History and landmarks
The wooden fortress Krasny Yar was built at the base of the hill of the same name in 1628. The name of the future city was determined by the colour of the fossils that covered the hills. The location was well-chosen, between the Kacha and Yenisey rivers, and gold deposits were soon discovered and gold mines were opened. In the 17th century Krasnoyarsk was a small settlement where trade flourished. Local merchants carried out trade deals selling furs, and the military guarded the fortress from external raids. Merchants made business cards for themselves on gold plates - such was the abundance of the precious metal. Nowadays, the Krasnoyarsk territory is a leader in the supply of gold - one fifth of the country's total gold is mined in the region. The exiled Decembrists who lived in the city had a strong influence on the culture and literacy of Siberian residents - they taught locals grammar, arithmetic, geography, history, farming techniques, how to use agricultural machines and mechanisms. A real breakthrough in cultural life happened in 1890, when a branch of the Trans-Siberian Railway, the longest railway in the world, was laid to Krasnoyarsk.
Today, the city stretches for hundreds of kilometres and is a city of contrasts. Weather conditions of the sharply continental climate are characterized by significant changes in day-time and night-time, winter and summer temperatures. Within the metropolis is a corner of natural tranquility - the world famous Stolby reserve. The incomparable ancient rocks, resembling huge giants, seem to have grown in the middle of the taiga landscape - this is a must-see for first-time visitors to Krasnoyarsk.
With over a million residents, Krasnoyarsk is one of the largest business, industrial and cultural centres of Eastern Siberia. The views of the city are dominated by the chapel of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, the architectural ensemble of administrative buildings and the clock tower. The banks of the mighty Yenisey are connected by bridges, which are important landmarks and symbols of the city. The railway bridge, built in 1899, received the gold medal at the 1900 Paris World Exhibition as the highest technical achievement of its time. At the beginning of the 21st century, Krasnoyarsk acquired a new architectural marvel: the historic gates of the city were installed in the location where their more than four hundred years of history began.
Volleyball
Snowy Krasnoyarsk has brought up champions in winter sports - biathlon, cross-country skiing, bobsleigh, speed skating. However, volleyball in Krasnoyarsk is also well represented. There are four professional sports teams in this Siberian city and they are part of the structure of the volleyball club of Yenisey, including men's and women's sides, as well as two youth teams. The senior teams are among the elite of Russian volleyball and play in the Parimatch Superleague, while Yenisey-2 play in the youth league.
The women's team of Yenisey achieved a resounding success in the 2016-17 season, winning the bronze medal of the Russian Championship. The team also won silver medals in the Russian Cup twice, and played in the international arena for four seasons. In their debut season in the CEV Challenge Cup, the women's team of Yenisey reached the semifinals, where they lost to Greece's Olympiacos Piraeus. They competed in the qualifying round of the 2017-18 European Champions League.
