Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Omsk

 
Dictionary: Omsk   (ômsk) pronunciation

A city of south-central Russia at the confluence of the Irtysh and Om rivers. On the Trans-Siberian Railroad, it is a major river port and transportation hub. The city was founded in 1716. Population: 1,140,000.

 

Search unanswered questions...
Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics

City (pop., 2002: 1,133,900), west-central Russia. It is located in southwestern Siberia at the confluence of the Irtysh and Om rivers. Founded in 1716 as a military stronghold, Omsk became a city in 1804. It remained the headquarters of the Siberian Cossacks until the late 19th century. In 1918 – 19 it was the seat of the anti-Bolshevik government of Adm. Aleksandr Kolchak. Its growth was spurred by the building of the Trans-Siberian Railroad in the 1890s and the onset of World War II. Pipelines from the Volga-Urals and western Siberian oil fields supply the refinery, and the petrochemical industry is also is important.

For more information on Omsk, visit Britannica.com.

 
Omsk (ômsk), city (1989 pop. 1,148,000), capital of Omsk region, W Siberian Russia, at the confluence of the Irtysh and Om rivers and on the Trans-Siberian RR. It is a major river port and produces agricultural machinery and railway equipment. There are also oil refineries supplied by pipelines from the West Siberian basin. Factories in Omsk also produce footwear, clothing, tires, and consumer goods. Founded as a fortress in 1716, Omsk became a major transportation and administrative center in the 19th cent. and a place of detention for political exiles. Feodor Dostoyevsky was imprisoned there from 1849 to 1853. During the civil war that followed the Revolution of 1917, Omsk served as headquarters of the anti-Bolshevik armed forces of Admiral A. V. Kolchak.


Weather: Omsk
Top
AccuWeather® 5-Day Forecast

Thursday HI:  33°F / 0°C
LO: 24°F / -4°C
Friday HI:  31°F / 0°C
LO: 19°F / -7°C
Saturday HI:  26°F / -3°C
LO: 20°F / -6°C
Sunday HI:  31°F / 0°C
LO: 22°F / -5°C
Monday HI:  23°F / -5°C
LO: 17°F / -8°C
Last updated November 27, 2009 01:09 (EST)

Local Time: Omsk, Russia
Top

It is 12:57 PM, November 27, in Omsk (Russia).

Wikipedia: Omsk
Top
Omsk (English)
Омск (Russian)
—  Inhabited locality  —
SIrtysha.jpg
View of Omsk from across the Irtysh River
Omsk is located in Russia
Omsk
Location of Omsk on the map of Russia
Coordinates: 54°59′N 73°22′E / 54.983°N 73.367°E / 54.983; 73.367Coordinates: 54°59′N 73°22′E / 54.983°N 73.367°E / 54.983; 73.367
Coat of Arms of Omsk.svg
Coat of arms
Omsk flag.gif
Flag
Holiday First Saturday of August[citation needed]
Administrative status
Country Russia
Federal subject Omsk Oblast
In administrative jurisdiction of Omsk Oblast[citation needed]
Administrative center of Omsk Oblast[citation needed]
Municipal status
Municipal Status Urban okrug
Mayor[citation needed] Viktor Shreyder[citation needed]
Representative body City Council[citation needed]
Statistics
Area 573 km2 (221.2 sq mi)[1]
Population (2002 Census) 1,134,016 inhabitants[2]
Rank 7th
- Density 1,979 /km2 (5,100/sq mi)[3]
Time zone OMST/OMSST (UTC+6/+7)
Founded August 2, 1716[citation needed]
Postal code(s) 644xxx[citation needed]
Dialing code(s) +7 3812[citation needed]
Official website http://www.omsk.ru/
Lenin Street (formerly Lyubinsky Avenue) with the Moscow Merchant Rows in the foreground.

Omsk (Russian: Омск) is a Russian city located in southwestern Siberia and the administrative center of Omsk Oblast. It is Russia's second-largest city east of the Ural Mountains. The distance from Omsk to Moscow is 2,700 kilometres (1,700 mi).

In imperial times, Omsk was the seat of the Governor General of Western Siberia, and later of the Governor General of the Steppes. For a brief period during the Russian Civil War in 1918–1920, it served as the capital of the anti-Bolshevik Russian State and held the imperial gold reserves.

Omsk is the administrative centre of Siberian Cossack Voisko, it also serves as the see of the bishop of Omsk and Tara, as well as the administrative seat of the Imam of Siberia.

Contents

Location

Omsk is situated on the banks of the north-flowing Irtysh, at its confluence with the smaller Om River. The city has an altitude of 87 metres (290 ft) above sea level.

Both branches of the Trans-Siberian railway pass through the city, which also serves as a major junction for the regional highway network. River port facilities handle both passengers and freight, giving the city access to the extensive navigable waterways of the Irtysh and Ob rivers. The waterways connect Omsk with the coal and mineral-mining towns in Kazakhstan, as well as with the oil, natural gas and lumber operations of northern Siberia. Omsk is served by the Tsentralny Airport, which offers access to domestic and international (primarily, German and Kazakh) destinations, making the city an important aviation hub for Siberia and the Russian Far East.

Climate

The climate is dry and continental, characterized by dramatic swings of weather. The average daily temperatures, taken over the past three decades, are 20 °C (68 °F) for July and −19 °C (−2.2 °F) for January, although temperatures can reach 45 °C (113 °F) in the summer and drop to −45 °C (−49 °F) in the winter. On average Omsk sees over 300 sunny days in any given year. Average annual rainfall is 315 millimetres (12.4 in).

History

In 1714 Peter the Great sent Ivan Bukholts (Johann Buchholz) up the Irtysh to Lake Zaysan to search for gold and build a fort. They were driven out by the Oirats and retreated downriver to Omsk. The wooden fort of Omsk was erected in 1716 to protect the expanding Russian frontier, along the Ishim and the Irtysh rivers against the Kyrgyz nomads of the Steppes. In the late 1700s, stronger works of brick were erected on the right bank of the Om; of these, the original Tobolsk and the restored Tara gates still stand, along with the original German Lutheran Church, an armoury, a military jail, and commandant's house.

Krestovozdvizhensky cathedral

In the 19th and early 20th century, Omsk became the administrative center of Western Siberia and the Steppes (Kazakhstan), acquiring a few churches and cathedrals of various denominations, mosques, a synagogue, the governor-general's mansion, a military academy. Ink was joked to have been sold by the buckets. As the frontier receded and military importance diminished, the town fell into lethargy; it was during the mid-1800s that Dostoevsky lived and wrote in exile here.

The new boom began with the construction of the Trans-Siberian railway in 1890s, when the merchants flocked to the city on the rail/river junction. Many a trade companies opened stores and offices here, building an elaborately decorated district of the city, and bringing the hustle-and-bustle of modern transportation, means of communications and entertainment. Foreign powers, including the British, Dutch and Germans, opened consulates to represent their commercial interests. The pinnacle came with the lavish Siberian Exposition of Agriculture and Industry in 1910, for which a complex of buildings and fountains was constructed. In line with the popularity of World Fairs of the day, the exposition influenced observers to foretell the wonders of the "Chicago of Siberia". Many of the period's buildings survive (though none from the expo), and the architecture gives the city centre a distinguished historical Siberian town flavour.

Shortly after the 1917 revolution, the pro-monarchy "white" forces seized control of the city. The "Provisional Government of Russia" was established in 1918, headed by the polar explorer and decorated war hero Admiral Kolchak. Omsk was proclaimed the Capital of Russia, and its central bank kept the Imperial gold reserves, guarded by the Czechoslovakian garrison trapped in the chaos of World War I. The city proved to be a key to power in Siberia; eventually, Kolchak, the government, and the gold retreated along the Trans-Siberian eastward to Irkutsk, and the bolshevik "red" forces took control in 1919.

Soviet era

Omsk Cathedral
Nightlife around the Mayakovsky entertainment complex
Irtysh in Omsk
The Museum of Fine Art is named for Mikhail Vrubel

The Soviet government preferred the young Novonikolayevsk, now Novosibirsk, to be the designated centre of Western Siberia, prompting the mass transfer of administrative, cultural and educational functions from Omsk, dampening the city's growth and sparking a rivalry between the two cities continuing to this day. It was during and after World War II that Omsk received a new boost: many industries were evacuated away from Russia's western front in 1941. In the event of a German victory during the Battle of Moscow, Omsk was to become the provisional Soviet capital. However, the concentration of military enterprises also had negative effects, as until 1990, the city stayed closed to foreigners, and, after 1990, the collapse of the Soviet military demand led to high unemployment.

Military industries which moved here included part of the OKMO tank design bureau in 1941, and S.M. Kirov Factory no. 185 from Chelyabinsk, in 1962. The Kirov Factory and Omsk Transmash design bureau (KBTM) produced T-80 tanks from the 1970s, and were responsible for the BTR-T, TOS-1, and prototype Black Eagle tank. Omsk Transmash declared bankruptcy in 2002.

In the 1950s, following the development of oil and natural gas field in Siberia, an oil-refining complex was built, along with an entire "town of oilworkers", expanding Omsk northward along the Irtysh. It is currently the largest complex in Russia, and third such in Europe. Gazprom Neft, the parent company, is the largest employer in the city, wielding its tax address as leverage in negotiations with municipal and regional authorities.

Omsk today

Since the 1990s and the fall of Soviet Union, the former party elite, new businessmen and the criminal world mixed together and fought for control of the city's most profitable enterprises. The most notorious cases involved Sibneft, and were reported by The New York Times, yet nothing was ever resolved. Until 2000, the feud between the regional and the municipal authorities made at least two points of view available to the public, and some work was done for the public good. This includes the establishment of the annual Siberian International Marathon (SIM), the celebration of City Days, construction of new leisure parks and renovation of the historic centre. Nevertheless, the feud drained the city's resources, and two mayors were forced to leave, with a replacement all but appointed by the region's governor, in his post since the communist era. Currently, all of the region's important power levers, including the courts and the media, are in the hands of the regional government. The city is underperforming the Russian averages on economic growth and quality of life. The Omsk hockey team (Avangard) has also recently acquired former New York Ranger Jaromir Jagr from The NHL of North America.

On March 2, 2005, the Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan was opened. Previously in 1943, the Free India Government in Exile has opened its consulate in Omsk as well.

Omsk Drama Theater

Main sights

The centrepiece of the city is an ensemble of buildings along Lyubinsky prospekt/Lenin Street. This is the former Gostiny Dvor, flanked by two chapels. Close at hand are a bourse and a drama theatre, all dating from late 1800s – early 1900s.

Side streets are lined with stately mansions of former insurance companies, trusts and banks from the same period. Hidden closer to the river confluence are the few surviving somber buildings of the 18th-century fortress. The largest and most opulent church in the city is the Dormition Cathedral, a five-domed edifice in the Russian Revival style, consecrated in 1896, blown up by the Soviets, and meticulously restored in the early 2000s.

Another area of interest is Nikolsky prospekt/Krasnykh Zor Street, where a line of merchants' wooden houses still stands. The street leads to the Neoclassical cathedral of St Nicholas, which was commissioned by the Cossacks, designed by Vasily Stasov and consecrated in 1840. It contains various relics of the Siberian Cossacks. Various other landmarks are scattered throughout the city.

The major museums in Omsk are the Omsk Vrubel Art Gallery and the State Historical Museum, located in the former bourse building and the governor-general's mansion, respectively.

Among the attractions of city — more than several dozen churches, monuments, including the style of "l’art nouveau", historic sites, and sculptures devoted to the famous people, and lots of other interesting places

Demographics

The population in Omsk rose from 31,000 in 1881 to 53,050 in 1900 and to 1,148,418 in 1989 Census. The 2002 Census recorded that the population declined to 1,134,016.

Metro

Planned metro network

A subway system, proposed in the late 1980s, but postponed for lack of funds, is currently under construction, with the Metro bridge over the Irtysh river. The bridge is already opened for cars (upper level), but the metro (lower level) is still under construction. As a first step one short line will connect the districts in the northwest with the city centre. The first line of the metro is scheduled to be finished in 2010.

Sports

Notable citizens

Athletes

Education

Omsk Kadetten School, military school

Omsk is home to many institutions of higher learning and several universities:

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Omsk is twinned with:

Honors

  • The 3406 Omsk asteroid, which lies in the main asteroid belt, is named after the city.[4] Furthermore, in 1997, Bella Alekseevna Burnashova, the discoverer of the asteroid, "presented" it to the mayor of Omsk, effectively making it the city's most outlying district.

References

  1. ^ www.omsk.ru
  2. ^ Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2004-05-21). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек (Population of Russia, its federal districts, federal subjects, districts, urban localities, rural localities—administrative centers, and rural localities with population of over 3,000)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002). Federal State Statistics Service. http://perepis2002.ru/ct/html/TOM_01_04_1.htm. Retrieved 2009-08-19. 
  3. ^ The value of density was calculated automatically by dividing the 2002 Census population by the area specified in the infobox. Please note that this value may not be accurate as the area specified in the infobox does not necessarily correspond to the area of the entity proper or is reported for the same year as the Census (2002).
  4. ^ Dictionary of Minor Planet Names - p.284

External links


Translations: Omsk
Top

Dansk (Danish)
n. - Omsk

Deutsch (German)
n. - Omsk

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮אומסק‬


 
 
Learn More
Surgut (city of north-central Russia on the Ob River)
Om (river)
Novosibirsk (city of south-central Russia on the Ob River)

What river flows through Omsk Russia? Read answer...
What do people in Omsk eat? Read answer...
What is the Dominant Religion in Omsk? Read answer...

Help us answer these
What are the climates for Omsk Russia?
How long does it take to get to Omsk from MarmarisTurkey?
How long does a plane take from vegas to Omsk?

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/ Read more
Weather. © 2008 AccuWeather, Inc.  Read more
Local Time. Copyright © 2009 - Chaos Software. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Omsk" Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more

 

Mentioned in

  • Surgut (city of north-central Russia on the Ob River)
  • Om (river)
  • Novosibirsk (city of south-central Russia on the Ob River)
  • Pavlodar (town of northeast Kazakhstan on the Irtysh River)