Excavators have disturbed Lake Baikal's master: a huge pit has been dug near the sacred Shamanka Rock.
On Olkhon Island, in the immediate vicinity of Cape Burkhan and Shamanka Rock, heavy equipment has dug a large industrial pit. The excavation work is part of a protracted major overhaul of a local road, which has been unfinished for several years. The construction project in this sacred site has sparked harsh criticism, as shamanists and Buddhists have historically considered the rock a sacred area where any noise is prohibited.
Stormwater treatment plants
Large-scale construction work has begun on Olkhon Island, right next to Shamanka Rock, sacred to shamanists and Buddhists. Workers have dug a huge pit for the installation of two underground stormwater collection tanks, each with a capacity of 150 cubic meters. They will form part of a stormwater drainage system that will collect and purify rainwater and meltwater from the roadway on Pushkin Street.
The large-scale excavations are part of a major road overhaul. The island has been unable to be paved since 2018—the project was launched after local residents complained to Vladimir Putin during a direct line. During this time, only a small portion of the 40-kilometer road from the ferry crossing to the village of Khuzhir has been paved—a five-kilometer stretch from Khuzhir to Kharantsy, the access road to Khuzhir, and the village's main street, Baikalskaya.
A billion-dollar budget, delayed deadlines, and a trail of corruption
The Ministry of Construction currently estimates the project's cost at 2 billion rubles, and the completion date has been pushed back to 2028. The road from the crossing to Khuzhir is promised to include bike paths, bus stops, observation decks, restrooms, and a wastewater disposal system with on-site treatment facilities. The current wastewater treatment facility design has formally passed state review and been approved by the Irkutsk regional government, but the work at the sacred rock has shocked local residents.
It's worth noting that the implementation of this road project has already been marred by major scandals. Late last year, the head of the Irkutsk Road Directorate, Yulia Gordina, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for accepting a 3,5 million ruble bribe. Searches of the Road Directorate's offices began in January 2023 and were directly related to the road construction on Olkhon Island.
The sacred meaning of Cape Burkhan
Shamanka Rock (Cape Burkhan) is one of the most sacred sites, revered by shamanists and Buddhists since ancient times. According to legend, its cavernous passage is home to the fearsome spirit-master of Olkhon, considered the most powerful deity of Lake Baikal. Sacrifices were once made near it. To avoid disturbing him with noise, horses' hooves at the foot of the rock were wrapped in felt to ensure silence.
At the beginning of the last century, hundreds of lamas flocked here for large-scale prayer services, and for centuries, unbreakable vows were sworn on the rock itself, requests for children were made, and generous offerings were made. Controversies surrounding development along the shores of Lake Baikal regularly erupt. It was only in May 2025 that a Ferris wheel was launched near Shamanka, despite protests from shamans and environmentalists, and it finally began operating.
