Famous discoverers of lands. Travel History: Famous Travelers of the Age of Discovery

Russian navigators, along with European ones, are the most famous pioneers who discovered new continents, sections of mountain ranges and vast water areas.

They pioneered significant geographic sites, took the first steps in the development of hard-to-reach territories, traveled around the world. So who are they - the conquerors of the seas, and what exactly did the world learn about thanks to them?

Afanasy Nikitin - the very first Russian traveler

Afanasy Nikitin is rightfully considered the first Russian traveler who managed to visit India and Persia (1468-1474, according to other sources 1466-1472). On the way back, he visited Somalia, Turkey, Muscat. On the basis of his travels, Afanasy compiled the notes "Voyage across the Three Seas", which became popular and unique historical and literary textbooks. These records became the first book in the history of Russia, made not in the format of a story about a pilgrimage, but describing political, economic and cultural characteristics territories.

Afanasy Nikitin

He was able to prove that even as a member of a poor peasant family, one can become a famous explorer and traveler. Streets, embankments in several Russian cities, motor ship, passenger train and the airport.

Semyon Dezhnev, who founded the Anadyr prison

Cossack chieftain Semyon Dezhnev was an Arctic navigator who became the discoverer of a number of geographical objects. Wherever Semyon Ivanovich served, everywhere he strove to study new and previously unknown. He was even able to cross the East Siberian Sea on a makeshift koch, going from Indigirka to Alazeya.

In 1643, as part of a detachment of researchers, Semyon Ivanovich discovered Kolyma, where, with his associates, he founded the city of Srednekolymsk. A year later, Semyon Dezhnev continued his expedition, walked along the Bering Strait (which did not yet have this name) and discovered the easternmost point of the continent, later called Cape Dezhnev. Also, an island, a peninsula, a bay, a village are named after him.

Semyon Dezhnev

In 1648 Dezhnev hit the road again. His ship was wrecked in the waters located in the southern part of the Anadyr River. Having reached on skis, the sailors went up the river and stayed there for the winter. Subsequently, this place appeared on geographical maps and received the name Anadyr prison. As a result of the expedition, the traveler was able to make detailed descriptions, make a map of those places.

Vitus Ionassen Bering, who organized expeditions to Kamchatka

Two Kamchatka expeditions inscribed the names of Vitus Bering and his associate Alexei Chirikov in the history of sea discoveries. During the first voyage, the mariners conducted research and were able to supplement geographic atlas facilities located in North-East Asia and on the Pacific coast of Kamchatka.

The discovery of the Kamchatka and Ozerny peninsulas, the bays of Kamchatsky, Krest, Karaginsky, the Providence Bay, the island of St. Lawrence is also the merit of Bering and Chirikov. At the same time, another strait was found and described, which later became known as the Bering Strait.

Vitus Bering

The second expedition was undertaken by them in order to find a way to North America and exploring the Pacific Islands. On this journey, Bering and Chirikov founded the Peter and Paul prison. It got its name from the combined names of their ships ("St. Peter" and "St. Paul) and later became the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

On the approach to the shores of America, the ships of like-minded people lost sight of each other, a heavy fog affected. "St. Peter", piloted by Bering, sailed to west coast America, but got into a violent storm on the way back - the ship was thrown onto the island. The last minutes of Vitus Bering's life passed on it, and the island subsequently began to bear his name. Chirikov also reached America on his ship, but safely completed his voyage, having discovered several islands of the Aleutian ridge on the way back.

Khariton and Dmitry Laptev and their "named" sea

Cousins ​​Khariton and Dmitry Laptev were Vitus Bering's associates and assistants. It was he who appointed Dmitry the commander of the ship "Irkutsk", and his double-boat "Yakutsk" was led by Khariton. They took part in the Great Northern Expedition, the purpose of which was to study and accurately describe and map the Russian shores of the ocean, from the Yugorsky sphere to Kamchatka.

Each of the brothers made a significant contribution to the development of new territories. Dmitry became the first navigator who made a survey of the shores from the mouth of the Lena to the mouth of the Kolyma. He made detailed maps of these places, based on mathematical calculations and astronomical data.

Khariton and Dmitry Laptev

Khariton Laptev and his associates conducted research on the northernmost part of the Siberian coast. It was he who determined the dimensions and outlines of the huge Taimyr Peninsula - he completed a survey of its eastern coast, was able to identify the exact coordinates offshore islands... The expedition took place in difficult conditions - a large amount of ice, snowstorms, scurvy, ice captivity - Khariton Laptev's team had to go through a lot. But they continued their work. On this expedition, Laptev's assistant Chelyuskin discovered the cape, which was later named in his honor.

Noting the great contribution of the Laptevs to the development of new territories, members of the Russian Geographical Society decided to name one of the largest seas Arctic. The strait between the mainland and the island of Bolshoy Lyakhovsky is also named in honor of Dmitry, and the western coast of Taimyr Island bears the name of Khariton.

Kruzenshtern and Lisyansky - organizers of the first Russian circumnavigation

Ivan Kruzenshtern and Yuri Lisyansky are the first Russian navigators who made trip around the world... Their expedition lasted three years (started in 1803 and ended in 1806). They set off with their crews on two ships, which bore the names "Nadezhda" and "Neva". Travelers passed through Atlantic Ocean entered the waters The Pacific... The sailors sailed along them to Kuril Islands, Kamchatka and Sakhalin.

Ivan Kruzenshtern

This journey made it possible to collect important information... Based on the data obtained by seafarers, detailed map The Pacific Ocean. Another important result of the first Russian round-the-world expedition was the data obtained on the flora and fauna of the Kuriles and Kamchatka, local residents, their customs and cultural traditions.

During their journey, the sailors crossed the equator and, according to maritime traditions, could not leave this event without a well-known ritual - a sailor disguised as Neptune greeted Kruzenshtern and asked why his ship had arrived where the Russian flag had never been. To which he received the answer that they were here exclusively for the glory and development of national science.

Vasily Golovnin - the first navigator who was rescued from Japanese captivity

Russian navigator Vasily Golovnin led two expeditions around the world. In 1806, while in the rank of lieutenant, he received a new appointment and became the commander of the sloop "Diana". It is interesting that this is the only case in the history of the Russian fleet when a lieutenant was entrusted with the control of the ship.

The leadership set the goal of a round-the-world expedition to study the North Pacific Ocean, with special attention to that part of it, which is located within the borders of the native country. Diana's path was not easy. The sloop passed the island of Tristan da Cunha, passed the Cape of Hope and entered a port belonging to the British. Here the ship was detained by the authorities. The British informed Golovnin about the beginning of the war between the two countries. The Russian ship was not declared captured, but the team was not allowed to leave the bay either. After spending more than a year in this position, in mid-May 1809 "Diana", led by Golovnin, tried to escape, which the sailors successfully succeeded in - the ship arrived in Kamchatka.

Vasily Golovin

The next important task Golovnin received in 1811 - he was supposed to compose descriptions of the Shantar and Kuril Islands, the shores of the Tatar Strait. During his travels, he was accused of violating sakoku principles and captured by the Japanese for more than 2 years. The team was rescued from captivity only thanks to the good relations between one of the Russian naval officers and an influential Japanese merchant, who was able to convince his government of the harmless intentions of the Russians. It is worth noting that before that, no one in history had returned from Japanese captivity.

In 1817-1819 Vasily Mikhailovich made another round-the-world voyage on the ship "Kamchatka" specially built for this.

Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev - discoverers of Antarctica

Captain Second Rank Thaddeus Bellingshausen was determined to find the truth in the question of the existence of the sixth continent. In 1819 he went out to sea, carefully preparing two sloops - "Mirny" and "Vostok". The latter was commanded by his associate Mikhail Lazarev. The first Antarctic round-the-world expedition set itself other tasks. In addition to finding irrefutable facts confirming or refuting the existence of Antarctica, the travelers were going to explore the waters of three oceans - the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian.

Thaddeus Bellingshausen

The results of this expedition exceeded all expectations. For 751 days, which it lasted, Bellingshausen and Lazarev were able to make several significant geographical discoveries... Of course, the most important of them is the existence of Antarctica, this historical event took place on January 28, 1820. Also, during the trip, about two dozen islands were found and mapped, sketches with views of Antarctica, images of representatives of the Antarctic fauna were created.

Mikhail Lazarev

It is interesting that attempts to discover Antarctica were made more than once, but none of them was crowned with success. European seafarers believed that either it does not exist, or it is located in places that simply cannot be reached by sea. But Russian travelers had enough perseverance and determination, therefore the names of Bellingshausen and Lazarev are included in the lists of the greatest navigators in the world.

Would you like to travel around the world at least once? To this almost rhetorical question, almost everyone will answer in the affirmative. There are happy people in our world who do not set their entire life as the goal of earning capital in a stuffy office, do not hang out all day on the Internet, do not watch TV shows at night season after season, but admire different parts of our planet, at the diversity of its peoples and beauties.

If you think that with the passing of the Age of Discovery, outstanding travelers have sunk into oblivion, then you are mistaken! Our contemporaries have also done and are doing the most amazing travel... Among them are scientists who went in search of confirmation of their theories, explorers of the deep sea, and just adventurers who ventured to travel around the world alone or with like-minded people. Much has been written about their travels documentaries, and thanks to them, we can see the whole world through their eyes, real, alive, full of dangers and adventures.

1. Jim Shekdar

Born an Englishman, he began to travel and get acquainted with the culture of other countries since childhood, at the age of 7 he moved to live in India. A cheerful and desperate Englishman, inspired by the transatlantic boat trip of two more noble English gentlemen, Sir Charles Blyth and John Ridgway, decided to do it himself.

After several attempts, he nevertheless accomplishes his plan with his friend Jason Jackson in 65 days, passing the entire Atlantic Ocean in a rowboat. Shekdar becomes little and he decides to conquer the Pacific Ocean, and moreover alone, as no one did.

Having loaded his boat with provisions for 8 months, he sailed from Peru, and after numerous encounters with sharks, collisions with a tanker and 9 months of travel on the remnants of provisions, courageous Jim with arthritis of the hip joint reaches the "opposite shore", with a surf wave on the island of the point of arrival , his boat covers, and the last meters to the land, which he had not seen for 270 days, the traveler crossed by swimming.

2. Palkiewicz Jacek

A stern and strong-willed Italian-Polish traveler, Italian journalist and writer, all his life he made the most desperate and extreme transitions, such as: on camels through the Gobi Desert and the Sahara, on deer - to the North Pole, on Indian pie and lifeboat- across the Atlantic Ocean.

This great person in the rank of a member of the Russian Geographical Community, in 1996, he makes the last major discovery of the twentieth century - lengthens the Amazon River by 700 km, further investigating its sources, thus dropping the Nile from the first place along the length.

As an honorary member, honorary citizen, friend of peoples, tribes, peoples, ethnic groups and communities in various parts of the world, Palkevich in 2010 receives a gold cross for his services from the hands of the Pope himself.

3. Carlo Mauri

Another Italian and a man of iron will first tried himself in mountaineering, having made his first ascent at the age of 15. Then, having tasted the beauty of travel, he began to conquer Mont Blanc, the mountains of Tierra del Fuego and other inaccessible mountains in Chile.

Later, in the Karakorum mountains, he will overcome the peak at 7925 m.Then, after numerous injuries, fractures of the foot, rupture of internal organs, Mauri nevertheless gains new strength and participates in the expeditions of Thor Heyerdahl on his famous papyrus boats.

Already further there will be outstanding historical expeditions with undermined health, at the limit of human capabilities: in the footsteps of Marco Polo, through the lands of Patagonia and in the Amazon. Almost lying on a hospital bed, this person does not calm down and writes a book about his adventures, having passed away, alas, too early - at 52, in 1982.

4. Yuri Senkevich

Record-holder and TV presenter, with his program "Travelers' Club" he really went down in history, enlightening the Soviet and Russian people about the corners of the diverse and beautiful world inaccessible to them. After a number of outstanding and dangerous expeditions, including the Antarctic one, he was invited by Thor Heyerdahl to join the team for an expedition to papyrus boat"Ra-2".

Later, together in Heyerdahl, they will conquer the Indian Ocean on a reed boat, and then there will be ascents to Everest, polar expeditions. Unlike others, he was always in a hurry to share his discoveries with others, doing a colossal work upon his return from travels on processing the accumulated material into the format of a television broadcast.

Until his death, in 2003, Sienkiewicz worked and traveled, despite his age and did a lot to increase the number of travelers in the world.

5. Thor Heyerdahl

The Norwegian traveler-record holder, as a child, was very afraid of water until he was 22, when, having fallen into the water, he was still able to swim out on his own. Having eliminated the main problem, Tours begins his career as a professional traveler in Polynesia, getting acquainted with the local life of the indigenous people.

There he was caught by the Second World War and Heyerdahl volunteered for the front. Having finished the war, the Tour organizes expeditions to conquer the Pacific Ocean and a grandiose journey to Easter Island, and even later the journeys by boats "Ra" and "Ra-2" that went down in history.

Further tireless traveler explored the most diverse corners of the globe - Oceania, Iceland, the Arctic Ocean, forever inscribing his name in history as a name greatest traveler of all times and peoples.

6. Jacques-Yves Cousteau

Captain Cousteau is a famous French explorer of the World Ocean, author of books and films, inventor. The oceans have revealed many of their secrets, have shown the beauty of their depths, which is still inaccessible to people, for a huge number of diving enthusiasts. We can say that Captain Cousteau is the father of modern diving, because it was he who created the main diving apparatus. Being engaged in research of the underwater world of our planet, Cousteau created the famous floating laboratory “Callisto” and the first diving apparatus “Denise”. Jacques Yves Cousteau captivated millions of people, showing them on the movie screens how beautiful underwater world, making it possible to see what was previously inaccessible to man.

7. Nikolay Drozdov

More than 40 years ago Nikolai Nikolaevich Drozdov became the host of the popular TV show “In the world of animals”. An avid traveler, “gallant know-it-all”, for hours talking about animals as the most wonderful and beautiful creatures in the world - be it an elephant, a bug, or even a poisonous snake. An amazing and wonderful person, the idol of millions of viewers of our country, listening to stories about interesting facts from the life of birds, reptiles, domestic and wild animals, about the beauty of our nature - and incomparable pleasure, because only a person who is in love with life can talk like that. Interesting fact about Nikolai Nikolaevich himself - his great-great-great-uncle was the Metropolitan of Moscow Philaret, and his maternal great-great-grandfather Ivan Romanovich von Dreiling was an orderly to Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov.

Nikolay Drozdov traveled all over the world, all zoological and National parks, studying the habitats and habits of animals in natural conditions, climbed Elbrus, participated in a long expedition on the research vessel Callisto and in the first Soviet expedition to Everest, twice went to the North Pole, went along the Northern Sea Route on an icebreaker " Yamal ”, sailed along the coast of Alaska and Canada on“ Discoveryr ”.

8. Fyodor Konyukhov

A lone traveler who conquered what seemed impossible to conquer, more than once overcame a path that cannot be walked alone - the great contemporary Fyodor Konyukhov. The first among travelers who conquered the North and South Poles, seas, oceans and highest peaks world, which is proved by more than 40 expeditions made by him to the most inaccessible places on our planet. Among them are five round-the-world voyages, a solo voyage across the Atlantic (which, by the way, he crossed repeatedly) on a rowboat. Konyukhov was the first to cross the Pacific Ocean from continent to continent. But not only travels filled the life of our famous compatriot - Fyodor Konyukhov became the youngest member of the Union of Artists of the USSR and the author of twelve books about travel. There were also new plans ahead: a flight around the world on hot-air balloon and circumnavigation in 80 days for the Jules Verne Cup, as well as diving in Mariana Trench... However, having accepted the ordination of a priest in 2010, Fyodor Konyukhov decided not to travel anymore, but ... the ways of the Lord are inscrutable and famous traveler again at the helm. In the spring of this year, he “broke” the Russian record and stayed in the air in a balloon for 19 hours and 10 minutes.

9. Bear Grylls

Glory came to the young English traveler thanks to the highest-rated television show on the Discovery Channel, "Survive at Any Cost", which first aired in October 2006. The TV presenter and traveler does not just “entertain” viewers with beautiful views of the most amazing places planet, its goal is to convey to the audience life recommendations that can be useful in unforeseen situations.

The list of his travels is respectable: he sailed around British isles in thirty days, crossed to inflatable boat North Atlantic, on an airplane with a steam engine flew over Angel Falls, on a paraglider flew over the Himalayas, led an expedition to one of the farthest unconquered peaks in Antarctica and arranged ... a gala dinner in a balloon at an altitude of more than seven thousand meters! Most of Grills' expeditions are charitable.

10. Abby Sunderland

Not only men can boast of friendship with the wind of wanderings - Abby Sunderland, a young traveler who, at the age of 16, alone made a trip around the world on a yacht will give odds to many men. The decisiveness of Abby's parents is surprising, because they not only allowed her to participate in such a dangerous enterprise, but also helped prepare for it. Alas, the first start on January 23, 2010 was unsuccessful and Abby made a second attempt on February 6. The journey turned out to be more dangerous than expected: between Australia and Africa, 2 thousand miles from the coast, the yacht's hull was damaged and the engine failed. After this message, the connection was interrupted, the search for Abby's yacht was unsuccessful and she was declared missing. A whole month later, Australian rescuers found the lost yacht and Abby alive, unharmed in the area of ​​the most severe storm. Who after that will say that there is no place for a woman on the ship?

11. Jason Lewis

And, finally, the most original of modern travelers, who spent 13 years traveling around the world! Why so long? It's just that Jason refused any kind of technology and all kinds of achievements of civilization. The former janitor, along with friend Steve Smith, went around the world by bike, boat and rollerblades! The expedition started from Greenwich in 1994, in February 1995 the travelers reached the shores of the United States and after 111 days of sailing decided to cross America separately on roller skates. Lewis had to interrupt his trip for 9 months after an accident. After recovering, Lewis went to Hawaii, from where he sailed on a pedal boat to Australia, where he had to spend some time on earning funds for his onward journey ... selling T-shirts. In 2005, he reaches Singapore, then crosses China and India by bike. By March 2007, he reached Africa and also cycled all over Europe: Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, Germany and Belgium. After crossing the English Channel, in October 2007 Jason Lewis returned to London.

Pyotr Beketov (1600 - after 1661) - Russian explorer of the 17th century, explorer of Siberia.

One of the most exemplary "Russian conquistadors" who honestly served his cause and did not get involved in any adventures, Beketov was the founder of several Russian cities.

Biography

Almost nothing is known about the early years of the life of many prominent personalities of the 17th century; Petr Beketov is no exception in this sense. Information about him appears only in the 1620s, when he got a job as an archer in the civil service.

After some time, in 1627, Beketov sent a petition to the tsar, in which he asked to be given the post of centurion in order to have at least some decent salary.

Vasily Poyarkov is one of the discoverers of Siberia. He made a huge contribution to the development of these lands.

In the 17th century Russian empire dreamed of annexing Siberia to her lands. It was a huge and richest territory, in which many peoples lived.

For the study and annexation of the Siberian lands, special expeditions were assembled. One of them was headed by Vasily Poyarkov.

Years of life

Accurate information about the years of Vasily Poyarkov's life has not been preserved. Only documentary sources have survived to this day, which contain information about his activities. They date back to 1610-1667.

Vasily Ermolaevich Bugor was arctic sailor and one of the pioneers of Siberia.

He explored unexplored territories, helping the Yenisei governor A. Oshanin.

Years of life

The exact years of Bugor's life are unknown, but historians believe that he was born around 1600 and died in 1668.

Biography of Bugor

Bugor did not have a noble birth. He was a Cossack foreman, participated in the construction of forts and the study of Siberia.

Mikhail Stadukhin - 17th century explorer and polar navigator who explored North-Eastern Siberia, a man who was one of the first to visit the north Sea of ​​Okhotsk, as well as on the rivers Kolyma, Gizhiga, Penzhina and Anadyr.

The geographical discoveries of M. Stadukhin became a huge contribution to the discovery, study Russian coast Arctic and Pacific.

The years of the life of Mikhail Stadukhin

Year of birth unknown, died in 1666.

Biography of Mikhail Stadukhin

It is not known for certain what year Mikhail Stadukhin was born. Presumably, the Russian explorer was born into a family of Pomors in one of the villages on the Pinega River

The development of Siberia in the 17th century is often presented as the most important event in the history of modern Russia.

It is spoken of as a Russian analogue of the Great Geographical Discoveries of the European world and the conquest of the New World.

This is in part a fair comparison. In the context of the emergence of the all-Russian market and the recovery of the economy, the development of new trade routes is an important stage in the development of the country.

S. I. Chelyuskin - sea ​​traveler, a researcher, a member of a long-term expedition, who made serious geographical discoveries that were left unattended during his lifetime.

Origin

The ancestors of Chelyuskin (according to documents of the 17th century - the Chelyustkins) were at first quite successful people, held important positions, promoted well in the service, were rich

But under Peter the Great, Semyon Ivanovich's father was in disgrace (he was among the rebellious Moscow archers) and until the end of his life his family vegetated in the wilderness of the countryside, barely making ends meet.

The exact information about where and when S. I. Chelyuskin was born has not yet been found, approximately it is 1700.

Education

In 1714, the noble ignoramus Semyon Chelyuskin was admitted to a Moscow school, where boys were taught exact and navigational sciences. Here the future researcher comprehended the wisdom of mathematics, geography, astronomy.

He was an intelligent and diligent student. In 1721, after completing his studies, he was recommended with a certificate for navigational activities.

Yu. F. Lisyansky is an outstanding Russian navigator who has made a round-the-world voyage with him.

Youth

Yu. Lisyansky was born in the Little Russian town of Nizhyn in a simple family of a priest in 1773. Since childhood, he dreamed of the sea, so he entered the Naval Cadet Corps and successfully graduated from it. By appointment he served on the frigate "Podrazhislav" in the squadron of Admiral SK Greig. He participated in the Hogland and several other naval battles in the war with the Swedes, served as a volunteer in the British navy, participated in battles with the French on the shores of North America, sailed to the Antilles and India.

Circumnavigation

Returning to his homeland, Lisyansky was appointed commander to the sloop "Neva". This ship went on a round-the-world expedition under the leadership of IF Kruzenshtern, who commanded the second sloop "Nadezhda". These two Russian ships left their homeland in the middle of the summer of 1803 from Kronstadt. In November 1804, Yu.F. Lisyansky and I.F. Kruzenshtern were the first in history Russian fleet crossed the equator line. In February of the same year, both ships bypassed Cape Horn, entering the Pacific waters. Here the ships split up.

Khariton Prokofievich Laptev is one of the largest Russian polar explorers. The future conqueror of the Arctic was born in the village of Pekarevo, located not far from, in 1700. In 1715, young Laptev entered the St. Petersburg Naval Academy, which he successfully completed three years later and entered the navy as a midshipman. In 1726 he was promoted to warrant officer. In 1734 he took part in the war against Stanislav Leszczynski, who had been proclaimed a year earlier by the Polish king.

The frigate "Mitava", on which Laptev served, during the hostilities is captured by the French, who resorted to deception for this. Upon returning to his homeland, Laptev, along with the rest of the Mitava officers, was sentenced to death for surrendering the ship without a fight, but the crew was declared innocent in time. After this misunderstanding, Khariton Prokofievich returns to the service. In 1737 he was promoted to lieutenant, and was appointed commander of a detachment in the Great Northern Expedition. The purpose of the trip was to explore the Arctic coast between Lena and Yenisei, another great Russian polar explorer, Dmitry Yakovlevich Laptev, a cousin of Khariton Prokofievich, also took part in it. In the early spring of 1738, the members of the expedition arrived in Yakutsk.

Dmitry Yakovlevich Laptev is a famous Russian traveler who became famous together with his cousin Khariton Prokofievich Laptev for his polar expeditions.

Born in 1701 in a family of small landowners in the village of Bolotovo. In 1715, together with his cousin, he began training at the Naval Academy in St. Petersburg. After completing his studies in 1718, Laptev was promoted to midshipmen on one of the ships of the Kronstadt squadron.

In 1721 he received the rank of midshipman, and in 1724 became a non-commissioned lieutenant. From 1727 to 1729 he commanded the frigate "Saint Jacob".

The biography of the great polar explorer Georgy Yakovlevich Sedov is unusual and tragic. He was born in 1877 in a small Azov village, today this village bears the name of the great polar explorer. George learned hard work from an early age. His father, a simple Azov fisherman, went missing for several years. The boy had to work to feed his mother and eight brothers and sisters. He did not have time to learn to read and write, and until the age of 14 he could neither read nor write.

After his father returned home, in two years he graduated from the parish school and ran away from home. What the boy did in that life and how he made his way to the desired goal, little is known. But at the age of 21, Georgy Sedov received a diploma of a long-distance navigator. At 24, after successfully passing the exam, he receives the rank of lieutenant.
His first hydrographic expedition was to the Arctic Ocean. Northern ice have long attracted the young sailor. He dreamed of conquering the North Pole and proving that a Russian person can do this.

It began, and the expedition to the North Pole had to be postponed. But the idea doesn't leave him. He writes articles in which he proves that the development of the Northern Sea Route is necessary. He worked in the Caspian Sea, in the Kolyma, explored the Krestovaya Bay on Novaya Zemlya.

The most big country collected for centuries. Travelers were the discoverers of new lands and seas. Paving the way into a new, mysterious, through unpredictable difficulties and risks, they achieved their goal. I think that these people, personally, having overcome the dangers and sufferings of the expeditions, accomplished a feat. I would like to remind you of three of them that have done a lot for the state and science.

Great Russian travelers

Dezhnev Semyon Ivanovich

Semyon Dezhnev (1605-1673), the Ustyug Cossack, was the first to go around the easternmost part of our Fatherland and all of Eurasia by sea. Passed the strait between Asia and America, opened the way from the Arctic Ocean to the Pacific.

By the way, Dezhnev discovered this strait 80 years earlier than Bering, who visited only its southern part.

The cape is named after Dezhnev, the one next to which the date line passes.

After the opening of the strait, the international commission of geographers decided that this place was the most convenient for drawing such a line on the map. And now a new day on Earth begins at Cape Dezhnev. Note, 3 hours earlier than in Japan and 12 earlier than in the suburbs of London - Greenwich, from where the universal time begins. Isn't it time to combine Prime Meridian with a date line? Moreover, such proposals from scientists have been received for a long time.

Peter Petrovich Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky

Pyotr Petrovich Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky (1827-1914), a leading scientist of the Russian Geographical Society. Not an armchair scientist. He possessed a temper that only climbers can appreciate. Literally - a conqueror of mountain peaks.

Among Europeans, he was the first to penetrate the hard-to-reach mountains of the Central Tien Shan. He discovered the Khan-Tengri peak and huge glaciers on its slopes. At that time in the West, with the light hand of the German scientist Humboldt, it was believed that ridges of volcanoes were erupting there.

Semyonov-Tien-Shansky discovered the sources of the Naryn and Sarydzhaz rivers, on the way he discovered that the Chu river, despite the opinion of the geographers of the "international community", does not flow out of Lake Issyk-Kul. Penetrated into the upper reaches of the Syr Darya, which before him were also not used.

The question of what Semyonov-Tien Shansky discovered is very easy to answer. He opened the Tien Shan to the scientific world, at the same time offering this world a completely new way of knowledge. Semyonov Tien Shansky was the first to study addiction mountainous terrain from him geological structure... Through the eyes of a geologist, botanist and zoologist in one person, he saw nature in its living family ties.

This is how the Russian original geographical school was born, which relied on the reliability of an eyewitness and was distinguished by its versatility, depth and integrity.

Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev

Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev (1788-1851), Russian admiral. On the Mirny ship.

In 1813, Lazarev was instructed to establish regular communication between St. Petersburg and Russian America. Russian America included the regions of Alaska, Aleutian Islands, as well as Russian trading posts in the states of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California. The southernmost point is Fort Ross, 80 km from San Francisco. These places have already been explored and inhabited by Russia (by the way, there is information that one of the settlements in Alaska was founded by Dezhnev's satellites in the 17th century). Lazarev traveled around the world. On the way, in the Pacific Ocean, he discovered new islands, which he named after Suvorov.

Where Lazarev is especially honored, it is in Sevastopol.

Behind the shoulders of the admiral were not only round-the-world voyages, but also participation in battles with the enemy, many times superior in number of ships. During the time that Lazarev commanded the Black Sea Fleet, dozens of new ships were built, including the first ship with a metal hull. Lazarev began to train sailors in a new way, at sea, in an environment close to combat.

He took care of the Maritime Library in Sevastopol, built a Meeting House and a school for the children of sailors there, and began building the Admiralty. He also built the admiralty in Novorossiysk, Nikolaev and Odessa.

In Sevastopol, there are fresh flowers at the grave and at the monument to Admiral Lazarev.

Found a bug? Highlight it and press left Ctrl + Enter.

Without the Russian discoverers, the world map would have been completely different. Our compatriots - travelers and seafarers - have made discoveries that have enriched world science. The eight most noticeable are in our material.

Bellingshausen's first Antarctic expedition

In 1819, the navigator, captain of the 2nd rank, Thaddeus Bellingshausen led the first Antarctic round-the-world expedition. The purpose of the voyage was to explore the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans, as well as proof or refutation of the existence of the sixth continent - Antarctica. Having equipped two sloops - "Mirny" and "Vostok" (under the command of Mikhail Lazarev), Bellingshausen's detachment went to sea.

The expedition lasted 751 days and wrote many bright pages in the history of geographical discoveries. The main one - the discovery of Antarctica - was made on January 28, 1820.

By the way, attempts to open the white continent were made earlier, but they did not bring the desired success: they lacked a little luck, or maybe Russian tenacity.

So, the navigator James Cook, summing up the results of his second circumnavigation, wrote: "I went around the ocean of the southern hemisphere in high latitudes and rejected the possibility of the existence of a continent, which, if it can be discovered, then only near the pole in places inaccessible for navigation."

During Bellingshausen's Antarctic expedition, more than 20 islands were discovered and mapped, sketches of Antarctic species and animals living on it were made, and the navigator himself went down in history as a great discoverer.

“The name Bellingshausen can be directly put alongside the names of Columbus and Magellan, with the names of those people who did not give up before the difficulties and imaginary impossibilities created by their predecessors, with the names of people who followed their own independent path, and therefore were the destroyers of obstacles to discoveries, which designate epochs, ”wrote the German geographer August Petermann.

Discovery of Semyonov Tien Shansky

Central Asia at the beginning of the 19th century was one of the least explored regions of the world. An indisputable contribution to the study of the "unknown land" - as geographers called Central Asia - was made by Peter Semyonov.

In 1856, the main dream of the explorer came true - he went on an expedition to the Tien Shan.

“My works on Asian geography led me to thorough acquaintance with all that was known about inner Asia. Beckoned me in particular to itself the most central of the Asian mountain ranges - the Tien Shan, on which the foot of a European traveler had not yet set and which was known only from scant Chinese sources.

Semenov's research in Central Asia lasted two years. During this time, the sources of the Chu, Syrdarya and Sary-Dzhaz rivers, the Khan-Tengri peaks and others were mapped.

The traveler established the location of the Tien Shan ridges, the height of the snow line in this area and discovered the huge Tien Shan glaciers.

In 1906, by decree of the emperor, for the merits of the discoverer, the prefix was added to his surname - Tien Shansky.

Asia Przewalski

In the 70-80s. XIX century Nikolai Przhevalsky led four expeditions to Central Asia. This little-studied area has always attracted the explorer, and a trip to Central Asia was his old dream.

Over the years of research have been studied mountain systems Kun-Lun , ridges of Northern Tibet, sources of the Yellow River and Yangtze, basins Kuku-nora and Lob-nora.

Przewalski was the second person after Marco Polo to reach lakes-swamps Lob-nora!

In addition, the traveler discovered dozens of plant and animal species that are named after him.

“Happy fate made it possible to carry out a feasible study of the least known and most inaccessible countries of inner Asia,” Nikolai Przhevalsky wrote in his diary.

Around the world of Kruzenshtern

The names of Ivan Kruzenshtern and Yuri Lisyansky became known after the first Russian round-the-world expedition.

For three years, from 1803 to 1806. - that is how long the first circumnavigation lasted - the ships "Nadezhda" and "Neva", passing through the Atlantic Ocean, rounded Cape Horn, and then reached Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin by the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The expedition refined the map of the Pacific Ocean, collected information about the nature and inhabitants of Kamchatka and the Kuriles.

During the voyage, Russian sailors crossed the equator for the first time. Celebrated this event, according to tradition, with the participation of Neptune.

The sailor, dressed in the lord of the seas, asked Kruzenstern why he came here with his ships, because the Russian flag had not been seen in these places before. To which the commander of the expedition replied: "For the glory of science and our fatherland!"

Expedition of Nevelskoy

Admiral Gennady Nevelskoy is rightfully considered one of the outstanding navigators of the 19th century. In 1849 at transport ship"Baikal" he goes on an expedition to the Far East.

The Amur expedition lasted until 1855, during which time Nevelskoy made several major discoveries in the area of ​​the lower Amur and northern shores Sea of ​​Japan, annexed to Russia the vast areas of the Amur and Primorye.

Thanks to the navigator, it became known that Sakhalin is an island that is separated by the navigable Tatar Strait, and the mouth of the Amur is accessible for ships to enter from the sea.

In 1850, a detachment of Nevelskoy founded the Nikolaevsky post, which today is known as Nikolaevsk-on-Amur.

“The discoveries made by Nevelskoy are invaluable for Russia,” wrote Count Nikolai Muravyov-Amursky - many previous expeditions to these lands could achieve European glory, but none of them achieved domestic benefits, at least to the extent that Nevelskoy did it. "

Vilkitsky North

The purpose of the hydrographic expedition of the Arctic Ocean in 1910-1915. was the development of the Northern Sea Route. By chance, the duties of the head of the voyage were taken over by the captain of the 2nd rank Boris Vilkitsky. Icebreaking ships "Taimyr" and "Vaygach" went to sea.

Vilkitsky moved along the northern water area from east to west, and during the voyage he managed to compose a true description of the northern coast of Eastern Siberia and many islands, received the most important information about the currents and climate, and also became the first who made a through voyage from Vladivostok to Arkhangelsk.

The expedition members discovered the Land of Emperor Nicholas II, known today as New earth- This discovery is considered the last of the significant on the globe.

In addition, thanks to Vilkitsky, the islands of Maly Taimyr, Starokadomsky and Zhokhov were mapped.

At the end of the expedition, the First World War began. The traveler Roald Amundsen, having learned about the success of Vilkitsky's voyage, could not resist exclaiming to him:

"In peacetime, this expedition would excite the whole world!"

Kamchatka campaign of Bering and Chirikov

The second quarter of the 18th century was rich in geographical discoveries. All of them were made during the First and Second Kamchatka expeditions, which immortalized the names of Vitus Bering and Alexei Chirikov.

During the First Kamchatka Campaign, Bering, the leader of the expedition and his assistant, Chirikov, explored and mapped the Pacific coast of Kamchatka and Northeast Asia. They discovered two peninsulas - Kamchatsky and Ozerny, Kamchatsky Bay, Karaginsky Bay, Cross Bay, Providence Bay and St. Lawrence Island, as well as the strait, which today bears the name of Vitus Bering.

Companions - Bering and Chirikov - also led the Second Kamchatka Expedition. The goal of the campaign was to find a way to North America and explore the islands of the Pacific Ocean.

In Avacha Bay, the expedition members laid the foundation for the Petropavlovsk jail - in honor of the ships of navigation "St. Peter" and "St. Paul" - which was later renamed Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

When the ships sailed to the shores of America, by the will of evil fate, Bering and Chirikov began to act alone - because of the fog, their ships lost each other.

"St. Peter" under the leadership of Bering reached the western coast of America.

And on the way back, the members of the expedition, who had a lot of difficulties, were thrown into a small island by a storm. Here Vitus Bering's life ended, and the island where the expedition members stopped to spend the winter was named after Bering.
"St. Paul" Chirikov also reached the shores of America, but for him the voyage ended more safely - on the way back, he discovered a number of islands in the Aleutian ridge and returned safely to the Peter and Paul prison.

Ivan Moskvitin's "Tumbling Lands"

Little is known about the life of Ivan Moskvitin, but this man still went down in history, and the reason for this is the new lands he discovered.

In 1639, Moskvitin, leading a detachment of Cossacks, set sail for the Far East. The main goal of the travelers was “to find new unseasoned lands”, to collect furs and fish. The Cossacks overcame the Aldan, Mayu and Yudomu rivers, discovered the Dzhugdzhur ridge, which separates the rivers of the Lena basin from the rivers flowing into the sea, and along the Ulya river entered the "Lamskoye" or Okhotsk Sea. Having explored the coast, the Cossacks discovered the Tauiskaya Bay and entered the Sakhalin Bay, circling the Shantar Islands.

One of the Cossacks said that the rivers in open lands "are sable, there are many animals, and fish, but fish are big, there is no such fish in Siberia ... there are so many of them - just run the seine and you can't drag the fish out ...".