Irkutsk

The landscape around Irkutsk is defined by the broad Angara River and taiga-covered terrain, which have shaped both the city’s layout and its role in regional transport and trade. Founded in 1661 as a Russian fort, Irkutsk grew into an important Siberian mercantile centre, a legacy visible in its carved wooden houses and substantial 19th-century streetscapes. The city is also closely associated with the Decembrists, exiled here after their 1825 uprising; the Volkonsky and Trubetskoy estates preserve that chapter. On the Angara’s banks, the historic Church of the Savior and Epiphany Cathedral anchor the old centre. Continue through nearby webcams to explore different parts of Irkutsk Oblast.

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