Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Russia Davsha
AO Edited

Davsha

What was once the base for Russia's first nature reserve is now a ghost town, right on the shore of Lake Baikal.

Russia

Added By
Allison Meier
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  Zand Martin
  Zand Martin
  Zand Martin
  Zand Martin
  Zand Martin
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The small dark-furred sable that drew trappers to settle the unfriendly territory of Siberia was endangered by the 20th century, so in 1916 Czar Nicholas II set up Russia's first nature reserve and a village to manage it.

Now, however, the little town that was once a protector of the nature reserve is abandoned. Davsha sits on the shore of Laike Baikal, its log houses empty as the turquoise paint wears away from their windows. From 1916 to 2005 when the funding was cut, the remote village was home to rangers and biologists who studied the sable as well as the other animals that roam the surrounding forests. 

However, under the current government, the long support for the outpost of civilization in the wild was ended. People left almost overnight, and belongings and relics of Davsha's long history of ecological work remain, as does a locked natural history museum, schoolhouse, and other facilities. The grass grows wild and uncut, but you can still make out the quiet order of what life was like in what is now a ghost town. 

Related Tags

Ghost Towns Abandoned Wildlife Sanctuaries

Community Contributors

Added By

Allison

Edited By

Blindcolour

  • Blindcolour

Published

February 10, 2014

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/an-abandoned-siberian-village-in-russia-s-first-nature-reserve
Davsha
671601
Russia
54.354884, 109.507313

Nearby Places

Baikal Seals

Olkhonsky District, Russia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Russia

Russia

Europe

Places 189
Stories 58

Nearby Places

Baikal Seals

Olkhonsky District, Russia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Russia

Russia

Europe

Places 189
Stories 58

Related Stories and Lists

Delivering Accordion Music to a Siberian Ghost Town

ghost towns

By Zand Martin

Related Places

  • Nothing, Arizona

    The Ghost Town of Nothing, Arizona

    Nothing to see here.

  • Cabin made of old railroad ties.

    Carlin, Nevada

    Palisade

    Little is left of this formerly bustling railroad junction on the Transcontinental Railroad.

  • Malo Grablje, Croatia

    Abandoned Village of Malo Grablje

    This deserted town in the hills of Croatia’s "party island" may have a scandalous connection to King Henry VIII.

  • Argonne, South Dakota

    Argonne Ghost Town

    Once a thriving town of 100, Argonne was abandoned around 1970.

  • Salt Lake

    Isla del Carmen, Mexico

    Abandoned Salt Mine

    This rural island is home to the ghost town of what used to be the world’s biggest salt mine.

  • Second floor stage

    Lando, South Carolina

    Lando School

    An ornate abandoned schoolhouse hidden in the woods near a decaying mill town.

  • New Idria

    Paicines, California

    New Idria Ghost Town

    After the nearby mercury mine shut down, this town was abandoned and declared a Superfund site.

  • Salt Lake City, Utah

    Allen Park

    This former wildlife sanctuary is being transformed into an art park.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.