Places of interest in Loo: natural creations and architectural structures

18 kilometers from Sochi is a resort village with the exotic name of Loo. In the vicinity it is called Little Sochi. Perhaps it is because of the close location to the famous resort. The main feature of the village is an excellent beach line, which attracts many tourists. Despite the small size of this place, during a beach holiday you can make a series of fascinating walks in the most interesting places. Attractions of Loo are picturesque landscapes, natural monuments and architectural structures, both ancient and modern.

Before turning to the survey of these attractions, I want to say a little about the village. The name of the resort is closely connected with the mountaineers-abazin. This is mentioned by the Turkish traveler of the 17th century Celebi. The word "loo" was formed from the name of the Abazin type of Low, who lived here in the 16-17 centuries. A similar name was given to the river, which flows from the mountains towards the sea. Thanks to the unique history of this place, there is something to see.

To see the sights of Loo is recommended to begin with the Byzantine temple, the ruins of which are near the village at an altitude of 200 meters. The structure was made of limestone in the 8-9 century. To date, you can see small fragments of it. The northern part is best preserved. Judging by the remnants, the temple was not very large - about ten by twenty meters. The thickness of its walls was a little more than a meter. This indicates that once the building functioned as a protective structure. There are three entrances to the temple. During the excavation, fragments of windows from greenish glass, several fragments with carved ornaments were found.

Continuing to explore the sights of Loo, Pay attention to the Armenian Apostolic Church of St. Hovhannes, the consecration of which was held in 2006. It will be interesting to visit the church of the Apostle Simion the Canaanite, whose building began to be built in 2009. Its main feature are two gilded domes. In addition to the architectural structures that are of interest to tourists, Loo is famous for its unique natural places, the inspection of which will be no less interesting.

Attractions of Loo can be supplemented with amazing places created by nature itself. There are 33 waterfalls in the valley of the Shah River in the Gegosh Valley . Some of their number can not be seen by a simple tourist due to inaccessibility. But those 17, which can be seen, will bring a lot of pleasure. Local people like to spend time on the fifth waterfall, as there is a small lake suitable for swimming. The most popular is the waterfall Paradise pleasure, formed by the river Loo. To get to this place, you need to pass on a suspension bridge. On the way, you can go to the open-air museum, which will allow you to familiarize yourself with the objects of the life of the Hamshen Armenians of the 19th century. Nearby is the ancient water mill, restored in the early 20th century. To learn all the beauty of these places is impossible without visiting Loo. The photos, the sights on which are imprinted, do not fully convey that splendor and that spirit that can be felt while in this place.

During the rest in this village guests are offered to admire the wooden tea houses erected in the 70s of last century. Their initial destination is the reception of foreign guests. Now in these buildings there are various cafes. Close to these houses you can see tea plantations. In the houses there are exhibition halls where the collections of Russian handicraft art are presented.

From natural beauty you can get tired. Aquapark Akvalo is a completely different kind of entertainment for those who spend their holidays in Loo at 2013. Attractions are perfectly combined with entertainment, such as the Aquatic Diving Center offers. A fascinating walk can be made on horseback by visiting the equestrian-tourist base "Paradise Pleasure". And for fans of extreme sports there is an opportunity to ride from the mountain in a car with increased cross-country ability.