Caucasian mineral waters. Caucasian Mineral Waters - all about the resort of the Caucasus History of kmv

Caucasian Mineral Waters is a famous Russian brand that many generations trust with their health. Our fathers and mothers walked through the resort parks of the KMV; there will probably be an old and funny photograph from Pyatigorsk in my grandmother’s album. The local resorts have preserved an amazing combination of natural beauty and exquisite architecture, the very subtle essence of the Caucasus, which enchanted Lermontov, without tiring of developing and adapting to the demands of the time. There is everything here - from a conveniently located airport to cozy hotels and modern cinemas. And the resort conglomerate’s hospitals not only have not gone out of fashion, but also continue to enjoy wild popularity (look at the prices!) and improve their ability to relieve guests from all over Russia from hundreds of ailments. Welcome to KavMinVody!

Resorts KavMinVod

The resort towns of the KMS are close neighbors, but different in essence. The first to greet guests is Zheleznovodsk. Sometimes it seems that there are more tourists in this small town than locals. Stretching along the only main street, it is clearly divided into resort and residential parts. In the resort, on the side of the Beshtau station, there are famous health resorts, Resort Park and attractions. Residential is no different from ordinary Russian panel-brick cities. It’s worth going here to the market and supermarkets; prices there are lower than in stores near sanatoriums.

The KMV health resorts have at their disposal more than 100 mineral springs and large reserves of healing mud extracted from the Tambukan and Lysogorsk lakes.

Important non-man-made attractions are the immature volcano of Iron Mountain, the Permafrost Grotto of Mount Razvalka, Koltso-Mountain near Kislovodsk, Goryachaya Mountain and Mashuk.

Weather

The diversity of the relief creates noticeable differences in the climate of the resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters. In Pyatigorsk, summers are warm, winters are moderately mild (a third of winter days include rain, thaws, and fogs) and there are 98 clear days a year. Kislovodsk is famous as a winter climatic resort, the winter there is clear and dry, and the number of sunny days per year is 150. The resort also stands out for its constant atmospheric pressure, which has a beneficial effect on the healing process. The climate of Zheleznovodsk corresponds to the mountain-forest and moderately dry climate of the middle mountains of the Alps. There are 117 clear days a year here. Essentuki is distinguished by contrast - summer is hot and dry, winter is frosty and rainy, the number of clear days a year is 112.

Attractions

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At the junction of the Stavropol Upland and the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Range, almost at an equal distance from the Black and Caspian Seas, five cities are located, forming a polycentric agglomeration - “Caucasian Mineral Waters”. The history of this exceptional place as a popular balneotherapeutic resort dates back to the 19th century, namely in 1803, when Alexander I signed a rescript “On recognition of the national significance of the Caucasian Mineral Waters and the need for their construction.” Since then, large-scale development of the area began, in particular, the study of its main wealth - mineral springs, of which there are more than 130! There are also large deposits of healing mud on the territory of the KMS. The advantages of the resort, considered one of the most environmentally friendly and hospitable regions of Russia, also include a mild climate with plenty of sunny days, mountain air and unusually beautiful landscapes.

The numerous advantages of the CMS were appreciated by famous figures in politics, science, culture and art, with whose names a number of monuments and historical places are associated, which, together with natural splendor, make up the appearance of famous resort cities.

A kind of gateway to the “Forge of Health” is the city of Mineralnye Vody, located at the foot of Mount Zmeyka, in the valley of the Kuma River. Today it is, first of all, a transport hub and transit point: from here tourists, as a rule, go to the mineral water resorts - Zheleznovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki and Kislovodsk. This role is due to the historical past of the city, which arose in 1878 as a village at the junction station of the Rostov-Vladikavkaz railway. The former village of Sultanovsky received city status in 1921. And in 1925, an air station was opened here, making Minvody one of the first “winged” cities of the Soviet Union. The modern international airport “Mineralnye Vody” appeared in the 60s. XX century, in the early 2010s it was reconstructed and is now the largest airport in the south of the country.

Another “transport” attraction is the building of the Minvod station, which is an example of Soviet neoclassicism. It should be noted that, in general, the architectural appearance of Minvod is made up of buildings from the post-war period: the city was seriously damaged during the fascist occupation. The main city temple - the Intercession Cathedral - was built already in 1997.

The Mineralovodsk Local Lore Museum tells about the history, culture, and natural wealth of the region. It will be interesting to visit the house-museum of Alexei Bibik, a proletarian writer who lived in Minvody until he was 99 years old. This amazing example of longevity is not the only one in the region with incredibly healthy conditions.

The picturesque surroundings of the city were no exception for the location of a wonderful health resort - the Mineralnye Vody sanatorium, on the territory of which there is a spring with a drinking pump room.

The name of the oldest resort of Kavminvod was given by the nearby five-domed Mount Beshtau - the highest hill in the region. The city is located at the foot of another mountain - Mashuk, on the southwestern and southern slopes of the Stavropol Upland. Within the boundaries of Pyatigorsk there are also mountains Dubrovka, Piket, Post and others. Healing waters, the amazing beauty of mountains and valleys, a mild climate, and a large number of historical attractions make up the specifics of Pyatigorsk tourism. But first things first.

Pyatigorsk, first of all, is famous for its exceptional variety of mineral springs, the first of which were explored back in the 90s of the 18th century. Since 1803, medical institutions began to appear here, and new sources began to open. Thus, gradually the former military fortification in the valley of Mount Mashuk turned into a first-class Russian health resort. Today in Pyatigorsk there are about 50 wells and mineral springs with different types of healing water, more than 20 of them are actively used for medical purposes. Such water wealth, combined with the healing mud of Lake Tambukan, used in Pyatigorsk sanatorium complexes, allows us to classify the city as one of the most effective multi-profile resorts in modern Russia.

Sanatoriums in Pyatigorsk are adjacent to numerous parks, museums and historical and architectural monuments. In the center of the oldest city park “Tsvetnik” (before the revolution - “Nikolaevsky”), planned back in 1828, there is the Lermontov Gallery - an interesting building of the early 20th century and a concert and exhibition complex that is still operating. From the “Flower Garden” you can climb a wide stone staircase to another historical building - the Academic (Elizabeth) Gallery, from the observation deck of which a magnificent panorama of the city and its environs opens.

A number of attractions in Pyatigorsk are inextricably linked with the name of Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov. Among the must-see places are Lermontov's House, where one of the departments of the State Museum-Reserve M.Yu. Lermontov; the place of Lermontov's duel with Major N.S. Martynov; Diana's Grotto, where the poet visited more than once; Lermontov's grotto, depicted by him in the novel “A Hero of Our Time”. Another cult place of Pyatigorsk, immortalized in Russian literature, was Proval - a karst cave with an underground lake. It was here that the character of “The Twelve Chairs”, Ostap Bender, managed to earn money by charging a fee for visiting the legendary attraction. Today, at the entrance to Proval you can see a modern bronze sculpture of the “great schemer”. And the monument to the main hero of Pyatigorsk - Lermontov - has been decorating the city since 1889. Numerous monuments and ancient buildings are surrounded by dense greenery of centuries-old trees and the mesmerizing beauty of mountain landscapes.

Among the four resorts of Kavminvod, the first place in terms of the number of health resorts is unconditionally occupied by cozy and sunny Kislovodsk, whose main asset is the world famous Narzan. Like Pyatigorsk, the city arose from a military fortress and village. Its founders and first inhabitants were Russian soldiers. The activities of General A.P. were of particular importance in the development of the city. Ermolov, on whose orders the creation of the famous Resort Park, once the largest park in Europe by area, began.

In the second half of the 19th century, Kislovodsk was already a popular, comfortable resort, attracting representatives of famous merchant and noble families. Today, like more than a century and a half ago, numerous people who want to improve their health gather at the Narzan Gallery, built in the Gothic style. Healing Narzan is not only drunk, but also used for bathing. The “Eastern” building of the Main Narzan Baths, erected at the very beginning of the last century, is one of the most interesting buildings in the city.

In total, there are more than a hundred architectural monuments and historical attractions in Kislovodsk. So a holiday here promises to be not only useful, but also educational. You should definitely visit the ancient theater and concert hall named after. V. Safonov (Philharmonic building), where Sergei Rachmaninov gave a concert, Fyodor Chaliapin sang. The great artist of the world opera theater not only toured in Kislovodsk, but rented a mansion here for his family. The historical building, known as Chaliapin's Dacha, today houses a literary and musical museum dedicated to the legendary singer.

Walks along the winding streets of the center of Kislovodsk with its original ancient buildings can be alternated with longer routes that involve gradual ascents into the mountains. The Resort Park, where six different routes are laid out, is perfect for a health path (health walking). A sea of ​​greenery and the purest rarefied air will make it easy to cover more than one kilometer and at the same time get great pleasure.

There are more than one legend about the origin of the city and toponym Essentuki; there are also many scientific points of view on this issue. According to the most common of them, the name comes from the name of Khan Essentuga, the ruler of a large Golden Horde settlement located not far from the modern city. But from the Karachay language “essen bale” is translated as “living hair”. The explanation for this is the beautiful legend about the healing of a boy, the son of a rich prince, on whose head, after bathing in a local spring, beautiful curls grew.

Today, mineral waters bearing the same name as the famous balneological resort town are used to treat many ailments. The richest in terms of water volume and mineral composition are the Essentuki-4 and Essentuki-17 springs. There are other sources, each of which has its own medicinal properties.

The pride of Essentuki is the Mud Bath named after. ON THE. Semashko is the largest establishment of its kind in Europe. The grandiose complex in the spirit of neoclassicism was erected in 1913–1915. For more than a hundred years, procedures have been carried out here with the healing mud of Lake Tambukan. Another large-scale attraction of the city is the largest drinking gallery on the European continent, “Pyatysyachnik”, which can accommodate up to 5,200 vacationers per shift. It is impossible not to mention the Zander Institute of Mechanotherapy, built at the end of the 19th century. The building of unusual architecture housed an institution no less unusual for its time - the prototype of a modern fitness center, which housed “simulators” for therapeutic exercises developed by the Swedish physiotherapist Gustav Zander.

At the foot of Mount Zheleznaya and partly on its eastern slopes is located the smallest of the CMV cities - Zheleznovodsk. The area of ​​its territory is only 93 square meters. km, which in no way detracts from the advantages of the resort, which is also distinguished by its wealth of mineral springs and the presence of interesting historical and natural monuments.

The first two hot springs on the slope of Mount Zheleznaya were discovered in 1810 by the outstanding Russian doctor Fyodor Gaaz. In the same year, a health resort with a bathhouse was established. To date, more than 20 springs come to the surface in Zheleznovodsk. The oldest of them - the Lermontov spring - is still functioning, and is also one of the city’s attractions: the great Russian poet visited here too.

Mud therapy has been practiced in Zheleznovodsk for many centuries. For medical procedures, in 1893, a building was erected in the Moorish style - the Baths, named after the Russian statesman, Minister of State Property M.N. Ostrovsky.

By analogy with the Lermontov Gallery in Pyatigorsk, in the medical park of Zheleznovodsk there is the Pushkin Gallery - an original structure made of iron and glass, created for holding concerts and exhibitions. Not far from the gallery there is another famous monument of the city - the Emir's Palace, reproducing the features of Central Asian architecture. Today, the former residence of the Emir of Bukhara is occupied by a sanatorium.

The resort is distinguished by amazingly picturesque nature: the city, located in the valley of the Dzhemuk and Kuchuk rivers, is surrounded by mountains and natural forest. From the foot of Mount Zheleznaya - the main natural attraction of Zheleznovodsk - a path route over 3 km long has been laid. From the top of the mountain, at an altitude of 853 m above sea level, there is a magnificent view of the entire surroundings of the Caucasian Mineral Waters.

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Caucasian Mineral Waters (Kavminvody, KMV) is a group of resorts of federal significance in the Stavropol Territory, which includes the resort towns of Zheleznovodsk, Essentuki, Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk, and of course, the city of Mineralnye Vody itself. The KMS is a specially protected ecological resort region of the Russian Federation. The region is located in the south of the European part of Russia, almost at the same distance from the Black and Caspian Seas.

In terms of diversity of mineral waters, the Caucasian Mineral Waters region has no equal not only in Russia, but throughout the world. Over 130 sources of mineral waters of 30 types have been identified on the territory of the Caucasian Mineral Waters. By Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of January 17, 2006 No. 14, the cities of Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk, Kislovodsk and Pyatigorsk were given the status of resort cities of federal significance. Every year, more than 700 thousand people are treated and relax at the resorts of Caucasian Mineral Waters.

City of Mineralnye Vody

The city of Mineralnye Vody is a small cozy town in the Stavropol Territory. Despite the name, there are no healing springs in the administrative center of the Mineralovodsk District; all of them are located in neighboring Zheleznovodsk, Lermontov, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki and Kislovodsk. The city serves as a kind of gateway, annually allowing hundreds of thousands of tourists to the resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters. It is here that the largest transport hub in the region is located - an international airport, a railway interchange and a federal highway.

The climate of the city is relatively dry; moist air masses from the Black Sea do not reach here; they are delayed by the Main Caucasus Range. The city of Mineralnye Vody is located mainly in the steppe zone. The magmatic mountain Snake is considered one of the most interesting natural attractions. It attracts tourists not only with its beautiful mountain landscapes and unique flora and fauna. On the slopes there are several holy springs and monuments of the Great Patriotic War, as well as adits and quarries. You can often meet outdoor enthusiasts with climbing equipment. There are several temples and cathedrals in Mineralnye Vody that will be of interest to believers and those who want to get acquainted with the history, culture and architecture of the city. The main religious attraction is the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Among its shrines are the relics of St. Theodosius of the Caucasus, the patron saint of these places.

Kislovodsk

Do you want to get to the “city of 365 sunny days a year”? Then go to Kislovodsk. This is a surprisingly sunny city, surrounded by the picturesque slopes of the Caucasus Mountains, which protect it from strong winds. The famous source of acidic mineral water “Narzan” is located here. Hence the “sour” name of the city - Kislovodsk. It’s worth coming to Kislovodsk just for the resort park alone! This is not just a park, it is a whole amazing planet with beautiful rocks, bubbling waterfalls, green meadows and countless all kinds of plants and animals. The uniqueness of Kislovodsk lies not only in its healing mineral springs and beautiful park areas.

At one time, the most talented people who glorified our country rested and worked here: Pushkin, Lermontov, Tolstoy, Chekhov, Mayakovsky, Gorky, Chaliapin, Rimsky-Korsakov, Glinka, Rachmaninov and others. This is probably why the culture here is no worse developed than in St. Petersburg.

Mount Ring is a favorite place for tourists. It received this name due to the hole that was formed in it by the winds. A magnificent panorama of Kislovodsk opens from the mountain. No less popular are the Honey Falls in the Alikonovsky Gorge. The waterfalls received such a tasty name thanks to the honey-bearing herbs that bloom all summer in this valley. And old-timers say that the main contribution to the sweet name of the waterfalls was made by hardworking bees, who opened their “factory” for producing honey right in the mountain crevices. The famous Lermontov Rock is located in Kislovodsk. At its top there is a platform that ends in a steep cliff. It was this site that was the site of Pechorin’s duel with Grushnitsky in the famous “Hero of Our Time.” I believe you have no doubts left and you will definitely visit this wonderful city!

Pyatigorsk

The largest city is the resort of the Caucasian Mineral Waters region - Pyatigorsk. It was founded after Alexander I signed the famous rescript in 1803. Pyatigorsk lies at the foot of Mount Mashuk at an altitude of 520 meters above sea level. The city is the oldest Russian balneological resort. The emergence of the city of Pyatigorsk is, in its own way, a commercial project. High society traveled abroad year after year, taking a lot of money out of the country. As soon as the Caucasian springs were recognized as healing, it was decided to found a balneological resort on Russian territory, and this project was successfully implemented.

It is best to go on your first trip to Pyatigorsk by tram. Not for the sake of economy, of course, but because the Pyatigorsk tram is an attraction in itself! This is the first electric tram on the territory of modern Russia. Pyatigorsk is a treasure trove of attractions that will not leave you indifferent.

One of them is “Lermontov’s House”. This is not even just one house, this is a whole block of ancient, early 19th century buildings, “mothballed” in time and perfectly preserved to this day. Looking at them, you can imagine what Pyatigorsk looked like almost 200 years ago. In one of these same houses under a thatched roof, on the estate of Major Chilaev, Mikhail Lermontov settled in 1841. In fact, the poet lived in “Lermontov’s house” for only two months - the last of his life. You can honor the memory of the poet by visiting the place of his duel, located on the opposite slope of Mashuk. The monument to Lermontov was erected entirely with public money - it was collected by subscription over several years. The next attraction is the Aeolian Harp gazebo. This is a stone gazebo in antique style on a steep, rocky ledge of Mashuk. At all times, troop observation posts were located on this site, since the approaches to Pyatigorsk are clearly visible from here. Its builders were the architects brothers Giuseppe and Giovanni Bernardazzi.

The location turned out to be so good, and the views of the city and its surroundings from it were so charming that this modest-sized gazebo constantly attracted a lot of visitors. The gazebo is named after the ancient Greek god Aeolus, the lord of the winds. Another outstanding place is the building of the Pirogov Baths hospital, which was built in 1914 on the site of a wooden barracks soldier’s hospital. The outstanding Russian surgeon Nikolai Pirogov demonstrated to doctors of the Caucasian Corps the method of using ether anesthesia for pain relief during surgery in the field. It was in the Caucasus that for the first time in the history of medicine, Nikolai Pirogov began to operate on the wounded with ether anesthesia in the field. The hospital changed its name three times. There are still a huge number of places in Pyatigorsk that are worth visiting. I hope you found it interesting and will definitely want to see them for yourself.

Essentuki

In the steppe valley of the Podkumok River is located the world-famous balneological resort of Essentuki. This is the youngest among the resorts of Caucasian Mineral Waters. Nature has generously endowed this land with amazing healing springs of mineral water that cure diseases of the digestive system, endocrine system, gynecological diseases, diseases of the nervous system, and musculoskeletal organs. Thousands of people come here to improve their health and enjoy the beauty of this land. The waters of the healing salt-alkaline springs “Essentuki-4” and “Essentuki-17” are used for drinking treatment, baths, inhalations, and irrigations. Here they also heal with the help of sulfide silt mud of Lake Tambukan.

Among the most beautiful buildings in the city are the Upper Mineral Baths, designed in the Russian Empire style with Baroque elements. The building of the mud baths is also a real architectural monument. It is decorated with massive columns, sculptures of ancient gods of healing and lions, and beautiful bas-reliefs. The inside of the mud bath is spacious, light, and also full of decorations and mythological sculptures.

The mechanotherapy building, now the Zander Institute, is more than a century old. A beautiful, light, elegant brown-pink building with small turrets and domes on the roof, with wooden carvings and a huge vase above the main entrance - just a real fairy-tale tower. Another interesting place in Essentuki is the three-story former dacha of I. G. Zimin in the Art Nouveau style. Its facade is adjacent to turrets of 2 and 4 floors. Many windows of different sizes and a warm light yellow color give the massive structure a very welcoming appearance.

You can also see the dacha-museum of the famous surgeon Razumovsky, the estate of the Itinerant artist Nikolai Yaroshenko and the dacha of Fyodor Chaliapin. As you can see, you won’t be bored here! On this amazing, friendly land you can improve your health, recharge with vivacity, energy and new impressions, as well as simply relax in the greenery and flowers of the most wonderful parks.

Zheleznovodsk

Zheleznovodsk is the smallest of the listed resorts. There are no other reasons to diminish his dignity. On the contrary, Zheleznovodsk is unique in many respects, since it is a well-known balneological resort of the Caucasian Mineral Waters, located at the foot of Mount Zheleznaya, at an altitude of 570-650 m above sea level, in the valley of the small rivers Dzhamuk and Kuchuk. On the territory of the resort there are over 20 carbon dioxide sulfate-hydrocarbonate calcium-sodium mineral springs (Slavyanovsky, Smirnovsky), which are actively used in the treatment of diseases associated with the digestive and genitourinary systems.

Zheleznovodsk is an ideal resort for those who suffer from kidney and urinary tract diseases; This is the resort's specialization - the main treatment profile. More precisely, one of them. The main treatment profiles of the Zheleznovodsk resort include urological diseases and diseases of the nervous system. Associated profiles include diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, metabolic disorders, ENT diseases, gynecological, pulmonological and dermatological. In addition, in Zheleznovodsk there are several sanatoriums where they treat diabetes mellitus, but - pay attention! - only at an early stage, when sugar-lowering drugs are not yet needed.

Treatment in Zheleznovodsk, of course, is with mineral water. It is used for oral administration, inhalation, baths and other water procedures. Local waters are also bottled - they are produced under the brands “Smirnovskaya” and “Slavyanovskaya”, after the names of the sources. These mineral waters are very popular and are even exported, but few people know that they are bottled in Zheleznovodsk. The Smirnovsky spring is named after Dr. Semyon Alekseevich Smirnov, chairman of the Russian Balneological Society: he cleared this spring, long known to local residents, and studied its properties. Now a fairly large pump room has been erected above the Smirnovsky spring. The Slavyanovsky spring bears the name of its discoverer, the outstanding hydrologist and mining engineer Nikolai Nikolaevich Slavyanov. Above Slavyanovsky there is also a pump room in a classical style.

The oldest source of Zheleznovodsk is Lermontovsky. It was opened in 1810 by Dr. Fyodor Petrovich Gaaz, and the history of the city began with this event. Lermontov actually came to this source, which was still practically undeveloped. As for Dr. Haas, Zheleznovodsk owes him not just “a lot” - without Haas the resort would not exist.

Zheleznovodsk also owes its name, which is not very romantic and resort-like, to Haass, or more precisely, to one of his misconceptions. The reddish-rusty sediment that the doctor noticed around the springs was attributed to the presence of a high concentration of iron in the water. In fact, this is a mistake, and there is relatively little hardware here. But the name stuck, and the cute resort town with unique “healing factors” remained with a name that evoked thoughts more of a mine in the Urals than of relaxation and treatment. Not only the waters and the city became iron, but also the mountain on the slopes of which Zheleznovodsk stands.

It is here that the only natural forest park in the Caucasian Mineral Waters is located, in which plants of the steppe, forest and subalpine zones grow. The climate in Zheleznovodsk is mountain-steppe, moderately dry. Clean ionized air and dense oak, hornbeam and beech forests protect this resort from the sweltering summer heat. There are many active and excursion routes here that introduce you to the unique sights of the Caucasus.

The earliest information about the healing waters of the Caucasus reached Russia relatively late, although the ancient chronicler Nestor mentions Russia’s relations with the Caucasus back in the 12th century. These ties especially strengthened in the 16th century, when the Kabardino-Circassians were the first of the peoples of the North Caucasus to voluntarily accept Russian citizenship. This union was consolidated in 1561 by the marriage of Tsar Ivan the Terrible to the daughter of the Kabardian prince Temryuk Aidorovich - Maria.

However, neither in the chronicles of Nestor and Nikon, nor in subsequent records there is information about sources of healing waters. Meanwhile, the local residents - Kabardians and Abazas - knew well the life-giving power of the numerous springs of this region. Evidence of this is the baths carved into rocks or travertines right next to the springs. They were discovered by the first researchers at Goryachiye Vody (as Pyatigorsk was called until 1830).

Only when, by decree of Peter I, physician Gottlieb Schober was sent to the Caucasus “to look for spring waters that can be used against diseases,” Russia learned about the Caucasian mineral springs. Schober visited the Caucasus, described the Bragun hot springs on the Terek, giving them the name “Greenhouses of St. Peter.” Referring to the stories of local residents, he wrote at the end of his report: “There are even more greenhouses in this country, and almost only two or three days’ drive from those described above, there is also a fair sour spring in the Cherkassy land.”

On the initiative of the genius of Russian science M.V. Lomonosov Russian Academy of Sciences, in order to study the natural resources of the Russian State, organized three large expeditions to study the North, South and East of Russia. One of them arrived in the Pyatigorye region in 1773. It was headed by the young doctor of medicine Anton Gyldenstedt. He described the Hot Mountain and the crack in it - the Failure. The first to “master” the water of the source were the soldiers of the Konstantinogorsk fortress, built in August 1780. They carved a small pool in the rock near the source, where several people swam at the same time. Then a small wooden house was built over the pool. Then visiting patients who lived in booths and Kalmyk tents, right next to the source, began to swim in the pool. This hot sulfur spring soon became widely known.

This was actually the beginning of the Caucasian resorts.

The first enthusiastic description of the Narzan spring was made in 1784 by the famous traveler Yakov Reinex. In his description, he stated that “two glasses of this water cause intoxication, followed by deep sleep. Water is used with great benefit during fevers, also during scurvy, but during intermittent fever it has no effect.” This information was gleaned from the stories of sick soldiers and several doctors who had already visited the source at that time.

In 1793, the famous traveler-naturalist Peter Simon Pallas visited the waters. On behalf of the Academy of Sciences, he visited Pyatigorsk. We owe to him the scientific description of the Hot Mountain with its springs and a detailed description of the Narzan spring. Pallas described in detail the five sources of Hot Water. Interviewing those treated with water, he found that they heal wounds well and help with rheumatism. Pallas's descriptions of the Narzan spring and hot springs attracted the attention of many prominent researchers, doctors and chemists. Chief Director of the Medical College A.I. Vasiliev, according to the report of the inspector of the Astrakhan medical council, Shatelevich, outlined his thoughts regarding “the construction of a hospital and strengthening at the Sour Well,” since the composition of the water gives the right to judge its high benefits for medical use. The Medical College in 1798 proposed introducing water “for general use by patients in the troops of the Caucasian line.”

Every summer in subsequent years, under the supervision of doctors, soldiers of local garrisons were treated with water from the spring. This is how the first information about the healing properties of waters was obtained. At the same time, the chemist Simeon and then the pharmacist Shwenson conducted a detailed analysis of the hot and sour springs. In 1802, the Medical College approved these studies as well as the conclusions of doctors Krushnevich and Grodninsky and filed a corresponding petition.

On March 7, 1803, Emperor Alexander I gave a decisive order to Prince P.D. Tsitsianov, the commander-in-chief of Georgia and the Astrakhan province, was to build a fortification near the Narzan spring “Sour Well” according to the plan developed in St. Petersburg by General Sukhtelen.

Some time after the personal decree to Tsitsianov, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Count V.P. Kochubey reported to Alexander I the conclusion of the State Medical College “On the actions of the Caucasian mineral springs according to the testimony of doctors,” and on April 24, 1803, a new rescript by P.D. Tsitsianov. This act gave the Caucasian Mineral Waters, both sour and hot springs, the status of state significance.

So April 24, 1803 became the official date of birth of the Caucasian Mineral Waters resorts.

The first decades at the Kavminvod resorts were treated with water from only two sources: hot sulfur waters in Pyatigorsk and cold carbonic waters in Kislovodsk. At that time, many sources remained unknown, and there were no such resorts as Zheleznovodsk and Essentuki.

But in 1810, an interesting work “My Journey to the Alexander Waters in 1809-1810” appeared in French. The author of the essay is researcher F.P. Gaaz. In the book, he described the chemical composition, temperature and flow rate of water, as well as the first experiences of their medicinal use. According to the scientist, in 1810 Kislovodsk was in a primitive state. The sick bathed in a large hole dug near a spring and fenced with a fence. There were also separate tents with wooden baths. Most often we bathed in cold, solid narzan. A warm bath was expensive - from 5 to 7 rubles.

Gaza's main merit is the discovery of new sources. He described the sour-sulfur Elizavetinsky spring, which later became the main drinking source in Pyatigorsk. He was the first to discover and describe the Zheleznovodsk healing springs. Haaz and his guide tried several times to get to these springs through the forest jungle surrounding Beshtau, but failed. And only the Kabardian prince Izmail Atazhukov - by the way, he was the prototype of the hero of Lermontov’s poem “Ishmael Bey” - led him by a roundabout route to the hot spring of the Iron Mountain.

Since 1812, making their way off-road, through forest thickets, the first visitors reached the wonderful waters of Mount Zheleznaya.

Haaz was the first to discover the Essentuki springs.

A.P. made a great contribution to the subsequent development of the Kavminvod resorts. Ermolov, who appreciated their importance and took a number of energetic measures for the widespread use of local mineral waters and the improvement of resorts.

A comrade-in-arms of the famous commanders Suvorov and Kutuzov, Ermolov in 1816 was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the troops in the Caucasus. Having visited the Caucasian waters, Ermolov became convinced that the waters have not only local, but also national significance. In 1822, at his request, 550 thousand rubles were allocated for the first time for the improvement of resorts. In addition, a special construction commission was created, talented architects were invited, the Bernardazzi brothers, who erected the Restoration building in Pyatigorsk (now the Institute of Balneology is located in this building), the Lermontov Baths, the Aeolian Harp, the Grotto of Diana and a number of other buildings.

A significant event of this period was a detailed survey and description of the Caucasian waters. This was done by Alexander Petrovich Nelyubin, Doctor of Medicine and Surgery, Professor of the Department of Pharmacology. He arrived here in 1823 on the instructions of the President of the Medical-Surgical Academy for a complete chemical examination of the medicinal waters on site.

In 1825 A.P. Nelyubin published a major work - “Complete historical, medical-topographical, physical-chemical and medical description of the Caucasian Mineral Waters.” He described in detail not only old sources, but also newly discovered ones. Among them are seven springs in Zheleznovodsk and twenty in Essentuki. He also discovered new deposits of Berezovsky narzans near Kislovodsk, described and explored them.

Social progress has forced us to look for ways to improve the resort business. In 1861, the first steps were taken - the abolition of the state directorate of Waters and the transfer of resorts for rent to entrepreneurs - N.A. Novoselsky, and then A.M. Baykov. However, this did not give the desired results. Since 1883, Caucasian Mineral Waters again came under the jurisdiction of the state.

The sixties of the 19th century were the beginning of a purposeful, scientific study of the natural conditions and balneological riches of the Caucasian resorts and the characteristics of their therapeutic effects. These actions are closely connected with the names of outstanding researchers F.A. Batalin and S.A. Smirnova.

Essentially S.A. Smirnov is the founder of domestic balneology and resort business in Russia. Thanks to the dedication and urgent demands of S.A. Smirnov, from 1871 to 1883, the first major mining and technical work was carried out in the Caucasian Mineral Waters. Among the researchers who prepared these works, the most important role was played by Academician G.V. Abikh, mining engineers F. Koshkul and A.I. Nezlobinsky. They focused their main work on developing and increasing the flow rates of mineral springs in Zheleznovodsk and Essentuki. They did a lot in conducting thorough geological research in Pyatigorsk and Kislovodsk.

During these same years, Lake Tambukan was first subjected to detailed study in order to determine the reserves of medicinal mud and its chemical composition. These issues were dealt with by geologists I. Mushketov, K. Rugevich, V. Markovnikov.

The popularity of resorts grew, the arrival of patients increased, and the sources had not yet been sufficiently studied. For the serious development and finishing of the springs in accordance with the requirements of hydraulic engineering, on the initiative of Smirnov, the French engineer Jules Francois was invited (before that he took part in the improvement of many famous European resorts).

J. Francois arrived in Kavminvody in 1874, and his first acquaintance with the sources gave him the right to write: “In all of Europe there is no such happy combination of such diverse springs in a relatively small space. Without a doubt, with the implementation of the proposed technical work, the Caucasian waters should become one of the best European waters.” Under the leadership of J. Francois, large balneological facilities were built. In Pyatigorsk, the Aleksandro-Ermolovskaya adit was laid, which provided hot sulfuric water; in Zheleznovodsk, adits No. 1 and 2 also provided up to 50,000 buckets of hot mineral water per day. But of particular importance were the works of J. Francois in Essentuki on springs No. 17 and 18, which were rightly considered the pearl of the Caucasian waters. The main result of the activities of J. Francois was the development of scientifically based principles for planned exploration and capture of mineral waters.

Public figures and scientists contributed a lot of work to uncovering the secrets of healing waters: N.N. Slavyanov, A.A. Lozinsky, A.N. Ogilvie, S.M. Petelin, V.I. Razumovsky, A.S. Vishnevsky and others.

In 1884-1886. Mushketov identified and then officially approved the districts for the protection of mineral springs in Pyatigorsk, Kislovodsk, Zheleznovodsk and Essentuki.

Some revival in the development and improvement of resorts occurred at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. This was facilitated by significant events: in 1875, the “cast iron” replaced the coachmen (the Vladikavkaz railway was brought to the Mineralnye Vody station), and in 1893 and 1896 a railway line connected the resort cities. New hotels and bath buildings were erected at all resorts: Pushkin and radon buildings in Pyatigorsk, main baths, a train station and a Kurhaus, boarding houses in Kislovodsk.

The resorts received electricity - in 1903, Russia's first hydroelectric station, White Coal, near Essentuki, came into operation.

In 1908, the radioactivity of the heat-sulfur sources of Pyatigorsk was established, which created well-deserved fame for the resort.

All this could not but affect the influx of patients - it increased. If in 1875 all the Kavminvod resorts were visited by 2,240 patients, in 1901 - 16,567, in 1903 - 36,000 people, then in 1914 42,000 patients were treated in Kislovodsk alone.

In this regard, geological exploration work has become more active in order to expand the hydromineral base of resorts and introduce new types of mineral waters into balneological practice.

The comprehensive studies of the Geological Committee, carried out here since 1906 for 20 years, were of great importance for the knowledge of the geology and hydrogeology of the Caucasian Mineral Waters. A team of specialists led by A.P. made a great contribution to the discovery of the hydromineral riches of the region. Gerasimova.

On April 4, 1919, a decree “On healing areas of national significance” was issued, signed by V.I. Lenin, who proclaimed the nationalization of resorts. On April 18, 1920, the resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters were issued a letter of protection, in which they were named resorts of national importance.

In 1920, by decision of the People's Commissariat of Health in Pyatigorsk, on the basis of the Balneological Society, the State Balneological Institute was created with four clinics in all resort cities.

In 1923, the Main Resort Administration was organized under the People's Commissariat of Health, and by 1925 the restoration of all the KMS resorts was completely completed. There were 10 sanatoriums in Kislovodsk, 6 in Essentuki, 4 in Pyatigorsk and 6 in Zheleznovodsk.

In 1935, the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks and the Soviet government adopted a resolution on the General Reconstruction of the resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters, designed for 15 years. Construction of new sanatoriums and boarding houses began. The number of people being treated in all resort cities in 1939 was already more than 200 thousand people.

In the post-war years, many new health resorts were reconstructed and built.

In 1960, by decision of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR, management of all resorts, sanatoriums, boarding houses and holiday homes was transferred to trade unions. According to the approved long-term plan for the development of the Caucasian Mineral Waters resorts, new beautiful sanatoriums, boarding houses, and holiday homes have grown in Kislovodsk, Essentuki, Pyatigorsk and Zheleznovodsk, of which there were already more than 120 in the region by the beginning of the 90s. New mineral water facilities appeared on the map of the region: Kumskoye, Verkhnepodkumskoye, Nagutskoye, Beshtaugorskoye, Lysogorskoye and Zmeykinskoye fields; Olkhovsky, Podkumsky and Berezovsky areas in the Kislovodsk area, Novobladarnensky near Essentuki, Razvalkinsky - near Zheleznovodsk, etc. The range of varieties of mineral waters with interesting medicinal indications expanded.

In the pre-war, post-war and pre-reform periods, hydrogeologists and specialists made a great contribution to the development of the hydromineral base of the KMS resorts: V.L. Augustinsky, I.E. Bodunov-Skvortsov, V.I. Bevzik, I.I. Volodkevich, N.A. Grigoriev, V.D. Ganenkov, A.A. Iovdalsky, G.N. Kamensky, I.I. Kobozev, G.F. Kovalevsky, S.S. Kochnev, Ya.V. Langvagen, A.A. Minko, Z.A. Myakota, D.M. Novichikhin, A.M. Ovchinnikov, A.N. Ogilvy, K.F. Orfanidi, A.B. Ostrovsky, I.Ya. Panteleev, N.S. Pogorelsky, N.N. Slavyanov, M.A. Samotey, S.M. Raikhel, A.V. Fedorov, S.A. Shagoyants, A.V. Shcherbakov, V.V. Yuryev and many others.

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 its mineral springs is found in the physician G. Schober (1717), who was sent by Peter I to examine the mineral springs 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. The temperature was not enough for powerful eruptions. 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.