Karabash: Ural slopes, pond shores and city history

Karabash lies on the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains, in the northwest of Chelyabinsk Oblast. Mountains border the hollow at the Soimanovskaya Valley; forests and lakes are also part of the landscape. The city lies on the watershed between the Atkus and Sak-Elga rivers, both of which flow into the Miass. In Karabash, waterscapes, mountains and city history come together.

Mountains and waterways around Karabash

The 430.6-metre-high Mount Karabash rises west of the city. Nearby is Yuruma in the Bolshoy Taganay range: the mountain is 1,023.5 metres high and lies twelve kilometres west of Karabash. The two elevations make clear the difference between the mountain west of the city and the higher Yuruma.

The wider area is also rich in water. Its lakes include Bolshaya and Malaya Agardiyash, Argazi and Uvildy; the Atkus and Sak-Elga rivers flow into the Miass. Natural monuments include, among others, Lakes Ufimskoye and Serebry, the Bolshoy Kialim River, the Kialim Reservoir, Lukovaya Polyana and Lake Uvildy. Uvildy is 14 kilometres long and up to 40 metres deep. These waters and landscapes are in the wider area, not all within the city limits.

Karabash Pond and its shores

Karabash Pond is an artificial body of water in the bed of the Serebryanka River. It was created for the Karabash copper works, which began operating in 1910. Since the Karabashmed plant introduced a closed water cycle, the pond has no longer been used for operational needs. Its history thus connects the local waterscape with Karabash’s industrial history.

On the shore stand a memorial to glory with an Eternal Flame, reconstructed with the support of RMK, and a memorial complex dedicated to Alexander Sugonyayev, Hero of the Soviet Union, and Karabash’s frontline soldiers. The waterfront promenade along Osvobozhdeniya Urala Street has walking paths, recreation areas and landscaped grassy spaces.

To mark Karabash’s 200th anniversary, a floating light-and-music fountain was launched on the city pond. It operates in two modes from May to October: during the day, jets of water dance to music; in the evening, laser and fire shows take place on the water. Another illuminated fountain with music stands in Central Square. Its evening light-and-music shows draw hundreds of spectators. If you are coming for a show, check the current schedule in advance.

Memorial sites and city life

On Veterans’ Alley, “Lenta vremeni” (“Timeline”) takes the form of a landscape sculpture. Along the footpaths, plaques mounted on posts depict important moments in Karabash’s history since the city was founded. The alley also has an amphitheatre-shaped event площадь for local city events.

In September 2026, the “Ya lyublyu Karabash” (“I Love Karabash”) stele was ceremonially unveiled in Central Square as a new art installation. Another historical trace leads to the Church of Saint John Chrysostom: during restoration that began in 2018, an image of the “Seven Arrows” icon of the Mother of God was revealed on one of its walls.

An annual tradition is the procession on May 22, the feast day of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. Participants circle Karabash and climb to the summit of Poklonny Cross.

Which focus suits your trip?

To decide whether Karabash fits your plans, you can weigh the city and landscape themes against each other: in town, the pond shore, fountains and memorial sites take centre stage; further afield, there are lakes and mountains. If you are mainly interested in exploring the city’s history and Karabash Pond, that is a different focus from a trip driven by the surrounding landscape. When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to first consider which of these aspects you want to prioritise in your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Verkhny Ufaley, Balandino, Chelyabinsk, Asha, Yuzhnouralsk, Tatysh, Muslyumovo, Vishnevogorsk.

Go to the main travel overview: Chelyabinsk Oblast.