Not far from Novorossiysk is the picturesque lake Abrau. In the Krasnodar Territory, it is the largest and most famous reservoir . The history of the lake is quite interesting. In addition, many legends have been created about him. In today's article, information is provided about Lake Abrau, as well as the village of the same name, located on its shore.
Active development of the reservoir began in the 70s of the XIX century. In 1979, Lake Abrau in the Krasnodar Territory received the status of a natural monument. Its greatest depth is 11 m. Area - 0.6 km 2 . The name of the village of Abrau-Durso for many is associated with champagne. It is here that the famous winery is located, the history of which began back in the 19th century.
Vineyards in Abrau-Durso
The royal estate was founded in 1870. At the first land surveying, its area was quite large and included forests, steppes and meadows that belonged to it. Grape farming began in 1872. It was then that the local agronomist bought breeding varieties abroad, namely: “Portuguese” and “Riesling”. In the seventies, an area of 30 thousand square fathoms was allocated for grapes here. Over time, such varieties as Pinot Fran, Sauvignon, Pinot Gris, and Traminer began to be cultivated.
The first crop in Abrau-Durso was harvested in 1877. Then they equipped a special basement. After 5 years, vintage table wines appeared in stores. Champagne production began in 1891. And at the end of the century, a plant began operating in Abrau-Durso, which included several buildings, including basement tunnels. Around this time, they built a road leading from Novorossiysk. In Abrau-Durso, specialists who previously worked at the plant in Sudak were transferred. Production continued to expand.
In the 1920s, a plant located near Novorossiysk was nationalized. From now on, he had the status of a state farm, which was led by Frolov-Bagreev for several years - a man who introduced a new method for the production of sparkling wines. In the 30s, the production of Soviet Champagne began. After the war, a working village appeared here. And in the 2000s, it was transformed into a village.
Picturesque lake landscape
The area where Lake Abrau is located is in some ways unique. She did not leave indifferent any traveler who visited these places. Here, a mountain serpentine is surrounded on both sides by vineyards and mountain slopes. After turning off the highway, the road rises to the hills. From here, a beautiful view of Lake Abrau (Krasnodar Territory) and its surroundings opens. There are many legends about the origin of these places. Two of them are described below. But in reality, how did the lake originate? Scientists even answer this question in different ways.
Origin of the lake
According to the most common version, it arose as a result of ancient seismic phenomena. Initially, a basin was formed here, which was gradually filled with waters from mountain rivers. There is another point of view: the lake is supposedly the remnant of a freshwater sea that existed millions of years ago.
And finally, the third version. Lake Abrau in the Krasnodar Territory arose after an earthquake that occurred in antiquity. The mountains moved, thereby squeezed the river bed among themselves. This assumption provides an explanation for the question of where the water disappears from the lake . After all, evaporation cannot explain this. A rather large amount of water from mountain rivers flows into Abrau. In addition, wetland vegetation is completely absent here, which indicates its connection with the sea.
Lotus Lake (Krasnodar Territory)
In Abrau-Durso, there is another interesting reservoir. Namely, the Lotus Lake. It is located near a small village . Locals once planted lotuses near the shores of a reservoir . They grew, and a little later covered the entire water surface. When the time comes for their flowering, the reservoir turns into a surprisingly romantic lake. It seeks vacationers from hotels located in Abrau-Durso. Where you can stay in order to visit wonderful places, we will certainly tell you. In the meantime, back to the most famous lake in Abrau-Durso (Krasnodar Territory).
First legend
There is one beautiful and romantic story about how the lake originated . The Adyghe village was once located on the site of the reservoir . Some lived here in abundance, while others could barely make ends meet. The daughter of one of the richest locals once fell in love with a newcomer shepherd. Parents, for obvious reasons, forbade her to communicate with the poor. Then she began to meet with the shepherd in secret. Once the girl went on a date, and the rich, meanwhile, had a big feast. This celebration ended very sadly. Fun for the sake of the rich threw cakes and other dishes at the poor. God looked at it, and punished the highlanders. The village suddenly fell underground, and a lake formed in its place.
The girl, returning from a date, was upset when she saw a pond in the place of her native home. And then, as befits a legend, she rushed into the lake from a cliff. But her , unlike her parents, there was nothing to punish. The lake did not accept the unfortunate. Then she went in tears along the surface of the water. Then she sat for a long time on the shore of the lake and grieved. Since then, where the girl went, you can see the lunar path. This is another mystery of Lake Abrau in the Krasnodar Territory. The track is strangely located in the same place and is independent of the position of the moon.
Second legend
There is another story about the origin of the lake . Moreover, the same characters appear in it as in the previous one, but the plot and characteristics of the main character are completely different. Once in the place of the reservoir there was once an aul. A girl of rare beauty lived in it. However, she behaved provocatively, which gave rise to reproaches and indignation among local residents. No one, not even their parents, could reason the libertine.
Once someone’s words still acted on her . The girl vowed to continue to restrain base desires, and in proof she said the phrase: " Let the aul fall underground, if I do not keep my promise! " And then a shepherd appeared in the village. The girl ignited him with real, sincere feelings, which had not been noticed before. And of course, she did not keep her promise. The aul fell into the ground, and in its place an amazingly beautiful lake appeared .
Church of Xenia of Petersburg
The lake in Abrau-Durso, the photo of which can be seen in this article, has an emerald blue hue. It attracts, calms, pacifies. It’s not for nothing that everyone who was traveling here dreams of a vacation on a lake in Abrau-Durso. Beautiful not only the reservoir, but also its surroundings. There is a rose park along the main promenade; nearby is also the church of St. Xenia of Petersburg.
In general, the village has only two attractions: a winery and a temple. The latter is not included in the tourist program. There are few people, but this is the main charm. The temple has a pleasant atmosphere. It offers amazing views of the lake. This church is not a historical monument - it was built in 1996. The solemn consecration took place recently - in 2010.
Rest on Lake Abrau (Krasnodar Territory)
Thanks to the famous reservoir and mountain landscape, the village of Abrau-Durso is quite famous among tourists. His fame, of course, is associated primarily with the winery . By the way, here is the Champagne Museum, which is recommended for those who are familiar with the area. About 3.5 thousand people live in the village . It seems that there are even fewer of them. After all, most of the territory is occupied by holiday homes, hotels. The cost of a room in Abrau-Durso is from 2 to 4 thousand rubles. Hotels located near the lake: Augustine, Abrau Khutor, as well as the Energetik Hotel.