Tomsk city overview
Tomsk (also spelled Tomck) is a city in Russia, an administrative center of both Tomskaya oblast and district. A large educational, scientific and innovation center of Siberia. The city is rich in monuments of wooden and stone architecture of XVIII-XX centuries.
Tomsk city is located on the border with West-Siberian lowland and Kuznetsky Alatau on the right bank of the river Tom, 50 km from the river Ob. The city is located at the edge of taiga: there are thick forests and marshlands to the north and forests and steppes to the south. Distance to Moscow is about 3,500 km.
Tomsk is an important scientific center thanks to educational institutions. There are a lot of businesses tightly connected with science, IT industry is well developed.
Tomsk city population is about 502,000 (2009) on the territory of 295 sq. km.
Tomsk city phone code is +7 3822; postal codes - 634000-634xxx.
Tomsk city history
Tomsky jail was founded on the southern cape of Voskresenskaya mountain on the right bank of the Tom River, 60 km from the Ob River and not far from the mouth of a small river Ushaika. By October 7th, 1604, the construction was finished and this date is considered to be Tomsk’s birthday (the City Day is celebrated on June 7th, as in autumn nasty weather prevents from holding a holiday).
Tomsk became a strategic military center which provided security of all local population within the whole XVII century - in 1614, 1617, 1657 and 1698 it repelled the enemy attacks.
In XVIII century the borders of the Russian state moved far to the south and east, local nomadic tribes were defeated and Tomsk lost its protective importance. Since mid XVIII century till Soviet times Tomsk has been the place of exile.
After Siberian road was built Tomsk became an important center of transit trade. Gradually the city grew to the status of regional administrative center and in 1804 it became the center of huge Tomskaya gubernia, which consisted of current Altay Republic, Altai krai, Kemerovskaya, Novosibirskaya, Tomskaya oblast, East-Kazakhstan oblast (Kazakhstan) and a part of Krasnoyarsky krai.
Starting with the end of 1830s the population of Tomsk city grew rapidly thanks to growing gold mining in Siberia. While Trans-Siberian railway was being constructed, the bridge across the Ob was built much to the south of Tomsk. As a result near this bridge a new settlement was founded which grew into the city of Novosibirsk.
Tomsk city found itself apart from the railway and though a railway branch was built to Tomsk, it was a dead-end one and the city lost its role of a railway juncture.
During the World War II about 30 plants from European part of Russia were evacuated and they made up the basis of Tomsk city industry. On August 13th, 1944, Tomskaya oblast was founded with the center in Tomsk.
In 1970 the city received the status of a historical city. In 1990s like in many cities in Russia there was an industrial decline, especially in machine-building, military-oriented, as well as in light industry which turned out to be not competitive.
Tomsk turned 400 in 2004. In 2005 the government of Russia declared Tomsk to be a special economic area which implies investments in city economy and creating of innovation organizations.
Tomsk city places of interest
Among the mostly spread architectural styles in Tomsk one can mark Russian architecture and modern style (in wood), Siberian baroque, classic and modern styles (in stone). In XX century the construction of typical brick houses was mostly preferable.
There are some outstanding buildings:
- The Court building (1904)
- Scientific library building (1914)
- P.I.Makushin House of Science (1912)
- “Red building” (1904)
- Stock Exchange (1854)
- City pawnshop building (1912)
- T.T.de Vilnev’s house (end of XVIII century)
- Governor’s House (1852)
- House with marquee (1902)
- House with dragons (1917)
- Merchant L.D.Zhelyabo’s houses (1895) and others
Beside architectural monuments there are a lot of interesting places related to history, culture and nature of Tomsk city and its outskirts.
