St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church is an unusual sight in Siberia — a Gothic-revival building that would not look out of place in Poland or Lithuania, standing in the centre of what is otherwise an entirely Russian Orthodox city. The church was built in the late 19th century for the Catholic community of Tyumen, which included Polish exiles and Catholic German settlers.
The interior is simple but well-maintained, with stained glass windows and wooden pews. Services are held regularly. The building is a reminder that Siberia was not ethnically homogeneous — the Tsar's policy of sending exiles east brought people from across the empire to cities like Tyumen, and their churches, mosques, and synagogues still dot the urban landscape.