[Miass]

Город Миасс

Описание (английский)

Miass  is a city in Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, located 96 kilometers (60 mi) west of Chelyabinsk, on the eastern slope of the Southern Ural Mountains, on the bank of the Miass River. It was founded in 1773 as a copper mining factory. During the 19th century, the development was driven by the discovery of the richest gold deposits in the Urals. Average annual extraction of gold from the Miass region was about 640 kilograms (1,410 lb). In the mid-19th century, the volume of gold mining went down, and the development of Miass also slowed.
 
Town status was granted to Miass in 1923. In 1941, an automobile factory (which still operates as UralAZ) was built.The old part of the city comprises 19th-century wooden houses with original balconies, jambs, and lintels. The house of the gold mine's administrator, Simonov, has also been preserved.
 
Lake Turgoyak is located near Miass and is a popular tourist location, with crystal clear water. Miass has a rich mineralogical museum, as it is close to the Ilmensky Mineral conservation area. To the East of Miass is the Ilmenskyy Zapovednik, a large protected forest. Not far into the forest, trails lead to fresh-water springs.