Sights of Abkhazia

The subtropical paradise off the Black Sea coast Abkhazia has attracted the attention of people since prehistoric times. Even 400 thousand years ago, people lived here, as evidenced by archaeological excavations. The blessed nature, warm climate, the sea tempted the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and Turks.

The young republic today is a place of tourist pilgrimage. The largest flow of tourists comes here during the beach season. But at other times of the year you can have a great rest and heal. The unique sights of Abkhazia give special pleasure to vacationers.

Gega waterfall

Among the generous gifts of nature, the beauty of which is breathtaking, there is a real miracle in the Gagra region - the Gega waterfall. It is named after the Gege river of the same name, which falls down from the top of the mountain. Looking at the seething 70-meter-long stream from below, it seems that it is a huge stream pouring from the gaping stone mouth. It is impossible to take your eyes off the sparkling drops.

The sound of falling water can be heard far away, from which you can determine the location of the waterfall. Against the dark background of the rocks, the crystal cascade of jets resembles an outlandish fountain. At any time of the year, even in the summer heat, the water is icy. It's not easy to get close to it - ice splashes scatter far away. The picture of the falling water is complemented by stunning landscapes around.

Dark gray, white rocks, overgrown with bright greenery, captivate the eye with their pristine nature. Mysterious gorges and caves, picturesque stones, mighty peaks create the impression of a place untouched by civilization. From here everyone leaves in admiration, for a long time remaining under the impression of the divine picture.

Lake Ritsa

A pearl among the local natural wonders, Lake Ritsa is the country's main attraction. An avid tourist considers visiting the unique mountain lake a must. They go there as part of excursions or on their own. The road to the lake turns into a journey through fabulous places.

All the way along the mountain serpentines, irresistible views open up that make you freeze with admiration. But they pale at the sight of the miraculous beauty of Lake Ritsa. The turquoise blue water surface is located at an altitude of 900 m above sea level. The length of the water area is 2.5 km, the width is 870 m, the depth in some places is 140 m.

A necklace of mountain peaks surrounds the lake from all sides, protecting the reservoir from the winds. There is a legend about the origin of the lake about 3 brothers and their sister Ritsa. The sister, who could not bear the shame, threw herself into the overflowing river and turned into a lake, and the 3 brothers froze forever, guarding the peace of the sister.

The peaks Agepsta, Pshegishkha and Acetuk represent the brothers, and the rivers Gega and Yupshara represent the robbers who attacked the girl. Only 1 river Yupshara flows out of Ritsa, and 6 rivers flow into it. In 1936, a highway was laid to Ritsa, and it became possible to get here. Today there is a hotel, a restaurant, a boat and catamarans rental point. Nearby is the famous Stalin dacha-museum.

Stalin's dacha on Lake Ritsa

Soviet leader V. I. Stalin could not remain indifferent to Abkhazia, for whom 6 country residences were built here. One of them is a dacha on Lake Ritsa, which today has become a tourist attraction. Externally, the 3-storey building looks modest and unassuming. The green color of the facade is a characteristic feature of all Stalinist residences.

The natural splendor of these places makes the dacha complex picturesque. All buildings are tightly closed with dense flora so that it is difficult to notice them at once. In 1937, a building was erected, resembling a hunting lodge. After 10 years, it was demolished and a building of impressive size was erected, and later surrounded by various buildings.

The complex included houses for guards and servants, a sauna, a kitchen. A pier for ships, a platform for helicopters, and an autonomous hydroelectric power station were equipped. When a residence of the same style was built next to Khrushchev, they were united by a gallery. Now group excursions and independent tours are organized here.

Those wishing to spend the night can rent a room in the former houses of the guards. Hunters to settle in a Stalinist mansion need to take the written permission of the president of the country. All external and internal decoration of the building is devoid of pomp and pretentiousness, but it is made soundly from natural materials. Even sleeping mattresses were stuffed with medicinal herbs and seaweed. Tourists appreciate the authenticity of the buildings.

New Athos cave

Among the numerous underground formations in the country, the largest of them is the New Athos Cave. It is located in the thickness of the Iverskaya Mountain, in the town of New Athos. A fantastic dungeon formed as a result of millennial processes in the earth's crust - a complex system of branches, corridors and halls.

The spatial volume of the natural monument, striking in its size, is 3 million cubic meters. The discoverer of the New Athos Cave, Givi Smyr, discovered it in 1961. When visitors were allowed to enter here (1975), he became the permanent director of the object to this day. A visit to the cave complex - an educational immersion in the world of stalactites, stalagmites, stalagnates, frozen waterfalls and underground lakes.

In total, there are 11 halls, of which only 5 are open for inspection. The last ones were given the names: Anakopia, Narta, Apsny, etc. One hall is reserved for the work of specialists, in the rest scientific research is carried out. They open on certain days for a while. Long-term stay of people in them can affect the unique microclimate of the cave cavities.

A tremendous amount of work has been done here: air passages have been equipped for movement, three artificial entrances have been created on the sides. The hole of natural origin, through which the researcher first penetrated, is on top. Concerts are organized from time to time in the Apkhertsa Hall.

Castle of the Prince of Oldenburg

Vacationers walking in the Primorsky Park in Gagra always pay attention to a building that is unusual by modern standards. This is an interesting attraction - the castle of the Prince of Oldenburg, built at the beginning of the 20th century by the great-grandson of Paul the 1st. Hereditary representative of the dukes and princes of the ancient German family A.P. Oldenburgsky became the founder of the Gagra resort.

After the completion of the construction of the castle, a luxurious park was laid out according to the project of the architect Lucerne. Lucerne, who gravitated towards extraordinary directions in architecture, created a castle in the Art Nouveau style. In Soviet times, at the direction of Stalin, the castle buildings were turned into an elite sanatorium "Chaika".

In the era of perestroika, when the USSR collapsed, the sanatorium ceased to exist. The castle was dilapidated, the subsequent Georgian-Abkhaz war added destruction to the beautiful structure. Inside the premises, everything was plundered by the participants in the conflict and vandals, the outer walls are dotted with dents from bullets and shells.

The complex today belongs to a private owner who has started the reconstruction. The entrance to the castle is closed, but you can go up to the observation deck at the entrance and see the attraction. Nearby there is a restaurant "Gagripsh", built in the time of Oldenburg. It is famous for the fact that it was erected without a single nail and that it was visited by Chaliapin, Gorky, Bunin.

Ritsinsky relic reserve

The territory between the rivers Pshitsa and Gega, covered with pristine forests, was declared by the Ritsa relict reserve in 1996. Its area is 39 thousand hectares on the southern slope of the Caucasian ridge. The national park is divided into 2 zones: reserved and economic. It is prohibited to engage in any industrial and household activities in the protected area.

On the economic part, it is allowed to graze livestock, establish medical and resort institutions, and conduct research work. Here you can conduct excursions, develop tourism. Relic park - a collection of 900 species of diverse flora, habitat of many rare animals.

Broad-leaved and coniferous forests, alpine meadows with a huge variety of flowers, shrubs and grasses provide an opportunity to explore the ancient flora. The Ritsinsky Nature Reserve is a collection of fantastic natural masterpieces. Giant waterfalls, picturesque gorges and canyons, mountain peaks and ridges, glacial lakes create incredible pictures.

That only Lake Ritsa is worth - the main attraction and pride of the republic. Lake Malaya Ritsa and Blue Lake with bright azure water are also wonderful. Each of the 5 waterfalls is unusually beautiful: Man's tears, Maiden's tears, Bird's, Milky, Gegsky. The steep cliffs of the Yupsharsky gorge are impressive, in some places reaching a height of 500 m.

White rocks

An amazing corner, created by nature near the seashore, is located at the entrance to the village. Tsandripsh. This is the wild White Rocks beach, which attracts attention with its unusual appearance. Massifs of limestone rocks, popularly called marble, rise to the very edge of the water.

The sea water here has an azure color due to the basalt rocks. The combination of the blue azure of the sea and the whiteness of the rocks create a beautiful landscape. Rock walls stretch along the coast for about 200 m, reaching a height of 5 m.

There is no infrastructure on the pebble beach, so there are few holidaymakers. The place is chosen by fans of wild secluded recreation and local residents. It is comfortable to sunbathe here: the white color reflects the sun's rays, leaving the rocks cool even in extreme heat.

There is a luxury hotel of the same name 30 meters from the beach, guest houses are rented in Tsandripshe. Caucasian cuisine is served in the U Belye Skal cafe. Almost every day the natural attraction is visited by tourists as part of excursions.

Abaata fortress

A picture of the authentic Middle Ages opens up before your eyes, if you look from the coast at the Abaatu fortress, hidden on a mountainside among the forest. The fortress, built by the Abkhaz around the 5th century, defended Gagra from the side of the Zhoekvarsky gorge.

From there, the Circassians often attacked the settlement, so Abaata became a strategic target. The fortress was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. Various architectural elements are embodied in its appearance.

When the country came under the control of the Russians (19th century), loopholes and bastions were built in the fortress. Cannons were installed on the walls, additional fortifications were created. An important role in the history of Abaata was played by the Prince of Oldenburg, who was involved in the creation of the Gagra resort.

He used the former fortress to carry out the plan. The fortress wall facing the sea was demolished. Instead, a hotel building was built, which is still functioning. The Abaata Fortress is a popular tourist attraction, the main symbol of Gagra.

New Athos waterfall

Hundreds of tourists come to admire the man-made miracle - the New Athos waterfall. It is located in the vicinity of the New Athos Monastery. An artificial waterfall 20 m long, 8 m high was formed as a result of the construction of a dam by monks on the Psyrtskha River. The New Athos Monastery was equipped by monks, among whom were talented architects, gardeners, and engineers. In an effort to create maximum comfort in the monastery, they laid all communications, laid a garden.

To protect the area from flooding when rivers flood, the monks built an arched dam. As a result, excess water began to flow through its arches, forming a picturesque waterfall. The dam became part of the first hydroelectric power station in Russia. Along the way, the problem of irrigation of the monastery lands was solved: vegetable gardens and orchards. Today, no excursion is complete without visiting a man-made water curtain. Despite its small size, the waterfall is very powerful, refreshing well on a hot day.

Anakopia fortress

A thousand-year-old architectural and historical monument rises on the southern slope of the Iverskaya Mountain, recalling the ancient times of these places. Even from the surviving remains of the structure, one can draw a conclusion about the extraordinary power of this citadel.

Judging by the thickness of the walls, it is easy to imagine the numerous arches how much hard work the ancestors of the Abkhaz put into the construction of the Anakopia fortress. Researchers of the ancient bastion do not have a consensus about the exact time of the appearance of the fortress on the mountain. But the prevailing version is that the citadel was erected in the 5th century, when Muslims raided the Abkhaz lands.

The chronicles associated with the fortification capture the events of the 736th and 788th years, when the Arabs unsuccessfully tried to take possession of it. The defense of Anakopia symbolizes the courage and heroism of the Caucasians. In honor of this, one of the internal premises was converted into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos. From the 15th to the 19th century, the fortress was owned by the Genoese, Italians, and Turks.

They began to restore it with the arrival of the Russians here. Today in the archaeological complex, which has undergone restoration, 13 internal objects have been preserved. Above the ruins of the walls, the eastern tower rises in its original form. Now it is the most visited place in the country.

Pitsundo-Mussera reserve

The territory of the state reserve unites 2 sites - Pitsundsky in the Gagra district and the Mussera in the Gudauta district. Both are located on the Black Sea coast. The Pitsunda reserve in the shape of an arc is a grove of relic flora 7 km long, 900 m wide in the central part. Here, relict pines, representatives of the flora of the Pontic era, grow on 200 hectares.

It was they who made Pitsunda a resort of world importance, because they emit a huge amount of phytoncides. Due to climatic conditions, vegetation here grows on 3 levels: grasses and shrubs, Pitsunda pine, Colchis broad-leaved forests.

The Mussera site acquired the status of a reserve in 1934, then in 1951 it was deprived of this status. It was again declared a protected area in 1966. In the Mussera region, it occupies an area of ​​2260 hectares. The reserve is located on the Mussera limestone mountains, which drop vertically into the sea everywhere, except for river mouths. Only in them are the mountains replaced by plains. 3 rivers divide the reserve into 3 parts.

A large amount of moisture, subtropical climate allows mixed forests to flourish. They grow hornbeam, oak, beech, chestnut, alder, birch, etc. The local fauna is represented mainly by squirrels and martens. Large animals do not live here. Among the birds, the Colchis pheasant is famous, there is the Caucasian snowcock, the hawk, and the black grouse.

Sukhumi Botanical Garden

In 1838, the military doctor of the Sukhum garrison Bagrinovsky founded a pharmacy garden, which later became the Botanical Garden. By order of General Raevsky, the territory was assigned to the garrison, and Bagrinovsky was appointed director. The garden is located on the street. Leona, in the city center. From the north, the monkey nursery of the Research Institute is adjacent to it.

During the Georgian-Abkhaz battles, many trees, flower and grassy plantations were damaged by shells. The varieties of flowers bred by the staff of the institution were completely exterminated. Now they are trying to restore this collection. Walking through the expanses of the Botanical Garden, admiring its beauty is a great aesthetic pleasure.

Clean paths, nice benches, decorative urns decorate the green area. Turkeys and peacocks live in mesh enclosures. Turtles swim in small reservoirs, squirrels scurry along tree trunks. There are rarities among the trees. The giant Caucasian linden (almost 3 m in diameter), which survived the hurricane, enjoys general attention.

The pride of the institution is 2 sequoias, the oldest of them is more than 170 years old, and the youngest is 70.The collection of flora includes olives, bamboo, agave, mimosa, water lilies, magnolia, tea bushes. Here, in a pond, Victoria Regu, a royal water lily (stolen in 2018), was grown from seeds.

Sukhumi monkey nursery

A popular tourist attraction known throughout Europe - the monkey nursery is located on the slope of Mount Trapezia. This is not just a monkey house, but a subdivision of the Sukhumi Research Institute of Experimental Pathology and Therapy. It was organized in 1927 at the initiative of the talented therapist Ostroumov.

The reserve is located just on the site of the former summer residence of its founder. During the existence of the nursery, scientists have managed to develop many unique vaccines. In the era of the USSR, more than 1 thousand primates lived in the reserve, in the 90s there were about 3 thousand.

The interethnic war caused heavy damage to the institution, after which the nursery has not yet fully recovered. But there is still a flow of visitors here. At the entrance to the monastery of the monkeys, there is a monument to the primate - a symbol of gratitude to animals that save human life. The nursery's contribution to the study of methods of treatment of oncology and other diseases is enormous.

Various types of monkeys live here. Children especially love to be here, watching nimble monkeys, treating them with delicacies. Caretakers remind visitors of caution - mischievous people can pull off a cap or glasses in an instant.

Independence Memorial

Flared up in 1992-93. the Georgian-Abkhaz war inflicted lasting wounds on both countries. To this day, across the country you can see dilapidated houses with empty eye sockets of windows, non-residential buildings of sanatoriums. Human casualties are also irreplaceable: 4,000 Georgians and 5,000 Abkhazians died in the conflict.

Paradise has turned into an arena of brutal massacres. The Abkhaz paid a high price for their independence. In honor of the victory in Gagra, the Independence Memorial was erected on the central square. The Victory Monument was erected at the expense of donations from patrons and the local budget.

A 30-meter stele rises against the backdrop of a verdant mountain slope. The composition, consisting of 4 parts, is installed on a 3-tiered pedestal. Steps lead to the foot of the stele. A marble slab with the names of the fallen defenders of Abkhazia is installed in the lower part of the pedestal. The faces of the obelisk at the top diverge in the form of an open palm supporting a round ball.

The sparkling gold sphere symbolizes victory and the coming truce. The territory is fenced with a hedge of bushes and paved with paving slabs. There are benches around, and the lawn is green. The "folk path" does not overgrow to the stele. All the time people come here with flowers to honor the memory of the dead.

New Athos monastery

The majestic complex of domed structures, towering on Mount Athos, resembles a fairy kingdom from a distance. Golden domes, sparkling in the sun, stand out against the background of the dark green of the forest. The monastery is located in an inaccessible place, which was chosen at 19 in the Greek monks fleeing persecution.

At the cost of the heroic labor of the monks, a unique monastery complex was erected in honor of Saint Simon the Canaanite. The brothers worked tirelessly over the arrangement, laying communications, roads and pavements. They built a dam to irrigate vegetable gardens and orchards, created an artificial waterfall, and equipped a pier.

The parishioners and tourists visiting the monastery today leave admiring in spite of some dilapidation of the local buildings. The complex includes 6 churches, including the main Cathedral of St. Panteleimon. Inside, the majestic hall is decorated with magnificent wall frescoes - real masterpieces.

Each temple here, dedicated to famous saints, is good and unique in its own way. The territory is decorated with a 4-tier bell tower. Today the Simono-Kananitsky Monastery is a spiritual Orthodox center, the entrance here is b / n.

Bedia Cathedral

The most valuable monument of religious architecture of the Middle Ages, like a proud sentry, rises on a mountain plateau, in the village of Bedia. The unique cross-domed structure was erected in the 10th century during the reign of Bagrat III. At the consecration of the temple, he was given the name of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God. Irresistibly beautiful views surround the sanctuary. The royal remains of Bagrat are buried within the walls of the temple.

Nearby are the ruins of an episcopal palace (16th century) with an adjoining bell tower. Through it, the bishops entered the cathedral. Nowadays, the object is undergoing restoration in order to preserve the valuable monument. The outer and inner walls of the temple are faced with slabs of yellow-gray sandstone. An impressive cross is carved on the eastern façade.

Entrance and window frames are decorated with graceful stone carvings depicting religious subjects. Wall frescoes from different centuries have been preserved in the interior interiors. Restorers discovered 3 layers of church painting (11-16 centuries) This testifies to the former glory of the temple, about the attention that was paid to it.

Seaside park

The picturesque park in New Athos is a source of pride for local residents and a popular tourist destination. The seaside park was laid by the same hardworking monks of the monastery. It is located at the foot of the mountain, on the seashore. The improvement of its territory went on for several years. 7 ponds were built here, watercourses were drawn from the Psyrtskha River.

The water in the ponds was systematically renewed, so the monks raised fish in them for themselves. Each pond is lined with willows, poplars, palm trees and presents a picturesque picture. Until 1910, the park was closed to public visits. It was opened for everyone to visit New Athos for the royal family. Russian tsars regularly visited the New Athos monastery and park.

A small chapel in its southeastern side was built in honor of the visit of the imperial couple of Alexander III (1888). Today, this event is reminiscent of the "Tsarskaya Alley" - the path along which the emperor walked to the monastery. Tourists note the amazing beauty of the flora, the well-groomed territory and ponds. They especially admire the pond with black swans.

Lake Mzy

The “land of the soul” is rich in alpine meadows and high-mountain lakes. One of them - Lake Mzy, located at an altitude of 2 thousand meters above sea level, is located in the north of the country. It is 7 km away from the resort of Audhara, Gudauta district. Small in size (length 100 m, width 40 m), the reservoir is fed by rain and melt water from glaciers.

In the warm season, the water in it does not warm up above 4 ° C, in winter it freezes. Lake Mzy is a blue mirror spread among the mountains, they surround it from 3 sides. A trip to the land of mountain wonders is not easy, but unforgettably beautiful. Hiking trails are laid here, along which mountain hikers climb. Horseback riding is practiced.

There is a track for all-terrain vehicles, that is, jeeping. Climbing up, we can say that summer and winter meet here. Flowering plants of alpine meadows coexist with a glacier that does not melt even in the hottest. The landscapes around are stunning, like in a fairy tale. From time to time, there are campsites of shepherds driving their livestock to the alpine meadows. The picturesque picture is complemented by grazing goats, cows and even oxen.

Kyndygsky spring

In the vicinity of the village of Kyndyg (30 km from Sukhum) there is a balneological mini-resort. The healing properties of the local mineral spring are legendary. The thermal spring with chloride, calcium and sodium saturated water gushes from a hot gut. The water temperature at its base reaches + 100 ° С, closer to the descent it becomes quite comfortable for taking procedures.

Numerous troughs lead down from the source, from where the blessed streams flow down. From the infrastructure, there are changing rooms, individual storage rooms, a toilet, and a cafe. The place is surrounded by various trees, which, together with mineral fumes, create a special microclimate. Swimming under hot jets, visitors undergo a hydromassage procedure.

They take mud baths in a mud spring, and then swim in a pool with mineral water. The spring water has a positive effect on the digestive tract, treats gastritis, peptic ulcers, pancreatitis, and others. Water intake is indicated for cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, osteochondrosis, spondelesis. The list of ailments healed by the Kandyg spring is long.

Lykhny Church of the Assumption of the Virgin

The village of Lykhny Gudauta became famous thanks to a unique monument of medieval architecture (10th century) - the Church of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos. The structure is unique in that for a thousand years it has retained its authentic appearance without undergoing major reconstruction. In 2015, the religious rarity underwent a cosmetic restoration with the aim of further preservation.

The temple was almost always active, as it is now. For 1000 years, prayers and prayers of many generations of Abkhazians have been embodied in its powerful walls. In their reviews, tourists assure that when visiting, they experience a feeling of exciting calm and peace. Such a feeling arises from genuine old icons on the walls of the church.

From the faces of the saints, painted in dull tones, comes the blessed power of the faith of many generations. In everything, one can feel the primordial nature of the amazing environment in which the spirit of the past lives. The atmosphere of authenticity is complemented by some icons with traces of burning left on them. Lykhny temple is a place of spiritual cleansing.

Mussera temple

In the "Abkhazian Switzerland", as the Pitsundo-Mussera reserve is unofficially called, there is an ancient sanctuary - the Mussera temple. It stands on the bank of the Ambara rivulet, which gave the temple its name. Most researchers believe that this is an early medieval structure between the 4th and 10th centuries. There is only fragmentary information about the past of the monument.

It is known that the temple was destroyed during the Ottoman rule. Pirates operated here for some time. Calm in the area reigned only at the end of the 19th century. Today, the Mussera temple is a massive structure made of strong semicircular blocks. Walls in many places are beginning to collapse, the roof collapsed long ago.

On the central facade, the openings of the arched windows and the entrance have been preserved. A green cover of climbing vegetation sheltered the noble ruins from the rains and winds. It is believed that the object was erected in a secluded place under King Leon III. Although the monument is located 150 meters from the sea, it is not easy to find it. Excursions are brought here, tourists examine it outside and inside.

Temple of Simon the Canaanite

The cult object - the temple of Simon the Canaanite today admires the majesty of its external appearance. The snow-white handsome man is located next to the Museum of the Abkhazian Kingdom. The cross-domed structure, erected in memory of the great martyr Simon the Canaanite, has a rich history. The Christian saint was martyred by Roman legionaries in 55 AD. NS.

The religious object was erected in the supposed burial place of the saint on the banks of the Psyrtskhi. Repeatedly the sanctuary was destroyed and rebuilt again, changing its appearance. The largest reconstruction of the church took place in 1875, lasting 7 years.

As a result, the ancient building "grew" due to the increase in the height of the walls. The dome, mounted on a round drum, was shaped like an onion. The walls were crowned with a cornice and a bell tower was added. The restoration of the interiors was carried out in the middle of the 20th century. The craftsmen restored some of the fresco paintings.

Everyone who enters the sanctuary admires the elegance of the architectural composition and the decoration of the walls. Baptisms and weddings are regularly held here. Since Simon the Canaanite is the patron saint of family and marriage, people come here to ask for family well-being. Especially many believers come here on May 23, the saint's day of remembrance.

Pass Pyv

Literally under the clouds, where eagles fly, the Pyz mountain pass stretches. It belongs to the territory of the Gudauta district, occupying a height of 2 km from sea level. Thousands of tourists have already passed along its ridge, heading for the Semiozerie. A visit to the Anchkhou Pass (its other name) is an immersion in the magical world of alpine meadows, incredible landscapes and thrills.

Walking and car excursions are organized to these wonderful places of the pristine Caucasus. Jeeps take tourists to the 6 km hiking trail. You can overcome it either on foot or on low horses. At the top of the pass, vehicles are prohibited, so the air here is clean. Words are powerless to convey the impressions that cover the conquerors of the peaks on the way to the pass and beyond.

On both sides of the trail, flower meadows give way to blueberry thickets. Tourists make stops at the waterfalls "Maiden's Tears" and "Men's Tears", at Lake Ritsa, traditionally have breakfast in the Honey House. The Pyz pass is part of the protected area, where it is forbidden to pick flowers and pick berries.

But no one is forbidden to enjoy stunning views and be amazed at the power of nature. All the difficulties of the ascent pay off by contemplating the divine views of the Caucasian ridge. There is something to film here in memory of being at the height of an eagle flight.

Besletsky bridge

A miracle of engineering construction, a masterpiece of medieval architecture is located in the vicinity of Sukhum, on the Basle River. It is an arched bridge 13 m long and 5 m wide. There are several versions regarding the exact time of its construction. The crossing was approximately built between the 10th and 12th centuries.

At that time, a busy trade route ran across the Basla (Besletka) river. When Besletka was overflowing, it was impossible to cross it, so it became necessary to build a bridge. At the same time, watchtowers were built nearby.

Now ruins remain of the towers, and the unique bridge turned out to be very resistant, which is still able to withstand an 8-ton load. The curved arch of the bridge is made of limestone slabs connected with a strong mortar. It is known that medieval masters added chicken eggs to the solution.

There is information that 40 thousand eggs were used in the construction of this crossing. According to the inscription in the ancient Georgian language and the image of the cross and the letter "T", we can conclude that the bridge was erected during the reign of Queen Tamara. It is impossible not to admire the air ferry and the surrounding landscapes. The beauty of the ancient structure, entwined with subtropical greenery, is delightful.

Akarmar ghost town

There are many sad monuments of the past Georgian-Abkhaz war and the collapse of the USSR. One of them is Akarmara, a former mining ghost town founded in the 1930s. Solid houses of Stalinist architecture, cultural institutions, and children's institutions were built here. Life in it flourished, the main population was Russian. Apartments here were no cheaper than in Moscow.

Everything changed in 1992, when the city fell under siege, and found itself under a shower of Georgian bullets. People began to leave, many died under shelling. To this day, among the devastation and oblivion, 20 families live in the city. Thanks to the remaining electricity, people watch TV.

Tourists from all over the world come to the Abkhazian Pripyat to see firsthand what an abandoned city looks like. Everyone celebrates the magical views of nature, against the background of which dying is taking place. Some houses are still well preserved; traces of life are visible in some apartments. You can even talk to some of the remaining townspeople.

Many buildings have almost completely collapsed, surrounded by trees sprouting even in the windows. In the abandoned apartments, there are pieces of furniture, books, magazines from the Soviet years. It is especially sad to see family photos in which human destinies are embodied. Today Akarmara can be used for the filming of the movie "Apocalypse".

Sights of Abkhazia on the map