In the eastern part of Siberia, 55 kilometers from Lake Baikal, in the place where two rivers - Irkut and Ushakovka - flow into the Angara River, the city of Irkutsk is located. The village has a long history, and the official date of its appearance is 1652.
A bit of history
In that year, the explorer Pokhabov Ivan founded a prison here, which quickly “overgrown” the settlement. Then the village was called Yadashsky. But over time, this name disappeared from the lexicon, and it is still called by the river of the same name - Irkutsk.
Because of its location, the settlement played a crucial role in trade with China. Even periodic earthquakes did not interfere with the development of trade relations. The city held regular fairs. During the suppression of the Decembrist uprising, many participants in the rebellion were exiled to the city. Therefore, already in the middle of the XIX century in the city there were about 2.4 thousand houses and 19 temples.
Over time, Irkutsk became the center of the gold mining industry. In 1891, a pontoon bridge was built, and by 1892 there were about 60 industrial enterprises. By the beginning of the last century, water supply appeared in the city and 2 power plants were being built.
Today, the city is a cultural, business and industrial center of Eastern Siberia. A lot of attractions in Irkutsk that thousands of tourists come to see.
Holy places
The city has many temples and churches. They can surprise with their decoration even a sophisticated tourist. There are more than 20 temples and churches.
The main attraction of Irkutsk is the Temple of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, located in the historical part of the city (formerly Handicraft settlement) on 34 Barrikad Street. This is the Cathedral of the Irkutsk and Angarsk Metropolis. The church was founded in 1885. The interior was created by artisans who lived at that time in the city: gilders, icon painters and others. However, only one name was left in the annals of the carver V. Karataev, who made the choir and iconostases for the three chapels of the church. The whole range of finishing work was completed by 1982.
Until 1936 the church was able to resist, but, like most Orthodox churches, it was closed. After some time, it began to conduct courses of projectionists and opened a bookstore base. For some time, the Siberian Souvenir plant even worked in the church.
In 1988, restoration work began, which was carried out exclusively for donations from parishioners.
The next most visited attraction in Irkutsk is the Holy Cross Exaltation Church (1 Sedova Street). This is a spiritual place and a vivid example of Siberian baroque. It was founded in 1747, and all construction work was completed by 1760.
The church gained fame for its facade, which is richly crowned with an ornament of complex patterns that consist of ordinary geometric shapes. In addition, the Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross Exaltation is the only building in which the interior created in the 18th century was completely preserved.
The third in the list of holy attractions of Irkutsk is the Znamenskaya Church, located on the territory of the Znamensky Monastery on Angarskaya Street, 14. This is one of the oldest buildings in the city. Back in 1757, a stone church was laid, which was erected at the expense of the local merchant Bichevin Ivan. Since 1990, the relics of St. Innocent of Irkutsk have been within its walls.
About the convent itself, on the territory of which the church is located, the first mention was found in the annals of 1689. This year is the date of its foundation.
Other attractions
What other sights in Irkutsk are visited by Orthodox believers?
|
Title |
Year of foundation |
Location and Short Description |
|
Church of the Savior of the Miraculous Image |
1706 |
Located in a public garden (on the territory of the lost Irkutsk Kremlin). The first building was erected in 1672 and was wooden, which burned down in 1716. The uniqueness of the church is that the walls are painted not only inside, but also outside. At the same time, when the restoration of the temple began in the 70s, the internal painting could not be preserved, and the external ones were completely recreated in their original form. |
|
Mikhailo-Arkhangelsk Kharlampievskaya Church, or Sea Temple |
1777 |
Located on the street of the 5th Army. It has the status of a cultural heritage site. The first wooden church was opened in 1738, and in 1777 a stone structure was already built. It was here that blessed sailors on a long voyage. Therefore, the temple is also called the Sea. And in 1904, Kolchak Alexander was married here with Sofia Omirova. |
|
Transfiguration Church |
1795 |
The church is located in Volkonsky Lane 1. Here, between 1845 and 1855, the Decembrists lived with their families: Trubetskoy S.P. and Volkonsky S.G., who married there. |
|
Church of the Holy Trinity |
1750-1778 |
The temple is located on the street of the 5th Army. The exact date of construction to this day is not known. The building itself is also a unique example of Siberian baroque. In 1949, it even housed a planetarium. |
Naturally, this is not a complete list of all the temples and churches of the city. There are many more ancient buildings, and completely new ones built later than 2000.
Baikal Muftiate
Description of the sights of Irkutsk can not be imagined without a juma mosque of the city. This is the center of the Tatar-Bashkir community. The first building was erected in 1 year: from 1901 to 1902 - at the expense of the brothers Zahidulla and Shafigulla. There is a cathedral mosque at the address: K. Liebknecht street, 86.
Initially, it was a wooden structure that could not accommodate all the Muslims of the city, and fundraising began for the construction of a stone structure, which already opened its doors to the faithful in 1905. The stone mosque was recognized as one of the best in the whole country. However, the high minaret was dismantled between 1939 and 1946. But in the spring of 2012 was completely restored to its original form. The building of the mosque is listed as a cultural heritage site at the federal level.
Parks and nature
Naturally, the list of attractions of the city of Irkutsk is not limited to holy places, both Christian and Muslim. On the territory and in the surrounding area of the city is magnificent nature. There are many national parks and city squares.
Pribaikalsky National Park
Naturally, going to Irkutsk, in no case can not visit this park. It was created in 1986 and occupies about 417 thousand hectares. Located in several areas of the Irkutsk region. The Pribaikalsky National Park has a very diverse landscape: from rocky and mountainous steppes to sand dunes, tundra. There are Tazheran lakes, relic plants and cedar-fir groves, pebble and sand beaches.
On the territory of the park you can see unique birds, up to the very rare - balaban and burial ground. There are unique amphibians - the Mongolian toad. Patterned snake also lives here. It is listed in the Red Book of the Irkutsk region.
From unique and listed in the Red Book of plants in the park grows: penny Zunduksky, astragalus Olkhonsky and arthropod almost woolly.
To get to the main entrance to the park, you need to take a bus following route No. 16, 17 or 56, or a minibus No. 72, 116, 72, 524 and get off at the Gormolkombinat stop. You can also get on tram number 5 or 6 and get off at the Solnechny terminus. A minibus taxi number 5k also arrives here.
Healing complex
In the city, there is another attraction of Irkutsk - the natural healing complex "Shumak". It is located on Piskunov Street, 140/4.
The complex has more than 100 springs with healing mineral water, which is completely different in composition and helps against many diseases. This is the uniqueness of the natural complex. Conventionally, all sources are divided into 3 lines:
- 1 line - 42 sources. The temperature in them ranges from +10 to +30 ˚С. Depending on the source number, water helps with nervous diseases, with problems with the heart, liver, kidneys and teeth, and other pathologies.
- 2 line - 42 sources. The composition of these waters can be compared with those treated in the resort of Tskhaltubo - with a high content of sulfates. They help with problems with the lungs, potency, gall bladder and so on.
- 3 line. These waters are characterized by a high content of radon and are similar in composition to the waters of Pyatigorsk and Yamkun (Chita region).
It is safe to say that Shumsky springs are one of the most important attractions of Irkutsk. Their appearance is associated with a tectonic fault that appeared about 23-1.6 million years ago. Therefore, these sources are among the youngest on the planet.
Kai relic grove
Between the three rivers of Irkutsk there are green light cities. Representatives of taiga flora and fauna have survived in the Kai relic grove. Geographically, every 10 residents of the Irkutsk region live in this area. And in 1879, when there was a large-scale fire in the city, the grove became a refuge for the inhabitants of the village.
And on the nearby street - Kasyanov, there lived a famous Soviet film director Leonid Gaidai.
The main attractions of the city of Irkutsk in the Kai grove - Glazkovsky necropolis. Excavations of burials and sites give the right to claim that people lived here 30-35 thousand years ago.
Sports Park "Polyana"
On the left bank of the river, along 37/3 Starokuzmikhinskaya Street, there is a sports park, another attraction of Irkutsk. In winter, lovers of outdoor recreation come here. It offers visitors an ice rink with the opportunity to rent the necessary equipment and with free entrance.
And Siberian huskies are always ready to ride on a sleigh. Also in the park there are two ski runs with a length of 2 and 4 kilometers. You can do Nordic walking here, which is gaining more and more popularity in our country.
In the warmer months of the year, you can play volleyball, paintball and go cycling in the sports park.
Museums and History
There are a lot of attractions in Irkutsk. Arriving in the city, you should definitely visit the manor complex of Volkonsky S. G. and Trubetskoy S. P. It is located in 10 Volkonsky Lane and 64 Dzerzhinsky Street. Now there is a museum, whose collection has been formed since 1925. The complex includes 2 Decembrists' estates, where you can get acquainted with their life and genuine things.
Sukachev Manor, located on 112 December Events Street, is a material confirmation of the achievements of Siberian architecture. The building was erected for 6 years: from 1882 to 1888. It was a place where the local intelligentsia and creative people gathered. Vladimir Sukachev himself became famous as a philanthropist and a man who opened schools, shelters for the poor and children of criminals, for the blind and those affected by the fire of 1879.
