DESTINATIONS:

Main cities along the Trans Siberian Railway

Yekaterinburg

	1814th km of Transsib: the station Sverdlovsk-Passenger. The centre of Sverdlovsk region RF. Time zone: Moscow +2. Was founded: in 1723. Former names: Yekaterinburg (before 1924), Sverdlovsk (1924-1991).
Coordinates: 56-50 d.n., 60-43 d.e. The city is situated at east slope of the Middle Ural along bank of Iset r. (Tobol tributary). Population: 423 000 (1939); 779 000 (1959); 1 298 000 (1989); 1 270 700 (1999). Average temperatures: January -16, April +2, July +17, October +1 Metro (from 1991, 1 line). Tram, trolleybus.
The map of the city

Railway details: In 1872 construction of the railway Perm - Nizhniy Tagil - Yekaterinburg began.
The first station (now military) was built in 1881, architect Gubonin. The second station (which worked until 1998, and now it's on reconstruction) was built in 1910, arch. K. T. Babykin, and was one-storied. But in 1939 it was reconstructed (arch. G. P. Valenkov and V. I. Smirnov) and quite possibly owing to moving of passenger transportations to the north way of Transsib. The new terminus (modern, attached to the station of 1939) was made available in 1994. Though it was another in project - a trestle above tracks and horizontal escalator to metro were planned but ones managed with new tunnel. The station Sverdlovsk-Passenger was earlier named Yekaterinburg-I and Shartash was named Yekaterinburg-II (it was this station where Nikolai II was brougth in 1918.

Economics: Leading branches: engineering (mainly heavy) and metal-working. IA "Uralmash", the M. I. Kalinin engineering plant, IA "Uralian optics-mechanical plant", the plant "Yralkhimmash" (equipment for chemical industry), "Uralelectrotyazhmash" (the main Russian supplier of large electric machines), turbo-motors plant. Plants: of transport engineering, "Pnevmostroymashina", bearing, the V. V. Vorovskoy engineering, "Sverdlesmash", of trade engineering, compressor, instrumental etc. Conspicuous position belongs to ferrous metallurgy - Verkh-Isetskiy metallurgical works, steel-casting departments of leading engineering plants. There next branches develop: chemical - plants: of rubber-technical products, tyre, of plastic materials etc.; chemical-pharmaceutical - plants: of medical preparations, of antibiotics production. Leading enterprises of light industry - worsted combine, IA "Clothes" and "Uralobuv", leather-haberdashery association "Zvezda", skinnery factory. Large manufacture of building materials. Products of "Uralian gems" plant are widely known.

Science, education: There are about 140 research, development and design institutes in the city. Uralian centre of RAS. Uralian state university. Institutes: polytechnic, mining, architectural, medical, pedagogical, agricultural, electro-mechanical, engineers of railway transport, law, timber-technical institute etc. Conservatoire.

Culture and museums: Theatres: the A. V. Lunacharskiy of opera and ballet, dramatic, of musical comedy, children's, puppet-show. Philharmonic. Circus. Museums: of regional studies, of Uralian mountains, the D. N. Mamin-Sibiryak literary, house-museum of P. P. Bazhov. Art gallery (was founded in 1936 - the largest collection of Kaslino castings including unique Kaslino cast-iron pavilion - the gold medalist at World exhibition in Paris in 1900). Museum of history of medicine, Museum of Uralian combat glory and Uralian war okrug history.

Architecture and remarkable: Yekaterinburg extends from west to east for 15 km, from north to south for 26 km. Iset river dividing the city into the west and east parts was turned into system of steppedly situated reservoirs (the largest is Verkhne-Isetskiy pond, another ones - Gorodskoy, Parkovya and Nizhneisetskiy). There are numerous buildings of the 18 - the beginning of the 19 c.c in classisim style in Yekaterinburg: Mining office (1737-39, was reconstructed in 1833-35 by the project of architect M. P. Malakhov), former estate of Rastorguev-Kharitonov (1794-1824, arch. Malakhov), Malakhov's house (1817-20) etc. At the place of metallurgical plant built in 1723, the historical square with blocks of rocks from various regions of Ural area was created.

History: The city was founded in 1721 by V. N. Tatishcev as mining-works, cultural and trade centre of Ural. November 7(18) 1723 when the first phase of Goverment metallurgical plant was put into operation and extensive city building developed is considered the official date of the foundation. Iset plant and fortress at it soon was named Yekaterinburg (in honor of empress Catherine 2nd). Uralian mining administration and Mining-works schhol used to be in Yekaterinburg. Verh-Isetskiy, Verkhneuktusskiy (Yelizavetinskiy) metallurgical plants were built near the city, later those merged with Yekaterinburg. In the 18 c. the industry of stone processing sprang up in Yekaterinburg (in 1751 lapidary factory on manufacture of vases, caskets and other products from malachite, porphyry was founded). In 1763 the Siberian road was laid from Moscow via Yekaterinburg to Siberia . From 1781 Yekaterinburg was the centre of Yekaterinburg region, from 1791 a capital city of Perm province. Yekaterinburg played a large role in the creation of gold-mining industry in Russia. Here gold ores, mined in neighboring mines, were smelted. From the 1840th Yekaterinburg becomes a centre of metalwork and from the end of the 19 c. - the significant railway centre in Ural (in 1878 it was connected with Perm by railway). On the night of 17th of July, 1918, the former Russian emperor Nikolai II and his family were executed in Yekaterinburg. In the beginning of the 20 c. Yekaterinburg was of the largest capital city in European part of Russia. From 1919 the centre of Yekaterinburg province, from 1923 - of Ural ragion. In 1924-91 it was renamed Sverdlovsk (in honor of Ya. M. Sverdlov). From 1934 the city was the centre of Sverdlovsk region. Since the 1930th numerous large plants, mainly engineering and metal works was built.

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Novosibirsk

	3336th km of Transsib: the station Novosibirsk-Main. The centre of Novosibirsk region RF. Time zone : Moscow +3. Was founded: in 1893. Former names: Novaya Derevnya (1893-1894), Alexandrovskiy (1894-1895), Novonikolaevskiy (1895-1903), Novonikolaevsk (1903-1925).
Coordinates: 54-57 d.n., 83-06 d.e. The city is situated at south-east of West Siberian plant at along bank of Ob r. Population: 404 000 (1939); 885 000 (1959); 1 312 400 (1989); 1 402 100 (1999). Average temperatures: January -19, April 0, July +18, October +1 Metro (from 1985, 2 lines), tram, trolleybus. A port at Ob r.
The map of the city

Economics: Engineering including energy and electro technical: plants "Sibelectrotyazhmash", of electrothermal equipment etc. Machine-tool industry: plant of heavy machine-tools and hydropresses, machine-tool, of foundry machines and automatic lines etc. Agricultural engineering: IA "Sibselmash". Instrumentation, precise engineering, aircraft industry (the V. P. Chkalov aviation IA), radio-electronic industry, textile engineering (the plant "Sibtextilmash"). Metallurgical works, tin combine. Chemical, chemical-pharmaceutical, light, food industries. Manufacture of building materials. In this area grain-crops, potatoes, vegetables, small fruits cultures are grown. Dairy-meat cattle husbandry, poultry husbandry. Deposits of sand, building stones, brick clay, keramzite raw materials, mineral waters.

Science, education: Siberian branch of RAS and AMS, in Krasnoobsk settlement Siberian branch of Russian academy of agricultural science. University. Agrarian and technical universities. Medical academy. Conservatoire. Institutes: arhitectural, engineering-building, of engineers of water transport, of engineers of geodesy, of aerosurveying and cartography, of engineers of rail transport, of national economy, of social rehabilitation, pedagogical, of electrotechnical communications. Branch of Tomsk university. There is the Akademical town which is the of Sovetsky district at the bank of reservoir 28 km south of Novosibirsk centre. It is a complex of research institutes, dwelling-houses, comminity organizations. There is SIA "Vektor" (elaboration of fundamental and applied problems of biotechnologies) in Koltsovo settlement.

Culture and museums: Theatres: "Krasny fakel", of opera and ballet (the largest in Russia), of musical comedy, youth "Globus", puppet-show, regional dramatic. Philharmonic. Circus. Museums: of regional studies, geological and zoological, of Siberian people history and culture. Art gallery. House-museum of S. M. Kirov. Museum of the sun.

Architecture and remarkables: Cathedral (1897), terminal, trade pavilion, theatre (1900-12). Dam of Novosibirsk hydro-power station being in one of Novosibirsk district formed Novosibirsk reservoir.

History: It appeared in 1893 as Novaya Derevnya = 'New Village" (unofficial name - Gusevka) owing to construction of railway bridge over Ob in the time of laying of Trans-Siberian railway.

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Irkutsk

	5185th km of Transsib: the station Irkutsk-Passenger. The centre of Irkutsk region RF. T ime zone : Moscow +5. Was founded: in 1661. Former names: none. Coordinates: 52-21 d.n., 104-11 d.e.
The city is situated on Irkutsk-Cheremkovo plain, at inflowing of Irkut r. in Angara. Population: 250 000 (1939); 366 000 (1959); 626 100 (1989); 592 400 (1999). Average temperatures: January -21, April +1, July +17, October 0 Tram, trolleybus. A port at Angara r., a pier at Irkutsk reservoir.
The map of the city

Economics: Engineering - plants: of heavy engineering, machine-tool, repair-mechanical. Drills for gold-mining and diamond industries, blast-furnace equipment, cardan shafts, lathes etc. are produced. Micaprocessing factory - details for radio electronic industry. Manufacture of building materials, concrete product. Food industry: tea-weighing, pasta factories, formula-feed and mill plants. Light industry: 2 clothing IA, furniture and footwear firms, knitting and pimy-rolling mills, tannery.

Science, education: Irkutsk scientific centre of RAS Siberian branch consists of 9 institutes including Institute of geography and Limnological institute. University (since 1918, was founded by Kolchak), medical, technical, pedagogical, universities, university of foreign languages. Economical, agricultural academies. Institute of engineers of rail transport. High school of militia, The A. N. Tupolev high war aviation-technical school. Branches of Moscow institute of engineers of civil aviation and Moscow commercial university.

Culture and museums: Theatres: academical dramatic, musical, children's, puppet-show, of popular drama, of Pilgrims. Philharmonic and organistic hall. Cicrus. Museums: of regional studies, art in which pictures of Repin, Aivazovskiy, Surikov and other famous painters are displayed. Memorial complex "Decembrists in Irkutsk". Museum-monument of ice-breaker "Angara". Museum of the city history.

Architecture and remarkables: The oldest in Eastern Siberia Sudarium church (1706-10; the bell tower 1758-62 was built at the place of the porch, architect M. I. Dolgikh), Epiphany cathedral (1718-31), Sign monastery (was founded in 1689) with church of Sign (1757-62), Trinity church (1763-78) and others. So-called White house (former Sibiryakov mansion, 1900-04). There is the museum of architecture and ethnography of Angara area peoples "Taltsy" close to Irkutsk - one of the largest open air museums of wooden architecture in Russia. Sudarium tower (1667) and Kazan church (1679) of Ilimsk ostrog, homestead Siberian wooden housing estate of the 19 c.; petroglyphic painting of 6-3 thousand B.C. from Kamennye islands at Angara. There is wooden Nikola church (the 1840th) at the back of Krestovy nick, 70 km south-east of Irkutsk in old Listvyanka village. There is 2-stepped Sudarium church (1771-79) to the north of Irkutsk in Urik village; the grave of Decembrist N. M. Muravyev is inside the church fence. Kazan church (1804) at the east of Urik village in Ust'-Kuda village. In 1970 Irkutsk was reckoned in protected Russian cities with preservation of old lay-out and housing estate, and in spring 2000 - it was the first Russian city reckoned into Protectorat of World Heritage YUNESKO for the unique wooden architecture. The monument to builders of Great Siberian Way.

History: Irkutsk takes up the territory of over 300 sq. km. It was laid by the group of Russian explorers headed by boyar son Yakov Pokhabov and in the beggining was a small wooden fortress. The ostrog sprang up at high non-callow bank and occupied the cape formed by the bend of Angara r. and the mouth of Ushakovka r. named Ida in that time. Upbuilt at "pleasing place" Irkutsk ostrog prepossesed at them who were in it. In 1675 the minister to China Nikolay Spafariy went via it and wrote "... ostrog is good by its structure, and more than 40 dwelling Cossack and civil homesteads are there and the palce is very granary". Already in 1682 the ostrog became the centre of waywodedom, in 1686 it was incorporated and the blazon was confirmed and 4 years later the stamp was granted.
Favourable geographic position of Irkutsk contrubuted to its formation. Since the huge territory up to Pacific ocean was added to Russia in the XVII-XVIII c.c. Irkutsk found itself in the centre of numerous trade ways of the all Eastern Siberia. From 1803 to 1822 Irkutsk was the centre of the largest territory of Russia in all its history (of cource, excluding its capitals - Moscow and Saint-Petersburg) - Irkutsk general province, in which besides Eastern Siberia, Far East, Chukotka and Alaska were in. Decembrists exercised great influence on cultural development of the city. All goups of exiles leaving through Baikal stopped in Irkutsk. Here for some months remarkable Russian women waited for permission for trip to theirs husbands (Decembrists). Decembrists completed hard labour were settles in villages around Irkutsk. Later Trubetskoy and Volkonskiy families lived in the city. In the second half of the XVIII c. the city had significant scientific potential. Here E. G. Laksman, the disciple of M. V. Lomonosov, worked. Siberian branch of Russian geographic society opened in Irkutsk in 1851 was very significant for science development. In the 80-th participants of revolutionary events in Poland, later prominent scientists of Russia V. I. Dybovskiy, A. L. Chekanovskiy, I. D. Cherskiy were its members. They studied Baikal and Lena. Here distinguished scinetist, researcher of Siberia V. A. Obrichev worked. In Irkutsk first in eastern Siberia a large telescope appeared. It was ordered in 1909 from Germany for money gathered by fundraising.

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Ulan-Ude

	5641th km of Transsib: the station Ulan-Ude. The centre of Buryatia republic of RF. Time zone : Moscow +5. Was founded: in 1689. Former names: Verkhneudinskiy (1689-1775), Verkhneudinsk (1775-1934). Coordinates: 51-53 d.n., 107-39 d.e. The city is situated in Trans-Baikalia in Selenga r. valley, at its right bank, between the ranges Khamar-Daban and Ulan-
Burgassy. South part of the city is crossed by Uda r. (Selenga tributary). Population: 125 700 (1939); 174 000 (1959); 352 700 (1989); 370 700. (1999). Average temperatures: January -27, April +1, July +19, October -1 Tram. A pier at Selenga r.
The map of the city

Economics: Engineering and metal working: plants - aviation, lcoomotive-carriage, instrument-making, ship-building yard, "Teplopribor", "Buryatformash", of bridge metalwork etc. Food (combines: meat-cannery, mill, dairy plant etc.), light (fine-cloth combine etc.), woodworking industries. Enterprises of building materials industry (including large glass works).

Science, education: Buryatian scientific centre of RAS Siberian branch with research institutes of hard and social sciences, geology-chemical, branch of India-Tibetan medicine bioactives researches. Institutes: agricultural, pedagogical; East Siberian - technological and of culture.

Culture and museums: Theatres: Buryatian of opera and ballet, the Kh. Namsaraev Buryatian of drama, the A. F. Bestuzhev Russian dramatic, puppet-show. Philharmonic. Museums: the M. N. Khangalov of Buryatia history, the C. S. Sampilov art, ethnographic of Transbaikalian peoples, of Buryatia nature, geological.

Architecture and remarkables: Odigitrievskiy cathedral (1714), church of Trinity (the end of the 18 - the beginning of the 19 c.c.), the Large and Small Burse and Guest courtyard (1803-56, architect A.P. Losev).

History: It was founded in 1666 as Cossack winter quarters at Uda r. for 'yasak' duty from Tunguses and Buryats. In 1689 Verkhneudinskiy ostrog was built. From 1690 administrative centre of western Trans-Baikalia. Part of Russia since 1775, first provincial, since 1783 capital city Verkhneudinsk of Irkutsk vicegernecy (later - province). Since 1822 district centre of Irkutsk province, since 1851 - the centre of once more formed Transbaikalian region. Favourable economy-geographic position of Verkhneudinsk contrubuted to transformation of the city to the large trade centre of Trans-Baikalia. Via Kyakhta and Verkhneudinsk commerce with China proceeded. In 1899 via Verkhneudinsk Trans-Siberian way passed. Verkhneudinsk fair to the end of the 19 c. has a turnover up to 2 mln. roubles. In April - Octoer of 1920 Verkhneudinsk was the capital of Far East republic (DVR). In 1921-22 - the centre of autonomous region of Buryats entering in DVR. From 1923 the capital of Buryat-Mongolian ASSR, in 1958-92 - of Buryatian ASSR. In 1934 Verkhneudinsk was renamed to Ulan-Ude (Red Uda).

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Vladivostok

	9289th km of Transsib: the station Vladivostok, island type (from 1893). The centre of Primorski territory RF. Was founded: in 1860. Time zone : Moscow +7. Former names: none. Coordinates: 48-12 d.n., 131-58 d.e. Vladivostok is situated by amphitheatre on hills of south-end of Muravyev-Amurskiy peninsula, around Zolotoy Rog Bay,
along eastern coastline of Amur bay of Sea of Japan. Population: 206 500 (1939); 291 000 (1959); 633 800 (1989); 610 300 (1999). Average temperatures: January -14, April +4, July +18, October +8. Tram, trolleybus. Seaport. The end of Transsib.
The map of the city

Economics: Vladivostok is a significant industrial centre. Engineering including shipbuilding and ship repairs, manufacture of equipment for fish and woodworking industries, mining equipment. Plants: "Dalzavod", "Dalpribor", "Radiopribor", "Metallist", tool etc. Food (fish combine, meat-preserving plant, confectionery etc.), of building materials (plant of concrete product etc.) industries. Vladivostok is the base of fisheryand getting of seafoods.

Science, education: Primorski branch of Russian geographic society. Far East scientific centre RAS, Tikhookeanskiy research institute of fish branch of producation (TINRO) and of oceanography, Tikhookeanskiy institute of geography etc. University, technological institute. Institutes: of technologic domestic servicing, technical of fish industry, commercial, of arts, medical. The S. O. Makarov Tikhookeanskoe high naval college, The G. I. Nevelskiy Sea academy.

Culture and museums: Theatres: dramatic, children's, puppet show. Museums: of Far East steamship line, of Pacific ocean fleet, TINRO, of regional studies, mineralogical. Art gallery. The Arseniev united museum (including house-museums of Arseniev, of K. A. Sukhanov etc.).

Architecture and remarkables: Seaquarium. There is Botanical garden near Vladivostok. There is mud and seaside health resort Sadgorod 26 km of Vladivostok.

History: Vladivostok area was exploredby Russian navigators in the 1850th. The military port was founded by crew of Russian sailing-ship "Manchur" in 1860 at the coast of deep-water, isolated from winds Zolotoy Rog bay. It recived the name "Vladivostok". In 1871 the main base of Siberian military fleet was moved to Vladivostok from Nikolaevsk-on-Amur. Development of shipbuilding and other branches of industry was accompanied by vladivostok consolidation as an administrative centre. Regular steamship line connected Vladivostok with Saint-Petersburg and Odessa in 1879. In 1880 Vladivostok (with Muravyev-Amurskiy peninsula) was singled out in particular "military governoredom" and was incorporated. From 1888 the centre of Primorskaya region. In 1897 Khabarovsk - Vladivostok railway was built, in 1903 direct railway communication with Moscow by Great Siberian Way was opened. In the 1890th Vladivostok gradually transformed into the Russian culture center at Far East. Vladivostok was the base for the expeditions of Russian travellers and scientists N. M. Przhevalskiy, S. O. Makarov, V. K. Arseniev, V. L. Komarov (later the president of USSR AS) etc. In 1899 Eastern institute was opened in Vladivostok. After establishment of Soviet power in 1917 in the city forces of Japanese, American and English troops landed here. In 1920-22 Vladivostok was the centre of Far East republic. From 1922 was included to RSFSR. From 1938 the centre of Primorski territory.

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