The seven giants of the Urals

August 13, 2009

In the northern Urals, where these leave behind vegetation to become velvety hills that blend into the horizon, seven giants majestically rise. Seven stone colossi that, in the middle of nowhere, seem to have made a stop in their journey to contemplate the scenery from the top of a high plateau. With heights varying from 30 to 42 meters, these seven moais, that nature has molded during more than 200 million years, form one of the most impressive and magic geological legacies on the planet.

The giants of Man-Pupu-Nyor (Мань-Пупу-Нёр) during different times of the year

The geological formation of Man-Pupu-Nyor (Мань-Пупу-Нёр, that in the Mansi language means “little mountain of the gods”) is found in an inhospitable and remote area of the Komi Republic. The seven stone totems that form this monumental group aren’t only amazing for their location, dimensions, and imposing presence, but also for their incredible forms (some of them are narrower at the base) and whimsical distribution (six are grouped together while the seventh seems to be observing them from afar).

One solitary giant observes the others

This singular phenomenon, that since time immemorial has been the source of all kinds of fables and legends, originated 200-300 million years ago, when in this place a mountain stood. With the passing of time, erosion caused by rain, wind, freezing, and other meteorological phenomena has continued to wear down the surface until forming the seven pillars currently left standing. In the Urals (one of the oldest mountain ranges on earth) we can find other formations that are similar to Man-Pupu-Nyor, but none of them equal it in either dimension or spectacularity.

View of the group of giants of Man-Pupu-Nyor

Ancestrally, access to this place had been reserved to shamans of the mansi people. Multiple legends have arisen in its surroundings, in which the common denominator tends to be the clash between a shaman and group of giants. According to one of the most oft-told, a shaman had cast a spell on six evil giants that were trying to cross the mountain range, converting them to stone, but with the bad fortune of also falling victim to the spell, in this way explaining the distribution of the pillars (six grouped together and one apart).

An excursionist by the solitary giant

Due to its remote location , access to Man-Pupu-Nyor is reserved to very well prepared excursionists or travellers that have access to helicopters or snowmobiles.

Helicopter at Man-Pupu-Nyor

The extreme continental climate of the region makes the seven stone giants take on a thousand and one faces depending on the time of day and meteorological conditions, in a never ending metamorphosis that doesn’t stop surprising. As an example, here are a couple of winter photos.

Snowmobile by the solitary giant

Three excursionists at Man-Pupu-Nyor

Within the links that I have cited in the sources, don’t miss this photographic gallery, the photos of these excursionists in the fog, or these adventurists with skis and shotgun in hand.

If you liked this post, don’t miss:
Cold War blazing skies,
Stalin’s golden cage and
When the Soviet Army was in orbit

Post translated from the original by: English Metas

Web Sources: I, II, III, IV, V,VI

Filed under Nature, Places - Share This

Comments

12 Responses to “The seven giants of the Urals”

Brian King

August 14th, 2009 at 5:38 pm

Thanks for sharing these pictures. This puts a little spec on the big blank space that is on the map to the east of Moscow.

Will follow on Twitter!
Soviet Russia

August 14th, 2009 at 5:57 pm

Brian King, thanks a lot for your comment, after +20,000 visits and no comments I’d begun wondering if something was wrong with my wordpress

Thanks for following, my twitter account in English is quite eager for new followers. Don’t miss subscribing to the feed too
Brian King

August 14th, 2009 at 6:11 pm

Your site is really well done. I’m just digging into it. I’ve mentioned your site and this particular article on my blogging site, Great History.

http://greathistory.com/giants-from-russia.htm

Putting your feed into my reader too. Thanks for sharing your journey.

Brian
Soviet Russia

August 14th, 2009 at 6:25 pm

Wow, thanks²

I am also digging into Great History

Best wishes from Siberia!
Bill Altaffer

August 15th, 2009 at 4:25 am

Very impressive. Like a big brother to the Tufas of Mono LAKE.
bill altaffer
Sheena

August 23rd, 2009 at 4:10 pm

Wow, what an amazing place. Thanks for sharing this with the world. I’m just a simple hillbilly from Kentucky, USA, but I know beauty when I see it!
Gwarnokyon

August 24th, 2009 at 12:26 am

That is AWESOME!!!!!!!! Very nice photos!!!!
Soviet Russia

August 24th, 2009 at 6:35 pm

Bill, Sheena, Gwarnokyon, I’m really happy to read that you enjoyed so much this post. I hope you will keep on tracking Soviet Яussia. There is much more still to come
dirtyharry

August 25th, 2009 at 11:37 pm

wow, beautiful. just happend to find this on stumbleupon and loved it.
Andy Gherga

November 3rd, 2009 at 7:16 pm

I found the location but google maps does not have high quality photos in this area. (I’m not surprised)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&sll=62.258655,59.301453&sspn=0.244509,0.570602&ie=UTF8&ll=62.259294,59.301453&spn=0.243225,0.570602&z=11&lci=com.panoramio.all&pw=2
Bill Altaffer

November 4th, 2009 at 4:37 am

very impressive
Soviet City

November 16th, 2009 at 10:13 am

Your site is very good.
These stones are interesting, like a kind of ural Stonehenge ?
It would be nice to see them sometime.