Irkutsk

Irkutsk is one of the largest cities in Siberia, the city lies at the Angara River, which is connected to the Yenisei, the main portion of the city is separated from several important landmarks of Irkutsk.
As a city in Siberia Irkutsk experiences a very cold and long winter that is around January which being the coldest month, though summer can be very warm with the warmest month is July.

Irkutsk is located 60km East of the world famous Lake Baikal. It is administrative centre of Irkutsk oblast (province) in the east-central Russia. The city lies along the Angara River at its confluence with the Irkut River. More than 750,000 people live in this city surrounded by natural beauty. Gorgeous birch forests link urban center to its residential area giving a kind of resort feeling to Irkutsk.  It was founded as a wintering camp in 1652, during the first Russian colonization of the area; a fort was built in 1661, and Irkutsk rapidly became the main centre of Cisbaikalia and of the Russian trade route to China and Mongolia. It acquired town status in 1686. Its importance grew after the coming of the Trans-Siberian Railroad in 1898. The city of Irkutsk, with attractive embankments along the river and many surviving wooden houses on its tree-lined streets, is an administrative and cultural centre for Eastern Siberia and of the Russian Far East. Irkutsk State University (1918) and the Siberian branch of the Academy of Sciences are among the city’s many teaching and research institutes. Irkutsk has taken on several roles in its nearly 350 years of existence, including expedition base for explorations of Siberia, city of exiles, and gold rush town, just to name a few. The city’s nicknames include the capital of Siberia, the pearl of Siberia, and even Paris of Siberia.

Irkutsk is lighthearted and sunny, filled with pastel-colored 18th century buildings and delicately sculptured old wooden houses where the political rebels lived n serene exile. Elaborate brick mansions were built at the turn of the century, and the dark black wooden cabins were adorned with a local "lace" sculpture that gives them a touch of the Italian Renaissance. In the late 19th century, gold was discovered in the nearby Lena Basin, and the Siberian Gold Rush began. People came to the region hoping to strike it rich, and those who were successful built sprawling classical mansions and financed public buildings, some of which still stand today. Irkutsk is in many ways the heart of Siberia, with its proximity to Lake Baikal. As a local writer once noted, "To miss seeing Irkutsk is to miss Siberia."

Museums

MUSEUM OF REGIONAL HISTORY.
Museum initiated and established in 1872 by F. Klichka, the governor of Irkutsk. The building itself, constructed in Moresque is a fine example of architecture of the last century. The collection of the museum is claimed to have 350 thousand of exhibits. The Taltsy Museum of Architecture and Ethnography (the Wooden Architecture Museum) is appraised by decree from the President of the Russian Federation as a highly valuable object of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia.

THE SUKACHEV'S FINE ARTS MUSEUM.
Operating hours: from 10:00am to 6:00pm, closed on Tuesdays. Founded in the 1870s as the Sukachev Picture Gallery. Before the revolution city in tsarist Russia had such a collection except for St. Petersburg with its Emperor's Hermitage and Moscow with its Tretyakov Art Gallery. Over 14,000 exhibits: pictures, sculptures, ceramics. Old church wooden sculptures. Icons of Novgorod, Siberian and other schools (16th-17th centuries). Canvases by the best Russian painters from the 18th-20th centuries: I. Repin, V. Polenov, K. Korovin, B. Kustodiev, P. Konchalovsky, F. Malyavin, K. Petrov-Vodkin, A. Plastov. Western European masters from the 16th-19th centuries. Collection of paintings from China, India and Japan. Applied Art. Works from modern artists and sculptors.

THE DECEMBRISTS' MEMORIAL COMPLEX.
Operating hours: from 10:00am to 6:00pm: House-Museum of Trubetskoy, closed on Tuesdays, House-Museum of Volkonsky closed on Monday. Irkutsk is recognized as the Decembrists center of Russia. Museums have opened (in 1970, 1985) in houses where the families of Sergei Trubetskoy and Sergey Volkonsky lived. There are genuine things which belonged to the Decembrists and replicas of those things which were lost, such as pieces of furniture, tableware, stoves, musical instruments, ancient chandeliers, embroidery, books, sheet music, pictures, photographs in the museums. On certain days, just like when the hosts were alive, the candles are lit, music is played and poetry and stories are recited.

THE TALTSY MUSEUM.
Founded in 1969, the museum is conveniently situated on the road to Lake Baikal, 47 km of the Baikal highway. There are over 40 monuments of architectural heritage and 8,000 exhibits of high historical value. Two architectural-ethnographical areas - Russian and Buryat - show a large variety of housing and life of the Siberians.The most valuable monuments in Taltsy are the Savior's gate tower of the ostrog (fort) of Ilimsk (1667) and an active Kazan Chapel (1679). Take the opportunity to see and be acquainted with the life of old Siberia.
Operating hours: daily, from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

LOCAL ART GALLERY. The gallery has more than 16 thousand of pieces of art of Russian, Buriatian and Oriental origin. The treasury of the gallery boasts of unique paintings of famous of I. Repin, I. Shishkin, V. Polenov, I. Savrasov. The history of the area in 19th century is directly associated with Decembrists. The displays of The Trubetskoy's and Volkonsky's Houses tell the story of life in exile of the legendary nobles.

Theatres

ORGAN HALL.
The Polish Roman-Catholic church is the only Gothic building constructed in Siberia. In 1978 it housed an Organ Hall of Irkutsk. Irkutsk was the second city in Siberia that set organ. Our organ, like all existing organs, is unique and does not have an analog. By the appearance, made in Baroque, it is one of the most beautiful organs of the country. Irkutsk Regional Drama Theater. The traditions of the theater were rooted in 18 century. A legend of theatre — is the birth of famed A. Vampilov on its stage.

IRKUTSK REGIONAL PHILHARMONIC HALL
The hall was established in 1939, in the building of former local government. During the years of existence, philharmonic orchestra has worked out three main tendencies. Diversity of the repertoire, engagement of young local musicians and third tendency is participation of foreign musicians in its performances. Cinemas

BARGUZIN
Baikalskaya st., 107
Tel.: 231330

DRUZHBA
Marshala Zhukova av., 56
Tel.: 238077

IRKUT
Ryabikova bul., 2b
Tel.: 438257

PIONER
Karla Marxa st., 43
Tel.: 331949

CHAIKA
Tereshkovoj st 23
Tel.: 431905

EKRAN
Omulevskogo st., 31
Tel.: 270150

Transport
Buses, trolleybuses (electric buses), and trams (on tracks) operate on an honour system. Tickets (called "taloni") are the same for all three and can be purchased in a 10-pack from the driver, at kiosks situtated near bus stops, and at some other kiosks. To validate your ticket, slide it into the top of one of the devices mounted on the walls, and punch it. During the day, especially in the city centre, these forms of transportation can get extremely crowded. People often pass their tickets through the crowd to someone standing near a punching device. If you are handed a ticket, please pass it along or punch it and pass it back, as appropriate. If you travel without a ticket and an inspector catches you, you will be fined 100 rubles. (Make sure to get a receipt when you pay the fine.)
Tram numbers are posted on small signs hanging on wires above the street. Trams stop in the middle of the street, but you can wait on the sidewalk. When a tram approaches, cars are obliged to stop and wait for passengers getting on and off the tram. Taxis. Take only official taxis. Any car can be flagged down and a price agreed on between you and the driver; but officially licensed taxis can be recognised by a checkered light on top or checkered stripes on the side, often faded.
Don't get into a car which already has a passenger.
If you are taking the taxi to a private residence, never give the exact address.
Most taxis do not operate with a meter, and not all drivers are 100% trustworthy. Settle on a price before you board. Always pay in roubles, to avoid a higher price and possible robbery.

Irkutsk has a lot of dishes to offer its guests.
Some of the foreign guests, however fell in love with traditional Russian pelmeny and borshch. They are served at the restaurant Siberian Traktir (tel: (3952)290-181). Restaurant Aura is one of the best reataurants in Western Siberia. It opens from noon to 1a.m. Specialities include complex soups, pelmenyi dumplings, healthy portions of fruit, and meat stews. About $25 a person. (Proletarskaya 13th Street, tel: 335-606).

Restaurants
ARKTIKA
Karla Marksa 26
Tel.: 346763

BAIKAL
Bogdana Khmelnitskogo st., 1
Tel.: 249630

DRAKON
5 Army st., 67
Tel.: 332386

ILIGA
Sovetskaya st., 85
Tel.: 271042

LAGUNA
Litvinova st., 20
Tel.: 275975

OLIMP
Baikalskaya st., 255
Tel.: 352889

SAVOYA
Chkalova st., 2
Tel.: 340522

SAN ROMA
Stepana Razina st., 5
Tel.: 340529

TALISMAN
Lermontova st., 100a
Tel.: 431402

U SHVEIKA
Karla Marksa st., 34
Tel.: 336954