City of Yakutsk

Yakutsk, founded in 1632, is a significant historical and cultural center of Northeastern Siberia. The city was originally established as the Yakut stockaded town on the right bank of the Lena River. However, in 1642-1643, there was an administrative reorganization, and the stockaded town was relocated to the left bank of the river, where it settled in the Tuimaada valley. This move significantly improved the city's strategic position and contributed to its further development.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Yakutsk became a crucial military, administrative, and trade center in northeastern Siberia and an important base for the development of the Far East. This strategic position was due to its location at the crossroads of the region's most significant trade routes and transportation arteries. During this time, the city played a significant role in the administration and military structure of the Russian Empire, helping to maintain control over vast territories and populations.

From the middle of the 17th century onward, Yakutsk served as a place of exile for various types of criminals, including members of three generations of Russian revolutionaries. Prominent figures such as the Decembrist A. A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky and Marxist-Leninists were among those who were sent to Yakutsk, highlighting its role as a center for political and social exclusion in the Russian Empire.

Yakutsk has come a long way since it was founded as a prison in 1632, becoming the "City of Labor Valor" by decree of the President of the Russian Federation in November 2022. This title honors the significant contribution of its residents to victory in the Great Patriotic War and the uninterrupted production of goods in the rear during that time.

Since becoming the administrative center of the Yakut Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1922 and later the capital of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) in 1991, Yakutsk has maintained its historical and cultural importance. The collection dedicated to the city includes archival documents from various sources, including the Russian State Historical Archive, State Archive of the Russian Federation, and Archive of the Academy of Sciences Library. It also includes cartographic materials, visual resources, scientific research, and abstracts from dissertations.