For the first time in Krasnaya Polyana? We will help! History of Krasnaya Polyana - history of the city of Sochi Krasnaya Polyana Krasnaya Polyana hills city climate

The city of Sochi is well known not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders. Picturesque places not spoiled by industrial enterprises, the unique proximity of the sea and mountains make it the best place not only for relaxation, but also for practicing sports such as mountaineering, alpine skiing, diving, freestyle and others.

(Krasnaya Polyana is their pearl) - this is, first of all, nature, and only then museums, an arboretum, architecture and other objects of historical value.

Krasnopolyansky district

The Krasnopolyansky district, located in the Adler region, includes several villages located near More than 5,000 people live in this territory, most of whom are Russians, Greeks and Estonians.

The district includes various villages.

• Esto-Sadok - population about 900 people.
• Medoveevka, which is home to only 118 people.
• The village of Kepsha with a population of 316 people.
• Chvizhepse is the smallest settlement in the district - only 60 people.
• Krasnaya Polyana is inhabited by more than 4,500 people.

The village of Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi), whose attractions are associated with the tourism business, became the venue for the 2014 Winter Olympics. The virgin nature of this district attracts not only athletes, but also ecotourists. The main activity of the residents of the village and nearby villages is serving tourists and athletes.

Hotels in Krasnaya Polyana

A favorable place for tourism is Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi). The sights (reviews from travelers confirm this) of this district will satisfy the most discerning and experienced tourists. There is everything for a good holiday: sea, mountains, clean air, excellent service, cozy hotels and recreation centers.

The village arose on the site of old Abkhaz settlements in 1869, and in 1878 more than 30 Greek families who fled from the Turkish invaders moved to it. Today it is a tourist center where people from all over the world vacation.

Hotels are also unique attractions of Sochi. Krasnaya Polyana is no exception. Here you can find accommodation to suit every taste, whim and budget. For example, the Polyana Grand Hotel, the Belarus recreation complex, the Peak Hotel and other bases offer clients excellent service, cozy rooms, Turkish baths and saunas, professional massage, billiards, swimming pools and many other entertainments.

Many tourist centers are located in nearby villages, for example in Esto-Sadok, which is part of the Krasnaya Polyana district (Sochi). Attractions (photos demonstrate this) include not only ski slopes, restaurants and bars, but also the ruins of the ancient Achipse fortress (7th century), the largest apiary in the area, the Mountain Garden, where you can taste fresh honey, and a small copy of the Cheops pyramid. Made of wood, this pyramid is a tool for studying the influence of its shape on water, people and metals. Anyone can freely enter it and become part of the experiment.

Trinity-St. George Monastery

The Trinity-George Convent belongs to the category of “new attractions of Sochi”. Krasnaya Polyana can be proud of its appearance on its land, since there are only 3 churches in Russia where you can pray for dead suicides and unbaptized people.

The monastery was built surrounded by mountains in a very picturesque location on the territory of a closed recreation center. In a clearing around a small pond there are 4 temples of amazing beauty and residential buildings for nuns and pilgrims.

Monastic churches protect the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and pieces of the saints of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and St. Panteleimon, sealed in special capsules.

The Trinity Monastery of St. George was built exclusively with money from donations, and today it accepts all the sick and suffering.

Reservoirs in Krasnaya Polyana

Reservoirs are another attraction of Sochi. Krasnaya Polyana has several unique water sources that are widely known outside the Krasnodar region.

Khmelevskoye Lakes, located at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level, are part of the Sochi National Park. Since 2012, convenient walking paths and steps have been equipped on their territory, and thrill-seekers are offered a jeep ride along a serpentine road.

The beautiful view and convenient places for tourist parking have made Khmelevskie Lakes a popular destination for ecotourism.

Among the water attractions that the village of Krasnaya Polyana is rich in, mineral springs are especially popular. They are visited by people suffering from infertility and diseases of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and nervous systems.

Numerous cases of healing, especially by the waters flowing near the villages of Matsesta and Kudepsta, attract those wishing to improve their health all year round.

Brothers Waterfall usually has a mesmerizing effect on tourists. The two powerful streams from which it is formed fall from the heights of Mount Achishkho, 2000 meters above sea level.

If Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi) is chosen for ecotourism, the attractions in the summer in this region are its lakes and springs. For lovers of hiking, hikes are organized, during which you can enjoy both beautiful views and clean air, as well as the flora and fauna of these places.

Ski resorts

The pride of Krasnaya Polyana is its international-level ski slopes and hotels with high-level service.

The bases serving tourists are divided into categories, so each client can choose in advance a place to stay in economy, standard or VIP class. The ski slopes meet all world-class standards, which puts them on a par with the famous ski resorts of European countries.

Alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh and freestyle skiing competitions are held here, but this does not deter those who decide to ski for the first time. Experienced instructors will teach you how to confidently walk and descend the mountains. The famous Olympic ski slopes are what Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi) can boast of. Attractions in winter include tracks of various levels of difficulty, which attracts winter sports enthusiasts from all over the country and abroad.

Dolmens

Not far from the village of Krasnaya Polyana there are mysterious ancient dolmens, the true purpose of which is still unknown to scientists. These stone structures, made from heavy monolithic slabs, are over 4,000 years old and are considered the best preserved in the country today.

Krasnaya Polyana dolmens have entrances at ground level, they are small in size and more like tombs. Since dolmens were found at the foot, scientists assume that there are many more of them, it’s just that other objects are still covered with earth and stones due to mountain collapses.

You can get to these places either by jeep or on foot (about an hour).

Rybino

For lovers of fishing and delicious healthy food, the Rybino complex was built about 20 years ago, located in a remote place among 3 lakes. To get to this fish paradise, you should either travel on SUVs yourself or call them from the complex.

The efforts spent will not seem in vain. Excellent fishing for carp and carp allows even a beginner to feel like an experienced fisherman. Local chefs will immediately prepare a delicious lunch from the caught fish, and while it is being prepared, clients can relax and take a steam bath in a real Russian bathhouse.

For children, a real adventure will be a visit to the local small zoo, where animals can be petted and fed.

Holidays in Krasnaya Polyana can be so varied that even seasoned travelers speak of this area as a place where dreams of the most exciting adventures come true. For this, Krasnaya Polyana has everything necessary.

Cable car

What other attractions does Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi) represent? opens up a lot of interesting things. You can climb it to 2100 meters.

It is the connecting link between the Alpika Service, Rosa Khutor complexes and the Gornaya Karusel ski resort. New cable car lines, recently built, will be able to take skiers to the peak of the Black Pyramid.

In order for the resort to function year-round, a plant was built to produce ice for the mountain slopes.

Krasnaya Polyana after the Olympic Games

Today, Krasnaya Polyana is a well-advertised ski resort thanks to the Olympics, attracting winter sports enthusiasts from all over the world. A large number of attractions, both natural and man-made, will not leave any traveler indifferent. For a great holiday there is everything: sea, mountains, lakes, rivers, healing springs, clean air, favorable climate and excellent service.

This area has every reason to become a world-class resort.

The seaside city of Sochi and the mountain village of Krasnaya Polyana, which geographically shared the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, are among the riches of the Krasnodar Territory, one of the most dynamically developing regions of the Russian Federation.

Krasnodar Territory is the northernmost subtropical region of the world and the southernmost subject of the Russian Federation. It is located in the western part of the Caucasus and is washed by two seas - the Black Sea in the southwest, and the Azov Sea in the northwest.

For a long time, Kuban - the famous “granary of Russia”, the capital of Russian ports - has the honorary status of the main region of the tourist segment of the Russian economy. This is supported by the extraordinary diversity of flora and fauna of the region, and the rich historical heritage - some historical and architectural monuments located in the region date back to the ancient period. In addition, the Krasnodar region has hundreds of kilometers of sea beaches, unique mineral springs and healing mud, as well as a variety of opportunities for healthy, interesting and active recreation.

Krasnaya Polyana

Krasnaya Polyana - the capital of the mountain cluster of the XXII Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2014 - is an urban village in the Adler district of Greater Sochi.

A picturesque village with a rich history and unique natural conditions is located 40 kilometers from Sochi, which is connected by modern roads and railways. The territory of Krasnaya Polyana is a residential area stretched along the Mzymta River, divided into several administrative sections, including Krasnaya Polyana itself (center), the villages of Esto-Sadok and Rosa Khutor.

The location of the village is extremely picturesque. The valley of the Mzymta River in the Krasnaya Polyana region forms a unique basin surrounded by highlands, bounded from the north and northeast by the Main Caucasus Range and its spur Achishkho with peaks exceeding 3000m. From the south and southeast, the valley borders the Aibga ridge, which runs parallel to the river valley. The village seems to be hidden from prying eyes by mighty mountain ranges and preserved in its original, truly extraordinary form by nature itself.

Climate of Krasnaya Polyana

Krasnaya Polyana is truly a unique corner of nature, occupying a worthy place among the world's recreational areas. There is no such combination of a mild climate, varied vegetation, clean mountain air, the presence of mineral springs and the proximity of a warm sea on our planet.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Krasnaya Polyana was characterized as a mountain climatic station. This definition most accurately corresponds to the actual uniqueness of the resort, because along the ascent you can feel the change of four climatic zones: humid subtropical Mediterranean type, moderately cold Western European type (from 800 to 1800-2000 m), cold meadow zone (from 1800 to 2500 m). m.) and nival (up to 3000 m.).

The weather in Krasnaya Polyana is mostly favorable and is characterized by an abundance of sunny days, which allows you to comfortably relax here all year round. The frequent presence of sun in winter is a pleasant circumstance for those who are not averse to combining a ski holiday and sunbathing on the snow-covered slopes. The average air temperature in the winter months is from 0 °C to -5 °C. The coldest month is January, and the snowiest month is February, which is most popular among skiers. In general, the ski season in these places is much longer than in similar resorts in Europe - the high-mountain zones of the Aibga ridge, called “Circus” and “Circus-2” for their arena-like shape, retain even snow cover, suitable for skiing, up to beginning of June.

Summer at the resort lasts from mid-May to September. It is warm, sunny and mostly calm. The average air temperature in Krasnaya Polyana in summer ranges from +24 to +28 degrees. It can be hot, but the heat is much easier to bear here than on the coast. This is due to lower air humidity and the presence of forests surrounding the resort with fresh, clean air. At this time of year, there may be heavy rains in Krasnaya Polyana, but they are rarely prolonged.

In terms of temperature, the climate of Krasnaya Polyana is similar to the climate of the resorts of the Swiss Alps. Therefore, this picturesque corner of Greater Sochi is often called “Russian Switzerland”.

Nature of Krasnaya Polyana

Studying the flora and fauna of Krasnaya Polyana allows you to feel like a traveler not only around the world, but also in time, because the natural heritage of these places is represented by an incredible wealth of a wide variety of species. Mountain slopes - Colchis forest - Caucasian jungle. Unlike the coast, native plants grow here, among which a considerable part is occupied by relict species (miraculously surviving to us from ancient times) and endemics (i.e., growing only in a certain area). Beech is the predominant tree plant, but during a walk you can often meet oak, hornbeam, collect chestnuts in the fall, and admire the beauty of boxwood. At 1800 meters above sea level, the forests become mixed - fir, pine, juniper, larch and other coniferous species appear here. Above are only alpine meadows full of Red Book plants, such as rhododendron, butcher's broom, Caucasian peony and others.

Animals of the Western Caucasus inhabit the expanses of Krasnaya Polyana from the forest zone to the mountain peaks. Deer, aurochs, wild boars, chamois, bears, bison, wolves, lynxes - you can meet them on the mountain trail. The population of red deer, aurochs, chamois, and roe deer has been preserved and increased, and the viable population of mountain bison has been completely restored. All this thanks to the creation in the 20s of the twentieth century of the Caucasus State Nature Reserve, as well as the Sochi National Park.

Sochi National Park

Krasnaya Polyana belongs to the territory of the Sochi National Park, considered one of the richest natural reserves in our country. Sochi National Park was created in 1983, becoming one of the first biosphere zones in Russia. On a vast territory in the mountains, the size of which reaches 190 thousand hectares, all production and industrial activities were stopped - this land was transferred to Russian citizens for health and tourism purposes.

The territory of the Sochi National Park is classified as the Colchis forest province with a very rich and diverse flora and historical heritage. On the territory of the Sochi National Park there are 114 historical and cultural monuments - these are sites of ancient people, settlements, dolmen structures, well-shaped tombs, remains of fortresses, temples, burial mounds, sacrificial stones, obelisks and military monuments.

After the creation of the Sochi National Park, its employees laid forest roads on the territory, landscaped paths and bridges, and opened more than 50 natural sites to guests. These include unique canyons, waterfalls, caves and dolmens, as well as picturesque forested areas.

The priority area of ​​the park’s work is related to environmental education. For this purpose, environmental education centers with small museum exhibitions have been created on the territory of forest districts, including Krasnopolyansky.

History of Krasnaya Polyana

Man settled in the vicinity of Krasnaya Polyana a very long time ago. In mountain caves, archaeologists found ancient tools made of flint and slate, bones of a cave bear and bison, and monumental religious buildings of the Bronze Age - dolmens - surprise everyone who found themselves just above the village in the valley of the Beshenka River.

The Caucasus is considered the ancestral home of modern man. Many researchers are inclined to believe that this is where the tribes that laid the foundation for the ancient states of Europe and Asia come from. It was not without reason that Noah, who escaped the global flood, found refuge for his ark on Mount Ararat. Therefore, Krasnaya Polyana is not only a protected area of ​​nature. It has its own unique history associated with the development of human civilization. Here scientists discovered several sites of primitive people, tools made from rock crystal, obsidian, flint, and bone.

Many peoples lived in these places, replacing each other. Trade, economic and cultural ties were of great importance. Communication between peoples separated by inaccessible mountain ranges and gorges was difficult. Therefore, caravan routes, laid along convenient routes bypassing natural obstacles - impenetrable thickets, rocks, deep gorges, high snow-capped ridges, acquired particular importance. In ancient times, the shortest trade route from the North Caucasus to the coast of the Pontus Euxine (as the Greeks called the Black Sea, literally translated - the hospitable sea) passed through the valley of the Mzymta River, where merchant ships from the metropolis arrived - first Hellas, then almighty Rome. There are more than twenty fortresses built in the 6th - 9th centuries. ad. In the alpine meadows there are preserved atsanguars - ancient cattle pens, and in the vicinity of the village there are mysterious ancestral tombs - stone dolmens.

Peoples

Since the Middle Ages, the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus was inhabited by numerous tribes: Shapsugs, Abadzekhs, Dzhigets, Bzhedukhs, Natukhais, Khamyshes, Besleneis, Kabardians, Ubykhs and others who had the common name Adygs (Adyghe). In Rus', this group of tribes has long been called Circassians, although the origin of the ethnonym is Turkic. The Mzymta Valley in the area of ​​modern Krasnaya Polyana was inhabited by honeybees. The Adyghe were a people of high culture - they knew foundry, knew how to sculpt from clay and carve artistic images from stone. Their main occupations were animal husbandry, farming and hunting. Circassians have always been excellent horsemen, so special attention was paid to horse breeding. The mountaineers took up gardening with great love, not only in their garden plots, but also wherever it was possible. When the grafting season arrived, every Circassian, no matter where he was, had with him cuttings of cultivated varieties of fruit trees, a knife and binding and coating materials. And as soon as he encountered fruit trees on his way, he vaccinated them. This is how orchards appeared here, the fruits of which the residents of Krasnaya Polyana still enjoy today.

Olympics in Krasnaya Polyana

Krasnaya Polyana has developed in the last decade. The village attracted attention when Sochi was nominated as a candidate for organizing the 2002 Winter Olympics. And although Sochi was bypassed by this Olympics, Krasnaya Polyana was noticed. Through the efforts of private investors, ski slopes and chairlifts were built. Attempts were made to create a comprehensive development program for the mountain-sea resort.

Russia's repeated participation in the fight for the right to host the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in 2014, to the joy of seemingly every resident of our country, was crowned with success - Russia won two qualifying rounds, beating its main rivals at the last stage: South Korea and Austria.

According to the project application from our country, all Olympic competitions and the sports facilities intended for them were supposed to be located in two key locations in Greater Sochi: in the Imereti Lowland, located directly on the Black Sea coast; and in Krasnaya Polyana - the pearl of the Caucasus mountain ranges. The two parts of the single project were designated the coastal and mountain Olympic clusters, respectively.

In accordance with the program of the XXII Winter Olympic Games approved by the IOC, the mountain cluster accounted for 10 sports competitive disciplines, including biathlon, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, snowboarding, freestyle, luge, bobsleigh, skeleton, ski jumping and Nordic combined. And this, first of all, meant that by February 2014, Krasnaya Polyana had to provide thousands of guests from all over the world with high-quality conditions for holding international competitions: modern sports complexes and equipped ski slopes; comfortable conditions for living, logistics and work of athletes, journalists, officials, the panel of judges and thousands of fans. Our country has successfully completed all these tasks.

After the Winter Olympics, people started talking about the Sochi mountain cluster with triple force.

Find out how domestic slopes can compare to overseas Courchevel and Aspen - find out in our guide!

Krasnaya Polyana is a tourist association, a popular ski resort, and a world-famous brand. The first holiday home appeared in Krasnaya Polyana in 1924. Since then, for almost a century, the tourist flow to the local mountain slopes has not diminished. De jure, Krasnaya Polyana is a village in which just under 5,000 people permanently live, whose life is completely focused on tourists. Next to it is the village of Esto-Sadok, where less than 1,000 people live. Together, these two communities form the basis of a powerful regional brand, powering the region's most famous ski resorts:
“Rosa Khutor”, “Alpika-Service”, “Mountain Carousel” and the mountain tourism center of OJSC Gazprom, as well as all the apresski infrastructure offered to them - hotels, restaurants, spa centers, clubs, bars and even museums.

The ski resorts of the Krasnopolyansky district can easily be called the most easily accessible in terms of transport links. Firstly, the resort area is only 40 km away. from the airport and 70 km. from the center of Sochi. Secondly, you can get to the cluster by several types of transport at once: by taxi, by regular bus, by minibus on a modern highway, or by the Lastochka electric train, which follows the route Sochi - Rosa Khutor. Rail transport benefits from the absence of traffic jams: electric trains arrive exactly on schedule, while by car you can get stuck in a traffic jam. It is also possible to move around the resort by car. Private cab drivers are available for guests. The cost of a trip on a private vehicle in the 2015-2016 season did not exceed 350 rubles.

Speaking of seasonality. Krasnaya Polyana is almost the only ski resort that offers recreation all year round. When the slopes are exposed, losing snow, hiking, health paths, cycling and rollerblading come into play. But still, winter holidays in Krasnaya Polyana are a priority. The excellent climatic conditions and excellent natural infrastructure are evidenced by the fact that the IOC approved holding the 2014 Winter Olympics here. From the north, Krasnaya Polyana is protected from the winds by the Main Caucasian Range; from the south, the Akh-tsu gorge protects it from excess warm air masses. As a result, skiers can enjoy a mild climate, low air humidity and comfortable temperatures ranging from +5 to -5 C. The mountain slopes of Krasnaya Polyana are not as steep as, say, the Elbrus mountains, so both professionals and beginners can ski here.

The main ski resorts “Gazprom” and “Alpika-Service”, “Gornaya Karusel”, “Rosa Khutor” are located closer to the village of Esto-Sadok. The highest point, Mount Aibga, at an altitude of 2238 m above sea level, is under the jurisdiction of Alpika-Service. There is no single ski-pass for all resorts, so for each object you will need to purchase your own “entrance ticket”.

"Rosa Khutor"
Priceski-pass for the 2016-2017 season: from 1400 rubles for adults, from 1000 rubles for children
.

The main resort in Krasnaya Polyana opened the first stage of ski lifts back in 2010, striving for the title of the largest ski center in the country, but the hosting of the XXII Winter Olympic Games in alpine skiing, snowboarding and freestyle brought it worldwide fame. The territory of the complex covers about 1820 hectares of the northern between the northeastern and southern slopes of the Aibga ridge. The lowest point is 575 meters above sea level near the Mzymta River, the highest peak is in the area of ​​the Stone Pillar peak - 2509 meters. The complex can receive 10,000 visitors daily, so its status as the largest ski resort in the Russian Federation is not unfounded. It offers about 20 lifts and almost 80 km of slopes of varying difficulty, from green to black. The artificial snowmaking system allows you to extend the ski season to 6 months a year.

"Mountain Carousel"
Priceski-pass for the 2016-2017 season: from 600 rubles for adults, from 400 rubles for children
A full description of the routes and prices for all resort services are indicated .

The Mountain Carousel complex is part of the all-season resort “Gorki Gorod”. In winter, trails are available to guests at altitudes from 960 to 2300 m above sea level, with a total length of about 12 km. There are observation decks, recreation areas, cafes and restaurants. After mid-May, when the ski season officially ends, guests of Gorki Gorod are offered numerous entertainments: cycling and horseback riding along the mountain serpentine, tourist mountaineering, environmental and topographical tours, helicopter excursions, spa and yoga sessions.

GTC "Gazprom"
Cost of ski-pass for the 2016-2017 season: from 1000 rubles for adults, from 400 rubles for children
A full description of the routes and prices for all resort services are indicated

This ski resort is located on the slopes of the Psekhako ridge at an altitude of 1436 meters above sea level, at the foot of which are the valleys of the Achipse and Laura rivers. The second name of the complex is “Laura”. The complex includes more than 25 ski slopes of high difficulty - blue and black, a cable car, a ski and biathlon complex and hotel business facilities.

Complex "Alpika-Service"

The first ski complex of Krasnaya Polyana, which received a second round of development after the opening of the Sanki bobsleigh and luge track with a new cable car for the Olympics. After holding sports competitions, the complex was closed again for large-scale reconstruction, promising to emerge afterwards in an updated and modern format.

Olympic venues on the territory of Krasnaya Polyana are alive and well. Some of them became training bases for Russian athletes, others turned into world-class resorts.

For example, the already mentioned "Rosa Khutor" was the venue for competitions in the disciplines of downhill, slalom, combination, super-giant slalom and giant slalom, and has now been transformed into a ski resort.
Complex "Laura", which was the venue for competitions in the disciplines of cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and biathlon, has become a world-class ski complex.
Extreme Park "Rosa Khutor", where competitions took place in the disciplines of moguls, acrobatics, halfpipe, parallel giant slalom and snowboard cross, became a training center.

Sanki Center- the venue for competitions in the disciplines of luge, bobsleigh and skeleton has turned into a training center for athletes of these sports.
Complex "Russian roller coaster", where competitions in the ski jumping disciplines took place, Nordic combined also became a place for training.

What to do on the slopes of Krasnaya Polyana, besides downhill skiing?

1. Dine in a restaurant with the name “Height 2320”, indicating the location of the establishment above sea level;
2. Taste and purchase the title balm “Krasnaya Polyana” and other tart drinks under the “Gifts of Krasnaya Polyana” brand;
3. Visit the Cultural and Ethnographic Center “My Russia”, consisting of 11 thematic pavilions telling about the architecture, culture and traditions of different regions and peoples of Russia;
4. Jump from a bungee 200 meters high or walk along the longest suspended pedestrian bridge (439 meters at an altitude of 207 meters) in the AJ Hackett Sochi extreme entertainment skypark;
5. Buy organic cosmetics without fragrances, parabens and other anti-natural ingredients in the village of Medoveevka, where a small family enterprise operates in this area.
6. Drink tea with local fragrant herbs and eat it with honey, prepared by local craftsmen. Herbs and honey can be purchased and taken with you - you will definitely not find analogues in the world in terms of aroma and taste.

Cost of living: from 350 rubles per day, subject to accommodation in a hostel.

Krasnaya Polyana village located in the widening valley of the Mzymta River, 60 km from the city of Sochi. Many people dream of coming here, having heard about the beauty of this wonderful corner of the Western Caucasus, the most remote settlement of the Sochi resort.

Krasnaya Polyana is truly a wonderful place, nestled right next to the Main Caucasus Range; it is a kind of Mecca for tourists from all over the world. The village is located at an altitude of about 600 m above sea level on a wide terrace and is surrounded by picturesque mountain structures (Aibga, Achishkho, Pseashkho) with relative altitudes of more than 2000 m. The climate of Krasnaya Polyana is soft and relatively warm, mountain-sea. The maximum temperature in August is 38 degrees Celsius, the minimum in January is minus 22.5 degrees, the average annual temperature is 10.2 degrees. Average annual precipitation is 1800 mm. There are many sunny days in Krasnaya Polyana both in winter and summer. Such favorable conditions created all the opportunities for rapid development of vegetation in Krasnaya Polyana. The village is surrounded by gardens, and in the Mzymta valley and on the mountain slopes grow chestnut, beech, ash, oak, alder, evergreen Pontic rhododendron, cherry laurel, azalea and other tree and shrub species. And the higher you climb into the mountains, the harsher the forest becomes - Caucasian fir is found here, and alpine meadows begin even higher. In 4-5 hours of travel, you can get acquainted with a huge palette of natural landscapes; the nature of the vegetation gradually changes from subtropical to alpine, so tourists can see almost all forms of altitudinal zones in half a day. These places are home to bears, wild boars, red deer, aurochs, chamois, and other representatives of the fauna of the Caucasus.

History of Krasnaya Polyana goes back to that distant time when ancient mountain tribes settled here, and then the Sadzy-Dzhigets and Medozyu settled. The indigenous inhabitants of the upper reaches of the Mzymta called the current Krasnaya Polyana Kbaade, which means glade of the Gunba clan. On May 21, 1864, in the area of ​​the village of Kbaade, Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich Romanov read out a manifesto about the end of the Caucasian War. Nowadays Krasnaya Polyana is a large comfortable village with a population of more than 5 thousand people.

Krasnaya Polyana has an ancient history. Archaeological excavations irrefutably testify to this. Expeditions of Krasnopolyansk schoolchildren under the leadership of local historians L.N. Koltsenko and L.L. Sitnikov identified and examined several sites of primitive man, found many tools made of flint, rock crystal, obsidian, carnelian, slate, and bone. In the vicinity of the village there are more than twenty fortresses dating back to the 6th-9th centuries AD. In the alpine meadows, many atsanguars have been preserved - ancient cattle pens, and in the vicinity of the village - well-shaped burials and quadrangular tombs.

In the distant past, the shortest trade route connecting the North Caucasus with the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus passed through the Mzymta valley, to which numerous caravans of ships from Byzantium, Genoa, Greece, Rome rushed for furs, honey, wax, and valuable wood. In those distant centuries, the Black Sea coast and the nearby mountains were inhabited by numerous tribes: Shapsugs, Abadzekhs, Dzhigets, Bzhedukhs, Natu-Khaits, Khamyshes, Beslenei, Kabardians and others, who had the common name Adygs (Adyghe), as well as Ubykhs and Abkhazians. The Mzymta valley in the area of ​​modern Krasnaya Polyana and the neighboring places convenient for settlements were inhabited by honeydews in those days. They were divided into four societies: Chuzhgucha (in the valley of the Chvizhepse River), Aibo-ga (in the Psou Valley), Pskhu, in the area of ​​Lake Ritsa and to the east. Akhchipsou (in the area of ​​present-day Krasnaya Polyana). A distinctive feature of their character was courage, generosity, hospitality and love of freedom. The Adyghe were a people of high culture. They knew casting, as evidenced by the smelting furnaces found in the vicinity of the village; they knew how to sculpt from clay and carve artistic images from stone. The main place in their economic activity was occupied by livestock breeding, agriculture, and hunting. Particular attention was paid to horse breeding; the mountaineers were excellent riders. The mountaineers took up gardening with great love, not only in their garden plots, but also everywhere, wherever possible. When the grafting season arrived, every Circassian, no matter where he was, had with him cuttings of cultivated varieties of fruit trees, a knife and binding and coating materials. And as soon as he encountered fruit trees on his way, he vaccinated them. This is how fruit orchards appeared in forests and forest clearings, the fruits of which we still use today.

On the site of modern Krasnaya Polyana, 130 years ago there was the Circassian village of Kbaade - the largest in the Mzymta valley. It was destined to become a place of historical significance - here on May 21, 1864, the order of the commander-in-chief of the Russian troops and governor of the Caucasus, Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich, was read out about the end of the forty-seven-year Caucasian War. By the will of history, the village of Kbaade became the last stronghold of the highlanders of the Akhchipsou community who defended their independence, who did not want to submit to the white king, just as they did not want to move to Turkey. After a solemn prayer service and an artillery salute in honor of the end of the war, the governor of the Caucasus, at the request of the commanders of the Russian troops, ordered a new name of the settlement of the highlanders - the village of Kbaade became the "city" of Romanovsk, and the entire surrounding clearing was named Tsarskaya Polyana. Several days passed. The Russian troops, having closed their camp, left. And the once flourishing village fell into a long sleep. There were no people in its fields, no their voices could be heard. The sakli trees were destroyed by heavy snowfalls, the once well-groomed fields and gardens were overgrown. Only a few animals settled here, and free birds sang about something of their own...

Only 14 years later, in 1878, people appeared here. These were two intelligence officers sent here by the Greeks living in the Stavropol province - Murat Ksandinov and Fyodor Fanailov. By order of those who sent them, they looked for free lands. Through the Pseashkho pass the scouts reached a spacious clearing overgrown with ferns. It was autumn. The walkers were amazed by the colors of the vegetation - red-brown ferns, bright red and golden maples, cherries, and bushes. And they called the found clearing Krasnaya, not knowing that it was once called Kbaade, then Romanovsky and Tsarskaya. Soon 36 Greek families moved here from Stavropol. They cleared the clearing, built houses and began to settle in the place.

Somewhat later, Estonian settlers appeared in these areas. They settled four kilometers up the Mzymta from the Greek settlement and also took up farming. This is how the village of Estonian Garden (Esto-sadok) appeared. In 1898, Krasnaya Polyana was examined by a special state commission consisting of Professor A.I. Voeikov, F.I. Pasternatsky, engineer M.V. Sergeev and member of the State Council N.S. Abaza. The beauty of nature, the cleanest air, the abundance of wonderful spring water and mineral springs made a stunning impression on scientists. Krasnaya Polyana was recognized as a valuable mountain climatic station, and it was decided to use it as a mountain resort. On the outskirts of the village they installed a pillar with the inscription: “City of Romanovsk.” The land was divided into plots, streets were planned, areas were allocated for parks and squares, and mountain slopes were designated for dachas and gardens. An imperial hunting house was built on the southern slope of the Achishkho ridge. The surrounding areas were declared “a preserved hunting ground for the royal family. The royal nobles, large landowners and capitalists built their dachas here: a prominent figure in the State Duma Khomyakov, mayor Dubasov, Counts Bobrinsky and Sheremetyev, millionaire Morozov, Governor General Drachevsky and others. Dachas also appeared here. many progressive figures of Russia. Old-timers still remember the botanist Khmelevsky - a researcher of the flora and climate of Krasnaya Polyana, the colonel of the medical service Tchaikovsky, who built a boarding house for the treatment of patients with tuberculosis, the famous singer Sobinov, the doctor Polyakov - the founder of scientific research of the Black Sea region, the geomorphologist Reinhardt; and Russian and Soviet scientists N.M. Albov, E.L. Regel, N.I. Kuznetsov and M.N. Smirnov, G.T. Selyaninsv, E.M. Morozova, I.V. Figurovsky, Yu .K.Efremov and many, many others.The name "Romanovsk" never caught on - well, it did not correspond to the unique beauty of this corner of the mountainous Black Sea region. Since the beginning of this century, Krasnaya Polyana has developed and attracted attention not as some kind of city, but as a red - a beautiful place where you can relax and improve your health while traveling around the surrounding area.

Krasnaya Polyana- these are high mountains and green protected forests, life-giving mountain air and fast noisy rivers, flowering alpine meadows and loud foaming waterfalls; these are tourist and ski resorts, museums and apiaries, orchards and mineral springs; they are hardworking, hospitable and cheerful people. Finally, Krasnaya Polyana is the ancient and modern history of the Black Sea region of the Caucasus, a history in which, like the sun in a drop of water, the fate of our entire Motherland is reflected.

So, Krasnaya Polyana is a small village located in a wide valley of the largest mountain river on the Black Sea coast of Russia, Mzymta, at an altitude of 550-600 meters above sea level, among the spurs of the Main Caucasian and Southern ranges. The population of the village is small - only 5 thousand people, and it can safely be called international: Russians and Greeks, Estonians and Ukrainians, Belarusians and Armenians live here and work together.

There are quite large enterprises and organizations in the village - the Krasnopolyanskaya hydroelectric power station, the Southern forestry of the Caucasus State Biosphere Reserve, a department of an experimental production breeding bee farm, the forestry of the Sochi State Natural National Park, the Krasnaya Polyana tourist center of the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Mountain Air tourist center, a ski lodge "Aibga".

Krasnaya Polyana is one of the centers of mountain tourism on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. The most popular tourist routes run to the Achishkho ridge and Mount Aibga, to the Pkhlu Narzan springs and the high-mountain lake Kardyvach. The joy of communicating with wild nature is incomparable to anything: the malachite of forests and the living crystal of waterfalls, the pearls of snow and the azure of the sky - your memory will preserve this precious mosaic for a lifetime. And evenings around the fire, and walks along the colorful carpet of alpine meadows... From the Achishkho ridge, the ascent to which takes about three hours, offers “a beautiful view of the village, Mount Chugush (3238 meters), Mount Pseashkho (3256 meters). deep in the Mzymta valley, in the east you can see the mighty and mysterious Kardyvach mountain knot. To admire the mountains, you can climb to the horizon of the Krasnaya Polyana tourist center, which is on the slope of Mount Achishkho. An unforgettable landscape with the five-domed Aibga awaits you.

Near the horizon there is a museum and a former royal hunting lodge. In addition to the mentioned museum, where visitors get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the Western Caucasus, with minerals and rocks, there are two more museums in Krasnaya Polyana. This is the house-museum of the Estonian writer A.H. Tammsaare, which is located in the village of Esto-Sadok. Here you can get acquainted with the work of the classic of Estonian literature, who repeatedly visited his fellow countrymen in Krasnaya Polyana, and with elements of the life of Krasnaya Polyana residents of the first half of our century. And the local history museum of Krasnopolyansk secondary school No. 65, which lovingly and knowledgeably contains numerous, often unique exhibits telling about the nature and history of the native land. Particularly valuable is the historical exhibition dedicated to the Great Patriotic War, which scorched the small mountain village with its fire.

Among the interesting excursion sites in the vicinity of Krasnaya Polyana are the religious buildings of antiquity that have been preserved here - dolmens, and the ruins of medieval fortresses. Reserved lands are adjacent directly to Krasnaya Polyana, so economic activity, including logging and hunting, is prohibited in most of its surroundings. The dense forests and alpine meadows of the Caucasus Nature Reserve are the refuge and home of thousands of aurochs, chamois, deer, bison, bears and other large and small animals. Although Krasnaya Polyana is located quite far from the sea coast - almost 60 km, and is not located at a low altitude, the climate here is mild and relatively warm - the average monthly temperature in January fluctuates around zero.

A large number of sunny days and an abundance of snow in winter put Krasnaya Polyana among the best mountain climatic resorts in the country, where, in addition, the development of alpine skiing is possible. Krasnaya Polyana is good at any time of the year. In winter you will be surrounded by a fairytale of mountain peaks sparkling with snow, in spring - the ebullience of blooming gardens, in summer - the coolness of forests and rivers, in autumn - the gold of falling spring. And always - the ineradicable freshness of the transparent air.

Makes an unforgettable impression road to Krasnaya Polyana. It starts from the turn to the airport and after 2 km approaches the trout farm and the village of Kazachiy Brod. The old road rises to the Akhshtyrsky ridge, and the new one dives into a 400-meter tunnel and runs further along the bottom of the Akhshtyrsky gorge. On the top left is the Akhshtyrskaya, or Big Cossack Brodskaya Cave - the dwelling of primitive man, and on the right is the small cozy Dzykhrinskoe gorge with a cascade of waterfalls. At the 20th kilometer of the road, a view of the Akh-Tsu gorge opens up.