The family of the Decembrist Trubetskoy was in exile in the village of Oek, and in 1854 moved to Irkutsk. The house belonged to the Trubetskys, but the exact information about whether the Trubetskys lived in it is not known, as well as the exact date of its construction is not known, but it is assumed that it was built in 1847-1854. There is a theory that the house was bought for one of the married daughters. Unfortunately, the documents of the Trubetskoy family archive have not survived to this day, and during the revolution of 1917, they were completely destroyed. The first restoration of the house took place in the 1965-1970’s, the second in 2003. Currently, the museum displays the memorabilia of the Decembrists, collected back in the 1920s.

The White House in Irkutsk was built by the merchant Sibiryakov in 1800-1804. From 1837 to 1917, it served as the residence of the governors-general of Eastern Siberia, in particular, N. N. Muravyov-Amursky. N.N. Muravyov-Amursky treated the Decembrists well, so A.V. Poggio, S.P. Trubetskoy, and I.D. Yakushkin often visited it. In the 19th century, many famous public figures of science and culture visited here. In the summer of 1891, the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II stayed in this residence for several days. The White House is the first building in Irkutsk built in the classical style. It is assumed that the architect was Giacomo Quarenghi. Currently, Irkutsk State University is located in the building.

The house of Decembrist Volkonsky was built in 1838 in the village of Urik, Irkutsk province. After 10 years of hard labor, the family was assigned to the village of Urik, where they lived until 1845. In time, Prince Volkonsky obtained permission to move to Irkutsk and moved his house with him. Gradually it became a place of attraction for the local intellectuals as many albeit educated officials, wanted to be in the company of the nobility. Balls and literary evenings were held in the house. The Volkonsky family left Irkutsk in 1856, and their house together with the furniture was bought by the mayor I.S.Khaminov. Later a craft school for orphans was opened here. In the early 1920s the house became an urban property and became residential, about 30 families lived there. Only in 1970 the House of Decembrists was created. The whole interior of the house is recreated conditionally, as only a few personal belongings of the nobles have been preserved, but the museum still continues to carry cultural and historical value.

Viktor Bronstein Gallery is the largest private art gallery in Siberia, founded very recently in 2011. Its creator is businessman and Patron of the Arts Viktor Bronstein. He began to form his collection back in 1998, buying paintings from Irkutsk artists. The gallery’s paintings have participated in exhibitions in China, St. Petersburg, and Krasnoyarsk. Many contemporary Russian artists exhibit there.

Church Of The Savior Of The Holy Face was built in 1706 on the territory of the now-lost Kremlin. The church was built on the site of an old wooden church, from which the banner of the first explorers with the image of the Savior was moved. The church is one of the first stone buildings in Irkutsk. This is the only church in Siberia with frescoes from the early 19th century on its exterior walls. In 1931, the church was closed. For 30 years, the church premises were used for various household needs and repair shops. After restoration, since 1983, the exhibition hall of the Museum of Local lore has been located here. Now it is an active church, which is the property of Irkutsk.

Jerusalem Hill is a significant place, where the Church of the Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem was built (first wooden - 1795, then stone - 1835), and later in 1772 opened a cemetery, which became known as Jerusalem Cemetery. Many famous merchants of XVII-XIX centuries, political exiles, Polish insurgents are buried there. Also on the territory of the cemetery there were Lutheran, Jewish and Catholic cemeteries. Although the cemetery was officially closed in the 1890s, burials were carried out until the 20th century. In the 1920s, The Red Army soldiers who fell for the liberation of Irkutsk from the Kolchakovs were buried in the cemetery. By 1957, the cemetery was vandalized, and the Central Park of Culture and Recreation was opened in this place. However, in 2019-2022, the territory was reconstructed and some tombstones were restored.

The Irkutsk Academic Drama Theater named after N.P. Okhlopkov is one of the oldest theaters in Siberia, founded in 1850. It became the first professional theater in the region and an important cultural center. The theater was originally located in a wooden building that burned down in 1879. In 1897, a new stone building was built. The money for the construction was given by the provincial administration, headed by Governor-General Nikolai Muravyov-Amursky, and part of the costs were covered by donations. In 1932, the theater was renamed in honor of Nikolai Petrovich Okhlopkov, a famous actor and director. The theater staged plays by classics such as Chekhov and Ostrovsky. Currently, he actively participates in theater festivals, including the Golden Mask.

The Irkutsk Regional Art Museum named after V. P. Sukachev is located in a building built in 1907 for the Irkutsk Classical Men’s Gymnasium. The art gallery was founded in 1870, when the philanthropist Vasily Platonovich Sukachev first acquired paintings by Russian artists in St. Petersburg. The art gallery was opened to all comers in the house of V.P. Sukachev, and in 1920 it became part of the united city Museum. By 1936, an independent art museum was opened. There are works by such famous artists as Ilya Repin, Vasily Surikov, Alexey Savrasov and others. The museum actively participates in the cultural life of the city, preserving the cultural heritage of the region.

Irkutsk Regional Museum of Local Lore, Department of Nature was founded in 1920 and has become an important cultural and scientific center of Irkutsk. The building itself was built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and was the store of the well-known Siberian trading company Makushin and Posokhin. The building housed a bookstore (1st floor), accommodation (2nd floor) and production facilities. However, in the post-revolutionary period, the emphasis was on education and scientific research, so a museum was created instead of the store.

The first building of the Irkutsk Regional Museum was built in 1782 on the money of local merchants and nobles, but it was destroyed by fire in 1879. The new building, which was designed by G. V. Rosen, opened in 1883. The museum’s funds contain unique archeological finds, including objects belonging to ancient cultures that inhabited the territory of the Irkutsk region. In 1920 the museum was nationalized and became the property of the state.

Irkutsk ostrog is a fortress founded in 1661 by the explorer Yakov Pokhabov, whose monument stands in the area of the ostrog’s foundation. 1661 is considered to be the year Irkutsk was founded. The prison stood on the bank of the Angara River, opposite the Irkut River, after which it got its name. Till the end of the 18th century, it served as a defensive system against possible raids by nomads from border states.

The Museum of the History of Irkutsk named after Alexander Mikhailovich Sibiryakov (Russian entrepreneur, merchant, explorer of Siberia) was established in 1996. But the history of the building itself is deeper. A.M. Sibiryakov sent funds for the construction of a building for the Antonina Mikhailovna Kladishcheva Free Primary School (his deceased sister), which he founded. The construction of the building was completed in 1885. Also in 1891, Tsarevich Nikolay, the future Emperor Nikolay II, visited the building. The museum tells about the life of Irkutsk residents, showing their everyday life and household items at different times. As of 2021, the museum had 105,000 items of storage.

In the 19th century, the estate belonged to Vladimir Platonovich Sukachev, who was the city mayor, patron, founder of the art gallery in Irkutsk. In 1880-1890s the mansion was the center of cultural and social life of Irkutsk. In the collection of V.P. Sukachev were works by famous authors such as: Brullov P.A., Repin I.E., Aivazovsky I.A., Kivshenko A.D. After the death of V.P. Sukachev in 1920, the mansion was handed over by his wife to the Soviet authorities. In the 1920s-1930s it housed the school-commune “New Life”, later - the Children’s Home, in the 1950s - a kindergarten. In 1986 the estate was transferred to the Irkutsk Art Museum. Since that time restoration work has been carried out on the collection. In November 2000 the first restored object - the guest wing - was restored, and on May 16, 2001 a memorial exposition was opened in it. At present, the Museum Estate of V.P. Sukachev is a functioning museum.

The monument to Alexander III was installed in 1908 following the results of the All-Russian competition, in honor of the completion of the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The monument was designed by the winner of this competition, R.R. Bach. In 1920, the bronze statue of the tsar and the bronze inscriptions on the polished granite were removed and after that a monument to V.I. Lenin was created. Later, ideas were put forward to erect a monument to G.I. Shelikhov, but the sculpture never reached Irkutsk. So, the pedestal stood without an emperor for 43 years, until by 1963 a concrete pyramidal spire was installed, which became known as the monument to the “Pioneers of Siberia.” In 2003, the monument was restored for the centennial anniversary of the Trans-Siberian Railway.

Earl Speransky Square is named after Mikhail Speransky, the governor of the Siberian Territory in 1821, known for his reforms. The square has a considerable age – about 300 years. In 1670, it was given the name Kremlevskaya, as it was located outside the walls of the Kremlin. Various goods were sold here, and travelers made stops. In 19th century there used to be made ice rink during the winter, and Gostiny Dvor was also located there. Nowadays Tikhvin Square and Kirov Square are located there. The last one was created in 1961, and a fountain and benches were installed. Now the square serves as a place for recreation, walks and city celebrations.

Church of the Epiphany is one of the most significant historical and architectural landmarks of the city. It was built in a 1713-1718 and became the first stone building church in Irkutsk. The church was built by architect Ivan Surmin and was consecrated in honor of the feast of the Epiphany. During its history, church has been repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. In 1930’s it was closed and used as a storage facility and in 1950’s the restoration started. In 1990’s it became an active church again. The Cathedral of the Epiphany combines elements of Russian Baroque and Siberian architecture. Its interior is decorated with icons and frescoes, as well as a magnificent iconostasis.

Russian-Asian Bank was built in 1900-1903 according to the project of famous engineer V.I. Kolyanovsky for Irkutsk branch of the Russian-Chinese Bank. Russian-Asian bank was founded in 1891 to subsidize trade and industry in Siberia and the Far East. It became one of the first banks in the region, which contributed to economic growth and infrastructure development. After the 1917 revolution, the bank was nationalized and its functions were transferred to state institutions. The building continued to be used for banking purposes, but over time its significance changed and the building was transformed into a polyclinic.

The monument is built in the Empire style, with a height of 15 meters. The Moscow Triumphal Gates were opened on September 15, 1813. The caretakers of the Moscow outpost and the station of the rescue society on the waters were located in the premises of the gate. The arch was renovated in 1890 and housed an archive. In 1911, it was decided to demolish the monument, but this caused discontent among the townspeople, so it was decided to restore the monument. However, due to lack of funds, it was postponed and eventually dismantled in 1928. On September 14, 2011, the reconstructed Moscow Gates were reopened in honor of the 350th anniversary of the city.