History of Gelendzhik: from Torik to a modern resort

• September 23, 2019
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• Molton

Gelendzhik is a large settlement on the Black Sea coast of Russia. Where is the city of Gelendzhik? This resort is located in the south of the Krasnodar Territory. Since 2001 it has been listed as a resort of federal significance. The city has an area of ​​only 19.25 km2. Located in a lowland, near a bay. In the article we will look in more detail at where Gelendzhik is located. This can also be seen on the map below.

The number of local residents indicated by official statistics is 77,212 people.

Gelendzhik - where is it?

This city is located on the Black Sea coast, in its eastern part, 25 km southeast of Novorossiysk. The nearest large city is Krasnodar. There is probably no need to remind you that Gelendzhik is Russia.

The terrain in the city itself is flat, and to the northeast of it it is mountainous, mid-mountain. The mountains are covered with broad-leaved (often low-growing) forest and are bare in places. Some of the species growing in the vicinity of Gelendzhik are characteristic of Mediterranean countries.

The climate is largely determined by the latitudes where Gelendzhik is located. This means that it is relatively soft, which is due to the influence of the Black Sea. However, it is more continental than in Sochi, since the mountain range opposite the city is relatively low, and part of the continental air penetrates through it. But at the same time, it is milder than the climate of nearby Novorossiysk. Thanks to the circulation of water in the Black Sea near the coast, it is never too cold or hot, which makes for comfortable swimming. The sea helps mitigate the summer heat and makes winters milder. Due to lower air humidity, Gelendzhik is not as stuffy as in Tuapse or Sochi.

There is quite a lot of precipitation - 849 mm per year. The maximum amount occurs in December and January (125 and 92 mm, respectively). The average temperature in January is +2.3 °C, and in July - +23.1 °C.

Conquest of lands by Russia

Russia and Turkey shared these lands for a long time. As a result, the next war between the Turks and the Russians brought dividends for the latter - in 1829, according to the Treaty of Adrianople, the territory of Russia expanded with additional lands - starting from the place where the Kuban flows into the Sea of ​​Azov and ending with the port of St. Nicholas on the territory of modern Georgia. After this event, the history of Gelendzhik begins to be made under the flag of the Russian Empire.

Fortifications begin to be built along the entire coast:

1831 – Gelendzhik fortification.

1836 – Alexandria (Kabardia),

1837 - Novotroitskoye (Krinitsa), in the same year Mikhailovskoye (Arkhipo-Osipovka).

Gelendzhik fortification. Photo: https://images.myshared.ru/6/537921/slide_23.jpg

As a result, at the end of the thirties of the 19th century, the coastal fortification was completely rebuilt, and its main role was to annex the western part of the Caucasus. But this never happened, so at the beginning of the 2nd half of the 19th century it ceased to function.

Population of Gelendzhik

Since Soviet times, the city has developed as a resort, which could not but affect its demographic indicators. The city is characterized by exponential population growth. Only in 2002 and 2003. it was shrinking. In 2022, the number of residents grew only slightly and the exponential nature of the curve was broken. In 2022, the city’s residents numbered 77,212 people (214th place among Russian cities). The reason for the rapid population growth in the last 10 years was mainly migration, since natural increase was negative.

The national composition of the population is quite specific. In first place, as in most cities of the Russian Federation, are Russians - 76.19%. In second place are the Greeks (4.26%). Next come Armenians (2.72%), and then Ukrainians (2.32%).

The official unemployment rate is only 0.2%.

Foundation of the village of Gelendzhik

In 1864, as soon as the Caucasian War ended, the huge village of GELENDZHIK was founded. It was built on the site of the former Gelendzhik fortress. Gradually, the village of Gelendzhik is becoming a real international haven - both Russians and Ukrainians, Moldovans, Greeks, Armenians and even Czechs are settling here.

Pre-revolutionary Gelendzhik. Photo: https://humus.dreamwidth.org/2387646.html?style=light&view=flat

Over time, the Black Sea strip begins to develop. Construction is proceeding very quickly, roads are being laid, factories are being built. The recreational sector is moving forward at a rapid pace - intellectuals from all over the country are beginning to come here on vacation. The coast is beginning to be positioned as a great place to recuperate.

A little later, a village community appears in Gelendzhik, which distributes uninhabited land plots for the construction of dachas. On average, one plot at the beginning of the twentieth century cost from 25 to 50 rubles, but the price grew very quickly.

Transport

The city is located on the M4 Don federal highway, well known to many Russians. It goes around the city in the northeast, so as not to create problems for vacationers. The congestion on the route is high. Another type of external transport is sea and air. There are no railways, which distinguishes Gelendzhik from other resorts on the Black Sea coast of Russia.

Intracity and suburban transport is represented by buses. There are also several taxi organizations. The city has two cable cars that take tourists to the mountainous surroundings of Gelendzhik.

Banks and ATMs

There are no problems with ATMs and banks in Gelendzhik. Vacationers can withdraw the required amount of money at any convenient time. Most bank branches are open from 10:00 to 22:00, ATMs are open 24 hours a day.

Sovcombank - in Gelendzhik

The resort offers the following banks:

1. VTB Bank. The branches are located at the following addresses: st. Khalturina, 30; st. Solntsedarskaya, 10; st. Lenina, 10; st. Lunacharskogo, 6. There are also ATMs where you can deposit and withdraw money.
2. Bank opening. Located at st. Kirova, 51. In addition, the resort has about 6 ATMs from this bank.

   
   Otkritie - bank in Gelendzhik

3. Sberbank. There are a total of 4 bank branches in Gelendzhik. They are open from Monday to Friday, from 08:30 to 18:00. Office on the street Lenina, 23 is also open on Saturday (from 09:00 to 16:00).

   
   Sberbank - in Gelendzhik

4. Bank Uralsib. Located on the street. Kirova, 51. Open on weekdays, from 09:00 to 18:00.
5. Home Credit. The bank's head office is located on the street. Gorky, 23. It is available for visiting from Monday to Friday, from 09:00 to 19:00.

Alfa Bank ATMs in Gelendzhik are located at st. Kirova, 130 and st. Ostrovsky, 6. Tinkoff Bank ATM is located on the street. Revolutionary, 11.

Addresses of Sberbank ATMs in Gelendzhik:

• st. Mostovaya, 1;
• st. Telmana, no. 135;
• st. Kirova, 134;
• st. Sovetskaya, 71;
• st. Turisticheskaya, 23;
• st. Gvardeiskaya, 38;
• st. Khalturina, 30;
• st. Pogranichnaya, 1;
• st. Kirova, 125;
• st. Revolutionary, 21.

Post Bank - in Gelendzhik

Attractions

Gelendzhik is famous for its large number of monuments. This is mainly a legacy of Soviet times. The total number of monuments and sculptures is about 20. There is one bust.

There are 3 water parks in the city: “Golden Bay”, “Dolphin”, “Behemoth”. There are 3 museums available for visiting.

There are many natural, historical and man-made attractions in the surrounding area. Among them are a forest of relict pine, dolmens, the Parus rock, waterfalls, a grove of relict juniper, and a large inscription “Gelendzhik” on the mountain opposite the city. In the city itself you can visit the Olympus recreation and entertainment park, the Roman Empire show park, the 70 Years of Victory park, a safari park, a city amusement park, and a dolphinarium.

Under Ottoman influence

At the end of the 15th century, the lands of the Genoese were captured by the army of the Ottoman ruler. The trading settlement that arose on the site of Mavrolako was named Gelendzhik. For a long time it was a slave market, from where the Turks took young girls to eastern harems. Other goods included timber, livestock, agricultural products and slaves, who were sent to the Trebizond mines. Turkish merchants dictated their terms here for 3 centuries.

There are two versions of the origin of the city's name:

• translated from the Turkic language - “young bride”, according to the type of activity of the settlement;
• translated from the Adyghe name - “small pasture”.

Turkish rulers persistently introduced the Islamic religion to the peoples of the Caucasus. Those who accepted the new religion were exempt from taxes and paid only one fee for the use of land. Disobedience was severely punished. If the khanate was headed by a new ruler, the highlanders had to provide people to form a new army and 300 slaves.

Department of Housing and Utilities

Housing and communal services problems in resort areas are a common occurrence. Due to the influx of tourists, there is a shortage of electricity, water, and gas. Tariffs for housing and communal services are very high in Gelendzhik, which are higher than in Moscow. There are problems with the quality of the Internet. In the private sector, all this can be eliminated by installing additional equipment. Therefore, when moving to this city, the best option would be a private house with a plot. The worst situation is in new buildings, where due to a lack of residents, housing and communal services can be turned off in the entire apartment building.

Features of relaxation in this place

So, the basic facts about the territory, geographical location and population of the city were considered. Now it’s worth talking about some of the nuances associated with staying here. When going to the resorts of Gelendzhik, you need to know some of the features of a seaside holiday in these places. Firstly, it must be noted that local nature is not only beautiful and unusual, it has a positive effect on health. Here are magnificent groves of centuries-old pines; they saturate the air with useful substances and make it much cleaner, which undoubtedly has a beneficial effect on the body.

Another important point is that there are practically no operating industrial enterprises in the city, which also contributes to good air quality.

As for the sea, it is calm and quite clean in these places, compared to other areas, due to the fact that the resort is located in a bay. Therefore, tourists with children often choose a holiday in Gelendzhik; here you don’t have to worry about the safety of little vacationers.

Flood victim

The contrast of air masses and the large amount of moisture evaporating from the surface of the Black Sea create a serious risk of heavy rains leading to floods. In a warming climate, this threat will only increase. The worst flood occurred here in July 2012, when a small but unusually powerful cyclone caused heavy rains, during which about 300 mm of precipitation fell in one day! Gelendzhik was among the three most flooded cities. The flood claimed the lives of many people, and the number of victims was in the tens of thousands. However, the frequency of floods in Gelendzhik is much lower than in Tuapse, where they are now observed several times a year.

How to get to the resort?

So, information about Gelendzhik, the features of recreation in these places, local attractions and much more were examined in detail. Now it’s worth talking about how you can get to the resort. There are several options for traveling to Gelendzhik, you can always choose the most suitable one.

The first and most common way to get to the city is by rail. The train does not go to Gelendzhik, but in this case it is convenient to get to Novorossiysk by it. From there, from the railway station, you can get to Gelendzhik by bus or taxi, which won’t take much time. Travel time by train from Moscow to Novorossiysk is approximately 1.5 days. Most people who want to travel to Gelendzhik in June usually buy tickets well in advance of the trip as it is the most popular month.

The second travel option is to go by personal vehicle. This method is also very convenient, since in this case it becomes possible to independently move around the city and its environs, as well as explore various sights. To get there from Moscow, you need to follow the M4 Don highway. The distance between the two cities is about 1518 kilometers. The trip will take about 18 hours.

Reviews

Judging by reviews from the last three years, the population as a whole is happy with their city. Thus, resort guests share their impressions that Gelendzhik is a calmer city than Sochi, and that it has its own romance. However, they note that in the summer it is a little noisy. Vacationers also write on forums that people here are gentler than in the country as a whole. And the products are quite high quality. They indicate problems with work, the Internet, transport, drinking water and the environment in general. However, there are conflicting opinions regarding the latter. As with the entire Black Sea coast, there is a risk of contracting infectious diseases.

Sea and beaches

Another main feature of the Gelendzhik resort is a wide selection of wild and developed beaches. The resort sea is clean and warm. You can swim there from mid-May to October. To maintain the required level of cleanliness, special treatment facilities are used in Gelendzhik Bay. The vessel NMS-65 is responsible for collecting oil waste and household waste.

Gelendzhik - beach

Another distinctive feature of Gelendzhik is the absence of water blooms, which is typical for Anapa and other cities in the Krasnodar Territory. The beautiful beaches near Gelendzhik have both pebble and sand. Almost all of them are freely accessible to vacationers. You can read more about the beaches of Gelendzhik in a separate article.

Gelendzhik - embankment

High steep banks in Greater Gelendzhik reach a height of 200 meters

The main part of the embankment of the city of Gelendzhik is located around Gelendzhik Bay, the shore of which is quite flat. Outside the bay, the shores become high and steep.

On Tolstoy Cape, on the outskirts of the city, the height of the cliff reaches 10-15 meters, and if you move about 1 km from the edge of the city, you can already see high rocky cliffs reaching 40 meters, that is, the height of a 13-story building. The rocks here are extremely picturesque, and the view of the sea from the heights is absolutely magnificent.

Further, 14-18 km from Gelendzhik, the coast becomes even higher, and between the villages of Dzhanhot and Praskoveevka the height of the cliffs reaches 200 meters.

Steep rocky coast 1 km from Gelendzhik

Rocky cliff between Dzhankhot and Praskoveevka