The provincial town, located away from major transport arteries, was once the center of the Siberian region.
Founded back in the 14th century, Tobolsk was a springboard for the Russian exploration of Siberia. Before Ermak and his squad traveled to the east, these lands belonged to the Siberian Khanate, and 17 kilometers from the city was the capital of the Siberian Tatars - Isker.
Officially, Tobolsk began to be called the “capital of Siberia” in 1708, when Peter I assigned the territory from the banks of the Vyatka to the easternmost borders of the state to the “Siberian province”, the center of which was Tobolsk. The province was the largest in Russia in terms of area.
Tobolsk is known primarily for its residents, many of whom were not there of their own free will. The imperial city of exiles sheltered Fyodor Dostoevsky, Vladimir Korolenko, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Nicholas II and his family on its territory over the years. There were also Swedish prisoners of war here. And even the Uglich bell, which announced the death of Tsarevich Dmitry, was in Tobolsk exile.
In addition, the Tobolsk Regiment was located in the city, in which Vasily Tatishchev, who later founded Yekaterinburg and Perm, as well as Ibrahim Hannibal, who was the ancestor of one of the greatest poets of Russia, Alexander Pushkin, served.
Monument to Semyon Remezov
At various times, Pyotr Ershov, Semyon Dezhnev, Alexander Radishchev, Mikhail Speransky, Gerard Miller, Wilhelm Kuchelbecker, Archpriest Avvakum and many others lived in the city. Natives of Tobolsk are Dmitry Mendeleev and Alexander Abdulov. Not far from the city, Grigory Rasputin was born, and the discoverer of Siberia, Ermak, drowned not very far from the city.
As for the city's attractions, these are, first of all, the Tobolsk Kremlin and Red Square, the Prison Castle and the Governor's Palace. A large number of old Orthodox churches, a Catholic church, a mosque.
The Tobolsk Kremlin, which currently stands on Trinity Cape, was built during almost the entire 18th century. The city's first wooden Kremlin was built in 1594, but about half a century later it was lost in a fire.
The architectural ensemble of the Tobolsk Kremlin includes the St. Sophia Cathedral, the Church of the Intercession, the bishop's house, the guest courtyard, the executive chamber, bell towers, stone walls with towers. You can enter the cathedral without hindrance during the day; the same can be said about the shop with various church goods and museum premises. However, you can’t just get into some Kremlin buildings. Near the entrance there is a sign “Do not enter without a blessing.”
It is possible to climb the fortress walls inside, but it is unknown how loyal the permanent inhabitants of the Kremlin are to this.
One of the most beautiful places in the historical part of Tobolsk is Sofia import. The fortified road leading to the lower part of the city looks exactly the same as it did centuries earlier. The wooden staircase, located below the stone walls, is also part of the Pryamsky (Sofia) import.
The Historical and Architectural Museum, located in the building of the Bishop's House, will introduce you to various milestones of Siberian history. Here you can see the clothes of the peoples of Siberia, shamanic costumes, and idol figurines. You will also see guns from the times of Ermak’s campaign and even models of Cossack fortifications.
The prison castle is located in the building of a convict transit prison built in the 19th century. Now it consists of criminal, political and stage buildings. The headquarters building, the hospital complex and the high-security barracks are also part of the museum.
A little to the side of the Kremlin there is a patch with statues of the heroes of “The Little Humpbacked Horse”. There is also a monument to the author, Pyotr Ershov.
The Zavalnoye cemetery, where some famous people associated with Tobolsk are buried, may be of some interest. Among them are the writer Pyotr Ershov, the ethnographer Dmitry Davydov, the Decembrists, relatives of Dmitry Mendeleev, and the wife of Alexander Radishchev.
25 kilometers from Tobolsk is the village of Abalak, with its monasteries and a wonderful tourist center, which includes a children’s town, a bathhouse, and a forge.
Also not far from the city there is a place where, according to legend, Ermak went under water (at the confluence of the Tobol and the Irtysh). And if you go in the direction of Tyumen, you can find yourself in the homeland of Grigory Rasputin - in the village of Pokrovskoye. One has only to warn you that the Grigory Rasputin Museum operates on a pre-application basis.
There really is something to see in Tobolsk, but it seems that the city is hiding its attractions from the eyes of the curious. If you arrive by train, you find yourself at the station, which is located somewhat away from the rest of the city. After driving for some time, you reach residential areas and it seems that this is a completely ordinary settlement built in the Soviet Union, which does not smell of any antiquity. However, upon reaching Red Square, the historical center of Tobolsk, you realize that the city really came from the depths of centuries.
Here you can wander the streets where famous exiles and free residents of the city once walked. You can visit museums that will tell you a lot about the fate of the region. After all, here you can eat Siberian borscht in one of the cafes. And after all this, go to the observation deck next to the Kremlin and enjoy the panorama of the lower part of the city. It is in such moments that you feel the charm of a real journey.
How to get to Tobolsk
The city of Tobolsk is located in the Tyumen region, approximately 250 kilometers northeast of Tyumen. To get here, you need to drive by car first to Tyumen, then along the highway to Tobolsk.
By public transport you can get there either by train (trains to Surgut, Nizhnevartovsk, Novy Urengoy, Purpe, Korotchaevo) or by bus from Tyumen.
© Marat RAMAZANOV Photo by UraloVed.ru
Why go to Tobolsk: TOP 6 reasons
Remezov Airport
Coordinates: 58.061786, 68.330103
The new Tobolsk airport was put into operation in the fall of 2021. This is a unique case for modern Russia, when a full-fledged hub was built for a city with a population of less than 500,000 people. Remezov regularly receives flights from Moscow (Pobeda), St. Petersburg (Aeroflot), Yekaterinburg (Red Wings), Novosibirsk (S7). For the summer season of 2022, they promise subsidized flights to Crimea and the Krasnodar Territory. Flight time from Moscow is only 3 hours. No matter how much it may seem to us that Siberia is so far away that you can’t even get there in half a day.
Tobolsk Kremlin
Coordinates: 58.199491, 68.251730
Panorama of the Kremlin in Tobolsk in winter Ann May | Dreamstime.com
The next reason to fly to Tobolsk is the Tobolsk Kremlin. The white stone structure with seven towers 11 m high has become a symbol of the city. Over its long history, Tobolsk had the opportunity to be both the capital of Siberia and the center of the largest Tobolsk province at that time. Naturally, Moscow encouraged stone construction in this city. And so, on the wave of success, the snow-white Kremlin arose - a unique example of Siberian architecture, built from 1683 to 1799. The structure is so large that it even stands on the square called “Red”.
Within the walls of the Kremlin there is a wonderful mini-hotel “Gostiny Dvor”. There is no better way to feel the atmosphere of old Tobolsk than under its vaulted ceilings. The rooms are beautiful and cozy, breakfast is in the refectory.
Sights of the Tobolsk Kremlin:
- Sophia-Uspensky Cathedral - the Orthodox cathedral church of Tobolsk;
- The Cathedral Bell Tower stands separately from the St. Sophia Cathedral. The south-eastern part of the Kremlin's Cathedral Square.
- Gostiny Dvor is the central entrance group of the Kremlin in Tobolsk. There is a center for Eurasian trade and the Museum of Siberian Entrepreneurship;
- The Governor's Palace in the Kremlin is an exhibition about the history of governance of Siberia. Erected in 1782, on the site of the Order Chamber;
- The Bishop's House is an exhibition about the history of Orthodoxy in Siberia.
The museum-reserve is open to the public from 10:00 to 18:00 daily, except Mondays. Inquiries by phone. +7 (345) 622-37-13.
Vitaly, St. Petersburg: “Beauty! Everything is good there: the cathedral, numerous museums, and excursions. By the way, I would send the tour guides of Petrodvorets and the Catherine Palace in Pushkin here for an internship; they will have a lot to learn from their Tobolsk colleagues. I’ve been there several times, and the only thing that doesn’t suit me is the constant wind.”
Place of last exile of the Romanov family
Coordinates: 58.193588, 68.243423
The third reason to visit Tobolsk is at the same time one of the most difficult pages in the history of our country. The city became the place of exile for the family of Emperor Nicholas II. The Romanovs spent the last months of their lives in Tobolsk. They were accommodated in the luxurious house of the merchant Kuklin at that time (there was electricity, running water and even sewerage). They celebrated a sad Christmas in 1918. And five months later they were transported towards Yekaterinburg, to the place of execution.
Abalaksky Znamensky Monastery
Coordinates: 58.129513, 68.590654
20 km from Tobolsk there is another cultural heritage site of Russia - the Orthodox male Abalaksky Znamensky Monastery. Dating back to 1785, it was built by the will of Bishop Varlaam of Tobolsk and Siberia. It is famous for the miraculous Abalatskaya icon, which appeared in 1636 to the widow Mary. When troubled times came for the Orthodox Church during the revolution, the icon was lost and the monastery was plundered. Restoration began only in 1989. And the shrine was returned to the monastery in the form of a copy of the miraculous Abalatsk icon.
House-Museum of Rasputin
Coordinates: 57.240409, 66.791396
Interior of the house-museum in the village. Pokrovsky Photo: muzey-rasputina.ru
The village of Pokrovskoye, 160 km from Tobolsk, became famous for the fact that Grigory Rasputin was born there in 1869. An odious personality, a man whose secret of popularity has not yet been unraveled. And he clearly was not only that Rasputin was close friends with Nicholas II and his family. But even if so, getting close to the emperor for the son of a Siberian peasant is also not an ordinary task. In general, the glory of the “royal friend”, “healer”, “soothsayer” followed him all his life. And it went beyond Russia (according to statistics, he is still the most famous Russian abroad).
If you are interested in, if not solving, then at least getting closer to the secret of G. Rasputin, it is worth traveling a considerable distance from Tobolsk to visit his home. In 1990, a private museum muzey-rasputina.ru was opened there.
Group excursions are held on Saturdays and Sundays, starting at 11:00. Ticket price is 500 rubles. You can individually get to the Rasputin House-Museum on any day and at any convenient time (the excursion will cost 8,000 rubles). Pre-registration in both cases by phone. 8 (904) 494-03-14.
Roman, Moscow: “Friends! Believe me, before the excursion I did not treat G. Rasputin well. And after that he didn’t treat me any better. But I got to thinking! And I realized that the attitude towards his memory needs to be reconsidered. At least double check. And this is thanks to the museum and its keeper personally, Marina Yurievna.”
Museums of Tobolsk
Coordinates: 58.213137, 68.286729
If you skip the sightseeing tour, the easiest way to get to know Tobolsk is in museums. One might say, the “three pillars” on which the city is based.
- The Governor's Palace Museum is a museum complex of the Tobolsk Kremlin. This is the white stone symbol of the city itself. Address: Red Square, 1.
- The Museum of the Family of Emperor Nicholas II is the mansion of the bankrupt merchant Kuklin. I managed to visit the governor's residence and the place of the last long exile of the imperial family. Address: st. Mira, 10.
- Tobolsk factory of bone-carving art products - Address: st. Znamensky, 58A. Celebrated her 90th birthday.
Tobolsk is also famous for being the first in Siberia to receive city status. And even though this happened almost 450 years ago, Siberians do not forget about it.
Culture and art
The culture of Tobolsk is represented by the following cultural and art objects:
- Tobolsk State Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve. The museum-reserve includes 33 objects of federal and regional significance (museums, exhibition halls, architectural monuments, etc.).
- Tobolsk State Drama Theater named after P. P. Ershov, founded in 1705. The theater troupe has two stages at its disposal: the main stage (with opportunities for chamber productions) and a universal one for experimental productions. The total area of the theater complex is more than 3 thousand square meters. m..
- Theological Seminary Choir. One of the best choirs in Russia, which has repeatedly performed in the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior. You can listen to the choir perform in the Assembly Hall of the Main Building of the Theological Seminary or in the Sophia-Assumption Cathedral.
Where to stay in Tobolsk
"Gostiny Dvor"
Address: Krasnaya sq., 2, building 1
We have already recommended a mini-hotel within the walls of the Tobolsk Kremlin with a view of the St. Sophia Cathedral above. The main thing is to book a free room in time, and you definitely won’t regret either the choice or the trip to Tobolsk. The amenities include everything, including Wi-Fi in the rooms and free parking. Breakfast is continental.
From 2,200 rub. on Booking.com
Boutique "Seasons"
Address: st. Revolutionary, 9
Modern boutique hotel in the center of Tobolsk, walking distance from the Kremlin. New building, fresh renovation and designer interiors. The rooms are warm and cozy. High-quality furniture, especially beds and orthopedic mattresses. Free bath and toiletries, bathrobes, slippers, Wi-Fi.
From 5,000 rub. on Booking.com
Religion
Tobolsk is the Orthodox center of the Tyumen region. In the Tobolsk Kremlin, on Red Square, there is the diocesan administration of the Tobolsk-Tyumen diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. Churches and cathedrals of the Russian Orthodox Church in Tobolsk are part of the Tobolsk deanery.
In Tobolsk there is the parish of the Most Holy Trinity of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Muslim community owns the Tobolsk mosque. It is located in the foothills of the city, in the former Tatar-Bukhara settlement. In 2009, construction began on a second mosque in the 7-A microdistrict. The community also operates a madrasah.
Question answer
What is the population of Tobolsk?
According to the latest census, the population is just under 100,000.
How to get from Tobolsk airport to the city center/hotel?
You can get to the city by bus No. 182 (goes to Zhukovsky Grove). At the airport, the route stops between the arrival terminal and the parking lot. If you go by car, the road to the center (approx. Kremlin) will take about half an hour.
Is there parking at the airport?
Yes, there is parking. It is located in front of the terminal building, like a landmark - a bus stop. For more details, see the airport map rmz.aero.
Foundation of the city
It is known that it was expensive for Russia to wage war against the Tatar khans on its eastern borders. Endless skirmishes with their detachments had a negative impact on the development of the territory of the Siberian Territory. Then the protection of the northeastern borders was entrusted to the Ural owner of the salt mines, the wealthy merchant Stroganov, and he entered into an agreement to protect the eastern borders with the Volga Cossacks led by Ermak. Thanks to the Cossacks, Siberia began to be explored by pioneers.
Tyumen became the first city of Siberia. The Tyumen fort was founded a year earlier than the Tobolsk one. Thanks to its advantageous position, it was Tobolsk that became the capital of Siberia for many years. The first population of Tobolsk were Russian settlers. Initially it was called the city of Siberia. The official date of its foundation is considered to be the summer of 1587, when the city of Tobolsk was founded 17 kilometers from the Tatar city of Isker on the banks of the Irtysh River, near the mouth of the Tobol.
This place was not chosen by chance. The construction of a settlement at the intersection of two large and navigable rivers was extremely profitable. After all, the only transport links in the taiga were rivers. Here, five years earlier, a battle took place between a Russian detachment of Cossacks and the army of the Tatar Khan Kuchum, a cunning and vile ruler who swore friendship to the Russian Tsar, and himself incited local tribes who traded with Orthodox merchants to attack Russian settlements and detachments.
Trade
With the opening of Mega, people reached a new level of consciousness. Now it was possible not to buy clothes from the wholesale store, but to purchase super fashionable, branded items at a price no higher than what they were used to. At the same time, all this action takes place in a huge shopping center, where you can sit, watch TV, ride an ice skating rink, and try some cuisine.
And now the children are wandering not along the street, but in Mega. They buy chips not at a kiosk, but at Auchan, or an alternative: sausages from Ikea.
Only ordinary boutique sellers are panicking: people are walking aimlessly, and customer counters installed in the store continue to record the number of customers entering and leaving (without purchases).
There is an underground passage under the Tobolsk Kremlin
Many historians and researchers suggest that under the building of the Prison Castle, located on the territory of the fortress, there is a huge network of underground passages and chambers that were used as a prison for apostates. There is no documentary evidence, there is only indirect evidence in the form of ground failures, as a result of which half-collapsed tunnels were opened.
