Perm (Krai)

Perm Region (Krai) is located on the western slopes of the Urals and is home to the Russian salt mining industry. Locals got the funny nickname ‘salt ears’, because the workers, who carried heavy bags of salt on their shoulders, had their ears enlarged and reddened over time. The salt capital of Russia is the city of Solikamsk.

The capital of the region is Perm, which, until 1781, was known as Yagoshikha (Egoshikha) and, from 1940 to 1957, was named after the Soviet politician Vyacheslav Molotov (Chairman of the Sovnarkom and People’s Commissar of Foreign Affairs of the USSR). The city stands on the banks of the Kama River and one of the most recognizable sights is a huge art object with the inscription: “Happiness is not far off.”