Kislovodsk: Trails, Narzan and Culture

• The terrenkur trail network in Kislovskiy National Park is 24.3 kilometres long in total.
• The Narzan Gallery is a 19th-century architectural monument and a cultural heritage site of federal significance.
• The Krepost Local History Museum opened on 9 May 1965.
• The grounds of the Yaroshenko Museum Estate cover about 1.1 hectares.
• A 2.7-metre-high bronze statue stands at the centre of Rebrov Square.

The terrenkur trail network in Kislovskiy National Park is 24.3 kilometres long in total. This figure refers to the network as a whole, not to a single trail. If you want to include exercise in your travel plans, this distinction can help you gauge the distance involved.

Kislovodsk is also home to the Narzan Gallery, a 19th-century architectural monument and a cultural heritage site of federal significance. The architect Samuel Upton designed the building in the symbolic shape of a key. Visitors can sample three types of Narzan there free of charge every day: general, dolomite and sulfate Narzan. Dolomite and sulfate Narzan are served warm and cold. Check the current conditions before your visit.

For a cultural outing, the North Caucasus State Safonov Philharmonic offers symphony orchestras, organ concerts, chamber and children’s programmes, operas, operettas and plays. Its offerings also include guided tours of the halls and traditional benefit events. Individual performances and dates vary.

The Krepost Local History Museum is housed in the main buildings of Kislovodsk Fortress. These include the southern and southwestern barracks, gates, arms workshops, arsenal and tower; the buildings have been fully restored and house exhibition rooms. The fortress also includes a round tower, walls with loopholes and other historic structures. It is considered the only military structure in the North Caucasus to have survived on this scale since the mid-19th century.

The museum’s exhibitions cover stages in the history of the peoples of the North Caucasus, research into mineral springs, the development of Kislovodsk and the role of the Cossacks in the resort’s origins. Visitors can also see ancient weapons, coins and tableware, as well as photographs and documents. Outside the museum entrance, visitors can see military equipment, stone sculptures and a model of the first Narzan bathing facility. The museum has one branch: the F. A. Zander Museum of the History of Cosmonautics at 12 Zhukovsky Street.

The museum estate of artist N. A. Yaroshenko offers a different perspective on the city’s history. It is located in the house where Yaroshenko lived and worked; its collection includes works by him and N. A. Kasatkin. Nikolai Aleksandrovich Yaroshenko (1846–1898) was a Russian artist associated with the Peredvizhniki movement. Guests and friends called his bright house “Belaya villa” (“White Villa”); in 1962, it reopened as an art museum.

The grounds, covering about 1.1 hectares, include an orchard with a small arboretum and a park with a fountain where visitors can stroll. Two outbuildings of the former estate are listed as historic buildings for protection as monuments of state significance. A visit to the museum estate thus combines art history with a walk through the garden and park.

The Zhuravli memorial complex commemorates residents of Kislovodsk who went to the front during the Great Patriotic War. Its prominent feature is a twelve-metre-high obelisk topped with three flying cranes. A bronze statue of Alexei Fyodorovich Rebrov stands at the centre of Rebrov Square. Sculptor Salavat Shcherbakov created the 2.7-metre-high figure.

The stone Cathedral of St Nicholas the Wonderworker is also part of Kislovodsk’s architectural history: it was built in 1888 at 19 Mira Street and completely destroyed in 1936. Another memorial outside the Krepost Museum is made from a block of dolomite and commemorates the founding of Kislovodsk on 13 (25) June 1803. A broad avenue with flowerbeds and benches leads to the Geroyam — medikam (“Heroes among the Medical Workers”) monument, which was unveiled in 1997.

Discover more destinations: Yessentuki, Pyatigorsk, Budennovsk, Galitsino, Nevinnomyssk, Arbali and Georgiyevsk.

Which types of Narzan can visitors sample?

The Narzan Gallery offers general, dolomite and sulfate Narzan. Dolomite and sulfate Narzan are available warm and cold; tastings are described as a free daily offering. Check the current conditions before your visit.

What can visitors see outside the Krepost Museum?

Military equipment and stone sculptures are displayed outside the entrance; there is also a model of the first Narzan bathing facility.

What happened to the Cathedral of St Nicholas?

The stone cathedral was built in 1888 and completely destroyed in 1936.

To view the broader travel guide: Stavropol Krai.

Helpful information for planning your trip:

Kislovodsk in the Caucasus: spa park, mineral water and travel planning.