The world's smallest reserve, recorded in the Guinness Book of Records, is located in the Lipetsk region and is called "Galichya Gora". Its territory occupies only 19 hectares, divided into several sections, but such a small square houses so many unique natural objects that even "large" reserves can envy. "Galichya Gora" is also the first state preserve of the entire Chernozem region, founded in 1925 to protect the unique flora.

The nature monument took its name from the rocky hill actually existing on the bank of the Don. Under this name, it was known even in the times of Ivan the Terrible, by order of which a guard post was established in the vicinity of the present reserve. According to one version, in those days Don shores were strewn with small stones - a pebble, on the other - on the slopes of the mountains are constantly nesting birds, which the locals called indiscriminately jackdaws Lost World

Galichya mountains The main attraction of the most Galichya mountains. which in the spring and summer to consider from the other bank of the Don is almost impossible because of the abundance of vegetation - it is its cliffs . They are formed by the release of Devonian limestone, which "sheltered" many kinds of unique plants for the terrain . By the way, only and a relatively small area of ​​the reserve scientists number about 650 species of plants . However, a man of ignorance in the field of botany and equally unaware of what the Russian and Gramelin borer looks like, the reserve will not leave indifferent either . Not so much due to "mathematical" facts of the presence of such a rich and unusual flora, how many simply because of the picturesque nature and silence .

The second attraction, accessible not to botanists, but to average tourists, is a nature museum. In it guides can popularly explain the uniqueness of this object, tell us about interesting observations of the plant and animal world of Galichya Gora

Cattery of Birds of Prey

Since 1990, an integral part of Galichya Gora is the nursery of rare predatory birds birds, many of which are listed in the Red Book . And this is the third, for some even the main attraction of the nature reserve . Because here you can see in the immediate vicinity falcon Falcon, peregrine, eagle eagles, burial eagles, several species owls and other birds of prey . Sometimes visitors of the reserve even have the opportunity to witness the "Falconry Show": the tradition of falconry revives in the nursery and actively trains its pupils in this direction .

How to get there

By car from Lipetsk you need to go towards Elets, turn right at the bridge across the river Don

The reserve takes visitors from 9 to 18 hours. Phone:. (47471) 3-33-65, 3-34-22

hunting falcon saker, Galichya Reserve mountain

Rock Head, Reserve Galichya mountain

Scala language Reserve Galichya Mountain

Owl, mountain Preserve Galichya