Karachay-Cherkessia (KCR) is known primarily for its picturesque Caucasus mountains, stormy mountain rivers and amazing landscapes.
There are many interesting and mysterious places here.
List of mysterious places in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic:
- Mount Elbrus - Shat-tau - heavenly altar;
- ancient megaliths of the KCR;
- Arkhyz settlement;
- Mount Erzog - a place of power;
- Adiyukh tower;
- Zelenchuk temples;
- clearing of stone mushrooms;
- Black Lake;
- ancient settlements of the KCR;
- Sofia Glade.

DOLMENS KCHR
As you know, Karachay-Cherkessia is rich in many unique architectural objects, shrouded in mystery, and therefore unique grandeur. A striking example of this is the dolmens, which are located in the Zelenchuk region of the republic.
In one of the most remote settlements of Karachay-Cherkessia - the Leso-Kyafar farmstead, this mysterious place is located, shrouded in mystery and many legends. It is also called the Leso-Kyafar settlement, where, according to one version, there was an Alan settlement many centuries ago.

The mysterious corner of Karachay-Cherkessia does not leave tourists and residents of the republic indifferent, and also arouses great interest among people interested in mysticism and esotericism.
Legends associated with the Kyafar Gorge are sometimes very far from reality. People with varying degrees of historical knowledge write books about these places and put forward their theories. Passing on the history of the gorge from mouth to mouth, people have an irresistible desire to visit this mysterious corner.
Tourists, always thirsty for new knowledge and adventure, despite the long and difficult path to treasured places, take excursions to the famous dolmens. Once there, many are in awe of mysterious stones. An unknown, unfamiliar culture has a magical effect on visitors. Many people believe that by touching the stones they can be charged with power,
get answers to the questions that torment them and even make their deepest wishes, being confident that they will certainly come true.
Experts in the field of archeology and history suggest that the majority of the Leso-Kyafar settlement arose in the 11th century. However, they date the history of the appearance of the dolmens themselves to a much earlier date. Presumably this is the second millennium BC. Such assumptions allow us to say that there was once one of the ancient settlements throughout the country. Over the years, each stone acquired its own history and legend.
Once in this mystical place, many travelers easily believe any completely unimaginable stories and legends, since they themselves feel a certain detachment of this place from the outside world. The remains of the ancient settlement are scattered throughout the gorge and have kept their secret for many centuries, having moved beyond the boundaries of space and time.
The Leso-Kyafar settlement is one of the most remote settlements in Karachay-Cherkessia, and therefore it is the most sparsely populated gorge in the republic. In this mysterious and mysterious place time stops moving. Silence and tranquility help a person to merge with nature. Only the sound of the rivers murmuring below breaks this enchanting and mysterious silence.
Each time travelers see these stones, they come up with their own stories of their origin. Behind the myths and legends in these places, it is almost impossible to discern real events. Scientists have not yet undertaken to judge the true purpose of the stone tables and the inscriptions on them, so as not to be branded as hoaxers.
There are many versions of what exactly was here before. Perhaps it was the capital of the Alans, or maybe it was a large cult complex. Or maybe there was a fortress here. There are many versions, but no exact information. This is the most important mystery of the Leso-Kyafar settlement.

LAKE BLACK

In the North Caucasus, in Karachay-Cherkessia there is a “dead lake” - Black. It is located high in the mountains and is quite small. It is noteworthy that there are no bushes, trees, or even grass growing around.
It is believed local residents, mysterious lake bottomless. If you look at the lake from above, it appears completely black. Locals never swim in it, and they don’t take tourists there.
The most mysterious thing is that drowned people there do not float to the surface, but stand frozen at the bottom like candles (well, this is according to legend). Scientists explain the lifelessness of the lake by gas that comes out of the crevices of the bottom. But there have been no more detailed studies, and there are unlikely to be any.

SECRETS AND MYSTERIES OF ELBRUS

I learned in childhood that there is a rock icon of Jesus Christ in the mountains of Karachay-Cherkessia from my grandmother, who saw the divine face at the beginning of the twentieth century, during a trip from the village of Batalpashinskaya (now the city of Cherkessk) to the Zelenchuksky monastery, near which there was a rock with an icon - and at that time they went to the mountains only in large convoys, under the protection of the Cossacks. “That face was painted from the image that appeared on the scarf with which Christ, going to Golgotha, wiped the sweat from his face,” said the grandmother. “And the monks brought the scarf from Constantinople, when the king there ordered all the icons to be burned and chopped up.” The grandmother’s elder brother argued that the image was painted not from a scarf, but from a shroud (shroud), in which Christ was wrapped after being taken down from the cross and on which, after his ascension, this image appeared. But they ended their stories with one thing - after writing the image on the rock, the plate, or veil, mysteriously disappeared.

Most likely, because of this mysterious disappearance, I remembered those legends for the rest of my life. And when in the summer of 2000 I heard that an ancient icon of the Savior had been found in Karachay-Cherkessia, I decided to see it at all costs. But, before I tell you about my pilgrimage, a little about the history of those places.

On the right bank of the Bolshoy Zelenchuk River, two kilometers from the village of Bukovo, where employees of the Special Astrophysical Observatory(SAO), the Nizhne-Arkhyz settlement is located. In the 7th-12th centuries this territory belonged to Western Alania. According to scientists, the first Christian missionaries came here from Byzantium through Abkhazia already in the 7th century. In the next century, their numbers increased sharply, which was associated with the mass exodus of icon worshipers from Byzantium.

Among the early Christians there were many Easterners, and their traditions forbade the depiction of a person. Therefore, the Orthodox clergy of Asia Minor sharply opposed icon veneration: a weak, insignificant person is not given the ability to correctly depict God; the master who paints Jesus in human form is the worst heretic, for he divides the Theanthropic essence of Christ in two.

In 730, the Byzantine emperor Leo III the Isaurian issued an edict prohibiting icon painting and the veneration of icons. The law caused a storm of popular anger. The iconoclasts who tried to publicly destroy the most revered image of Christ in Constantinople were torn to pieces by the crowd. In response, mass executions of icon worshipers began. The Byzantine fleet tried to speak out in their defense; the ships even approached Constantinople, but were burned by “Greek fire.” Over the next hundred years, icons, frescoes, and mosaics were mercilessly destroyed in the empire. Monasteries were subjected to the most severe persecution - monks were walled up alive in walls, drowned in the sea, and burned at the stake. Icon worshipers were forced to flee. Many of them ended up in the Caucasus.

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SOURCE OF MATERIALS AND PHOTO:
Team Nomads.
Encyclopedia anomalous zones Russia.

The North Caucasus is a treasure trove of natural beauty. All regions are excellent for active recreation. The Karachay-Cherkess Republic gives its guests unforgettable vacation and pleasure.

It is here that you can encounter unique landscapes, ancient temples, climb Elbrus, visit various tourist complexes, and taste national Caucasian cuisine. While exploring the cultural and natural attractions, it is worth appreciating the traditions of the peoples living in this wonderful place.

In the mountain system Greater Caucasus A mountain of unique beauty stands out, this mountain is the double-peaked volcano Elbrus. You can see it on the border of the Karachay-Cherkess and Kabardino-Balkarian republics.

Elbrus attracts thousands of climbers. After their rise to the top, their emotions are difficult to express in words. “The whole earth is at your fingertips” - this is how climbers can describe their feelings. Endless snowy expanses, mountain ridges, the brightest sun and blue sky - all this is the peak of Elbrus.

Dzheganskoe gorge, Ust-Dzhegutinsky district

One of the most popular routes in the Ust-Dzhegutinsky district among tourists who prefer leisure, is the exploration of the Dzhegonas Gorge. This place is attractive in spring and summer. The most interesting place in the gorge is the canyon of the Dzhegonas River, with rocky banks and waterfalls. The view of the river bed is striking in its beauty.

On the way to the waterfalls, you need to overcome a steep descent, and then at a bend the river ends abruptly, forming beautiful waterfall. On hot days it is especially good here, thanks to the freshness and coolness. To explore the next waterfall, you need to go downstream, walking along the river bed. By the increasing sound of the water you can understand how close the waterfall is. The river is surrounded by a wonderful forest, which is also worth a walk.

Here you can meet coniferous and deciduous trees, discover animal tracks, and enjoy the singing of birds. You may also be interested in visiting the Alimkin Cave, located on the left side of the Dzhegonas beam. The cave contains interesting finds, such as ceramics and household items of ancient people.

The unique acidic springs have been known to residents and guests of the republic for many years. You can get to them from the village of Phiya, Urup district, a dirt road leads there.

The journey begins from the Bolshaya Polyana, and from it to the springs. Once you find yourself in this Big Glade, you never cease to admire the amazing beauty of nature, its purity and splendor. Around the clearing there are mountain slopes with pine forests, and a fast-flowing river flows along it, flowers grow.

There is also a lake called Black. The water is warm, you can swim and sunbathe. Then the “Health Path” begins, leading to the springs. A special energy is felt at the springs; people visit this place to improve their health. Next to each source, and there are 18 of them, there is a stone with a name, for example, “Heart”, “Lungs”. All the Narzans merge together and fall off the cliff into the river.

Park of Culture and Recreation "Green Island" in Cherkessk

The city of Cherkessk is the capital and pride of the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia. And the pride of Cherkessk is the park of culture and recreation " Green Island" It was not given its name by chance, because a huge amount of green space against the backdrop of a large city looks like an island.

Sports and cultural events are held here, and residents and guests of the city can relax here. In the park there are many reservoirs with clean water, and around them there is a thicket of trees and shrubs. The islands are connected by convenient passages in the form of bridges. There are various attractions, cafes, and a very interesting visit to the Lukomorye alley based on the fairy tale by A.S. Pushkin.

Location: Ordzhonikidze street - 2.

Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cherkessk

When going on various trips, even if the trip is not a pilgrimage, Orthodox believers often want to visit holy places and Christian cathedrals. The current temple in the city of Cherkessk is the Temple of the Intercession Holy Mother of God. This is both a holy place for Christians and an architectural decoration of the capital.

The history of the temple is unique, it has existed for 275 years, and during its life it has traveled from the Cossack village of Khopra to the Caucasus. The church is wooden and was often moved from place to place; the Cossacks tried to transport it carefully. Now in the church, clergy preach sermons, conduct services, and bells cast from copper sound. And as long as the temple stands on this land, the people’s path to it will never be overgrown.

Location: Lenin street 156-V.

Monument to fallen soldiers in the Great Patriotic War in Malokarachaevsky district

Great Patriotic War claimed millions of lives. Soldiers from the village of Krasny Kurgan, located in the Malokarachaevsky district, also went to the front, many of whom never returned home.

In gratitude for their priceless feat, saving lives at the cost of their own, a monument was erected in this village. This is a large composition in the form of a man and a horse, made in full height. The material from which the monument is made is bronze. There are trees and benches around. Every year on Great Victory Day, celebrations are held here and wreaths are laid. You should definitely approach this landmark and pay your respects to the soldiers who defended our lives.

Not far from Karachaevsk there is an ancient Christian temple, which was built in the 10th century right in the mountains. Now he is historical monument. Many people will want to see it, because the temple on the slopes of the mountains is a real miracle of architecture. The cross-domed church is made in the Byzantine style; its white walls are visible from afar.

The view of the temple is mesmerizing; it seems that it rests on the vault of heaven. Christians believed that it was more convenient to talk to God from the heights of the mountains. And its age of more than a thousand years gives it even greater grandeur. The ancient temple on Mount Shoana holds many mysteries. And in order to solve them, you should go to this beautiful place as quickly as possible.

Sentinsky temple in Nizhnyaya Teberda, Karachay district

One of the ledges on the left bank of the Teberda River is decorated with a Christian temple. The Sentinsky temple has been decorating these picturesque places for more than a thousand years.

Its architecture is striking, it fits well into the surrounding landscape, its forms are impeccable, and the slabs and blocks are carefully adjusted. Despite its age, there are no cracks in the temple. A wonderful view of the Teberda Gorge opens from the temple site in winter time, the ridges are covered with snow, creating an impressive sight.

Watchtower Adiyukh Khabez region

In the Adiyukh settlement, located in the Khabez region, there is the Adiyukh tower, built from sandstone blocks in the 18th century. It has five floors and is part of a ruined fortress. The tower had defensive significance and also served as a storage place for food supplies.

The tower has a rectangular cross-section, the truncated pyramid narrows at the top, and its walls thicken. Local residents have a legend about the tower. According to which, there lived a beautiful girl whose hands shone in the sun and were very white, so that they could light the way at night. And then one day, she quarreled with her husband, and on a dark night she did not show him the way, and he died.

The girl grieved about this for a long time, hitting the stones, which soon turned red. Then she married another man, but died tragically without ever entering his house. The unfortunate husband buried her in a rock. Many years later, a woman’s burial was actually discovered in the rock, and next to the tower there is a mound in which her first husband may lie. Now the Adiyukh Tower is a historical monument and the main attraction of the Khabez region.

Recently, excursionists had the opportunity to visit the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which has become the most popular tourist site. And, although first of all, this is a scientific site, you can go on a tour here.

It is located in the village of Nizhny Arkhyz and the village of Zelenchukskaya. There are two types of viewing available for visitors: daytime viewing and nighttime viewing. During the day excursion, they are introduced to the operation of telescopes, their location, and distinctive features. And during night excursions you can watch the stars using one of the most powerful telescopes.

Tourist complex "Honey Falls"

The best vacation is outdoor recreation. The Karachay-Cherkess Republic has excellent natural resources, which everyone should definitely appreciate. In the territory tourist complex“Honey Falls” in the Malokarachaevsky district of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic can be a great place for everyone to relax. Indescribable sensations and picturesque views await them here.

The holiday is comfortable, because there is everything you need - cottages, cafes, a Russian bathhouse. On the territory of the complex there is ethnographical museum“Karachay Compound”, which contains unique exhibits from various historical eras.

There is a souvenir shop nearby. The tourist complex offers its guests horseback riding of various themes - from a simple walk to a horseback trek to the foot of Elbrus. Among active tours There are rafting trips, jeep tours and safaris. And at the end of a busy day, it’s worth visiting a Russian wood-fired bathhouse or sauna, this will help you gain strength for new adventures.

Residents of Russia have long known the name “Arkhyz” thanks to the mineral water of the same name. In recent years, the village of Arkhyz, where this mineral water, is gaining popularity among outdoor enthusiasts.

People come here to practice water sports, which are held on the Bolshoy Zelenchuk River. Among these activities: rafting, kayaking and rafting, sailing on catamarans. And four years ago it also opened ski resort. It is located on the slopes of three valleys, has long ski slopes, and excellent lift capacity.

Here in the village of Arkhyz there is an interesting rafting base “Neptune”. It provides recreation accessible to everyone. “Neptune” gives extreme emotions, makes vacation unforgettable, here people can easily relax from the bustle of the city.

During the rafting mountain river, travelers admire the amazing beauty protected areas, try dishes of Caucasian cuisine. Professional trainers are always present with the group, and all the necessary equipment is given out right here.

Health complex "Pearl of the Caucasus" Prikubansky district

Karachay-Cherkessia is rich in natural water resources. There are large reserves here fresh water, mineral and thermal springs. Therefore, the region attracts many tourists.

The health complex “Pearl of the Caucasus” has been opened in the Prikubansky district. It includes pools with water that has healing properties. The complex also has saunas, Russian baths, and cafes. "Pearl of the Caucasus" in given time It is developing rapidly; there are additional plans to open a zoo here, which will especially appeal to children. And for lovers fishing a pond is expected.

Location: Stroiteley Street - 1A, Kavkazsky.

For scientists, the appearance of images of saints in various places, be it churches or natural objects. Believers consider this appearance a miracle. While in the village of Nizhny Arkhyz, it’s worth going to Mount Mitseshta to see such a miracle with your own eyes. About 20 years ago, the Face of Christ was discovered in a small sandstone grotto.

The image resembles the Sinai icon. Dimensions: length - 140 cm, width - 80 cm. Getting to this image is quite difficult, but it's worth it. Moreover, now there is a staircase with railings installed there, and there are also benches. On way back You can stop at observation platforms and admire the beauty of the mountains.

Caves different areas Karachay-Cherkessia

Unnamed- the cave is located at the mouth of the Bezymyannaya Balka, approximately 17 km east of the a. Hasaut. The cave extends in the Pliensbach sandstones and, according to the famous Soviet karst scientist N.A. Gvozdetsky, who was the first to explore this cave 40 years ago, is quite interesting.

The cave begins with a large elliptical niche and has a length of 30 m and a height of 10 m. From the base of the niche there is a stepped ascent. On the left side of the niche there is an entrance to the cave itself, which is 12 m wide and 6 m high. From the entrance there is an ascent along smoothed slabs into a rounded hall. The diameter of the hall is 10 m, height 7 m. The rise of the floor continues almost to the very rear wall, where it turns into a flat horizontal platform 2-3 m wide. The rounded hall is bordered at a height by a cornice made of micro-conglomerate, under which there is a semi-circular niche with smoothed walls and a narrow passage. Under the cornice there is a niche that goes into the vault of the hall.

In the valley of the Khasaut River there are many small caves, for example, a cave excavated in Pliensbachian sandstones along an inclined crack with a northeastern strike. The floor and ceiling rise steeply. The length of the cave is 10-11 m. Another cave has a length of up to 20 m. The maximum width is 7 m. greatest height 6-7 m. The entrance is wide, up to 4.5 m. Its height is 3 m. The long axis of the cave is oriented to the northwest. The floor is flat, inclined towards the entrance. Higher up, along the Khasauta valley, there are small caves and grottoes in the Oxford-Kimerydt limestones. Limestones form a structural terrace here, standing out as an edge. Thickness of limestones in area a. Hasaut about 200 m.

WATER- the cave is located in a small nameless ravine, the stream of which, 15 km from the mouth on the left, flows into the Alikonovka river in the Malokarachaevsky district. In the mouth part of the left side of the ravine, Valanginian limestones are exposed, in which two small caves and grottoes have been mined.

The Vodnaya Cave has 2 entrances measuring 3x2 m and 3x6 m. The first entrance is open, the second is half blocked with stone. The entrance leads to a large round cavity with a diameter of up to 12 m and a height of up to 2.5 m. Narrow and low passages with a length of 8 and 15 m stretch from the rear wall along cracks 0° and 30°. The right passage is limited by the plane of the crack along which the drop is marked. The floor is smooth and covered with loose deposits. In the center of the cave, the pipe of the water conduit passing here is walled up from ceiling to floor. The cave is dry, temperature 10°, relative humidity 96%.

Water second- the cave is located up the ravine, 300 m from the Vodnaya cave. The cave has an interesting structure. The cavities here are located on three floors. In the upper part of the outcrop, 2 small inaccessible niches open, below them a larger niche up to 3 m high, 4 m wide, and under it a cave. The cave was excavated along a crack in the north-west direction, the width of the entrance is up to 6 m, the height is 2.5 m, the recess is 11 m. The floor is flat, inclined towards the entrance. The cave is dry, ending in a narrow gaping crack that can be traced to the top of the outcrop.

GRISHKIN CAVES, or the caves of Grishkina Balka, are located in the beam of the same name, which is the right tributary of the Eshkakon River. The caves have an unusual morphology of cavities, perhaps so far the only ones of their kind in the North Caucasus. Here, on the right side of the beam, at a height of 15 m from the bottom of the beam, there is a small terrace composed of limestone tuffs (travertines), above it there is an outcrop of heavily karstified dolomites and dolomitized limestones. A spring with a flow rate of up to 25 l/sec is confined to the lower part of the outcrop. The spring water is hydrocarbonate-sulfate calcium-magnetic with a mineralization of 0.5 g/l.

Higher up on the limestones lie Tithonian gypsum. heavily karstified, with numerous sinkholes. The waters of the spring are clearly fed by these funnels, which determines the sulfate content in them. The stream, fed by the waters of this spring, repeatedly changed its course along the slope, thus depositing groups of tuffs. Subsequently, perhaps with a decrease in the base of erosion, water began to seep deep into the terrace into the underlying layer of limestone, reaching the crack of the slope, the water began to accumulate in it. With a particularly increased flow of water and filling of the cavities, the latter began to look for a way out into the valley of the beam, eroding the front wall of the widened crack and thus making numerous holes and windows. The most eroded holes represent modern entrances to the caves. The section of the outcrop where the caves are located has a length of up to 100 m. 7 of the most bizarrely shaped caves have been mined here, which extend along the repulse crack in a south-eastern direction.

First, the easternmost cavity has 2 entrances and a length of 18 m, two halls up to 4 m high, connected by a four-meter low (0.7 m) manhole. three organ pipes extending to the surface.

Second cave(10 m west of the first) opens with a bizarrely shaped entrance (2.5 x 3 m) and vent windows. Behind it stretches a cavity 42 m long, where there are 3 halls 22.7 and 9 m long, up to 8 m wide, 2.5 to 5 m high, connected by two-meter manholes.

Third cave opens with an extensive arch up to 14 m wide, up to 8 m high, with a recess up to 2.5 m. From it, through the opening (7.3 x 2.5 m), you can go into a cavity 20 m long, 8 m wide, 1.5-7 m high There is a narrow passage from the third cave to the second.

Fourth cave has 2 entrances, between which an vent opens (up to 0.7 m). From all these holes stretch passages up to 6 m long, which lead to a hall 14 m long, 2.5-4 m wide and up to 6 m high.

Fifth Cave located nearby, it also has two entrances, one of them is blocked with stone, the dimensions of the second are 1.7 x 2 m. Behind the entrance there is a cavity consisting of two halls connected by a hole (1.7 x 2 m). The dimensions of the halls are 5x3x4 and 16x4x6 meters. In the last room you can see organ pipes and vents.

Sixth cave small, represented by one cavity 10 m long, 5 m wide. There is a hole from it into a small chamber (3x3 m). The entrance is an arch, with a section of 4x4 m.

Seventh, the westernmost cave is damp and dirty, it periodically fills with water, as evidenced by sediment - sand and gravel. The length of the cave is 14 m. There are many sinter formations in the caves and therefore they are also known as Stalactite.

The Grishkina Balka caves have long been known to local residents. Nearest locality- With. Uchkeken.

DUGUR-DORBUN- the cave is located in the Katykhina gully, the stream of which is the right tributary of the Alikonovka river. In the upper reaches of the ravine, on its right side, 400 m from the school. Elkush (Malokarachaevsky district) Valanginian limestones are exposed. in which there are grottoes and a small cave. The length of the cave, which is confined to a crack in the northeast direction, is 70 m.

The entrance has a height of 3 m, a width of up to 3 m. A cavity stretches from the entrance 20 m long, up to 3 m wide, up to 1.7 m high. Then the height drops sharply, passage is only possible by crawling. At 35 m from the entrance there is a small hall up to 5 m long, up to 3 m wide, up to 5 m high. A crack is visible in the vault. There was a pile of blocks on the floor. At the end, the cave drops to 25 cm, passage is difficult, the air is stale with an unpleasant odor. Translated from Karachay, the name means “uneven cave”.

PADDLE- a cave in the upper reaches of the small Mokraya (or Zamkovaya) gully, which is the right tributary of the Alikonovka river. The length of the gully is about 4 km, and in its steep, steep slopes, composed of Valanginian limestones, numerous grottoes and a small cave, conventionally called “Paddock,” can be traced. The entrance to the cave, up to 6 m wide and up to 3 m high, is blocked by local shepherds with a fence. Behind it is a grotto 7 m long, up to 8 m wide, up to 3 m high. The floor is flat. The ceilings and walls are stable. The cave is used as a cattle pen. In the back wall, along a crack, you can see a passage, which is blocked from the side of the grotto, apparently to prevent sheep from going there.

BY THE WAY. The authorship of the terms (1655) “stalactite” and “stalagmite” (from the Greek “stalagma” - drop) belongs to the Danish scientist Olau Vorm. Drops of water are a solution containing various components, and the chemical processes that occur lead to the precipitation of microscopic particles of calcium carbonate. Thousands of drops falling from the ceiling of the underground cavity leave behind a thin, translucent ring of calcite, which will slowly grow, turning into an elongating tube, falling from the roof, a drop of solution breaks into one cavity, where the deposited calcite gives rise to a single stalagmite, slowly growing, it will strive upward, and, connecting with the stalactite, turns into an underground column - a stalagnate.

SNAKE - karst cave in the upper reaches of the Ak-Suu stream, which flows from the left into the Duut River about 4 km north of the ancient village of Duut (the village is currently abandoned). The Ak-Suu stream flows from the Vaucluse of the same name. above which, in an outcrop of marbled limestone, is the entrance to the cave. The diameter of the round entrance hole is 2.5 m. The cave extends to southwest direction along a vertical gap created by a water flow, and is a chain of small halls connected by narrow wells. The cavity has separate sections where wells to a depth of more than 10 m are overcome “in expansion”, and in others a hitch is required special equipment. Almost all the walls and vaults of the cave are covered with secondary calcite, there are many interesting sinter formations and accumulations of “moon milk”

The cave was first explored by a group of amateur speleologists from the RTI plant from Cherkessk (expedition leader A.I. Gofshtein) in 1972, when the cave was explored 500 meters. The name of the cave was given because of the abundance of snakes near the entrance.

ILYASOVA- a cave on the left bank of the Chilik River in the Yagodkina Rock area. The entrance to the cave is located at absolute altitude 1765 m in a limestone rock outcrop. The total length of the cave is 45 meters. The entrance is a horizontal slot up to 25 meters long and up to 5 meters high. The cave contains small sinter formations (stalactites up to 10 cm). There are drops in the depths. There is a small carr lake. The bottom of the main hall is covered with a pile of boulders (size of individual boulders: 5x7x3 m), the height of the vault is up to 10 m. Small branches of the main hall end in dead ends, their length is no more than 7 m. The cave is named after the person who allegedly hid in it. This same cave is sometimes called Yagodkina, after the name of the surrounding rock.

GOAT- a cave in the marbled limestones of the right side of the Teberda River valley. The entrance to the cave has a western exposure and is located directly above a quarry for the extraction of gray marbled limestone near the northern outskirts of the resort town of Teberda. The cave is a single cavity up to 3 meters long with a vault height of 1.5 to 7 m. The name of the cave is associated with a legend. They say that the goat that fell into this cave came out of the ground in the Dauta gorge.

RED- a cave on the left side of the Krasnaya gully of the right tributary of the Maly Zelenchuk in the Khabez region. The beam is small in length, carved out by a stream in gypsum, the latter flows either as an open watercourse or goes into an underground channel. The cave is part of a channel through which a stream flows. The channel is opened by a small crater in the right side of the beam. A crack can be traced in its walls, oriented along the slope at an azimuth of 270°. Below, among the boulders, there is an entrance 2 m wide, up to 1 m high. Through it you can go down into a cavity 6 m long, 4 m wide, up to 2.4 m high. The floor is inclined towards the mouth and is littered with boulders. Through an opening in the steppe, a corridor-canal of a stream can be traced, about 30 m long, up to 7 m wide, up to 3 m high. The morphology of the cave shows how difficult it was for the stream to produce cavities; more extensive halls are confined to areas of gypsum lenses, narrow and low channels correspond to clay bridges between lenses that are poorly susceptible to corrosion and leaching. The cave is damp and dirty, the walls and ceiling are covered with reddish clay, and the levels of the flow during floods are visible. The water in the stream flowing through the cave is sulfate calcium-magnesium, mineralization 0.6 g/l. The name of the cave is due to the color of the clay in this area

MARBLE- a cave in the marbled limestones of the left side of the Teberda River valley. The cave is located directly in the Agur quarry. It is confined to the acniclinal fold and was developed along a tectonic fracture in a northwestern direction. The cave is small, length 35 m, width from 1.5 m to 8 m, height from 1.5 to 10 m. You can approach it from a. Upper Teberda, where the road leading to the quarry runs along the left side of the valley. Marbled Devonian limestones along the Agur and Gidam rivers (tributaries of the Teberda River) are mined for ornamental stone and marble chips. Limestones in this area are quite widely developed along the right and left sides of the Teberda River and its tributaries, where their horizon thickness reaches 10 m and there is no doubt that new caves will be found here.

BY THE WAY. On the right bank of Maly Zelenchuk, karst phenomena can be traced in Tithonian limestones and gypsum. On the slopes of the massif, the gypsum is cut through by shallow beams with gently overgrown sides. Somewhat lower, at the border of the Tithonian and Kimernjian rocks, the beams sharply change their profile, becoming deeply incised, with steep sides, up to 100 m high, exposing a layered layer of limestone and sandstone. Streams flowing along such gullies have closed karst channels in the upper reaches, in places there are gaps formed above them, and the streams in this case flow in open watercourses in cramped miniature ravines. The wandering position of the streams is characteristic: sometimes they flow through the middle of the beam, sometimes they are pressed against its side. Often there are small funnels in the sides of the beams. revealing an underground channel. However, all these channels are poorly developed, mostly low, impassable. At the places where the stream passes into and testpiaks of the Kimernj, high ledges are formed, and the streams gently form waterfalls, and then flow in open watercourses in a canyon-like beam until they merge with the Maly Zelenchuk River.

IMPASSABLE- the cave extends in the sandstones on the left side of the Khasaut River gorge, above the mouth of the Sullukol River. An inclined crack leads to the entrance, having a strike azimuth of 15-18° and falling to the east at an angle of 50-60°. This crack leads to a niche up to 6 m high, 5 m wide, and up to 4 m deep. From the niche there is a narrow hole that cannot be passed far. The length of the entire cave is 21 m. The cave was described by local historian P. N. Nikitin in 1953.

EAGLE- a cave in the spurs of rocks higher up in the Kluz in the area of ​​the pass, which locals call Ilyasov, along the gorge of the Kyafar-Agur River. The entrance is located at an absolute altitude of 2352 m, next to the Turya cave. Extends in marbleized Devonian limestones. The width of the entrance is 7 m. The height is 1.5 m. The cave consists of three tiers.

• 1st tier: length - 3 m, height - 4 m. On the floor of the tier a stream flows from under the rubble
• 2nd tier: length - 10 m, height - 1.5 m. In the vault there are two wells connecting the first and third tiers of the cave
• 3rd tier: length - 25 m, maximum height up to 5 m. At a distance of 2 m from the entrance there are two wells with a depth of up to three meters, a diameter of up to 2 m. The wells connect the second and third tiers on the left; The length of the hall of the third tier is 7 m, the height is up to 4 m. The next hall of the tier is 9 m long, with a height of 4 m, a stream passes through. There are deposits of marbled limestone fragments on the floor. The name of the cave was given in 1976 by an expedition of the Natural Geographical Faculty of the Stavropol State Pedagogical Institute and is associated with an eagle’s nest near the entrance.

NORTH- a cave on the right bank of the Kuban River near the village of Chapaevskoye. The cave extends 25 m in Jurassic sandstones. It is the northernmost cave on the map of the republic, which determined its name.

STRAW- the cave is located in the Khabez region at the headwaters of the Kaybuk gully stream (the right tributary of the Maly Zelenchuk River); on its right side, almost at the very bed. The slopes of the ravine are low, covered with turf, and the bottom is swampy. The slopes are made of gypsum. The latter are exposed on the starboard side, where from a distance one can see a huge grotto up to 12 m wide, up to 8 m high, deepened by 5 m. In the rear wall there is a wide hole - 5.2 m, 1.5 m high, leading to a large hall. The length of the hall is 32 m, width 15 m, height up to 15 m. The cave was excavated along a crack in the north-western direction. From the hall through a small hole (3 x I m) you can enter the next cavity 17 m long, 7.5 m wide, up to 1.5 m high. From the first hall, from under a pile of boulders, a stream flows out, which flows into the second cavity and goes into the well.

The morphology of the caves in this area, confined to gypsum, has sharp differences from the caves in the western regions of the republic. There, gypsum forms mossy horizons that are more homogeneous in composition, and the cavities are of considerable size. Here the gypsum is represented by lenses of small length and power, so even small caves have bulges and constrictions. What is also unusual is chemical composition water circulating in the Tithonian aquifer. Instead of sulfate-calcium, we see hydrocarbonate, calcium-magnesium, where the sulfate ion (inherent in these waters). is present in small quantities. This indicates the flow of groundwater from the Valanginian horizon into the Tithonian aquifer.

The name of the cave was given by geologists (headed by Ogorodnikova V.I.), who documented this cavity in 1971.

MINING- a cave in the compressed limestones of the Uzhum first ridge. The entrance to the cave is located in the upper reaches of the Podornennaya beam system. The nearest settlement is the village of Nizhny Arkhyz. In 1933 - 1938, gold mining was carried out in a primitive but effective manner in the gorge of the Undermined Beam. The prospectors, of course, knew about the caves in the ravine and its tributaries, but they were not interested in them. And only a few years ago, the cave in the Polorvannaya ravine began to be explored by amateur speleologists from the special astrophysical observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and they gave the cave the name “Prospector”

The cave has a total length of about 600 m and extends in three tiers with different directions. The cave is flooded, and in each tier there are small lakes that are connected to each other in a single chain, but the studies have not revealed where the water from them comes to the surface. Almost all forms of cave deposits and formations are found in the cave. The cave now continues to be explored; recently, speleologists from Stavropol State University were able to go through a previously unknown 42-meter well and found a continuation of the cave.

TESHIK- the cave is located in the left wing of the Shidzhatmaz gully. the stream of which is a left tributary of the Khasaut River. The cave extends in Jurassic sandstone deposits. The entrance corridor of the cave is 8 m long, 5 m wide, 3 m high and leads to the Great Hall of the cave. The length of the hall is 30 m, width 7 m, height 6 m. At the end of the hall there is a small niche, which ends the cave. The entrance to the cavity resembles big hole, this explains the name of the cave, which translated from Karachay means “hole”.

TURYA- a cave in the spurs of rocks above the Vaucluse in the area of ​​the pass, which the inhabitants call Ilyasov, along the gorge of the Kefar-Agur river. The entrance is located at an altitude of 2362 m above sea level, next to the Eagle Cave. The cave extends into marbled Devonian limestones. The width of the entrance is up to 4 m, the height is 4 m. There is a glacier 30 m from the entrance. The length of the glacier is 10 m, with a width of up to 4 m. At 32 m from the entrance to the left there is a branch with a high but very narrow hall. There are ice deposits on the walls. There is a well in the vault (height - 8 m). The length of the traversed section of the cave is 50 m. Further progress through the cave in the summer of 1976 was hampered by ice jams. The name of the cavity was given in 1976 by speleologists of the Stavropol State Pedagogical Institute in connection with the presence of aurochs in the area of ​​the cave.

KHABEZ- the cave is located on the left side of the Belaya gully (a tributary of the Maly Zelenchuk River) 2 km northwest of the village of Khabez. The cave is confined to a tectonic fissure in the Upper Cretaceous limestones. The length of this cave-crack, accessible for passage, is 45 m, width from 0.4 m to 1.5 m, height 7.5 m. The air temperature in the cave is 5 ° C, humidity 75%, CO content - 0. 5%. The entrance is difficult to access, located in sheer cliff at a height of 7-8 m from the foot.

HAJI-DAUT- a cave in the upper reaches of the Belaya River, a left tributary of the Podkumok River. The entrance to the cave is located in the ledge of the Darya ridge and is confined to a small fault in the Upper Cretaceous limestones. The fault is directed to the northwest and is accompanied by a narrow zone of crushing, where narrow cave cavities have been mined. The length of the cave is up to 20 m. The width of the mouth is 2.5 m, deep into the cavity the cavity narrows to 40 cm and stretches another 20 m. The height of the cavity is about 20 m. In the western part there is a well up to 7 m deep, along which you can go down to the lower floor and walk another 14 m along a narrow, low passage. The cave has long been known to local residents and was named after one of them. The nearest settlement is the village. Pervomayskoe.

HAIMASHI- karst sinkholes 2 km west of the southern outskirts of the village of Khabez. Four failures are located on an area of ​​about 2 hectares on the slope of the massif, which is the watershed of the Bolshaya and Maly Zelenchuk rivers. The sinkholes appear to be collapsed or subsided underground cavities excavated in Jurassic sandstones.

• Failure 1. cone-shaped, slope angle 35°, depth 6 m, diameter 35 m, covered with bushes
• The failure 2. is cone-shaped, diameter up to 70 m, depth 25 m, slope angle 40°. The most interesting and impressive failure. In the northern part of the cavity, the rocks that make up the massif are exposed, and the part of the arch that has not collapsed forms a large grotto. According to local residents, the sinkhole formed about 60 years ago.
• The failure 3. is cone-shaped, the slopes are quite gentle, the depth in the center is up to 20 m, the diameter is 65 m.
• Sinkhole 4: cone-shaped, depth 3 m, diameter 9 m, slope angle 80°. The name of the sinkholes is translated from Circassian as “latrine” and is explained by the past hostility of the local population towards this part of the territory. Karst sinkholes in the Khabez area were first described in scientific literature by R. A. Buraev in 1954.

BY THE WAY. Karst phenomena have a connection with seismology, for example, any small earthquake can cause the roof of an underground cavity to collapse. At the moment of a collapse, blocks of rock weighing a thousand or more tons, when fired from a height of 10 m, release enormous energy comparable to a multi-magnitude earthquake. And only due to the small volume of rocks involved, such an earthquake will be felt in a small area. Perhaps something similar happened to the west of the village of Khabez at the beginning of the last century, when an earthquake was registered in Karachay-Cherkessia, and local residents were awakened by tremors and a rumble coming from a place that later became known as “khanmashm”. On the territory of Karachay-Cherkessia, earthquakes began to be recorded at the end of the 18th century, precisely from the time when, after a “shaking” on the Kavminvolskaya Mount Mashuk, the famous Proval was formed. Experts classify the territory of the republic as the so-called Cherkess-Teberda seismic region, where the activity of underground forces is moderate, and the strength of earthquakes can reach up to 7 points. In the past century, the most powerful tremors were noted in the republic in 1904, 1905, 1907, 1918, 1925, 1954, 1963... these tremors always frightened residents and harmed their households.

SHAYTAN-TAMAK(devil's throat, Karach.) - the cave is located on the left steep side of the Kuban River, opposite the village of Vazhnoe. The cave was excavated in the upper layer of heterogeneous Jurassic limestone along a crack in the north-eastern (up to 70°) and north-western (up to 320°) directions. The side passages of the cave are confined to cracks in a sublatitudinal direction. The cave opens in the cliff with a small hole measuring 1.9x1.7 m. Near the entrance there are several niches covered with mumiyo plaque. Behind the entrance there is a grotto up to 5 m long, 4 m wide, in its right corner there is a hole with a cross-section of 0.6 x 0.5 m. Behind which stretches a tight hole - a “skinner” up to 9 m long, and then a low corridor ( height up to 0.7 m), leading to the Visitation Hall. The length of this hall is 8 m, width 6 m, height 1.5-3 m. In the front wall of the hall you can see a narrow and low hole (0.7 x 0.6). Behind it is a small ledge; you need to go down and crawl along the Low Gallery again.

The cave as a whole is represented by a low (0.7-0.8 m) but rather wide (3-4 m) corridor. In dense dolomites, the passages are narrower, limited by the plane of cracks; in places where limestones contain calcite, oddly shaped halls with siliceous laces, spongy surfaces, cauldrons and niches developed by waters are noted. The floor is flat, covered with small sharp-angled fragments of limestone and a large amount of dust. Rare expansions are observed - halls up to 3 m high. For a cave, manholes are quite common - labyrinths closed in rings.

From the Meeting Hall, two passages lead to the south and end: one with Vasya’s Grotto, and the other with the Archaeological Hall, to the north there is a small passage leading to the Grotto of Nightmares, and the main gallery of the cave, bending its knee, goes to the Crystal Hall. The total length of the cave is about 1800 meters. The cavity ends with very narrow slits that have not yet been passed through. At the western end of the cave, small stalactites appear on the vaults, and the floor becomes wet.

The cave was found in 1957 by young tourists and schoolchildren from the city of Cherkessk and still remains a popular extreme underground cavity, through the narrow labyrinths of which many generations of young speleologists of Karachay-Cherkessia were “baptized”.

SHAITAN SMALL (or Little Shaitan)- the cave is located on the left rocky side of the Kuban River, opposite the village of Vazhnoe. The entrance and cave are located 350 m north of the entrance and the Shaitan-Tamak cave and are confined to a fissure and lower layers of heterogeneous Jurassic limestone. The cave is small and consists of two chawls, the total length is about 50 m. About 20 years ago, a huge colony of bats lived in the cave. The floor of the cave is covered with a thick layer of guano - bat droppings, which is widely known as a valuable fertilizer. Guano contains up to 30% phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium compounds. In many countries of the world, guano mining is quite widespread for use and auxiliary rural farms. Bats belong to the order Chiroptera, one of the most numerous among mammals in terms of the number of species. Karachay-Cherkessia is inhabited by the small and giant noctule, two-colored bat, small and large horseshoe bat, dwarf pipistrelle bat, and pointed-eared bat.

Bats are useful to humans, they are big fans of mosquitoes, and in the south of Russia they destroy representatives of 15 of 32 known orders of harmful nocturnal insects: moths, silkworms, leaf rollers and others, replacing dangerous pesticides. Bat populations in caves of KCR this number in Maly Shaitan has now sharply decreased, the animal is included in the Red Book, and we must remember that from the union of man and this flying animal, of course, both sides benefit.