Noyabrsk

Noyabrsk is the largest city in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia, located in the middle of the West Siberian oil fields, on the Tyumen–Novy Urengoy railway about 300 km north of Surgut. Population: 110,620 (2010 Census).

History

The city history dates back to 1975 when a landing party arriving by helicopter disembarked on the ice of the Itu-Yakha River to start developing Kholmogorskoye oil field. In November 1976, the first party of railway builders arrived at the site of the future city and camped out by Lake Khanto with the task of creating a settlement. On October 26, 1977, the settlement of Noyabrsk, which grew around the railway station of Noyabrskaya, was officially registered. It was decided to choose the name of "Noyabrsk" instead of the other proposal, "Khanto", to perpetuate the memory of the first arrival in November 1976, as the Russian word for November is "ноябрь" (noyabr). The settlement was granted work settlement status on November 12, 1979 and that of a town on April 28, 1982.

Recreation, sports, sights

Noyabrsk boasts numerous sport facilities, including artificial ice rink and a number of open-air rinks in the winter, cross-country skiing tracks, several indoor swimming pools, a number of gyms and indoor playing fields used for football, basketball, volleyball, lawn-tennis, ping-pong, martial arts training, boxing.

Notable facilities include the indoor ice skating rink near school no.6 and the "Yamal" complex near the town center, which combines a swimming pool, gym, and concert hall.

The motocross track of Noyabrsk presents an arena for the annual Yamal motocross cup championship; one of stages of Russian motocross championship is also conducted here.

Recreation for the visiting oil worker or resident also includes a movie theater, shopping centers, bars.

During summer, Lake Khanto 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of the town is popular for walking and barbecues. A little further from the town are other popular lakes, Svetloye and Szemchuzhnoye.

In the summer and during early autumn the forests and marshes attract many people for hiking, camping and gathering berries and mushrooms.

In winter, there is a cross-country ski-club to the immediate west of the residential districts. Winter also normally has an "Ice Palace" constructed for some weeks in the town center's park, beside the city administrative offices.

There is a park with a Ferris wheel in the center of the town.

There is a Great Patriotic War memorial in the town, with the traditional eternal flame.

The Museum Resource Center of Noyabrsk comprises three departments: arts museum, town history museum, and the museum of children art. It boasts a rich ethnographical collection and provides place for diverse thematical expositions. In 2007 the center was awarded Grand Prix at the annual Yamal Museum Projects festival.

Two religious landmarks of the town are the Russian Orthodox Archangel Michael Church, which stands on a hill surrounded by trees, and a mosque.