St Sofia Cathedral

Western Siberia


The glorious gold- and blue-domed 1686 centrepiece of Tobolsk's kremlin is one of the most inspiring religious buildings in Western Siberia.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Western Siberia attractions

1. Bell Tower

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This bell tower was built in 1799 for the Uglich bell, which famously signalled a revolt against Tsar Boris Godunov. The revolt failed; in a mad fury,…

2. Intercession Cathedral

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Less eye-catching from the outside than neighbouring St Sofia's Cathedral, but with splendid arched ceiling murals, is this 1746 church.

3. Deputy’s Palace Museum

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Tobolsk's best museum, and indeed one of the best museums in Siberia, occupies a beautiful 18th-century former administration on the southwestern edge of…

4. Pryamskoy Vzvoz

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5. Arkhiereysky Mansion

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The elegant Arkhiereysky Mansion was closed for renovations on our last visit and will eventually be reopened as an Orthodox history museum.

6. Kremlin

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The centrepiece of the tower-studded, white-walled, 18th-century kremlin is the glorious 1686 St Sofia Cathedral. Less eye-catching from the outside, but…

7. Castle Prison Museum

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At the eerie 1855 Tyuremny Zamok you can get a sense of the grim life behind bars in both Tsarist and Soviet times. The Tsarist exiles were temporarily…