Imereti Lowland in Sochi. Where to go, what to see. Sochi: Olympic Park and Imereti Lowland

Published: 26.10.2018 Category: Author's essay / Krasnodar region

Since many people get to Sochi by plane or travel through this resort to Abkhazia, probably every 3rd Russian had a chance to explore Adler. The Imereti Lowland is the southeastern third of the huge Sochi region. Once upon a time, the ancestors of the Abkhazians and the ancient Greeks coexisted peacefully in it, who first accepted the power of Byzantium, and then Ottoman Empire. They were replaced by Russian Old Believers and Armenians. Aboriginal villages disappeared from the map due to the construction of the 2014 Olympics venues. Just like two successful state farms, which left us only their names. The private sector and the agricultural plain have been replaced by stadiums, creative exhibitions, a Formula 1 track, entertainment complexes and sun loungers...

Here you can easily find luxury apartments for rent, a cozy hotel (of any size and category) or an elite hotel in Sochi on the seashore. Entire guest towns have grown up around the Olympic and resort and entertainment sectors.

Geographical location, nature and climate

The location that will be discussed is a 7.5-kilometer plain, between the mountain rivers Mzymta and Psou. In administrative terms, this is the most south-eastern patch of the Sochi urban district, including several areas of the Adler microdistrict (the nature of their infrastructure is described above). This also includes the Sovkhoz Rossiya microdistrict bordering Abkhazia. From the north, the lowland is already limited by forested hills (the residential sectors of Blinovo, Zorka, Selsovet and Veseloye lie on the foothills). The southern borders of the object are two Imereti bays, separated by the “Olympic” cape.

weather in Imereti Lowland the same as throughout the entire expanse of the Caucasian humid subtropics (in this zone, in addition to Sochi, lie the coastal parts of Abkhazia and Georgia). We are talking about 5 degrees positive temperature in winter and 25 in summer. As well as an ideal ratio of sunny and cloudy days and 2,000 millimeters of precipitation per year. Strong winds avoid this place. The water is suitable for swimming from May 16 to September.

The weather in the Imereti Lowland also explains the composition of the flora and fauna. Imeretinsk is covered with Carian figs, pterygoplastic lapina, pyramidal anakamptis, rare species of reed (in the Colchis swamps), eucalyptus, plane tree, as well as walnut, laurel and hornbeam (in the foothills). The area is home to 26 species of birds (migratory meadow and swamp) and 17 names of animals.

Sights of the Imereti Lowland

The Imereti Lowland is a park. Entertainment, sports, resort, culture and recreation, and even historical in places (there are museums, after all). And the undeveloped parts of Imeretinka are special natural areas. So how natural Park The Imereti Lowland is protected by relevant articles of the law. 1300 hectares of tracts fall under their influence. However, first things first.

Olympic Park

First of all, the Imereti Lowland is known to compatriots for its perfectly round cape between the Upper and Lower Imeretinsk bays. It was made that way on purpose. After all, inside there is now a low-lying Olympic cluster, in which six stadiums and a training arena are inscribed in an ideal circle. In the center is the Olympic Square (torch and fountain), and in the area leading to the local railway station there is a Formula 1 track.

Sochi Park

The Imereti Lowland in Sochi is also considered the location of a unique complex of children's and extreme rides, as well as a Ferris wheel (“Wheels of Times”), from which the entire valley between the mountains, the sea and 2 reservoirs is visible. Inside the fenced fairy-tale town: the roller coaster “Serpent Gorynych”, as well as the amazingly high rise “Firebird”. 15 harmless fun. They also managed to cram a landscape painting here theme park, three bistros, a pond and even a dolphinarium. Outside there is a bright hotel-castle “Bogatyr” and a test for the very brave “Quantum Leap”.

Natural ornithological park

In its center (already across the road from the Olympic circuit) the Imereti Lowland has a protected swampy meadow (Colchis swamps), where such rare birds as the whooper swan, mute swan, one of the Red Book species of bustard, as well as many other endangered (in including migratory) fauna. The area is fenced and has warning stands and signs.

Nekrasovskie Lakes Park

To the south, if you walk through the Sochi Park Hotel quarter, the Imeretinskaya Lowland will show you another of its protected areas. Two lakes were named in honor of the Old Believers village (Nekrasovo). By the way, the elite sector of residential apartments, located further south, has the same name. The ponds are surrounded by lawns, streets, and benches.

Imereti yacht port

A yacht marina, a universal sea terminal and elegantly equipped beaches of the Imereti Lowland form its immediate coastal edge. The marine terminal is universal - both for cargo and for passenger transport. And the yacht marina is considered the largest in Russia. A nautical club was also built here. Several leisure facilities for yachtsmen, surfers and other water extreme sports enthusiasts.

Parks "Southern Cultures" and "Imeretinsky"

Let us note that the weather in the Imereti Lowland is conducive to preserving unique relict plants and planting subtropical and tropical trees, shrubs, and flowering flora. Ancient landscape gardens include well-groomed thickets and plantings of fir, pine, cypress, rhododendron, and hundreds of flowers. There is a pond with swans and fish. Finding “Southern Cultures” and “Imeretian” is easy. You will find a double “paradise” between the residential areas of the Mzymta embankment and the Olympic Park. These are the bus stops “Park Southern Cultures” and “Imeretinsky Quarter”.

Imereti resort

As indicated, swimming recreation facilities on Imeretinka are well equipped. There are 10 of them. Almost each one has EMERCOM towers (rescuers with equipment and a paramedic on duty), a rental point for sun loungers and parasols, and showers. But toilets, changing rooms and trash cans are located in all parts of the Imereti Riviera.

Mzymta Beach

The beaches of the Imereti Lowland, like this one, are distinguished by the fact that they are both sea and river. So, the westernmost swimming pool lies along the mouth of the Mzymta, near the relay tower. The water is colder here. But what picturesque views! Its length is only 100 m, however, the width of the strip is the most record-breaking - over 70 m.

Imeretinsky Beach

The next 150 meters belong to the Imeretian Club. For 400 rubles. spend the whole day here! Capacity 90 people. Sun beds, umbrellas, cafes, sports and children's playgrounds, sanitary cabins and water activities. Animators also work.

Radisson Blu Beach

Admission is free, but all services are paid. Size 200 by 30 m. Considering all the beaches of the Imereti Lowland, this one will be chosen by those vacationers who need not only a toilet, lifeguards and sun loungers, but also water attractions, decking and splash pools.

Rosa Khutor Beach

Looking around this piece of water area of ​​the bay, it should be noted: you can get to it directly from the main stadium of the Olympic zone - “Fishta”, you just need to cross the roadway. After this “highlight”, we emphasize: at your disposal is what was on the previous beach. Let us also add that the space is long (400 m), and the pebbles are small.

Olympic Beach – Gorki Gorod

Like Olympic and amusement park The Imereti Lowland will give similar complexes a head start Western Europe and the USA. Foreigners themselves admit this. The double beach area covers the rest of the coast of the round Olympic cape. Holidaymakers get here from the stop named after the specified stadium.

Sirius Beach

Equipped indoor beach and entertainment complex. Intended for students of the educational center of the same name (its name is in the title, and access is from the terminal bus 125C and 135). It extends 175 meters - to the Sochi Park harbor.

Sochi Park Beach (Bogatyr Hotel Beach)

Next we are greeted not by attractions, but by the beach of Sochi Park, the brand of which is considered far from size. The resort's advantages are very small pebbles (near the water's edge), smooth entry into the sea, its own lifeguard tower and bathrooms. The entrance is free. If you wish, pay only for extreme fun - banana, jumping pillow, jet ski.

South Star Beach

This is the coastline, which is looked after by workers of the same name. hotel complex. That’s why it’s always clean here, and it’s still free for customers. The length of this pleasure is 450 meters, width is 35 meters. The bottom is without holes and grows gradually. And the pebbles here are comfortable.

Velvet Seasons Beach

Named after the elite residential complex, which occupies a decent-sized block. For tenants of “velvet” apartments everything is included. The size is the same.

Beaches of the microdistrict "Sovkhoz Russia" (formerly "Psou")

Now there are 3 beach areas. And yet the natives stubbornly continue to call this farm (some services here are common with the “Velvet Seasons”) - “Psou”. The main attraction of the bizarrely curving 2-kilometer shore is the fence through which the neighboring state, Abkhazia, can be seen.

The Imereti lowland is a unique opportunity to relax without any uphill climbs, to enjoy an analogue of the humid, bright and fragrant Colchis lowland (Abkhazia and Georgia) that is no different in characteristics, to remember the 2014 Olympics...

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The Olympics have passed, and the strength of all coastal Olympic sites has been tested. The area passed the test in winter, competitions and tourists. What now? In the Imereti Lowland, preparations for the Formula 1 competition are in full swing, and people are already swimming on the shore.

What does this place look like now? Let's see?

1. The coastal cluster of Olympic venues is today the quietest and most deserted place.

2. When looking in all directions, it is empty. Rarely, rarely, people run past.

3. Everything is smooth and clean in the center.

4. Rare visitors are photographed as a souvenir.

5. In most open spaces, only traces of construction equipment are visible.

6. But why is it so empty here? Because people simply have nothing to do here now? Not only.

7. For example, let’s take a look at the paths made in the colors of the Olympic rings. There are few people here. And they go to the open exits. It's hard to tell from the photographs, but in fact the race track construction site area is fenced off. Plus there is also a strange fence around the territory, even in those places where there is no need to build anything.

8. That's why there's no one here? There is a fence behind the houses.

9. Why is there no one in the square? Because to enter here you need to forgive two fences with holes.

10. And all this despite the fact that in the center of the square there is a mini-cafe and some entertainment. I still don’t understand why all this is fenced off.

11. Here, against the background of the large ice arena, you can see some building materials. In this part, almost everything is ready for the racing track. Rare places works - turns and former lawns.

12. The closest hotel to the place. Obviously, the demand for multi-room numbers is now minimal.

13. Rare cars in this territory - builders and organizers of the open house in Sochi.

14. You can see the fence.

15. But the end of sports facilities and it’s lonely standing car against the backdrop of the hotel. To get here, you need to know all the open passages.

16. The future place of attraction is an amusement park.

17. Hotel "Azimut".

18. We move from the Olympic venues to the Black Sea coast. The passage consists of two demolished sections of the fence near the guard's booth.

19. Here comes the sea!

20. On May 16, people were already swimming here.

21. In this area, the water turned out to be very clean, unlike where the Mzymta flows into the sea.

22. A beautiful promenade with a separate bike path stretches along the entire coast.

23. The bike path was in very little demand.

24.

25. Various small design elements.

26. We are moving towards the border with Abkhazia. The embankment narrows a little.

27. There were definitely a lot of people - fishermen!

28. Second half of the day, the air temperature is above +30, and they are here!

29.

30. And here’s what I liked least of all. With gentrification, the embankment becomes hemmed in by fences. There are more people here, there are old residential buildings and hotels with tourists nearby. And you feel squeezed into some strange framework.

31. Somewhere there those who arrived.

32. And here it seems like you need to sit on a bench and admire the sea. But who would like to admire the sea if at eye level ordinary person a fence with thick bars?

33. And behind the fence the view is noticeably better.

34.

35. And finally - a piece of the old part of this place. Historically there were state farms here. One large district is called “State Farm Russia”.

36. And with this I will finish today’s story!

Thank you for your attention! Stay in touch!

You can read other May posts about Sochi and the surrounding area on my blog!

Surely you are primarily interested in where the Imereti Valley is located. This is the extreme southern coastal territory in the Adlerovsky district of the city of Sochi. This is where the famous Olympic venues were located, which caused such an influx of tourists. This is the most transformed, modern and beautiful area of ​​the resort city. Until 2007, ordinary private houses were located in this place, and after construction was planned here, the picture changed dramatically: in addition to all other objects, hotels in the Imereti Lowland began to be built here en masse, so that visitors would have a place to stay.

City-hotel "Velvet Seasons"

First of all, we are interested in this stunning resort in resort town because it is located in the Imereti Lowland, on the Black Sea coast. Sochi is very close, and from the windows you can admire the beautiful landscapes of Krasnaya Polyana. Leaving the hotel, you immediately find yourself on the Black Sea coast, a little further there is an ornithological park with freshwater ponds and walking alleys, a theme park and other wonders. That is why hotels in the Imereti Lowland are invariably popular with tourists; there is something to do here. This city-hotel consists of four blocks. We will look at each of them in more detail.

"Alexandrovsky Park"

This one is big and a beautiful hotel located 9 km from Sochi airport and the railway station. In the immediate vicinity there is a park with an area of ​​​​several hectares. Rare tropical plants grow here. Not all hotels in the Imereti Lowland can boast of such popularity, and this is not without reason. The first impression is made by the territory, the presence developed infrastructure creates good conditions for a good rest. The second is the equipment of the rooms. The interiors are specially selected in a classic style, and only high-quality natural materials were used for decoration. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning and comfortable upholstered furniture, each with a bathroom. There is a fitness room and a tour desk on site. You can explore not only local attractions, but also hotels in the Imereti Lowland so that you have something to compare with. Judging by the reviews, tourists are very fond of Alexandrovsky Park for its close proximity to the sea, cleanliness and comfort.

"Chistye Prudy"

In my own way unique hotel, which is located between fresh lake and the Black Sea. This one is located tourist quarter on the territory of the Olympic Park. Of course, all hotels (Imereti Lowland) have a good level of service. Adler is distinguished by its cordiality and hospitality, which is felt immediately upon arrival. But it is “Chistye Prudy” that is a place filled with a special atmosphere of warmth and care. It will be interesting for adults and children; for the former there is a fitness center, a beauty salon and night club, and the latter will spend time in the game room. Guests can stay in standard or luxury rooms. Apartments are available for the most demanding guests. Each room has air conditioning and TV, minibar, furniture and a bath with hairdryer and other necessary supplies. Room rates start from 2900 rubles. per day, it includes breakfast and excursions, you will discover the entire Imereti Lowland. Hotel " Velvet seasons“Always receives a large number of warm reviews, the conditions for recreation here are fabulous, and, judging by the words of tourists, it is worth coming here every year.

"Catherine's Quarter"

When choosing a hotel for yourself, be sure to note how much you enjoy being among a large number of people. For some, this is a wonderful opportunity for communication, while others, on the contrary, strive for maximum privacy. Hotels in the Imereti Lowland (Sochi) are mostly large, but this one is especially special. It has 1,194 rooms, each of which can accommodate from two to four people. However, the hotel area is so huge that sometimes the illusion of loneliness is created.

All hotels are very comfortable, and everyone chooses the number of services independently. Standart room will cost 2970 rubles, the amount includes breakfast. Numerous reviews confirm that the hotel rooms are spotlessly clean, very beautiful, and the staff is courteous and polite.

"Russian house"

This stunning hotel is located a three-minute walk from the Black Sea coast and pebble beach. You can get to the Olympic Park from here in 10 minutes, and to the center of Sochi in about 30 minutes. If you are looking for the most wonderful place along the entire coast, then in front of you is the Imereti Lowland. Hotels (“Russian House” and all listed above) are real examples of an ideal hotel complex. We have already talked about the rest, as for the “Russian House”, it is designed for 3,500 rooms, decorated in a modern style with functional furniture. On site there are bars and restaurants, a pizzeria and luggage storage, laundry and much more. Judging by the reviews of tourists, the hotel’s work is just perfect. Here you can have a great time with your family and fun company.

Hotel Azimut

This is a three star resort hotel that only opened in 2013. It is not part of the city-hotel “Velvet Seasons”, but is located on the same territory of the Imereti Valley. There are not many reviews about room service; they note cleanliness and order, delicious breakfasts, etc., things that are commonplace for these places. But many tourists emphasize the magnificent hotel grounds, created specifically so that you can fully enjoy your walks. Hotel "Azimut" (Imereti Lowland) offers accommodation in any of eight residential buildings, each of which has its own focus (youth, family). A group of hotel buildings surrounds a stunning area with numerous swimming pools, walking alleys and cozy gazebos. You can spend days here, but don’t forget that Sochi has a lot in store most interesting excursions, which cannot be missed. The cost of a stay with breakfast included here starts from 2,500 rubles per day, superior suites cost up to 7,000 rubles.

Hotel "Imeretinskaya"

The luxurious hotel, impressive at first glance, is located a 20-minute walk from the Sochi Olympic Park. Everyone's favorite aquarium is about a 10-minute walk away. The hotel has 196 cozy rooms with sea views. Each of them is equipped with impeccable furniture and modern appliances. In the mornings the restaurant creates a luxurious " Buffet", and during the day you can taste dishes of Russian and European cuisine. Every year the collection of positive reviews about the hotel is replenished; guests are simply enchanted by the atmosphere and service. To summarize, I would like to say that each of the presented hotels is distinguished by the highest level of service, and therefore will provide you with a wonderful holiday.

Where did the lands of the Olympic ornithopark disappear to? interactive map cutting of the Imereti Lowland January 31st, 2014

The time has come to expose another popular lie about the consequences of the Olympics for the nature of Russia. Dmitry Kozak said at the “Sport and Environment” conference: Russia has fulfilled its obligations in the environmental sphere in full... A natural ornithological park has been created in the Imereti Lowland with an area of ​​more than 200 hectares.
However, in reality, something different happened - officials successfully “cut up” the Olympic lands intended for the park, and two-thirds of the area of ​​the “ornithopark in the Imereti Lowland” is located outside the Imereti Lowland itself.
The Imereti Lowland, destroyed by Olympic construction, had no analogues in Black Sea coast Russia on the diversity of migratory birds and coastal flora. According to data from the Russian Bird Conservation Union, obtained on the basis of more than a hundred surveys in 1997-2006, up to 200 bird species were recorded in the lowland during migration, of which 26 species are included in the Red Book Krasnodar region, and 22 species are included in the Red Book of Russia. In cold winters, more than 16 thousand individuals of 65 species of birds were found here.
In 2006, the Imereti Lowland was included in the list of territories that meet the criteria of the Ramsar Convention on the Protection of Wetlands, and in 2008 it was recognized as a key ornithological area of ​​international importance.
To protect birds and rare plants, back in 2004, scientists developed projects for an ornithological reserve and a natural monument for the preservation of coastal vegetation, which were supposed to include the fields of the Rossiya state farm and wetlands with total area about 800 hectares. This is what the lowland area looked like before the Olympic construction began (the boundaries of the proposed protected areas are marked in red)

And here is an interactive map of the existing distribution of land in the Imereti Lowland. The green on the map shows the areas that were actually included in the ornithopark, the red shows the boundaries of the areas allocated for various objects (information on objects is available when you select them). As a result of all the manipulations with the land in the Imereti Lowland, less than 100 hectares remained for the ornithopark, divided into 8 areas (clusters).

What follows is quite long description of how officials and builders actually “protected” the nature of the Imereti Lowland.

So, in order to justify the construction of Olympic venues in a key ornithological area of ​​international importance, Sochi's bid book contained a number of unfulfilled promises. In particular, it was stated that they would preserve existing lakes as wintering grounds for birds and habitats for protected plants.
The application book also promised: “The Olympic Park will eliminate uncontrolled development of the territory and mitigate the negative impact on ecosystems. No long-term negative impact is expected.”
To fulfill these promises, the program for the construction of Olympic venues provided for the organization of a specially protected natural area of ​​regional significance - a natural ornithological park.
Work on designing the ornithopark began only in 2009 and it turned out that almost all the land in the Imereti Lowland had already been divided for development with various objects and there was nowhere to place the ornithopark with an area of ​​300 hectares promised in the Application Book in the lowland. Some of the lakes were filled up, and the most valuable part of the proposed ornithopark ended up behind a stone fence on plot of land, provided to the military unit of the FSB of Russia. Therefore, the authorities decided to use the storm sewer drainage ponds and surrounding areas, as well as a wetland in the northern part of the lowland, for the ornithological park. But there was a catastrophic shortage of land, and in order to gain the promised area of ​​300 hectares, it was decided to place most of the “ornithological park in the Imereti Lowland” outside the Imereti Lowland, on abandoned agricultural lands.
Even at the design stage, in April 2009, the Russian Bird Conservation Union sent its position on the ornithopark project to the administration of the Krasnodar Territory and the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation. Scientists stated: “the creation on a limited territory of the Imereti Lowland of a series of disparate environmental objects for various purposes, including those that are not entirely clear, shows that the project developers do not have a clear idea of ​​the natural park as an integral specially protected natural area that has organizational features defined by the current legislation. This scheme also does not provide for the biologically determined needs of birds using this territory as habitats; in particular, to the composition natural park It is proposed to include only a small part of the areas that are still important for bird conservation. In the proposed version, the scheme leads to discrediting the idea of ​​​​creating a natural park for the purpose of preserving unique natural objects.”

However, the opinion of scientists was not listened to. According to latest version boundaries approved by the decree of Governor Tkachev dated October 1, 2012, the park’s territory consists of 14 plots scattered over a vast territory with a total area of ​​298 hectares, while the ornithopark itself in the Imereti Lowland received about 100 hectares, divided into 9 plots. The remaining two-thirds of the area is located along the Psou River bed and in the mountains.
The figure shows the boundaries of the actually created ornithopark clusters (in green) and the boundaries previously proposed by scientists (in red).

But even those drainage ponds, which theoretically could become wintering and temporary stopover sites for migratory birds, the authorities decided to use at their own discretion. Based on the Regulations on the Ornithopark, the areas located in the Imereti Lowland will be used for recreation and commercial use as a kind of amusement park.
On the ornithopark website, the use of the sites is described as follows:
Cluster 1: as a recreation area for recreation of residents and guests of the resort city of Sochi.
Cluster 2: mode of use not described,
Cluster 3: not included in the ornithopark
Clusters 5 and 6: after the completion of the construction of the regulator pond, the cluster is expected to be populated by aquatic, semi-aquatic, crane, chicken and other birds. It will be used for environmental education of the population and guests of the resort city of Sochi.
Cluster 7: it is planned to use the cluster as a demonstration area showing the species diversity of avifauna and other representatives of the animal world, as well as the construction of a unique dendrological park.
Cluster 8: after construction is completed, it is planned to use the cluster as a park area with a butterfly pavilion and a demonstration of insects of the Imereti Lowland.
Cluster 9: the cluster is intended to be used as park area with children playgrounds, children's contact zoo corner.
It is obvious that under the planned protection regime, bird species sensitive to disturbance will not be able to use the territory of the Imereti Lowland.
At the same time, clusters are classified as a protected area 10, 13, 14, 15. However, cluster 10 is partially built up with border structures, and the rest of it is located in the bed of the Psou River, cluster 13 is intensively used for Agriculture, and clusters 14 and 15 are generally located beyond the Russian state border. However, all these clusters remain virtual - none of them are allocated asindependentland plot.
In the photo: view of cluster 6 of the ornithological park, January 2014, Yandex.

Work on “improving the territory” of the ornithopark has already begun. In 2013, more than 600 million rubles were allocated for the construction of paths and buildings for the administration, but this money has nothing to do with bird protection.
The situation with the protection of vegetation is no better. The only surviving area of ​​coastal vegetation is the natural monument “A section of beach with sandy coastal vegetation between the recreation centers “Chernomorets” and “Energia” was destroyed in April 2013, despite repeated promises by the Olimpstroy Group of Companies to include this territory in the ornithopark.
Currently, the territory of the former natural monument looks like this (Yandex, January 2014)


Thus, instead of a protected area in the Imereti Lowland, officials organized a kind of zoo, which they plan to populate with domesticated birds, and build aviaries and pavilions for butterflies on the banks of drainage ponds. Moreover, the area of ​​the created ornithopark is eight times smaller than the territory that was destroyed.
To sum up, we can sadly say that due to the greed of officials, a unique natural object and in our time, no public lie can hide this. The main culprit for the “cutting” and destruction of the Imereti Lowland is Governor Tkachev, who was responsible for the creation of the ornithological park and the distribution of Olympic lands. It is no coincidence that a huge piece of the Imereti Lowland went to Sochi-Park OJSC, owned by his son-in-law’s offshore company, for the construction of an amusement park not related to the Olympic Games. This is much more important than protecting flora and fauna.
In the photo: construction site of Sochi-Park OJSC former places bird habitats, January 2014, Yandex..

The Olympic Park was built exactly where I once loved to walk and next to the bay in which I always swam in splendid isolation.
I tried to go the same route several times and had no time to find favorite place. Almost succeeded.

The picture during the day, to put it mildly, is nothing - glass, concrete and asphalt with rare splashes of greenery. However, the pre-sunset sun works wonders, and if you are going to take a walk there, then go in the late afternoon. At the end of the post there will be before pictures, and now some recent photos with explanations.


For starters, an inspiring view of the sea from a large ice palace

Exactly in this place there was an emerald green plain and reeds above my 172 (the only Colchis swamps in Russia - a stopping place for migratory birds and one of the key ornithological territories of Russia).
Now the tile is vibrating under my feet (I never found out the reason for the vibration), and a view of 3 buildings:
On the left is a large ice palace, on the right is the Shayba ice arena, and Fisht stadium is farthest in the center.

The stadium took its name from the same name mountain peak in the western part of Main Caucasian ridge(translated from the Adyghe language the word “fisht” means “white head”)

Mountain View. The painted hangar on the right is the back of Fisht Stadium. Do you see the trees behind the tourists? This is an Old Believer cemetery fenced with a high fence, it is located between the Fisht stadium and the torch square.

Sea view from the same place.

Directly ahead are new houses on Parusnaya Street; there used to be a holiday village there.

Another view of the sea.

Reflection of the sunset in the large ice palace. Its glazing has a secret. During the day, the glass is mirrored and nothing but the reflection of the surrounding space is visible there. As soon as it starts to get dark, the mirror properties gradually disappear and you can already look inside.

View of the sea from the inside, a very futuristic building.

View from the end, a sectional view of the wall of the large ice palace, so to speak). These metal laces are lined with glass on the outside and are part of the supporting structure for the stadium roof.

And a couple of photos from the past.

The Imereti lowland (2006), untouched by construction, look at the color of the sea in the lower left corner, there was the cleanest water in the Sochi region. Photo taken

Now this place looks like this, there is simply no greenery. Photo from here

The same place in 2010, the construction site has already been completed, surrounded by a fence... and carefully guarded!

I wonder from whom? There were several such installations around the construction site.

There will be no conclusions yet; I have shown you only a tiny piece of a huge territory. To be continued, as well as my personal opinion about what we have lost and what we have gained.
As they say, don't switch.

 

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