A wooden museum-city
The first industrial enterprise in Irkutsk was a brick factory. But before it was put into operation, Irkutsk was a town of log structures. The fire in 1879 destroyed nearly 80% of the central part of Irkutsk. However, the town was rebuilt quickly and its recovery was aided by the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway in 1898.
A newcomer to Irkutsk immediately falls under impression of its historic memory, which is primarily imprinted into the city's architecture. The city comprises the old and the new, the historical and the modern, the provincial and capital-like. It belongs to museum-cities and is famous for its wooden architecture. The city ancient center is spread along the right bank of the river. Some of the log structures have presently been restored. Siberian wooden houses of course differ from the log structures of the European Russia.
Sights in Irkutsk
Usually, tourists come to Irkutsk on their way to Lake Baikal and stay in the city for 2-3 days. Most of them are travelers from China, Germany, and Japan. There are visiting tourists all year round, even in the cold winters. The city has a philharmonic with a concert and organ halls, a symphony orchestra, four state theaters, and four state museums. In the vicinity of the city, there is the architectural-ethnographic museum “Taltsy.”
A wooden museum-city
The first industrial enterprise in Irkutsk was a brick factory. But before it was put into operation, Irkutsk was a town of log structures. The fire in 1879 destroyed nearly 80% of the central part of Irkutsk. However, the town was rebuilt quickly and its recovery was aided by the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway in 1898.
A newcomer to Irkutsk immediately falls under impression of its historic memory, which is primarily imprinted into the city's architecture. The city comprises the old and the new, the historical and the modern, the provincial and capital-like. It belongs to museum-cities and is famous for its wooden architecture. The city ancient center is spread along the right bank of the river. Some of the log structures have presently been restored. Siberian wooden houses of course differ from the log structures of the European Russia.
1. Read and translate the text.
Sights in Irkutsk
Usually, tourists come to Irkutsk on their way to Lake Baikal and stay in the city for 2-3 days. Most of them are travelers from China, Germany, and Japan. There are visiting tourists all year round, even in the cold winters. The city has a philharmonic with a concert and organ halls, a symphony orchestra, four state theaters, and four state museums. In the vicinity of the city, there is the architectural-ethnographic museum “Taltsy.”
*1. Find in the text the sentences with Passive Voice.
EXAMPLES: It is located in Eastern Siberia.
Irkutsk was founded as a wooden fortress in 1661.
