Znamensky Monastery
Epiphany Cathedral is one of the most expressive sites in town. Originally built in wood in 1693, Epiphany was destroyed in a fire. The church was then rebuilt on site in 1731, but in stone. Construction on the second bell tower began, in the Russian classical style. In 1934, divine services in the cathedral stopped and it was closed until restoration work began in the 1980s. Now it appears almost in its original form, linking Russian Classical and Baroque styles. Its facades are decorated with multi-coloured glazed tiles, with images of flowers and mythical animals.
Epiphany Cathedral
Many of Russia’s Decembrist revolutionaries, drawn from the aristocracy and younger army officers, developed as a secret society to abolish the despotic regime in 1825. They were exiled to Irkutsk after their detention. Irkutsk Historical and Memorial Museum of the Decembrists has 2 memorial estates in the historical centre of town.
Znamensky Monastery was a great architectural and economic formation. The wonderful interior has muralled vaulting, a towering iconostasis and a gold sarcophagus holding the precious relics of Siberian missionary St Inokent. In 1872 at the monastery was opened the hospital for monks. In 1889, they operated a female spiritual school. The monastery also served as a hospice, and sometime later as a parochial school and orphanage.
The development of Siberia was hampered by poor transport links with the rest of the country; for 5 months of the year, unfrozen rivers were the main means of transportation. The first railroad projects in Siberia were promoted after the Moscow-St Petersburg Railway was completed in 1851, to advance colonisation in Russia’s Far East.
The plans and funding for the Trans-Siberian Railway, to connect St Petersburg with the Pacific port of Vladivostok, were approved by Tsar Alexander III and launched by his son in 1889. The Imperial State Budget spent a fortune during the construction years, 1891-1913. The route started in St Petersburg, via Moscow, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk in southern Siberia to Vladivostok. At 9,259 ks, the journey spanned 7 time zones and took c6.5 days.
In 1850, professional theatre history began when an itinerant acting troupe remained in Irkutsk. The first performances were staged in the Noble Assembly building, and soon expanded. In 1857 Irkutsk Theatre hosted the All-Russian premiere of a Alexander Ostrovsky comedy, then other plays. By 1897, the new theatre building was impressive.
Drama Theatre
When political prisoners became involved in growing revolutionary movements, the flow of Jews to Siberia increased. And Irkutsk welcomed the Jews who had completed their military service i.e the Jewish-cantonists i.e underage sons of Russian conscripts who were educated in special Canton schools (abolished 1857) for future military service.
In 1860 merchant YS Dombrowski bought an old house, for a community centre and school. The Irkutsk authorities allowed a modest wooden synagogue in Ap 1878 where the labour was provided by former soldiers. The first service was attended by the Governor General. One of the oldest and most prestigious communities in the Russian Federation, Irkutsk also had a Jewish college at the synagogue, a professional choir and a library.
Timber houses with decorated exteriors
Locals lived in simple structures, until a fire in 1879 destroyed 80% of Irkutsk’s central area. The town was rebuilt quickly, with brightly painted shutters and houses decorated with wooden lacework. Irkutsk’s recovery was aided by the Trans Siberian Railway coming in 1898. This lovely city is located on Angara River, outflow of Sacred Lake Baikal, the deepest freshwater lake anywhere. The 60 ks rail link from Irkutsk to Lake Baikal was completed in 1899.
From 1899-1902 merchant I.M Feinberg constructed a fancy two-storey stone house with architect A Kuznetsov. The many tenants over the years have included Circum-Baikal Railway, the Irkutsk military and Regional Consumer's Association. Later the second floor of the Feinberg House became the Irkutsk Regional Museum.
Feinberg House, later Irkutsk Regional Museum
After defeat in the 1904-5 Russian-Japanese War, when Russia clearly wanted to keep the Empire’s vast eastern lands, they had to improve the railways. Irkutsk’s railway-station, opened 1906, was stunning. Irkutsk was becoming an important industrial centre, shipping in gold and furs from the Lena goldfields. The first industry inside Irkutsk was a brick factory, then ship-repairing, timber, machine tools, oil refining and hydroelectricity. The merchants played a prominent role in the region’s light industries: soap, yeast and paints. And craftsmen who trained in their own school: tailors, shoemakers, jewellers, locksmiths and watchmakers.
The exiled political prisoners came from different political movements: Bundists, Socialist-Revolutionaries, Bolsheviks, Mensheviks and Zionist Socialists, so Siberia became a centre of Zionist political activity. The 1st Congress of the Zionists of Siberia in 1903 in Tomsk was attended by representatives from 13 Siberian communities. And the Bund representatives of Siberia held their conferences in Irkutsk during 1917-22.
The exiled political prisoners came from different political movements: Bundists, Socialist-Revolutionaries, Bolsheviks, Mensheviks and Zionist Socialists, so Siberia became a centre of Zionist political activity. The 1st Congress of the Zionists of Siberia in 1903 in Tomsk was attended by representatives from 13 Siberian communities. And the Bund representatives of Siberia held their conferences in Irkutsk during 1917-22.
Memorial Museum of the Decembrists
After 1923, many of Irkutsk’s religious institutions were closed, including the synagogue and the old cemetery. In 1926 the Irkutsk monastery was also closed and used for war industries. In 1945, the Znamensky Cathedral was returned to the Church again. The monastery was revived recently, but only the church and gates had survived.
Irkutsk (pop 625,000), the Paris of Siberia, is still full of old churches. And it’s a city of museums, literature and science. Photo credits: Tripsib
Trans Siberian Train Route
from Moscow in the west to Vladivostok in the east.
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12 comments:
Boa tarde minha querida amiga. Obrigado pelas fotos maravilhosas. Que arquitetura importante e linda. Obrigado pelo texto maravilhoso. Bom sábado.
Hello Hels, Irkutsk has a unity of architecture that must make the city a pleasant place to stroll around--at least on days suitable for walking. I looked at a few articles about the city, which is not noted for its pleasant climate, although they seemed to find a few nice days to take the pictures. I read that the interesting 19th century British blind traveler and writer James Holman made his Russian journey as far as Irkutsk, but was ordered out of the country on suspicion of his being a spy. Suspicion of everyone seems to be a Russian characteristic.
--Jim
The Trans Siberian Railway must have had a huge influence on both Europe and Asia. It seems like Irkutsk is still a very important city.
Epiphany Cathedral looks spectacularly lush and over-the-top inside, as you might expect, but quite unusual on the exterior. I have not seen another cathedral like it.
Luiz
so many cities had beautiful architecture that was later destroyed by war bombing, fire, invasions, pandemics or careless modernists who torn everything down. Irkutsk was well planned and well protected.
Parnassus
if I had a choice, I would never live in a continental city... only a maritime climate has a chance of being not too hot in summer and not too cold in winter. Irkutsk's coldest season lasts Nov-Feb inclusive, with an average daily high temperature below -7°C. Snow is common for almost half a year :(
That said, the Germans found out about invading brutally cold Russian cities in winter during WW2. They regretted it bitterly (pun intended).
Andrew
Irkutsk was never, and still isn't a very big city, but the arrival of the Trans-Siberian Railway made its location perfect. Had the railway been planned along a more northerly track, or planned to open 50 years later, I imagine Irkutsk would have remained a small, quaint town.
Compare the city size with Louisville Kentucky, Gold Coast Qld, Benoni Sth Africa or Riga Latvia.
Train Man
I love the interior but you are right... I have seen that glorious interior around the world. The interior’s walls and barrel vaulted ceiling are decorated with endless glittering mosaic tiles depicting religious figures. But the multi-tiered exterior was built in the style that became known as Siberian Baroque. The church and steeple are a traditional Russian Siberian architectural style while the adjacent bell tower is Neoclassical. So strange that the locals apparently call the exterior a gingerbread house.
well no doubt the climate will improve . I hear they are having summer days in Siberia which get into the high 30s. The melting of the permafrost is going to release an enormous amount of methane and Co2 so it will warm up everywhere including Irkutsk . I imagine living on the coast may become less attractive then !!
I just love the timber buildings of Russia. I imagine that it was a preferred option due to the huge timber resources and the limited time each year to quarry stone .Timber buildings would have been quicker to build too. Maybe in my next life I will get to Irkutsk . Thanks for taking us there in my current one Hels.
mem
Thank you for the reminder :) Climate change deniers drive me nuts, but wouldn't it be ironic if some parts of the world were actually happy with their warmer weather.
The wooden architecture was very sensible. Firstly the timber was readily available and relatively cheap. And also the buildings were made from large logs, which guaranteed great insulation, security from thieves and stability for the high roof. Fire was the only risk.
Son de gran belleza, esos edificios y hablan de una época en qque la mayoría de los trabajos se hacían de forma artesanal. Los detalles se cuidaban con esmero y los adornos de las fachadas se hacían con un gran mimo.
Que tengas una excelente semana.
Ventana de foto
I liked the tourist page that told the following story. Irkutsk has assets to work with that many cities around the world can only dream of – beautiful Lake Baikal nearby, the Trans-Siberian Railway, an interesting history and museum base, a linguistic university and rural Russian hospitality in a urban setting. That doesn't mean that the protected architecture will remain protected forever - capitalists can destroy a building in a heartbeat and build up something new in its place.
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