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

The city of Gorno-Altaisk is the capital of the Altai Republic and is located in the south of Western Siberia of Russia. It is located in the Krasnoyarsk time zone (MSK +4/ UTS +7). It has its own airport and developed road connections with nearby and distant regions. The distance from Moscow in a straight line is more than 3100 km, by road - over 3800 km. It is very popular within the country and abroad as an accessible, unique and diverse center of environmental, cultural, educational, water-climbing and speleological tourism. It is a key transport point for travel and excursions to the sights of the entire Altai Mountains.

Geographical position

Gorno-Altaisk on the map of Russia occupies the southeastern tip of the vast western Siberia. The nearest big cities, such as Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Barnaul, Kemerovo or Novokuznetsk, can be used as iconic landmarks. Then all that remains is to move a little down the map (to the south) to find the capital of the republic.

Exact GPS coordinates of Gorno-Altaisk in decimal degrees – latitude/ 51.9605600°, longitude/ 85.9189200°. In degrees and decimal minutes – latitude/ 51°57.6336′ N, longitude/ 85°55.1352′ E.

The closest geographical neighbors of the capital of Gorny Altai from the Russian Federation are:

• Altai Territory in the north-west (Barnaul).
• Kemerovo region in the north (Kemerovo).
• Republic of Khakassia in the northeast (Abakan).
• Republic of Tyva in the east (Kyzyl)

The southern and southwestern territories of the region are located at the junction of the international borders of Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan.

Altai Republic: photos of mountains and attractions

Mountain Altai is a treasure trove of places for successful photo sessions. Even in the capital, you can quickly take a dozen stunning photographs if you climb the observation mountain Tuguya (641 m), which is the northern end of the Iolgo ridge. The observation deck offers panoramic views of the intermountain basin and the picturesque slopes surrounding the city. The hiking time is 2-3 hours (depending on the pace and level of physical fitness). In winter it is possible to use the ski lift.

To capture the high Altai Mountains in a photo, you need to move a little away from the capital to the south. The best option for this is the federal highway R-256 “Chuysky Trakt”, which runs through the entire region and ends at the border with Mongolia.

There are several large branches from the highway (Chemalsky tract, Ust-Koksinsky tract, Ulagansky tract), which pass through very beautiful terrain with an abundance of tracts, passes and massive ridges. The Teletsky tract stands apart, leaving from Gorno-Altaisk to the east, towards the northern shore of Lake Teletskoye.

Village Barangol

It is located near Gorno-Altaisk on the 492nd km of the Chuysky tract. Located in a picturesque place on the banks of the Katun. There are many attractions in the surrounding area, among which deserve special attention:

• island “Crown of Katun”;
• suspension bridge;
• archaeological monument “Barangol Necropolis”;
• water Mill;
• 12-meter Kamyshlinsky waterfall;
• equipped observation deck at the mouth of the river. Kamyshla with a panorama of mountain ranges (GPS coordinates 51.668953, 85.759916).

Nearby there is an open-air anthropology museum with unique objects and compositions for interesting photos of the “ancient” Altai.

Village Chemal

One of the most recognizable and popular tourist sites in the region. Located just 100 km from the capital (along the highway). During the trip, it becomes possible to see the Chuisky and Chemalsky tracts. Great for beginners who came to the republic for the first time. A very interesting place is the rock island of Patmos with a convent and temple. It is connected to the shore by a suspension bridge, from which you can take spectacular photos of the Altai Mountains against the backdrop of the fast-moving Katun. Along the goat path you can reach the decommissioned Chemal hydroelectric power station, where you can also take original photographs.

Nearby is the Bayram equestrian base, offering short one-day excursions along picturesque passes along turbulent rivers. One of the most intense and impressive journeys is called “Bulukhta Caves”. Here you can also book multi-day horseback riding tours, including to Belukha, Emurlinsky waterfall and Tuyuk lakes.

If you have enough free time, you should definitely visit the Che-Chkysh tract near the village of Elanda, 17 km from Chemal. This beautiful area with a narrow mountain gorge, a waterfall, grottoes and ancient petroglyphs is often called the “Valley of Mountain Spirits”. Even further away is the Teldekpen rock gorge with the narrow and stormy Katunya, numerous whirlpools and powerful Edzhigan rapids (another name is the Teldekpen rapids).

Northern shore of Lake Teletskoye

The trip is carried out along the Teletsky tract to the village of Artybash or Yogach. The two settlements are located opposite each other at the end of the reservoir and are connected by a road bridge across the source of the Biya. Lake Teletskoye is a mecca for photographers, as it has a huge number of picturesque places:

• bays, capes and rocky islands;
• high rocky coast;
• sheer, ledges;
• wooded slopes;
• flowing rivulets with foaming currents and twisted multi-tiered channels;
• dozens of waterfalls, among which the most spectacular are Korbu, Kishte, Ayu-Kechpes, Chedor and Forty Sins.

There are also high observation platforms here - Tilan-Tuu (741 m), Ketebek, or Keitek (1156 m), from which a wide panorama of the water mirror and the powerful Korbu, Abakansky, Torot, Altyntu ridges opens. Thanks to the developed infrastructure, tourists have the opportunity to take photos of the Altai mountains both from the shore and during water excursions.

Chike-Taman pass

One of the iconic natural monuments of Altai does not look very impressive in the photo, since since 1984 cars have been moving along a new simplified route. The old road had 47 zigzags and was much more difficult, longer and more extreme. But thanks to the observation deck at an altitude of 1460 meters from the Chike-Taman pass, you get stunning photographs of the Ulegema valley, the peaks of the Terektinsky ridge, massive ridges, turns of the abandoned and active Chuysky tract.

Village Inegen

One of the oldest settlements in the region, dating back almost 400 years. It is connected to the Chuysky tract by a 12-kilometer road with a well-rolled surface (exit near the village of Inya at 709 km of the R-256 highway). Located in a surprisingly picturesque place with an expansive view of the Katun winding among the rocks. It has many sites to take photos of the Altai Mountains.

But all the most interesting things await tourists further. To do this, you need to move a little away from the village and move along the Inegen - Tyungur road carved into the slopes. The unfinished transport line after 10 km turns into the narrow “Tungur Trail” with a length of 20 km, which can only be overcome on foot or on horseback. There are few such photogenic places as here, even in the most remote corners of the republic.

After completing the route and in front of the village of Inegen, tourists have ample opportunities to visit the key attractions of the region:

• Yarlu gorge and Ak-kem lake;
• the Elan tract and the valley of the Kucherla River;
• passes Kuzuyak (1513 m), Sarybel (2300), Karatyurek (3060 m):
• Kucherlinsky lakes and Ak-Oyuk peak.

The list of natural beauties of Altai is crowned by the mighty Katunsky ridge with the highest point of Siberia (4509 m) - Mount Belukha, which is only 70 km from Tungur.

Katu-Yaryk pass

Located on the 100th kilometer of the Ulagansky tract. It is a steep descent along the slope with 9 zigzag turns. The 3D platform for viewing the Altai Mountains and taking photos is located at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level. From the pass, the Shapshalsky ridge, mountain ranges, and the emerald valley of Chulyshman, which is a deep and fairly wide canyon with kilometer-long steep walls and many cascading watercourses, are clearly visible.

The Bolshoi Chulchinsky Waterfall (Uchar) looks especially impressive in photographs from Altai, the cascading ledges of which stretch for as much as 160 meters. Nearby are the rocky outcrops “Stone Mushrooms”. After another 40-50 km, you can visit the Achelman waterfall, formed by oncoming flows, the observation deck on Mount Altyn-Tuu (2300 m) and the southern shore of Lake Teletskoye in the area of ​​​​Cape Kyrsai. It is here that Chulyshman flows into the reservoir, creating a picturesque delta.

Merger of Katun and Chuya

It is difficult to imagine a collection of photographs of nature and the most beautiful places in Altai without several photographs of the legendary Chui-Ooza - the place where the whitish, muddy waters of the Chuya flow into the crystal clear stream of the Katun. The main advantage of visiting this point for a photo shoot is its accessibility. It’s enough just to get to the 714th km of the Chuysky tract. This outlandish miracle of nature is located in close proximity to the road and does not require unnecessary walking. A huge mountain with rugged slopes, in which you can try to guess the silhouette of the head of the knight and his horse, brings additional surroundings to the confluence of the rivers.

A little further along the P-256 highway there are:

• monument-installation “Monument to driver Kolka Snegirev” (based on the song about the Chuysky tract);
• Shirlak waterfall;
• the most dangerous rapids on Chuya is “Behemoth” (V category of difficulty);
• unique geyser lake (Blue);
• observation deck with stunning views of the North Chuysky Range.

Shavlinskie lakes

Just under 70 km from Chui-Ooza is the village of Chibit. Here you can capture Altai in photography, using the landscapes of the Sarytumai steppe and the Sary-Tuma tract. The sightseeing mountains of Jezhe-tru (1307 m) and Belkenek (2264 m) with a wide panorama of the Chuya Valley are also suitable for original photo sessions. But Chibit is famous not only for its local attractions. The main tourist significance of the village is the starting point for introductory routes to the high-mountain Shavlinsky lakes, picturesque passes, glaciers and snow-capped peaks of the North Chuysky ridge (Dream - 3470 m, Skazka - 3500 m, Krasavitsa - 3700 m).

Kamlak village

A cozy and neat village is hidden in a pine forest at the foot of a spur of the Iolgo ridge, just 70 km from the capital. There are very beautiful views of the Big Kamlak River valley and forested slopes. But the main highlight of the area is the Gorno-Altai Botanical Garden, which widely represents the bio-diversity of the Altai-Sayan ecoregion, the Far East, Siberia and North America. Here you can take unique photos of the relict nature of Altai, diluting them with pictures of cork trees, thickets of lianas, dense flowering of the Japanese spirea bush, and an undergrowth of fast-growing thorn trees (arialia).

Not far from the village there is the Kamyshlinskoe plateau, where you can have a photo session at the famous Altai caves - Duet, Opasnaya, SOANtekhnicheskaya, Kek-Tash. The latter is the deepest in Siberia and is included in the top list of vertical tectonic cavities in Russia.

Martian landscapes

The Rainbow Mountains of Altai are located behind the village of Chagan-Uzun, which geographically belongs to the Kosh-Agach district. The exit to the settlement is located on the 865th km of the Chuisky tract in the Kyzyl-Chinsky deposit of polymetallic ores with a complex chemical composition. During the oxidation process, the slopes are painted in unusual shades of single, red, violet, blue, indigo, green and other colors. The unreality of the scale and the mountain-desert landscape were the main reasons for the appearance of the common name for the area - “Martian landscapes”.

Red hill

A few kilometers from the Chagan-Uzun turn there is a lonely observation peak (Kyzyl-Tash) 1910 meters high, which is often called the “red hill” because of the specific color of the rock that forms the slopes. From the observation deck you can take excellent photos of the Altai Mountains, the Chuya Valley and the harsh Chuya steppe (the driest and coldest in the republic). Nearby is a fairly large Krasnogorskoye Lake with clear water of an emerald-apple hue.

History and general information

The capital of Gorny Altai is the only city in the region. The remaining settlements, including the administrative centers of districts (aimags), have the status of villages.

The history of modern Gorno-Altaisk goes back no more than 200 years. Until the beginning of the 19th century, in a cozy intermountain basin at the confluence of the Ulalushka and Maima rivers (right tributaries of the Katun), there was a small settlement of Teleuts. These Turkic indigenous tribes, along with the Tubalars, Kumandins and Telengits, are the basic ethnic group that over time formed the concept of the Altai people (self-name - Altai-Kizhi or Altaylary).

In 1820-30, a strong influx of Russian settlers from the central regions of Western Siberia began. In 1824, the village of Ulala, Biysk district, Tomsk province, appeared on the map of Russia. In 1922, the Oirot Autonomous Region was founded with the administrative center in Ulal. In 1928, the village was transformed into a city, and 4 years later it received the new name Oirot-Tura. In 1948, one of the last renamings was made. Oirot Autonomous Okrug became the Gorno-Altai Autonomous Region, and Oirot-Tura became the city of Gorno-Altaisk.

The final transformations are associated with the division of modern Russia into federal subjects in 1990-1993, which led to the emergence of the Altai Republic (also officially known as Gorny Altai).

More detailed information about Gorno-Altaisk, which will be useful for tourists and guests of the region, is presented below:

• Location: Russian Federation, Altai Republic
• Economic region: West Siberian
• Federal District: Siberian (Siberian Federal District)
• Founded: 1824-30
• Time zone: MSK+4/UTC+7 (Krasnoyarsk time)
• Coordinates: 51.9605600, 85.9189200
• Old names: Ulala (until 1932), Oirot-Tura (1932-1948)
• Altitude above sea level: 280-290 m
• Official language: Altai, Russian
• Population: 63 thousand people
• Territory area: 95.5 sq. km. (0.1% of the total territory of the region)
• OKATO code: 84 401 000 000
• OKTMO code: 84 701 000 001
• Agglomeration: Maima, Kyzyl-Ozyok, Alferovo, Chuyskoye, Karlushka, Dubrovka
• Vehicle code (subject of the Russian Federation): 04
• Relief: intermountain basin surrounded by slopes 400-650 meters high
• Observation peaks: Komsomolskaya (427 m), Tugaya (641 m)
• Telephone code: +7-38822.

The city has well-developed communications with other regions. There are several mobile operators that meet international standards. The postal code of Gorno-Altaisk is 649000. The main post office (Choros-Gurkina St., 17) operates 7 days a week in the following mode:

• 8:00-20:00 – weekdays;
• 09:00-18:00 – Saturday;
• 09:00-14:00 – Sunday.

To obtain information, consultations and resolve delivery issues, a separate contact number is provided: +7-388-22-2-69-10.

The remaining three branches, one of which is located on Lenin Street, 195, and the other two on Kommunistichesky Prospekt at houses 57 and 178, work from Monday to Saturday (Sunday is a day off).

City population

According to data from January 2021, the population of Gorno-Altaisk is 64,464 people. And the number of residents increases every year. Firstly, this is explained by the fact that Gorno-Altaisk is the only city in the entire republic. Accordingly, residents of all villages flock here - some to study, some in search of a better life. Secondly, it is customary for Altai families to have many children. Unlike Russian families, it is rare to find an Altai family with one child.

The majority in the city are Russians, about 60%. Despite the fact that Altaians are indigenous people, they number only about 30-35%. Kazakhs are in third place in number - 5%.

Altaians are considered an endangered people, so they receive subsidies and subsidies. There is no production, but there is very strong support for national personnel from the government of the republic. Thanks to this, the Republic has produced a lot of poets and artists, folk singers and writers. And although you haven’t heard anything about them, they still exist and quite a few.

In terms of age, Gorno-Altaisk is a very young city. Young people from all over the Republic flock here to study. And of course, the majority stay in the city even after studying - few people want to return to the villages and herd sheep.

City center, bus station area

While Russian schoolchildren, having left to study at universities in other cities, try to stay there, the majority of Altai residents return to their hometown. All this leads to the fact that, in percentage terms, the number of Altaians is gradually increasing, and the number of Russians is decreasing.

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.

Altai Territory: nature photos

The region has dozens of iconic places and attractions that deserve the attention of tourists and photo sessions. In parallel with the search for the best shot, you can often gain new knowledge, hear interesting stories, get closer to nature and improve your health.

Kolyvan Lake

Located near the village of Savvushka, Zmeinogorsk district. It is 4000 meters long with an average width of 1000 meters (4.2 km²). Extended from north to south. It is distinguished by gently sloping shores with large rocky inclusions of granite, which are characterized by the most bizarre shapes due to long-term uneven weathering. Surrounded by dense undergrowth and endless emerald fields. It attracts tourists with its natural beauty, Martian autumn landscapes and relict flora, in particular, “lawns” of water chestnuts (Rogulnik, chilim, water chestnut).

Mount Sinyukha

It is a place of pilgrimage for Orthodox believers. It has the status of a natural monument. Belongs to the Kolyvan ridge. On the slopes and summit (1210 m) there are bizarre compositions of granite outcrops. Abundantly covered with coniferous forests (fir and pine), giving the peak a bluish tint when viewed from afar. It can act as both a unique and recognizable object of Altai in a photograph, and as a film set. From the slopes you can clearly see the ancient bowl-shaped lakes Beloe and Mokhovoe, which were formed tens of thousands of years ago as a result of tectonic disasters.

Kulunda steppe

An endless plain with lush wormwood-grass landscapes. It is located between the Ob and Irtysh rivers. The relief is characterized by an alternation of high wavy ridges and depressions occupied by watercourses. It has stunningly beautiful views of the horizon with a variety of contrasts between the sparkling sky and the seasonally changing surface of the plain. In the western-central part of Kulunda there is a drainless Big Yarovoye Lake with bitter-salty water and healing silt mud. Here you can not only take good photos from Altai, but also provide high-quality therapy for dermatological ailments, joints and various chronic diseases.

Regional reserve "Swan"

Conveniently located on the left bank of the Katun between Biysk and Belokurikha near the village of Urozhainoye (Sovetsky district). It has the status of a natural monument. It is a popular object of educational, eco- and photo tourism. It is characterized by unusual landscapes with an abundance of lakes, islands, meadow steppes and foothill plains. Allows you to see up close rare whooper swans (number over 300) and other interesting birds - mallards, red-headed ducks, mergansers, teal, pintails and migratory gray goose.

It has a specially protected water body at the mouth of the Talitsa River - a spawning ground for sturgeon fish. An excellent place for photo sessions are the Zmeinaya and Talitskaya hills, which are included in the register of natural monuments of the Altai Territory.

Belokurikha

A cozy resort town at the foot of the picturesque spurs of the Cherginsky ridge, covered with coniferous forests, maral forest and thickets of tall bushes. It has a large number of vantage points for capturing Altai in photography. First of all, this concerns the foot, slopes and top of Mount Tserkovka (815 m). Thanks to the chairlift, you can get to the observation deck with maximum comfort and at the same time take several pictures from the most advantageous angle. The ascent time is about 25 minutes, during which a distance of 2 km is covered. On the southern outskirts of the city there is a unique natural monument - the Four Brothers rock, which is an isolated mountain range surrounded by granite placers and birch-fir forests.

Lake Aya

It is located in a mountain depression on the left bank of the Katun. It was formed in ancient times under the influence of water-glacial disasters after the breakthrough of giant dammed lakes that previously occupied the territory of the modern Chui and Kurai steppes. Administratively it belongs to the Altai region of the region and is part of the Aya Natural Park. It has very beautiful surroundings with the old Aisky suspension bridge and the “Devil's Finger” observation rock, which offers a breathtaking panorama of the Katun valley and mountain ranges.

Tigireksky reserve

Located on the territory of the Zmeinogorsky and Krasnoshchekovsky districts between the source of the Alei River and the right tributaries of the Charysh basin. It is part of the structure of national parks of the Altai-Sayan ecoregion. It has low and mid-mountain relief with average absolute heights of 700-1600 meters above sea level. The maximum elevation of the landscape occurs in the southeastern part of the reserve (Chernaya, 2013 m). Here you can also find the most photogenic landscapes with pyramidal peaks, deep tracts, subalpine and alpine meadows, and mountain tundra.

If you are looking for Altai nature for photos of the most beautiful places, you should definitely follow the fascinating 70-kilometer eco-route “Big Tigirek”, which is usually covered in 3-4 days.

Bank of the Sentelek River

The medium-full mountain river Sentelek is the left tributary of the Charysh and along its entire length (30 km) has high picturesque banks. Thanks to its shallow depth and width, the water obstacle can be easily overcome at any desired point and serves as an excellent platform for photo shoots.

In the estuary section of the river (between the villages of Sentelek and Pokrovka) there is one of the largest burial complexes of the Scythian era (5th century BC) - the Tsarsky Kurgan with a diameter of 46 meters. The height of the object is 2 meters. It has outer and inner stone rings. On the eastern side there are high vertical steles (balbals). Now the mound has been given the status of an open-air museum.

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 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

Gorno-Altaisk – city map with streets

The capital of the Altai Republic is located between two low peaks, Tugay and Komsomolskaya, which determines the narrow and elongated shape of the settlement. Moreover, the area of ​​the city is small enough to be officially divided into districts with their own names. The main landmark for tourists is the central street of Gorno-Altaisk - Kommunistichesky Prospekt, which runs in a C-shaped vector through the main part of the settlement from the exit from the Chuysky Trakt to the former weaving factory on the street. Lenin.

Another iconic street runs parallel to it - Grigory Choros-Gurkina, on which, at house 46, there is a local history museum with the mummy of the “Princess of Ukok”. A small interstreet area of ​​several square kilometers is filled with the bed of the Maima River, shopping and entertainment centers, a bus station, administrative buildings, parks and is considered the unofficial center of the capital.

To better navigate the area and quickly find the object or address you need, use a detailed map of Gorno-Altaisk with streets and house numbers.

Please note that the regional center and key transport junction of the republic, the village of Maima, has practically merged geographically with Gorno-Altaisk. This information will be useful to you both when selecting housing rental options and when building optimal tourist routes.

Enterprises and work in Gorno-Altaisk

The Altai Republic is one of the poorest regions of Russia. During Soviet times, about ten industrial enterprises operated in the city. Now in their place are markets. There is no production in the city. Agriculture is not widespread in the republic; there is not much cultivation on the mountain slopes. There is livestock farming, but only in the mountains; no one is raised in the city itself. Gorno-Altaisk is a city that does not produce anything, but only buys. How is this possible? The answer is simple. The city lives on subsidies. The most common professions are salespeople and government employees: teachers, doctors and officials. An interesting fact is that the Altai Republic has the largest number of officials per capita among all regions of Russia.

The fact that large sums of money are spent on administrative institutions is visible to the naked eye. This can be seen in the buildings of the tax office, court or pension fund. And the fact that no money is spent on schools and hospitals at all is also visible to the naked eye.

City administration

The city's only source of income (other than taxes) is tourism. But tourism in the republic is more of a private initiative than some kind of industry. For now, ski resorts, huge recreation centers, hotels and restaurants are only in the plans. In fact, it all comes down to renting out small houses built in dachas, and selling souvenirs at roadside stops. Hoping for a huge influx of tourists, a large number of hotels have been built and continue to be built in the city. But their fullness is far from one hundred percent. After all, tourists relax on the banks of the Katun and usually do not get to the city, or they go to the mountains and are passing through Gorno-Altaisk and do not stay.

There are a lot of markets in the city, and new ones are constantly opening, but most often they close after six months. Since it is not profitable, and they are located far from bus stops. There are several shopping centers - the oldest shopping center opened next to the bus station about 15 years ago. Since then it has not been repaired. With the arrival of the large Barnaul chain of stores Maria-Ra in the city, the largest shopping center opened in a cinema renovated after a fire on Lenin Square. On the site of the central bazaar, a large three-story market was built by the Raznotorg chain of stores. All the premises of the former weaving factory were occupied by a large shopping mall. There are a lot of markets, shops and shopping centers in the city and they continue to open to the surprise of the entire local population.

Shopping center on Lenin Square

In the current situation it is very difficult to find a job. Any person – from a young specialist who has just graduated from university to an experienced worker with many years of experience. Only “their own” people are promoted to the government; the policy of promoting national personnel is valid almost everywhere. There are definitely no jobs for narrow specialists; there remain vacancies for teachers, doctors and private enterprise in the field of trade and services.

Attractions

The quiet, green, cozy and well-groomed city of Gorno-Altaisk is an excellent place for recreational recreation and ecotourism. In the capital itself and in its immediate vicinity there are enough hotels, bases, guest houses and campsites to comfortably arrange your life and calmly explore the local beauties and attractions. No matter what part of the city you live in, you can always count on a gorgeous mountain view from the window. In this case, a circular panoramic view will be available. In the rest of the Altai Republic, such an opportunity is quite rare due to the abundance of high ridges. If some sides of the horizon are clearly visible for tens of kilometers, the directions opposite to them are often obscured by massive slopes approaching closely.

When traveling to Gorno-Altaisk you should definitely visit:

• Ulala Paleolithic site with an open-air museum.
• City park of culture and recreation with numerous attractions.
• Observation mountains Komsomolskaya and Tuguya.
• Church of the Transfiguration with the relics of St. Innocent of Irkutsk.
• Memorial complex "Victory Park".
• Spring on Kommunistichesky Avenue.
• National Museum named after A.V. Anokhin with interesting exhibitions “Modern biodiversity of the Altai Republic”, “Ancient flora and fauna, minerals and rocks”, “Ukok Plateau Complex”.

Detailed information about exhibitions, services, and cost of excursions is always available on the website www.musey-anohina.ru.

In Mayma there is the only specialized geological museum in the region, “Stones of Altai”. Also not far from Gorno-Altaisk there are many amazing objects and natural monuments (see table):

At a distance of 71 km from Gorno-Altaisk in a southern direction along the Chuysky tract, the village of Kamlak (Shebalinsky district) is located. Here, in the valley of the Katun, Sema and Sosnovaya rivers, there is a picturesque natural monument, the “Chisty Meadow” tract, which belongs to the Gorno-Altai Botanical Garden. Anyone can plunge into the world of relict flora, get acquainted with the huge collection of Siberian and Far Eastern plants, purchase seeds and seedlings.

Kamyshlinsky waterfall

Stone Museum

Aya Nature Park

Tavdinsky caves

Crime

Gorno-Altaisk is a very calm city. Of course, drunks and drug addicts are present here, as in any self-respecting city, especially the capital. Even if it’s a small republic. And on holidays in the evening it is better to avoid numerous groups of tipsy citizens.

But in general, Gorno-Altaisk is a very quiet provincial town, without maniacs and serial killers. In the dark, you can calmly walk with your girlfriend around the city center. Of course, somewhere in Bayat or Kayas there is a high chance of being faced with the choice of being hit in the neck or parting with your wallet, or simply getting punched in the ear without a choice, but where on earth is a person absolutely insured against this?

And although this has little to do with the city directly, it should be noted that outside of Gorno-Altaisk, in any villages - especially along the tourist routes (mainly along the bed of the Katun River) - any tourist is constantly in danger from the local population. Poverty, unemployment and envy even lead to murder. And beatings have long ceased to surprise anyone.

Excursions from Gorno-Altaisk

Exploring the sights of the republic on your own is quite problematic and tiring, especially if you don’t have a car at hand. Here it is best to use the services of travel companies offering diverse one-day excursions, for example:

• “Around the world in the Altai Mountains” - a bus trip of 8-10 hours with a visit to the Kamyshlinsky waterfall, the Valley of Mountain Spirits (Che-Chkysh Tract), the Chemal hydroelectric power station, Pa Island - a trip along the route Eliksmonar - Tura - Karakol Lakes by bus and all-terrain vehicles. Duration 15 hours.
• “Secrets of Ancient Altai” - an 8-hour bus journey through the iconic places of the “Chuysky Tract” and “Chemal Tract” (Dry Waterfall, Shamans’ Rock, ancient mounds and petroglyphs, volcano mouth, etc.).
• “Rafting on the Katun” - overcoming the rapid current of the Katun on a raft with an instructor. Time on the water from 1 to 5 hours.
• “Three Brothers” is a combined trip on off-road vehicles and horses (on horseback) along the picturesque slopes of the Seminsky ridge.

You should definitely consider the possibility of a trip to Lake Teletskoye. From Gorno-Altaisk there is a regular bus service with Artybash and Yogach, which are located on the northern shore of the reservoir. You can also always use the services of travel agencies. The usual excursion time is 9-12 hours. Cost 900-1500 rubles. The standard program for exploring the sights of Lake Teletskoye includes a visit to Kamenny Bay, Korbu and Kishte waterfalls.

Table: how to get to the city of Gorno-Altaisk

Churches and Temples

St. Makaryevsky Church in Gorno-Altaisk

Address: Kommunistichesky Prospekt, 146 Telephone: 8 (3882) 26‑32-67 Website: eparhia-gorniyaltay.ru/?p=2784 Opening hours: Mon-Sun 8:00-18:30

Construction of the temple began in 2004 on the initiative of local parishioners in honor of all the Russian missionaries who preached in Altai. Two years later, the building, built in a style imitating wooden Russian architecture, was consecrated.

There is a parochial school at the church. Nearby there are extensions in the form of a refectory and a chapel with holy water.

The appearance of the temple is very reminiscent of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Zvenigorod.

Church of the Transfiguration

Address: st. Matrosova, 5 Phone: 8 (3882) 22‑24-77 Website: eparhia-gorniyaltay.ru/?page_id=103 Opening hours: Mon-Sun 8:00-18:00

The church was erected in 1988 on the site of a prayer house and acquired the status of the main temple of the city.

In 1994, a baptismal church was built nearby, and in 2008, a parish school. The same year the church façade was renewed.

Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Address: Sotsialisticheskaya st., 1 Website: eparhia-gorniyaltay.ru Opening hours: Tue 9:00-11:00; Sun 6:30-11:00

In 1946, on the site of the Church of the Intercession, the building of Ulala’s first temple, the Church of the All-Merciful Eye, was demolished.

At the insistence of local believers, construction of a new church began in 1998, which was completed in 2004. Also, construction of a cathedral has now begun here.

Kazan Old Believer Church

Address: st. Okonechnaya, 15 Website: altaistarover.ru/churches/gorno-altajsk Opening hours: Sat 15:00-18:00; Sun 08:00-10:00

The church (its official name is the temple in the name of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of Smolensk Hodegetria) is located in a wooden residential building, which members of the local Old Believer community purchased for worship and prayer rituals in 1997.

The building of the house is crowned with a dome with a cross.

The main shrine of the church, which gave the temple its second name, is the icon of Our Lady of Kazan.