Amazing Beshtau - mountain

Not far from Zheleznovodsk you can see very beautiful mountains: Honey, Iron, Razavalka, Beshtau. The latter is the highest peak of Kavminvod. From it you can see a panorama of the entire resort city, and in good weather, a traveler can contemplate the Caucasus range and even Mount Elbrus. In translation, its name means "Five Mountains".

First mentions

One of the first historical essays in which Beshtau is mentioned is the book of Ibn Battuta. This Arab geographer and traveler visited here in the fourteenth century, after which he told about the healing springs of Pyatigorye. In addition, descriptions of the foothills were found in Greek writers such as Ptolemy and Agatamar. They talked about the beautiful pastures and thoroughbred horses. And Beshtau is mentioned in Russian history. The mountain and its surroundings are described in chronicles and other historical documents. For example, in 1627 they were mentioned in the famous "Book of the Big Drawing". In the sketches of NM. Karamzin also repeatedly mentioned Pyatigorye.

Natural monument - Beshtau

The mountain itself is an example of an unfulfilled volcano. The fact is that a viscous and dense lava with a not very high temperature could not fully spill over the slopes. Therefore, Beshtau is a mountain-laccolith, which has "stone bags" filled with magma, leaked onto the surface and frozen in the form of icicles. This high peak (1400.9 m above sea level) as early as 1915 travelers and geographers proposed to be considered a natural monument. Each mountain top has its name: Small and Big Beshtau, Kozya Rocks, Two Brothers, Lysias Nos. On the part of Zheleznovodsk, the lifting height is 760 meters. Around the mountain there is a ring road, built in 1927 at an altitude of 820 m above sea level. A little more than six kilometers is a winding path to the top of Beshtau. Zheleznovodsk, Lermontov and other surrounding settlements can be seen from there as if in the palm of your hand. And the ascent takes an average of two or three hours.

What is Beshtau famous for?

The mountain in 1914 was surveyed by an expedition from Rostov-on-Don. She gave a description that supposedly refers to the Scythian temple of the Sun, which was on the crest of a spur. As early as 1851, the famous archaeologist Akritas made discoveries, indicating the presence of traces of the ancient Scythians in the Caucasus. As a confirmation, the majestic stone was described In the form of "Scythian cap", which was installed on three pillars. In addition, a domed grotto was found.

The Second Athonite Monastery

At the foot of the mountain is now a monastery, which was founded in 1904 near Beshtau. The mountain was not chosen by chance - it was marked by a cross on the photos brought by John of Kronstadt, who also blessed the creation of the monastery. In the beginning of the twentieth century, 9 monasteries were built. However, after the revolution, most of the buildings were destroyed by the Bolsheviks. Then there was a sanatorium for the disabled, and before the war there was an orphanage. The building was restored on its first appointment not so long ago - in 1999-2001.

Mount Beshtau is unique. A deciduous forest grows at its foot, and some peaks are covered with subalpine grass.