Mysterious and mythical Sochi

The town history of Sochi takes its rise in 1838 when Russian troops made landing at Sochi-river mouth. On the 21st of April in the same year the first fortress Alexandria was founded on the territory of modern resort. The West Caucasus sea shore was actually populated since ancient times. So was the Sochi area.
Modern archaeologists discovered on bottomland of Mzymta-, Khosta- and Psou-rivers signs that primitive men inhabited the area in early lithic age. The scientists suggested that ancient people first arrived here about 350-400 thousand years ago moving from Asia Minor over Colchis. A few findings of flinttools in flood-valley sediments give evidence about that period.
Later on the territory of Sochi and Abkhazia there appeared stands from Acheulian period. Their habitats were already able to make  ancient tools and lay out nomad camps. Acheulian period was followed by Muster age which was named after a French settlement where the primitive tools make about 35 thousand years ago were found. Some similar findings were made by the scientists on the Khosta-river area.
 Cave stands of lithic age are worth telling about. In Akhshtyr cave, which is now popular landmark of modern Sochi, were found the traces of Neanderthal men and Cro-Magnon who have different skin color and are supposed to be ancestors of European or Caucasus race. There are numerous scientific theories about origin of dolmens. Dolmen culture is represented in Sochi in all variety: from slab, trough-shaped to the only “monolith”.  Stone buildings of Sochi are aged from 5 to 3,5 thousand years. There have been found over 100 dolmens in the Big Sochi area. Most of them are included in sightseeing tours.
The antique epoch contributed greatly to Sochi history. The Black Sea had ill fame among the ancient travelers. Ancient Greeks called it “Inhospitable”.  To blame are the tribes who were described by Aristotle as bloody and severe to foreigners. Achaeans, Genioches, Zigis who evidently inhabited the territory of Tuapse, Sochi, Abkhazia made their living by piracy and slave-trade. But it did not stop the Argonauts to set sail for a voyage along the coast populated with unfriendly tribes.
Historic version  of cruel times made the basis for the myth about Prometheus. The hero suffered great pain because he stole the Olympic fire and gifted it to people. Ferocious Zeus let crucify Prometheus in the Caucasus. Punishment place was determined the deserted rock on the border of Scythian land. There are a lot of evidence that Prometheus was crucified on Fisht mountain. Its summits are distinctly seen from seaside on the Sochi beam. The fact is that in antique chronics there was found the description of Fisht mountain crocodile-shaped from the seaside. On its southern slopes there is a famous red spot – “Prometheus’s blood whose liver was torn apart by the eagle. Over thousands of years the myth about the hero who gave people the fire gained new significance for Sochi. On the 5th of July 2007 the vote for host city took place in Guatemala. IOC has chosen Sochi. Sochi became the capital of Winter Olympics 2014. And one day the real Olympic fire will light up the city.

Since the 4 B.C. till the 19 A.D. the history of Caucasus Black Sea coast was full of events. Some of them were tragic and vague for historians. In different times there lived many tribes and peoples who left the temple and fortress ruins. Nowadays they can be seen in Sochi area. Before Russian troops arrived there lived Circassians. Some travelers described them as bloody pirates and Byzantine historians called East coast habitants Sachi. This name was read in English way and sounded like Sashi or Sachi. So originated the name of tribe Ubych, the river and the whole area.
The Russian Empire had not approved free life of local folk Shapsuhgs who were engaged in slave trade and smuggling with Turkey. Since 1838 marine troops landing began a new page in the history of Sochi. The former fortress was left by highlanders. Their place was taken by settlers from all over Russia and foreigners.

The basis for the future resort was building of the first country houses and detached houses by famous nobles and manufacturers. The villa “Vera” was one of the first built in 1872 by Moscow publisher N.N. Mamontov who named it after his daughter. He was the one who started active advertising of the new health resort in his magazines.
14th of June 1909 is the date when the resort business started in Sochi. There was founded the first hotel “Caucasus Riviera” equipped with running water, sewage and its own power house.
1902 is another important date for Sochi when the first public bath house at Matsestinsky mineral spring opened its doors. A year later physician V.F. Podgursky gave scientific ground to application of “fire” hydrogen-sulphidous water.
Anyway the real peak of Sochi resort was in Soviet Union times when it got state significance.