Ishim

A merchants' city on the Irtysh river

The city of Ishim lies in Western Siberia on the left bank of the Ishim river (a tributary of the Irtysh).

Ishim was granted city status in 1782. In the city Bogoyavlenskiy Cathedral is situated which was built in 1793. Within the city limits there is a unique natural reserve called Sinitsinskiy pine forest (a woodland with areas of relic forest and rare plants, including ferns). The population of Ishim numbers 63,2 thousand people.

In 1632 in the mouth of the Ishim river Ishim stockade was built to defend the local population against incursions by Khan Kuchum's raiders.

Nikolskaia fair can be called one of the most significant history traditions of Ishim. It was first held in 1721 and since became a major event in the commercial life of Siberia and the Urals.

Patrons of art and learning

Many of Ishim's merchants went down in history as outstanding public figures and sponsors. First guild merchant Nikolai Chernyakhovsky played an especially large role. In the 30-40's of the nineteenth cenlniy he had built houses for the city hospital and parochial school. At the end of his lltl he left his entire fortune for the construction of the Nikolskaia church on the territoiy of which he was buried. In 1887 the first public library of Ishim was opened. In 1911 the first cinema and circus started to work.

The main sights of the city are historic buildings, Nikolskaia and Svyato-Pokrovskaia churches.