Gonba: History at a Crossing Point
Accommodation in Gonba
Get to know Gonba through its history at a historic crossing and the Church of All Saints in the village. Its founding at a convenient crossing point and the trade routes offer a tangible starting point for learning about the local history.
Gonba at a glance
The Church of All Saints is located in the village of Gonba. It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and until 6 p.m. on days when evening services are held. Gonba was founded in 1726 at the narrowest point and the most convenient place to cross, 15 kilometers from the silver smelting works. Historic trade routes ran across this point, carrying food and military equipment to Russia’s distant capital. The names of 174 heroes are commemorated at Gonba’s memorial.
What is known about Gonba’s origins?
The village’s founding is associated with a place described as both the narrowest point and the most convenient place to cross. The silver smelting works were 15 kilometers away. Historic trade routes ran across this same point, carrying food and military equipment to Russia’s distant capital. Thus, the history of the village includes both Gonba’s founding and the movement of goods across the crossing.
What landmarks are there in the village?
The Church of All Saints is a notable landmark in Gonba. Its stated opening hours are daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and until 6 p.m. on days when evening services are held. As opening hours may change, check them before your visit. Another landmark is the memorial, where the names of 174 heroes are commemorated. This number may change if additional names are added. The church and memorial represent different aspects of the village: the church is a named place with visiting hours, while the memorial commemorates the people honored there.
What else does the wider destination of Altai Krai offer?
As an additional perspective on the wider destination of Altai Krai, the region offers a range of recreation and tourism options, as well as numerous tourist routes. In Altai Foothills Nature Park, existing trails lead to rock formations, a former tungsten mine, abandoned mines, and factory villages. More than half of the nature park in Smolensk and Altai districts is designated as a recreation and tourism zone. These destinations offer concrete examples of nature and route-based attractions in the wider destination.
In Belokurikha, forest health trails invite visitors to take walks, while more challenging routes lead to natural attractions such as Lonely Pine, Four Brothers Rock, and Shishi Creek. A chairlift leads to the summit of Mount Tserkovka. Check the lift’s operating status before your trip. Walking trails, more challenging routes, and the chairlift offer different ways to experience the landscape in Belokurikha; these places are part of the wider destination of Altai Krai.
Cultural history is also represented there: the Vasily Shukshin Museum in Srostki opened in 1978. It is housed in the former wooden school building that Shukshin attended and where he briefly taught, and contains thousands of exhibits.
Discover more destinations: S. Manzherok, Novosilikatnyy, Kosh-Agach, Chemal, Shebalino, Aktach, Rebrikha, Smolenskoye.
FAQ
Where is the Church of All Saints?
The Church of All Saints is located in the village of Gonba.
When is the Church of All Saints open?
It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and until 6 p.m. on days when evening services are held. Check the opening hours before your visit, as they may change.
What shaped Gonba’s founding?
The village was founded in 1726 at the narrowest point and the most convenient place to cross, 15 kilometers from the silver smelting works. Historic trade routes ran across this point.
For the wider travel overview: Altai Krai.
