During the civil war, Omsk was the headquarters of the volunteer army of Admiral Alexander Kolchak and in 1919. From here, he led the fight against the Bolsheviks, and even declared Omsk the capital of the Russian state.
Kolchak`s house is located on the Bank of the Irtysh river in the mansion of merchant Kapiton Batyushkin. Very close is Buchholz square, the place where the first Omsk fortress was founded. This mansion was built in 1901 in the Baroque style. The house has only one floor, but it was designed with all the latest technologies in mind. It had running water, an elaborate exhaust system, electricity, telephone, and Palace-style heating, which had never been done in Siberia before. Until 1918, the merchant Batyushkin lived in it, but with the arrival of the White guard in the city, it was forcibly rented for various ministries.
Arriving in Omsk, Kolchak initially lived in different apartments, but when he was declared Supreme Ruler on November 18, 1918, he soon moved to Batyushkin`s House. Here he lived from December 15, 1918 to November 12, 1919. At the same time, he paid rent to Batyushkin. It was believed that this is where Kolchak stored the gold reserve of Russia, several hundred tons of gold.
For a long time, this building housed the civil registry office, but now the historical building is given for the exposition Of the center for the study of the Civil war. Recreated Kolchak`s office, where you can see his wax figure. There are many documents and photographs that give an idea of the Civil war and Kolchak`s role in it.
