The Russian city of Tobolsk, located in the Northern part of Siberia, in the Tyumen region, has a rich history full of interesting facts. It began with the foundation of a small fortress when the brave pioneers began to conquer the Siberian expanses. This city stands out for its harsh northern climate and incredibly beautiful nature.
Top facts about Tobolsk
- The only Slavic kremlin in Siberia is located here in Tobolsk.
- This city was named after the Tobol river, which is a tributary of the Irtysh river.
- Only 3 years passed From the moment of Tobolsk’s foundation till the moment of assigning it the status of a full-fledged city only 3 years passed.
- The population of this city is approximately equal to the population of all Seychelles Islands.
- Tobolsk became the second Russian city founded in Siberia.
- In continuation of the famous “Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe the hero travels across Russia and spends 8 months in Tobolsk, waiting for the end of severe frosts.
- About 220 times more people live in the city of Beijing (the capital of China) than here.
- In the comedy movie of the 60s “The Great Race” characters visit Tobolsk, where they are met by not really friendly and silent people with torches. The movie shows a polar night around, but that’s fake as in fact, it doesn’t happen in this city. In the Soviet movie distribution, this scene was cut out of ideological considerations.
- The mentioned area is the historical homeland of the Turkic peoples. Ages ago they moved to Central Asia, to modern Kazakhstan territories mostly.
- Tobolsk is 111 times larger than the Principality of Monaco, the smallest independent state ever (facts about Monaco).
- The unemployment rate in Tobolsk is one of the lowest in Russia. At the time of 2018, it did not exceed 0.35%.
- This city had been the center of the largest of the Russian provinces in past.
- Many immigrants from Poland lived in Tobolsk during the active expansion of the city in the 18th century. A Catholic Church built by them is preserved there to this day.
- According to statistics, 10% of locals here are engaged in sports-related physical activity.
- Tobolsk is the city where the famous scientist Dmitry Mendeleev was born.
- The last Russian emperor Nicholas II was exiled to Tobolsk after the revolution with his family together. They spent about 9 months here.
- People still find valuable fossils from time to time here, as well as the bones of mammoths and other extinct animals.