Irkutsk Russia - Irkutsk or the Paris of Siberia

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Irkutsk - A travel report by Isabelle

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Irkutsk, Russia - Irkutskaya Oblast'	5685 readers		frenchfrog's travel reports
Irkutsk or the Paris of Siberia	21 votes

Irkutsk is situated 5185 Km. by train from the Russian capital, Moscow. The city is 65 Km. from the famous Lake Baikal. Most Travellers on the Trans-Siberian will stop here to have a few days by the Lake Baikal.




	City Hall

Irkutsk was founded in 1651 as a Cossack garrison to establish authority over the indiginous Buryats. The city boomed when gold was discovered nearby in the 1880's. The shops filled with luxuries and imported goods and Irkutsk become known as the Paris of Siberia. The first Trans-Siberian train arrived in 1898. Now the city lives from tourism and other various industries. Fishing takes a great part in the life of the city with the Angara River crossing the city and the Lake Baikal being nearby. The town has got traditional Siberian wooden buildings also with some Asiatic influences of nearby Mongolia.

Favourite spots:




	Old Trans-Siberian time table in Irkutst museum

The Irkutsk Regional Museum focuses on the indiginous tribes with their nomadic culture, the main tribe being the Buryats (ethnographic gallery). The museum also has a model of The Baikal-Armur Mainline which is the railway line to the northshores of Lake Baikal. The museum hosts also a collection of Soviet posters.

What's really great:




	Local market

A stroll in the local market, a lot of products on offer and very well presented. The traders were very friendly. It is also the best way to buy your provisions for the awaiting train journey if you are a Trans-Siberian passenger. Food is in adbundance, you will have more than enough choice. As it had starting snowing I appreciated that it was covered!

Sights:




	Wooden house

It is very pleasant to walk around town and admire the wooden cottages or other houses. The town has got a great park along the Angara river. If the weather permits it, you can take a seat on a bench and observe life around you.

Accommodations:




	View from my Hotel room- Hotel Angara

There are not that many places to stay. I stayed in the Hotel Angara, a mid range hotel. The location was perfect as it was in the middle of the city centre but it lacks charm. Male single traveller beware! You will receive phone calls from prostitutes marketing their services. (if you don't expect a phone call, the best thing to do is to let it ring)
If you want to arrange excursions and homestays for Lake Baikal the Hotel Intourist (very posh) has got a tourist desk that can arrange this for you.

Hangouts:




	Local children at the market

It' s not a pub, but it was good fun to have a Russian tea sitting on the side of a table in the central market. It was lively and locals were eager to try their English with a foreigner.

Restaurants:




	Trans-Siberian monument in Irkutsk

Restaurant Camelot will serves you excellent Russian dishes in a medieval setting but you are not allow to take photos inside.

Other recommendations:

There are a lot of Churches in the city. Worth a look are the Church of the Saviour and the Polish Catholic Church.

Published on Thursday January 5th, 2006

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Tue, Feb 12 2008 - 12:05 PM

by krisek

Many thanks for your report. I am planning to go to Irkutsk this summer. I love you pictures as well.

Sun, Mar 12 2006 - 01:48 PM by marianne

Good information for a city which doesn't have that many tourist sights

Wed, Feb 01 2006 - 06:20 PM by shsmrsb

Thank you for the memories, we visited in 1987, very different then I am sure. Wonderful people and great fish - straight from Lake Baikal itself. It was warm during the day and freezing in the evenings, wonderful experience.

Thank you for sharing your pictures.

Sat, Jan 21 2006 - 11:21 AM by karden

I agree with davidx about that you presented 'an excellent report on a city with limited specific attractions'.

Sat, Jan 07 2006 - 05:23 PM by hieronyma

Interesting report. I would like to go there. Did you dothe journey alone or in a group, I would like to know.
Hieronyma

Sat, Jan 07 2006 - 10:15 AM by magsalex

Nicely illustrated

Fri, Jan 06 2006 - 04:19 PM by davidx

I think you present an excellent report on a city with limited specific attractions.

Fri, Jan 06 2006 - 04:25 AM by mamielle

très interressant reportage qui donne envie d'aller visiter ce pays.

Thu, Jan 05 2006 - 07:23 PM by rangutan

Another interesting report. Brief but the pictures say a lot :-)