As some of the most worthy and great Russian writers and poets would say: “Whoever did not breathe the Caucasian mountain air did not live...”.

In this article we will talk about Caucasian Mineral Waters. What is good about this resort in the Caucasus and what is unique about Min. waters

The Caucasus is not just mountains, gorgeous nature, springs, springs, eagles over the gorges, vipers on mountain roads between the scatterings of rhododendrons, the Caucasus is a special spirit, special culture, this cannot be found anywhere else, a harsh, wild, proud, very beautiful, sometimes virgin region.

Caucasian Mineral Waters is a group of resorts of federal significance in the Stavropol Territory, a specially protected ecological resort region Russian Federation.

South of the European part of Russia. The resort includes cities and territories:

“The Caucasian Mineral Waters agglomeration region, with an area of ​​more than 500 thousand hectares (5.3 thousand sq. km), is located on the territory of three constituent entities of the Russian Federation within the boundaries of the mountain sanitary protection district:

in the Stavropol Territory - the cities and resort towns of Georgievsk, Mineralnye Vody (including the resort of Kumagorsk and the resort area of ​​Naguta), Pyatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk, Lermontov, Essentuki, Kislovodsk, as well as the actual districts of Georgievsky, Mineralovodsky and Predgorny, - 58% of the total area of ​​the region;

in Kabardino-Balkaria - Zolsky district, - 9% ( healing mud lakes Tambukan, Narzanov Valley and others);

in Karachay-Cherkessia - Malokarachaevsky and Prikubansky districts, - 33% of the territory (zone of formation of mineral springs)."

The location of the resort is, to put it mildly, gorgeous:

“The Caucasian Mineral Waters region occupies the southern part Stavropol Territory and is located on the northern slopes of the Main Caucasus Range, just a couple of tens of kilometers from Elbrus. The earth seems different here, the sky seems different to others.

From afar, motionless white clouds are visible, which, when approaching, turn out to be snowy peaks Caucasus Mountains. Southern borders the area is the foothills of Elbrus, the valley of the Khasaut and Malki rivers; in the west - the upper reaches of the Eshkakona and Podkumka rivers; The northern border of the region is the city of Mineralnye Vody, beyond which the steppe expanses of Ciscaucasia begin.”

Very close to the Stavropol region famous resorts Krasnodar region, Sochi:

“In the west and southwest, the Stavropol Territory borders Krasnodar region, in the northwest with Rostov region, in the north and northeast with Kalmykia, in the east with Dagestan, in the southeast with the Chechen Republic, in the south with North Ossetia-Alania, the Karachay-Cherkess and Kabardino-Balkarian republics.”

About the Caucasian Mineral Waters resorts in the video:

There are many sources of mineral waters in the Caucasian Mineral Waters, because the difficult region is named just that. The name of the main city, Essentuki, appears on bottles of medicinal water, known to everyone for a couple of decades.

And the water actually has medicinal properties, unlike the products that store shelves are filled with.

In addition, there are many springs, waterfalls, salt and mud springs in the region.

The resort has existed since the beginning of the 18th century; more precisely, the first mentions of it date back to this time. All efforts were directed towards developing the region, so in the 20th century the resort became the largest in Russia, and the most healing.

The most famous cities and resorts of Caucasian Mineral Waters:

Kumagorsk

Nagutsk

Zheleznovodsk

Pyatigorsk

Essentuki

Kislovodsk

Kislovodsk the highest mountain resort, it is located at an altitude of 817-1063 m above sea level, the lowest mountain point of Kislovodsk is 750 m above sea level, and the highest is 1409 m (on the Big Saddle in Kislovodsk Park).

“Kislovodsk is located in the south of the Stavropol Territory, practically on the border with Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria, 65 km from Mount Elbrus.

The city is located in a small and cozy picturesque valley, surrounded by the slopes of the Main Caucasus Range and formed by the gorges of two merging rivers - Olkhovka and Berezovka, flowing into the Podkumok River. The length of the valley from southeast to northwest is about 7 km.”

The weather is almost always good here:“The climate of the KavMinVod region has long been highly valued by balneologists and is successfully used as healing factor. The main advantages of the local climate are associated with the large number of sunny days - in Kislovodsk only 37-40 days a year are without sun.

It is relatively dry here; moist air masses from the Black Sea do not reach here - they are delayed by the Main Caucasus Ridge.”

« Kislovodsk is not inferior in terms of the number of sunny days the best resorts peace. On average, per year the number of clear days in Kislovodsk is about 150, while in Pyatigorsk - 98, in Zheleznovodsk - 112, and in Essentuki - 117. The number of cloudy days is also small - on average 61 days per year.

The air in Kislovodsk is always clean, mostly dry and invigorating. Kislovodsk stands out among other KavMinVod resorts with its generally calm weather without strong winds and low humidity in winter period, which fluctuates during the day from 56 to 70%, which has a beneficial effect on the well-being of resort guests.”

In January it was 18 degrees Celsius, sub-zero temperatures reached 20 degrees, but much more often the temperature at this time of year here is around zero or “slight minus”. The hottest months are July, August; the temperature, depending on the location near or far from mountains and snowy gorges, ranges from 4-5 degrees Celsius to 37 degrees Celsius.

All resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters are primarily therapeutic, but Kislovodsk, Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk - especially. After Sochi, Kislovodsk is the second city in terms of the number of health resorts and sanatoriums.

A third of all medical and preventive institutions in the region are located here. In Kislovodsk there is a source of the famous acidic mineral water - Narzan.

Built on the site of a former fortress, the city is now replete with green spaces and orchards; in terms of population, it is a very small town: 130 thousand people.

Most health resorts in Kislovodsk have a medical profile for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, nervous diseases and respiratory diseases.

In addition to health resorts, mineral springs and other beauties of the city, one of the most striking attractions is the Resort Park, its area is 948 hectares, which is comparable to the huge city parks of Europe and the world.

“The park is located on both sides of the Olkhovka River and contains over 250 species of trees and shrubs, including cedar, fir, birch, pine, spruce, black walnut, Chinese paulownia, cork tree, etc. In the highland part of the park there are alpine meadows More than 800 species of herbaceous plants grow.

The park contains nurseries for ornamental plants and greenhouses. Over 80 varieties of abundantly blooming roses are planted on the “Rose Square” and in the “Valley of Roses”. Squirrels, trustingly taking food from people’s hands, and various species of birds have acclimatized in the park.

A natural monument is the Red Stones, which appear in several places in the park and are sandstones with a red-brown color and various forms of weathering.”

The park has a route for therapeutic walking - a health path. And in Kislovodsk itself there are several dozen large and popular sanatoriums.

Despite the fact that resorts and cities are located close to each other, the atmosphere in them can be completely different. So, in Zheleznovodsk there is a different air, a slightly different climate - compared to other resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters.

"Zheleznovodsk - the most dynamically developing resort of Kavminvod. In 2003, it was awarded the title “Best City in Russia” among small cities.

The climate here is mountainous and forest, similar to the climate of the Middle Alps. Long-term meteorological observations made it possible to classify it as mountain-forest, mid-mountain alpine, moderately dry.

The air is saturated with oxygen and forest phytoncides. Moderately hot summers with cool nights, a large number of sunny days with weak refreshing winds, winters are not cold.”

The population of Zheleznovodsk is only about 25 thousand people, but despite the small number of inhabitants, the city is truly a pearl not only among the resorts of the Stavropol Territory, but throughout Russia.

Yes, there are few residents, but many times more guests: for example, the health resorts (about two dozen sanatoriums) of Zheleznovodsk can accommodate up to 80 thousand tourists. The main areas of treatment are diseases of the digestive system, kidneys, and metabolic disorders.

Over 20 mineral water sources and several mud springs.

Pyatigorsk more, so to speak, “amazed by industrialization” than the small and remote cities of Stavropol in terms of the number of citizens. Pyatigorsk has about 145 thousand inhabitants, industry, trade, and science are well developed.

“Within the city limits there is Mount Mashuk (993.7 m, with a 112-meter television relay tower installed on it) and its spurs.

The climate in Pyatigorsk is characterized by mild winters and hot summers. Thanks to a large number water resources and a mild climate, the city has picturesque reservoirs, forest belts and parks.

The resort area, rich in underground mineral water sources, is relatively poor in surface water resources.

The tourist infrastructure of the resort city of Pyatigorsk includes:

More than 30 health resorts and sanatorium-resort institutions. Every year they are visited by over 200 thousand people per year (225-250 thousand people per year in 16 sanatoriums and 7 boarding houses - in the second half - the end of the 80s);

43 travel companies and organizations;

17 hotels;

The city and Pyatigorye have enormous tourism potential and have the right to compete with leading European resorts and balneological health resorts."

Pyatigorsk has many museums, theaters, historical monuments, libraries, beautiful places. There are parks and fountains in the city.

“The surrounding mountains are decorated with natural forests in which mighty oaks and snow-white birches, honey-bearing maples and lindens grow, and in the fall dogwoods, hawthorns, rose hips, barberries, and rowan trees turn red with berries.

The fauna is not so diverse due to the proximity of the city, but tourists are always delighted by squirrels, which can be found even in small public gardens in the very center of the city. Swans swim on the pond in Kirov Park in the summer.”

The population is about 105 thousand people, many health resorts, more than 20 mineral springs, the main direction of treatment is “diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and metabolism.”

Essentuki hosts festivals, cultural events, and there are many cultural institutions.

Caucasian Mineral Waters resorts have this name for a reason: the main attraction and main treasure of the region are the springs of mineral waters. And if someone was not here, then everyone drank mineral water.

In 2000, almost 500 thousand people rested and improved their health here.

The “Genius of the Place” program tells about the sights of the Caucasian Mineral Waters:

Caucasian Mineral Waters ranks first in popularity among Russians among Russian resorts:

“The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) analyzed the most popular destinations domestic tourism in the summer of 2014, the resorts of the Krasnodar Territory (Sochi, Anapa, Gelendzhik, Tuapse) were in first place in the ranking, Crimea was in second, on the third, fourth and fifth lines are Caucasian Mineral Waters, Golden ring and Karelia, respectively, Baikal took sixth position.”

Completed by: Kristina Zabolotnaya and Yana Kolesnikova

Caucasian Mineral Waters is one of the most densely populated areas of the North Caucasus. The average population density is more than 150 people per 1 km 2.

The Caucasian Mineral Waters includes 7 cities:

Kislovodsk

Essentuki

Pyatigorsk

Zheleznovodsk

Lermontov

Mineral water

Georgievsk.

And also 3 districts - Predgorny, Mineralovodsky and Georgievsky.

Caucasian Mineral Waters more than 500 thousand hectares (5.3 thousand sq. km), located on the territory of three constituent entities of the Russian Federation within the boundaries of the mountain sanitary protection district:

in the Stavropol Territory - the cities and resort towns of Georgievsk, Mineralnye Vody, Pyatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk, Lermontov, Essentuki, Kislovodsk.

The region is located in the south of the European part of Russia, almost at the same distance from the Black and Caspian Seas, at the junction of the Mineralovodskaya inclined plain and the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus.

in Kabardino-Balkaria - Zolsky district, - 9% (therapeutic mud of Lake Tambukan, Narzanov Valley and others);

in Karachay-Cherkessia - Malokarachaevsky and Prikubansky districts, - 33% of the territory (zone of formation of mineral springs).

The region is located in the south of the European part of Russia, almost at the same distance from the Black and Caspian Seas, at the junction of the Mineralovodskaya inclined plain and the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus.

Story.

KMS is one of the oldest resort regions in Russia. The first written information about him mineral springs meet with the doctor G. Schober (1717), who was sent by Peter I to examine minerals treasure troves North Caucasus. The first detailed descriptions of them were made by I. A. Gyldenstedt (1773), and then by P. S. Pallas (1793). After the study of the hot spring in Pyatigorsk (1801) and the conclusion of a special commission on the possibility of using mineral waters for medicinal purposes (1802), the decree of Alexander I of April 24, 1803 approved the regulations on the Caucasian Mineral Waters, when the historical Rescript “On recognition of the national significance of the Caucasian Mineral Waters” was signed and the need for their construction,” and their official existence as a resort area began.

The history of the development of this unique resort region of the Russian Federation was characterized by ups and downs, with a transition from public administration to private contractors. Long distances from the central cities of the Russian Empire, when those wishing to receive treatment at Hot, Iron and Sour Waters were forced to make a real journey on horse-drawn carriages lasting one and a half to two months, military operations in the Caucasus, the lack of infrastructure for the springs and resorts themselves - all this created certain difficulties in development of Caucasian Mineral Waters.

Relief

The relief of the Caucasian Mineral Waters region begins at the foot of Elbrus, where the Rocky Range with a number of peaks clearly stands out. The dissected relief, which creates a wide variety of landscapes, is explained by the long development and complex geological structure of the territory. The northern part of the Caucasian Mineral Waters region is open, it is enlivened by laccolith mountains - failed volcanoes: magma could not penetrate the thickness of sedimentary rocks and froze in the form of domes. The southern part of the area is cut by deep gorges and ravines. All local mountains are laccoliths, that is, stone pits. About 10 million years ago, mountain formation began in this area. Magma rose through narrow cracks in the earth's crust, making its way up, raising layers of the earth and in some places bursting to the surface. On other mountains, lava masses were exposed due to the process of weathering and erosion. Temperatures for powerful eruptions not enough. But the set of chemical elements and minerals that filled these stone pits turned out to be unique and determined the amazing variety of mineral waters of future resort cities.

Caucasian Mineral Waters (Kavminvody, KMV) is a collection of cities of federal significance located in the north central part of the slopes of the Caucasus Mountains. The conglomerate of resorts is successfully located between the Black and Caspian seas on an area of ​​more than 500 thousand hectares.

The lands are widely known for hundreds of unique beneficial springs that can cure a range of ailments. In addition to water resources, there are unique lake Tambukan, rich in deposits of life-giving mud.

The possessions of the KMS cover the lands of three regions of our country:

1. The Stavropol Territory unites the health resort cities of Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk, Kislovodsk, Lermontov, and Mineralnye Vody.
2. Kabardino-Balkaria with Lake Tambukan with silt mud and the Narzan Valley.
3. Karachay-Cherkessia is considered to be the place of origin of education water sources.
4. A conglomerate of cities combines all healing resources into a huge artesian basin with gravel waters. That is why Caucasian Mineral Waters is considered the most environmentally protected area in Russia.

The surroundings of the KMS are characterized by a soft, temperate mountain-steppe microclimate. The health resorts are located just 85 km from Elbrus, the highest point in Europe. The highest snowy peak of the mountain can be seen from almost anywhere in the region. On the Kavminvody, among the flat steppes, there are also mountains: , Byk, .

The sloping terrain is covered with dense oak and shady forests. The proximity of the snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus Range? on the one hand, the CMS, and deserts with steppes off the coast of the Caspian Sea, on the other, cause a temperate continental climate. Due to the fact that it is formed in valleys protected from the winds by mountains, health resorts are also considered to be climatic.

Main cities of the CMS

Caucasian Mineral Waters is a unique resort and sanatorium area, where there are real natural storehouses of waters of different composition and healing properties. In total, CMS include about 130 sources, and just over 90 of them are used for medical purposes. The largest underground deposits of carbon dioxide are distributed over the territory of four administrative units:, and.

This list can safely be considered a unique health resort not only in Russia, but throughout the whole world. There are about one and a half hundred sanatoriums here, which are equipped with special diagnostic equipment for mineral treatment. Every year approximately 700 thousand tourists visit Kavminvody. Vacationers are also attracted Mountain peaks, endless valleys with dense vegetation, fresh alpine meadows, azure waterfalls, blue rivers, as well as clean air with rich aromas of resins and pine needles.

Essentuki

A balneological drinking low-mountain resort located at an altitude of about 600 m above sea level. The city is surrounded by mountains of different heights, due to which a contrasting microclimate prevails here with dry, hot summers and rainy, frosty winters. Throughout the resort town there is a magnificent view of Mount Elbrus and the main Caucasus ridge.

The subsoil of Essentuki is rich in sodium carbonate chloride-bicarbonate waters. The most popular of them: “Essentuki-4” and “”.

Even in the depths of these lands, carbonic hydrogen sulfide springs of medium mineralization flow. The resort is suitable for treatment with drinking water and external procedures (baths, irrigations).

People with diseases should rest here:

• digestive tract;
• duodenum;
• liver;
• biliary tract (viral hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, chronic cholecystitis);
• metabolism (obesity);
• endocrine (early stage diabetes).

Zheleznovodsk

The city is literally considered the pearl of the Kavminvod. The acclimatization zone here has a huge amount of heat, and nature extraordinary beauty. Due to the city's location in the mid-Alps, a mountain forest microclimate predominates. The weather is mild in winter and cool in summer. Zheleznovodsk is surrounded by the slopes of Mount Beshtau and Zheleznaya, on which dense beech and oak forests grow. In the mountainous surroundings there are endless health paths for walking, which provide a healing effect due to calculated physical activity.

As for deep-sea sources, the same type of sulfate-hydrocarbonate calcium-sodium waters of low mineralization predominate. They are used for drinking and external balneological procedures. The springs flow cold and hot, and there are also bitter-salty mineral waters. Water from the Smirnovsky and Slavyansky springs is bottled.

The resort is indicated for people with diseases:

• gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, gastric ulcer);
• duodenum;
• kidney;
• urinary tract.

Kislovodsk

The city has a temperate climate of low mountains, suitable for the treatment of diseases of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, respiratory organs (including bronchial asthma). Scientists have proven that prolonged exposure to the sun in Kislovodsk in the summer can slow down the development of atherosclerosis and hypertension. Winter here is dry and clear. The area can be distinguished by the stability of atmospheric pressure, which has a very good effect on the healing process.

The deposits of Kislovodsk are represented by the world famous Narzan spring with bubbling carbon dioxide boiling water, which is useful in the form of baths and drinking. Kislovodsk Narzans belong to sulfate-hydrocarbonate magnesium-calcium sources. Their main difference is the amount of mineralization. In total, there are 3 types of waters: Main, Dolomite and Sulfate Narzan.

People with illnesses should come to Kislovodsk:

• circulatory system;
• heart disease;
• cardiac ischemia;
• angina pectoris;
• hypertension (first 11 stages);
• diseases of the nervous system;
• cerebral atherosclerosis;
• respiratory tract diseases (outside the period of exacerbation).

The resort is located in the center of the KMV on the slopes of Mount Mashuk. The peculiarity of the city lies in the huge variety of healing procedures. Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, saline-alkaline and radon waters of complex ionic compositions, as well as sulfide mud of Lake Tambukan, accumulate here. Silt mud has a strong bactericidal effect and also contains a large number of organic compounds, methane and hydrogen sulfide. In addition to balneotherapy, climatotherapy, aerotherapy, balneotherapy and radon therapy are widely developed here. Bottled water is bottled under the names “Mashuk-19”, “Goryachevodskaya” and “Pyatigorskaya Canteen”.

Indications for visiting the health resort:

• diseases of the peripheral nervous system;
• problems with the musculoskeletal system;
• diseases of the digestive tract;
• skin diseases (eczema, neurodermatitis, psoriasis);
• diseases of the cardiovascular system (atherosclerosis, Buerger's disease);
• female inflammatory processes;
• polyneuritis.

Remarkable places of Kavminvod

Caucasian Mineral Waters are also famous for their interesting spaces. A large number of hospitals, sanatoriums and pump rooms are located in architectural monuments that were built in the 19th and 20th centuries. For example, some of the amazing buildings that deserve attention are the neoclassical mud baths named after Semashko in the city of Essentuki, Central gallery for drinking cures in neo-Gothic style and main narzan baths in Art Nouveau style at the Kislovodsk resort.

It is impossible to mention places near Pyatigorsk and Kislovodsk without the beloved poet Mikhail Lermontov, who repeatedly mentioned the Caucasian Mineral Waters in his works. In the KMV, you should definitely visit the “Ring” mountain in Kislovodsk, as well as the “” gazebo in Pyatigorsk. Here is located and, and next to it Martynovsky, as well as the first burial place of the poet.

The surroundings of Kavminvod are rich and picturesque natural places. Here you will see incredible beautiful mountains Beshtau, Mashuk, as well as the snow-capped peak of the highest point in Europe -. You can also enjoy endless breathtaking landscapes of forests, rivers and waterfalls. Don’t forget to visit the Narzan Valley, because 20 water sources, different in composition, emerge from it at once.

How to get to KVM

A plane flies to Mineralnye Vody from Moscow. Flight time is 2 hours. Then you can get to the destination city by taxi or minibus.

There is also a budget option - a train with the Moscow-Kislovodsk route; the travel time will be 27-35 hours. Along the route there are stops at all resorts populated areas, with the exception of Zheleznovodsk. To get to this stop you need to get off at Beshtau station and get to Zheleznovodsk by minibus, and the travel time will be only 20 minutes.

The railway, then the center - Beshtau, the name of which can be translated as Pyatigor. In general, the number 5 on the CMS is somehow special: Beshtau has 5 peaks, 4 satellite mountains (Sheludivaya, Dutaya, Sharp and Honey) and 4 neighboring mountains - Mashuk, Zmeyka, Zheleznaya and Razvalka, and this “five in five in Five" forms the center of the entire scattering of 17 lonely mountains of the KMS. There are also 5 historical cities, the largest of which is Pyatigorsk, within which there are 5 railway stations... I think many other “fives” can be found here, so it is no coincidence that one of the names of the KMV region, and even the entire adjacent part of the Caucasus, is Pyatigorye .

The KMV mountains are laccoliths, that is, lava domes squeezed out of the mantle millions of years ago. Beshtau is the largest (8 kilometers across) and the highest of them (1401m). But I didn’t climb any of its peaks, limiting myself to hiking along the slopes from Pyatigorsk to Zheleznovodsk. And along the way there are uranium mines, the Second Athos Monastery, the city of Lermontov, the most beautiful Eagle Rocks and a warm April forest.

The first time I saw Beshtau from afar, I thought that it would be too tough for me, but in fact, climbing the central peak and returning back in a day is not so difficult. Moreover, the mountain is crossed by numerous roads, and there are several convenient climbs to it. The easiest one is from the Lermontovskaya station (see the previous part), the surroundings of which reminded me of the scenery for scenes of gang warfare from the movies of the 1990s. The fact is that here is the largest car market in the North Caucasus, serving primarily the republics, where car dealers are very reluctant to open anything. In the background is Mashuk, unmistakably identifiable from the TV tower:

To the left, behind the car market with its dubious personalities of Russian and Caucasian appearance scurrying around since the morning, the road to Beshtau begins. Ahead are the peaks of Two Brothers (1124), Big Beshtau (1401) and Goat Rocks (1157), and in the title frame the view from the opposite side shows Goat Rocks, Big Beshtau and Small Beshtau (1254), hiding Shaggy Mountain (1180) behind them. The first kilometers of the road go through an unpleasant area with concrete fences and the ruins of some kind of industry:

On the left hand is Pyatigorsk. Garden partnerships near Lake Ivushka, high-rise buildings in the area with the poetic name White Chamomile (after the pre-revolutionary tuberculosis sanatorium - in those days this flower was a symbol of the fight against consumption), the long Dubrovka forest on Shaved Mountain (since half of it is bald) and the most distant of the 17 mountains Yutsa (973) and Jutsa (1190), behind which the Caucasus is visible.

But the center of Pyatigorsk is not visible from here - it is at the foot of Mashuk:

But then, from the flowering bushes at the foot of the Goat Rocks, an old industrial abandoned building appears. This is “village No. 1” - nothing more than the remains of a uranium mine enrichment plant, very unexpected in the resort area.

The local laccoliths consist of quite specific rocks - I already wrote in one of the previous parts about beshtaunite - a hard and corrosion-resistant stone used in technology. There are also Davidites and Lermontovites - uranium-cerium ore. In the ensuing Cold War, the USSR was in dire need of uranium, the raw material for nuclear warheads, and mined it wherever it could - a few months ago I already showed the first Soviet one in (Kyrgyzstan). Beshtaugorsk uranium has been known since the 1930s, “village No. 1” was built in 1949-53, and mining there was carried out until 1976. By analogy with the same Mailuu-Suu, most likely the surviving building was a factory power plant - the enrichment plant itself should have been demolished as “dirty”.

They say that Beshtau is all pitted with adits, forming the largest system of catacombs in Russia, with a length, according to various sources, from 160 to 230 kilometers. The entrances to the adits are marked on Wikimapia, and here are the notes of a person who was inside them.

Of course, uranium could not help but give rise to traditional horror stories: supposedly, the background is on the mountain in Chernobyl, and giant mushrooms grow here, the locals will never buy them, but the unlucky tourists are poisoned by cunning mushroom pickers. And the prisoners worked in these mines and were buried there... In short, I don’t presume to judge the reliability of the rumors. Beshtau is a place even without any radiation. And you can go to it several times - for example, on the slope of Big Beshtau there is the so-called Temple of the Sun, which many consider to be a Scythian megalith (which, I admit, I seriously doubt). But I headed towards the foot of the Two Brothers peak - and I suspect that the name of this mountain was given by those two remnants on its “facade”:

Approximately 4 kilometers from Lermontovskaya station, the climb ended - I came out onto a building built in 1927 ring road, encircling all 5 peaks at a good height. She herself passes at approximately the same level, now rising and now falling, and I turned left, heading clockwise:

Along the road there is a forest, a slope on both sides, an abundance of flowers and stones. On some stones there are biblical quotes: the asphalt part of the road leads from Pyatigorsk to the Second Athos Monastery, which, however, is still several kilometers away.

Sometimes the warm forest on the slope parts, revealing a panorama of Pyatigorsk.

In the distance are the already familiar Yutsa and Jutsa, and right at the foot is a low Pine Hill, also similar to a laccolith.

The wide field and the Stalin-era building with a tower are not an abandoned terminal of the old airport, but a hippodrome founded in 1885 near the Skachki station - one of two in Russia of federal significance, along with the Moscow one.

And in the distance the Caucasian peaks are blazing, which I won’t even try to identify, but apparently this is Kabardino-Balkaria, east of Elbrus. Herself highest point Russia on this day was not visible behind the clouds lying on its slopes, but on other days it loomed in the background more than once.

Behind is Mount Two Brothers:

And in the distance the outline of Camel Mountain (885m) looms - the westernmost of the 17 laccoliths, it is the first to appear in sight on the road from Stavropol. On the slopes, as you can see, there are a lot of cars - Beshtau is popular with both holidaymakers and locals, and I even saw a jeep with South Ossetian license plates here.

We continue our way to the monastery - in fact, I walked for a long time, an hour and a half, hoping to see temples around every turn. Here on this rock they are going to recreate the icon that adorned the cliff before the revolution:

For now, only this memorial plaque - probably crashed on this rock in a car:

And finally, the Second Athos Monastery itself appears against the backdrop of Greater Beshtau - how strange and at the same time organically the Russian church looks in the mountains! This is the Church of St. George the Victorious (1999), but the cylindrical building is the original fraternal building:

The monastery was founded in 1904 by two monks from Greek Athos, and since the New Athos monastery had been in the Caucasus for 30 years, it was called Second Athos. In those days, it was known for its strict rules and loyalty to traditions, so it very quickly gained fame in the age of modernism and renovationism as a stronghold of genuine Orthodoxy. In 1927, the Second Athos was closed and gradually destroyed - this is what its Assumption Church looked like (1906):

In the new church, they apparently want to play with Greek motifs, and in general I would say that the second Second Athos Monastery, revived in 1997-2001, is architecturally more interesting than the first:

For example, a church under open air- they say they wanted to build a new cathedral here, but abandoned the idea due to the threat of landslides:

In the last frame, do you see the gap between the “eagle” and the lonely pillar a little to the right? That's where I headed:

View from the crevice of Sheludivaya Mountain and three cities near it:

A view ahead - as you can see, I’m not alone here, two whole families were enthusiastically climbing the cliff - husbands, wives and boys of 10-12 years old. I think Beshtau is not so crowded on weekdays, especially since I was here not just on Sunday, but on Easter.

Around the next turn there is an abyss, and Zheleznovodsk is visible between the rocks:

It turned out to be not so difficult to climb onto the “eagle’s head” - the sharp turns on the trail are even equipped with an improvised handrail:

And the round platform at the top immediately reminded me of the place of Pechorin’s duel with Martynov Grushnitsky and the rock where he climbed while shouting “Give me back the sausage!” Father Fyodor - being neither one nor the other, she serves as an ideal image of the Ciscaucasia in the imagination of the Russian writer.

Top of a rock with a small grotto:

And the view through this grotto:

Closer are the Ostraya and Tupaya mountains (767m, also Kabanka), further away are the Bull and the Camel. There are again two cities in the frame - Lermontov on the left, Zheleznovodsk on the right. And below is not a military unit (as I thought), but a huge abandoned pioneer camp “Eagle Rocks”:

To the right is another interesting mountain quintet. On the left are Tupaya and Byk, on the right are Zheleznaya (853, closer) and Razvalka (926, further) hanging over Zheleznovodsk, and in the middle is Honey Mountain (725m), the last of Beshtau’s “satellites”:

She is seen against the backdrop of the non-resort part of Zheleznovodsk:

Zheleznovodsk is a small city (24 thousand inhabitants), but its structure is very interesting. Its center and resort part are in a narrow (less than a kilometer) valley between Beshtau and Zheleznaya, and the main part of the residential areas are on the plain to the east, and this isolation of the resort area gives it an intimate feel.

The most important sights are the Ostrovsky baths (1893) near the station at the bottom left, the Palace of the Bukhara Emir (1912, essentially a personal sanatorium, which the ruler of vassal Bukhara built for himself here), at the top left, the Pushkin Gallery (1901, Kursaal), and Below is the local administration.

To the left is the Church of the Intercession, built in 1996 in the New Baths building (1912), and the house with a turret below is on the station square:

And in general, I decided to go to Zheleznovodsk. But first we had to go down. and here I was very stupid - I climbed off the rocks without any problems, and then decided not to go back, but to look for some path. There were indeed paths, but they all led upwards, and I was tired and followed the one that went downhill. It eventually disappeared at a rather steep slope, along which I decided to descend through stones, fallen leaves and flowering herbs. The descent was not exactly dangerous, but boring and difficult. In one place I grabbed a thick dry branch, it broke off and, right in my hand, with decent speed, by inertia, flew into my eye. By some miracle I managed to close my eyes, but the blow was such that there was a natural echo in my head. Not so much from pain, but from fear, I howled and realized that I was afraid to open my eyes - what if I was now crooked?! But I opened it, and it turned out that I saw everything as I had seen before, only the “blind spot” lasted for another 20 minutes. Later I discovered that the blow did not leave a bruise or even a hemorrhage, although I still had pain somewhere inside my eyes for a couple of weeks . In general, I can’t get over the idea that all the dangers come from people... however, for the first time on the Road I got hit in the eye not from some kind of gopnik, but from a tree. Soon I again emerged onto the blooming, crowded Ring Road:

And I turned at the direct descent to Zheleznovodsk, which is still 2-3 kilometers downhill:

Palace of the Bukhara Emir and Soviet buildings of the Telman sanatorium. It seems like the first time I walked from city to city (except for my periodic walks from home to neighboring Lyubertsy):

The road led me to the station behind these trees. By the way, how did you correct me?

According to the nature of the relief, the Caucasian Mineral Waters region is divided into two parts: the northeastern part, where laccolithic mountains rise against the background of the plain, and the southwestern part. characteristic features mountain landscape. In the southwestern part lies the Rocky Range, which is uniform in relief, from which the Bermamyt plateau with the flat peaks of the Bolshoy (2,643 m) and Small (2,592 m) Bermamyt mountains gently descends towards Kislovodsk. From these peaks a majestic panorama opens onto the Main Caucasus Range from the very high peak Europe - Mount Elbrus (5,642 m). About 40 thousand years ago, Elbrus was actively active volcano. Since then he has been calm, but scientists have proven that in the deep depths of this mountain hide formidable volcanic forces that can be used by man. On the Bermamyt plateau there is Mount Shatjatmaz (2,140 m), on which there is a Mountain Astronomical Station, a weather station, and a scientific base of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Northeast of the Bermamyt plateau is the Pastbishchny Range, divided into two parts by the Podkumok River. One part is called the Dzhinalsky ridge, the other - the Darya Heights (1,300-1,500 m above sea level). From the Darya Heights to the northeast the Borgustan Plateau gently descends. In the middle of the steppe zone of the Caucasian Mineral Waters, 17 exceptionally unique laccolith mountains (failed volcanoes) rise: Beshtau (1,399.8 m), Jutsa (1,198 m), Zmeyka (994 m), Mashuk (993 m), Yutsa (972 m) ), Razvalka (930 m), Zolotoy Kurgan (884 m), Camel (885 m), Ostraya (881 m), Zheleznaya (859.4 m), Sheludyvaya (875 m), Lysaya (740 m), Honey (721 m), Kokurtly (406 m), Byk (821 m), Kabanka (Tupaya) (772 m), Mount Kinzhal used to have a sharp summit ridge and rose to 507 m, but when mining the stone, the upper part of the mountain was cut off. Ancient volcanic processes created these mountains. The force of the magma bursting from the bowels of the Earth was not sufficient to come out, and the magma, magmatic gases and vapors only lifted some areas of the earth's surface, forming dome-shaped peaks. Where the magma found a way out, it froze in the form of exposed rocks. The low height of these mountains, the presence of gentle slopes and rich vegetation make them accessible and attractive for organizing short-term tourism.
Beshtau (Five Mountains). The dominant mountain Beshtau, called five-domed by the poet, actually has five peaks, hence its name (from the Turkic “besh” - five and “tau” - mountain). This is the highest of the laccolithic mountains, located in the center of the northeastern part of the Caucasian Mineral Waters. From its peaks you can see all the laccolithic mountains, the panorama of the resort area and the Caucasus mountain range. Beshtau consists of five peaks: Beshtau, Small Beshtau, Two Brothers, Goat Rocks. The slopes of Beshtau are covered mainly with deciduous forest. Up to a height of 1100 m, the slopes are covered with beech-oak-ash-hornbeam forest, which makes up the main part of the Beshtaugorsky forest, consisting of more than 60 species of trees and shrubs. The eastern beech plantation located there occupies 177 hectares. In the subalpine zone, broad-leaved forest gives way to crooked forests with cold-resistant warty birch and Caucasian mountain ash. Above is a zone of steppe subalpine meadows, forming a clearing with an area of ​​461 hectares on the main peak. Representatives of typical subalpine meadow flora are found on it - lovely primrose, Wilhelm's grass, yellow rhododendron. Among the endemic species of the mountain, the bract poppy is known, distinguished by its very large flowers. The forest is rich in mushrooms, mainly lamellar mushrooms (especially champignons, chanterelles, capillaries, milk mushrooms, umbrellas). The fauna of the mountain is also diverse: wild boars, birds of prey, pheasants, hares, foxes.
It is best to climb to the top of the mountain from Zheleznovodsk or Lermontov.
Snake (from the Turkic zhlak-tau - “snake mountain”) is a remnant magmatic (paleovolcanic) mountain. Height 994 m. Natural monument. The second largest mountain in Pyatigorsk after Beshtau, it occupies an area of ​​about 20 km². Located 4.5 km southwest of the Mineralnye Vody railway station. In plan it has an oval shape slightly elongated to the northeast. The upper part is composed of a subvolcanic intrusion of beshtaunites, forming a picturesque rocky outcrop with an area of ​​2.8 km². The lower part of the slope is dominated by clayey shales of the Maikop series, in places covered by the remnants of a cover of Neogene volcanic rocks - tuffs and tuff lavas. The destruction of the top body of the beshtaunites led to the widespread development of stone screes.
At the southwestern foot of the mountain there is the Zmeykinskoye deposit of carbon dioxide hydrocarbonate-sulfate calcium-sodium waters with a mineralization of 3.2-5.6 g/l. The main part of them is extracted using a well from a depth of 1482 m. The water temperature at the wellhead is 70-74 ° C, the flow rate is 9 l/s. The eastern and, partially, southern and northern slopes of the mountain are disturbed by an extensive quarry, in which beshtaunite was mined for construction purposes in the 30-80s of the 20th century. The quarry is an extensive artificial outcrop about 2 km long and up to 200 m high. It reveals the features of the occurrence and internal structure of the subvolcanic intrusion of beshtaunites, their relationship with the host sedimentary rocks, as well as the remains of a cover of Neogene volcanic tuffs, which determines the scientific value of this working. After the cessation of stone mining in the quarry, natural restoration of the vegetation cover occurs.
The mountain is covered with forest and mountain-meadow vegetation, part of the northern part of the Beshtaugorsky forest. Hornbeam-ash-oak and hornbeam-beech forests predominate, numbering about 60 species of trees and shrubs. At the top the forest gives way to clearings of subalpine meadows, and at the foot there is a meadow-like forb-grass steppe with high species richness. Among the rare protected plant species that grow on the mountain are oriental beech, dwarf euonymus, Nefedov cotoneaster, long rosehip, Caucasian ash, lily, and several species of hawkweed.
It is a regional complex (landscape) natural monument
Mount Mashuk. To the northwest of Beshtau, Mashuk rises in the form of a shaggy cap - one of most interesting mountains Kavminvod district, which is also the best panoramic point in the immediate vicinity of Pyatigorsk. Legends about Mashuk have lived and live among the people for centuries. Here's what one of them says. A long time ago, the Khan of the Golden Horde, Kaplan-Girey, with a huge army, suddenly attacked Kabarda. Uninvited guests took away valuables and livestock and subjected the population to all sorts of abuse. Among the local residents, Mashuk was distinguished by great courage, who took revenge on the invaders for their insulted honor and the death of his bride. The Khan, alarmed by the brave exploits of the national hero, sent his best warriors to capture the horseman Mashuk. On one of the ledges of the mountain, Mashuk and a group of comrades were surrounded. A fierce battle took place in which Mashuk’s comrades were killed. The exhausted Mashuk did not want to be captured and jumped from the cliff onto the gray stones. The news of Mashuk's death filled the hearts of the people with anger. The people rebelled. At night, the uninvited strangers were killed, and the remnants of the army were defeated. Kabarda got rid of the foreign yoke and achieved independence for some time. In memory of Mashuk, the people named the mountain with hot and cold springs, on which the legendary hero of Kabarda fought and died. A stay in Caucasian Mineral Waters would not be complete without an excursion to Mashuk. The easiest way to climb is along the well-maintained path of the path. It takes 3-4 hours to ascend and descend. By cable car the rise will take 3-5 minutes. From the top of Mashuk, in good weather, you can see vast spaces from the Main Caucasus Range to the steppes of Stavropol. The road to Mashuk will lead to a high obelisk - the grave of the outstanding military topographer A.V. Pastukhova. On the northern slope of the mountain there is the Perkala dendrological nursery.
Iron Mountain. It has a regular conical shape. From the top of the mountain there is a wide panorama of the surrounding mountains and Zheleznovodsk. The main wealth of the mountain is 23 springs of mineral waters, of which 16 are used. In the places of their outpouring, nine travertine sinter bodies were formed along the perimeter of the mountain. Iron hydroxides that precipitate from the waters give them a rusty color, which is why the mountain is named Iron Mountain. The waters are carbonic, sometimes radon-containing, predominantly sulfate-hydrocarbonate calcium-sodium with a mineralization of 3-4 g/l. Salt-alkaline waters are less common. By water temperature - cold (Nezlobinsky, Zavadovsky, Gaazovsky springs), warm, 23-35 ° C (Vladimirovsky) and hot, 35-61 ° C (Slavyanovsky, Smirnovsky, Lermontovsky, Semashko springs). Zheleznovodsk waters differ from other deposits of the Caucasian Mineral Waters in their complex ionic composition. The mountain is covered with lush deciduous forest, part of the Beshtaugorsky forest. The forest stand is dominated by hornbeam, ash, oak, maple, and linden. Beech is common in beams with high moisture content. In the undergrowth there are hawthorn, hazel, elderberry, and privet. The herbaceous cover is also rich, in which there are many medicinal plants: Caucasian belladonna, fragrant violet, greater celandine, male fern, large-cupped primrose, valerian. On the eastern slope, based on a natural forest, Zheleznovodsk was founded in 1825 resort park. There are healing routes along the forested slopes of the mountain.
At the foot of Zheleznaya, between the Slavyanovsky and Smirnovsky springs, you can see a shapeless block of stone, which is a fragment of Mount Zheleznaya. This fragment weighs 1,700 pounds. He fell from Zheleznaya on the night of April 10-11, 1892. and quite frightened the inhabitants of the city with its roar.
Mountain Honey
Natural monument. Located on the southwestern outskirts of the city of Zheleznovodsk. It is a rocky outcrop of beshtaunites measuring 500x150 m, rising 120 m above the foot. The name is associated with the yellow color of the rocks, dotted with holes reminiscent of a honeycomb. Disturbed by a quarry in which beshtaunite was mined for construction purposes in the 20th century. The lower part of the slopes is covered with deciduous forest, part of the Beshtaugorsky forest. On Medovaya there is a place of ancient human settlements of the Byzantine era. Mount Medovaya is one of the attractions of Zheleznovodsk, often visited local residents and vacationers. The route leads to the mountain from the Zheleznovodsk sanatorium “Oak Grove”. It is best to climb the mountain along the path from the south side. The path to the top will be 3-4 km.
Mount Kabanka (Tupaya). Natural monument. It is a picturesque rocky ridge measuring 150x350 m, stretched to the northeast and composed of beshtaunites, resembling a lying boar from the side. It looks like a step with gentle southern and steep western, northern and eastern slopes, broken by clefts and cracks, with a flat top (which, among other things, is associated with one of the names of the mountain - Tupaya). The slopes are covered with deciduous forest, part of the Beshtaugorsky forest. On Kabanka there are remains of ancient settlements of the 3rd-4th centuries. BC e. The path to it lies from the Dubovaya Roshcha sanatorium in Zheleznovodsk, past Mount Medovaya, along a forest road to the second ravine at the foot of Mount Tupoy. From the ravine - climb into the valley between Tupa and Ostra. From this valley you can start climbing to the Kabanka peak, covered with a small forest. The length of the round trip route does not exceed 7 km, the elevation angle is 5-10*, in some places up to 18*.
Mount Razvalka (Sleeping Lion). The upper part of the mountain is a steep rocky ridge 1 km long and a relative height of up to 200 m, composed of light gray beshtaunites. The southern half of the ridge rises sharply above the northern and looks like the head of a lion, which is why in the 19th century the mountain was called the “Sleeping Lion”. The ridge is divided by cracks into many blocks with steep walls and deep crevices, which is why modern name mountains - Razvalka. The mountain is made of solidified magma, which rose from the depths three times. The foot of the cliffs and the lower part of the mountain are dotted with large blocky ruins of beshtaunites. On the northern slope of Razvalka there flows a powerful Grafsky spring of cold (1-5 °C) fresh water, which in the past was used to supply water to Zheleznovodsk.
One of the attractions of Razvalka is an area of ​​permafrost that has no analogues in the south of temperate latitudes. Permafrost occurs over an area of ​​about 1 hectare on the northern and eastern slopes in the form of a strip at an altitude level of 620-720 m. It is associated with the flow of cold air from cracks with a temperature of −1 to +4 °C. For this reason, ice crystals remain in deep cracks even in summer. It is possible that relict permafrost that arose during the Pleistocene glaciation is still preserved in the depths of the mountain.
Permafrost has had an impact on plant and animal world mountains. If most of Razvalka is covered with broad-leaved forest with islands of mountain-meadow and rocky vegetation characteristic of the Beshtaugorsky forest, then in the area of ​​permafrost an unusual rowan-birch forest has formed with an association of cold-loving plants such as raspberries, honeysuckle, alder, aspen, bird cherry, bladderwort brittle, fireweed. Among the animals found here are the snow vole and some species of insects that are found in the Caucasus only in the highlands.
There are several archaeological sites on Razvalka: Saltpeter Cave with a cultural layer containing stone tools and arrowheads (IV-III millennium BC); settlement of Razvalskoye (VIII-VII centuries BC); remains of a necropolis (VI-V centuries BC); remains of an early medieval wheel road.
Large and Small saddle. Mountain Big saddle- the highest in the vicinity of Kislovodsk and Pyatigorsk. The path to it lies through Kislovodsk Park, up the path of the third route of the health path past the Temple of the Air, the Red Sun, then on the way you will see the Blue Mountains, which are a group of sheer bare rocks with deep cracks and grottoes. This is part of the Dzhinalsky ridge. The wide path then goes along a plateau covered with thick grass and flowers. Ahead rises the Small Saddle, its height is 1325 m, which is 500 m higher than the Narzan Gallery. From here Elbrus and the entire Kabardian plateau are clearly visible. Three kilometers from the Small Saddle is the Big Saddle (1409 m), from which not only the Caucasus Range, but also the entire Mineralnye Vody region is clearly visible. In the vicinity of the Big Saddle, hundreds of fragrant and medicinal herbs bloom in warm weather, filling the air with the buzzing of bees and fragrance. In spring, blue and pink snowdrops, growing only in the mountains, break through the snow here. In spring, it gets warmer in Kislovodsk, the trees begin to bloom, however, you can still find remnants of snow on the slopes of the Big Saddle.
The walk is an excellent workout and is approximately 20 km round trip. It is better to start climbing the Big Col early in the morning, at 5-6 o’clock, so that you can return by lunchtime.
Rome Mountain is the largest monument material culture Kislovodsk Valley. It reflects the life of the local population at the end of the first and beginning of the second millennium AD. The mountain is located among a wide valley 18 km west of Kislovodsk, in the valley of the Podkumok River. Its height is 1094 meters above sea level. At the top there are clear traces of human life and activity. Carved steps, skillfully carved pools for storing water were preserved in the rocks, household items and jewelry of people, and numerous catacomb burials were found. You can climb to the top of Rim Mountain only by steps carved into the rocks. Why is the mountain called Rome Mountain? There is a legend: In ancient times, a small but brave and courageous people lived at the foot of the mountain. They were famous for their hard work and hospitality. One day they were attacked by merciless enemies. The mountaineers steadfastly and bravely defended their land and village, but their forces were unequal. And the mountaineers went to the top of the mountain and began to prepare for defense. “Submit to fate,” the aliens told them, “you fought bravely, but you are few. Lay down your weapons and leave this land. Decide before morning." The mountaineers thought all night. “We will fight,” some said. “We’d better leave and save our family,” others said.” But then a young man came forward, wrapped in a white cap.
- The earth is great, but there is no land that will become our home. Pity is the people who will lose their native land, which nourished and watered them. Let us die, but we will not betray the land whose juices we carry within ourselves. The fierce battle continued in the morning. There were fewer and fewer defenders of the fortress. The enemies already rushed with joyful cries for the final assault. But a young man in a white cap rushed forward.
- Oh, my brothers! - he cried. - How much is the life of a mountaineer worth? Let our swords speak about it! The rider tore the cap off his head and blindfolded the horse with it. Long hair flowed over his shoulders. It was a young girl. She sent her horse into the midst of her enemies. The mountaineers rushed after the young heroine. The strangers mixed up, wavered and left these places forever. The girl Rum saved her people and native land from enslavement, and the mountain was named after her.
Mount Ring. A through hole in the spurs of the Burgustan ridge measuring 11 m, formed by weathering, served as the name for this wonderful creation of nature.
There are many caves in the Burgustan mountain range, and among them a ring with a diameter of eight meters has formed. The caves and the ring itself are the result of moisture and weathering.
Ring Mountain is not only a natural monument, but also a place associated with the name of M.Yu. Lermontov. The poet had been to Kislovodsk more than once and knew its surroundings. On June 12, in Pechorin’s diary, there is an entry: “... About three versts from Kislovodsk, in the gorge where Podkumok flows, there is a rock called the Ring, this is a gate formed by nature; they rise on a high hill, and the setting sun through them casts its last fiery glance at the world.” Princess Mary and her entourage went for a walk to the Ring. An entry was made about this in Pechorin’s diary: “A large cavalcade went there to watch the sunset through a stone window...” - Near the Ring Mountain, galleries of niches were formed, separated by columns, sharpened by the winds.
Ring Mountain is one of the attractions of Kislovodsk. From here you have a beautiful view of the city. In one of the caves, next to the ring, V.G. Gnilovskoy discovered the inscription: “M. Lermontov
I visited your sacred grotto
I am by virtue of this vow.
My soul is yearning for you, priceless,
But there is no answer from you!...
1837 16 ap. A. von C...”
It is believed that the inscription was left by a friend of M.Yu. Lermontova M.I. von Zeidler.
Good Mountain. Located 20 km west of Kislovodsk. From Gud Mountain there is a beautiful panorama of the mountain ranges And picturesque gorges. From Gud Mountain you can go down to the Kanta-Tukele tract. Part of the route can be taken by bus, but most of the route must be walked.