Although Abakan is the capital city, distances here are quite different from those in large regional centers. The drive from the airport takes 5-10 minutes, and you can see the main sights in a day. It's best to start your tour from the city center.

Government House, Kilometer Zero, "Element of Earth" stele

Khakassia is called the "Land of the Five Elements." The steles installed in the center of Abakan, stylized as ancient stone sculptures, embody this tourism brand. Each stele is dedicated to one of the elements – A nearby information board explains it, sharing interesting facts and legends, offering travel ideas for the republic, and providing a map of Abakan's main attractions and a walking route through the city connecting all the steles.

The stele dedicated to the element of Earth is located near the AZIMUT Hotel Abakan, on Lenin Avenue. A little further away, on the other side of the avenue, is the stele "Element of Fire". Also located here, in the city's central square, are the Government House of the Republic of Khakassia and the Khakass University named after Nikolai Fedorovich Katanov, an ethnographer and Turkologist considered the first Khakass scholar. A monument to him stands in University Square.

Nearby is a former movie theater, now the Pobeda cultural center. It was built during the war and opened on May 9, 1945. Near the Government House are the Zero Kilometer sign and a monument to V. I. Lenin.

Amazing Monuments of Abakan

Abakan is known for its unusual monuments; you're sure to come across them while walking around the city. Some are quite unexpected, such as a giant chair or a huge watermelon. The watermelon monument stands, however, not in the city itself, but on the road to it from Sayanogorsk. The republic in general, and the surrounding area of ​​Abakan in particular, are famous for their excellent watermelon harvest. The soil here is fertile, the summers are short but hot, and the sun shines 311 days a year – More than in Sochi.

One of Abakan's landmarks is also the stone "Dreamer" – a giant stone head resting on its palm on the pavement. Many genre sculptures are dedicated to various literary characters: "The Little Prince," "Alice in Wonderland," "The Dragonfly and the Ant," "Grandfather Mazai and the Hares." There are also simply touching or funny scenes captured in metal – Like the bronze cats stealing sausages installed near the butcher shop.

Parks "Dream Gardens" and "Inspiration"

The landscaped parks "Dream Gardens" and "Inspiration" appeared in Abakan relatively recently and immediately became among the city's attractions. In addition to the familiar local flora, you can also find plants here that are unexpected for Siberia – junipers, arborvitaes, sugar maples, and others. Tastefully designed and adorned with sculptures, the parks are beautiful at any time of year, and in the evening they are completely transformed thanks to the artful lighting.