Irkutsk
Irkutsk (Иркутск), the chief town of the Irkutsk Oblast, is one of the most important places in Siberia, being not only the principal commercial depot north of Tashkent, but also a fortified military post, an archbishopric of the Russian Orthodox Church and the seat of several learned societies. It is situated at 52°17′N 104°16′E, 5 185 km by rail from Moscow. Pop. (1875) 32,512, (1900) 49,106, (1975) 500,000, (2002) 593,400.
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Layout
The town proper lies on the right bank of the Angara, a tributary of the Yenisei, 45 miles below its outflow from Lake Baikal, and on the opposite bank is the suburb of Glaskovsk. The river, which has a breadth of 1900 ft. (579 m), is crossed by a flying bridge. The Irkut, from which the town takes its name, is a small river which joins the Angara directly opposite the town, the main portion of which is separated from the monastery, the fort, the port and the suburbs by another tributary, the Ida or Ushakovka.
Irkutsk has long been reputed to be a remarkably fine city — its streets being straight, broad, well paved and well lighted; but in 1879, on the 4th and 6th of July, the palace of the (then) Governor General, the principal administrative and municipal offices and many of the other public buildings were destroyed by fire; and the government archives, the library and museum of the Siberian section of the Russian Geographical Society were utterly ruined.
On July 27, 2004, Irkutsk's synagogue built in 1881 suffered an electrical fire. A cathedral (built of wood in 1693 and rebuilt of stone in 1718), the governor's palace, a school of medicine, a museum, a military hospital, and the crown factories are among the public institutions and buildings. The illustrious natives of Irkutsk include Nikolay Okhlopkov.
History
Irkutsk grew out of the winter quarters established (1652) by Ivan Pokhabov for the collection of the fur tax from the Buryats. Its existence as a town dates from 1686.
The most significant person in the religious life of Irkutsk is Saint Innocent of Irkutsk (1797–1879, born Ivan Veniaminov) who was born near Irkutsk, and later entered into the Orthodox priesthood. He did missionary travels with his family to the Aleutians. He learned local languages and translated the Gospels and the hymns. Later, after his wife died, Veniaminov became a monk, Innocent. He was raised to bishop, and then archbishop of Irkutsk (till 1867 when he was appointed to the metropolitan Moscow). His title as a saint is "Miracleworker Innocent of Irkutsk".
In the early nineteenth century, many Russian artists, officers and nobles were sent into exile to Siberia for their part in the Decembrist revolt against Tsar Nicholas I. Irkutsk became the major center of intellectual and social life for these exiles, and much of the city's cultural heritage comes from them; also, many of their wooden houses, adorned with ornate, hand-carved decorations, survive today in stark contrast with the standard Soviet apartment blocks that surround them.
During the civil war that broke out after the Bolshevik Revolution, Irkutsk became the site of many furious, bloody clashes between the "Whites" and the "Reds". In 1920, Kolchak, the once-feared commander of the largest contingent of anti-Bolshevik forces, was executed there, effectively destroying the anti-Bolshevik resistance.
Transport
Important roads and railway stations connect Irkutsk to other regions in Russia and Mongolia. Also, the city is served by the Irkutsk International Airport.
References
- This article incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, a publication in the public domain.
Photographs
- Epiphany Cathedral (1718-46)
- Our Lady of Kazan Church (1885-92)
- Ascension Church (1747-51)
- Saviour Church (1706-13)
- Wooden chapel (1678)
