“Azimut” is a society of travelers and nature lovers founded in 1967 as an outing-club by a group of enthusiasts in a small Russian town Pushchino. Today the society has a long and proud history.
Our team of mountaineers, kayakers and skiers undertook numerous journeys in the most remote places of Russia. The original “Azimut” clubhouse was decorated with the skill and labor of our fellow friends and became one of the places Pushchino was proud of. “Azimut” gathers in its walls three generations of travelers, from stern grey-haired men to restless and joyful children. Every year “Azimut” undertakes new trips – ski-tours in winter, kayaking in spring, mountaineering, cycling, caving and backpacking in summer and autumn. The clubhouse is used to prepare equipment and outfit, organize gatherings where travelers share their experience and impressions, show their photos and videos and discuss plans for future trips. And, of course, here we hold our favorite traditional tea-parties. “Azimut” breathes with the air of warm relationship. Wooden walls are marked with signatures and inscriptions of our many guests from Russia and abroad. These walls, covered with ancient memorabilia and crockery found in the wild, keep in their memory cheerful skits, captivating travel-stories told at our traditional “Thursdays”, and even weddings (more then 20!). People come here like they came to their dear home, where everything had been done with their own hands throughout so many years.
In spite of suffering a tremendous blow when the town administration seized the original clubhouse (it was sold out as an apartment), “Azimut” has been able to survive. We reestablished and reconstructed our clubhouse, again, as in 1967, by the hands of enthusiasts, young and old. A ruinous basement was turned into a nice and cozy place. Carefully kept wooden walls were ported from the old location and reinstalled to give the main hall its original (as much as possible) look.
One year later this new clubhouse was again seized by town administration (becoming a part of new hotel). Society’s meetings are now being held at Pushchino Youth Center. Administration has allocated new premises for “Azimut”. This time it is a garage cargo-handling facility which will take a lot of time and effort to rebuild. “Azimut” has already started reconstruction work and relocated part of its belongings and equipment into a new place.
“Azimut” society is a common cultural property of Pushchino and a living memory of its founders. Even now “Azimut” is a museum of first inhabitants of the town, of their way of life, interests, work, creativity and spirit. But in contrast to a museum, “Azimut” is a unique and striving society, a team of people who love their land and have strength to traverse wilderness to see the beauty of distant snow-capped peaks and foaming rivers. And now, as good news to everyone, we may proudly announce that we have held Azimut's 40th birthday party in our new home, renovated and rebuilt, with our wooden walls and tables back to the place, and almost a hundred members, young and old, celebrating the event!
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