How it all began

Krasnoyarsk, one of the oldest cities in Siberia, traces its history back to 1628, when the Cossack detachment of Andrei Dubensky founded a prison here, a fortified settlement on the banks of the Yenisei.

Originally named Krasny Yar (from the Turkic for "beautiful coast"), it quickly became an important stronghold for the development of Siberia: trade routes passed through it, migrants arrived here, and local authorities controlled the collection of yasak from indigenous peoples.