A large resort area called Caucasian Mineral Waters, which unites several popular tourist cities, is located on the territory of three regions of Russia at once: Stavropol Territory, Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia. The main resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters are Pyatigorsk, Kislovodsk, Essentuki and Zheleznovodsk. They are located in the south of our country, near the border with Georgia, north of the Greater Caucasus Mountains.
Most vacationers come here for the healing springs and mud of the Tambukan reservoir. Local health resorts help people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, heart. In between the procedures and the intake of medicinal mineral water, you can see some of the sights of the Caucasian Mineral Waters.
The resorts are located in extremely scenic locations. In the vicinity of each city, on the slopes of the nearest mountains, hiking trails of various difficulty levels are laid, which are called terrenkurs. Every turn of this trail offers stunning views of the Caucasus Mountains. And in the cities themselves there are old villas, cathedrals, parks, which are worth seeing while on vacation at the resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters.
Top 10 attractions
Mount Mashuk
The resort of Pyatigorsk is located at the foot of Mount Mashuk, 993 meters high. You can climb to the top on foot or by lift. Upstairs tourists will find an excellent observation deck, the Eagle's Nest cafe and a television tower.
Mount Mashuk is also famous for its interesting natural and man-made monuments. The former include Lermontov's grotto, which is mentioned in the work "Princess Mary", Lake Proval with an unusual intense color of water, which is influenced by a high sulfur content. Ilf and Petrov wrote about this reservoir in the novel "The Twelve Chairs". Not far from the lake there is a monument to their hero - Ostap Bender.
It is also worth seeing the monument erected at the site of Lermontov's death during a duel with Martynov, and Lermontov's House, which can be found on the mountainside within the resort. Don't miss the site called "Lenin Rocks", where in 1925 the image of the leader of the world proletariat was created on a rock.
Lermontov baths in Pyatigorsk
Another place in Pyatigorsk, associated with the name of Mikhail Lermontov, is the building of the old Nikolaev thermal baths, which are now called Lermontov's. The famous poet underwent a course of treatment here.
Lermontov baths can be found in the city park "Flower Garden". They appeared in the city in 1826-1831 and at first contained only four booths for taking water procedures. Unfortunately, the one that Lermontov visited, suffering from rheumatism, has not survived to this day. A small one-storey building was erected in the classical style by the Italian architects - Giuseppe and Giovanni Bernardazzi.
Lermontov Baths is the oldest health resort in the resort. Now it is a recognized architectural monument. A road is laid past it to the business card of Pyatigorsk - the sculpture of the Eagle on Goryachaya Mountain, where any tourist considers it his duty to take a memorable photo.
Valley of roses in Kislovodsk
One of the most beautiful parks of the Caucasian Mineral Waters, according to numerous reviews of tourists, is located in Kislovodsk. It is called Kurortny. The most interesting corner in the park is the Valley of Roses, which is a 3 hectare rose garden connected to the Narzan gallery by a long promenade alley.
The park is most beautiful during the flowering of roses, that is, in the second half of summer. Roses of different types and colors grow here. Large, small, lush and not so, flowers become the main models in numerous photographs of tourists. Surprise is the flower bed, on which fragrant plants are planted in the form of a huge rose.
Another attraction of the park is a 15-meter long stone sculpture of a crocodile, which was installed under a shady tree.
Museum "Fortress" in Kislovodsk
Near the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Kislovodsk there is a local history museum, which occupies the premises of a local fortress. A large fortification appeared here at the beginning of the 19th century. It was part of a complex of defensive structures stretching from the Terek River to Taman. Until 1882, the military lived in the Kislovodsk fortress. In the 20s of the last century, the Krepost sanatorium was opened here, which still works.
In 1965, a museum was founded here, consisting of four rooms, where exhibits dedicated to:
- history of the region and Kislovodsk. Here are collected archaeological and historical artifacts: weapons, clothing, remains of representatives of local peoples;
- life of Kislovodsk during the Great Patriotic War. Guests are shown documents, photographs and letters from that period;
- the nature of the region of the Caucasian Mineral Waters, starting from prehistoric times;
- state symbols of the country and region.
Hippodrome in Pyatigorsk
On the outskirts of Pyatigorsk, near Mount Beshtau, there is a hippodrome that has been operating since the end of the 19th century. It is a significant local landmark that is shown to all guests of the resort. On Sundays in high season, you can not only admire the racetrack from the side, but also get into the middle, to one of the races.
The Pyatigorsk Hippodrome is considered one of the oldest such establishments in Russia. The first races took place here in 1885. In those days, the local Race Society was ruled by Count Illarion Vorontsov-Dashkov. In 2008, its reconstruction took place, as a result of which the track pavements were updated and an ultra-modern irrigation system was installed.
The best pictures of the racetrack are taken from the rear, with Mount Beshtau in the background.
Palace of the Emir of Bukhara in Zheleznovodsk
In Zheleznovodsk is the former residence of a friend of Tsar Alexander III, Emir of Bukhara Seyid Abdullah Khan. It was built in 1868, when the emir, deprived of all his lands, needed healing with healing mineral water. The architect of the palace was the Russian architect V. Semenov.
Currently, the palace is the northern residential building of the sanatorium. Thalmann. A beautiful fireplace has survived from the original furnishings. A huge staircase has been preserved leading to the palace, which is guarded by sculptures depicting lions. A minaret was built near the palace, erected in the Moorish manner, which was used for its intended purpose for a long time. There is also a separate building with a turret nearby, where the emir's wives lived.
Resort park in Essentuki
The resort park of the city of Essentuki was founded in the middle of the 19th century on a swampy area, which was previously drained. The first building in the park with an area of 60 hectares was the gallery, erected to protect the mineral spring No. 17. Flowers and trees were planted around it, and alleys were broken up.
The work on the design of the park took quite a long time. Various pavilions, baths, a theater, gazebos, statues, the church of St. Panteleimon, a school with a library, and a post office appeared. In the XX century, the Spa Park was decorated with fountains, several hospitals were built, and an artificial reservoir was created.
Currently, all guests of Essentuki walk in the Resort Park, all cultural events, performances of visiting artists, fairs are held here.
Villa "Eagle's Nest" in Essentuki
When Essentuki was connected by rail with Mineralnye Vody and Kislovodsk, which happened in the 70s of the last century, the city suddenly turned into a popular resort. They began to build not only hotels and sanatoriums, but also private mansions - real architectural gems. One of these masterpieces is the Eagle's Nest villa, named after the sculptural group placed above the main façade.
The dacha, with its appearance partly reminiscent of the Svan guard towers, appeared in Yessentuki in the 1910s. It was erected by order of the official Zimin. In the post-revolutionary period, first a health resort was located here, and then the central library of the city. It can be found here and now.
Permafrost cave in Zheleznovodsk
In the vicinity of Zheleznovodsk there is a low mountain Razvalka, known for the Permafrost cave on its slope, where the air temperature, even during the summer heat, is about 0 degrees. Moreover, a decrease in temperature is observed right at the entrance. Scientists believe there may be prehistoric glaciers inside Razvalka Mountain.
The cave was accidentally found at the beginning of the 20th century. Subsequently, it was slightly expanded. Now it is a 400-meter long corridor with short branches ending in dead ends. Locals have used these tunnels instead of refrigerators in the past. Bats live inside.
Not far from the cave there is a grotto, which was pierced by scientists who studied the local natural phenomenon. Often tourists confuse it with the Permafrost Cave.
St. Nicholas Cathedral in Kislovodsk
The first church of St. Nicholas appeared in Kislovodsk in 1803. It was built of wood on the territory of the local fortress for the soldiers who served there.
When residential buildings began to appear around the fortress, there was a need for the construction of a new church - already outside the fortification. The new wooden church without metal nails was built by the architects, the Bernardazzi brothers, in the first half of the 19th century. In 1883 it was decided to replace the existing, too cramped church with a more spacious stone one. After 5 years, the building was put into operation. It was destroyed by the Bolsheviks in the 1930s.
The cathedral that we see now was built at the end of the 20th century. The icon of St. Nicholas was transferred to it, which was saved during the destruction of the old church.
