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Toratau Shikhan mountain
TORATAU
One of the four shikhans, located in Ishimbaysky District, on the border with the city Sterlitamak.
Kushtau and Yuraktau Shikhan mountains
KUSHTAU & YURAKTAU
KUSHTAU (long mountain) — Shikhan, a single mountain, 18 km East of the city of Sterlitamak and 140 km South of the city of Ufa. It is located in the Ishimbay district of Bashkortostan.
Yuraktau Shikhan mountain
YURAKTAU
One of the four shikhans, located in Ishimbaysky District, on the border with the city Sterlitamak. Length — 1 km, width 850 m, height — above the Belaya River — 220 m, above the soil level — 200 m, the absolute height above the sea level — 338 m.

What is it?

The remainder of the reef, the Lower Permian (Late Paleozoic) reef massif, formed over 230 million years ago in the tropical sea. This is natural monument may be destructed with The Bashkir soda company and Russian authorities.

    Beautiful view from the top of Toratau Shikhan
    Panoramic view of the Bashkir land from the Shikhan
    Scenic landscape view from the Shikhan mountain

    The view from the top

    The height of Mount Toratau (the highest of the shikhans) is about 275 meters above the ground level and 406 meters above sea level.
    From the top of these mountains there is a beautiful view of the flat relief of the Bashkir land, Sterlitamak city, the second largest city of Bashkortostan, Belaya river, as well as the ruins of GULAG barracks, of which only the walls remained.

    Shikhans in Bashkortostan

    The Bashkortostan Shikhans — isolated hills in the South Urals. They consist of four single-mountain mountains: Toratau, Shakhtau, Yuraktau and Kushtau, forming a narrow chain stretching along the Belaya River for 20 km. They are located near the cities of Sterlitamak, Ishimbay and Salavat. These are the remnants of Fringing reef and formed in the warm sea of the beginning of the Permian period. In the sediments there are fossils — the remains of ancient invertebrates. The characteristic features of the Bashkir shikhans and many waste heaps are the presence of a gentle slope, with an inclination angle of about 30 degrees from the top to the bottom, and natural talus. Such a combination of qualities can not be attributed to factors of indiscriminate effect, to the elements.

    Location on the map

    Shahins are located on the Russia territory — in the Sterlitamak district of the Republic of Bashkortostan, 120 km south of the Ufa city, near the cities of Sterlitamak, Ishimbay and Salavat. The mountains chained at a distance of 5-10 km stretched along the right bank of the Belaya River (Agidel in Bashkir).

    Protection Status

    In September 2020, following significant public efforts and environmental campaigns, the Toratau and Yuraktau shikhans were officially granted the status of Specially Protected Natural Territories (SPNT) by the decree of the Government of the Republic of Bashkortostan.

    This crucial legal designation guarantees the conservation of these ancient reef massifs and protects their unique flora, fauna, and geological structures from any industrial development or destruction. The decision marked a major victory for environmentalists and local communities striving to preserve the natural heritage of the South Urals for future generations.