museum departments.
FOP is the new model of the museum activity developed on the basis of its own 15-year experience. The model allows making annual conclusions for the creative work of every author in these three directions of arts and determining each artist’s personal contribution into the development of arts and culture of East Kazakhstan.
For all the events there are video, audio and photo archives.
Activity types
Jubilee celebrations: creative meetings, opening exhibitions, creative reports, presentations of books, movies, issue of catalogues, opening of new reference books, collections, booklets etc.
Implementation of the author’s museum-pedagogical program “Enter the World of Arts”.
Opening of new names.
Development and implementation of the lecture, excursion, publication materials for the Regional component.
Besides, every year, according to the tradition, starting from 1999, the museum of Arts conducts three events: two in April and one in August:
1. 10 April is the festive Program for the veterans of the Second World War, participants and winners of the battle for Koenigsberg, an unassailable fascist citadel. Photo fragments No. 1 are enclosed.
For the 60-th anniversary of the Great Victory, the book will be published. The book was initiated by Petr Mikhailovich Antonov, who is the author and the editor, the manager of the literary-musical department Gennadiy Nikolayevich Pussep and the research workers of the department.
2. 14-15 April – two days when there is oblast exhibition, competition of children’s creative arts. Participants are children in the age of 5-16 who live on different towns, villages, oblast and rayon centres in East Kazakhstan. According to the results of the exhibition, Catalogues are issued. The last two years the oblast exhibition of children’s creative arts is included into the international UNCESCO Action. Photo pictures No. 2 are enclosed.
3. 31 August – the exhibition of photo works “My Town” dedicated to the Day of the Town and Kazakh Constitution Day. In 2003 EKMA developed the Program “Cultural heritage of East Kazakhstan’s three arts”. The basis of this Program is the development of the Integral System and New Model for the targeted formation, study, preservation, propaganda and popularization of the Regional Fund “Cultural heritage of East Kazakhstan’s three arts”.
The program includes the activities with 15 rayons of East-Kazakhstan oblast into the museum activities. The Program implementation started in 2004. Scientific expeditions were made into Zyryanovsky, Katon-Karagaisky, Kurchumsky, Zaisansky, Tarbagataisky, Urzharsky, Ayagozsky, and Abaisky rayons. Primary information was gathered, the report was made and the exhibition was held. Photo pictures No. 3 are enclosed.
In 2005, according to the implementation plan of the program “Cultural heritage of East Kazakhstan’s three arts” there will be scientific expeditions made to other rayons of East Kazakhstan.
East-Kazakhstan Museum of Arts will have:
Public organization “Union of creative forces of East Kazakhstan”, which will be the coordinating centre for the Integral System for the study, preservation, development, propaganda and popularization of “Cultural heritage of East Kazakhstan’s three arts”.
Laboratory for the protection of copyright.
Website in Internet “Cultural Heritage of East Kazakhstan”.
Museum complex “Block of artists”. In 2004 APA (architectural-planning assignment) was received for the construction of the new building. The basic design of the Museum complex “Block of artists” was made.
The oblast scientific-arts newspaper “The World of Arts” is published monthly and it reflects the creative life of East Kazakhstan in the area of Arts.
Oblast Historical Regional Museum
The museum was established in 1915. In 1939 the museum was announced as the oblast museum. By the decision of the executive committee of East-Kazakhstan oblast Labour Council as of 29 August 1946 No. 495, the activity of the museum that was interrupted by the war was restored.
Basic goals of the activity:
In accordance with the scientific concept, it is necessary to conduct the study of the processes of the history and environment development in the region.
Preservation of the historical and cultural values of the material and spiritual culture, which are the sources of scientific knowledge.
Formation, study and systematization of the source-study base and involvement of the collections into the sphere of scientific researches.
Propaganda of the scientific knowledge about the history of the environment and society development in this region.
Creation of expositions (stationary and portable), which are the basis for the scientific-research work.
Basic activity directions
1. Scientific-research work is the basis for all the directions of the museum activity – scientific acquisition of the museum funds, fund and exposition work, as well as scientific work. The basic documents that determine the direction and forms of the scientific-research work of the joint museum are the scientific concept of the fund work, the scientific concept of the exposition, which are joined within the scientific concept of the museum.
2. Scientific-preservation work of the museum has the aim to preserve the museum funds, as well as to create conditions for their wide use. For these purposes the museum carries out the following:
Centralized control of the museum funds.
Study, attribution, clear distinction of the structure, composition, principles of the scientific classification and the systematization of the collections and separate items.
Prophylactic actions to preserve and carry out restoration of the monuments.
Allocation of funds in the specially equipped fund storages taking into consideration the peculiarities for preserving the materials of different categories.
3. Scientific-expositional work. Primary and basic form of the popularization of collections and propaganda of the historical knowledge by the museum means is the basic stationary exposition of the museum. All the museum expositions are created on the basis of the scientific concept, on the basis of the methodological principles of the modern historical science, on the basis of the original museum items and are based on the last achievements in the Museum Science.
4. Scientific-educational work. Based on the expositions, fairs, fund collections various scientific-educational works are done amongst different categories of the visitors.
Selection of the collections is unique, with the wide chronological and thematic range, and the total number of the exhibits is 132,296 thousand.
Collections of the environmental sections are of great interest. They were collected in the area of East Kazakhstan unique by its physical and geographic features and rich with the natural resources, the area that is represented by 114 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, 3,500 species of plants, more than 15 thousand insects, all the metals from the periodic table.
Archaeological collection (60 thousand preserved items), in the structure of which there are materials of all the archaeological expeditions starting from 1947, is one of the largest in Kazakhstan. It contains the treasures of the ancient burial mounds revealed by the famous archaeologists S.Chernikov, A.Maksimova, F.Arslanova, Z.Samashev.
Ethnographical monuments are the originals that convincingly and variously document the long-term history of the nations of East Kazakhstan.
Above five thousand finds describe the 300-year history of the towns in the oblast as the centres of social and economic, as well as cultural life. The documentary fund of the history of ХХ century is rich. It contains the documents and photographs of the 20-es - 30-es, the original posters of those years, the materials of the Second World War participants, wonderful historical monuments of the national economy, science, as well as valuable evidences of the development strategy of EKO in independent Kazakhstan.
The museum as the only in the oblast preserver of the richest scientific fund of EKO is the centre of science and propaganda of historical and cultural values of the oblast.
On their basis, the scientific workers of the museum have published 250 scientific articles in the national and international magazines, have written 10 monographs on the environment and 15 books on the oblast history including “Physical Gography of East Kazakhstan”, “The Red Book of East Kazakhstan”, “The Soul and Memory of the Nation”, “Phenomenon of East Kazakhstan”, “Ancient Treasures of Kazakh Altai”, “Ust-Kamenogorsk Legends” and others.
Starting from 1960, the museum is the scientific-methodical information centre of the oblast, which opened museums in all rayon centres, most of which received the status of the state museums: towns of Shemonaikha, Zaisan, Serebryansk, Zyryanovsk, Kurchum, Akzhar, Butakovo. In honour of the 10th anniversary of the independence, thanks to the activity of the scientific research workers of the historical regional museum, museums were opened in the oblast divisions (tax, customs, internal affairs, national security, as well as the educational institutions of the oblast). The museum is closely cooperating with “Daryn” Centre controlling the activity of the scientific societies of the schools in the oblast.
High efficiency of the museum’s personnel (work experience from 15 to 30 years) allows only the oblast historical and regional museum taking part in the development of the international scientific programs, taking part in the international expeditions on such topics as “Skif and Sak Culture of Kazakh Altai: genesis issues and succession of cultures”, “Preservation and sustainable development of the biological diversity in Kazakh part of Altai-Sayan eco-region”.
The workers of the oblast historical and regional museum consider that in 14 oblasts of the Republic of Kazakhstan it is compulsory to keep the oblast regional museums as the centres for the development of spiritual and educational cultural heritage of the oblasts (funds must be provided by the oblast budgets). This will allow retaining the unified information base of the national possessions and keeping the historical and cultural heritage.
The Nevzorovs East-Kazakhstan Oblast Museum of Fine Arts
Opening hours: the museum is open every day, except for Monday, from 10.00 to 18.00.
The ticket office is open from 10.00 to 17.30.
Along with the permanent exposition in the museum there are interchangeable exhibitions (works from the museum funds, exhibitions brought from other towns, works of the local artists, works of the children etc.) There are lectures on “Global Art Culture” (for the high-school, college, lyceum and university students), “Expressive Language of Fine Arts” (for the students of secondary and senior age), “First Steps into Arts” (for children in kindergartens and junior classes), and “Arts of Kazakhstan” (for all categories). Video-movies about arts are shown. Musical performance, creative lessons, entertainment and educational programs are prepared for the students of junior classes (the period of summer school camps, winter and spring holidays).
The museum has the art studio for children.
In the art studio at the museum you can buy the pictures of the artists from Semipalatinsk, the antiques, decorative-handicraft arts, artistic materials, literature on arts; the art studio provides the services for the restoration of artistic works.
General information about the museum
The Nevzorovs East-Kazakhstan Oblast Museum of Fine Arts in the town of Semipalatinsk was founded in 1985 and it has one of the largest in Kazakhstan collections of arts values. The museum collection is relatively small, but the essential thing is that according to its structure and arts values it is of great interest both for the amateurs of arts and for the specialists. The exposition rather completely shows the ways of the development of Russian arts at the end of XVIII – beginning of XX century; the section of fine arts of Kazakhstan includes the brightest and the unique names of the national artistic culture. Great attention within the provincial town is paid to the small section of West-European paintings and artworks of the end of XVI – beginning of XX century. The final exposition at the museum is the arts of CIS countries of the twentieth century - Russia, Central Asia, Georgia, Armenia, Belarus and others.
The museum face determines the collection of the pre-revolutionary Russian arts. The exposition contains the works of almost all large artists who determined the development of Russian artistic culture. It became possible, first of all, thanks to the unprecedented event in the history of Kazakh museums that took place in 1988 – the gist from the family of Nevzorovs. Yuliy Vladimirovich Nevzorov, his spouse, Antonina Mikhailovna and their daughter, Yuliya Yuliyevna gifted more than 500 artworks of Russian, Soviet and foreign arts to Semipalatinsk museum.
The collection of the Nevzorovs has the long and interesting history and it started from the middle of XIX century. Yuliy Vladimirovich Nevzorov, having inherited what his father and grandfather had collected, significantly enriched and increased the collection. He actually created the image for the collection, which is now in the museum exposition. He is a passionate tireless collector and is also a profound connoisseur of arts. For many years he studies and systematized his collection having transferred his knowledge to the museum and it was of great help in the scientific-research work. In 1991 the museum was named after the family of Nevzorovs and in 1995 for the great contribution into the cultural development of Kazakhstan Y.Nevzorov received the Governmental Award – Parasat Order.
From the very beginning the museum deals with the acquisition of the funds. As a result of its activity, the collection of the museum has been increased by the significant number of the artworks of Russian, foreign and modern arts from the private collections of Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Almaty.
Special place in the collective acquisition of the museum is occupied by the acquisition of the fine arts of Kazakhstan. From the first days of its existence, the museum has established contacts with the leading artists and arts critics of the country, and this has allowed creating the collection that in a worthy manner represents the modern fine arts of our country and that contains more than 1000 exhibits. In total, the museum funds contain more than 3600 artworks.
“The Album Guide” was published for the museum exposition.
The educational activity of the museum covers not only East-Kazakhstan oblast. The exhibitions from the museum collection visited the capital of our country, Astana and the largest cities of Almaty, Pavlodar, Ust-Kamenogorsk. There are lecture-halls, art studio for children in the museum. There is also a concert hall where classical music concerts are held.
The museum contains the restoration workshop where conservation and restoration of the artworks is conducted.
The museum is located in the set of the buildings, the earliest of which was constructed by the First-Guild merchant from Semipalatinsk, Fyodor Stepanov in the 70-es of the ninetieth century. The construction was completed in the first decade of the twentieth century. The interiors of the ancient building perfectly correspond to the feeling of the museum, thanks to which the atmosphere of the calm and peaceful island is created.
Having received the significant part of its collection in the first years of its existence, the museum immediately started to take active actions for the study of the collection. Complete inventory of the collection was made, and the major scientific-research is done in order to confirm the attributes of the collection – identification of the authors, accurate definition of the dates, names of the artworks, determination of the legends, decoding of the plots etc.
The works bought from the private collections through Moscow Art Studio, as arule, were subject to appraisal of the State Tretyakov Gallery and Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. The collection of the Nevzorovs was studied by such famous arts critics as T.Perova-Chakova, N.Kozhin, M.Gorelov, P.Kornilov, T.Alekseeva. Such people as A.Kaganovich, A.Amshinskaya, A.Fyodorov-Davydov and others were familiar with the collection. The museum has several expert conclusions of these researchers transferred by Y.Nevzorov.
At the same time, it is still necessary to carry out a lot of work with regards to the attributes of the artworks. The workers of the museum would sincerely appreciate if anyone can express some comments or help in the identification of the truth.
There are 5 exhibitions in the museum
1. Permanent Exposition. Sections:
Arts of Kazakhstan;
Russian Arts, 18-20 centuries;
West-European Paintings, 16-19 centuries;
West-European Graphic Arts, 16-19 centuries
2. Interchangeable exhibitions
Child creativity from the museum funds (pictures of the studio students);
Exhibition of the artists from Semipalatinsk V.Tretyakov “Melodies of My Native Region”;
Exhibition of china statuettes from the collection of the Rakishs;
Exhibition of the child creativity “My paintbrush will tell you about Pushkin”.
