Biysk (Бийск) is the second largest city in Altai Krai with population of 202,000 people (2018) and featured as naukograd, i.e., a science city.
Understand
[edit]Biysk is a starting point for tourists trekking to the Altay Mountains, 'the gateway to Mountainous Altai'.
Geography
[edit]Biysk is located 163 km south of Barnaul and 356 km away from Novosibirsk. The Mongolian border is farther 617 km south. The terrain around is a hilly plain. Separated by the river Biya both banks of the city are connected by three bridges. The city is situated on the Chuysky Highway, a tarmac road, which goes from Novosibirsk to Mongolia.
History
[edit]The city appeared in 1709 as a part of the 'Biyskaya krepost', fortification line built from Ust'-Kamenogorsk. Its name is derived from hydronym 'bi', a Samodian word for 'water, river'.
Climate
[edit]Continental climate. The average temperature of January is -18 °C, in July it is +18.9 °C.
Get in
[edit]There are no flights to Biysk airport because of reconstruction (as of 2011).
By train
[edit]The direct trains are coming from Novosibirsk, Moscow, Tomsk, Chita, Omsk, Surgut, Krasnoyarsk, Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo, Alma-Ata. Barnaul is the most probable place to arrive from.
By bus
[edit]Bus station is serving routes from Gorno-Altaysk (hourly), Ongudai (that one is from Ongudai to Barnaul passing Biysk), Tomsk, Belokurikha, Kemerovo, Novokuznetsk and Barnaul. Tickets are available via the internet. The bus station is within 5 min walk from the railway station.
Get around
[edit]The tram network is present with 8 routes. Public buses and taxis are numerous.
See
[edit]Historic part of the city is the most curious place to give a look to where the architecture tells about the past epoch. Go on to the right bank of the river to enjoy 19th-century houses of merchants, Passages and an Orthodox Temple, all in compact area.
- Museum of regional studies, 134, Lenina st. W-Su 10:00-17:00. Archeological artefacts from paleolith era. Numismatic and mineral collections. Mammoth cranium. Chinese pottery. The museum's co-founder was Vitaly Bianki, whose memory is honoured in the museum's name. The museum's expositions are accommodated in two old buildings
- Museum of Chuysky Highway, 10, Tsentralny pereoulok. M-F 10:00-17:00. Museum's location is the left bank and rather far off from the city's center. This is the only museum in Russia dedicated to the history of road.
- Your collection of Lenin's statues would be incomplete if you haven't taken a picture of one from Biysk. Thanks to cold weather Lenin was put a hat on here.
- There is a monument to the city's founder Peter the Great on the horseback.
- If the weather permits one can see rockets being launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. At nights rockets remind of comets.
Do
[edit]- Visit the Drama theater.
- Go to the Bowling club.
- Musical theater Echo.
Buy
[edit]Trade-center 'Maria-Ra' has a small souvenir shop inside.
Eat
[edit]- Bowling club, 4, Chaikovskogo st, ☏ +7 3854 34-70-07.
- Grill house, 59, Merlina st, ☏ +7 3854 32-23-24.
- Kalina Krasnaya (Калина красная), 164, Lva Tolstogo st, ☏ +7 3854 33-77-92.
- Praga (Прага), 65, Moprovsky pereoulok, ☏ +7 3854 35-67-41, +7 3854 35-62-35, fax: +7 3854 35-65-68.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]Business class
- Hotel Tsentralnaya (Центральная), 256, Lenina st, ☏ +7 385 433-83-07. Pretty comfortable hotel in the city's center which offers luxurious and economy class rooms. ATM and wi-fi. 1300-4600 руб.
- Hotel Biya (Бия), 144, Tolstogo st, ☏ +7 3854 22-7451.
- Hotel Gostevoy Dvor (Гостевой Двор), 228, Lenina st., ☏ +7 3854 32-72-00.
- Hotel Gvozdika (Гвоздика), [email protected]. 16 single and double rooms.
Economy class
- Hotel Vostok (Восток), 20/1 Radischeva st, ☏ +7 385-4 31-01-80.
Connect
[edit]The central post-office is located at 34, Sovetskaya st.
Go next
[edit]Routes through Biysk |
Novosibirsk ← Barnaul ← | N S | → Ölgii |