Irkutsk has taken on several roles during its nearly 350 years of existence, including expedition base for explorations in Siberia, city of exiles, and gold rush town, just to name a few. The city's nicknames include the "Capital of Siberia," the "Pearl of Siberia," and even the "Paris of Siberia."

Some of the most famous names in Russian history were exiled to Irkutsk, where in the late 19th century up to a third part of the city's population was comprised of exiles. Alexander Radishchev, Josef Stalin, Felix Dzerzhinsky, Sergei Kirov, Mikhail Frunze and Vyacheslav Molotov were all exiled to the area at different time, as were participants of the Decembrists' uprising in 1825.
In the late 19th century gold was discovered in the nearby Lena Basin, and the Siberian Gold Rush began. People came to the region hoping to strike it rich, and those who were successful built sprawling classical mansions and financed public buildings, some of which still stand today.

Irkutsk is in many ways the heart of Siberia, with its proximity to the Lake Baikal, status as a major transportation hub on the trans-Siberian railway, and a plethora of scientific and research institutes, including a branch of the Siberian Academy of Sciences.