Irkutsk

Understand

Irkutsk was founded in 1661 as a settlement for trading gold and furs. It was connected to Europe via a road constructed in 1760.

After the Decemberist Revolt of 1825, many Russian artists, officers, and nobles were sent into exile to Siberia for their part in the revolt against Tsar Nicholas I and in the late 1800s, 30% of the population of the city were exiles. Irkutsk became the major centre of intellectual and social life for these exiles, and much of the city's cultural heritage is a result of these exiles. Many of their wooden houses, adorned with ornate, hand-carved decorations, survive today in stark contrast with the surrounding Soviet apartment blocks. Around 1900, the city was nicknamed the "Paris of Siberia" due to its wide streets and ornate, continental architecture, but travellers today will find little resemblance with Paris.

During the civil war that broke out after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917-1922, Irkutsk became the site of many furious, bloody clashes between the "Whites" and the "Reds" (aka Bolsheviks). A number of city landmarks remain from that era. In 1920, Kolchak, the once-feared commander of the largest contingent of anti-Bolshevik forces, was executed in Irkutsk, effectively destroying the anti-Bolshevik resistance.

Today, Irkutsk is the 6th largest city in Siberia, with a growing population of more than 590,000 people. It's home to several universities and a major branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, due to its proximity to Lake Baik…

See

Among the Soviet concrete monstrosities, Irkutsk features many of atmospheric, decaying wooden buildings. Most of these are either abandoned or still used as private residences and add to the atmosphere of the city.

Do

thumb|right|200px|Drama Theater Walk down Ul. Uritskovo, a pedestrian street with shops and cafes.

Buy

thumb|200px|Kamusi Wood carvings, birchwood boxes, and lacquer boxes are typical souvenirs of Siberia. A few hotels have souvenir stalls in the lobby, and the Regional Museum at Ul. Karla Marksa 2 has a decent selection in their gift shop as well.

Kamusi are winter boots used by native Siberians made out of deer, elk, or other fur. One place to buy is at a small shop across from the bus station at Ul. Oktyabrskoi Revolyutsii 20B called "Aikhal". It is in a courtyard behind some kiosks, so it takes some searching. They have kamusi for men, women, and children, with prices starting at about .

Eat

For a local speciality, Omul, Sig and Kharius are local fishes found in the lake Baikal (available in many restaurants). Cold smoked kharius is good with beer. Hot smoked kharius you can find in Listvyanka or Kultuk villages near Baikal lake. Price depends on fish size and is usually about for one. In the Central or New market (Noviy Rinok) you can buy kharius and sig caviar - tasty.

National Buryat big dumplings (boozy, pozy) can be found in Amrita cafés. It's a special Buryat fast food chain with some cafés in the middle of town. Cheap, tasty. Pozy is a steamed meat (beef with pork) big dumplings that must be eaten using only hands.

Drink

Liverpool — Is a somewhat Beatles themed restaurant which is also a nightclub with young beautiful Russian hipsters and 2 dance floors. Not much on out of season. Balsams Buryatia and Amrita are very nice Buryat alcoholic drinks (costs about each ). Balsam Buryatia was consecrated by Dalai-Lama XIV, as it says label on the bottle.

Sleep

Many locals have rooms for rent and services such as Airbnb are popular ways of finding accommodation.

Go next

thumb|right|200px|Wooden Church at Taltsi Listvyanka is the closest village to see Lake Baikal. Purchase bus tickets online or at the bus station at ulitsa Oktyabrskoy Revolyutsii, 11. Irkutsk port serves boats to Ust-Barguzin, Nizhneangarsk, Bolshoye Koty, Listvyanka and port Baikal on the Circum-Baikal Railway. Circum-Baikal Railway and the southmost village on the shore Slyudyanka. Daily trains to Mongolia arrive after 36 hours to Ulaanbaatar.