View of Tobolsk
A particularly striking sight in the panorama of Tobolsk is its center, where the kremlin and the Sophia Bishop's Court once stood. Much from that time has not survived or has been rebuilt, but even in its current state, the historical center of Tobolsk makes a strong impression.
It is best viewed from the lower town or from the nearest hills – from the same Panin Hill. In the foreground will be the Nikolsky Vzvoz rising uphill, and to the left – the panorama of the center. Two huge, seemingly artificially heaped hills with the ravine of the vzvoz between them form a monumental pedestal for the stone buildings located here. From here they appear majestic and solemn.
In the foreground, the crenellated walls and towers of the Sophia Court and two massive buildings of the former vicegerent's and bishop's houses are visible. On the vzvoz – the entrance gates with squat chambers. Behind them in the depth, against the sky, the bulk of the five-domed Sophia Cathedral with its bell tower can be seen.
The panorama of historical Tobolsk is 'held' and largely enriched by its numerous churches, which still remain the best architectural decoration of the city. Before the revolution, Tobolsk had about two dozen churches and two more monasteries, meaning that a whole forest of verticals rose above the wooden buildings of the city. Now the silhouette has noticeably thinned, but the surviving churches still retain their city-forming significance in the city's ensemble.
The fine instinct of the artist always suggested to the creators of Tobolsk churches an ensemble understanding of their task. All of them are very skillfully placed both in relation to the center, serving as its accompaniment, and in relation to individual sections of urban development, which they organize. Almost all Tobolsk churches in the lower town are two-story, solemnly raised high, with an elegant beautiful silhouette. Whitewashed, they are still perceived as a sharp contrast to the modest ordinary buildings of Tobolsk, almost entirely wooden, with a bluish-gray color of log walls and plank roofs. The churches in the upper Tobolsk were also very thoughtfully placed.
There is another effective viewpoint of Tobolsk – from the steep slopes of the famous Chuvash Cape. Before you stretches a grand spectacle – a view opens onto the wide Irtysh River, encircling the city from the south and west, and the endless expanses of the swampy West Siberian Plain. Here everywhere it is impossible not to feel truly Siberian scales.
The lower town is especially visible – it is all in the palm of your hand with all its buildings. From here you can once again admire the panorama of the Tobolsk center and feel the royal grandeur of this city.
_