Tyumen Oblast

tyumen – Тюмень

Tyumen was founded in 1586. It was the first Russian fort in Siberia. Today Tyumen is a pleasant and booming city. The place where the city was started is marked by a cornerstone with a memorial plate.

The Trinity Monastery is Tyumen’s most prominent architectural feature.

Next to the monastery stands a monument depicting conversion of Siberian pagans to Christianity.

The Academy of Agriculture. During WWII Lenin's embalmed body was evacuated here from Moscow for safe keeping.

An effective view on the historic part of the city opens from the cable-stayed footbridge across the river Tura. The bridge is called by locals "Love Bridge". It is a popular spot for wedding ceremonies. Youngsters used steelwork to express their feelings. As a result, the bridge used to be marred with indecent graffiti. In 2017 the bridge was taken good care of. Indecent graffiti disappeared.

At night the Love Bridge shines with 50+ shades of grey. The view is captivating.

The riverside promenade is loaded with statues and bas-reliefs briefly telling the history of the city.

The promenade at night as seen from the bridge.

Next to the riverfront is a memorial with a big bas-relief showing the main events of the 1941-45 war between the Hitler coalition of Germany, Italy, Hungary, Romania, Finland on one side and the Soviet Union on the other side.

TYUMEN oblast – ТЮМЕНская область

pokrovskoe – покровское

For lovers of Russian history and Bony M music another attraction may be of a higher importance than Tyumen. I mean the village of Pokrovskoe located half way between Tyumen and Tobolsk. Pokrovskoe is the native village of a very controversial character named Grigory Rasputin. Rasputin was born a peasant. He spent three years in the Verkhoturie Monastery. (See Sverdlovsk Oblast). His experience there, combined with a reported vision of Mother Mary, turned him towards the life of a religious mystic and wanderer.

There lived a certain man in Russia long ago. He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow.

In 1903, Rasputin arrived in Saint Petersburg, where he gradually gained a reputation as a holy man with healing and prophetic powers. Once he was introduced to the Romanovs royal family. The heir to the Russian throne prince Alexei had hemophilia. Every time the boy had an injury which caused him bleeding, the Tsarina called on Rasputin. As a result of Rasputin's manipulations the prince subsequently got better.

For the queen he was no wheeler dealer, though she'd heard the things he'd done. She believed he was a holy healer who would heal her son.

Rasputin soon became involved in a sharp political struggle involving revolutionary and other political forces and interests and eventually was murdered in December 1916. "He ruled the Russian land and never mind the Czar....Then one night some men of higher standing set a trap, they're not to blame…Come to visit they just kept demanding and he really came.... And so they shot him till he was dead. Oh, those Russians..."

Dead Rasputin.

Rasputin's murderer noble count Yusupov.

The Rasputin museum. The first privately owned and family run museum in Russia.

Marina Smirnova - the owner, manager, guide, director.

Rasputin's parents' house stands next to the museum. Rasputin’s house was demolished in 1980.

The Bony M band once visited the museum and performed here their once forbidden in the USSR song "Rasputin". The museum has on display a number of personal belongings of Rasputin and his family. Few of them survived after Rasputin's house was demolished in 1980. Now visitors can contemplate a genuine icon of Semeon Verkhotursky, a window finishing frame, a mirror and a chair.

"Give her some sweets." writes Rasputin making multiple spelling mistakes to the owner of a local grocery store. Holders of such Rasputin's messages were given free of charge whatever was requested. Rasputin paid afterwards for his fellow villagers.

Sitting in Rasputin's chair allegedly enhances masculine powers and contributes to promotion at work.

Rasputin and his sister.

Rasputin's granddaughter visiting the museum.

abalak – абалак

Pursuing the theme of Rasputin it is advisable to visit the 1683 Abalak Monastery located 30 km from Tobolsk. It is the holiest monastery of the region. Worshippers flock the monastery on special religious occasions. Some also come in between to pray away their sins.