Tyumen Oblast
Tyumen Oblast (Russian: Тюме́нская о́бласть tyoo-MEHN-skuh-yuh OH-blust') is a region in Russia's Urals Region. The region borders Khantia-Mansia in the northwest and north, has a short border with Tomsk Oblast in the northeast, borders Omsk Oblast to the east, Kazakhstan to the south, Kurgan Oblast to the southwest, and Sverdlovsk Oblast to the west.
Cities
- 1 Tyumen — Tyumen is one of the oldest cities of Asian Russia and one of Russia's wealthiest cities thanks to its large oil and gas industry
- 2 Ishim
- 3 Pokrovskoye — 70 km from Tyumen, a very small town attracts tourists for its Rasputin museum
- 4 Tobolsk — this relatively small town is the historic capital of Siberia and is a "must see" of the Urals region for its architectural treasure, a white-walled Kremlin (the only Kremlin in Asian Russia) and accompanying ensemble of cathedrals, bell towers, and churches. The surrounding area is dotted with ancient pagan shrines and burial mounds.
Other destinations
Understand
Tyumen Oblast actually encompasses the two territories to its north, Khantia-Mansia and Yamalia, making it the 3rd largest administrative division in Russia. The region around Tyumen is the heart of historic Siberia, with Tobolsk being the former capital of "Western Siberia," a region comprising today's Urals and Western Siberia. Some of history's most famous Siberians hail from this area, most notably Irving Berlin and Rasputin.
Even tourists just passing through this region should make a point of visiting Tobolsk for its magnificent and unique kremlin. Most will also visit historic Tyumen, the regional capital, located on the Trans-Siberian Railway.