The small Siberian town, famous in Soviet times for shock Komsomol construction sites, did not manage to grow, at least to an average size. The Russian government is assigned to single-industry towns with a stable socio-economic situation. So far, this is manifested only in the fact that the population of Ust-Ilimsk, though not fast, is constantly decreasing.
general information
The city is located on the banks of the Angara River, in the north-west of the Irkutsk region. The administrative center of the district of the same name. The year of foundation is considered to be 1966, since 1973 it has been subordinated to the region. The regional center is located south of the regional center, at a distance of 890 km. 1280 km will have to be overcome by road, by rail, and 650 km by plane. The nearest town is Bratsk, located 246 km. The territory of the urban district covers an area of 3, 682 ha, which is approximately 4.9% of the area. The city is located at an average altitude of 400-450 meters.
The region in its climatic conditions is equal to the regions of the Far North. The climate is sharply continental. The minimum recorded temperature is minus 53.9 ° C, the maximum is plus 41 ° C, the average temperature is minus 2.8 ° C. Most of the year (214 days) in the urban area keeps temperatures below 0 ° C. Hot and dry weather with temperatures up to plus 40 ° C lasts about a month, from mid-July to mid-August. On average, 475 mm of precipitation falls annually, the average wind speed is 11.2 km / h.
Impact construction
There are probably few now who will tell you exactly where Ust-Ilimsk is located. But in the 70s of the last century, the city became famous not only for the whole country, but also for the entire socialist camp. Three shock Komsomol constructions took place here: the construction of a hydroelectric power station, the city itself and the timber industry complex. And one is simply Komsomol: the construction of the Khrebtovaya-Ust-Ilimsk railway.
Komsomol members from all over the Soviet Union and young people from the countries of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, including the GDR, Poland, Bulgaria and Hungary, worked on the construction of these facilities. After the implementation of all plans, it was assumed that the population of Ust-Ilimsk would reach 250-350 thousand people.
Location
Ust-Ilimsk is one of the youngest cities in the country, nevertheless, it has the Old Town, built on the right bank of the river, and on the opposite bank is the New Town. Although one part is only 5-6 years older than the other. The old city was built below the power plant along the Angara. Here are concentrated the first houses of the village of hydrobuilders, for the most part five and nine-story residential buildings. The left and right banks are connected by a bridge and a highway.
The new one stands above the station, where most of the organizations of culture and science are located. The construction plan of the left bank was developed by students of the Leningrad University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. Thesis "City of my dreams" became the basis of the architectural solution of the New City, in which the main idea was to maximize the conservation of taiga. During the construction, they tried, as far as possible, not to touch the trees, so inside the town you can find islands of the Siberian taiga. Most of the city's inhabitants live on the left bank.
Start of construction
The history of the modern city of Ust-Ilimsk began in 1959, when comprehensive survey work was carried out and the construction site of a new waterworks was determined. In 1962, a decision was made to begin preparatory work for five years.
From 1963 to 1967 rebar and concrete plants, auto repair shops were built, a power line was laid, work began on the main structures of the hydroelectric power station. Beginning of the river closure On the left bank of the Angara, a village was built for hydro builders. In 1970, in Ust-Ilimsk, Irkutsk Oblast, 16, 000 people came from all regions of the Soviet country.
