In 1837, Grand Duke Alexander Nikolayevich made a big trip across Russia. The future emperor Alexander II traveled through about 30 governorates. On this trip, the crown prince was accompanied by his mentor, poet Vasily Zhukovsky.
The Heir Apparent arrived in Tyumen on May 31, 1837. He stayed in the house of the mayor, the merchant of the second guild, Ivan Ikonnikov.
The St. Petersburg journalist Yegor Rastorguev wrote a book about this event entitled “Visit to Siberia in 1837 by His Imperial Majesty, the Sovereign, Heir Apparent, Crown Prince”. On May 31, 1839, two years after the visit of the crown prince, Rastorguev visited Ikonnikov and asked the merchant about the meeting with the Grand Duke.
The book, published in 1841, is a kind of guidebook. There is a very detailed description of Alexander Nikolayevich’s route. A copy of the edition, signed personally by Ivan Ikonnikov, is housed in Tobolsk.
The preface of the book begins with the words:
