What Are The 7 Wonders Of Russia?

Russia is an immense country that is home to numerous natural and man-made wonders. On October 1, 2007, a competition was launched which happened in 3 phases to determine what are the 7 wonders of Russia.

This is very similar to the multiple competition held all over the world in response to the main competition to uncover the New 7 Wonders of the World, a new list that replaced the 7 Ancient of the World.

The results were announced officially on the famous Red Square in Moscow on June 12, 2008, and below are the results!

1. Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus is the highest and one of the most famous mountains in Europe and stands 5,642 meters (18,510 feet) tall. This dormant volcano forms the natural boundary between Europe and Asia in the south of Russia. It’s also the 10th most prominent peak in the world and it has 2 summits which are its volcanic domes.

Mount Elbrus 7 wonders of Russia
Mount Elbrus / Wiki Commons

2. Saint Basil’s Cathedral

Saint Basil’s Cathedral is one of the best-recognizable and most famous churches in the world. Its remarkable architectural style with its magnificent domes has become one of the ultimate symbols of Russia. It used to be a Christian church that was built between 1555 and 1561 by Ivan the Terrible and is one of the 12 buildings located in the Red Square in Moscow.

Saint Basil's Cathedral
Saint Basil’s Cathedral / Anton Zelenov / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0

3. Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal is a magnificent lake one of the underwater wonders of the world and even though it’s only the 7th largest lake in the world by surface area, it is the largest lake in the world by volume. To make this even more astounding, it contains about 22% of all the fresh water in the world and has about the same volume as all of the 5 great lakes of North America combined! It’s also considered to be the clearest and oldest lake in the world as well.

Lake Baikal 7 wonders of Russia
Lake Baikal / Wiki Commons

4. Peterhof Palace

Peterhof Palace is one of the most famous palaces in the country and is often referred to as the “Versailles of Russia,” about the grandiose Palace of Versailles in France. It was constructed by Peter the Great just after he founded the city of Saint Petersburg, which was to be the new capital of Russia in the early 18th century. He was so impressed with the Palace of Versailles that he wanted to replicate a lot of its features, which he did in style!

Peterhof palace
Peterhof Palace / Pixabay

5. Valley of Geysers

The Valley of Geysers is what the name suggests, a geyser field located on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the utmost eastern part of Russia. This valley is about 6 kilometers long (3.7 miles) and contains about 90 geysers and numerous hot springs. It’s the second-largest collection of geysers on the planet. There’s just one big problem, the area can only be reached by helicopter, making it difficult for people to visit this natural miracle.

Valley of Geysers Russia
Robert Nunn / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0

6. Manpupuner rock formations

The Manpupuner rock formations are also referred to as the “Seven Strong Men Rock Formations” and the “Poles of the Komi Republic,” referring to their location just west of the Ural mountains in the Komi Republic of Russia. These rocks were formed through an erosion process that has lasted for over 200 million years and the 7 rocks stand between 30 and 42 meters (98 and 138 feet) tall, an absolute miracle of nature!

Manpupuner rock formations
Manpupuner rock formations / Kasimys / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

7. Mamayev Kurgan

Mamayev Kurgan is a height overlooking the city of Volgograd, which used to be known as Stalingrad, in southern Russia. The area contains several memorials commemorating one of the bloodiest battles in human history, the Battle of Stalingrad which lasted from August 1942 to February 1943. A huge sculpture was erected on the site called “The Motherland Calls” and represents “Mother Russia,” a perfect fit to become one of the 7 wonders of Russia. At the time of its installation, it was the highest sculpture in the world with a height of 85 meters (279 feet).

Mamayev Kurgan
Mamayev Kurgan / Volganet / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0