The city of Tomsk is located on the banks of the Tom River (Western Siberia) . It is the regional center of the Tomsk region and is considered the oldest settlement in Siberia. This article provides information about the Resurrection Hill.
Tomsk: the history of the city
In 1604, representatives of the indigenous population came to Moscow to the ruler of Russia, Boris Godunov, with a request to accept them as part of Russia. They also wanted to build a fort on the Tom River to protect them from the enemy.
In the same year, by order of Boris Godunov, the construction of the fortress began. After 44 years, the militarized fortification fell into disrepair. Then it was decided to build a new fortress on a steep hill, which was called the Resurrection Mountain.
The name of the mountain is due to the church built in 1622 in honor of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fort and the settlement formed around the fortress were called Tomsk - by the name of the Tom River, which now houses the modern regional center.
Over the course of the 17th century, Tomsk provided security for the northern borders of Russia and since 1804 it has become the main city of the Tomsk province. Since 1925, the city was part of the West Siberian Territory, and seven years later - the center of the Novosibirsk Region.
For economic reasons, the Tomsk region (316,900 km²) was transformed into an independent region. Its center was the city of Tomsk, founded, according to historical documents, in 1604.
Travel agencies constantly organize diverse excursions to the main attractions of the city. The most popular excursion is considered to be a walk along the Resurrection Hill in Tomsk. It is located in the central part of the city, where tourists and history buffs can visit cultural monuments.
Resurrection Church
On the street Oktyabrsky Vzvoz (road uphill) is an Orthodox church building. The church on the Resurrection Hill in Tomsk was built in 1622. Initially, it was built on the territory of the religious male community of the Assumption Monastery, which was closed in 1626.
Due to frequent fires, the Tomsk diocese decided to build a stone structure on the site of the wooden church. Construction was completed in 1807, and the church was consecrated in the name of the Resurrection of Christ.
Five years after the revolutionary events, the temple was closed, and all church values were transferred to various historical museums in Russia. Since 1930, the monastery building was used as a city warehouse.
At the request of Orthodox believers in Tomsk, in 1980 the church was transferred to the disposal of the Tomsk diocese. During the restoration work, which took place over 10 years, the altar and gilded crosses were restored in their original form.
In 2004, according to the surviving drawings, a copy of the lost bell was made and raised to its former place. It was cast in 1896 in honor of the coronation of Nicholas II.
Now the church is located at the following address: Tomsk, Voskresenskaya Gora, ul. October Import, 10.
Polish temple
On Bakunin Street, there is a Polish church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Holy Rosary. Historical documents indicate that in the XVII century, immigrants of the Catholic faith appeared in the vicinity of Tomsk.
Then the settlement increased due to the exiled participants in the Polish uprisings of 1830 and 1863. The organizer of the construction of the church was Count Alexander Mashinsky, exiled to Tomsk.
According to the project of Russian architect of German origin, Karl Tursky, in 1833 a temple was built, which became the first Catholic religious building in Western Siberia.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Tomsk Catholic parish of the Polish church was one of the largest in Western Siberia.
This gave rise to the establishment in 1902 of a wind keyboard musical instrument (organ). In 1938, by the decision of the city authorities, the church was closed, and the warehouse of the Tomsk Glider Club was created in its building, and after 40 years the building was used as a planetarium.
At the end of the 20th century, the restoration of Catholicism began in Russia, and the church was transferred to the Tomsk Catholic parish.
In 1991 (after restoration) the church was consecrated again, and now it is operational.
Tourists can visit the service and explore the restored Venetian temple architecture of the XVII-XVIII centuries.
House of Science on Voskresenskaya Hill in Tomsk: photos and description
On the territory of the Resurrection Mountain there is Salt Square (the name is derived from the salt barns located here in the past). There is a monument of urban architecture - the House of Science.
The building was built in 1912 as the People’s University at the expense of Peter Makushin, the founder of public education in Western Siberia.
Classes of a private higher educational institution (Siberian higher women's courses) were held here, educational classes for residents of Tomsk and other city educational organizations functioned.
Since 1923 and for 18 years, the premises were used for the Siberian Technical School. In 1941, at the request of wartime, the building was transferred to the Tomkabel factory, where factory workshops that functioned until 1960 were located.
In 1960, the factory House of Culture was located here. Now the building is officially called the "House of Science named after P. Makushin", and it houses the Tomsk Puppet Theater and actor "Skomorokh".
Museum of the History of Tomsk
In the southern part of the Resurrection Mountain in Tomsk, at the place where the fortress was located at the beginning of the 17th century, there is a museum of the city’s history (Bakunin Street). The building was built in 1859 and was intended for the police department.
A wooden observation tower (the tallest building in the city at that time) was built on the roof, which served as an observation post for firefighters. Since the city was built up mainly with wooden houses, fires were a frequent occurrence.
Interesting fact: three-color balloons served as a fire signal. Each district had its own color. By the color of the ball launched by the observer from the tower, fire brigades determined in which area the fire was located.
By decision of the city leadership, in 1997, the preparatory work began on the creation of the Museum of the History of Tomsk in the building of the former police station . The opening of the first museum exhibition “Tomsk First Century” took place in 2004.
In the same year, according to the surviving drawings and drawings, the Spasskaya Tower of the second Tomsk fort was built and installed on the spot where it stood in 1648.
To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city, engineers reconstructed the fortress cannon, installed it on museum grounds and fired the first shot, which has become a tradition: a cannon volley is fired every Friday at noon.
Tourists, walking along the Resurrection Hill, can see the exhibition. They are collected from artifacts of the XVI-XX centuries and are associated with the history of the city. The Museum on the Resurrection Hill in Tomsk is open daily (except Monday) from 10 to 19 hours. The entrance ticket costs 60 rubles.
White lake
Lovers of nature and outdoor activities visit White Lake, located in the Oktyabrsky district of the Resurrection Mountain in Tomsk. The myth associated with the name of the lake is still preserved. The soldiers of the prince of the small Tatar tribe of Toyan in the 17th century defended Tomsk from the steppe Slavs of the Baltic region (Varangians). During the hostilities on the shore of a small lake, evil spirits attacked the defenders and infected various incurable diseases. There was one way to escape from misfortune: to sprinkle the lake with your blood. Having learned about this tool, the princely daughter of Tom sacrificed herself by striking a dagger in the chest, and the girl's blood flowed into the pond. The water around Toma began to boil and turn white. Warriors, having bathed, recovered and defended Tomsk from ruin. Since then, the lake is called "White".
Pure natural reservoir has long been a source of drinking water for the local population. In 1870, the lake was deepened, trees were planted on the shore, and thus a recreation area was formed.
In 1959, a fountain was installed in the center of the pond, and 19 years later a bronze bust was installed on the shore of the honorary resident of the city - cosmonaut Nikolai Rukavishnikov.
Places of power
Special areas where strong internal temporisms are recorded, thanks to which there is a desire to act immediately, are called "Places of Power" on the Resurrection Hill in Tomsk.
People, being in this area, find a solution to their problems related to life and health. In past centuries, religious buildings were built on such territories.
A herd of horses was issued to determine the place of power. Where animals stayed for the night, a place was fixed, and the foundation of the future building was laid.
In Tomsk, the burial place of Orthodox St. Theodore of Tomsk, who lived in the Tomsk province in the middle of the XIX century, is considered among believers as a place of power.
Interesting fact
According to legend, the elder was actually Emperor Alexander I, who did not die of typhus in Taganrog, but became a hermit and settled in the Alekseevsky Monastery.
The only fact confirming this legend is that the grave, which is located on the monastery territory, was once visited by members of the Romanov imperial family.
In the village of Zavarzino (10 km from Tomsk) there is Kostromka rock, where the human soul is ennobled, since the rock is the second place of power.
How to get there
How to get to the Resurrection Mountain? In Tomsk, all urban transport routes (minibus or trolleybus) pass near the mountain.
You need to get to the stop "TSUM" or to "Pereulka 1905 goda". Then go along the Sovpartshkol lane and, having risen along Oktyabrsky Vzvoz street, the tourist will be in the old part of the city - the Resurrection Mountain.