View of the Open Air Museum from the entrance gate
Recreation of a bark tepee used by early Siberians when tending their herds or hunting
Recreation of the interior of a 17th century fall hunt cabin
Water mill flume exiting the second cabin mill
Part of a three phase water powered mill. The wooden flume would send water thru three different cabin mills one after the other
Water flume used to turn the millstone exiting the first cabin
Part of a three phase water powered mill. The wooden flume would send water thru three different cabin mills one after the other
Town Granary
The front side of the fireplace. A bed sat atop the backside
Warmest bed in the house. The white you see is a large wood heating system of the other rooms
Interior of a peasant family home
Believe it or not but the former home of a notorious Siberian Witch
Dry Courtyard view of a fortified home.
Cabins were small. Kitchen and Bedroom in one room
Interior of a peasant home with the lady of the house working on her loom
Rapid Transit – Siberian Style
Exterior of an old government building
Exterior of a fortified homestead
Mongolian Yert – Irkutsk is near the border and as a result a lot of shared culture
Historic Siberian Pub
Siberian version of a swing. notice the little girl is sitting astride half a log
Horse drawn sleds for winter transport
Spasskava Tower of Illim displayed in the Open Air Museum
Exterior view of the Kazan Cathedral of Irkutsk
Kazan Alter Art
Interior of the Kazan
View of the incredible alter art inside the Karzan Cathedral of Irkutsk
Church of the Sign
Holy Cross Cathedral
Holy Cross Cathedral
Kazanskia Church
Karzanskaya Church 1600s oldest surviving wooden temple in Siberia
The hotel arranged for me to hire a taxi for the day to visit some sites I could not reach by walking. My first destination was the Open Air Museum of Taltsy. The museum has gathered wooden architecture from all over Siberia and it is one of the largest in Russia. The museum displays buildings and peasant life from the 1600 to the early 2oth century. The oldest actual building preserved is the Kazanskaya Church (1679) is the only wooden temple which was preserved in Siberia. And the Spasskaya Tower of Illim Stockaded-Town is the monument of the wooden defended architecture of the 17th century.
I have included photos of the most interesting but these are just a fraction of the interesting structures and Siberian life presented in the museum. I spent half of my last day wandering thru time and life as a Siberian, peasant, hunter, herder, and prospector.
Ater I had seen all I could at Taltsy I had my driver take me back to Irkutsk and began my Houses of Worship tour. First Stop was the Karzan Cathedral of Irkutsk. I was in luck because this venue actually allowed photos to be taken inside the church so I can share the beauty within as well as the architecture from the street view.
After Karzan I visited I made a quick walking tour of the Epiphany Cathedral, Savior Church built in 1706, The Church of the Assumption of our Lady – Gothic style Polish Catholic Church, and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church. By the time I walked from the waterfront past the churches then past the Kirov’s Square and Park down to Karl Marx and had dinner (little did I know it would be my last real meal in over 24 hours) it was time to collect my bags and get back on the train for another 31 hours of monotony on my way to Ulan-Bator.
Photos attached: