One of the largest cities in Russia with a population of over 1 million people is Omsk. In terms of the number of inhabitants, it ranks eighth in the country. For more than three hundred years of the city's history, a huge number of architectural and cultural attractions have appeared in it, which are inextricably linked with the history of Omsk.
History of the city
Settlements on the territory of the modern city appeared more than 14 thousand years ago. Ancient tribes of hunters and fishermen settled along the Irtysh River.
The development of Siberia began precisely from Omsk under Ivan the Terrible in 1581. For a long time, on the site of the modern city, there was a constant struggle with nomads who did not allow Russian farmers and Cossacks to populate these lands. In 1716, at the mouth of the Om River, at the confluence with the Irtysh, the Cossacks and soldiers, by decree of Peter I, erected a fortress called Omskaya, which served for more than 50 years.
After some time, another fortress was erected on the right bank of the Om.
In 1894 through Omskthe construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway and the railway bridge across the Irtysh began.
City Development
The active development of the city began during the Great Patriotic War, when about 100 factories were moved here and tens of thousands of people were evacuated.
In the fifties the city became a major oil refining center.
Today, Omsk is a cultural, economic, scientific, financial and industrial center that attracts tourists from all over Russia.
First fire tower
In its history, Omsk has experienced fires very often. Fire sometimes destroyed more than half of the city's wooden buildings.
Originally in Omsk there was a wooden fire tower, reaching a height of 14.2 meters, but by 1910 it was very dilapidated and began to sway from the wind. A group of firefighters served in a low wooden building of a fire tower in Omsk. These were people from among military veterans and those who were unfit for military service.
Description of the fire tower in Omsk
In March 1912, the City Duma issued a decree on the construction of only stone buildings in the city. In July of the same year, it was decided to replace the wooden fire tower in Omsk with a stone building designed for six horse-drawn fighting moves.
The new fire tower was supposed to be the tallest building in Omsk so that the smoke from the fire was clearly visible. Engineer Khvorinov drafted and presented a description of the fire tower in Omsk. The cost of its constructionwas valued at 7,408 rubles. For a long time, there were no people willing to start work for that kind of money. Success was brought only by bidding in 1914, when the contractor Kuznetsov was found, offering the lowest price for the entire building - 12,900 rubles. He promised to finish the work in September 1914, but he was exactly a year late. The delay in construction was caused by problems with the supply of equipment due to the outbreak of the First World War.
Long work with the project made it possible to increase the height of the fire tower to 15 fathoms, which was about 32 meters. The architect diversified the facade of the building by adding various decorative details, which were made in the Russian style of the 17th century. A bell was placed at the top of the tower, alerting the inhabitants of the city that a fire had begun.
The fire tower in Omsk was made of red brick on a cement slab. It functioned until 1940.
During the alarm, the fire brigade left the first floor. Until 1950, the fire tower was used as an observation deck, after which service apartments were placed in it. The question of demolishing the tower was raised twice, but it was never resolved.
In March 2002, a fully equipped firefighter dummy was installed on the fire tower. He is able to change his posture thanks to flexible limbs. The mannequin is named Vasilich after the city's fire chief.
In 2006, restoration work was carried out, during which the fire tower in Omsk was returned to its original appearance.
Today the building houses a museum that tells about the history of the development of firefighting in the Omsk region. Here you can see an old pump and the uniform of firefighters of yesteryear.
How to get to the attraction?
The fire tower is located in Omsk at the address: st. Internatsionalnaya, house 41.
You can get here by public transport. Buses No. 47, No. 33, No. 23, trolleybus No. 8, fixed-route taxi No. 306 follow to the destination.
The closest stop to the sights is Victory Square. From here to the fire tower is only 4 minutes on foot.
