Moscow news
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19-Jun-2008
Time-Honored Tobolsk
A formerly prosperous and magnificent town, Tobolsk was once the capital of the whole of Siberia until its importance waned when both the main Siberian road and Trans-Siberian railway bypassed the town in favor of nearby Tyumen. Although much of the town is in poor, decayed condition Tobolsk still preserves the 19th century charm of a distant Siberian treasure hidden beyond wild woods and mighty rivers. Thanks to the abundant forests which provided heaps of cheap timber, Tobolsk's historical center still consists of wooden houses, with every second one being a masterpiece (with every other one, it seems, sadly decayed and falling into pieces). Tobolsk is now the only Siberian city to have its own Kremlin, which has recently undergone renovation to its historical glory.
The history of Russian Siberia is very similar to that of America's Wild West: droves of bold and courageous desperados fighting their way eastward against the indigenous population (Tatars, in this case) and building forts on the conquered territory.
Tobolsk was founded in 1587 when Cossack leader Danila Chulkov ordered the construction of a fortress (or an ostrog, as it was called then) at the confluence of the Irtysh and the Tobol rivers. At first, Tobolsk served as a distant Siberian outpost, but after only a few years the place swarmed with merchants, mercenaries and soldiers of fortune. By 1595 Tobolsk received its first trade caravans from Bukhara, and later from Mongolia and China. All this strengthened Tobolsk's position as the first and most prosperous settlement in Siberia, with high stone fortress walls and magnificent churches to match its reputation.
Today's Tobolsk is divided into two main parts: new districts on the highlands atop a long and flat hill, and the historical lowlands in the valley where the Tobol and the Irtysh meet. Tourists come usually to the new districts in the north first, and should take a lazy walk along the central street up to the Kremlin, crossing the standard town square with a giant cube housing the town's administration and an eternal flame memorial.
Do not miss a peculiar monument to Russian poet and Tobolsk citizen Pyotr Ershov, the author of the famous fairy-tale poem "The Humpbacked Horse" (Konek Gorbunok). The main characters of the poem, including the horse, the Tsar and the firebird, are depicted in the traditional comic manner of the book itself.
About half of Tobolsk's Red Square is occupied by a weather beaten 20th century stadium proudly called Stroitel Stadium ("Construction Worker Stadium"). The rest of the square features the castle-like 18th century Guest House which ironically functioned mainly as a court of law and a transit prison receiving famous "guests" such as Decembrists, Fyodor Dostoevksky and countless revolutionaries.
The city lost much of its importance when it was bypassed by the roads and rails, situated as it is far from roads and between endless woods and wide rivers. As a result, Tobolsk became an ideal spot for exile. Many of these involuntary guests were intellectuals, and they brought much urban culture and sophistication with them.
The fairy tale white stone Castle serves as an archive and with all its gates and towers looks as if taken from a Russian fairy tale. Another 19th century castle that served as a transit prison stands in front of the Kremlin and is open for the public as a historical museum. Enter the Kremlin to admire the elegant blue and golden domes of St. Sofia Cathedral (1686) and the bell tower (1799). Consider yourself lucky if you have an opportunity to get to the top, the breathtaking view is worth climbing the steep staircase.
Walking around the Kremlin visitors can see see an authentic 19th century town in the lowlands, which seems strikingly untouched by modern trends and standards. The scenery of small wooden houses and small church domes looming up to the horizon along the mighty Irtysh viewed from the high Kremlin hill never fails to impress. Walk down the wooden stairs and you will find yourself well back in the past standing in the center of an old half-abandoned settlement. Tobolsk's citizens mainly left this part of the town for a better life in the highlands and nobody was concerned about the lowlands for a few decades, causing these districts to enter a slow and strangely charming decline.
Take a slow meditative walk along the town and imagine the once rich and intellectual Tobolsk. It is here that inventor of the periodic table of elements, Dmitry Mendeleev, was born and finished school. The town where many exiled noblemen spent the second part of their life and where the last Tsar, Nikolai II, and his family were kept under arrest before meeting their end in Ekaterinburg.
Among the hundreds of Tobolsk's exiled visitors was a church bell from the town of Uglich which gathered the rebel population against tsar Boris Godunov in 1591. The bell was whipped, deprived of its tongue and sent to Siberia. It was only at the end of the 19th century that the bell returned home.
Many houses of the historical part are masterpieces of wooden architecture, and stand in one big ensemble with the view unchanged for decades. Climb back to the highlands, this time to the other side of Nikolski Vzvoz (road upwards) to the Yermak monument and once again enjoy the scenery.
Travel tips
Tobolsk remains a relatively isolated town. However, regular buses and trains are always available to make the five hour trip from Tyumen, which is easily accessible by daily flights from Moscow. Hotels in Tobolsk are few and far between, but in recent times thanks to presidential visits, the town does its best to act as a tourist center in Siberia, hence the service is getting better. Taxis are cheap, and the people are in general friendly.
By Alexander Usoltsev
The Moscow News