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Church of Our Lady of Kazan
Barrikad Street, 34/1.
The majestic Church of Our Lady of Kazan was built in 1892 with donations from local residents and city merchants, led by Alexander Sibiryakov. The finest Irkutsk artisans participated in its design. After the Revolution, the church remained operational for almost 20 years, but was finally closed in 1936. At various times, the building housed a bookstore warehouse, a projectionist training course, an Ministry of Internal Affairs warehouse, and the Siberian Souvenir factory. Fortunately, in the late 1980s, the decision was made to restore it. Today, just as it did a hundred years ago, the church impresses with its ornate decor and luxurious interior. The unique iconostasis is especially noteworthy. Unlike the previous one, which was also incredibly beautiful, made of pine, with carved columns of the finest cedar wood, the current iconostasis is made of rare Indian granite, and the columns are made of Genoese green marble. The area around the church is also very beautiful, with colorful flowerbeds, fountains, attractive lanterns, and, in winter, ice sculptures.
Decembrist Museum
More than 50 Decembrists lived in the Irkutsk Governorate at various times. The Decembrist Museum is located in two memorial estates in the city's historic center, on adjacent streets: the Trubetskoy House Museum at 64 Dzerzhinsky Street and the Volkonsky House Museum at 10 Volkonsky Lane. The recreated interiors of mid-19th-century noble homes feature authentic items belonging to the Decembrists' families. Among them are, for example, unique musical instruments that belonged to Maria Volkonskaya, the world's only functioning pyramidal piano from the late 18th century, and a rare music box made in Switzerland. A separate exhibition tells about the living conditions of the Decembrists in penal servitude: in the Blagovatny mine, the Chita prison, and the Petrovsky plant. Scenes of prison life and hard labor were captured by the prisoners themselves in watercolors. In the quarters adjacent to the estates, monuments of 19th-century wooden buildings and the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, whose parishioners included the Decembrists, have been carefully preserved. The Volkonskys' daughter, Elena, and one of Mikhail Kuchelbecker's daughters were married in this church. The funeral services for Decembrists Pyotr Mukhanov and Nikolai Panov were also held here.
Icebreaker "Angara"
Pr. Marshal Zhukov, 36A/1.
The icebreaker "Angara" is the oldest surviving ship of its type in the world. It was built, along with the ferry-icebreaker "Baikal," by the renowned British firm Sir. W. G. Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd. for the Russian Empire. The ships were delivered to Siberia disassembled, reassembled in the village of Listvennichnoye (today called Listvyanka), and from 1900 onward, the icebreakers carried passengers and cargo, connecting the western and eastern sections of the Trans-Siberian Railway while the railway around Lake Baikal was being built. "Angara" The vessel served faithfully for over 60 years, participating in the Russo-Japanese, Civil War, and Great Patriotic Wars, transporting troops, food, and other cargo, towing barges and rafts loaded with timber. The vessel was then decommissioned, remaining partially submerged for a time, and then, in the 1990s, began its life as a museum.
Today, the icebreaker Angara is one of the branches of the Irkutsk Regional Museum of Local History. It houses fascinating interactive exhibits that tell the story of shipping on Lake Baikal, the fate of the icebreaker itself, and its crew. Here you can visit the engine room and the captain's cabin, look into the cabins, and ring the bell on the upper deck, which offers a breathtaking view of the Angara and its surroundings.
Viktor Bronstein Gallery
Oktyabrskoy Revolyutsii St., Bldg. 3.
The Viktor Bronstein Gallery is the largest and most vibrant art gallery in Siberia. It houses approximately 2,000 exhibits – Works by both classic and emerging artists and sculptors, not only from Siberia but also from other regions of Russia, as well as works by international masters. The gallery houses the world's only permanent exhibition featuring works by the renowned sculptor Dashi Namdakov. He was born and raised in Transbaikalia, and his unique works combine ancient Eastern traditions with modern European motifs.
Walking around the city center, you can also explore Irkutsk Sloboda, visit the local history and art museums, and take the scenic route from the Nizhnyaya Embankment to Kirov Square.
