Irkutsk

Irkutsk is a city and administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast in eastern Siberia, Russia. It lies on the Angara River, upstream from Lake Baikal, and is a major rail and river port on the Trans-Siberian corridor. The population is in the hundreds of thousands.

Founded in 1661 as a fortress of Irkutsk, it developed as a trading post linking Siberia with Russia proper. It grew into a regional administrative and educational center in the 18th–19th centuries, with a distinctive wooden architecture style. The city endured events such as the expansion of the Russian Empire, 19th-century building booms, and Soviet-era industrialization.

Geography and climate: The city sits in the Irkutsk Plain on the Angara. It has a subarctic or humid continental climate with cold, snowy winters and warm summers; average January temperatures around -18 to -20 C, July around +18 to +20 C. Precipitation is distributed throughout the year.

Economy and transport: The economy includes administration, services, manufacturing, timber, and energy sectors. It is a railway hub on the Trans-Siberian and has Irkutsk International Airport. The surrounding region includes Lake Baikal, which contributes to tourism and related industries.

Culture and education: Irkutsk is home to Irkutsk State University (established in 1918) and other higher education institutions, as well as several museums including the Irkutsk Regional Museum of Local Lore. The historic center features preserved 18th–19th century architecture, and nearby Taltsy is an open-air museum illustrating traditional Siberian life.