The city of Gorno-Altaisk: history and modernity, photographs

City of Gorno-Altaisk

Gorny Altai is a sparsely populated region of the Russian Federation. Its inhabitants live mainly in small rural towns and villages. There is only one city in the Altai Republic: the quiet and cozy city of Gorno-Altaisk. This capital of the Republic is famous for its cleanliness and hospitality. There are interesting attractions, hotels and an airport. From Gorno-Altaisk you can go to Lake Teletskoye, Mount Belukha and other famous tourist sites in the Altai Mountains. Find out about the features of this city, as well as how to get to Gorno-Altaisk.

Gorno-Altaisk is the capital of the Altai Republic

The administrative center and only city of the republic is Gorno-Altaisk. The Altai Republic gained autonomy while still part of the USSR in 1990 during the so-called “Parade of Sovereignties”. Since 1993, it began to be called the Altai Republic.

The population is more than 60 thousand people. In terms of the number of urban residents, Gorno-Altaisk ranks 257th among Russian cities. Altai is located in the time zone +4 hours Moscow time.

The climate is sharply continental with cold, long winters and warm, short summers. In the summer months, the thermometer can sometimes reach +34 C. In winter, the temperature drops to -20-25 C.

Climate

Gorno-Altaisk and the entire republic as a whole are characterized by a sharply continental climate with short hot summers, long cold winters and significant fluctuations in daily temperatures. In the warm season, the air often warms up to +25-30 °C, but there is no feeling of stuffiness and excessive dryness due to the damp-cool air masses that regularly come from the Ob valley and the Seminsky, Cherginsky, Iolgo ridges.

The main amount of precipitation falls in May-July. The peak of cold weather occurs in January-February. Due to its favorable location in the intermountain basin, there are no strong winds all year round, so the average winter temperature rarely drops below –12-14°C.

The abundance of vegetation and favorable climatic conditions annually provoke a massive emergence of ladybugs in August-September. These days you can observe unique bright carpets of red, orange and yellow bugs on the sunny side of houses, buildings, fences, etc.

Where is it, how to get there

The city of Gorno-Altaisk is located in the intermountain plain in the foothills of Altai. The distance from Gorno-Altaisk to Barnaul is 260 km, to Novosibirsk – 440 km, to Moscow – more than 3500 km.

From Moscow you can get to Gorno-Altaisk in 4 hours by direct flight (about 20,000 rubles in both directions). However, direct flights operate only twice a week: on Thursday and Sunday from Domodedovo. Travel time with transfers is from 9 to 15 hours. It's still faster than traveling by train (3-4 days). Moreover, the train goes only to the city of Biysk, 100 km from Gorno-Altaisk, the rest of the section will have to be covered by bus, taxi or with fellow travelers.

You can get to Gorno-Altaisk from Barnaul by bus (5 hours on the road, cost about 600 rubles). From Novosibirsk the bus goes to Gorno-Altaisk for about 9 hours, the ticket will cost from 1100 rubles.

Sights of Gorno-Altaisk

There are not many places of interest in the city itself that are worth visiting. Basically, tourists visit Gorno-Altaisk not as the final destination of the trip, but rather as an intermediate point on the way to the unique natural and historical sites of the Altai Mountains. If you have planned to spend several days in Gorno-Altaisk, then take an excursion to the city museum, watch a performance in the drama theater, stroll along the alleys of Victory Park or to the Stone Square to the famous spring. Still, the most interesting sights are not in the city itself, but in its surroundings.

National Museum named after A. Anokhina

National Museum named after
A. Anokhina The museum building has several exhibition halls. The halls dedicated to the ancient history of the Altai Mountains deserve special attention. It is known that the area, so rich in natural gifts, was inhabited millennia BC. Artifacts found during excavations of ancient sites and burial mounds indicate the high development of prehistoric cultures that lived in these areas. The museum's most popular exhibit is the 2,500-year-old mummy of Princess Ukok. It is stored in a special sarcophagus, which maintains a constant temperature and humidity. True, it is unlikely that you will be able to see it, since the mummy is not put on public display. But you can see the restored appearance of the deceased woman.

Also interesting are exhibitions of works by local artists and exhibitions dedicated to the unique local flora and fauna. Visitors can examine in detail an ancient Russian upper room or the traditional decoration of an Altai village. There are cozy sofas for visitors to relax; those who wish can purchase souvenirs.

The cost of an entrance ticket to the museum is 300 rubles (without a guided tour), with a guided tour - 500 rubles. The museum is located at: st. Choros-Gurkina, 46.

Drama Theater named after. P. Kuchiyak

Drama Theater named after.
P. Kuchiyak The repertoire of the drama theater includes plays by Russian classics, productions and concerts dedicated to Altai history and culture, children's performances, and tour performances of famous Russian theater groups. To choose a performance to attend, look at the poster on the official website of the drama theater.

The Drama Theater is located at: Kommunistichesky Avenue, 16.

City Philharmonic

The Philharmonic Society in Gorno-Altaisk was opened only 20 years ago. It was organized on the basis of the disbanded concert and variety bureau. The Philharmonic stage regularly hosts performances by local vocal and instrumental ensembles of modern and folklore, holiday concerts, and performances by invited artists. Try not to miss the concerts of folk throat singing masters. Follow the poster on the official website of the Gorno-Altaisk Philharmonic.

Philharmonic address: Kommunistichesky Avenue, 16.

Ulalinskaya site

Ulalinskaya site
One of the most famous attractions of Gorno-Altaisk is located on the southeastern outskirts of the city. Some believe that this is the oldest evidence of human habitation in northern Asia - the Ulalinskaya site. Archaeological excavations have been carried out at the site since 1961 for 10 years. During this time, several hundred so-called stone tools of the ancient inhabitants were found. The age of the site causes a lot of controversy in scientific circles. Artifacts are believed to be tens or hundreds of thousands of years old. However, all this sounds very doubtful. It seems that the exact age of the Ulalinskaya site remains to be determined. In addition, modern researchers question whether the stones found are tools and not ordinary cobblestones.

Square of stones

Stone Square
An interesting place for walking and relaxing in Gorno-Altaisk is Stone Square. It is located in the city center. The stone compositions in the park are dedicated to the beautiful nature of the Altai Mountains. There are mini images of Belukha Mountain, and a fountain with a waterfall symbolizes Lake Teletskoye. Citizens and guests of the capital of the republic can themselves supplement the park’s collections with stones and intricately twisted driftwood found in the area.

Springs

Springs
with crystal clear water are the pride of Gorno-Altaisk. The area near the most popular springs has been landscaped for recreation for citizens and guests of the city. Near the spring in the Square of Stones there is an interesting sculpture “Alyonushka and Yrystu”, dedicated to the heroes of folk tales of Altai and Russia. The water from the springs is saturated with silver, therefore it has healing properties. In addition, it is appreciated for its pleasant taste.

Where to go for tourists with children

There are not many places for children's leisure in Gorno-Altaisk. The most popular are:

1. Park of culture and recreation. During the summer, the park offers various attractions that will be most interesting for young children. Address: Sportivny Avenue, building 3.
2. Gamer slot machine hall. In a small area of ​​the hall there are about twenty slot machines aimed at adults and children of various ages. Address: Kommunistichesky Avenue, building 11, shopping center "Maria-Ra", 3rd floor. Opening hours: from 10 am to 10 pm.

   
   The slot machine hall is a great opportunity to have fun

3. Children's playroom "Rainbow". The play area includes several fun rides, children's slides, mazes, ball pits and many other entertaining games. Address: Kommunistichesky Avenue, building 109/2, Gorny shopping center, 1st floor. Opening hours: from 10 am to 8 pm.

   
   In the playroom you can leave your child under the supervision of employees

4. The Good Troll board game club is an entertainment area not only for children, but also for adults. Here are hundreds of the most exciting board games that you can play with your group or with complete strangers. There is a special children's series of games for children. Address: Kommunistichesky Avenue, building 39. Opening hours: from 11 am to 8 pm.

   
   Board games are a fun pastime for children over 7 years old

Transport of Gorno-Altaisk

Transport of Gorno-Altaisk
In Gorno-Altaisk, buses and minibuses are the only type of public transport. There are no trolleybuses, trams, or even less metro here. True, problems with moving around the city rarely arise. Bus routes are laid in all areas of Gorno-Altaisk, buses and minibuses run regularly at short intervals. The fare is: 18 rubles around the city; 20 rubles in the suburbs.

After 22:00, taxis predominate on city roads. The cost of a taxi fare is 70-100 or more rubles. There are more than 10 transport companies offering taxi services in Gorno-Altaisk. The full list is presented on the city’s official website in the “Activities/Transport/Auto” section.

For the convenience of passengers, the city has a system of paying for public transport with bank cards. Bus conductors offer passengers to pay for travel with one touch to the terminal: with a card, a special key fob or a smartphone. There is no need to enter a PIN code. With this type of payment, the cost of a travel ticket is 50 kopecks lower than when purchasing a ticket in cash.

There is no railway station in the city. The authorities of Gorno-Altaisk have been planning for several years to extend the railway line from Biysk (only 100 km from Gorno-Altaisk), but work in this direction has not yet begun. But since 2011, air traffic with Russian cities has been resumed. The airport is located 6 km from the center. The main direction is Moscow, but there are flights from/to Novosibirsk, Barnaul, Krasnoyarsk, Chelyabinsk. Airport information telephone number5.

How and what to get there

Gorno-Altaisk is connected to other regions by the federal highway P-256 “Chuysky Trakt”, which runs through the Novosibirsk region, Altai Territory and the entire Altai Mountains, ending at the border with Mongolia. The total length of the asphalt road is over 950 km. The main cities along the route are Berdsk, Barnaul, Biysk.

The route has access to regional roads:

• 50K-28: 52-km “Chuysky tract” - Iskitim with exit to 50K-19r Novosibirsk - Leninsk-Kuznetsky;
• 50K-13: 54-km “Chuysky tract” – Zavyalovo;
• 50K-14: 105th km of the Chuysky Tract - Suzun with transition to 50K-13;
• 01K-52: Talmenka - Zalesovo with the possibility of access to the section of the Altai-Kuzbass highway running through the territory of the Kemerovo region (32R-43);
• 01K-04: Talmenka - border with the Kemerovo region (section of the Altai-Kuzbass highway in the Altai Territory) with continuation along 32R-43 in the territory of the Kemerovo region;
• 01K-05: Biysk – Kemerovo region;
• 01K-06: Biysk – Belokurikha;
• 01K-01: “Chuysky tract” - Barnaul with a transition to 01K-02 Pavlovsk - Kamen-on-Obi - Novosibirsk along the left bank of the Ob.

Cheap flights to Barnaul

The best travel option is by bus or car. You can comfortably get from Novosibirsk to the capital of the republic (450 km) in 6-8 hours, without violating traffic rules and, at the same time, having a tasty snack in one of the many cafes along the well-groomed highway. If Barnaul or Biysk is chosen as a starting point, it is advisable to order a transfer to Gorno-Altaisk, which, due to the short distances, will allow you to inexpensively and comfortably achieve the final goal of the trip.

You can find out more about all the nuances of auto travel and other travel options in our thematic article “How to get to Gorny Altai - all the ways.” It is important to consider here that the nearest railway station is in Biysk (Altai Territory) at a distance of 100 km, and Gorno-Altaisk Airport provides regular direct flights to several large cities (see table):

Cheap flights to Gorno-Altaisk

To always keep abreast of current changes in the flight schedule, you can use the online board on the website ga-airport.ru or call the help desk at +7-38822-4-75-12. The airport also provides a convenient ticket booking service. Detailed information about bus routes is available at www.avtovokzaly.ru/raspisanie/gorno_altajsk/avtovokzal.

Authorities

A. Berdnikov
The Parliament of the Republic, called El Kurultai, is located in the capital. It consists of 6 committees of 41 deputies. The Head of the Republic is A. Berdnikov.

Local government bodies of Gorno-Altaisk: Council of Deputies, city administration, mayor, Chamber of Control and Accounts.

Since 2022, the mayor of the city is Yu.V. Nechaev.

Since December 2022, the city administration has been headed by O.A. Safronova.

Economy

During Soviet times, several plants and factories operated in Gorno-Altaisk. After the collapse of the USSR, these enterprises turned out to be unprofitable and were closed. Now in their place are shopping centers or markets. Agriculture is not carried out due to the natural features of the area. Livestock farming takes place, but only in high mountain areas. The city treasury is replenished primarily through taxes from local citizens. In addition, the city regularly receives subsidies from the state.

Finding a high-paying job here is quite difficult, especially for specialists. Job openings are advantageous in the services, education, medicine and trade sectors. There are not many areas of activity for private enterprise. Young people who go to study in large cities in Russia rarely return to their homeland, but strive to get a job in a big city. And vice versa, the number of urban residents of Gorno-Altaisk is replenished by people moving from remote Altai villages. Some believe that this clean and quiet city is perfect for those who do not have to worry about finding a job - for people who have reached retirement age.

A promising area of ​​economic development in Gorno-Altaisk is tourism. Indeed, Gorny Altai has a huge number of prospects in terms of attracting tourists. The nature of the republic is unusually rich and picturesque. There are plans to develop such areas as skiing, water recreation (fishing, rafting), mountaineering, ethnotourism, excursion routes to historical and natural attractions and much more. All this requires the investment of large financial resources, but so far is limited to private initiatives on a small scale.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the processing of medicinal raw materials. Rare species of medicinal plants grow in the area, and antlers or antlers of Altai deer and deer are also becoming increasingly valuable. Gorny Altai occupies a leading position in the Russian Federation in breeding deer for antlers.