Travel Guide Aya (Aя)

The peaceful village of Aya is located 33 km from Gorno-Altaiysk, on the other bank of the Katun River, the natural border between the Krai (in the west) and the Altai Republic (in the east). The left bank of Katun was uninhabited and covered with larch trees until in 1812 raskolniks (old believers separated from the Orthodox Church after the reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon in 1666-1667) from the Perm province settled there. Ten years later Orenburg Old Believers joined them and named the settlement "Aya", which means "moon" in Altaic language. Their traditions are still strong today. The village is quite touristy as it is situated 7 km from the wonderful lake of the same name.