East-Siberian Institute
for Girls of Noble Origin,
Named in Honor of Emperor Nicholas I

  The Institute was opened in 1842 and moved to the new stone building on the embankment in 1861. It was a boarding school for girls who spent the whole year in the institute except for those who were seriously ill. The number of hereditary noblemen was not large, and daughters of officers, officials and clergy were also permitted to study there. In addition, girls came not only from Irkutsk but from various remote areas. At first there were two then three classes for two-year study. The money was donated by the merchants of Irkutsk, and the Institute contained the main building with classrooms, a wooden hospital, an office, the residences of the priest and the house-keeper, a servants' quarters, a kitchen, some other services and a cellar. Finally, there was a fir grove and a vegetable garden. In 1920 the building was given to Irkutsk State University.