Major cities in Astrakhan region

Top attractions in Astrakhan region to visit

Baskunchak is the biggest of all the famous salt lakes in the world, having the highest salinity level. It is formed as a pit on the top of the huge salt mountain, that has its base going thousands feet deep down into the earth and is covered with a layer of sedimentary rocks. The depth of the salt deposits on the surface of the lake is up to 18 meters. The salt layer under the surface extends up to 4 miles The salt concentration of the surface of the lake is so solid that one can walk over it. Since the VIII century the salt was excavated from the lake and traded using the Silk Route. For the first time russian sources mention the lake Baskunchak in 1627. Now in the lake produce up to 80% of the total salt in Russia, that is from 1.5 to 5 million tons of salt per year. A Baskunchak railway was built on the bottom of the lake for the need of salt distribution. The salty water is believed to help curing diseases of different cause. Every year tens of thousands of tourists from all over the country come here to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal, respiratory and nervous systems.
Lake Baskunchak

Baskunchak is the biggest of all the famous salt lakes in the world, having the highest salinity level. It is formed as a pit on the top of the huge salt mountain, that has its base going thousands…