Kamennomostsky (Adyg. Hjajek'o) is a settlement (until 2011 - an urban-type settlement) in the Maikop region of the Republic of Adygea of Russia. The city is the administrative center of the Kamennomostsky rural settlement.
It is located on both banks of the Belaya River, 26 km south of the regional center of the village of Tulsky. The Khadzhokh terminal station on the North Caucasian Railway from Belorechensk.
The village of Kamennomostsky is located in the Maikop region of
Adygeya and is the administrative center of the Kamennomostsky rural
settlement.
Millions of years ago, this area was the bottom of
the Tethys Ocean. Today, on the banks of the Belaya River, in the
Polkovnitskaya Balka and the gorges of the Aminovka, Meshoko and Rufabgo
rivers, archaeologists from time to time find the remains of ancient
flora and fauna, as well as fossilized imprints of huge shells - corals,
sea urchins, ammonites and other underwater inhabitants. It is for this
reason that the village has the glory of a paleontological museum in the
open space.
Representatives of the human race appeared in these
places far before our era. Caves and grottoes served as dwellings for
ancient people, which were reliably protected from the encroachments of
wild animals and representatives of other tribes. Archaeologists have
found paleontological sites located on the Aziz-Tau and Una-Koz ridges,
as well as in the Meshoko gorge, on the territory of the current
Kamennomostsky.
The purpose of the megalithic structures of the
Bronze Age, the so-called dolmens, whose age is much older than the
famous pyramids in Egypt, has not yet been clarified. About 200 of them
were discovered not far from Hajog. It is worth noting that they
interested archaeologists in the 19th century. To date, one dolmen has
been chosen for visiting tourists, the age of which is determined as the
II millennium BC.
In addition, archaeological expeditions work on
the territory of ancient sanctuaries, burial mounds, settlements and
fortresses of the Meotians.
Near Kamennomostsky, scientists
discovered fortifications from the times of the war in the Caucasus, the
remains of settlements dating back to the Middle Ages, and ancient
villages. Among the Circassians, this settlement had the name Khadzhokh,
which comes from the word "hadj" - "pilgrimage". It turns out that it
contains a hint that people who managed to make the Hajj to Mecca lived
in this village.
During the war in the Caucasus, four thousand
soldiers, commanded by Muhamed Amin, took part in the defense of
Khadzhokh. In honor of this courageous man, the Aminovka River is named,
which carries its waters in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Aminovka Gorge.
After the end of the war in the Caucasus, Cossacks settled in these
places, who equipped a fortification here and founded a village, which
later became Kamennomostskaya. Although until now, from the lips of
local old-timers, one can hear the ancient name Khadzhokh, which is the
name of the railway station located in the village.
1864 is
recognized as the official year of foundation of the village of
Kamennomostskaya. At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th
centuries, a settlement belonging to the village of Dakhovskaya was
located here.
It is believed that the name of the village
originated from the arched stone bridge across the Belaya River. In
1913, the settlement finally became the village of Kamennomostskaya.
Five years later, its Council and Chairman appeared here.
During the
Great Patriotic War, the village was occupied by German troops, and the
Gornaya tourist base was turned into a concentration camp. Now there is
a monument to the prisoners who died and were tortured in fascist
captivity.
Under the Soviet Union, logging and limestone mining began
in these places. In addition, agriculture flourished, in particular the
cultivation of fruits and vegetables, and tourism activities were
actively developed. The first camp sites and hotels opened near
Kamennomostsky before the war. It is worth noting that the picturesque
nature of these places attracted Soviet and Russian filmmakers here.
More than one feature film has been filmed here.
At the moment,
about eight thousand people live in Kamennomostsky, many of whom are
actively working in the field of tourism.
Museum "Parking of the ancient man"
The museum is located in a
stone grotto, in which archaeological excavations were previously
carried out. The exhibition halls are occupied by cave corridors
equipped with lighting. The atmosphere of antiquity reigns here. The
main exhibition is a recreated site of the southern Meot tribe.
In a huge cave, you can see wax figures depicting ancient people. Some
of them support the fire in the fire, others bandage the wounds received
in the hunt. Women feed their babies and prepare for the night, laying
down on a bed of brushwood. Animal bones and wall paintings add the
finishing touch to the composition.
In the next room there is an
exhibition of ammonites - fossilized mollusks, whose age exceeds 350
million years. These prehistoric creatures inhabited the Tethys Ocean in
abundance, and now their remains are found in the caves of the Caucasus.
At the end of the excursion program, tourists are invited to visit a
local souvenir shop, where they can buy stone products in the ancient
manner and even fossils. Also on the territory of the museum there is a
bar and a stylized cafe.
Khadzhokh gorge (Kamennomostsky canyon)
Coordinates on the map: 44.287548, 40.174415.
The famous gorge has
two names. The first (Khadzhokh gorge) keeps the memory of the times
when the village was called Aul Khadzhokh. The second (Kamennomostsky
Canyon) is connected with its modern name.
The gorge was formed
in ancient times as a result of the dissolution of limestone rock by
river waters. The turbulent flow of the Belaya River cut its way through
many millennia, thanks to which the landscape of Adygea adorned a
magnificent canyon.
Today, an excursion route is equipped on the
territory of the gorge. Metal bridges, handrailed stairs and safe
walking trails stretch past steep cliffs, rocky walls and a foamy stream
of the river.
Downstream is a small zoo. A brown bear with a bear
cub, wolves and other inhabitants of the forests of Adygea live in a
spacious enclosure.
In 1979, the canyon received the status of a
natural monument of regional significance. Currently, it is one of the
most popular attractions in Kamennomostsky.
Archaeological Park
"Khadzhokhsky (Kozhzhokhsky) dolmens"
Coordinates: 44.315745,
40.189205.
On the territory of Kamennomostsky there are several
unique archaeological sites - dolmens. These are ancient stone
structures dating back to the 3rd century BC. Dolmens do not have names,
but carry a serial number:
Hadjokh-1;
Hadjokh-3;
Hadjokh-4.
At the time of the discovery of dolmens, their number reached four, but
over time, one of the structures turned out to be destroyed under the
foundation, since it was the most ancient. This was the lost
Khadzhokh-2.
Most of the dolmens survived only half. Somewhere
there is no wall, somewhere the roof. In its ideal form, only
Khadzhokh-1, also known as the "Khadzhokh dolmen", has reached our time.
It retained all four walls, a flat roof and a round opening on the
façade, typical of buildings of this type. The only damage was a hole in
the side wall. Through it it is easy to get inside the ancient dolmen.
The attraction is located in a small natural park. An information
stand is installed near each Hadzhokh, with the help of which you can
get acquainted with the history of the discovery of dolmens and various
theories about their purpose.
Museums of Kamennomostsky and
historical monuments
The ancient history of Adygea comes to life in
the museums of the Kamennomostsky settlement and nearby villages.
Visiting them, tourists get the opportunity to see with their own eyes
the traces of bygone centuries and touch the ancient artifacts. The
monuments erected in memory of the tragic events of the past also
deserve the attention of tourists.
Ammonite Museum
Coordinates: 44.315409, 40.192423.
The small museum has a rich
collection of archaeological and geological artifacts. The bulk of the
exhibits are the fossilized remains of ammonites. Here are spiral
shells, some of which are huge, the size of a soccer ball, others are
miniature, no larger than a five-ruble coin.
Most often,
ammonites are found in stones and cut out in a kind of circular frames.
Sometimes the shells are strong enough and can be taken out of the
stone. The museum also displays the remains of nautiluses, trilobites
and other inhabitants of the prehistoric Tethys ocean. In addition,
there are mock-ups depicting mollusks in their “live” form in the
showcases.
The second exposition is devoted to minerals and
stones of the Adyghe mountains. Among them are marble, granite, mica and
a large number of ornamental stones such as aventurine, hawk's eye,
quartz and onyx. A visit to the museum is worth even for those who do
not understand archeology and geology. The exposition is very bright,
colorful and memorable.
Рock garden
The rock garden is an
open-air geological museum. It is located on the way to the Hadzhokh
dolmens. The garden was formed during the archaeological campaign. Some
of the round stones have rough grooves - ancient mollusks were cut out
of them.
One of the most interesting objects of the garden is the
Big Ammonite - a large boulder in the center of which you can recognize
the spiral shell of a prehistoric creature. This exhibit was too large
to transport to the museum, and the fossil contained in it was too
firmly merged with the rock, so that it was impossible to extract it.
Therefore, the Great Ammonite was left here.
Another noteworthy
exhibit is a large rounded stone. Presumably it was a sacrificial altar,
or a millstone for grinding grain. A visit to the rock garden is free,
excursions are not conducted here.
Museum of local lore in
Belovodie
Address: st. Karl Marx, 61.
The tourist complex
"Belovodie" was created by a connoisseur of zoology and archeology, an
enthusiastic collector Vladimir Kerimov. A small area is decorated in a
very original way. All buildings have their own unique look, imitating a
medieval fortress, a magic hut, an ancient hunting house or a cave.
Everywhere here you can see totems carved in stone, “ancient” gates,
skulls of wild animals, wooden and stone sculptures.
The museum
exhibits the most unexpected items: miniature household items made of
metal, the remains of animals that no longer exist in the world (for
example, the teeth of a megalodon and the skull of a saber-toothed
tiger), ammonites covered with mother-of-pearl, copies and originals of
Stone Age tools, as well as a whole stand of cameras from vintage to
newfangled. In addition to the museum, the complex has a stylized
restaurant, a souvenir shop, a flower garden and an artificial pond in
which swans swim.
mass grave
Address: Mira street.
Not far
from the Dmitrievskaya Church, a monument was erected in honor of the
soldiers and volunteers who died during the liberation of the village
from the fascist invaders. The memorial is a stone slab, cut into two.
Granite boards with engraved names of three hundred people are
installed on both parts: partisans, Red Army soldiers and civilians shot
by the Nazis.
A V-shaped stele rises in the fault between two
plates. Its branches are connected by a crossbar, on which three lamps
in the form of cartridges are placed. At night they are lit, replacing
the Eternal Flame.
The architecture of Kamennomostsky and its environs is very
diverse. The appearance of the city is made up of religious
buildings, ancient stone buildings, as well as unique bridges.
Church of Demetrius of Thessalonica
Address: st. Lenina, 5A.
Dmitrievskaya Church was built in the old Russian style. A log cabin
in the shape of a quadrangle crowns an octagon with a hipped roof.
Window frames, canopies and porch are decorated with lace carvings.
The church was erected in 2004 on the land where at the end of
the 19th century there was a dilapidated prayer house, destroyed
during the years of occupation. During the Great Patriotic War, many
parishioners, as well as clergymen of St. Andrew's Church, died at
the front or were executed. In memory of them, a memorial was
erected on the territory of the temple.
Old quarry ovens
(Meot Fortress)
Coordinates: 44.283693, 40.178274.
The ovens
were built at the beginning of the 20th century. Old stone and brick
chimneys, blackened by coal and smoke, have survived to this day in
good condition. For a long time, the ovens were abandoned, but then
the idea came up to transform them into a tourist attraction.
The jagged pipes resembled the towers of a medieval castle in
appearance and shape - this was the impetus for turning the furnaces
into an ancient fortress. The facades were decorated with arches,
heavy gates and dormer windows. During the construction, hewn stones
were used, aged by firing.
On the territory of the "fortress"
there are several attractions:
a small petting zoo with peacocks,
chickens and rabbits;
hat and Circassian coat for a photo shoot;
foam stone imitating a heavy boulder, also for a photo.
Suspension bridge across the Belaya River
Coordinates:
44.298795, 40.175801.
The mountain river Belaya divides the
village into two parts, which are connected by a pedestrian
suspension bridge. The boardwalk stretches from coast to coast. It
is held over the course by a structure of steel cables. The place is
very picturesque. The banks of the Belaya River abound with
deciduous groves, shrubs and open glades warmed by the sun.
The nature of the surroundings of Kamennomostsky
Adygea is famous
for its picturesque corners of nature. The guests of Kamennomostsky
are lucky, because this village is located in the place where the
most impressive masterpieces of Mother Nature are concentrated, and
from here they are within easy reach.
Mishoko Gorge
Coordinates: 44.277369, 40.196193.
Mishoko Gorge got its name in
honor of the river, the course of which drew this picturesque
canyon. In ancient times, Mishoko served as a source of food for the
settlers. Here they caught fish, collected edible algae, hunted
birds and bears.
Today, the place has become an integral part
of various tourist routes. Travelers come here to admire the most
beautiful rocks and cliffs, wander through the river valleys and try
themselves as a rafter on the rapids of the Mishoko River.
valley of the ammonites
Coordinates: 44.360629, 40.194749.
Fans of antiquities should never miss the chance to visit the Valley
of the Ammonites, a unique monument of nature and archeology, which
is located on the coast of the Belaya River.
The banks of the
Belaya are dotted with rounded stones, in the center of which there
are relief outlines of ammonite shells. Millions of years ago, the
valley of the Belaya River was the bottom of the Tethys Ocean. And
it was inhabited in abundance by ammonite cephalopods, whose remains
now attract connoisseurs of archeology.
The valley can be
called an open-air museum. Unique fossils are everywhere here: in
stones, in large boulders that have broken away from steep cliffs,
in rocky walls. A visit to the valley is free, but this territory is
protected by the state, and any act of vandalism or an attempt to
take a fossil with you is punishable by a serious fine.
Aminovka river
Coordinates: 44.289040, 40.134562.
The small
river Aminovka originates in the cave Dukhan, located on the ridge,
which marks the border between Adygea and the Krasnodar Territory.
The river flows to the south, turns east and merges with the
Belaya in the territory of Kamennomostsky. It got its name in honor
of Naib Muhammad-Amin, a military leader whose residence was in the
village of Hadzhokh (now Kamennomostsky) during the Caucasian War.
The landscapes of Aminovka are green valleys, sparse forests and
granite canyons. Rafting in rowing boats is organized along its
waters, fishermen like to set up tents and make fires on the banks.
Waterfall Big Khadzhokh
Coordinates: 44.291700, 40.203370.
The waterfall is located in the eastern part of Kamennomostsky on
the Bolshoi Khadzhokh River, after which it got its name. This is a
secluded place, hidden from view by thickets of beech forest.
The height of the waterfall reaches nine meters. With a powerful
stream, it falls into a stone bowl at the foot of a rocky slope.
During the flood period, the flow of the river intensifies and
becomes dangerous. Once it washed away the tourist trail. However,
for most of the year, Big Hajokh is quiet and calm. In fact, this is
not even a river, but just a large stream with a single waterfall.
Big Khadzhokh is a favorite bathing place. Children's
sanatoriums and health camps are based not far from the waterfall.
Boys and girls come running here to swim in the river and jump into
a stone bowl from a rocky ledge. During the camps it is always
noisy, fun and crowded.
Lake Red
Coordinates: 44.283092,
40.180588.
Lake Red was formed in an abandoned gypsum quarry.
Underground springs filled the recesses carved by man and formed a
masterpiece of nature. Contrary to its name, the lake is not red,
but turquoise, but at sunset, the sun gives it a pinkish tint.
The lake is quite small. The springs that fill it are icy, but
the sun warms the water enough to make it suitable for bathing.
Tourists have chosen a small sandy beach here.
Red Lake has
several features:
Underground springs bring with them grains of
minerals and healing clay, which is why water contributes to the
rapid healing of bruises and scratches.
Vacationers on the shore
of the lake get a special "mountain" tan.
There are good fishing
spots on the lake. The fish here are not large in size, but are
found in fairly large numbers.
Rufabgo Creek Waterfalls
The
Rufabgo waterfalls are one of the most famous and visited sights of
Adygea. The natural complex consists of several waterfalls, to which
hiking trails are laid. Here tourists will find many beautiful
corners of nature and unique exotics.
Waterfall "Heart of
Rufabgo"
Coordinates: 44.265820, 40.176742.
The waterfall has
been called the "Heart of Rufabgo" because of the shape of the rock
from which it falls in a violent stream. There are two ways to visit
the waterfall. The first is to climb up the path, meandering along a
gentle slope. From here, a beautiful view opens not only on the
"Heart of Rufabgo", but also on the panorama of the rocky gorge.
The second way is to approach from below along the river bank.
Following along the current, tourists will also be able to see an
interesting geological object - a rocky ridge consisting of an
uneven layering of rock. The layers belong to different prehistoric
eras. This is the geological history of our earth in a section.
Waterfall "Maiden Spit"
Coordinates: 44.263554, 40.172460.
Maiden's Spit is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the gorge.
In a smooth, shiny stream, it falls from the rocky threshold, like a
linen braid from the shoulder of a young girl. The crystal jets of
the waterfall break on the rocky platform, spilling over it like a
small lake.
Waves of water roll to the slope, where ribbed
steps rise from the rock. As it descends, the stream foams and flows
into the river. "Maiden Spit" has another advantage - it is the
highest waterfall in the gorge. Its height exceeds 20 meters.
Waterfall "Shum/ Noise"
Coordinates: 44.268677, 40.184223.
The name of the waterfall speaks for itself - the buzz of its waters
can be heard from afar. “Shum” falls into the river in a wide stream
branched into foamy streams. During the flood, the waterfall becomes
even larger, more powerful and louder.
To see it, tourists
should cross the metal bridge and go down to the rocky bank. From
there you can climb a low clay slope and get close to the waterfall.
Waterfall "Cascade"
Coordinates: 44.267358, 40.180015.
Waterfall "Cascade" is modest. It is quite low, and its stream does
not boil with mighty jets. It descends in smooth cascades from a
ribbed threshold.
This is the only waterfall that can be
bypassed up and down. The tourist trail is laid on top of the
stream, but if desired, tourists will be able to climb the waterfall
itself along a stepped slope.
In winter, the waterfall is
especially beautiful. Deep snow wraps the slope, and ice-bound
cascades sparkle in the sun with frosty patterns.
ecological
trail
Coordinates: 44.269252, 40.185954.
Rufabgo waterfalls
are located in a corner of virgin nature, and hiking trails run
through the most beautiful wild forests. Thickets of trees and
shrubs are intertwined with curved branches, mighty roots appear on
the surface of the soil.
Tourist groups usually follow metal
bridges, but if you wish, you can walk along the path that crawls
through seemingly impassable places.
Tourists will have to go
through small streams, ravines with lush vegetation and slopes
dotted with large boulders. It's impossible to get lost. Here, all
roads lead to waterfalls, reaching which you can return to the
civilized path.
The only road leading from Maykop to the Lago-Naki plateau passes
through the village of Kamennomostsky, it is impossible to miss it. The
distance from Maykop is 30 km. From Krasnodar - 180 km.
The
optimal route from Krasnodar: Krasnodar - Adygeysk - Belorechensk -
Maikop - Kamennomostsky.
You can easily get to Kamennomostsky by
public transport.
From Belorechensk to the Khadzhokh station,
located right in the village, there is an electric train.
Regular
buses run from the Maikop bus station to Kamennomostsky.
Wood harvesting.
Tourist services. Tourist route No. 30 begins 40
km from the village of Kamennomostsky.
Limestone quarry.
Gardening.