| Irkutsk became a wealthy trading center soon after its founding in the 1660s, benefiting from its position along overland trade routes between China and Western Russia. Since then it has maintained its position as the regions most important city, though today its attraction for visitors is supplemented by its proximity to Lake Baikal. Trans Siberian Railway enthusiasts should try to make it for a visit in 1998, when the city has planned a celebration commemorating the inauguration of the rail line. |