Seven Brothers and One Sister Rocks

Six kilometres south-east of Verkh-Neyvinsky, on Sibratskaya Mountain (422.5 m), stand the granite pillars — seven brothers sharing a common base, with the Sister standing apart. The ridge stretches about 150 metres, individual rocks rising 25–45 metres: these are outcrops of the Verkh-Isetsky granite massif with the famous Ural 'mattress' weathering. There are several origin legends: the brothers and sister were children of a cruel factory manager, turned to stone at the sister's cry; seven gold-washing brothers; giants guarding Demidov's treasure; seven wizards turned into crags by Yermak. On the coat of arms of Verkh-Neyvinsky the rocks appear as seven gold diamonds and an eighth silver one — the sister. Since the early 20th century the site has been tied to the labour movement: secret meetings of the Verkh-Neyvinsky factory workers were held in the rocks, and a historic inscription survives. Since 2001 the Seven Brothers and One Sister have been protected as a nature monument of 100 hectares with geomorphological, botanical and revolutionary-historical profiles. Today it is one of the region's main climbing crags: dozens of routes line the walls, with clubs and teams training here in summer. Nearby are the Rock of Love (Koldun) and the Semibratsky spring.