City Tour

Irkutsk

Irkutsk - "Weathered by history and life," wrote Irkutsk writer Valentin Rasputin, "Irkutsk now stands, calm and wise, knowing its own value, moderately famous for its glory, past and present, cultured since olden times and traditionally hospitable..."

Duration: 2,5 hours

Included: transport &guide services

The city tour covers all main attractions of the city, Kirov square, Znamensky Orthodox Cathedral and the monument to Alexander the III. It starts with waking-tour of the historical city center and proceeds to the oldest stone construction in the city, the Church of our Savior, thereafter to the symbol of liberty, the Polish Catholic Church and then to the Second World War Memorial and the building of Regional Administration locally called the Gray House. Afterwards the tour goes to Znamensky Orthodox Cathedral, noted for its original iconostasis grave of the so-called Russian Columbus Mr. Shelikhov and the graves of the Decembrist, the Russian aristocrats who were exiled to Siberia after an ill-fated attempt to overthrow monarchy in 1825.

Thereafter it leads us to the Angara embankment and the monument to Alexander the III which commemorates the arrival of the first train in Irkutsk in 1898. The monument is surrounded by several sights, the museum of Regional Studies which is the oldest museum in Russia and the only building made in the Moorish style, and the White House, the local library of the state university.

The city tour passes many historical, cultural and architectural landmarks that make up the flavor of Irkutsk.

Museums’ Excursions

Decembrists' House Museums

Day off: Monday

Duration – 1 hour

As a Siberian city closely associated with the Decembrists, Irkutsk has preserved the evidence of their life and contributions to Siberian society. The museums were opened within the houses, where the families of Sergey Trubetskoy and Sergey Volkonsky had lived. Theses house museums narrate the history of the revolution of 1825, the period of penal servitude and the life of the Decembrists. Personal belongings of the Decembrists, lit candles and music all recreate the atmosphere from the past.

Museum of Regional Studies

Day off: Monday

Duration - 1 hour

The museum represents local history and culture of the people of Central Asia, reflected in unique archaeological collections, including handicrafts, manuscripts, fauna and flora samples. Ethnography exhibitions contain cult Shamanism and Lamaism artifacts of. The whole inventory of the museum amounts to over 300 thousand exhibits.

Irkutsk regional art museum after the name of V.P.Sukachov

Day off: Tuesday

Duration – 1 hour

One of the richest museums in Siberia, it now houses over 16000 exhibits: paintings, graphics, icons, sculptures and crafts. The largest and most interesting part of the collection is represented by the pictures of Russian painters from the 18th-20th centuries. Western European exhibition consists of the paintings of various artists from Holland, Italy, France, Austria, and Germany. A special pride of the museum is the vast collection of Eastern art exhibits from China, Japan, Mongolia and India.

Irkutsk Nerpinary (Baikal Seal Aquarium)

Day off: Saturday, Sunday

Duration – 30 minutes

Tito and Nessie are Baikal Seals. Tito was named after the first space tourist and Nessie after the mysterious inhabitant of the well-known lake. Together they give amazing performances and stun the audience with their abilities. And they can do a lot! In duo seals sing songs, dance and even count! Tito is also very good in painting and having successfully completed his tricks, he finds great pleasure in kissing Nessie.