Osa is often called the pearl of Prikamye. There is a special meaning
in this. The town, washed from three sides by the waters of Tulva,
Kama and Osinka rivers, forms "a pearl necklace". If to think
that Osa was in the centre of historical events of our country
and had kept visible effects of that times, it becomes clear why
this town is the place of pilgrimage of tourists.
Osa was founded in 1591 as the fortified center of Russian state. In
the XVIII century through Osa passed the Siberian tract and it became
a staging post on the way to Siberia. In 1774 the town experienced
the Pugachev’s times. The detachments of Emelyan Pugachev attacked
the fortress and the town got half burnt. In memory of those
times in 1987 in Osa a museum-diorama was opened . This diorama
is the only in Russia which is regarded to those past times.
At the same place there are the displays, devoted to the other events
of the region. The picture “Bering in Osa”, for example, tells us
about the fact that in 1733 in Osa the Kamchatka’s expedition
of Vitus Bering landed. Here you can visit one more museum – the museum
of nature of Osa sorroundings. There are 140 kinds of
plants and 140 kinds of animals, reproduced in the form of herbariums,
machetes, photos, slides. Besides, the description of the Osa's nature
is given in the diaries of Vitaliy Bianki.
Osa is a very unique town. Unlike the old metallurgical centers
of the Urals, there was no important industry. The trade and important
arts determined not only the lifestyle and the character of the citizens
but the architecture of local buildings. Here in the primitive form
remained a lot of buildings of XVII – XIX centuries. So the most pleasant
pastime for travelers will be the walks along the city, which has a
lot of sightseeing.
The old city center retained its original look. The civil
buildings, merchants’ private residences, shops of the end of XIX – the
beginning of XX century give Osa the unforgettable coloring. A special
place in the ensemble of the old Osa is given to Trinity cathedral.
It thrills with its size, huge bases of walls, beautiful stone design.
In 1989 Osa got the status of historical town.
