The Arctic’s OLDEST town
Traveling beyond the Arctic Circle is difficult and risky, even these days. And, in the past, it was attainable only for the most intrepid of explorers.
Nevertheless, several centuries ago, there were quite busy trade routes that ran through the territories of the Far North. From Mangazeya (an ancient, semi-legendary Siberian city), Russian Pomors, as well as the English and Dutch, exported valuable furs and other Siberian goods to Europe via Arkhangelsk.
Their route passed through Salekhard, one of the first Russian settlements in the Siberian north. It was founded in the late 16th century and, until 1933, was called Obdorsk, that is, a fortress on the Ob River. The center of the settlement was the Obdorsk Ostrog, founded by Cossacks. There, they collected taxes from nomads and passing merchants and guarded the trade routes.
Merchants from all over the Russian North and Siberia came to Obdorsk to attend large fairs. Over time, the number of inhabitants grew and, at the beginning of the 19th century, the dilapidated wooden fortifications were torn down.
Earlier, such fortresses could be found in all Siberian cities, but almost none have survived. These days, the only example of such an old fortress - the restored Obdorsky Ostrog - can be found in Salekhard.
