Page of Sergey Golovanov

Omsk tours

Omsk 

is

-        a great city with population of 1,120, 000.

-        a large traffic centre where the Trans-Siberian railway crossed the ways and river Irtysh.

-        the river port and the airport

-        the largest in Russia petroleum refinery Gasprom Neft

-        a centre of the heavy engineering,  printing, chemical and light industry.

-        an educational centre: 150 schools and lycées, 30 institutes of higher education and colleges.

-        a culture centre: 11 museums, 20 theatres and concert halls. 

history REview:

In 1716 Omsk was founded as a result of unsuccessful expedition by Colonel Ivan   Buchholz. The first Omsk fortress existed more than 50 years and became full worthlessness. 

In 1768-1771 General Ivan Springer built the second fortress on the right bank of the river Om�.

In 1782 Omsk fortress became one of ten district settlements of Tobolsk province.

In 1822 Western-Siberian and East-Siberian provinces were established in Siberia. The residence of the Governor-General of Western-Siberia was Omsk. The Governor-General transferred with his chancellery from Tobolsk to Omsk.

In 1896 the railroad bridge across Irtysh was constructed and a traffic between Chelyabinsk and Novonikolayevsk begun. Omsk became an important traffic centre for transit of cargoes.

In the beginning 20^th century there were in Omsk many classical and modern designed buildings, which gave unique shape to Omsk.

After October 1917 Omsk became the political centre of the Soviet rule in Western Siberia. Then after an anticommunist rebellion Omsk became a stronghold of the White Forces. 

During December 1918 � November 1919 Omsk was residence of the Supreme governor of Russia Admiral Alexander Kolchak who declared Omsk as capital of Siberia.

After restoration of the Soviet Rule Omsk was a provincial city in the West Siberian Oblast with the centre in Novosibirsk.

In 1934 the Omsk Oblast with Omsk as its centre were established.

During the WWII many of the ordnance and munitions factories and refugees where evacuated in the city.   

Before the Perestroika Omsk was the centre of defense industry with 3 great factories (rocket production, propulsion engineering, and tank construction) and many small defense factories. The industrial estate is manly on the right bank of Irtysh. The residential areas are on the left bank. Omsk was closed for visiting of foreign citizen before 1990. 

After 1991 many of defense productions were suspected. Now the authorities of the city search for new ways of development (trade, real estate, food industry).

Famous Artists, Musicians, Scholars, Writers

Feodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881)

Famous Russian writer and thinker. Lived in Omsk 4 years as state convict.

Mikhail Vrubel (1856-1910)

Famous Russian artist of turn 19^th-20^th centuries. He was born in Omsk in a family of an officer.

Nikolay Yadrintsev (1842-1894)

Writer,  researcher of Siberia, one of ideologist of the Siberian separatism. He was born in Omsk in a merchant family.

Grigory Potanin (1835-1920)

Russian geographer and researcher of Siberia.

Chokan Valikhanov (1835-1965)

Kazakh aristocrat on Russian service, writer and intelligence officer.

Innokenty Annensky (1855-1909)

Russian poet of �Silver age�. He was born in Omsk in a family of a government official. He lived in Omsk first 5 years of his life.

Mikhail Ulyanov (1927-2007) 

Famous modern Russian actor.

Leonid Martynov (1905-1980)

Soviet poet and translator. He lived in Omsk before 1946.

Anton Sorokin (1884-1928)

Famous Russian writer, who lived in Omsk.

Arcady Kutilov (1940 -1985)

Russian writer, journalist, and artist. He worked as journalist in various newspapers. His poetry was unedited by the rule. He was homeless. His burial place was unknown. Creativity has been estimated in a due measure after his death. His original poetry and drawing were recognized after his death. His verses is in �The Anthology of the Russian poetry of XX century�, edited in London in 2000.

Anatoly Konenko (Born. 1954)

Artist, maker of miniatures. He is enlisted in Guinness World Records.

Egor Letov (1964-2008)

Russian rock musician, leader of the group Civil Defence. He died in Omsk.

Walking tours

1. Omsk of Dostoevsky: the Omsk fortress and other memorable places of a city on the right bank of river Om�

Tourist attraction:

The Tobolsk gate, 1794

Unique original gate of the Omsk fortress

Barracks and ammunition depots, beg. of 19^th c.

Style: simple classicism

Staff of Omsk military district, 1915

Here is the Military museum now.

Style: brick style

Guardroom, 1781

The guardroom is the oldest stone civil construction of Omsk. It was constructed in 1781-1783. Here were military and interpreter schools.

Style:  late baroque.

The house of commandants of the Omsk fortress, 1799

Dostoevsky visited this hous� several times. He was registered in the fortress as �unskilled worker knowing reading and writing�.

Here is the Literary museum now.

Lutheran church, 1768

This is the oldest stone building of the city. It was constructed for believers of evangelic confession, most of all Germans.

Style: late Siberian baroque.

Former house of military meeting, 1859

Now here is House of officers. 

Style: simple classicism

The State chamber and the Provincial treasury, 1898

Style: classicism with elements of eclecticism.

The house of judicial establishments, 1914-1917

Now here the Legislative Assembly of Omsk Oblast takes places.

Style: eclecticism.

Uspensky (Assumption) cathedral, 1891-1898, 2006-2007

Architect: Ernst Würrich.

Style: pseudo-Russian.

St. Olga orphanage, 1909

Style: brick style

Office of Kuznetsk coal copies, 1915

This is the former office the mine company from Kuznetsk.

Style: art nouveau

Building of the Elvorti�s company, 1913

Style: art nouveau

Watchtower, 1915

Style: late eclecticism with elements of Neorussian style.

Commercial school, 1916

Style: Russian provincial classicism

Building of the Geographical society, 1896

In 1877 in Omsk the Department of Russian Imperial Geographical society was established. Then this house was built for it.

Style: wooden art nouveau.

Drama theatre, 1905

Architect: Khvorinov

Style: late eclecticism.

The city trading building, 1914

Architect: Kryachkov.

Style: neoclassicism with elements of eclecticism

Trade house of Ovsyannikov and Ganshin, 1906

Style: late eclecticism

Hotel Russia, 1905-1906

Architect: Khvorinov

Style: late eclecticism

Stt. Serafim and Aleksey chapel, 1907, 1994

Style: pseudo-Russian

2. Omsk: between evolution and revolution: the sightseeing of the left bank of river Om�.

Buchholz square

Place of disembarkation of Colonel Buchholz�s expedition.

House of merchant Batiushkin, 1902

In 1918-1919 Admiral Kolchak lived here.

Style: late eclecticism

House (Palace) the Governor-General of Western Siberia, 1859-1862

In February1917 the national flag of Russian Empire was lowered. Last governor Sukhomlinov was arrested. The palace was renamed into �the Republic House�. In 1918-1919 here was residence of the government of Admiral Kolchak. Here the History museum now.

Style: Russian classicism

Memorial square �Memory of the Heroes of Revolution�, 1919-1987

This is the memorial cemetery of victims of the Civil war in Siberia in 1918�1919. There are many burial places of Communist activists, killed by the White Guardists.

City duma, 1898

Architects: M.Schuhman, G. Bartkovsky

The municipal duma (town council) was established in 1871. Then, a special building was constructed for it.  

Style: Neorussian

The Khabalkin�s House, 1911

Private residence of famous Jewish family.  Now hrer is art gallery Liberov-centre.

Bath of merchant Korobeynikov, 1910

Style: late provincial eclecticism

House of writer Sorokin, 1900-1913

Style: brick art nouveau

The Siberian military school, 1826

The building was constructed in 1826 for a military staff. In 1846 the Cadet corps was established here. Famous history persons studied here: L. Kornilov, V. Kuibyshev, D. Karbyshev.

St. Nicolas the Miracle-Worker Church (Cossack church), 1833-1942

Architect: V. Stasov

Style: classicism

Grinevitsky�s house, 1914

Style: art nouveau

Stumf's house, 1900?

The house of Chief agronomist of Omsk province Philip Stumpf (died 1921). Now here is a museum of artist Belov.

Style: Russian wooden eclecticism