The North Caucasus attracts tourists not only with an abundance of sanatoriums, hospitality of local residents, beautiful views, but also with a huge number of attractions that are concentrated in large resort cities. Pyatigorsk enjoys great love among our compatriots, where people of different ages go to rest and improve their health. Many get permits and spend time visiting various procedures, while others go to the resort "savages" and manage to travel to a lot of interesting places for a rather short vacation. But you know what unites all these people together? All of them can not imagine a vacation without visiting the unique natural attractions of Pyatigorsk - Lake Proval. It was this unusually beautiful place that became the topic of our article today.
Lake location
Lake Failure in Pyatigorsk is a natural pearl of the North Caucasus, which has not only aesthetic value. The fact is that baths that can be taken near the Failure heal rheumatism and many skin diseases (including chronic ones), as well as problems with the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, everyone wants to come here in order to see with their own eyes an unusual lake and improve their health a little.
Any local resident will tell you about the Lake Failure in Pyatigorsk, even small children can tell the road leading to it and tell a couple of ancient legends about its appearance. The reservoir of amazing turquoise color is located in a deep natural cave, bearing the same name. It is located on the southernmost slope of the beautiful Mount Mashuk. The depth of the cave, resembling a deep funnel, exceeds forty meters.
In order to see the Proval Lake in Pyatigorsk, you need to climb the mountain for about a meter, and then go through the dark tunnel, under which there is an unusually beautiful reservoir with an abundance of microorganisms.
Lake History
The most popular attraction of the resort town is the vent of an ancient volcano. The funnel-shaped cave itself is of karst origin, so the groundwater, washing the mountain for several centuries, eventually managed to break through a small tunnel. After some time, it collapsed, creating a cave of unusual structure. At its bottom two small lakes formed, which existed until the end of the eighteenth century. Later, the rock separating them failed, and two ponds merged into one.
Dragon Living in Failure
Since ancient times, Lake Failure in Pyatigorsk was notorious. Many terrible legends and myths were composed about him. The most common was the story of the evil dragon, who lived in the depths of the cave. During the day he hid at the bottom of a blue lake, and at night he came to the surface.
The dragon moved silently along the slopes of the mountain and got as close to towns and cities as possible. He could spend hours waiting for lovers who went on a romantic walk under the moonlight. As soon as the evil monster saw the boy and the girl, he immediately grabbed them and rushed away. No one has ever seen anyone else in love, only at times their bitter cry spread along the slopes of Mount Mashuk.
Romantic legend
There is another beautiful legend that tells about the formation of Failure. In ancient times, the princely son of Beshtau decided to marry the young beauty Mashuk. But the groom’s father, the formidable Elbrus, also fell in love with the young girl and decided to fight for her. In a fierce battle, father and son met, animals came to watch the battle, as well as Mashuk and two girlfriends.
Irreconcilable warriors killed each other. After they gave up the spirit, the remains of the bodies petrified, forming mountain peaks. The battle watchers turned to stone. Only young Mashuka remained alive, but she could not bear grief and, throwing the ring down, thrust a dagger into her heart. So all the mountain peaks of Pyatigorsk arose, and the place where the dagger of the inconsolable beauty fell was a failure filled with her tears.
Exploring the cave
Lake Failure in Pyatigorsk interested scientists around the end of the eighteenth century. Peter Simon carefully studied the cave, making a report on the origin of the reservoir, its features and healing properties.
He first explained why the waters of the lake have such a rich turquoise color. This is due to microorganisms living in it, and feeding on hydrogen sulfide. This gas is contained in large quantities in the cave and fills its air with an indescribable stink. It is this fact that gave rise to stories of dragons and monsters living in the Failure.
The water in the lake in winter has a rather comfortable temperature - about twenty-five degrees above zero, and in summer it is best to refrain from swimming. After all, the water warms up to forty degrees Celsius.
Depth of Proval Lake in Pyatigorsk
In the nineteenth century, tourists had the opportunity to go down into the cave and swim right in the lake, but in recent years it has become very shallow, and now vacationers take health baths nearby. The lake itself is fenced in, and tourists can only admire its beauty from afar.
Today, the diameter of the reservoir is fifteen meters, and the depth does not exceed eleven meters. Scientists predict that in subsequent years the lake will become shallow even more.
Turning Failure into a Tourist Attraction
Despite the fact that local residents always treated the cave and the reservoir in it as something special, tourists began to become interested in this place only at the end of the nineteenth century. In connection with the influx of visitors over the cave, the famous Bernardazzi bridge was erected, allowing you to admire the visible lake visa. A special cradle lowered vacationers to the bottom of the cave, and everyone could swim in the unusual waters rich in microorganisms.
In the mid-twentieth century, they decided to remove the lift, and access to the cave was ensured by a tunnel punched into the rock. It creates a simply indescribable atmosphere of mystery, which excites the nerves of most tourists. At the end of the tunnel there is a grill, through the rods of which you can see the lake and the icon cut into the wall. With its help, water was lit in the last century.
At the exit of the cave, slightly lower on the slope, there are small natural baths rich in hydrogen sulfide. Everyone can swim in them, but do not forget that a long stay in such water can cause poisoning with all the attendant symptoms.
Lake in literature and cinema
This amazing place has always interested not only idle tourists, but also writers. It was first mentioned by Mikhail Lermontov, describing the cave in "Princess Mary".
Later, the famous comedy "12 Chairs" was shot in these places, a sculpture by Ostap Bender was installed at the entrance to the failure as a reminder of this. It is made of bronze and is very popular. It is believed that everyone who wipes the ticket in the hands of Ostap and his nose will definitely get rich. It is not surprising that these places on the statue are rubbed almost to a mirror shine.
Failure Lake in Pyatigorsk: address and route
We think you already understood that it is impossible to leave the resort without having been on the southern slope of Mashuki. Therefore, the question of how to get to Lake Proval in Pyatigorsk is very relevant among city guests.
The "address" of the location of the famous lake sounds quite simple: Mount Mashuk, the beginning of Gagarin Boulevard. Since this place is very popular, you can get here in several ways.
The easiest way to go uphill is by bus at number one. This route starts at the train station, but tourists can catch the bus at other stops. It is convenient that the “unit” route runs through the most famous places of the resort, therefore it is very convenient for transportation. The final stop of this bus will be just Lake Failure.
In Pyatigorsk, how to get to the famous cave, almost any local will tell you. But you can get here on foot, this route is even more picturesque and unusual. You should start the path from Tsvetnik Boulevard, you need to climb up so that the mountain is always on the left side. You will pass through the Academic Gallery and the entire Gagarin Boulevard, at the end of which there is a funnel with a lake. In general, this journey takes no more than half an hour.
If you arrive in Pyatigorsk, then be sure to take a walk to Failure. This place is a truly unique natural monument, preserved to this day almost in its original form.