The Buddhist prayer drum “Mani-Churtu” stands in Arat Square in Kyzyl. The square is also home to an ensemble of five fountains, designed by local stone carvers in 1984 in the traditional Tuvan style, with folk ornaments made of agalmatolite. These specific places give a trip to Kyzyl a cultural focus: art in public spaces, collections and the city’s history each come to the fore in different ways.
Art and Culture at Arat Square
Arat Square is in the centre of Kyzyl, the capital of the Republic of Tuva. Alongside the prayer drum, the five fountains shape the appearance of the square. Their design combines traditional Tuvan ornaments with agalmatolite, a material that also features in the collection of the National Museum. This comparison shows two different forms of cultural design: an ensemble in a public space and handicrafts presented in the context of museum exhibitions.
Kyzyl is also home to the bronze group “Tsarskaya Okhota”, set on a broad, two-tier stone pedestal. It depicts a Eurasian man and woman on horseback, hunting with falcons. Its subject and design as an equestrian group offer a different way to experience art in the city than the ornamental fountains in Arat Square.
Collections at the National Museum
The National Museum of the Republic of Tuva displays a unique collection of more than 300 examples of Tuvan silver art and applied art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The dates focus attention on a particular era; the collection’s materials and art forms complement the design you can see in Arat Square. Another museum exhibition is devoted to the traditional culture of the Tuvans from the late 19th to the early 20th century.
The exhibition elements described also include more than 200 small sculptures made of agalmatolite, bronze, bone and horn, as well as Tuvan bronze chess sets. A range of materials and objects are presented side by side: small sculptures, games, and works of silver and applied art. Check which exhibitions are currently on view before your trip.
Nadya Rusheva: Drawings and Illustrations
The Nadya Rusheva Museum is dedicated to the artist, who is considered one of the most outstanding artists of the Soviet era. Around 380 of her drawings are held there, and illustrations for works by Pushkin, Bulgakov and Tolstoy are also on display. A look at these illustrations complements the National Museum’s collections by focusing on one artist and her work on literary texts.
The museum is located at 7 Lenina Street and is a branch of the Aldan-Maadyr National Museum of the Republic of Tuva. Visits are possible by prior appointment only. Check the current booking requirements in advance before planning your museum visit.
History, Theatre and Traditional Crafts
The Museum of the History of Political Repression in Tuva is located in a building that housed the NKVD special commandant’s office of the Tuvan People’s Republic in the 1930s. The exhibition includes photographs, documents and personal belongings of those who were persecuted, as well as memoirs and letters from Gulag prisoners. Exhibition elements also include a reconstruction of an investigator’s office and part of a cell for political prisoners. The museum opened on 16 February 1994. Check which parts of the exhibition are currently on display before your visit.
The museum is listed as open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Check in advance whether these hours are still current. Every year on 30 October, the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Political Repression, the museum organises a wreath-laying ceremony at the “Nepokorenny” monument. Sculptor Tovarishchtai Ondar created the monument in 1996. If you are in Kyzyl on this commemorative day, check in advance whether the event is taking place.
The city’s cultural offerings also include its theatre history: the National Music and Drama Theatre of the Republic of Tuva was founded in 1936. It is named after Tuvan actor and playwright Viktor Shogzhapovich Kok-ool, a Merited Artist of the RSFSR.
Those interested in traditional crafts will find another area of interest at the Centre for the Development of Traditional Tuvan Culture and Crafts. Year-round courses are offered there for children and adults in blacksmithing, wood and stone carving, making traditional musical instruments, and sewing national clothing. Ask about the current course offerings before visiting.
When looking for a holiday apartment in Kyzyl, you can take your cultural interests into account: the places and activities mentioned range from fine art and public design to historical exhibitions, theatre and crafts. Check the visiting and scheduling arrangements for each museum and course so that your plans match what is on offer.
Discover more destinations: Turan.
Go to the main travel overview: Republic of Tuva.
