Sochi City Sightseeing Attractions
“Agura River Canyon – Akhun Mountain – Orlyniye Rocks” Complex
Within the territory of the Sochi National Park there is one really unique place. On top of the highest in the vicinity of Sochi city Akhun mountain a tour was built in 1936. To get to its highest sightseeing ground it is necessary to surmount the stone staircase serpentine. Its every new turn opens to the visitors gorgeous panoramic views of the Black Sea, Caucasus Mountain Ridge and Sochi city lying spread before their eyes.
The author of the tower project, a talented architect S.I. Vorobyev, combined in his creation traditional for mountain-dwellers’ collective image of defensive installations and that of the Medieval castles. From the height of 700 meters above the sea level practically the whole territory of the Sochi city is seen. For many years Sochi dwellers and guests of the city have believed that in fair weather a far Turkish shore can be seen from the Akhun Mountain Tower.
After a short descent along the mountain path down the Akhun Mountain one can get to another not less popular place of interest – the Agura River Canyon. What can be more enigmatic and picturesque than a unique cascade of three waterfalls, one steeper than the other, surrounded with rising above cliffs? On the way to the legendary Orlyniye Rocks, where according to the legend Prometheus was chained, there also are many places of interest: “Love Grotto”, “Devil’s Hole” and at last the three meter high sculpture of the hero who bestowed fire upon people itself.
Krasnaya Polyana
Unique in its location and natural variety of the mountainous-climatic zones Krasnaya Polyana Complex is situated at a distance of only 40 km from the Black Sea beach and of 70 km from the Sochi city center. Crystal-clear air filled with freshness and fragrances of the Alpine Meadows won it the fame and recognition of one of the best recreation places. Not without reason Krasnaya Polyana is called “Russian Switzerland”. It differs from European resorts in the combination of subtropical, marine and mountain climate. The winter in Krasnaya Polyana is sunny and snowy. The main Caucasus Mountain Ridge safely protects the resort from the Northern winds and the rocks of the Akh-Tsu Canyon protect it from penetration of the warm coastal air.
Krasnaya Polyana also offers quite a number of interesting excursion routs for primeval nature lovers and for those who are keen on comfortable rest in the mountains. Achishkho Ridge and Aigba Mountain, Pskhlusky mineral springs and Kardivach mountain lake are the places worth of visiting. There’s quite a lot to be seen there!
ART-Gallery “ASS” “Plasticity in Wood”
Located: 1 Zvezdnaya Str., of. 24 (Primorsky Sovkhoz area), Khosta district, 354039, Sochi
www.galereya-aas.ru
Opening hours: from 10:00 till 20:00.
The Art Gallery offers your attention 500 sculptures made of different woods created by the author and the founder of the Art Gallery, Master of Arts and Crafts, Alexander Sobol, Member of the Union of Artists of Russia.
It’s difficult to describe the overwhelming feelings one experiences while watching these wonderful human hands creations of fantasy, chisel and natural material, the enjoyment of penetration into the secrets of forms and plasticity, the admiration of the conception embodied by the author.
The guided excursion over the five floors of the Art Gallery lasts for one hour and is illustrated with specially composed background music.
Vorontsovsky and Akhshtyrsky Caves
The famous Vorontsovsky Caves stretch over 11 km. This is one of the biggest cave systems in the Caucasus with the height drop of 240 meters. It consists of three parts – Kabanya, Vorontsovsky and Labyrinth parts. They are connected with narrow passages filled with water. Many of the caves were already known to the primitive people who had their sites there. The traces of the stay of our distant ancestors have been found in Akhshtyrsky Cave which is a haunted place for antiquity lovers.
All in all within the territory of Sochi Region more than 400 of vertical, horizontal, cascading and labyrinth caves are known. They are of great historical and archeological value and are easily accessible to excursionists.
Sochi Dolmens
From time immemorial all over the Black Sea Coast and in the mountains of the Northern Caucasus people used to find wonderful in its architecture and enigmatic constructions – dolmens. They remind of gigantic stone nestling boxes or houses made of weighing several tons plates built by an unknown architect. Scientists are still looking for an answer who and why built the dolmens… In the Caucasus the dolmens appeared in the same epoch as the Pyramids in Egypt, Stonehenge in England and stone pillars in France. All in all about 7 thousand Caucasus dolmens are known. Many of them are badly damaged, but the investigation of those which have remained preserved allowed the researchers to draw interesting conclusions. It is considered that primitive people used dolmens as tombs. These constructions are usually encountered in groups, on plain grounds, near rivers or mountain spurs. Their facial parts or portals are always directed to the South or to the East. Multiple drawings, hieroglyphs and cuttings testify to the fact that the dolmens might have had the cult meaning.
The age of one of the biggest within Sochi territory dolmen complexes, which is located in Volkonka village is already more than 4 thousand years. The archeological monument which was found in the Godlikh River Canyon consists of the three constructions of different sizes which are of the same age as Egyptian Pyramids. The samples of dolmen culture are also located in other resort areas.
Near Kudepsta settlement the famous “sacrificial stone” is located. It is also called “Circassian”. The sandstone lump with pricks of different form cut in it appeared here in 3-4 centuries B.C..
Mountain peoples have many legends explaining the appearance of the dolmens. The Adygeis considered these constructions to be sacred and honored and guarded them. They called dolmens “dwarfs’ homes” built by the giants who had lived in these places in ancient times.
Besides, dolmen complexes exist in Krasnaya Polyana settlement and in Tkhagapsh village. The unique monuments of antiquity leave no one indifferent and make one think of eternity…
“Zmeyikovsky Waterfalls – Matsesta Waterfall” Complex
A river with an unusual name “Zmeyika” (a little serpent) runs through the territory of the Sochi National Park. It got its name because of its meandering bed washed out in a narrow canyon. The water of the Zmeyika River glitters in the bright sun rays sparkling and shimmering similar to serpent scales. The right tributary of the Matsesta River is famous first of all for its waterfalls. They cascade down for 600 meters to the place of confluence of the Zmeyika River and the Matsesta River.
The upper two-stepped waterfall stretching for 30 meters starts with a pond in which it is possible to swim. The water runs down out of it rushing through the rapids and slowing down for a short time in the quiet creeks and then continuing its way to the fifth lower waterfall. Zmeyikovsky Waterfalls unlike Agursky Waterfalls never dry out. This is due to the springs which give them a start. One of the springs “Izumrudny” (emerald) by name is famous for its crystal-clear water suitable for drinking.
“Friendship Tree” Garden-Museum
It is a unique place where the single in the world tree with a crown presenting an entire citrus trees garden grows. It is created with the hands of hundreds of people coming to Sochi from all continents. It all started with scientific experiment forethought by Sochi horticulturist F.M.Zorin. He was the first to graft 45 species and kinds of citrus trees on the Friendship tree at a time. Outstanding politicians, heads of states, cosmonauts, famous writers and actors became the authors of the other “green autographs”.
Guests from many countries leave as a keepsakes not only grafts on the Friendship Tree but also souvenirs from all parts of the world which are kept and exhibited in the Garden Museum.
“Tulip Tree” (Rayevsky’s Tree) in Golovinka Settlement
This tree is originally from the North America and is a rare “guest” on the Black Sea Coast. The tree got its name because of its flowers reminding tulips. The form of its leaves is very similar to the form of an ancient musical instrument.
An impressive specimen of a tulip tree grows in Golovinka settlement of Lazarevsky district. Its height is 35 meters and the diameter of the trunk is up to 2 meters. It is famous not only for its gigantic size. It is also called “Rayevsky’s Tree” and not without a reason. In 1837 the son of the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, general Rayevsky Junior was appointed to the post of the Head of the Black Sea Coastguard. He combined his military service with his passion for botany. To fight the malaria spread on the territory of the future Sochi resort he planted tulip trees.
“Rayevsky’s Lyre. Protected by Law. Planted in 1840” – a memorable board with these words is placed near the legendary tree. The tree endured a lot during long years it grows, more than once it was set on fire by a lightning stroke, but always survived. Local inhabitants and excursionist can tell many stories and legends connected with this tree.
Sochi Dendrarium, Botanical Garden
It is the biggest dendrological park in Russia which is well known not only in this country but also abroad. More than 1800 species and forms of plants and bushes from all continents of the planet are collected there. The collection includes 106 families, 310 genus, 1100 species and 600 subspecies. All of them have got acclimatized and are growing well on Sochi soil. Many plants from the unique collection of the founder of the Dendrarium Park - Sergei Nikilayevich Khudekov can be encountered on the city streets as well. Majestic eucalyptus trees, palms, coral trees and tulip trees, yuccas agaves, Japanese sakura trees, cyprus trees, cork oaks, gigantic redwood trees and many other flora species decorate the squires and parks of Sochi sanatoria.
Dendrarium is attractive not only due its vegetative variety, but also due to its unique park architecture. Here miner architectural forms are united into ensembles called “Morning”, “Dancer” or decorate multiple pools, arbors and pavilions.
The territory of the park is divided into two parts – the lower part and the upper part which are separated by Kurortny Prospect highway. The higher and the lower dendroparks are connected by rope-way, the gondolas of which lift the visitors to the sightseeing ground of the view tour.
Yew and Box Trees Grove
Yew and Box Trees Grove is a unique nature nook where the plants which had been growing in the Caucasus in the Pre-glacial period were preserved. They almost have not changed during 30 million of years. The reserved Grove which has never been deforested is the object the World Nature Heritage and is guarded by UNESCO.
About 700 species of trees and bushes grow here on 302 hectares of land. Among them there are very ancient plants of more than 2 thousand of age. Relict plants and endemics, which cannot be found anywhere else in the world – are special attraction of the Grove. 20 of its rare and endangered species are enlisted in the Red Book. Yew trees and box trees are among them. They are wonderful plants which have been growing from ancient times till present day.