Pyatigorsk
From Freepedia
Pyatigorsk (Russian: Пятигорск) is a city of a population of over 200,000 (2002) located in Stavropol Krai on the Podkumok River in the Northern Caucasus Federal District of Russia about twenty kilometers from Mineralnye Vody, at 44°2′ N 43°4′ E. The name Pyatigorsk means "five mountains" in Russian and is so called because of the five peaks of the Beshtau (also meaning "five mountains" in Turkic) of the Caucasian mountain range overlooking the city. It was founded in 1780, and has been a health spa with mineral springs since 1803. The Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov, was shot in a duel at Pyatigorsk on July 27, 1841. There is a museum in the city devoted to his memory.
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History
Image:Piatigorsk.jpgThe first historical data on "hot waters" of this region concern to XIV century and belong to the Arabian traveller Ibn Battuta. Scientific interest to them was shown by Peter I which has sent for studying expedition. However the received data soon have been forgotten. Interest to them again has revived in the end of XVIII century when in these places there was a first Russian settlement - Konstantinogorskaya fortress erected at mountain Mashuk in 1780.
It is considered to be date of a birth of a resort 1803 when the state value of the Caucasian mineral waters has been recognized and studying their medical properties has begun: on April, 24th Alexander I signs the Decree (rescript) which the Caucasian Mineral Waters admitted the state property. Near to sources there are settlements. First such settlement became Goryachevodsk (nowadays Pyatigorsk) at Mashuk's bottom. Then have arisen Kislovodsk, Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk.
Historical population
| Year | Population | Year | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1897 | 18 000 | 1926 | 48 000 |
| 1959 | 70 000 | 1974 | 100 000 |
| 1989 | 129 500 | 2002 | 204 371 |
Economics
The industry of Pyatigorsk is primarily oriented at service of the health resort. Flavouring industry(a meat-processing plant, a winery, a dairy, a brewery, a confectionery), light industry (clothing, shoe, carpet factories). Machine industry and metal working (PО Pyatigorskselmash specialises in machines and equipment for aviculture; a special automobile equipment works, an electromechanical plant, etc.); a chemical factory. In 1991, the Pyatigorsk health resort had 10 sanatoriums, 4 boarding houses and 5 sanatoriums - preventoriums. The number of people who underwent a cure and had a rest at the health resort within a year totalled to about 170 thousand.
Geography and climate
The town is charmingly situated on a small plateau, 168 ft. above sea-level, at the foot of the Beshtau, Mashuk and three other outliers of the Caucasian mountain range, which protect it on the north. The snow-covered summits of the Mount Elbrus are visible to the south. Climate of a resort Pyatigorsk moderately continental, without sharp fluctuations of annual and daily temperatures. The summer steadily warm (average temperature of July +22 C°), moderately soft winter (average temperature of January -4 C°) lasts 2-3 months, spring early, cool, with sharp transition by the summer; warm, dry, warm dry long autumn. Relative humidity of air vary from 54 up to 80%. Quantity of sunny days in a year - 98. Favourable climatic conditions in summer and early autumn allow using them for climatotherapy.
Tourism
Pyatigorsk a convenient starting point for numerous tourist routes. The southern slope of Mashuk has a 20-m deep doline called Proval, at the bottom of which there is a small lake. To climb Mashuk, there is a cable and a foot road. At the centre of health resorts of Caucasian Mineral Waters, on slopes and at bottoms of Mounts Beshtau, Mashuk, Zmeyka, Razvalka, Zheleznaya, Ostrov and Medovaya, there is a Mount Beshtau forestland (mainly ash, oak, hornbeam, beech).
Points of interest
The state memorial estate of Mikhail Lermontov has been founded in 1973. It unites all Lermontov's memorial places on region: a place of duel of Lermontov, a necropolis, Lermontov's small house, houses of Verzilin's, house of Alexander Alyabyev, Lermontov's square , Lermontov's monument.
Aeolus Harp (Эолова Арфа) Small stone pavilion in the antique style, constructed by architects brothers Bernardacci in 1828. The name is connected with a name of the god of winds Aeolus.
Diana's grotto (Грот Дианы) is built in 1830, in honour of the first ascention to Mount Elbrus.
External links
- [1], an informational website about Pyatigorsk
