Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
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
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
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
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

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

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
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

Nearby Places

Museum Retro Park

Listvyanka, Russia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Irkutsk

Irkutsk

Russia

Places 2

Nearby Places

Museum Retro Park

Listvyanka, Russia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Irkutsk

Irkutsk

Russia

Places 2

Related Stories and Lists

The Definitive Guide to the World’s Hidden Blunders

List

By Kerry Wolfe

Related Places

  • The original Ultraman.

    Sukagawa, Japan

    Ultraman Street

    In the hometown of Eiji Tsuburaya, a street lined with intergalactic heroes and monsters.

  • Taipei, Taiwan

    National Taiwan Museum Bronze Oxen

    These two 90-year-old statues were once part of a Japanese Shinto shrine.

  • This curious cat is especially dear to locals.

    La Rochelle, France

    La Maison du Chat (The Cat House)

    No one knows the story behind the mysterious feline perched on this rooftop.

  • Odate, Japan

    ‘Homesick Hachiko’

    Another statue of Japan's most famous dog stands in his hometown.

  • Keystone, South Dakota

    World's Largest Bigfoot

    This towering wooden Sasquatch was carved with a chainsaw.

  • Marble tortoise statues on Kusu Island

    Singapore

    Tortoises of Kusu Island

    Legend holds that a tortoise turned itself into this island to save two shipwrecked sailors.

  • Farley Mount Monument

    Hampshire, England

    Farley Mount Monument

    This towering monument is dedicated in memory of a most unusually named, yet heroic, horse.

  • Osby, Sweden

    'Apan och Kaninen' ('Bunny and Monkey')

    These massive animal sculptures were constructed as part of a reality TV show challenge.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.