Gelendzhik Gelendzhik (Russian: Геленджи́к) is a resort town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the Gelendzhik Bay of the Black Sea, between Novorossiysk.

GelendzhikGelendzhik (Russian: Геленджи́�к) is a resort town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the Gelendzhik Bay of the Black Sea, between Novorossiysk (31 km to the northwest) and Tuapse (93 km to the southeast). The municipality of Greater Gelendzhik spawls for 102 kilometers along the coastline and covers an area of 122,754 ha (of which only 1,926 ha fall within the boundaries of Gelendzhik proper). Population: 50,012 (2002 Census).

GelendzhikIn antiquity, the Gelendzhik Bay was the site of a minor Greek outpost, mentioned as Torikos in the Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax. It is unknown to Hellenistic sources, but reappears in Roman ones under the name of Pagrae in 64 BC. The colony was wiped out by the invading Huns, which were succeeded by the Zygii soon after. During the Middle Ages, the bay was of some mercantile importance to the Genoese traders who referred to the seaside village as Maurolaca.

Gelendzhik

Before Russia secured the coast by the Treaty of Adrianople (1829), a brisk slave trade had been carried on between the mountaineers and the Ottoman Empire. Since the Circassian beauties were usually traded for gold and other commodities before being taken to Turkish seraglios, the market place became known as "Gelendzhik" (from "gelincik", literally, "little bride in Turkish"). In 1831, one of the first forts of the Black Sea Coastal Line was set up at Gelendzhik. At the outbreak of the Crimean War the fort had to be blown up and abandoned, but it was resettled by the Cossacks in 1864, at the conclusion of the Russian-Circassian hostilities, and became known as Stanitsa Gelendzhiksaya. The town of Gelendzhik was incorporated in 1915.

GelendzhikDuring the Soviet period, Gelendzhik was developed as a spa. It possesses sand beaches, three waterparks, two aerial tramway lines, and two Orthodox churches (from 1909 and 1913, respectively). The environs of Gelendzhik are noted for a chain of waterfalls, an outcrop of dolmens, two extremely ancient pine and juniper groves, and the Sail Rock, located 17 km from the downtown core. The coastal village of Arkhipo-Osipovka, administrated from Gelendzhik, contains the terminus of the Blue Stream gas pipeline. An annual hydroaviasalon is held in Gelendzhik since 1996.

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Sail Rock

Sail RockSail Rock, or Parus Rock (Russian: скала� Па� рус, Skala Parus), is a natural sandstone monolith located on the shore of the Black Sea, in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. It resembles the outline of a ship's sail, hence its name.

Sail RockSail Rock, or Parus Rock (Russian: скала� Па�рус, Skala Parus), is a natural sandstone monolith located on the shore of the Black Sea, in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. It resembles the outline of a ship's sail, hence its name.

The monolith lies 17 km to the southeast of Gelendzhik, near the village of Praskoveyevka (which is about 500 meters from the coast) and the

farmstead of Dzhankhot (approximately twice that distance from the coast). Sail Rock has a sheer vertical slope confronting the shore of sea, isolated

from the mass of basic rock by geological forces. It is more than three-fourths revealed by the tide and lies perpendicular to the coast. What is

most remarkable about this landmark is its proportions. While the cliff is only a little more than a meter thick, its height is about 25 meters and its length about 20. Thus, the form of the cliff is described as resembling the

outline of a quadrangular sail.An opening of unclear origin is located in the sail, approximatively

2.5 meters above the ground. Many guides state that the formation was a defense against mountain artillery during the Caucasian War. However, this

version of the origin of the opening is under some doubt. In 1903, S. Vasyukov, who was investigating the Black Sea coast, wrote after the

inspection of the cliff that it was "… shot from a battleship by seamen, they released 4 projectiles, but the wall remained firm, although the traces are

noticeable, but they nowhere opened the rock ...".The appearance of this unique formation is explained by the pounding of

the sea on the land (erosion), as well as the different strengths of its constituent rocks.

Sail Rock's status as a natural monument was declared November 24, 1971 by the administration of Gelendzhik. Protection of the rock was entrusted

to the Divnomorskiy rural council. The surrounding beach and its environs are a place for outdoor leisure and recreation, including nearby health

resorts.

Guselnikov Alexander

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