At the foot of Mount Vysokaya, by the banks of a picturesque river, amidst the endless Ural forests, the Nizhny Tagil Iron and Steel Works was founded. It was established by industrial patron Akinfiy Demidov in 1725. Until the mid-18th century, this steel giant was part of the largest mining and metallurgical empire in the Urals and played a key role in Nizhny Tagil. The factory was distinguished by modern equipment and skilled craftsmen. Although the enterprise is no longer operational today, it remains a symbol of the city. Now it is the only museum-factory in Russia and an open-air monument of industrial architecture, with very few analogs in the world.

The history of the factory began with the construction of the largest dam in the Urals, from which workers laid wooden aqueducts over 220 meters long. In the center of the dam, a blast furnace factory was placed. The layout of the factory corresponded to the industrial style of that era. Workshops producing parts for future mechanisms were located on either side of the aqueducts.

Nearby, metalworking masters were at work. Small productions that did not require water energy emerged around the factory. The main enterprise of the Urals concentrated all administrative and technological systems.

The Nizhny Tagil factory was considered the leading one in the Russian Empire. The products manufactured in its workshops were highly valued in Europe. The factory's equipment surpassed even the English and Swedish, which were considered impeccable.

The Ural giant managed to produce inexpensive and high-quality products. The range included 14 types of iron, as well as cannonballs and cannons. The factory's products were in demand in Europe, much like the fashionable sable fur of those years.

Interestingly, the stamp "Old Sable" with the image of the fur-bearing animal was placed on all the factory's products in the 18th-19th centuries. It is believed that the idea of marking iron belonged to the Demidovs. Soon, other Russian enterprises began to use this mark.

By the end of the 18th century, the industrial revolution in England quickly spread across Europe and Russia. New productions with modern equipment emerged, leading to a decrease in metal prices while maintaining quality. In such conditions, the Nizhny Tagil factory, like other Demidov enterprises, lost its leading positions. Competition with new productions was tough, and the title of "the supporting edge of the state" passed to Central Russia and the Donbass.

The fate of the factory was also influenced by the behavior of the descendants of the Demidov dynasty, who preferred a leisurely life to the development of the factories. The factories stood idle without financial investments.

Despite the difficulties, the history of the factory continued. In the early 20th century, it was modernized, and it supplied products for the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. After the revolution, the factories were nationalized, and the Nizhny Tagil factory was renamed in honor of the people's commissar Valerian Kuybyshev.

The factory made a significant contribution to the victory over fascist Germany, producing armor steel and ferroalloys for military equipment.

By the mid-20th century, the factory's production capacity decreased, and further development required new spaces that were not available. Additionally, the factory was causing environmental damage. In 1957, it became part of a new industrial giant, the Nizhny Tagil Metallurgical Combine, and operated until 1987, when it was ceremoniously shut down.

The fate of the factory was not decided immediately. Authorities planned to demolish it, but local historians intervened. Two years after its closure, the factory became part of the museum-reserve "Mountainous Ural," and a new history began.

Today, the Demidov factory operates as a museum. Guided tours are held on its territory, where visitors can see about 500 industrial exhibits. The main one is the blast furnace shop, which has preserved its original appearance. Ural historians tell about the power plant, production office, hydro turbine, and other objects.

Visitor routes pass through the foundry, rolling, open-hearth, and forge shops. Viewing three exhibitions and six displays takes half a day.

Industrial artifacts that have reached 150 years of age are listed in the register of monuments of factory architecture.

Today, the industrial park is part of the cultural heritage and a monument that allows one to immerse themselves in the world of Ural masters who lived three centuries ago.