Irkutsk

Tourism information and more.

The capital of Siberia and surrounded by beautiful emerald green forests. Irkutsk is a must, as here you can visit Lake Baikal, the deepest - and coldest! - lake in the world. (A rare example of eco-friendly industry is the wood pulp mill on the edge of Lake Baikal, which purifies waste water through filtration before emptying it back into the lake.) On the way, along the Baikal Highway, the open air Museum of Ancient Siberian architecture is worth a stop to learn about life of the buryat people in Siberia nearly 1000 years ago. Original yurts, wooden huts and churches set in parklands overlooking Angara make a refreshing change for those who are "museumed out." The quaint little Baikal museum is also good to visit to learn some of the Lake's many statistics (such as its size - it's bigger than Belgium!).

Tip: Eat the fish called omul, which is smoked and sold hot on the street around Lake Baikal. The burnt brown skin and white flesh are flavoursome, a real treat which goes down well in cold Siberia. 

The city of Irkutsk was founded in 1661 by Cossacks led by Yakov Pokhabov, seventy kilometres from the shores of  Lake Baikal on the banks of the Angara River. The geographical position of Irkutsk promoted trade links providing furs from the north and tea, silk, porcelain and paper from China and Mongolia in the South.

From a historical point of view, there is a close interrelation between Irkutsk and the Russian State. In the Early 18th century this remote Siberian city became a place where political prisoners were sent in exile. Decembrists, the ‘children of freedom’, had been imprisoned here for 30 years.

The city has many old monuments including the church of Our Saviour, a tower of the old Ilim fortress, an old market, and the house of merchant Sibiryakov. There are four theatres in the city and the local Philharmonic Society is known for its organ recitals. The items displayed in the local Folklore Museum, which was founded in 1782 will draw your attention as well. The French writer Jules Verne said that ‘ Siberia is the country of furs’. Irkutsk has long been the centre of the fur-trade industry in Siberia, its emblem bearing the Sable caught by the Tiger. Among the attractions you will find souvenir shops selling unique items made from Siberian Gemstones such as Charnockite, Lazurite or Nephrite. However, the most impressive feature of the region is Lake Baikal. Lake Baikal holds one third of the worlds fresh water and is home to thousands of species of marine animals, found nowhere else in the world. Having been cut off from the ocean many thousands of years ago, marine and plant life evolved without interference, creating a substantial biodiversity of life. Lovers of nature come from all over the world, attracted by its water, picturesque shores, unique animals and vegetation. These can be seen from a boat, yacht or helicopter. To get closer to nature, scuba diving and snorkeling can bring you to the submarine flora and fauna.

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