Talking a walk around familiar places

The Town of Tomsk was born by the river. Its parents – the servicemen – came here by river. The river bank became its body, the riverbed – the navel-cord, and the name of the river – its own name.
My Home Town TOMSK

«Muchnoj» corps (Flour Storehouse)
It is the former flour storehouse designed by architect T. Fischel and built in 1907. It completed the ensemble of trading and merchandise buildings in Bazaar Square (now Lenin Square). Its domes, imitating the bags full of flour, still remind of the former usage.

Brick Bridge
The bridge was given the name to differentiate it from the former wooden Dumskii Bridge designed by Gavrila Batenkov in 1819, which served nearly a hundred years. The Brick Bridge was being constructed during the wartime (1915 – 1916), so Austrian prisoners took part in the works. That may be why, but mostly thanks to participation of architect K. Lygin in the decoration, the bridge is as good as its many European counterparts.

The «Slavyanskii Bazaar» Restaurant
Built as a tavern from the design of architect V. Khabarov. Downstairs, meals were served; and in the upstairs rooms the merchants celebrated their profitable bargains. Anton Chekhov, who passed via Tomsk in 1890, wrote in his letter, «… there’s the «Slavyanskii Bazaar» here. Lunch meals are good.

Monument to Chekhov in Tomsk

Tomsk Oblast Drama Theatre
Opened on February 4, 1978 with a first-night performance of «Solyonaya Pad» ( after S. Zalygin). There used to stand «Gostinyi Dvor», a terraced brick building of merchant s shops completing the ensemble with the Commodity Exchange building. Unfortunately, that unique ensemble has not been preserved to this day.

Embankment of the Ushaika River
This historically rich part of the town nearly disappeared in the last quarter of XX century through a series of architectural modernizations. The Tomskians, fortunately, managed to preserve this scenic place.

The «1000 trifles» Store
On the façade decorating the Embankment of the Ushaika there’s the name «1000 trifles», while nearly a
hundred years ago it was a famous merchant Vtorov’s Department Store, built in 1904. A solid strongly set construction elegantly wears the fragile intricacies of Art Nouveau elements.

The «Cinemaworld»
In the near past, it used to be the Maxim Gorky cinema hall. The building was constructed by the owner of the Buff Garden V. Morozov for a chamber theatre, named later «Intim».

Central Pharmacy
Was built in 1906 – 1908 as a drugstore for a St. Petersburg trading house «Stoll & Schmit». The drugstore was downstairs and the chemist, who was always ready to serve a customer, lived upstairs. Today it is still functioning as a pharmacy, though no pharmacists are living upstairs.

Local Lore Museum
Established in 1922, it is located in the former estate of the gold mine owner I. Astashev. The group of the buildings occupied by the museum dates its history from 1842 and is historically appealing for the fact that has been preserved in the center of the town without essential losses and reconstructions. G. Batenkov and M. Bakunin were guests to this house. In 1868, the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich stayed there. In 1879, the heirs of Astashev sold the house to Tomsk Clerical Administration.

House with «Fire-birds»
The house of a retired sergeant major L. Zhelyabo. Its construction ( 1896 – 1914 ) was supervised by architect P. Fedorovskii and actually performed by unknown carpenters and carving and fretwork masters. It started from an ordinary log-house, then more and more additional structures, adornments and details were made to turn the house into a real fairy-tale palace.

The «Upper Foodstore»
This used to be a department store of merchant Gadalov – one of the representatives of the famous family of merchants settled in the city of Krasnoyarsk. Owing to the ability to built successful business relations with the western partners, the Gadalovs delivered to the Siberians the most fashionable European goods – furs, clothes, footwear… After the October Revolution, the store was converted into a shop selling food, which became known as «the Upper Foodstore» in contrast to one at the foot of the hill.

Novosobornaya Square
It used to be the major square of the town for religious services and events, and later – rallies, demonstrations, and athletic festivals. Today, it is one of the coziest and most beautiful public gardens in Tomsk.

Tomsk is surrounded by fine forests of pine, birch, cedar and fir trees. It is not far from Tomsk. In summer I like to go to the river to swim and lie in the sun, to read a book in the shadow of the trees or walk along the forest listening to birds songs and admiring the beauty of the nature. I like my town Tomsk.

Jane Bespalova
7th form
Tomsk 2010

Мой таежный, Мой любимый,
Стародавний, Красочный.
Ты один такой в России,
Будто терем сказочный,
Весь в резьбе, как в паутинке,
Птиц на ставни выпускал,
На певучей берестинке
Тебя мастер высветлил,
Из травинок, из росинок
На досуге сотворил
И в счастливый час России
Это чудо подарил
( Михаил Карбышев. Томский поэт).