Omsk prison was founded in 1717 during the expedition of Ivan Buchholz to the Siberian lands. Tsar Peter I gave a great importance to the exploration of Siberia`s mineral resources, which were necessary for the development of the state.
Since the beginning of the 17th century, the Siberian lands were managed from Tobolsk. This city on the Eastern slope of the Ural mountain range in 1596 was approved as the capital of the Siberian order. The Tsar`s Viceroy from there ruled all the lands up to Kamchatka. However, for the successful development of Siberia, support fortresses were needed to protect trade routes from the raids of nomadic tribes.
Omsk Prison, built at the confluence of the Om river with the Irtysh, was located on the high left Bank of the Om. The fortress occupies 6 hectares and had wooden fortifications and bastions on which artillery was placed. Over time, its territory became small, and in 1765 it was decided to build a Second Omsk fortress on the right Bank of the Om river.
The territory of the Second Fortress reached 30 hectares. They had 4 bastions, but the fortifications were still wooden. The entrance to the fortress was possible through the gates: Tarsk, Tobolsk, Irtysh and Omsk.
In 1866, when the Omsk fortress completely lost its defensive significance, the fortress wall, bastions and ramparts were demolished. However, there remained the Omsk prison, one of the largest in Siberia. In 1850, the great Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky was exiled to Omsk prison.
Some buildings of the fortress were made of stone, so they have been preserved to this day. Some have been restored. Walking along the embankment, you can see the buildings of the Money Storeroom, Arsenal, Zeykhgauz, Kitchen-Dining room. The Resurrection Cathedral (1769), and the oldest fortress gates: Irtysh (1769) and Tobolsk (1791).
