Sikachi-Alyan

7 points1 km0 hours

Sikachi-Alyan is a unique Nanai village on the bank of the Amur, 76 kilometers (47 miles) from Khabarovsk, where the ancient history of the Far East comes to life. The village's main attraction is its ancient petroglyphs on basalt boulders, more than 12,000 years old, with images of animals, people, and mysterious symbols that tell the stories of our distant ancestors. At the open-air ethnographic museum you can see a reconstructed traditional Nanai homestead and get to know the culture of the Indigenous peoples of the Amur region through household objects, traditional clothing, and shamanic regalia. The village is famous for its breathtaking views of the great Amur River and for sacred places about which locals tell amazing legends rooted in ancient beliefs and myths. Here you can not only touch ancient history but also taste authentic cuisine made from the gifts of the taiga and the river, and enjoy the unique nature of the Far East.

Route author

Khabarovsk Municipal District Administration

Things to do

📜 Learn the city's history
🏞️ Enjoy the view
🔍🖼️ Spot interesting details

Route points (7)

Ethnographic Museum at the Sikachi-Alyan Culture and Leisure Center in Khabarovsk District

Point on route “Sikachi-Alyan”

Point 4

Ethnographic Museum at the Sikachi-Alyan Culture and Leisure Center

🏛️ Museum

How It Came About: From Idea to Reality

The Sikachi-Alyan Ethnographic Museum opened on July 24, 2002, as the result of a unique joint project between business and culture: it was made possible by the cooperation of the Welcome eco-tourism complex and the Far Eastern Art Museum. The museum was created as an important center for preserving the historical and cultural heritage of Khabarovsk Territory. Today it operates as a branch of the N. I. Grodekov Khabarovsk Regional Museum and is housed in the village's culture and leisure center.

A Treasury of History: The Museum's Rich Collections

The museum holds a rich collection of exhibits reflecting the centuries-old history of Sikachi-Alyan and its surroundings. At its core are archaeological finds from different eras, ethnographic objects of the Indigenous peoples of the Amur region, historical documents, photographs, household items, and a collection of oral folklore.

Ancestors' Secrets in the Words of Their Descendants

A special place in the collection belongs to the ancient rock carvings and the legends associated with them. Among the best-known stories: The Legend of the Sacred Stones tells how the guardian spirits of the area left their images on the stones to protect people. The Myth of the White Shaman tells of a wise old man who taught the locals to understand the language of nature. The Tale of the Dancing Deer tells how spirits in the form of deer came down to the river at the full moon. The Legend of the Golden Fish tells how a magic fish showed people where to found their settlement. The Myth of the Two Rivers tells how two sister rivers joined in one place, creating a fertile land.