Cavminvody region. Caucasian Mineralnye Vody: health resort at economical prices. Essentuki - famous healing springs

Caucasian Mineral Water

Coat of arms of the region

Region map

Caucasian Mineral Waters  (Kavminvody, CMS) - a group of resorts of federal significance in the Stavropol Territory; specially protected ecological and resort region of the Russian Federation, having a coordinating administration. The direct state administration of this region is entrusted to the administration of the Caucasian Mineral Waters, the head of which is appointed by the President of the Russian Federation on the proposal of the Governor of the Stavropol Territory.

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

An electrified railway Moscow-Rostov-Baku passes through the territory of the district with a branch to Kislovodsk (and a branch to Zheleznovodsk), an asphalted federal highway Rostov-Baku. Mineralnye Vody Airport connects the CMS region with direct airlines with all major centers of the Russian Federation and neighboring countries, and also operates flights to non-CIS countries.

Geography

The region-agglomeration Caucasian Mineral Waters, having an area of \u200b\u200bmore 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 district sanitary protection:

• in the Stavropol Territory - cities and resorts Georgievsk, Mineralnye Vody (including the resort Kumagorsk  and resort area Naguta), Pyatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk, Lermontov, Essentuki, Kislovodsk, as well as the actual districts of Georgievsky, Mineralovodsky and Predgorny - 58% of the total area of \u200b\u200bthe region;
• in Kabardino-Balkaria - Zolsky district, - 9% (therapeutic mud of Lake Tambukan, Valley of Narzanov and more);
• in Karachay-Cherkessia - Malokarachaevsky and Prikubansky districts - 33% of the territory (zone of formation of mineral springs).

The regional center of CMS with the seat of the coordinating administration is the city of Essentuki. Earlier this status belonged to the city of Pyatigorsk, even earlier - to Georgievsk.
Moreover, the special nature management regime in adjacent territories is also carried out by state bodies of the republics.
  The head of the KavMinVod administration, in accordance with the Regulation, is the first deputy chairman of the Government of the Stavropol Territory ex officio.

Physico-geographical characteristic (location)

The region of Caucasian Mineral Waters occupies the southern part of the Stavropol Territory and is located on the northern slopes of the Main Caucasian Range, only a couple of tens of kilometers from Elbrus. The other here seems to be the earth, the other - the sky. From far away you can see motionless white clouds, which upon approach turn out to be snowy peaks of the Caucasus Mountains. The southern borders of the region are the foothills of Elbrus, the valley of the Hasaut and Malki rivers; in the west - the upper reaches of the Eshkakon and Podkumka rivers; the northern border of the region is the city of Mineralnye Vody, beyond which begins the steppe expanses of the Ciscaucasia.

By hydromineral resources, the region includes:

• in the south: carbonic waters of the Upper and Lower Berezovsky in the Berezovsky gorge, the Belovodsky and Bely springs in the upper reaches of the Alikonovsky gorge (the Belovodskaya Balka rivulet), the Malkinsky gorge - the sources of Thobzashkhops (in the Kamennomostsky district), the source of Seraphim of Sarovsky from the healing spring water (Dzhezhina) ), Valley of Narzanov, Cheget Lakhransky, Lahransky Narzans [Kichmalka plateau, Mount Ullu-Lahran (1883 m)], source (Khasautsky) in the Mal. Bermamyt (2644 m) and the village of Khasaut (in the south-west; in the extreme south (adjacent to the Elbrus region) the source of Yungeshli).
• in the west: in the Kumskoye gorge - carbonic water of the Kumskoye deposit in the Red East (village of Red East) and the Suvorov baths, sources in the upper Podkumka and Kum-rivers at the Gumbashi pass, and east of the Gudgora (2489 m) on the Eshkakon river (Lower Eshkakonsky and Upper Eshkakon; tract Kanta Tukele?); on the watershed there are sources in the vicinity of the villages of Michurinsky and Kholodnorodnikovskoye (near the village of Schastlivoye), and on the northern slopes of the Pasture Range in the Ugolnaya Balka (above the forestries Ugolnaya Dacha and Bekeshevskaya Dacha in Karachaevo-Cherkessia).
• in the north: in the resort of Kumagorsk, Nagutskiye springs in the balneological Nagutskogo resort area (sources at the villages of Nagutskoye, Soluno-Dmitrievskoye (station Nagutskaya - a bottling plant for mineral water of one of the largest in the province of Nagutskoye field (250 million bottles a year, 80- e)), this also includes the mineral springs of the city of Camel).
• in the east: Lysogorsky springs (Lysaya Gora, including Batalinsky), as well as St. George baths.

Story

CMS is one of the oldest resort regions in Russia. The first written information about its mineral springs is found by the doctor G. Schober (1717), who was sent by Peter I to examine mineral founts  North Caucasus. The first detailed descriptions of them were made by I. A. Guldenstedt (1773), and then by P. S. Pallas (1793). After researching the hot spring in Pyatigorsk (1801) and the conclusion of a special commission on the possibility of using mineral water for therapeutic purposes (1802), the decree on KavMinVody was approved by decree of Alexander I of April 24, 1803, when the historical Rescript “On recognition of the state significance of the Caucasian Mineral Waters” was signed and the need for their device, ”and their official existence as a resort area began.
  The first information about Lake Tambukan was also reported by I. A. Guldenstedt (1770s), however, the use of its therapeutic mud began much later (from 1886 in Pyatigorsk and Essentuki, then in Zheleznovodsk). Initially, CMS attracted a limited number of patients, mainly from the military and the nobility. Resort development plans did not exist; CMS management was usually assigned to the military administration. Only a few of the administrators showed interest in KavMinVodami.

The history of the development of this unique resort region of the Russian Federation was characterized by ups and downs, with the transition from public administration to private counterparty. Long distances from the central cities of the Russian Empire, when those who wanted to heal on Hot, Iron and Sour Waters were forced to make a real trip on horse-drawn carriages lasting one and a half to two months, military operations in the Caucasus, the lack of amenities of the springs and resorts themselves - all this created certain difficulties in development of the Caucasian Mineral Waters. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, at the beginning of the 19th century, vacationers on the Hot Waters lived in Kalmyk huts specially designed here for the summer holiday season. Ascetic work on arranging KavMinVod of prominent Russian patriots (in alphabetical order):

• Johann C. and Joseph K. Bernardazzi
• G. A. Emanuel
• A.P. Nelyubina
• M.V. Sergeeva
• N. N. Slavyanova
• S. A. Smirnova
• V.V. Khvoshchinsky

and many others allowed step by step to turn them into a famous balneological resort of Russia. In Soviet times, Caucasian Mineral Waters became a popular forge of the health of the population of the Soviet Union. In 1990, about 1 million people from all over the country and from abroad rested and recovered at the all-Union resort [caming group].

But at the same time, the local population was growing rapidly (see below - agglomeration). All this began to create a large anthropogenic burden on the ecology of CMS (see Pyatigorsk). A certain shortage of mineral resources began to be felt. The excessive development of industry in resort cities, not related to health-improving (sanatorium) goals, the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers in agriculture also posed a real threat to the pollution of the hydro-mineral wealth of a unique resort. This could not but disturb the representatives of balneology, the leadership of the Stavropol Territory, and the Russian government.
  That is why the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin was signed on March 27, 1992, according to which KavMinVody is a specially protected ecological and resort region of the Russian Federation. It directly defined the goals of creating the region - preserving the natural wealth of the resorts of the CMS - the world-famous locality with unique health and healing factors, a unique historical, architectural and cultural look.

Mountains Cavminvod

Kislovodsk (817-1063 m) is located above all resorts, the rest of the resorts are located at approximately the same height: Essentuki - along the river. Podkumok (600-640 m), Pyatigorsk - at the foot of Mashuk (510-630 m), Zheleznovodsk - in the valley between Beshtau and Zheleznaya, on the slopes at the foot of the latter (600-650 m). Vegetation is represented mainly by massifs of oak-hornbeam forests, alternating with meadow steppes; in the foothills of the steppe and forest-steppe vegetation, which in the mountains (at an altitude of 800-1100 m) is replaced by broad-leaved forests (beech, oak, hornbeam).

The relief of the region of Caucasian Mineral Waters begins at the foot of Elbrus, where the Rocky Range with a number of peaks clearly stands out. In the western and southern parts of the CMS, mountains are steep, sometimes steep ledges break to the south (the depth of these cliffs reaches 1000 m), and the northern long slopes are slightly (hollow) inclined and merge with the foothill plain. These are the ranges Pasture and Rocky. River valleys, they are divided into a number of mountain ranges. The pasture ridge within KavMinVod is divided by the Podkumkom into two parts: the western (Borgustan ridge, Darinsky heights of the Borgustan ridge) rises 1200–1300 m, and the eastern (Dzhinal ridge) has an absolute elevation of the top of the Upper Jinal 1542 m. Rocks on the spurs of the ranges are decorated with niches openwork arches, carved columns of sandstone. To the south of the Pasture, a Rocky Range with the peaks of the Bolshoi and Small  Bermamyt (2592 and 2644   m (the highest point of the CMS), 30 km to Elbrus; in the early morning on Bermamyt one can sometimes see the so-called Brocken ghost). Bermamyt Plateau, and Zhatmaz Range  (Shijatmaz (Shatzhatmaz) 2127 m, astronomical station of the GAO RAS (2072 m), scientific base of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences) and Kichmalkin Plateau  (Manglai city 2055 m), below which in the picturesque valley of the Khasaut river at an altitude of 1300 m above sea level is the Narzanov Valley - about 20 mineral springs (34 km south of Kislovodsk, in the southern foothills of the Rocky Range of the Greater Caucasus), tilted towards Kislovodsk and abut against the steep ledges of the Pasture Range. To the south of the Rocky Range in the direction of Elbrus extends the vast plateau Bechasyn (with Mount Bechasyn 2364 m). By absolute heights, the territory of the CMS belongs to the midlands, the maximum amplitude of heights is 2464 m (and taking into account Elbrus - 5462 m, II-nd place after Kabardino-Balkaria).
  The dissected relief, which creates a wide variety of landscapes, is explained by the long development and complex geological structure of the territory.

Geology

The KavMinVod region is located within the confluence of the Stavropol Upland (Ciscaucasia) and the northern slopes and foothills of the North Caucasus. This is the center of the Pre-Caucasus region, where horizontal movements took place along with folded and vertical movements over a long geological history. Its territory is bordered on all sides by huge deep faults. The origin of laccoliths is associated with faults. These mountains were formed by the gradual uplift or tectonic extrusion through the thickness of sedimentary deposits of viscous, cooling lava. Volcanic bodies are still cooling in our time. At the bottom of the stratified plains northward inclined are the Paleozoic crumpled and permeated during acidification veins of acidic magma rocks: quartz-chlorite schists, quartzites, granites. The oldest rocks of the region can be seen in the valley of the Alikonovka river south of Kislovodsk, 4-5 km above the castle rock, one of the local attractions. Here pink and red granites come to the surface, whose age is estimated at 220-230 Ma. In the Mesozoic time, granites that came to the surface were destroyed and formed a thick (up to 50 m) layer of the weathering crust, consisting of quartz crystals, feldspar, and mica. There are geodes - "stones with a secret." Splitting such a stone can be found inside white calcite crystals, smudges of gray opal and translucent chalcedony. Sedimentary deposits of the Jurassic and Cretaceous seas, having a thickness of more than 1000 m, can be examined on the southern slopes of the Borgustan and Dzhinalsky ranges. Brownish-gray and yellowish limestones, dolomites, red ferruginous sandstones come to the surface here. These are the famous Red and Gray stones (see park). On Mount Goryachaya in Pyatigorsk you can see a variety of forms of travertine deposits - a stone that arose during the evaporation of mineral water. Petrified leaves and twigs are visible in travertine. Karst is developed here, which is also found on the Rocky and Pasture ridges. The peculiarities of the geological structure of the Razvalka are associated with the amazing phenomenon of “summer permafrost”, explained by the seasonal circulation of air in the cracks of the mountain.

With all the diversity of the composition of the waters and the nature of the deposits, the CMS mineral springs are closely connected by the common geological conditions of formation and the common history of the development on their basis of the group of famous, oldest resorts in Russia.
The presence of mineral springs is associated with a complex of sedimentary formations of the Meso-Cenozoic age, hollow plunging from South to C from the Greater Caucasus to the Stavropol Upland. In terms of the possibility of accumulation and movement of groundwater, the Meso-Cenozoic rocks submerging to the north form a large artesian slope, the main feeding area of \u200b\u200bwhich coincides with the surface area of \u200b\u200bthe oldest metamorphic rocks. Of the several aquifers, the most abundant: the Tithonian aquifer, flow rate of 0.1-10 l / s, the depth from 260 m (Kislovodsk district) to 1000 m (Essentuki); Valanginian complex, St. 15 l / s, depth from 170 m (Kislovodsk) to 800 m (Essentuki); Aptian complex, flow rate 10 l / s, maximum depth up to 500 m (Essentuki); Upper Cretaceous complex, flow rate up to 5 l / s, depth up to 300 m (the total flow rate of the most abundant is about 3-3.5 million liters per day). Of great importance in the hydrogeology of the region are faults and intrusions of igneous rocks (intrusions), which form peculiar dome-shaped laccolithic mountains (Mashuk, Beshtau, Zheleznaya, Razvalka, Zmeyka, etc.) in the relief. Separate mineral water deposits (Berezovskoye, Kislovodskoye, Kumskoye, Essentukskoye, Pyatigorskoye, Zheleznovodskoye, Nagutskoye, Kumagorskoye and others) and a large number of outcrops of mineral springs of different composition are associated with zones of tectonic disturbances, as well as with contacts of intrusions and sedimentary rocks. CMS groundwater resources (fresh and mineral) are formed mainly due to atmospheric precipitation infiltration (in the mountains of the Greater Caucasus). Part of the groundwater is enriched with gases (carbon dioxide) formed in the conditions of high temperature of the subsoil. The formation of the composition of mineral waters proceeds with a significant participation of the leaching processes of the host rocks, cation exchange and mixing; This last process is especially widespread in the upper parts of the section, where deep highly gas-saturated portions of water ascending along faults from the basement enter. Pushing back less mineralized streams and partly mixing with them, the ascending waters here form the final chemical and temperature appearance of the district’s mineral water.

Climate

Along with mineral waters, CMS resort resources comprise a favorable climate for the central and southwestern parts of the region, used for climatotherapy.
The climate of the KavMinVod region has long been highly appreciated by balneologists and has been successfully used as a therapeutic factor. The main advantages of the local climate are associated with a 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 Caucasian Range.

The diversity of the relief creates a difference in the climate of the resorts of CMS, and is formed under the influence of a number of factors: the difference in the altitude of cities, the protection of the mountains determines the microclimate. The foothill nature of the area and the proximity of the snowy peaks of the Main Caucasus Range on the one hand, and on the other hand, the proximity of arid steppes and semi-deserts of the Caspian coast determine the continental features of the climate of this region. According to climatic conditions, the Kavminvod region can be divided into two zones: the southern - the Kislovodsk region with features of the lowland continental climate, and the northern - Essentuki, Pyatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk with typical features of the steppe zone. The most favorable, according to medical climatology, is the southern zone.

The region of resorts Zheleznovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki is a climatic zone with a lot of heat and moderate rainfall. The average annual rainfall is within 600 mm mainly in spring and early summer. Compared to the southern zone, here, as a rule, the average annual air temperature is higher, relative humidity is 65-71%, the number of days with fogs and without sunshine is 85-92 (thick fogs are typical in winter), days with precipitation are 120-160, and frosty about 90 days. Cloudy days with fog and hoarfrost happen in the autumn-winter period, which creates a contrast with Kislovodsk. In Pyatigorsk, summers are warm, winters are moderately mild (a third of winter days with rains, thaws, fogs). The climate of Zheleznovodsk corresponds to the mountain-forest and moderately dry climate of the middle Alps. The number of hours of sunshine here is relatively large, but greenery and constantly blowing winds soften the heat. The climate of Essentuki is distinguished by contrast - the summers are hot, dry, winters are frosty, often rainy. Spring and autumn are clearly expressed. Kislovodsk is famous as a climatic resort, where, thanks to the closed conditions of the basin, clear dry weather prevails; for example, winter in Kislovodsk is “frost and sun, a wonderful day”, the sun shines 300 days a year.

Air temperature depends on the height of the place and season. The average January temperature in Pyatigorsk is −4.0 ° C, in Kislovodsk −3.9 °. July temperatures are respectively + 22 ° and + 19 °.
  The amount of precipitation decreases from the mountains to the plains: in Bermamyt - 724 mm, in Kislovodsk - 599 mm, in Pyatigorsk - 472 mm; least of them in Essentuki. More than 85% of all precipitation falls in the form of rain (in winter rains prevail over snowfalls). Snow cover is low and unstable, snow falls and melts quickly. In Kislovodsk, snow cover lies continuously for an average of 10 days. More than half of winters passes without any snow cover.
  Most cloudiness on the plains is observed in winter; in the mountains (Kislovodsk, Bermamyt, Narzanov Valley), on the contrary, the clearest winter months.

CMS resorts have a favorable wind regime for climate treatment. Quiet areas are frequent here, especially in the Kislovodsk hollow in winter (the average annual wind speed in Kislovodsk is 2.4 m / s). In the mountains, for example on Bermamyt, there are strong winds - more than 15 m / s.
  The best time of the year for recreation and travel on Kavminvody is late summer and autumn. It is sunny, dry, rich in fruits and bright colors of landscapes.

Natural resources

The basis of the resort resources of CMS is min. waters of various composition, on the basis of which the so-called North Caucasian recreational and therapeutic area arose.

By the composition and quality of their climatic and balneological resources, concentrated on a relatively compact territory, by the richness and variety of mineral springs, the resort region of Russia - KavMinVody - have no analogues on the entire Euro-Asian continent, and indeed the world; in terms of chemical wealth and diversity, quality and healing properties, mineral water sources are extremely diverse and unparalleled. The origin, formation and properties of mineral waters are associated with Pyatigorsk laccoliths and the highlands of the North Caucasus, where groundwater is formed. Precipitation in the mountains, as well as melt water penetrate into the thickness of the rocks to great depths, are mineralized, heated, saturated with gases and come to the surface through cracks in river valleys. In terms of chemical composition and use for treating water, for the most part, they are low- and medium-mineralized with a salt content of 2 to 15 g / l. The highest mineralization at Batalinsky and Lysogorsky sources is 21 g / l.
In a small area (546.5 thousand ha), unique hydromineral wealth is concentrated, a wonderful bouquet of healing mineral waters with approved operational reserves of 15.6 thousand cubic meters per day. According to 2001 data, 2.2 thousand m³ per day are mined and used. At the same time, 1.5 thousand m 3 / day (68%) of them went to drinking and balneological treatment, and 0.7 thousand m 3 / day (32%) - to industrial bottling of medicinal and medicinal-table water.
  There are 24 deposits and sites within the Municipal Sanitary Protection District. Conventionally, several separate deposits can be distinguished: Kislovodskoye, Essentukskoye, Pyatigorskoye, Beshtaugorskoye, Inozemtsevskoye, Zheleznovodskoye, Zmeykinskoye, Lysogorskoye, Krasno-Vostochny, Kumagorskoye, Nagutskoye resort area, etc. Of the total approved reserves of category A + B, 13 are concentrated in the Stavropol Territory6 , 8 m³ per day, within the borders of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic - 1910.0 m³ per day (13.9%). In addition, prospective reserves (for categories C 1 + C 2 + P) are 7629.9 m 3 per day. Of the 5 hydrochemical provinces of underground mineral waters, 3 were characteristic of our region: carbon dioxide provinces (at the Mashukogorsk deposit in Pyatigorsk, for example, these are the 1st, 2nd and 4th Pyatigorsk types), radon waters (3rd type) , and nitrogen and nitrogen-methane waters (5th Pyatigorsk type).
  At the same time, Pyatigorsk is called the Ministry of Water Museum for its exceptional variety of mineral springs concentrated in a small area around Mount Mashuk. These are the famous hot hydrogen sulfide waters, carbonic waters (Pyatigorsk narzans), radon waters, mineral waters of the Essentuki type (fourth Pyatigorsk type), nitrogen-methane waters. Unique saline-alkaline waters of the Essentuki resort (Essentuki-4, Essentuki-17) are famous throughout the world for their healing properties. Widely known are dolomite, sulfate and simple Narzans of Kislovodsk. Invaluable for the treatment of a large number of diseases, carbonic sulfate-carbonate calcium-sodium (Smirnovskaya and Slavyanovskaya waters), as well as the bitter-salt waters of the Batalinsky and Lysogorsky sources. Almost the entire spectrum of human diseases can be treated in the Caucasian Mineral Waters.

More than 50 enterprises and specialized workshops are engaged in the industrial bottling of mineral waters in the specially protected ecological resort region. In 2001, 200642.6 thousand liters of mineral water were manufactured and sold. Thanks to this, the healing properties of our waters are well known in all regions of the country and abroad.

The unique wealth of the Caucasian Mineral Waters is the healing brine and mud of the Tambukansky [at the border of the region and Kabardino-Balkaria] and Lysogorsk mineral lakes. Tambukan Lake feeds mainly on rain and meltwater, and since it is located in the arid steppe zone, it undergoes cyclical changes in the water surface. The area of \u200b\u200bthe water mirror is about 180 (230) ha, the depth is from 1.5 to 3.1 m. The lake water is a brine of sulphate-chloride sodium-magnesium composition (mineralization of 50-60 g / l). The total operational reserves of the most valuable black and dark gray mud are 1,600 thousand cubic meters. m. (silt mud reserves (containing 0.4% hydrogen sulfide) in the lake are estimated at 2.3 million tons). The mud is used in the resort facilities of KavMinVod (the most widely used are in Pyatigorsk and Essentuki; in Zheleznovodsk, the brine and mud of Lysogorsk [Inozemtsevo] lakes are equally used; in Kumagorsk, sulphide-silt mud is extracted from a small salty lake located in resort), as well as sanatorium institutions of Dolinsk (Nalchik), Sernovodsk and North Ossetia. Healing mud is also sent to medical institutions in Moscow, Rostov, Volgograd, Sochi.
  In addition, a therapeutic (so-called biostimulating) drug [such as PhiBS, peloidin] is obtained from the mud, which retains its healing properties and can be used in extra-resort conditions.

Caucasian-Mineralovodsk agglomeration

The core of the Caucasian Mineral Waters region is the Caucasian-Mineralovodsky polycentric city agglomeration uniting the cities of Kislovodsk, Essentuki, Pyatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk, Lermontov, Mineralnye Vody. The Caucasian-Mineralovod agglomeration totals 946,000 (2010 census) (only in the Stavropol Territory, including the urban (658,000) and rural population (288,000) of the Piedmont, Georgievsky and Mineralovodsky districts), exceeding the size of the Stavropol Territory, it is the largest in the Stavropol Territory and the North Caucasus Federal District. The transport and economic center of the agglomeration is the city of Mineralnye Vody. The largest metropolitan city Pyatigorsk is the center of the North Caucasus Federal District formed in 2010.

The administrative center of the specially protected eco-resort region Caucasian Mineral Waters is located in Essentuki.

Caucasian Mineral Waters is one of the most densely populated territories of the North Caucasus; the average population density exceeds 150 people per 1 km 2.

Features

Caucasian Mineral Waters is the largest and one of the oldest resort regions of the Russian Federation. Over 130 mineral springs and large reserves of silt mud of Lake Tambukan (and Lysogorsky Lake) make the CMS a unique balneological resort. The CMS region is characterized by picturesque natural landscapes, a mountainous healing climate and is famous for its enterprises of the sanatorium complex in Russia. Their main specialization is the provision of medical and wellness services, treatment with world famous waters and mineral mud. Also, land plots located on the territory of the CMS (within the boundaries of the districts of the sanitary (mountain) sanitary protection of the resort of CMS), by law, are the lands of specially protected natural territories. The fact of classifying land plots as lands of specially protected natural territories (resort lands) means the impossibility of making it available to the company in connection with its classification as land plots limited in circulation (subparagraph 1 of paragraph 5 of Article 27 of the Land Code of the Russian Federation, paragraph 8 of Article 28 of the Law about privatization)

see also

• Resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters:

Notes

Literature

• A. M. Prokhorov (Ch. Ed.)  Caucasian Mineral Water //

And in Karachay-Cherkessia.

  Treatment in Caucasian Mineral Waters

The region of Caucasian Mineral Waters is located on the northern slopes of the Main Caucasian Range and covers an area of \u200b\u200babout 5.3 thousand square meters. km from the foothills of Elbrus in the south to the city in the north. In these places hundreds of springs make their way to the earth’s surface, giving people healing mineral waters, which are used for drinking, bathing, inhalation, irrigation and help treat many diseases.

In addition to the sources in this region, there is Lake Tambukan - a rich deposit of healing mud used in all resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters.

An additional healing factor in all resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters is the local mild microclimate that forms in the valleys protected by mountains from cold winds. Therefore, all resorts in this region are considered not only balneological, but also climatic.

On the slopes of the mountains, according to the recommendations of physicians, special paths-terraincourses have been laid, walking along which has a healing effect not only due to the beautiful landscapes calming the nerves, but also because of the well-calculated physical exercises that have been dosed.

  Sights of the Caucasian Mineral Waters

You can get acquainted with the architectural monuments in the Caucasian Mineral Waters at the same time as treatment, because sanatoriums, mud baths, pump rooms are located in amazing buildings built in the past and the century before last. Noteworthy neoclassical mud clinic named after Semashko  in Essentuki, neo-Gothic Central Drinking Gallery  and The main narzan baths  Art Nouveau in Kislovodsk and much more.

The environs of Kislovodsk and Pyatigorsk are associated with the name of M. Yu. Lermontov. In these cities and their environs there are many attractions that the writer described in the novel “Hero of Our Time”. In Kislovodsk worth a look at the famous mount "Ring"in Pyatigorsk - walk to arbors "Eolova Harp", before Lermontov Grottogo down to place of a duel  Lermontov with Martynov and bow to the first burial place of the poet.

The entire region of the Caucasian Mineral Waters is full of natural attractions. From almost any trail, you can continuously enjoy breathtaking landscapes. The local mountains are incredibly beautiful: Mashuk at Pyatigorsk, Beshtau and Zheleznaya at Zheleznovodsk and, finally, towering on the horizon, covered with a hat of eternal snow Elbrus. You should definitely visit Valley of Narzanov, where 20 springs with this healing water come from the earth.

  How to get to the Caucasian Mineral Waters

To Caucasian Mineral Water by plane

Airlines to and from other cities make daily flights to the city’s airport.

Located in the south of the European part of the USSR, almost at the same distance from the Black and Caspian Seas, the Kavminvod region is conveniently located relative to the country's populated territories and has good transport links with them. Administratively, it is part of the Stavropol Territory of the RSFSR, occupying almost all of the Piedmont region, part of Mineralovodsky, small sections of the Georgievsky and Malokarachaevsky (Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast) districts.

Population.  Caucasian Mineral Waters is one of the densely populated territories of the North Caucasus (the average population density exceeds 150 people per 1 sq. Km).

More than 400 thousand people live in cities and urban-type settlements, mainly Russians, Ukrainians, Armenians, Karachais, Circassians, Abazins, Ossetians, Kabardians and representatives of other peoples and nationalities of our country. The specialization of resorts also determines the specifics of employment.

The resort and tourism industry includes about 100 sanatoriums, boarding houses, camp sites, therefore, every fourth of the Kavminvod, working in the cities, is employed at the enterprises of the industry. But in general, more than half of the working population of the region is connected with servicing vacationers.

Mass at the resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters has become a medical profession. In pre-revolutionary times, a few doctors lived here, most of them arrived here during the holiday season. Now in the resorts of Kavminvod, thousands of doctors and nurses are constantly busy.

Industry and agricultural production. The traditional industrial production in the area of \u200b\u200bbalneological resorts is the bottling of mineral waters. The first bottling of mineral water was carried out here in 1847 by decree of Count Vorontsov - 300 bottles of Essentuki were poured (No. 4). In 1873, bottling in Essentuki was resumed on a specially constructed spillway. In 1896, a plant for the production of liquid carbon dioxide was built in Kislovodsk and bottling of narzan was established. In addition, mineral waters of the Slavyanovsky and Smirnovsky springs were bottled in Zheleznovodsk. In 1913, all enterprises of Kavminvod produced 9.6 million bottles of mineral water. Particularly rapidly increased production of narzan, which at the international exhibition in Reims (France) received the highest award. Most of the products of mineral water bottling enterprises were exported to other regions of Russia and exported to Western Europe, Turkey and Iran.

Now three local factories and a workshop annually produce more than 200 million bottles of mineral water. The healing waters of Pyatigorsk, Kislovodsk, Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk are known throughout the world. In the future, with the construction of a new mineral water bottling plant, the output of these products will almost double. Products of the Kislovodsk and Pyatigorsk souvenir factories, a factory, are taken to all corners of the country and abroad. “Souvenir” in Mineralnye Vody Souvenirs are also produced by art factories, workshops attached to industrial plants. The product range of these enterprises is wide - these are traditional glasses for drinking mineral water, and products from cupronickel, horn, porcelain, crystal, carved caskets. Since 1896, in the village of Andzhievsky (near Mineralnye Vody), the largest glass factory in the North Caucasus producing bottles for bottling mineral water has been operating.

Food, sewing, knitwear, shoes, furniture, building materials, agricultural machines - this is not a complete list of products manufactured by the industrial enterprises of Kavminvod.

Agriculture in this area is focused mainly on meeting the needs of vacationers. In its structure, the specific gravity of vegetable growing, dairy and beef cattle breeding is high. Resorts are large consumers of dietary meat. Powerful poultry farms operate in the suburbs, including Beshtaugorets, Koltsegorskaya, Pyatigorskaya. They give a third of the eggs produced in the Stavropol Territory.

The district produces one sixth of the region’s vegetables, one third of them in closed ground. Almost all winter and early spring fresh vegetables from the greenhouses “Teplichny”, “Kislovodsky” and others deliver to the table of vacationers. The largest enterprise of the closed soil is the plant “Flowers of Stavropol”, which supplies tens of thousands of flowers to the retail network of resorts. Every year, tens of thousands of tons of milk, meat, vegetables, and fruit are produced at the farms of the Piedmont region to provide holidaymakers at resorts.

Transport.  The electrified Moscow-Baku highway with branches to Kislovodsk and Zheleznovodsk, the asphalt highway Rostov-Baku passes through the district. Mineralnye Vody Airport is connected by direct airlines to all major centers of the Soviet Union. 13 days were required to get from Moscow to the resorts of Kavminvod in the last century. Nowadays, an airliner delivers passengers here from the capital in two hours. From the airport to resort towns less than an hour by bus or taxi.

To travel from the airport to the resort cities, you can use the services of the railway. By city bus you need to get to the railway station in Mineralnye Vody, from where local trains go to Kislovodsk 70 minutes, to Essentuki 45 minutes and to Pyatigorsk half an hour. Those who are going to rest in Zheleznovodsk need a change at Beshtau station.

The Caucasus has attracted the attention of representatives of various sectors of society: the creative intelligentsia, the nobility, travelers, merchants, as well as romantic adventurers of all stripes, and of course those to whom amazing waters promised a hope for miraculous healing.

The picturesque nature of these places inspired more than one generation of writers and poets: the majestic foothills of Elbrus, the winding beds of mountain rivers, carrying their waters among fragrant valleys, azure waterfalls, vast steppe expanses generously endowed with the sun ... All this created an amazingly mild healthy climate, and many healing mineral waters and high-quality therapeutic mud have glorified the Caucasus, both in our country and abroad.

The official history of one of the oldest balneological centers in Russia began in 1803. On the site of the first settlements and campsites organized around healing springs, the first villages and then cities began to grow very quickly. People of various professions and classes began to come here to improve their health "on the waters" and relax in a pleasant society. Gradually, the news about the miraculous properties of these places spread throughout Russia and Europe - the resort has become a favorite destination for relaxation and treatment. But nevertheless, the peak of popularity of this region falls on the Soviet era, when the journey for health became not so difficult and tedious as it was in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

After the revolution, nationalized hotels and private homes were converted into medical facilities. At the same time, the construction of sanatoria, hydropathic and resort complexes was organized. During the war years, immediately after the liberation of the resorts in the spring of 1943, hospitals began to receive thousands of wounded Soviet soldiers. Thanks to the healing waters and mud, the dedicated work of doctors and all staff, hundreds of human lives were saved. In the post-war period, dozens of new mineral water deposits were discovered, the construction of hotels, sanatoriums, pioneer camps and resort complexes was rapidly growing, and the range of medical and health services expanded. As a result, the Cavminvody become a resort of all-Union significance, hosting up to one and a half million vacationers a year.

Today, the famous resort Caucasian Mineral Waters is located on the territory of three constituent entities of the Federation: the Stavropol Territory, the Karachay-Cherkess Republic and the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. Here are some of the best enterprises of the spa complex, with a wide range of medical and health services offered.

A lover of foreign health resorts will be interested to know that Caucasian Mineral Waters is a unique region in which almost all types of mineral waters are represented - more than 130 sources! You will not find such a variety in composition, quality, and healing properties anywhere in the world!

In addition, just 12 kilometers from Pyatigorsk, the famous Tambukan Lake is located, at the bottom of which there are hundreds of thousands of tons of healing silt. Every year, for the needs of sanatoriums and health resorts, about 10 thousand tons of therapeutic mud is extracted here, which is also recognized as one of the best in the world.

But even those who have not heard of the Kavminvod resorts, are well aware of another area of \u200b\u200bthe region's activity - the production of bottled mineral water. The legendary "Essentuki" and "Narzan" are familiar to everyone since childhood. These and other types of water are supplied today throughout Russia and the nearest abroad.

Another interesting area that continues to develop actively every year is cognitive and sports tourism. In the region with a rich history and culture, many interesting natural sites, there is no shortage of attractions. Therefore, many tourists come here not so much for recreation, but for vivid excursion impressions, the pacifying atmosphere of long walks and active sports in the mountains.

Founded:  1803 year
Area:  5.3 thousand km 2
Population:  1,194,859 people (2018)
Currency:  Russian ruble
Tongue:  Russian
Of.site:  /http://www.adm-kmv.ru/

Flight time:
from Moscow - from 2 hours 15 min.
  from St. Petersburg - from 3 hours
  from Kazan - from 4 hours 50 minutes. (1-2 transfers)
  from Yekaterinburg - from 3 hours 5 minutes.
  from Novosibirsk - from 4 hours 35 minutes.

The most popular resorts in the region of Caucasian Mineral Waters: Kislovodsk, Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk and Pyatigorsk. Each resort city has its own medical specialization.

Kislovodsk  - It is considered the sunniest and greenest resort. In the city, in addition to the famous healing narzans, there is a huge park for walks that goes far into the mountains. Favorable climatic conditions and crystal clear air, saturated with astringent smells of tar and needles, create an excellent therapeutic effect. It is recommended for the treatment of the cardiovascular system and the gastrointestinal tract.

Essentuki  - a small cozy resort specializing in the treatment of endocrine disorders, the gastrointestinal tract, liver and bile ducts. Perhaps this is the main therapeutic "source" of mineral water in the Caucasus.

Zheleznovodsk  - the smallest and quietest resort among its brothers, but no less famous! This is the only resort in Russia and Europe with hot calcium mineral waters. Therefore, the main specialization of the resort is the treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system and metabolic disorders. This resort can also be considered for the treatment of respiratory organs.

Pyatigorsk  - the most diversified resort of KMV. It is famous for its mud treatment, but in general it is a universal resort for comprehensive rehabilitation.

How to get there

Getting to the famous resorts is quite easy and relatively inexpensive. If the trip is not planned in the high season, then train tickets can cost you more than a plane ticket. The cost of trips by electric trains running in Kavminvody, at prices comparable to similar trips in big cities. Minibuses and taxis are cheaper than in megacities. When planning a trip, remember that most routes, wherever you come from / come from, will lead you to Mineralnye Vody - the main transfer point.

Plane

Mineralnye Vody has the largest international airport in the south of the country, which daily receives flights from various cities of Russia and neighboring countries. Airplane is the most convenient and fastest way to get to Cavminvod. The flight time from Moscow will be about two hours, from St. Petersburg - about three. When searching for airline tickets, pay attention to the airlines S7 Airlines and NordStar, which have interesting budget offers. Mineralnye Vody Airport itself is small but modern, located at a distance of 4 km from the city.

If your further route runs through the Mineralnye Vody train station, from which electric trains leave for popular resort cities, we recommend using a minibus number 10, number 11. Minibuses leave the airport every 30-40 minutes. from 6 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. Having chosen route No. 11, you will reach the city bus station, which is also connected by routes to many resort cities: Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki, Dombay and others (travel time to the bus station is about 10 minutes). Do not trust taxi drivers who say they canceled these routes or long breaks between flights. Taxi services can be used if you want to get to other cities of Kavminvod directly. For example, a taxi ride to Kislovodsk, on average, will cost you 900 p (January 2016).

A train

Before choosing this method of transportation, we recommend that you see how many days you need on the road. Even fast trains in this direction make a large number of stops and do not go fast, so the trip can be very tiring, especially in the hot season. Like the airport, the Mineralnye Vody railway station is one of the most important transport points in this region. Before it, and the terminal station of the North Caucasian Railway - Kislovodsk, you can get directly from many cities of Russia.

The station in Mineralnye Vody corresponds to the status of the station - a magnificent building, with massive columns, a dome, stained glass windows and frescoes, quite spacious and comfortable for waiting. Before the entrance you will be greeted by the famous sculpture “The Eagle defeating the Snake” - a symbol of the Cavminvod. From the station, trains depart for long-distance routes and suburban communications.

Separately, it should be noted the excellent transport links inside the territory of the Cavminvod! Suitable trains on the Mineralnye Vody - Kislovodsk branch (its length is 64 km) are the main public transport between the cities of Kislovodsk, Essentuki, Pyatigorsk, Beshtau, Mineralnye Vody. Also, trains go to Georgievsk, Nevinnomyssk, Budennovsk and other cities of the Stavropol Territory, with the exception of Zheleznovodsk. To get to Zheleznovodsk, you need to go to Beshtau station (located 6 km from Zheleznovodsk) and continue by minibus or bus number 10 (about 5-7 minutes). If the long-distance train does not stop at Beshtau station (for example, No. 004C Kavkaz from Moscow), then from Mineralnye Vody railway station (from the railway station square), as well as from the bus station, you can get to Zheleznovodsk by bus or minibus No. 107.

Electric trains run very often, with intervals of 40 minutes - 1 hour 20 minutes (depending on the time of day), from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. And, importantly for the convenience of tourists, in every city, even the smallest, the train makes 2-3 stops! The train schedule changes periodically. Fare, for example: Mineralnye Vody - Kislovodsk - 154 p. 20 K., Kislovodsk - Essentuki - 64 p. 10 K., Kislovodsk - Pyatigorsk - 115 p. 90 K. (2016)

Distance between cities CMS

Bus

You can get to the Kavminvod resorts by direct bus flight from many large cities of Russia. Comfortable buses run from Moscow to Kislovodsk through resort towns, departing mainly from the South Gate bus terminal. The travel time will be a little more than a day, the ticket cost is about 2000 rubles (2016). The main carrier in the North Caucasus region is Kavminvodyavto, which also operates regular flights on the Moscow-Kislovodsk route and flights to the nearest regions.

Bus stations and bus stations KMV

Kislovodsk: the bus station is located outside the city - st. 4, Promyshlennaya, getting to it is not very convenient. Opening hours from 6:00 to 19:00. Serves the following areas: Arzgir, Anapa, Astrakhan, Baku, Grateful, Budennovsk, Vladikavkaz, Volgograd, Gelendzhik, Georgievsk, Grozny, Derbent, Krasnodar, Labinsk, Maykop, Makhachkala, Mozdok, Moscow, Nazran, Neftekumsk, Nalchik, October, Prokhladny, Prokhladny Stavropol, Sochi, Cherkessk.

Mineral water:there are two bus stations in the city: the old one - on the street. Gagarina, 98 (working hours from 06:30 to 18:00) and the New bus station "Ruslan", located on the street. Sovetskaya, d. 97 (working hours from 5.00 to 23.00 without a break and weekends). Buses depart from the new bus station in all directions of the Kavminvodyavto carrier.

Essentuki:  the bus station is located on the street. Gagarina, 93 behind the complex of the Central Market. Finding it, too, is not easy because of its proximity to the market and the large concentration of vehicles. The building is old, in poor condition, you should not count on a comfortable waiting for the flight. Opening hours from 5:00 to 19:30. Serves the following areas: Arzgir, Anapa, Astrakhan, Baku, Grateful, Budyonnovsk, Vladikavkaz, Gelendzhik, Derbent, Maykop, Makhachkala, Mozdok, Moscow, Nalchik, Novoselitskoye, Prokhladny, Stavropol, Stepnoye, Uchkeken.

Pyatigorsk:  the main bus station is located in the city center at the intersection of Kalinin Ave and ul. Bunimovich. Opening hours from 5:45 to 21:00. Serves flights of the northern direction: Mineralnye Vody, Stavropol, Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don, Moscow. From this station minibuses also go to Nalchik, Cherkessk, Vladikavkaz, Makhachkala and Grozny.

In Pyatigorsk there are several bus stations. Shuttle buses depart from the Upper Market bus station to the suburbs and neighboring settlements, including Kabardino-Balkaria. The most popular routes: No. 108: “Pyatigorsk - Georgievsk”, No. 130: “Pyatigorsk - Vin-Sady” and No. 112: “Pyatigorsk - Lermontov”. From the bus station at the railway station, shuttle buses run to Lermontov - No. 112, Zheleznovodsk - No. 213, Mineralnye Vody - No. 223. City bus No. 1 runs to the resort area and Lake Proval, boarding the bus at the barrier.

Zheleznovodsk:a small bus station is located on Railway Station Square. Opening hours from 06:00 to 17:00. It stops public transport routes and several intercity flights.

Bus schedule for Mineralnye Vody bus station

Car

The federal highways nearest the Kavminvodvod are M29 (the Caucasus, passes through Mineralnye Vody and Inozemtsevo) and A157 (a section of the Mineralnye Vody – Kislovodsk road). The Lermontov-Cherkessk highway (A156) is located ten kilometers south of the city. You can get from Moscow to Kislovodsk via the M4 “Don” Federal Highway (E115), via Rostov-on-Don to the village of Pavlovskaya in the Krasnodar Territory, and then along the M29 (E50) highway via Mineralnye Vody.

Climate and weather in Caucasian Mineralnye Vody

The climate in the region of Caucasian Mineral Waters depends on the specific city, because the mountains can form unique weather in a relatively small area.

For example, due to the fact thatKislovodsk   located higher than other resort towns of the Caucasian Mineral Water region, sunny weather is observed here about 150 days a year. The climate in Kislovodsk is temperate continental, the city is surrounded by the Caucasus Mountains, which protects it from cold winds and creates a special mountain climate.

Caucasian Mineral Waters is a well-known resort area of \u200b\u200bthe Stavropol Territory, which is unique in terms of environmental indicators. The region is located near Elbrus and is famous for its hydro-mineral resources. Carbonic springs, baths, water and mud springs of the Caucasian Mineral Waters gained popularity in the early 18th century, when the study of the healing properties of mineral resources began.

Lake "Failure" on Mount Mashuk (Pyatigorsk)

Regional Development History

In connection with these features of the region, the range of indications for visiting the Minvod is extremely wide. Researchers at the Research Institute of Balneology in the city of Pyatigorsk have been developing special treatment methods using mineral waters and mud for decades. Works in the Minvody and the plant for the bottling of medicinal fluid in order to sell it throughout the country and for import abroad. Annually 134 sanatorium Minvod accept up to 700 thousand patients. Good equipment of balneotherapeutic orientation puts the sanatorium on a par with the best European spa and medical facilities.

Features of climate and flora

Natural Museum of Mineral Waters

• Kislovodsk deposit of narzans  The source is located in Kislovodsk and is carbon dioxide. The water composition in it combines magnesium and calcium components and sulfate-bicarbonate elements. Three most famous types of narzans are mined from this deposit: sulfate, basic and dolomite. The healing effect of water from the field occurs both when drinking and through the adoption of bath procedures.
• Essentuki Minvody  The waters in this field have a salt-alkaline composition: they are rich in sodium, chloride and bicarbonate.
• Pyatigorsk Minvody  On the slopes of the famous Mount Mashuk is the Pyatigorsk deposit. Five types of mineral waters are produced here, including a rare type of slightly acidic liquid with a complex ionic composition.
• Beshtaugorsk Radon Water Field  Not far from Pyatigorsk, on the slope of Beshtau, a rare type of low mineralized cold water with healing properties is mined. The radon components of water allow it to be used only for balneological purposes.
• Nagutsk Mineral Carbon Dioxide Water  The Nagutskoye deposit is famous for its carbon sources. The produced water is bottled in containers and distributed in more than 10 varieties throughout Russia and abroad.
• Zheleznovodsk mineral waters  The field is discovered on Mount Zheleznaya. The waters here are mostly weakly mineralized with a high content of calcium, sodium, sulfates and bicarbonates.
• Batalinsky sources The mineral waters of the Batalinsky deposit are of a bitter-salty type and have a high level of mineralization. Resource sources are used for laxative purposes.
• Lysogorsk waters  The field is rich in various types of mineral waters, including boron types, thermal siliceous varieties.
• Zmeikinsky mineral waters  Sources are known for their high silica content. Water from this field is especially well exported and has high healing properties.
• Kumagorsk spring  There are 8 mineral springs in the field, which are mainly used in balneology.
• St. George's Mineral Water  The field is known for its high iodine and bromine content in the structure of produced waters.

Tambukan lake

Treatment in Caucasian Mineral Waters