Omsk, Regional capital in Western Siberia, Russia
Omsk is a large city in Western Siberia that stretches along both banks of the Irtysh River for several dozen kilometers. The city divides into five administrative districts with government buildings, industrial zones and vast residential neighborhoods dating from Soviet times.
In 1716, Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Buchholz built a fortress at the meeting point of the Om and Irtysh rivers to defend the southern frontier of the Tsarist empire. During the Civil War between 1918 and 1920, the city became the capital of the White government under Admiral Kolchak before the Red Army regained control.
On late afternoons, the wide promenades along the Irtysh fill with walkers, fishermen and families spending leisure time near the water. In courtyards of old residential blocks, neighbors gather for card games, while young people meet in modern cafés downtown to listen to Russian pop music and talk.
The continental climate brings harsh winters with average temperatures around minus 19 degrees Celsius (minus 2 Fahrenheit) and summers around plus 18 degrees Celsius (64 Fahrenheit). During the cold season, warm clothing and sturdy footwear become essential, while summer calls for lighter clothes and sun protection.
The writer Fyodor Dostoevsky spent several years imprisoned here before writing some of his most famous works. The theater from 1874 remains among the oldest stages in Siberia and continues to present classical performances alongside contemporary productions.
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