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All Russia Irkutsk The Irkutsk Babr

The Irkutsk Babr

Thanks to a spelling mistake this bizarre beaver-tiger hybrid became the symbol of a Siberian town.

Irkutsk, Russia

Added By
Michael Gebis
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Half beaver, half tiger.   saiko3p/Depositphotos.com
Half beaver, half tiger.   saiko3p/Depositphotos.com
A sign showing the city crest.   Jody McIntyre
The babr.   Mandy
  happyfrog / Atlas Obscura User
The babr.   IvyMike / Atlas Obscura User
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About

A strange creature lurks within one of Siberia’s biggest cities. The bizarre beast looks like the ludicrous lovechild of a fierce feline and an oversized rodent. It could both pounce on its prey with classic cat-like prowess or thwack it on the head with its flat tail.

The symbol of Irkutsk, Russia, is a mythological monster known as the babr. When the city first created its coat of arms in the 1600s, it used “babr,” an old local word, to describe a Siberian tiger. Sadly, as the years went on, tigers became extirpated and the chosen word fell out of fashion.

In the late 19th century, when officials in Saint Petersburg were tasked with redrawing the city’s coat of arms, they were baffled by the strange, foreign-looking word. Thinking someone had accidentally misspelled bobr (beaver), they took it upon themselves to concoct an entirely new creature.

After years of confusion and contention, the tiger gained a broad, flat tail and strangely webbed paws. It wears a confused look on its face as if it, too, is befuddled by its unconventional anatomy. But true to tradition, it still clutches a sable in its mouth, which represents the region’s role in the medieval Siberian sable fur trade.

The symbol was outlawed during the Soviet era, but it has been restored in modern times, to the delight of locals. Now, there are many depictions of the babr throughout Irkutsk. One of the best is the massive statue in the historical 130th Quarter of the city.

Related Tags

Animals Tigers Mistakes Statues Fantasy Cities Monsters

Community Contributors

Added By

IvyMike

Edited By

MrCarl, Kerry Wolfe, happyfrog

  • MrCarl
  • Kerry Wolfe
  • happyfrog

Published

January 22, 2018

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Sources
  • https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298527-d8556262-Reviews-Sculpture_Babr-Irkutsk_Irkutsk_Oblast_Siberian_District.html
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irkutsk
  • https://sputniknews.com/blogs/201609091045137772-long-way-home-irkutsk/
  • https://1baikal.ru/en/o-bajkale/istoriya-regiona/the-capital-of-eastern-siberia-who-%E2%80%9Cbabr%E2%80%9D-is-and-whence-the-tank-came
  • http://baikal.ru/en/irkutsk/about/es01.html
  • https://www.google.com/maps/place/Babr/@52.2756861,104.2859184,18.75z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x0:0x0!2zNTLCsDE2JzMzLjYiTiAxMDTCsDE3JzAzLjUiRQ!3b1!8m2!3d52.276!4d104.2843!3m4!1s0x5da83b4e3dda30b9:0xbbe2c29a50265208!8m2!3d52.2759703!4d104.2865141
  • https://happyfrogtravels.com/irkutsk-siberias-beautiful-city/
The Irkutsk Babr
25 Ulitsa Lenina
Irkutsk, 664003
Russia
52.276184, 104.286557
Get Directions

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Irkutsk

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