Томск / Tomsk: about 1900

Дореволюционная Россия на фотографиях
Томск около 1900

Pre-revolutionary Russia in photographs
Tomsk about 1900

Music:
Two Impromptus, Op.12. Impromptu in B flat minor by A.Scriabin.

Tomsk is one of the oldest towns in Siberia and celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2004.
Tomsk originated with a decree from Tsar Boris Godunov in 1604 after Toian, the Tatar duke of Eushta, asked for the Tsar's protection against Kirghiz bandits. In return, the Tsar sent 200 Cossacks to construct a fortress on the bankof the Tom River, overlooking what would become the city of Tomsk..
In 1804 the Imperial Russian government selected Tomsk as the seat of the new Tomsk Governorate. The new status brought development and the city grew quickly. Gold was discovered in 1830 that brought further development to the Tomsk in the 19th century. However, when in the 1890s, the Trans-Siberian Railway bypassed the city, in favour of the village of Novonikolayevsk (Novosibirsk), development began to move south to connect with the railway. In time, Novosibirsk would surpass Tomsk in importance.
In the mid-19th century one fifth of the city's residents were exiles. However, with the establishment of Tomsk University, the city went through a "renaissance" and subsequently earned itself the title of being the education centre of Siberia.....

Видео Томск / Tomsk: about 1900 канала Nigel Fowler Sutton