Ufa city is becoming an attractive destination and more so tourist are flocking in from regions of Russia, Southern Europe and Middle East.
The Fountain of Seven Sisters of Bashkiria is one popular spot attracting visitors more than others. Located in the in the Theater square, near the Bashkir state Opera and ballet Ballet theater , which is also the main walking area of the city center.
The fountain was opened in the summer of 2015 and in honour of the legend of the seven sisters ?.
The story of the seven sisters of Bashkiria is beautiful albeit a pathetic one. Bashkirs legend ( Bashkirs are the Turkic tribe who live in the southern Ural region ) has it that in the Trans-Ural region of the Republic of Bashkiria there is a lake Kultuban (“Kul” - lake, “Tuban” - bottom, deep), the lake which later took its name from the story of the seven sisters.
There were seven sisters in the village in the Bashkir country. Everyone loved them for their beauty and hard work, and, of course, for their beautiful dances,
Sadly, one day, Bashkir dzhigits (Brave Nomad) once gathered to show their strength and prowess and decided to steal a herd of horses ? from their powerful Kazakhs neighbour. The Kazakhs valued their horses? very much, became very angry and did not leave the act unpunished – they killed Bashkir men, took the most beautiful women, including seven sisters. And to prevent the captive women from escaping, they injured their feet. The feet were later healed, but the slaves could not walk, much less run away, because of the severe pain.
The sisters lived in captivity for a whole year. They made escapes, but they were caught up and severely punished. Yet on one of the darkest nights, when everyone was asleep, they manage to escape. Kazakh soldiers, having discovered the escape, chased them. The girls ? ran to the lake, and over there, the Bashkirs dzhigits rode to rescue them. However, before help could come, the desperate girls, held hand in hand, walked and drown in the lake. Only one reached the shore at the other end.
Named – Augul, which in Bashkir means “Horsehair”.
They took her to her parents and cured her legs. And as the wounds healed – she remembered the dance she had danced with her sisters. And every year since, on the day of the sisters ’ death, she had come to the lake and performed that dance alone in their memory. She lived a long and happy married life. And one of the Grand-nieces told the story (Credit: Saliva Gaysina).
Coming to Ufa …
- The fastest way to reach Ufa is to take a flight from any of the Moscow international airports.
- There are also a weekly direct flight Istanbul, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Tashkent
- And if you love the see the country side especially, the Ural Mountains ?, the wild horses ? and the oil wells ? before reaching Ufa, the best option is to buy a train ticket from Kazansky Train station ? in Moscow.
- There are also regular bus services from all Russian cities to Ufa.