As some of the most worthy and great Russian writers and poets would say: “Whoever did not breathe the Caucasian mountain air did not live...”.
In this article we will talk about Caucasian Mineral Waters. What is good about this resort in the Caucasus and what is unique about Min. waters
The Caucasus is not just mountains, gorgeous nature, springs, springs, eagles over the gorges, vipers on mountain roads between the placers of rhododendrons, the Caucasus is a special spirit, a special culture, this cannot be found anywhere else, harsh, wild, proud, very beautiful, in some places a virgin region.
Caucasian Mineral Waters is a group of resorts of federal significance in the Stavropol Territory, a specially protected ecological resort region of the Russian Federation.
South of the European part of Russia. The resort includes cities and territories:
“The Caucasian Mineral Waters agglomeration region, with an area of more than 500 thousand hectares (5.3 thousand sq. km), is located on the territory of three constituent entities of the Russian Federation within the boundaries of the mountain sanitary protection district:
in the Stavropol Territory - the cities and resort towns of Georgievsk, Mineralnye Vody (including the resort of Kumagorsk and the resort area of Naguta), Pyatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk, Lermontov, Essentuki, Kislovodsk, as well as the actual districts of Georgievsky, Mineralovodsky and Predgorny, - 58% of the total area of the region;
in Kabardino-Balkaria - Zolsky district, - 9% (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 location of the resort is, to put it mildly, gorgeous:
“The Caucasian Mineral Waters region occupies the southern part of the Stavropol Territory and is located on the northern slopes of the Main Caucasus Range, just a couple of tens of kilometers from Elbrus. The earth seems different here, the sky seems different to others.
From afar, motionless white clouds are visible, which, when approaching, turn out to be the snowy peaks of the Caucasus Mountains. The southern borders of the region are the foothills of Elbrus, the valley of the Khasaut and Malki rivers; in the west - the upper reaches of the Eshkakona and Podkumka rivers; The northern border of the region is the city of Mineralnye Vody, beyond which the steppe expanses of Ciscaucasia begin.”
Very close to the Stavropol Territory are the famous resorts of the Krasnodar Territory and Sochi:
“In the west and southwest, the Stavropol Territory borders on the Krasnodar Territory, in the northwest on the Rostov Region, in the north and northeast on Kalmykia, on the east on Dagestan, on the southeast on the Chechen Republic, on the south on North Ossetia. Alania, Karachay-Cherkess and Kabardino-Balkarian republics."
About the Caucasian Mineral Waters resorts in the video:
There are many sources of mineral waters in the Caucasian Mineral Waters, because the difficult region is named just that. The name of the main city, Essentuki, appears on bottles of medicinal water, known to everyone for a couple of decades.
And the water actually has medicinal properties, unlike the products that store shelves are filled with.
In addition, there are many springs, waterfalls, salt and mud springs in the region.
The resort has existed since the beginning of the 18th century; more precisely, the first mentions of it date back to this time. All efforts were directed towards developing the region, so in the 20th century the resort became the largest in Russia, and the most healing.
The most famous cities and resorts of Caucasian Mineral Waters:
Kumagorsk
Nagutsk
Zheleznovodsk
Pyatigorsk
Essentuki
Kislovodsk
Kislovodsk the highest mountain resort, it is located at an altitude of 817-1063 m above sea level, the lowest mountain point of Kislovodsk is 750 m above sea level, and the highest is 1409 m (on the Big Saddle in Kislovodsk Park).
“Kislovodsk is located in the south of the Stavropol Territory, practically on the border with Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria, 65 km from Mount Elbrus.
The city is located in a small and cozy picturesque valley, surrounded by the slopes of the Main Caucasus Range and formed by the gorges of two merging rivers - Olkhovka and Berezovka, flowing into the Podkumok River. The length of the valley from southeast to northwest is about 7 km.”
The weather is almost always good here:“The climate of the KavMinVod region has long been highly valued by balneologists and has been successfully used as a healing factor. The main advantages of the local climate are associated with the large number of sunny days - in Kislovodsk only 37-40 days a year are without sun.
It is relatively dry here; moist air masses from the Black Sea do not reach here - they are delayed by the Main Caucasus Ridge.”
« In terms of the number of sunny days, Kislovodsk is not inferior to the best resorts in the world. On average, per year the number of clear days in Kislovodsk is about 150, while in Pyatigorsk - 98, in Zheleznovodsk - 112, and in Essentuki - 117. The number of cloudy days is also small - on average 61 days per year.
The air in Kislovodsk is always clean, mostly dry and invigorating. Kislovodsk stands out among other KavMinVod resorts for its generally quiet weather, without strong winds, and low humidity in winter, which fluctuates during the day from 56 to 70%, which has a beneficial effect on the well-being of resort guests.”
In January it was 18 degrees Celsius, sub-zero temperatures reached 20 degrees, but much more often the temperature at this time of year here is around zero or “slight minus”. The hottest months are July, August; the temperature, depending on the location near or far from mountains and snowy gorges, ranges from 4-5 degrees Celsius to 37 degrees Celsius.
All resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters are primarily therapeutic, but Kislovodsk, Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk - especially. After Sochi, Kislovodsk is the second city in terms of the number of health resorts and sanatoriums.
A third of all medical and preventive institutions in the region are located here. In Kislovodsk there is a source of the famous acidic mineral water - Narzan.
Built on the site of a former fortress, the city is now replete with green spaces and orchards; in terms of population, it is a very small town: 130 thousand people.
Most health resorts in Kislovodsk have a medical profile for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, nervous diseases and respiratory diseases.
In addition to health resorts, mineral springs and other beauties of the city, one of the most striking attractions is the Resort Park, its area is 948 hectares, which is comparable to the huge city parks of Europe and the world.
“The park is located on both sides of the Olkhovka River and contains over 250 species of trees and shrubs, including cedar, fir, birch, pine, spruce, black walnut, Chinese paulownia, cork tree, etc. In the alpine part of the park, more than 800 species of herbaceous plants.
The park contains nurseries for ornamental plants and greenhouses. Over 80 varieties of abundantly blooming roses are planted on the “Rose Square” and in the “Valley of Roses”. Squirrels, trustingly taking food from people’s hands, and various species of birds have acclimatized in the park.
A natural monument is the Red Stones, which appear in several places in the park and are sandstones with a red-brown color and various forms of weathering.”
The park has a route for therapeutic walking - a health path. And in Kislovodsk itself there are several dozen large and popular sanatoriums.
Despite the fact that resorts and cities are located close to each other, the atmosphere in them can be completely different. So, in Zheleznovodsk there is a different air, a slightly different climate - compared to other resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters.
"Zheleznovodsk - the most dynamically developing resort of Kavminvod. In 2003, it was awarded the title “Best City in Russia” among small cities.
The climate here is mountainous and forest, similar to the climate of the Middle Alps. Long-term meteorological observations made it possible to classify it as mountain-forest, mid-mountain alpine, moderately dry.
The air is saturated with oxygen and forest phytoncides. Moderately hot summers with cool nights, a large number of sunny days with weak refreshing winds, winters are not cold.”
The population of Zheleznovodsk is only about 25 thousand people, but despite the small number of inhabitants, the city is truly a pearl not only among the resorts of the Stavropol Territory, but throughout Russia.
Yes, there are few residents, but many times more guests: for example, the health resorts (about two dozen sanatoriums) of Zheleznovodsk can accommodate up to 80 thousand tourists. The main areas of treatment are diseases of the digestive system, kidneys, and metabolic disorders.
Over 20 mineral water sources and several mud springs.
Pyatigorsk more, so to speak, “amazed by industrialization” than the small and remote cities of Stavropol in terms of the number of citizens. Pyatigorsk has about 145 thousand inhabitants, industry, trade, and science are well developed.
“Within the city limits there is Mount Mashuk (993.7 m, with a 112-meter television relay tower installed on it) and its spurs.
The climate in Pyatigorsk is characterized by mild winters and hot summers. Thanks to a large amount of water resources and a mild climate, the city has picturesque ponds, forest belts and parks.
The resort area, rich in underground mineral water sources, is relatively poor in surface water resources.
The tourist infrastructure of the resort city of Pyatigorsk includes:
More than 30 health resorts and sanatorium-resort institutions. Every year they are visited by over 200 thousand people per year (225-250 thousand people per year in 16 sanatoriums and 7 boarding houses - in the second half - the end of the 80s);
43 travel companies and organizations;
17 hotels;
The city and Pyatigorye have enormous tourism potential and have the right to compete with leading European resorts and balneological health resorts.”
Pyatigorsk has many museums, theaters, historical monuments, libraries, and beautiful places. There are parks and fountains in the city.
“The surrounding mountains are decorated with natural forests in which mighty oaks and snow-white birches, honey-bearing maples and lindens grow, and in the fall dogwoods, hawthorns, rose hips, barberries, and rowan trees turn red with berries.
The fauna is not so diverse due to the proximity of the city, but tourists are always delighted by squirrels, which can be found even in small public gardens in the very center of the city. Swans swim on the pond in Kirov Park in the summer.”
The population is about 105 thousand people, many health resorts, more than 20 mineral springs, the main direction of treatment is “diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and metabolism.”
Essentuki hosts festivals, cultural events, and there are many cultural institutions.
Caucasian Mineral Waters resorts have this name for a reason: the main attraction and main treasure of the region are the springs of mineral waters. And if someone was not here, then everyone drank mineral water.
In 2000, almost 500 thousand people rested and improved their health here.
The “Genius of the Place” program tells about the sights of the Caucasian Mineral Waters:
Caucasian Mineral Waters ranks first in popularity among Russians among Russian resorts:
“The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) analyzed the most popular destinations of domestic tourism in the summer of 2014, the resorts of the Krasnodar Territory (Sochi, Anapa, Gelendzhik, Tuapse) were in first place in the rating, Crimea was in second, on the third, fourth and fifth lines are Caucasian Mineral Waters, Golden Ring and Karelia respectively, Baikal took sixth position.”
The first Russian information about Caucasian mineral springs appeared in the “Book of the Big Drawing” at the beginning of the 17th century. This book mentions the existence of hot wells in the Caucasus. One can guess that the author had in mind the Pyatigorsk and Bragun hot waters. The fact that the healing properties of the springs were known for a very long time is evidenced by the remains of primitive wooden and stone bathing devices discovered in Kislovodsk and Zheleznovodsk.
The first Russian written information about the population of Pyatigorsk dates back to the middle of the 16th century. It was reported that Circassians (as Kabardians were called then) live in this area. Oppressed by the Turks and especially the hordes of Crimean Tatars, the Kabardians sought protection from the Russian tsars. After the defeat of the Kazan Khanate by the Russian army, the Pyatigorsk Kabardians in 1552 voluntarily surrendered themselves to the rule of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, who, a few years later, married the Kabardian princess Maria Temryukovna.
In 1567, at the request of the Kabardians, the first Russian fortress of Terki was built on the left bank of the Terek for their protection. However, no official documents about mineral springs dating back to this period could be found.
More accurate news about the waters of the Caucasus appears only in 1717, when the physician of Peter I, Doctor Schober, was sent by the Tsar to find and study the hot waters on the Terek, later known as the Bragunskys. Schober examined and described the “greenhouses of St. Peter" (as he called them) and reported on the sources available in the land of the Pyatigorsk Circassians (Kabardians). Developing the resort business, Peter I ordered his doctors to draw up rules for the use of mineral waters, which were approved by a special decree in 1719 and went down in history under the name “Doctoral Rules of Peter I”.
The successors of Peter I were short-sighted and limited rulers. Under them, all the undertakings of Peter I in the resort business were forgotten. In 1780, 4 kilometers from Mashuk, on the banks of the Podkumok River, a small fortress was founded, called Konstantinogorsk.
Since that time, the territory of the Caucasian Mineral Waters has entered the borders of Russia. The soldiers occupying the Konstantinogorsk fortress could not help but pay attention to the hot mineral waters of Mount Mashuk. It was they who initiated the use of waters, bathing in a bath carved into the rock of the Hot Mountain.
In 1793, the famous naturalist P.S. visited Kavminvody. Pallas. Along with the Hot Water springs, he was the first to conduct detailed studies of the Narzan spring. Describing the source, he noted with delight that completely pure water flows out with great force - it lifts a person bathing in it. The Medical College recognized the use of mineral waters for medicinal purposes as appropriate. After visiting and studying the hot waters and Narzan by scientists, the news about the healing waters spread more and more widely, attracting patients to the hot waters even from remote cities of Russia.
It goes without saying that only rich people could go on such a long trip. They went to the waters in their own carriages, with supplies and furniture, with a whole retinue of footmen, cooks, singers, dancers and musicians. However, the main visitors to the waters were, as before, the military of the Caucasian troops.
In 1803, the Caucasian hot and sour waters were recognized as of national importance. In the same year, in order to protect those coming for treatment, a small fortress called Kislovodsk was built near Narzan. Thus, 1803 is considered to be the starting date for the life of the Caucasian Mineral Waters resorts. Pyatigorsk and Kislovodsk are the oldest resorts in the North Caucasus, despite the fact that the military redoubt on the Essentuki River, which was the foundation of the Essentuki resort, was built five years earlier than the Kislovodsk fortress.
The Essentuki fortification could not quickly turn into a resort, since alkaline springs were discovered much later.
In 1810, the famous Russian doctor Haaz discovered the Zheleznovodsk and Essentuki springs. In 1819, a student of the famous commander A.V. came to the waters. Suvorov General A.P. Ermolov, who was then commander of the troops in the Caucasus and chief administrator in Georgia (from 1816 to 1826)
Ermolov understood that mineral waters are of enormous social importance and that, in addition to medicinal purposes, they can play the role of a conductor of culture in the Caucasus region. Having examined the condition of the hot springs and baths in Goryachevodsk, Ermolov ordered the unfinished bath building here to be reconstructed and a new wooden building with six limestone baths to be built. The new bathroom building was called Ermolovsky - it was the first large balneological institution that existed until 1874. The Yermolov baths were intended for the upper class of visitors to the resort. Ermolov insisted on allocating some sums for the construction of the necessary structures on the waters. A construction commission was created, which was subsequently assigned responsibilities for water management.
In 1824-25, a new road was built from Georgievsk to Goryachie Vody, significantly shortening the route, which contributed to the further development of Caucasian Mineral Waters.
In 1825, near Mashuk along Podkumk, a Cossack village was founded, later named Goryachevodskaya.
On July 25, 1826, at the foot of the Hot Mountain, the stone building of the Nikolaev Baths (now Lermontov Baths), which was considered at that time the best building on all the CMS, was laid.
In Kislovodsk in 1823, not far from the source of Narzan, the foundation of a wooden building of a state-owned hotel was laid; various trees were planted on both banks of the Olkhovka River, which became the beginning of the magnificent Kislovodsk park. In 1825, the beginning of the Kislovodsk Cossack village was laid.
A wooden bathhouse was built in Zheleznovodsk in 1824, and in 1825 the beginning of the Zheleznovodsk park was laid.
The Cossack village in Essentuki was founded in 1826-27. The military post that existed here was abolished and 300 Cossack families settled in its place. Despite this, the Essentuki resort lagged behind in its development, as little attention was paid to it.
In 1830, on May 14, the settlement of Goryachiye Vody was elevated to the level of a district city called Pyatigorsk. Pyatigorsk received its name from Mount Beshtau. In the Turkic-Tatar language, the word “beshtau” means five mountains (“besh” - five and “tau” - mountain).
Since 1846, the resorts were transferred to the management of the Caucasian governor. The inactive construction commission, created under General Ermolov, was abolished and in its place a Directorate of Waters was established, subordinating it to triple command: the commander of the troops on the Caucasian line, the manager of the civilian part of the Stavropol province and the Caucasian governor. The new water administration soon revealed its true colors. The directorate completely stopped the construction of balneological institutions, but began to build churches and galleries.
In Pyatigorsk in 1848, a wooden Mikhailovskaya Gallery was built, and a year later - a stone Elizavetinskaya (Academic) Gallery. Soon the release of amounts from the Treasury was stopped altogether. A commission was created to review the new water management procedure, which issued a resolution: do not build anything again, recognize it as the best - care only about maintaining what has already been done.
However, the fame of mineral healing waters in the Caucasus was so great that prominent scientists and generally leading people of their time turned their attention here. In the late 40s and 50s of the 19th century, many scientists and writers visited the Caucasian Mineral Waters.
Since 1861, the resorts began to be operated by private tenants and entrepreneurs. In the same year, the directorate was liquidated, and the government transferred the resorts to the full disposal of the capitalist Novoselsky for 9 years. Novoselsky entrusted the management of the waters to Doctor Smirnov, who was invited by him.
Smirnov's invitation was a successful event in the history of resorts. Possessing extensive knowledge and good organizational skills, Smirnov managed to surround himself with the best medical forces. In 1863, he opened the first Russian scientific balneological society in Pyatigorsk. Smirnov paid a lot of attention to the forgotten Zheleznovodsk, where a new bathroom building was built, a new hot spring was examined and put into use, which later received the name Smirnovsky.
In 1870, the resorts were transferred to the tenant Baikov. In May 1875, an event occurred that brought a noticeable revival to the development of resorts. The Vladikavkaz railway was brought to the Mineralnye Vody station. At this time, a telegraph was established between the cities, and a highway was built from the Mineralnye Vody station to Kislovodsk. All this contributed to a greater influx of visitors to the waters, which forced entrepreneurs to at least somewhat engage in creating tolerant conditions for those arriving at the resorts.
Since the end of 1883, Mineralnye Vody came under the jurisdiction of the state.
At the beginning of 1885, a list of the most necessary works for the reconstruction of waterways was compiled, for which the treasury allocated the necessary funds. One of the reasons for such generosity was the desire of the government, as well as entrepreneurs, to stop the flow of Russian gold abroad, since the poorly equipped Caucasian resorts almost did not attract sick landowners and capitalists, and they left for Western European waters, taking with them up to 150 million rubles annually gold. In this regard, in the early 90s, large benefits were provided to private individuals wishing to build hotels, dachas, restaurants, etc. During the same period of development of resorts, a law on the protection of sources was issued and protection districts were approved.
In 1893, the resort towns were connected by a railway line.
In the early 90s, the scientific work of Caucasian balneologists also revived. The medical experience accumulated over the previous period made it possible to draw up indications and contraindications for treatment at the resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters. This development was not yet completely scientifically substantiated, but nevertheless the beginning of streamlining the medical practice was made.
In 1903, the resorts received electric current from Russia's first state-owned hydroelectric station, White Coal, near Essentuki. The real, full-blooded life of the resorts, their real flourishing, began only after the Great October Revolution.
The years of civil war had a hard impact on Caucasian Mineral Waters. The best buildings in the resorts were destroyed. Medical institutions, dachas and hotels, which the White Guards used as barracks and stables, were severely damaged. Parks and boulevards were rapaciously cut down for firewood. The equipment of balneological institutions was stolen.
During the Great Patriotic War, as in the First World War, the resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters turned into a huge hospital for wounded soldiers and officers.
From August 9, 1942 to January 11, 1943, Caucasian Mineralnye Vody was occupied by Nazi troops. Many medical institutions, sanatoriums, and pump rooms of mineral springs were destroyed, but already in March 1943, after restoration work at the KMS resorts, treatment of the wounded resumed. During the war years, thousands of soldiers of the Soviet Army returned to duty after treatment at resorts. For services during this period, Kislovodsk was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree.
By the end of the 40s. All sanatorium and resort facilities damaged by the war were restored.
Since the 50s, a new stage in the development of resorts began. At this time, major hydrogeological studies and exploration work were carried out, as a result of which dozens of new mineral water deposits were put into operation.
The Pearl of the Caucasus, as the Kavminvod region is not without reason called, is today a unique region of the Russian Federation. Healing mineral springs, the beauty of mountainous terrain, an amazing climate, interesting architectural monuments and rich cultural traditions - all this attracts many vacationers to our region from the far corners of Russia and abroad. Caucasian Mineral Waters is also known as one of the most interesting excursion and tourist areas of the North Caucasus.
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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 instructions from 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 founded, 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. Ogilvy, 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 coachmen were replaced by “cast iron” (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.
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 instructions from 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 founded, 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. Ogilvy, 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 coachmen were replaced by “cast iron” (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.
