Tomsk.

History

Tomsk was founded in 1604 by decree of Boris Godunov after Toyan, prince of the Eushta Tatars, asked the tsar for protection. It became a governorate seat in 1804, and gold finds in the 1830s spurred its growth. Siberia's first university opened here in 1888, followed in 1900 by Tomsk Polytechnic, the oldest technical university in Siberia. When the Trans-Siberian Railway was routed further south in the 1890s, through what became Novosibirsk, the region's centre of gravity shifted there.

Culture & traditions

Tomsk today has six universities and over 100,000 students, which is where the 'Siberian Athens' nickname comes from. The old town is defined by wooden houses with delicate, gingerbread-like carving. There are art and local history museums, a museum of wood carving and the Museum of Oppression in a former secret-police prison. The city also has drama, children's and puppet theatres.

Sport

The city's main football ground was the Trud Stadium, home of the club Tom Tomsk. Cosmonaut Nikolai Rukavishnikov is among Tomsk's best-known natives.

Practical information

Kamov Airport lies near the village of Bogashevo, 20 km southeast of the centre; it was named after the helicopter designer Nikolai Kamov in 2018. Rail access is via the Tayga–Bely Yar branch line. Local time is Moscow plus four hours. Winters are harsh (January averages −21 to −13 °C) and summers warm, about +19 °C in July, which is the best time to walk the wooden quarters.

What to see

• Wooden quarters — houses with 'gingerbread' carving
• Tomsk State University — Siberia's first university
• Tomsk Polytechnic University — Siberia's oldest technical university
• Museum of Oppression — in a former secret-police prison
• Wood carving museum — the story of Tomsk's carved houses