Not far from Zheleznovodsk you can see very beautiful mountains: Honey, Iron, Razvalka, Beshtau. The latter is the highest peak of the Cavminvod. From it you can see the panorama of the entire resort city, and in good weather a traveler can contemplate the Caucasus Range and even Mount Elbrus. Translated, its name means "Five Mountains."
First mention
One of the first historical essays in which Beshtau is mentioned is the book of Ibn Battuta. This Arab geographer and traveler visited here as early as the fourteenth century, after which he spoke about the healing springs of the Pyatigorsk. In addition, descriptions of the foothills were discovered by Greek writers such as Ptolemy and Agathamar. They talked about the fact that there are beautiful pastures and thoroughbred horses. And in Russian history, Beshtau is mentioned. The mountain and its surroundings are described in chronicles and other historical documents. For example, in 1627 they were mentioned in the famous "Book of the Big Drawing". In the essays of N.M. Karamzin is also repeatedly mentioned Pyatigorye.
Natural Monument - Beshtau
The mountain itself is an example of a failed volcano. The fact is that viscous and dense lava with a not very high temperature could not fully spread on the slopes. Therefore, Beshtau is a mountain of laccolith, which has "stone bags" filled with magma that has leaked to the surface and solidified in the form of icicles. Back in 1915, travelers and geographers proposed to consider this high peak (1400.9 m above sea level) a natural monument. Each mountain peak has its own name: Small and Big Beshtau, Goat Rocks, Two Brothers, Fox Nose. From Zheleznovodsk, the lifting height is 760 meters. Around the mountain there is a ring road, built in 1927 at an altitude of 820 m above sea level. A little more than six kilometers is a winding path to the top of Beshtau. Zheleznovodsk, Lermontov and other surrounding settlements from there are visible at a glance. And the climb itself takes an average of two to three hours.
What is Beshtau famous for?
The mountain in 1914 was examined by an expedition from Rostov-on-Don. She gave a description that supposedly refers to the Scythian temple of the Sun, located on the crest of the spur. Back in 1851, the famous archaeologist Akritas made discoveries indicating the presence of traces of ancient Scythians in the Caucasus. As confirmation, a magnificent stone was described.
in the form of a "Scythian hat", which was installed on three foundations. In addition, a domed grotto was found.
Second Athos Monastery
At the foot of the mountain is now a monastery, which was founded in 1904 near Beshtau. The mountain was not chosen by chance - it was marked by a cross in the photographs brought by John of Kronstadt, who blessed the creation of the monastery. At the beginning of the twentieth century, 9 monasteries were built. However, after the revolution, most of the buildings were destroyed by the Bolsheviks. Then there was a sanatorium for the disabled, and before the war there was an orphanage. The building for its first purpose was restored not so long ago - in 1999-2001.
Mount Beshtau is unique. Deciduous forest grows at its foot, and some peaks are covered with subalpine grass.