Tomsk

Tomsk is a city and the administrative center of Tomsk Oblast in Russia, located on the Tom River. Population: Founded in 1604, Tomsk is one of the oldest cities in Siberia. The city is a notable educational and scientific center with six state universities consisting of over 100,000 students, including Tomsk State University, the oldest university in Siberia. History Tomsk originated with a decree by Tsar Boris Godunov in 1604 after , the Tatar duke of , asked for the Tsar's protection against Kyrgyz. The Tsar sent 200 Cossacks under the command of and Gavriil Ivanovich Pisemsky to construct a fortress on the bank of the Tom River, overlooking what would become the city of Tomsk. Toian ceded the land for the fortress to the Tsar.