Tomsk – Wooden Architecture, Memorial Sites and Greenways

Tomsk combines a rich history of wooden construction with memorial sites, viewpoints and greenways. Its historic districts are home to extensive collections of wooden houses dating from the second half of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century. A walk through the old streets offers a close-up experience of architecture shaped by Siberia. This gives you several ways to focus your trip: the cityscape and architectural history, remembrance, or excursions to viewpoints and park paths.

Wooden Architecture and Urban History

One example of Tomsk’s wooden architecture is the House with Dragons at 68 Krasnoarmeyskaya Street. The Tomsk Tourist Information Centre lists it under wooden architecture. The Spasskaya Tower also has a special connection to the city’s history: an exact replica of the 17th-century tower was built for the city’s 400th anniversary. These two landmarks add specific buildings to walks through the old streets, where you can discover different aspects of the city’s history.

Memorial Sites and Guided City Walks

The Tomsk Memorial Museum of the History of Political Repression is located in the basement of the building at 44 Lenina Avenue. From 1923 to 1944, the Tomsk City Department of the OGPU–NKVD prison was housed in this building. The grounds beside the prison were formerly the prison yard; today, they are home to the Square of Remembrance. Together, the museum and square form a memorial complex.

The permanent exhibition occupies four former cell rooms. Sections of the permanent exhibition include «Khronika repressiy na Tomskoy zemle», «Bolshoy terror», «Rasstrelnyy krest», «Belostokskaya tragediya», «ChSIRy», «Ikh tragicheskie sudby», «Sudba svyashchennika», «Kolpashevskiy yar», «GULAG i spetspereselentsy Narymskogo kraya» and «Podzemnyy rasstrelnyy koridor». The last of these features the sculptural composition «Ukhodyashchiy v nebytiye». The Museum of the History of Tomsk regularly organises walking tours of the city. If you are planning to join a tour, check the relevant date.

Viewpoints and Greenways

The former wooden fire tower on Voskresenskaya Hill was built in 1860 above the police administration building. Today, it serves as a city viewpoint overlooking central districts and the main sights; an exhibition is devoted to the fire service. The tower’s historic origins and present-day function give a visit here a different focus from walks through Tomsk’s wooden-house districts.

The educational tourist trail «Lagerny Garden. A Place with a History» runs through the «Lagernyy sad» urban park on the southwestern outskirts of the city. It is designated as a year-round trail. The protected park area of the Siberian Botanical Garden is also open daily from 9:00 to 18:00, except on public holidays and when closures for maintenance work are announced. Check the garden’s official visitor rules before your visit.

Choose a Holiday Apartment to Suit Your Plans

Architecture walks and visits to memorial sites make for different days than viewpoints and greenways. When looking for a holiday apartment in Tomsk, consider which of these interests matter most to you and compare your planned routes with the accommodation’s location. For planning a trip together, it can help to choose a clear focus for each day, such as wooden architecture, city history or an outing in the greenery.

Discover more destinations: Strezhevoy, Bogashevo, Asino, Seversk, Kaftanchikovo, Rodionovo, Barabinka, Semiluzhki.

Return to the main travel overview: Tomsk Oblast.