Bolsherechye is a working village in the Omsk region of Russia. The administrative center of the Bolsherechensky district and the Bolsherechensky urban settlement. It is located on the left bank of the Irtysh River and on the Bolshaya River, 205 km north of Omsk and 98 km from Tara. Population - 10 434 people. (2020).
The Bolsherechensky zoo operates in the village, in which, despite
the cold climate, zebras, lions and tigers, crocodile and anaconda,
hippos and other animals live.
In Bolshereche there is a
historical and cultural complex "Old Siberian". The Museum-Reserve
"Starina Sibirskaya" was established in 2014 by the merger of three
cultural institutions: the "Starina Sibirskaya" complex, the
Bolsherechensky Regional Museum of Local Lore and the Batakovo National
Archaeological and Natural Park.
The museum-reserve is a vast
territory where the cultural heritage of the Omsk region is studied,
preserved and popularized. The museum is interesting for the variety of
collections, the architectural complex of buildings, typical examples of
merchant and peasant dwellings of the late 19th - early 20th centuries.
Interactive methods of working with visitors not only enrich the
knowledge of the history of the native land, but also provide an
opportunity to plunge into the atmosphere of historical reconstructions.
On the basis of the museum-reserve, large-scale sociocultural projects
are successfully implemented: "The revival of lost crafts", "The revival
of traditional holiday culture", "Siberian possessions of Father Frost",
"Russian tea ceremony - traditions of spiritual unity" and many others.
The architectural ensemble of the museum-reserve includes merchant
houses of the late 19th-early 20th centuries, located in the historical
part of the Bolshereche village, peasant huts of settlers from Central
Russia, the coachman's house, where Radishchev A.N. old-timer. The
appearances of the houses were restored according to historical
authenticity, the interior of these dwellings was recreated in
accordance with the social status of their "owners". 5 objects are
monuments of history and architecture of regional significance
Monument to the Soldier-Liberator, dedicated to fellow countrymen who
died during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945
Krasnoarmeyskaya
street
House of merchant Kubrin
Proletarskaya street, 26
House of merchant P. Gladkov
Sovetov street, 41
Merchant
F.A. Zemlyanitsyn
Sovetov street, 43
The mansion of the
merchant N.Ya. Gladkov
Sovetov street, 45
House of merchant P.
Gladkov
Sovetov street, 47
Trading shop of the merchant D.
Gladkov
Sovetov street, 47
The building of the first communal
power plant
Sovetov street, 67
Monument to V.I. Lenin
Intra-settlement transport is represented by buses and fixed-route
taxis.
Buses to Tara, Sargatskoye, Krasny Yar, Omsk, Kirsanovka,
Ingaly, Nizhneirtyshskoye, Verblyuzhye, Druzino regularly depart from
the village bus station.
Prehistoric and Ancient History
The region around Bolsherechye,
situated in the Omsk Oblast along the Irtysh River, has a rich
archaeological heritage dating back to the Stone Age. The Batakovo
Archaeological and Natural Park, located in the Bolsherechensky District
on the left bank of the Irtysh, encompasses over 150 archaeological
monuments. These include ancient sites, settlements, burial mounds,
necropolises, and even remnants of cities that are more than 2,000 years
old, spanning from the Paleolithic era through to the late Middle Ages.
This evidence suggests continuous human habitation and activity in the
area, with influences from various nomadic and settled cultures that
traversed Siberia.
Founding and Early Russian Settlement (17th
Century)
Bolsherechye's modern history begins in the early 17th
century as part of Russia's eastward expansion into Siberia. In 1627, a
Russian village was established near the confluence of the Bolshaya
River and the Irtysh River, southeast of Omsk. That same year, the
Bolsheretsky fortress was founded on the Irtysh as a defensive barrier
against invasions, particularly from nomadic tribes. This outpost was
strategically positioned along the Old Moscow-Siberian tract, a crucial
postal, trade, and military route connecting the Russian heartland to
its eastern frontiers, passing through nearby villages like
Novologinovo, Evgashchino, Takmyk, Stary Karasuk, Ingaly, and
Mogilno-Poselskoe.
The area also saw significant ethnic diversity
from the outset. Siberian Bukharans—Turkic-speaking migrants from
Central Asia (primarily from regions like Sayram in the Syr Darya
basin)—began settling in the Bolsherechensky District as early as the
16th century, with intensive migration in the 17th and 18th centuries.
These Bukharans, who later assimilated into the Siberian Tatar
population, founded villages such as Ulenkul (traditionally dated to
1651 or earlier, possibly the 1580s during Kuchum Khan's reign),
Yalankul, Aubatkan, Chernaly, and Rechapovo (also known as Shikhov Yurts
or Shyklar-aul). Rechapovo, for instance, was established by descendants
of Central Asian Shaykhs to propagate Islam, with the first Bukharan
census in 1701 recording 23 families there, mostly Bukharan with one
serving Tatar family. The Bukharans played a pivotal role in the
Islamization of local Siberian Tatars through missionary activities,
establishing a sacred geography and religious authority in the region.
18th-19th Century Development and Administrative Evolution
By the
mid-18th century, Bolsherechye had evolved into a more fortified
settlement. Around 1740, the Bolsheretsky stockade (outpost) was
constructed adjacent to the original village as protection against raids
by Kalmyk tribes, initially garrisoned by 70 Cossacks and armed with a
single cannon. In the late 1750s, the outpost was repurposed into a
state-owned village and integrated into the Takmyk settlement within the
Tara voivodeship.
The Bukharan communities continued to expand during
this period. Elite families like the Shikhovs, descendants of figures
such as 'Awwas Baqi Shaykh (who arrived in the early 18th century from
Sayram, possibly to spread Islam or for trade), acquired lands through
purchases in 1745, 1766, 1776, and 1832, including estates like Ibey
Island (allotted in 1738). Census revisions from 1782 to 1858 highlight
their economic prosperity, with involvement in trade across Siberian and
Russian governorates, agriculture (often hiring labor), and merchant
activities. Genealogical records, or shajara, preserved their Husayni
descent (tracing back to Prophet Muhammad via Husayn b. 'Ali) and Sufi
ties (e.g., Naqshbandiya-Khalidiya order), with verifications from
scholars in Bukhara and Kokand. Intermarriages among sacred clans like
the Shikhovs, Aitikins, and Imyaminovs maintained social status, while
interactions with local Tatars and Central Asian rulers shaped the
cultural landscape.
Administratively, Bolsherechye formalized its
status in 1865 when it was designated as a village. By 1914, it had
become the volost center of the Bolshe-Rechenskaya volost in the Tarsky
district of Tobolsk province. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw
the construction of merchant houses and wooden architecture, many of
which survive today as pre-revolutionary wooden and semi-stone
structures with ornate lace-like carvings. The settlement's location
halfway between Omsk and Tara made it a key stopover for travelers.
20th Century: Soviet Era and Modern Status
In 1925, Bolsherechye
was established as the administrative center of the newly formed
Bolsherechensky District, which spans 4,300 square kilometers. The
district transitioned through various territorial entities: from the
Siberian Territory to the West Siberian Territory, and finally to the
Omsk Region. During the Soviet period, Bukharan identity largely
assimilated into the broader Siberian Tatar ethnicity, with genealogical
records partially lost due to political upheavals, though oral
traditions persisted. In 1960, Bolsherechye was reclassified as an
urban-type settlement (workers' settlement), reflecting its growing role
in regional administration and economy.
Contemporary Preservation
and Cultural Heritage
Today, Bolsherechye is recognized for its
historical and cultural significance, often described as an open-air
museum due to its preserved architecture and heritage sites. The
Bolsherechye History and Ethnography Museum, covering 200 square meters
with over 20,000 items, chronicles the region's development, flora,
fauna, and cultural history. The "Antiquity Siberian" museum-reserve in
the historical part of the village features restored merchant houses
from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, divided into exposition
zones like "Holy Russia," "Merchant Manors," "Peasant Manors," "Trade in
Siberia," and "Crafts of Omsk Priirtyshye," illustrating traditional
Siberian village life. As of 2025, the settlement continues to serve as
the administrative hub of Bolsherechensky District, with a focus on
tourism and preservation of its multi-ethnic past, including the
enduring legacy of Bukharan-Tatar communities.
Moderately
continental.
The average annual temperature is + 0.83 ° C
Average annual wind speed - 3.98 m / s
Average annual air
humidity - 73.79%
The minimum air temperature is 50.7 ° C.
registered on January 24, 2006
Maximum air temperature + 34.5 °
C. registered on July 1, 2005