Biysk’s Merchant Art Nouveau:
A Walking Tour of Forgotten Mansions

Travelers know Biysk as the starting point of the Chuysky Tract. Cars pass by the city, drivers fill up, and speed onward toward the passes and turquoise rivers of the Altai Mountains. Biysk itself remains out the window. The city is rarely mentioned in guidebooks as a separate route, and in vain. The second-largest city in the Altai Krai preserves its own history, etched into the brick facades of its merchants’ mansions. Anyone who spends even half a day here will discover an entire block of red brick buildings — with arched windows, cast-iron balconies, and masonry that reveals the skill of Siberian masons.

How a fortress became a trading city

Biysk was founded by decree of Peter the Great as a defensive fortress on the southern borders of Siberia. The site chosen was at the confluence of the Biya and Katun rivers — exactly where the Ob begins. The fortress guarded the border until it shifted further south. Its military function was abandoned, but its advantageous location at the crossroads of Central Asia remained.

Local merchants were nicknamed "Chui" after the Chuya River, along which trade routes ran. They equipped pack caravans through the mountain passes to Mongolia and China, carrying tea, wool, furs, and fabrics. Returning convoys carried silver, leather, and tobacco. Trading was risky — the passes were covered in snow, and horses would fall off the trails. But the profits more than justified the danger. The merchants invested their earnings in construction, building two-story mansions, apartment buildings, and shopping arcades. Within a few decades, the wooden garrison town became unrecognizable. Around 270 architectural monuments remain in Biysk today.

Where to eat in Biysk

A walking tour of the historic center takes three to four hours. It’s hard to get by without a lunch stop, and there’s no point — there are plenty of establishments with a variety of cuisines and price points within walking distance of the architectural landmarks. A meal break is a good opportunity to take in the sights and absorb the impressions.

The Kalina Krasnaya restaurant in the city center is one of the most recognizable spots in the city: Russian cuisine, homemade pastries, and portions big enough for even the most hungry traveler. Love Sushi is another spot regularly recommended by locals. People regularly order rolls for delivery in Biysk , and tables are rarely empty. The cuisine is meticulous, the portions are fair, and the prices are significantly lower than in Barnaul.

Besides these two places, the historic center boasts small coffee shops serving signature coffee in a relaxed atmosphere. They’re more in keeping with the spirit of a stroll through the old quarters than the chain fast food chains that are also readily available in Biysk.

Route through merchant mansions

It’s a good idea to start your walk at the V.V. Bianki Biysk Museum of Local History. The museum occupies the former mansion of the merchant Assanov — an Art Nouveau building designed by Tomsk architect Konstantin Lygin. The ornate window frames, tall arched windows, and cast-iron balcony railings — all have been preserved and are available for viewing. Inside, there’s a local history exhibit featuring materials on the lives of Biysk merchants, their trade connections, and the daily life of the city.

The museum is a ten-minute walk from the Gilev merchants’ house, the first stone building in Biysk. Gilev pioneered a commercial route through the mountain passes, which later became a full-fledged highway. The building is austere and massive, with dark-red brick walls. Next door stands the house of Mayor Sychev, a philanthropist who financed the construction of the Assumption Cathedral. Both mansions are built in the Siberian eclectic style, with cornice bands and rusticated ground floors.

Further along the route are the Varvinsky House and the Vasenev Mansion. The former stands out for its wood carvings on a stone plinth: the combination of wood and brick on a single façade is a common technique in Siberian cities. The latter is memorable for its unusual layout, with an inner courtyard closed off from the street. Access is through an arched passageway — the owners used this method to conceal the trading yard from prying eyes. It’s best to photograph both houses in the morning, when the light falls on the front walls and the brick texture is especially clear.

Between the grand merchant mansions, you’ll find ordinary wooden houses with carved window frames. While they’re not officially listed as historical monuments, they’re valuable for a stroll: they create a sense of a coherent historical environment, rather than a collection of disparate structures. Each listed building has a plaque, but most don’t yet have detailed information boards. Before the walk, it’s worth stopping by the local history museum and talking to the staff — they’ll be able to point out which façade details to look out for. The entire route is three to four kilometers long. The sidewalks are smooth, but the asphalt is cracked in places — comfortable shoes are a good idea.

How to get there and where to stay

Biysk is located 160 km from Barnaul. The bus journey takes two to two and a half hours, and by car on the federal highway it’s about the same. The train station is open, although trains are few. The nearest airport is in Barnaul, from where it’s more convenient to rent a car or take a regular bus.

There are few hotels in the center, but there are guest houses and apartments for rent. In the summer, Biysk sees a heavy flow of tourists traveling by car to Altai, and available rooms fill up quickly — it’s best to book in advance. The best time for a hiking route is late spring and early fall, when the summer heat is subdued and the foliage doesn’t obscure the facades. A stroll through the merchant quarters is conveniently combined with a trip along the Chuysky Tract: Biysk is its kilometer zero, and one of the country’s most beautiful roads begins right here.