Biysk, Russia

Biysk

Biysk is located in the Altai region. One of the oldest cities in Siberia, Biysk began in 1708 with the Bikatun fort, founded, as the name suggests, at the confluence of the Biya and Katun rivers. A couple of years later, the fort was burned by the Dzungars, and a new fortress - Biysk - was erected on Biya, about 20 kilometers from the first fort. By the end of the 18th century, Biysk became a city; in the 1830s, the Altai spiritual mission settled here, and by the middle of the 19th century, Biysk, having ceased to be a fortress, turned into one of the richest cities in Siberia, at the same time taking on the function of the banking center of the region. Since the 1950s, the city has become one of the centers of defense industry and science (chemistry and chemical technology, rocket and space technology), and in 2005, having received the status of a science city of the Russian Federation, it became the largest holder of this title in the country.

The city is located at the junction of the West Siberian Plain and the Altai mountain system. This determines a number of geographical, climatic and environmental features of the environs of Biysk. In these places, in a fairly limited area, there are various types of landscapes ranging from flat plains to foothills, which forms the diverse ecosystems of these places.

 

Orientation

The city stands on the right bank of the Biya River and its historical part is concentrated in several blocks adjacent to the river, lying east of Kommunarsky Lane. Actually, this has long been no longer a side street, but a real four-lane avenue, turning into the Communal Bridge built in 1965. To the west of Kommunarsky Lane lies a new part of the city, indistinguishable from any other young city in the country, and therefore of almost no interest. Some historical buildings have been preserved in the left-bank Zarechye, which can be reached via the Communal Bridge, and from the bridge itself there are good views of the historical part of the city, although these views are now spoiled by the modern elite quarter that has grown up on the bank.

 

Attractions of Biysk

Historical Center
Biysk is one of the oldest cities in Siberia. The city has many historical and architectural monuments of the 19th - early 20th centuries. A large number of historic buildings are currently in use and maintained in good condition. Some of the buildings are abandoned.

1  Passage Vtorov, st. Lev Tolstoy, 144. The passage was built in 1905, its owner was a native of the Kostroma province, the largest Siberian textile merchant A.F. Second According to rumors, Italian architects, whose names are lost, were hired for the construction. The building was built in a swamp and therefore placed on stilts, which was an unprecedented innovation for Biysk. No less innovative was the fashion store located in the arcade, which impressed with its design, diversity of assortment, and real European service. The best part of the building's decor is the many spectacular wrought iron details, including the magnificent console on which the lantern hung until the 1990s, for which the building was often called the "Lantern House." There is a memorial plaque hanging in the passage stating that in the summer of 1926, on the way to Ulaanbaatar, N.K. stopped here. Roerich with his family.

2  Passage Firsova, st. Lev Tolstoy, 146. In 1907, next to Vtorov’s arcade, a second arcade appeared, owned by the ambitious Biysk merchant Andrei Firsov, who decided to surpass Vtorov’s store at all costs. Firsov had significantly less money, so he had to go into debt. The building was built by the same architects, on the same swamp, and Firsov had the opportunity to correct the mistakes made during the construction of the first passage. For example, he came up with the idea of covering the foundation of the building with Bohemian glass, which did not allow swamp moisture to pass upward, so, amazingly, the display windows of the new passage did not freeze even in winter. Firsov surpassed his neighbor both in lighting - electricity versus gas lamps - and in stucco molding, external and internal. In short, the new arcade was superior to the neighboring building in all external parameters, but lost in the main thing - in the range of goods and quality of service. In 2007, during a fire, the dome of the arcade collapsed, and it has remained abandoned since then.

3  Passage Klevtsova, st. Lev Tolstoy, 119. The luxurious retail space was built in brick style at the end of the 19th century for the daughter of a local merchant M.A. Gileva A.M. Silberbart. In the once lush eclectic decor of the building, elements of pseudo-Russian style can still be discerned, although the building itself is in deplorable condition. In the 1910s, the premises were taken over by a textile merchant, member of the city council M.P. Klevtsov, and in Soviet times the people’s university was located here, where various celebrities taught, including the artist A.E. Mako, Rodin’s student V.A. Sengalevich-Kopylova and writer V.V. Bianchi.

4  Asanova Mansion (1914) , st. Lenina, 134. The eye-catching building, one of the best local examples of Art Nouveau, was built in 1904 by Tomsk architect Konstantin Lygin, commissioned by local merchant Nikolai Asanov. The building is also famous for the fact that it was the first in Altai to use a hot air heating system. After the revolution, various party or government organizations were located in the mansion, and in 1990 the building was transferred to the history department of the Biysk Local History Museum. Several urban legends are associated with the mansion: about a treasure hidden in the house, about an underground passage to the river, and even about several ghosts living in it - deceased members of the Asanov family.

5  House of watchmaker Erin, Dinamovskaya street, 2.

6  Rybakov House, Lev Tolstoy Street, 128. The two-story clapboard-clad wooden house was built at the beginning of the 20th century by order of the owner of the distillery, Vlas Rybakov. The main decoration of the house is the rich carving of window frames with floral patterns, made by carvers from the iconostasis workshop of Arkhip Borzenkov.

7  Kholturin House, Lenin Street, 85.

8  Gileva Trading House, Sovetskaya Street, 4. The current two-story building consists of two parts from different times, noticeably different in design. The oldest merchant mansion in the city, also known as Gilev's house, is a more modest part of the building six windows wide. In 1914, the Ignatiev trading house was added to Gilev’s house - an openwork ten-window wing of the building. It has not been established exactly when Gilev’s house was built, but it is believed that it happened no later than 1860. In any case, this modest house is considered the oldest surviving stone structure in the city. The house is also famous for the fact that in the winter of 1878, the famous Russian traveler G.N. Potanin lived and worked there, who organized several scientific expeditions to Mongolia, China and Tibet.

9  Trading house of the Sychevs, Sovetskaya street, 3. Three-story brick mansion of M.S. Sychev in the eclectic style was built in 1891. The first floor of the square building was occupied by retail premises, the top two floors were residential. Now the building is slowly collapsing.

10  Siberian Trade Bank, Sovetskaya Street, 5. The two-story red brick building was built in 1890 by order of local merchant E.G. Morozova for the Biysk branch of the Siberian Trade Bank, a famous commercial bank of the Russian Empire. At the request of the customer, the first floor of the building was allocated for a bookstore, which existed until 1917. After the revolution, the building was nationalized and has since served as a haven for various kinds of educational institutions.
11  Assumption Cathedral, Sovetskaya street, 13. The cathedral in the Russian-Byzantine style, built at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. Money for the construction of the church was given by the city mayor, millionaire merchant M.S. Sychev. In the 1930s, the cathedral was closed and the building was turned into a granary, but already in 1947 it began to operate again and for a long time remained the only functioning church in the area.
12  Public city assembly building, Sovetskaya st. 21a. The incredibly long red brick building was built in 1900 on the initiative and at the expense of the local merchant Rozhdestvensky. The design of the building, made in pseudo-Russian style, is striking in its grandeur. After the revolution, the building was used in peacetime as a school, and in wartime as an evacuation hospital. In post-Soviet times, it passed into the hands of the Pedagogical University.
13  Cannons of the Biysk fortress. The only thing left of the Biysk fortress, which was once located in the area of ​​the Kuzma Fomchenko square. The cannons were cast in 1703 at the Kamensk Iron Foundry for the Tobolsk Fortress. Later they were transferred to the Kainsky prison, and in 1756 12 guns were taken to Biysk. The memorial sign itself was opened in 1909 in honor of the bicentenary of the founding of Biysk, and for a long time it looked like a village: on the green grass stood an ordinary stone with a couple of cannons on it. But now everything has become different - the monument has been ennobled and placed on the ubiquitous tiles.
14  Osipov House, Lev Tolstoy Street, 182.
15  Vasenev House, Sovetskaya Street, 30.
16  People's House, Sovetskaya Street, 25. The former People's House was built in 1916 with funds from local merchant Pavel Kopylov, donated by his nephew, retired colonel Anton Kopylov. Army officer A. Kopylov ended up in Biysk almost by accident when he learned that his uncle, whom he did not even know, had left him a large fortune. Arriving in Biysk in 1911, Kopylov decided to donate 100 thousand rubles to the city for the construction of the People's House, for which the city had been unsuccessfully seeking funds for several years. The building was conceived as a place of leisure for the common people - with a library, a lecture hall and a room for showing theatrical performances and films. The famous Barnaul architect I.F. won the design competition. Nosovich and by the end of 1916 all construction work was almost completed. Despite the change of power that soon followed, throughout its hundred-year history the building has coped well with the cultural mission entrusted to it; now it houses the Drama Theater.
17  Varvinsky House, Sovetskaya Street, 42.

 

Around the center

18  Bishop Metochion, Irkutskaya st. 1. Nice architectural ensemble of the late 19th century. In 2008, a museum of the history of the Altai Spiritual Mission opened in the courtyard; tours of the museum are possible by appointment (8-963-524-56-74).
19  Church of Alexander Nevsky, Krasnoarmeyskaya st. 85.

 

New areas

20  Palace of Culture, Gorno-Altaiskaya st. 56. Nice building built in 1963.
21  Children’s Art House (Planetarium), Socialistheskaya st. 2/1. An atypical late Soviet building with a huge planetarium dome and a small dome of an educational observatory on it (1983).
22  Monument to cosmonaut Titov.
23  Monument to drivers and builders of the Chuysky tract.

 

Zarechye

24  Dacha of the Krichevtsevs-Assanovs, Gogol Street, 137. Teremok with wooden carvings, the most significant of the pre-revolutionary Biysk dachas.

 

Things to do

Museum of Local Lore (historical department), st. Lenina, 134. 9:00–17:00 except Mon, Tue. In the Asanov mansion building.
1  Museum of the Chuysky Tract, Sovetskaya st. 42. 9:00–17:00 except Mon, Tue.
Drama Theatre, Sovetskaya st. 25. In the building of the people's house (1914).

 

For technology lovers

Technology lovers will find a number of interesting objects in Biysk:

2  Layout of a ballistic missile, Socialisticheskaya st. (in front of the entrance of the Federal Scientific and Practical Center "Altai").
3  City tram system. The local tram system, in general, is atypical for cities in Russia and the CIS and will be of interest to fans of city electric transport. The city tram department periodically organizes excursions to the depot at the request of amateur groups.
4  Floating bridge over the Biya River. A unique object for lovers of bridges and river fleet. At the beginning of April (dates are determined by weather conditions) you can observe the process of dismantling this bridge for the period of ice drift.
5  Ruins of the Biysk chemical plant. The largest abandoned factory in the Altai Territory is an object for lovers of “abandonment”. Access to the territory is limited, and staying in this territory is extremely dangerous due to the presence of a large amount of explosive, toxic and caustic waste. In recent years, the area has gradually begun to be put in order. New production facilities are opening there.

 

For lovers of fishing and hunting

There are many stocked ponds in the Biysk area. Fishing in Biya and Katun is of some interest. Here you can catch taimen and grayling. Hunters will be interested in the numerous swamps surrounding the city, where ducks live in large numbers. There are plenty of places to hunt hare and badger in the suburbs. Beaver hunting opens from time to time.

 

For cyclists

Biysk is very convenient for cyclists. You can organize a cycling route both to the sights of the city and its surroundings. The villages of Srostki (where the memorial complex of V.M. Shukshin is located) and Verkh-Obskoye (where the memorial complex of M.S. Evdokimiv is located) are accessible to cyclists.

 

For religion lovers

In Biysk there are a number of interesting religious sites: the Assumption Cathedral and the Temple of Dmitry of Rostov, the Museum of the Spiritual Mission of Altai, the monastery courtyard in the village of Borovoe.

 

How to get there

By plane
Currently, the airport in the city does not operate. The nearest permanently operating airports are in Barnaul (160 km) and Gorno-Altaisk (99 km).

By train
Twice a day, luxury suburban trains “Kalina Krasnaya” and “Vostok” with trailed cars run direct to Almaty, Moscow, Novy Urengoy, and Chita on the Barnaul-Biysk-Barnaul route. The Biysk-Novosibirsk-Biysk train runs once a day.

By car
Biysk is an important highway junction in the south of Siberia, the automobile “gateway” of the Altai Mountains. From Barnaul and Novosibirsk you can get to Biysk along the federal highway M-52, from Kuzbass - along the regional road.

By bus
Biysk is connected by regular bus service with all major cities of Western Siberia: Barnaul, Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Novokuznetsk, Omsk, Tomsk, as well as with all cities of the Altai Territory (except for Gornyak), Gorno-Altaisk, some regional centers of the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic, villages of nearby municipal districts.

On the ship
Since 2013, there has been no passenger shipping in the city area.

 

Transport

The city's public transport is represented by trams, buses and minibuses. There is a well-developed network of passenger and cargo taxi services. Spontaneous transportation by private operators is almost undeveloped.

 

Shopping

It is better to make purchases of everyday goods or food products in large shopping centers, as well as in the chain stores “Anix”, “Maria-Ra”, “Bystron”, “Lenta”. You should not make purchases in small shops and kiosks, as the quality of the goods there is unpredictable.

Among the specific food products that are the “calling cards” of the city and its environs, we should note various types of cheese (both traditional, for example, “Soviet”, and original) produced locally. Also of interest may be products of processing of local wild berries: sea buckthorn, strawberries, blueberries and lingonberries (juices, preserves, jams). Such products are produced by various enterprises (mostly small) and farms. You can purchase them in an organized manner at the Central Market and in the Modny shopping center on the ground floor. In addition, Biysk has a huge selection of locally produced meat products. You can purchase them in an organized manner, for example, in the chain stores “Krestyansky”, “Pyatachok”, “Happiness Yes”, as well as in specialized departments of the “Anix” chain and in a number of points in shopping centers.

As for industrial goods, there are no locally produced products of interest to the traveler, since the city’s industry is focused on the production of defense products, construction materials, industrial machines and mechanisms, pipelines and fittings, and furniture.

Altai and Biysk souvenir departments are located in the shopping center. "Priobye", shopping center. "Maria-Ra", shopping center. "Vasilievsky Passage", shopping center. "Mega City" and at the bus station.

It is not recommended to buy “Altai” honey at city markets, since its origin and quality are unknown. As a rule, this is honey collected not in the Altai mountains, but in the surrounding villages. Recently, honey brought from China or Kazakhstan is often sold under the guise of Altai honey. It is better to purchase honey in stores, including specialized ones. The same applies to blueberries, lingonberries, cranberries, herbs and pine nuts. You should not purchase “local Altai apples,” which a number of market traders offer at inflated prices. As a rule, these are varieties with rather low taste qualities, grown by private owners on their plots or low-grade apples brought from Kazakhstan.

Also, you should not buy locally produced dried fish, especially from private traders, since the situation with opisthorchiasis is unfavorable in the Biysk region and in the Altai Territory in general. You should not buy, especially at inflated prices, “Biysk” pike perch, “Altai” muksun, nelma, “caught in the purest mountain river” - these fish are not found in the reservoirs of the Altai Territory. They are brought from other regions. Taimen, sterlet and sturgeon, on the contrary, are found, but these fish are listed in the Red Book and their fishing is prohibited. Therefore, when purchasing them, keep in mind that in the future you may have problems with the law.

You should also not buy “pure Altai” badger fat from private traders, since the quality of this product obtained at home is extremely low and there is a high probability of infection with trichinosis due to the fact that badgers caught by private hunters do not undergo veterinary examination. The specified drug is produced by Evalar in compliance with technological standards and can be purchased in pharmacies throughout the country.

 

Eat

For a long time, there was almost no fast food in Biysk, but by 2020 the situation had improved. Cafes of the popular chains KFC, Burger King, SubWay and Kroshka Potato are located in the Voskresenye and Maria-Ra shopping centers on Kommunarsky. The Shaurmania and Grilnitsa chains have also spread throughout the city.

Cheap
1  Cafe “Asia”, st. Ilya Mukhacheva, 180 (intersection of Kommunarsky Ave. with the tram line). 10:00–19:00. Dining room with Uyghur cuisine.
2  Dining room “Chuysky tract”, Sennaya st. 124. Around the clock.
3  Cafe “Cheburek Giants”, lane. Nikolay Nekrasov, 65 (left bank of the Biya). 9:00–20:00. Cheburechnaya without signs of a glass one. Mostly good reviews.

Average cost
4  Cafe-snack “Vobla”  , st. Vladimir Lenin, 256. 11:00–24:00.
5  Cafe-confectionery “Chocolatte”, Krasnoarmeyskaya st. 81. 10:00–23:00.

Expensive
6  Restaurant “Kalina Krasnaya”, st. Lev Tolstoy, 164. 11:00–24:00. Hot: from 400 rub. Russian kitchen.
7  Trattoria LA MIA, Krasnoarmeyskaya st. 39. 10:00–23:00. Hot: from 300 rub. Italian and simply European cuisine.

 

Night life

Nightlife in the city is not particularly developed. There are only a few relatively large establishments where it is safe to spend time. In bars and hookah bars that operate at night, mainly a specific contingent gathers, and fights are frequent. It's better not to visit such places.

 

Precautionary measures

By Russian standards, Biysk is quite safe, but, as always in such cases, be on your guard. In the surrounding area there are natural foci of tick-borne encephalitis, which in spring and early summer can overtake you even within the city.

If you want to swim, avoid stagnant bodies of water where the water may be contaminated, but you should also be careful in rivers. Biya and Katun are distinguished by fast currents with many whirlpools, while the water comes from the mountains and even on hot summer days remains cold (15-18 degrees). But you can drink tap water without boiling.

 

Interesting Facts

Evangel'sk - the Soviet City of the Sun at the confluence of Biya and Katun, was tried in 1927 by I.S.Prokhanov, the leader of the Evangelical Christians of the USSR, great-uncle of the writer A.A.Prokhanov. After the intervention of JV Stalin, the project was frozen.
In Biysk, 2 total solar eclipses were observed with an interval of only 2 years: March 29, 2006 and August 1, 2008. Usually this phenomenon is observed in one place about once every 300 years.
In Biysk there is one of three monuments to Lenin in the country (there are still in Minusinsk and Rybinsk), where the leader is depicted in a hat with earflaps.
In 300 km to the south of Biysk, the spacecraft launching route from the Baikonur cosmodrome passes into orbit. In cloudless weather, the flight of launch vehicles is clearly visible. The Soyuz launch vehicle appears above the horizon 6 minutes after launch, and the Proton launch vehicle appears in 9 minutes. Flight visibility time is about one and a half minutes. The moment of separation of the third stage is clearly visible.
In Novosibirsk, at the Rechnoy Vokzal metro station, there are stained-glass windows depicting Siberian cities that can be reached by water, including Biysk. The stained-glass window contains a stylized image of the pediment of Firsov's passage and a horse-drawn carriage, apparently symbolizing the merchant past of the city. The author is a Novosibirsk artist Vladimir Petrovich Sokol.
Biysk is one of the locations of the novel by Lyudmila Ulitskaya "Jacob's Ladder", where the main character of the novel, Jacob, is exiled.