The first stop is the Green District Park — a flower park in the resort village of Inozemtsevo. This is a small fairytale land with outlandish works of landscape designers, compositions, statues, exhibits and walking alleys. The park is very beautiful, filled with a variety of plants, you can walk for hours, each time discovering new unexplored corners. Here are collected different types of flowers, trees, bushes, decorative figures, a magnificent small pond with a bridge on which you can make wishes, gazebos, benches, lanterns, graffiti, many places for beautiful memorable photos. Throughout the park, music plays from speakers, the «Children’s Microdistrict» is open, with slides and all kinds of entertainment for children, you can have lunch in a restaurant or a fast food cafe.

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We are heading to the Zheleznovodsk resort park, where we can have lunch. 

The history of Zheleznovodsk began more than 200 years ago. A famous Russian doctor and a Kabardian prince discovered two mineral springs on the slope of Mount Zheleznaya. The resort park and Mount Zheleznaya are the city’s visit cards, because the park is simply unique, it combines mountains, forests, artistic design, and amazing landscapes. All this creates the most favorable conditions for rest and treatment. It contains healing springs discovered in the early 19th and 20th centuries: Slavyanovsky, Semashko, Smirnovsky 1 and 2, Nezlobinsky, Zavadovsky, spring No. 54, Gaazovsky, well No. 69.

The main resort park of Zheleznovodsk is of natural origin. It does not have clearly defined boundaries, smoothly turning into the forest. It was formed in the 19th century during the construction of paths to mineral springs. In addition to the fact that the park itself is already a landmark, interesting objects are hidden inside it: a decorative lake, the Alley of Springs, Weeping Grottoes with the cleanest and ringing water.

It is the main center of the resort life of the city of Zheleznovodsk. In the park there is a Cascade Staircase, from the observation deck of which a breathtaking and amazingly beautiful view of the mountains and the surrounding area opens up. Beautiful sculptures, fountains, flowers are installed along the entire staircase. Water flows from small pools, creating cascades. Previously, the length of the staircase was only 200 meters, but recently it was increased by 700 meters and now it is the longest staircase in the South of Russia. Halfway up the Cascade Staircase, a book pump room was opened, where you can enjoy the healing water from the springs and read excerpts from famous works by M. Yu. Lermontov.

Here you can also admire the Palace of the Emir of Bukhara. This is a true miracle of architectural construction that leaves no one indifferent. Over the years of its existence, the palace served as a sanatorium, a military hospital, and then again as a sanatorium. It was restored and rebuilt many times, but retained its oriental beauty and luxury. The iron fence stylized as Arabic script, the arch, the traditional white and blue mosaic, carved stucco, sculptures of lions at the stone stairs, the high tower, the elegant balconies — all this causes admiration among guests and residents of the city. On the territory of the former palace, the master’s buildings, the minaret, and the most popular place among tourists — the former harem with a round turret have been preserved. Legend has it that disobedient or unfaithful wives were thrown from this low tower.

The resort park is a wonderful place for relaxation, for magnificent bright photos, it is comfortable to be in the shade of majestic trees, wander along the alleys, enjoy the beauty of nature and made by human hands. Once upon a time, Pushkin, Lermontov, Tolstoy and other famous personalities of different times walked along these slopes and paths. This place is permeated with poetry and inspiration.

A cozy and colorful place is just right for relaxation. This picturesque corner is often called «Tiny Switzerland» for its incomparable beauty and comfortable mild climate. The air is fresh, mountainous, with a forest aroma and refreshing coolness, saturated with oxygen. Another bright and impressive place in the park is the flower calendar. Every tourist who has visited this park has a photo against its background.

The park has many souvenir shops with magnets, figurines, fragrant mountain and flower honey, and here you can also buy paintings by local artists depicting landscapes and views of Zheleznovodsk.

A walk through the park accompanied by a guide ends with a descent down the Cascade Staircase to the resort lake.

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The Pushkin Gallery is another visit card and symbol of Zheleznovodsk. Thanks to its unusual shapes, large amounts of glass, elegant dome, turrets and delicate blue color, it resembles a palace. This exquisite structure is located in the Medical Park, in a picturesque place against the backdrop of Mount Zheleznaya. This gallery was built in the 19th century for dance evenings and theater performances. The building elements were made in different parts of Russia and brought to Zheleznovodsk for construction under the supervision of Stefan Schiller, a famous Warsaw architect. The interior of the halls is decorated by the artist Ivan Krylov.

The gallery was built in just one year and opened in 1902. A year later, it was named Pushkin. And 35 years later, a monument to the famous poet was erected in it. Pushkin visited Zheleznovodsk, was impressed by the beauty of this place, and it was here that he got the idea to create the poem «The Prisoner of the Caucasus». Over the years of the Pushkin Gallery’s existence, many popular artists performed there: Isadora Duncan, Leonid Utesov, Maya Kristalinskaya, Edita Piekha, Iosif Kobzon and many others. Today, half of the gallery is an auditorium and continues to be used as a concert venue, and the other half hosts exhibitions of paintings by local artists.

The cascade staircase in Zheleznovodsk is bright and rich with colors, it is all framed by flower beds, various shrubs, coniferous and deciduous trees. The riot of colors makes your eyes run wild, here are bright yellow spirea balls, and fiery pink crimson, and Japanese quince. In addition to the usual lindens and poplars, hibiscus, lilacs, and tulip trees are planted. The landscape design is thought out to the smallest detail. Twelve thousand seedlings and plants with an automatic irrigation system.

The upper part of the stairs is decorated with flower beds, sculptures, figures of fairy-tale characters, thujas are planted on the sides and lanterns are installed, a magnificent cascade of fountains adds zest. There are 700 steps to go along the Cascade Staircase. On the platforms between the flights of steps there are bas-reliefs of famous people whose life and work was connected with Zheleznovodsk.

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On one side of the stairs there are intricate green art objects, one of the favorite places for tourists to take photos. The book-pump room with engraved lines from the works of M. Yu. Lermontov gathers many spectators around it. A large amphitheater with Ferum Square, on the tiles of which elements of the Mendeleev periodic table are engraved. All this can be seen while walking along the Cascade Staircase.

The descent will be comfortable and unforgettable. The entire staircase is equipped with zigzag ramps, many benches. The descent ends with a beautiful, modern embankment of the Kurortnoye Lake.

Previously, this source was a swamp with very muddy water due to a large layer of silt in which local residents took mud baths and called the reservoir Gryaznushka. Smirnov became interested in the water of these places, to conduct research on the hot spring Gryaznushka they cleared it and found 15 springs gushing from under the ground. The water was saturated with carbon dioxide and had a temperature of 37 to 51 degrees Celsius. S. Smirnov identified the indications and contraindications for taking these mineral waters, recommended it for the treatment of stomach diseases. In the central part of the Resort Park, on the slope of the mountain, there is one of the most famous springs of Zheleznovodsk, named after Dr. S. Smirnov, who discovered and studied them.

A pump room with two rotundas with glass facades and 9 columns was built on the site of the springs. Three springs with different water temperatures emerge from the ground in the pavilion: 37, 40, 51 degrees. Inside the pump room there are signs with recommendations for taking water depending on the disease. The water from these springs is very tasty, although it has a rather specific smell. It should be drunk right there, at the source, so that the gases contained in it, along with the healing properties, do not evaporate.

The Palace of the Emir of Bukhara is a palace residence connected by passages and huge flights of stairs. The blue palace with turrets and a golden dome was intended to receive nobles and high-ranking guests. Painted baked clay for decorating the palace was made in St. Petersburg by order of the emir himself.

The building of amazing beauty is guarded by mighty stone lions. The inscription on the arch in Arabic «Peace to the incoming» has also been preserved. The ceilings of the palace are decorated with luxurious paintings, and the walls are absolutely white. In the huge living room there is a stone fireplace with a fancy mosaic above it.

The palace is an architectural monument of the early 20th century and a cultural heritage site of federal significance.

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Kurortnoye Lake is a modern landmark of Zheleznovodsk, created by the hands of people who spent their time and effort to create a new place for recreation. A huge pit was dug, the banks were reinforced, a boat station was equipped and another name was given — Decorative Lake.

A symbol of the Caucasian Mineral Waters is installed on the birch of the lake — an eagle sitting on a rock with its wings spread out to the sides.

The lake is landscaped, the shore is lined with large colored stones, in the middle of the reservoir there is an island connected to the shore by a beautiful arched bridge. You can ride a boat or a catamaran on the Kurortnoye Lake, look at the view of the city from a bird’s eye view, flying over the lake on a cable. In the summer, sun loungers are installed, you can sunbathe and have a picnic. Swimming in the lake is prohibited. Fishermen have chosen this place for fishing.

There are entertainments for children — an amusement park, cafes and sports grounds.

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