Sochi ( rus, Со́чи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg) is the largest
resort city
A resort town, often called a resort city or resort destination, is an urban area where tourism or vacationing is the primary component of the local culture and economy. A typical resort town has one or more actual resorts in the surrounding ...
in
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
. The city is situated on the
Sochi River
The Sochi (russian: Сочи) is a river in the city of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. It is long, and the area of its basin .
Originating at Bolshaya Shura Mountain in the Greater Caucasus Mountains, it flows southwest and enters the Black ...
, along the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
in
Southern Russia
Southern Russia or the South of Russia (russian: Юг России, ''Yug Rossii'') is a colloquial term for the southernmost geographic portion of European Russia generally covering the Southern Federal District and the North Caucasian Federal ...
, with a population of 466,078 residents,
up to 600,000 residents in the urban area. The city covers an area of ,
while the Greater Sochi Area covers over .
Sochi stretches across , and is the longest city in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, the fifth-largest city in the
Southern Federal District
The Southern Federal District ( rus, Ю́жный федера́льный о́круг, Yuzhny federalny okrug, ˈjuʐnɨj fʲɪdʲɪˈralʲnɨj ˈokrʊk) is one of the federal districts of Russia, eight federal districts of Russia. Its territor ...
, the second-largest city in
Krasnodar Krai
Krasnodar Krai (russian: Краснода́рский край, r=Krasnodarsky kray, p=krəsnɐˈdarskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subject of Russia (a krai), located in the North Caucasus region in Southern Russia and administratively a part of t ...
, and the
sixth-largest city on the Black Sea.
Being a part of the
Caucasian Riviera
The Caucasian Riviera is located along the eastern shores of the Black Sea under the Caucasus Mountains. It runs from Novorossiysk, Russia to Sarpi, Georgia. The area is divided into five regions, of which four (Adjara, Guria, Samegrelo, and Abkh ...
, it is one of the very few places in Russia with a
subtropical
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Geographical z ...
climate, with warm to hot summers and mild to cool winters.
Sochi hosted the
XXII Olympic Winter Games
, ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'')
, nations = 88
, events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, athletes = 2,873
, opening = 7 February 2014
, closing = 23 February 2014
, opened_by = President Vladimir Putin
, cauldron =
, stadium = Fisht Olympic ...
and
XI Paralympic Winter Games
The 2014 Winter Paralympics (russian: Зимние Паралимпийские игры 2014, Zimniye Paralimpiyskiye igry 2014), the 11th Paralympic Winter Games, and also more generally known as the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, were an ...
in 2014. It hosted the alpine and Nordic Olympic events at the nearby ski resort of
Rosa Khutor
The Rosa Khutor Alpine Resort ( rus, Ро́за Ху́тор, r=Roza Khutor, p=ˈrozə ˈxutər) is an alpine ski resort in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located at the Aibga Ridge of the Western Caucasus along the Roza Khutor plateau near Krasnaya ...
in
Krasnaya Polyana
Krasnaya Polyana (russian: Кра́сная Поля́на) meaning "Red Meadow" is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia:
Modern localities Amur Oblast
As of 2012, one rural locality in Amur ...
. It also hosted the Formula 1
Russian Grand Prix
The Russian Grand Prix (russian: Гран-при России, Gran-pri Rossii) was an annual motor racing event held at Sochi Autodrom – a permanent circuit built around the Olympic Park in Sochi – as part of the Formula One World Champio ...
from 2014 until 2021. It was also one of the host cities for the
2018 FIFA World Cup
The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's national Association football, football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awa ...
.
Etymology
The general consensus (also recognized by the city's own website
) is that the name "Sochi" () is the Russified form of the
Circassian "Ş̂açə" () which in turn is of
Ubykh-Circassian origin, coming from the Ubykh name "Ş̂uaça" ().
[А. В. Твёрдый. ''Топонимический словарь Кавказа''][Exposition of the Historical Museum of Sochi, partly reflected in Russian i]
История Сочи
(History of Sochi) at the official site of the city It is a
compound
Compound may refer to:
Architecture and built environments
* Compound (enclosure), a cluster of buildings having a shared purpose, usually inside a fence or wall
** Compound (fortification), a version of the above fortified with defensive struct ...
made up from the two Ubykh words "шъуа" (sea) and "ча" (side) and roughly translates to "Seaside/coast".
There are other claims and theories, according to Georgian sources, the word comes from the Georgian word for "fir", "soch'i" ().
History
Early history
Before the whole area was conquered by
Cimmerian
The Cimmerians (Akkadian: , romanized: ; Hebrew: , romanized: ; Ancient Greek: , romanized: ; Latin: ) were an ancient Eastern Iranian equestrian nomadic people originating in the Caspian steppe, part of whom subsequently migrated into West Asi ...
,
Scythian
The Scythians or Scyths, and sometimes also referred to as the Classical Scythians and the Pontic Scythians, were an ancient Eastern
* : "In modern scholarship the name 'Sakas' is reserved for the ancient tribes of northern and eastern Centra ...
and
Sarmatian
The Sarmatians (; grc, Σαρμαται, Sarmatai; Latin: ) were a large confederation of Ancient Iranian peoples, ancient Eastern Iranian languages, Eastern Iranian peoples, Iranian Eurasian nomads, equestrian nomadic peoples of classical ant ...
invaders, the
Zygii
The Zygii ( grc-gre, Ζυγοί, ''Zygoí'') or Zygians were described by Strabo as a nation to the north of Colchis. He wrote:
''And on the sea lies the Asiatic side of the Bosporus, or the Syndic territory. After this latter, one comes to the ...
(Proto-
Adyghe) people lived in
Lesser Abkhazia
Lesser Abkhazia ( Georgian: ჯიქეთი, Jiqeti) was the term used to refer to those lands of Abkhazia that were not subject to the direct control of the ruling Shervashidze dynasty. History
After the Russian-Circassian War, the bulk ...
under the
Kingdom of Pontus
Pontus ( grc-gre, Πόντος ) was a Hellenistic kingdom centered in the historical region of Pontus and ruled by the Mithridatic dynasty (of Persian origin), which possibly may have been directly related to Darius the Great of the Achaemeni ...
, then the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
's influence in
antiquity
Antiquity or Antiquities may refer to:
Historical objects or periods Artifacts
*Antiquities, objects or artifacts surviving from ancient cultures
Eras
Any period before the European Middle Ages (5th to 15th centuries) but still within the histo ...
. From the 6th to the 11th centuries, the area successively belonged to the Georgian kingdoms of
Lazica
Lazica ( ka, ეგრისი, ; lzz, ლაზიკა, ; grc-gre, Λαζική, ; fa, لازستان, ; hy, Եգեր, ) was the Latin name given to the territory of Colchis during the Roman/Byzantine period, from about the 1st centur ...
and
Abkhazia
Abkhazia, ka, აფხაზეთი, tr, , xmf, აბჟუა, abzhua, or ( or ), officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, recognised by most countries as part of Georgia, which vi ...
, who built a dozen churches within the city boundaries, the later was
unified under the single
Georgian monarchy in 11th-century, forming one of the
Saeristavo
Saeristavo ( ka, საერისთავო), in historical and scientific literature with this term is defined a territorial unit in old Georgia, which was ruled by Eristavi (duke).
List of the Duchies of Kingdom of Georgia
See also
*Eris ...
, known as
Tskhumi extending its possessions up to
Nicopsis
Nicopsis, Nikopsis, or Nikopsia ( el, Νικόψις; ka, ნიკოფსი, ნიკოფსია; ) was a medieval fortress and town on the northeastern Black Sea coast, somewhere between the towns of Tuapse, Russia, and New Athos, Georg ...
. The Christian settlements along the coast were destroyed by the invading
Alans
The Alans (Latin: ''Alani'') were an ancient and medieval Iranian nomadic pastoral people of the North Caucasus – generally regarded as part of the Sarmatians, and possibly related to the Massagetae. Modern historians have connected the Al ...
,
Khazars
The Khazars ; he, כּוּזָרִים, Kūzārīm; la, Gazari, or ; zh, 突厥曷薩 ; 突厥可薩 ''Tūjué Kěsà'', () were a semi-nomadic Turkic people that in the late 6th-century CE established a major commercial empire coverin ...
,
Mongols
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal membe ...
and other
nomadic empire
Nomadic empires, sometimes also called steppe empires, Central or Inner Asian empires, were the empires erected by the bow and arrow, bow-wielding, horse-riding, Eurasian nomads, nomadic people in the Eurasian Steppe, from classical antiquity (Scy ...
s whose control of the region was slight. The northern wall of an 11th-century
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...
still stands in the
Loo Microdistrict
Loo (russian: Лоо; ady, Лэуп) is a microdistrict of Lazarevsky City District of the city of Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located from the city center. Loo railway station is one of the stations on the North Caucasus Railway, subsidi ...
.
Between the
13th
In music or music theory, a thirteenth is the note thirteen scale degrees from the root of a chord and also the interval between the root and the thirteenth. The interval can be also described as a compound sixth, spanning an octave pl ...
and
15th centuries, the
Republic of Genoa
The Republic of Genoa ( lij, Repúbrica de Zêna ; it, Repubblica di Genova; la, Res Publica Ianuensis) was a medieval and early modern maritime republic from the 11th century to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast. During the Lat ...
had the monopoly of the trade on the shores of the Black Sea, and established colonies and trading posts in the region of the present-day Sochi, the large ones were
Layso and
Costa
Costa may refer to:
Biology
* Rib (Latin: ''costa''), in vertebrate anatomy
* Costa (botany), the central strand of a plant leaf or thallus
* Costa (coral), a stony rib, part of the skeleton of a coral
* Costa (entomology), the leading edge of th ...
.
From the 14th to the 19th centuries, the region was dominated by the
Abkhaz,
Ubykh and
Adyghe tribes, the current location of the city of Sochi (Ş̂açə) known as
Ubykhia
Ubykhia (; ady, Убых Хэгъэгу, russian: Убыхия) was a commonwealth of Ubykh tribe of Circassians and a province of Circassia in the 14th–19th centuries. It was situated in what is today Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia.
Ubykhs sup ...
was part of historical
Circassia
Circassia (; also known as Cherkessia in some sources; ady, Адыгэ Хэку, Адыгей, lit=, translit=Adıgə Xəku, Adıgey; ; ota, چرکسستان, Çerkezistan; ) was a country and a historical region in the along the northeast ...
, and was controlled by the native people of the local mountaineer clans of the north-west Caucasus, nominally under the sovereignty of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, which was their principal trading partner in the Islamic world.
Russian Empire
The coastline was ceded to
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
in 1829 as a result of the
Russo-Circassian War
The Russo-Circassian War ( ady, Урыс-адыгэ зауэ, translit=Wurıs-adığə zawə; ; 1763–1864; also known as the Russian Invasion of Circassia) was the invasion of Circassia by Russia, starting in July 17, 1763 ( O.S) with the Ru ...
and the
Russo-Turkish War
The Russo-Turkish wars (or Ottoman–Russian wars) were a series of twelve wars fought between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire between the 16th and 20th centuries. It was one of the longest series of military conflicts in European histor ...
, 1828–1829; however, the
Circassians
The Circassians (also referred to as Cherkess or Adyghe; Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: ''Adıgəxər'') are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation native to the historical country-region of Circassia in ...
did not accept the Russian control over
Circassia
Circassia (; also known as Cherkessia in some sources; ady, Адыгэ Хэку, Адыгей, lit=, translit=Adıgə Xəku, Adıgey; ; ota, چرکسستان, Çerkezistan; ) was a country and a historical region in the along the northeast ...
and kept resisting the newly established Russian outposts along the
Circassian coast
Russian Black Sea Coast (russian: Черноморское побережье России) formerly known before the Circassian genocide as Circassian coast ( ady, Адыгэ хы аушу; russian: Черкесское побережье) is the ...
( ady, Адыгэ хы аушу).
[Exposition of the Historical Museum of Sochi, partly reflected in Russian in (History of Sochi) at the official site of the city][Sochi – from ancient sites to 2014 Olympics](_blank)
information from the Historical Museum of Sochi Provision of weapons and ammunition from abroad to the Circassians caused a diplomatic conflict between the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
and the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
that occurred in 1836 over the
mission of the ''Vixen''.
The Russians had no detailed knowledge of the area until Baron
Feodor Tornau
Fyodor, Fedor (russian: Фёдор) or Feodor is the Russian form of the name "Theodore" meaning “God’s Gift”. Fedora () is the feminine form. Fyodor and Fedor are two English transliterations of the same Russian name.
It may refer to:
Giv ...
investigated the coastal route from
Gelendzhik
Gelendzhik (russian: Геленджи́к) is a resort town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the Gelendzhik Bay of the Black Sea, between Novorossiysk ( to the northwest) and Tuapse ( to the southeast). Greater Gelendzhik sprawls for along t ...
to
Gagra
Gagra ( ka, გაგრა; Abkhaz and Russian: Гагра) is a town in Abkhazia/Georgia, sprawling for 5 km on the northeast coast of the Black Sea, at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains. Its subtropical climate made Gagra a popular hea ...
, and across the mountains to
Kabarda
Grand Principality of Great Kabarda or East Circassia was a historical country in the North Caucasus corresponding partly to the modern Kabardino-Balkaria. It had better political organization than its neighbors and existed as a political commun ...
, in the 1830s. In 1838, the fort of Alexandria, renamed Navaginsky a year later, was founded at the mouth of the
Sochi River
The Sochi (russian: Сочи) is a river in the city of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. It is long, and the area of its basin .
Originating at Bolshaya Shura Mountain in the Greater Caucasus Mountains, it flows southwest and enters the Black ...
as part of the Black Sea coastal line, a chain of seventeen fortifications set up to protect the area from recurring Circassian resistance. At the outbreak of the
Crimean War
The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia.
Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...
, the garrison was evacuated from Navaginsky in order to prevent its capture by the Turks, who effected a landing on
Cape Adler soon after.
The last battle of the
Russo-Circassian War
The Russo-Circassian War ( ady, Урыс-адыгэ зауэ, translit=Wurıs-adığə zawə; ; 1763–1864; also known as the Russian Invasion of Circassia) was the invasion of Circassia by Russia, starting in July 17, 1763 ( O.S) with the Ru ...
,
Battle of Qbaada
The Battle of Qbaada (; ; ) was a last stand battle in 1864 fought between the last remains of the Circassians and the Russians, Russian imperial forces during the Russo-Circassian War.Неизвестные войны России. Взятие ...
, took place in 1864 and the Dakhovsky fort was established on the site of the Navaginsky fort. The end of Caucasian War was proclaimed at Qbaada tract (modern
Krasnaya Polyana
Krasnaya Polyana (russian: Кра́сная Поля́на) meaning "Red Meadow" is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia:
Modern localities Amur Oblast
As of 2012, one rural locality in Amur ...
) on June 2 (21 May
O.S.), 1864, by the manifesto of
Emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
Alexander II read aloud by
Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia
Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia (25 October 1832 – 18 December 1909) was the fourth son and seventh child of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia and Charlotte of Prussia. He was the first owner of the New Michael Palace on the Palace Quay in ...
.
The city was the administrative capital of the
Sochinsky Okrug.
Circassian genocide
After the end of
Russo-Circassian War
The Russo-Circassian War ( ady, Урыс-адыгэ зауэ, translit=Wurıs-adığə zawə; ; 1763–1864; also known as the Russian Invasion of Circassia) was the invasion of Circassia by Russia, starting in July 17, 1763 ( O.S) with the Ru ...
, the Russian Empire aimed to systematically destroy the native Circassian people in the region
[.][L.V.Burykina. ''Pereselenskoye dvizhenie na severo-zapagni Kavakaz''. Reference in King.][.] and several atrocities were committed by the Russian forces.
[Shenfield, Stephen D. ''The Circassians: A Forgotten Genocide?'', 1999] As a result, almost all
Ubykhs
The Ubykh ( Ubykh: Пэху / Туахы, ''Pəxu / Tuaxy''; , ''Ubyx''; russian: Убыхи; tr, Ubıhlar / Vubıhlar) are one of the twelve Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelve stars on the green-and-gold Circassian flag. Along wi ...
and a major part of the
Circassians
The Circassians (also referred to as Cherkess or Adyghe; Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: ''Adıgəxər'') are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation native to the historical country-region of Circassia in ...
who lived on the territory of modern Sochi, were either killed or expelled to the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
in the
Circassian Genocide
The Circassian genocide, or Tsitsekun, was the Russian Empire's systematic mass murder, ethnic cleansing, and expulsion of 80–97% of the Circassian population, around 800,000–1,500,000 people, during and after the Russo-Circassian War ( ...
. Starting in 1866 the coast was actively colonized by Russians, Armenians, Ukrainians, Belorussians, Greeks, Germans, Georgians and other people from inner Russia.
In 1874–1891, the first
Russian Orthodox church
, native_name_lang = ru
, image = Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg
, imagewidth =
, alt =
, caption = Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia
, abbreviation = ROC
, type ...
,
St. Michael's Church, was constructed, and the Dakhovsky settlement was renamed ''Dakhovsky''
Posad
A posad (russian: посад, uk, посад) was a historical type of settlement in East Slavic lands since the Ancient Rus, often surrounded by ramparts and a moat, adjoining a town or a kremlin, but outside of it, or adjoining a monastery ...
on April 13, 1874 (
O.S.). In February 1890, the Sochi Lighthouse was constructed. In 1896, the Dakhovsky
Posad
A posad (russian: посад, uk, посад) was a historical type of settlement in East Slavic lands since the Ancient Rus, often surrounded by ramparts and a moat, adjoining a town or a kremlin, but outside of it, or adjoining a monastery ...
was renamed ''Sochi''
Posad
A posad (russian: посад, uk, посад) was a historical type of settlement in East Slavic lands since the Ancient Rus, often surrounded by ramparts and a moat, adjoining a town or a kremlin, but outside of it, or adjoining a monastery ...
(after the name of local river) and incorporated into the newly formed
Black Sea Governorate
The Black Sea Governorate was a province ('' guberniya'') of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, established in 1896 on the territory of the of the Kuban Oblast. The administrative center of the governorate was the Black Sea port of N ...
. In 1900–1910, Sochi burgeoned into a sea resort. The first resort, "Kavkazskaya Riviera", opened on June 14, 1909 (
O.S.). Sochi was granted town status in 1917.
File:Sochi-1838.jpg, Plan of Fort Alexandria at the mouth of Sochi, which initiated the city of Sochi
File:Subashi desant.jpg, The landing of Nikolay Raevsky
Nikolay Nikolayevich Raevsky (; — ) was a Russian general and statesman who achieved fame for his feats of arms during the Napoleonic Wars. His family left a lasting legacy in Russian society and culture.
Early life
Nikolay Raevsky was born i ...
's squadron at Subashi, 1839 by Ivan Aivazovsky
Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky (russian: link=no, Иван Константинович Айвазовский; 29 July 18172 May 1900) was a Russian Romantic painter who is considered one of the greatest masters of marine art. Baptized a ...
File:CircassianCoastBattle.JPG, Adyghe strike on a Russian Military Fort in 1840 during the Russian-Circassians War
File:Sochi-kurort.jpg, The "Kavkazskaya Riviera" resort in Sochi, ca. 1909
File:Sochi (Moscvich) 1913.jpg, Map of Sochi in 1913 (Russian edition)
Soviet time
During the
Russian Civil War
, date = October Revolution, 7 November 1917 – Yakut revolt, 16 June 1923{{Efn, The main phase ended on 25 October 1922. Revolt against the Bolsheviks continued Basmachi movement, in Central Asia and Tungus Republic, the Far East th ...
, the littoral area saw
sporadic armed clashes involving the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
,
White movement forces, and the
Democratic Republic of Georgia
The Democratic Republic of Georgia (DRG; ka, საქართველოს დემოკრატიული რესპუბლიკა ') was the first modern establishment of a republic of Georgia, which existed from May 1918 to ...
. As a result of the war Sochi has become Russian territory. In 1923, Sochi acquired one of its most distinctive features, a
railway which runs from
Tuapse
Tuapse (russian: Туапсе́; ady, Тӏуапсэ ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the northeast shore of the Black Sea, south of Gelendzhik and north of Sochi. Population:
Tuapse i ...
to Georgia within a kilometer or two of the coastline. Although this branch of the
Northern Caucasus Railway
North Caucasus Railway ( rus, Северо-Кавказская железная дорога) is a 5 ft and 1520 mm gauge railways, broad gauge Russian railway network that links the Sea of Azov (in the west) and Caspian Sea (in the east). It ...
may appear somewhat incongruous in the setting of beaches and sanatoriums, it is still operational and vital to the region's transportation infrastructure.
Sochi was established as a fashionable resort area under
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secreta ...
, who had his favorite
dacha
A dacha ( rus, дача, p=ˈdatɕə, a=ru-dacha.ogg) is a seasonal or year-round second home, often located in the exurbs of post-Soviet countries, including Russia. A cottage (, ') or shack serving as a family's main or only home, or an outbu ...
built in the city. Stalin's study, complete with a wax statue of the leader, is now open to the public. During Stalin's reign the coast became dotted with imposing
Neoclassical buildings, exemplified by the opulent Rodina and Ordzhonikidze sanatoriums. The centerpiece of this early period is
Shchusev's
Constructivist Institute of Rheumatology (1927–1931). The area was continuously developed until the demise of the Soviet Union.
Modern Russia
Following Russia's loss of the traditionally popular resorts of the
Crimean Peninsula
Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a po ...
(
transferred from the
Russian SFSR
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...
to the
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...
in 1954 by
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (– 11 September 1971) was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 and chairman of the country's Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964. During his rule, Khrushchev s ...
), Sochi emerged as the unofficial
summer capital
A summer capital is a city used as an administrative capital during extended periods of particularly hot summer weather. The term is mostly of relevance in historical contexts of political systems with ruling classes that would migrate to a summe ...
of the country. In 1961, Soviet officials decided to expand the city limits by forming a ''Greater Sochi'' which extended for 140 kilometers from the southern parts of
Tuapse
Tuapse (russian: Туапсе́; ady, Тӏуапсэ ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the northeast shore of the Black Sea, south of Gelendzhik and north of Sochi. Population:
Tuapse i ...
to
Adler. In July 2005, Russia submitted a successful bid for hosting the
2014 Winter Olympics
, ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'')
, nations = 88
, events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, athletes = 2,873
, opening = 7 February 2014
, closing = 23 February 2014
, opened_by = President Vladimir Putin
, cauldron =
, stadium = Fisht Olympic ...
in the city, spending around $51 billion in the process.
Additionally, Sochi has also served as the location for the signing of many
treaties
A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal perso ...
, especially those between
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
and the breakaway regions of
Abkhazia
Abkhazia, ka, აფხაზეთი, tr, , xmf, აბჟუა, abzhua, or ( or ), officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, recognised by most countries as part of Georgia, which vi ...
and
South Ossetia
South Ossetia, ka, სამხრეთი ოსეთი, ( , ), officially the Republic of South Ossetia – the State of Alania, is a partially recognised landlocked state in the South Caucasus. It has an officially stated populat ...
governing authorities.
In 2019, an area in the
Imereti Lowlands
The Imereti Lowlands ( ka, იმერეთის დაბლობი, russian: Имеретинская низменность) is located in western Georgia (country) and continues on the coast of the Black Sea between the Mzymta and Psou riv ...
was divided from Adlersky City District and formed as a separate
urban-type settlement
Urban-type settlementrussian: посёлок городско́го ти́па, translit=posyolok gorodskogo tipa, abbreviated: russian: п.г.т., translit=p.g.t.; ua, селище міського типу, translit=selyshche mis'koho typu, ab ...
named
Sirius
Sirius is the list of brightest stars, brightest star in the night sky. Its name is derived from the Ancient Greek language, Greek word , or , meaning 'glowing' or 'scorching'. The star is designated α Canis Majoris, Latinisation ...
. It was later designated as a
federal territory
A federal territory is an administrative division under the direct and usually exclusive jurisdiction of a federation's national government. A federal territory is a part of a federation, but not a part of any federated state. The states constit ...
.
File:Здание санатория «Орджоникидзе» (Сочи, курортный пр.)102.jpg, Ordzhonikidze resort, built in 1937–1955
File:RIAN archive 579736 Promenade and beach in Sochi.jpg, Promenade in Sochi, 1973
File:Храм Святого Владимира на Виноградной горе.jpg, St. Vladimir Church, built in 2005–2011
Geography
Greater Sochi is elongated along the Black Sea coast for . Sochi is approximately from
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
.
[Travel Destinations Sochi Russia by Michael Totten , Traveler's Guide 360](_blank)
. Travelersguide360.com (February 11, 2013). Retrieved on January 3, 2014.
The city of Sochi borders with
Tuapsinsky District
Tuapsinsky District (russian: Туапси́нский райо́н) is an administrative district (raion), one of the thirty-eight in Krasnodar Krai, Russia.Reference Information #34.01-707/13-03 As a municipal division, it is incorporated as Tu ...
in the northwest, with
Apsheronsky District
Apsheronsky District (russian: Апшеро́нский райо́н) is an administrative district (raion), one of the thirty-eight in Krasnodar Krai, Russia.Reference Information #20-2969/11-03 As a municipal division, it is incorporated as A ...
and with
Maykopsky District
Maykopsky District (russian: Майко́пский райо́н; ady, Мыекъуапэ къедзыгъо) is an administrativeLaw #171 and a municipalLaw #283 district (raion), one of the list of administrative and municipal divisions of the ...
of the
Republic of Adygea
The Republic of Adygea (; russian: Республика Адыгея, Respublika Adygeya, p=ɐdɨˈɡʲejə; ady, Адыгэ Республик, ''Adıgə Respublik''), also known as the Adyghe Republic, is a republic of Russia. It is situated ...
in the north, with
Mostovsky District
Mostovsky District (russian: Мостовский райо́н) is an administrative district (raion), one of the thirty-eight in Krasnodar Krai, Russia.Reference Information #34.01-707/13-03 As a municipal division, it is incorporated as Mostovs ...
in the northeast, and with
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
/
Abkhazia
Abkhazia, ka, აფხაზეთი, tr, , xmf, აბჟუა, abzhua, or ( or ), officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, recognised by most countries as part of Georgia, which vi ...
in the southeast. From the southwest, it is bordered by the Black Sea.
The vast majority of the population of Sochi lives in a narrow strip along the coast and is organized in independent microdistricts (formerly settlements). The biggest of these microdistricts, from the northwest to the southeast, are
Lazarevskoye,
Loo,
Dagomys
Dagomys ( ady, Дэгъумес); is a microdistrict of Sochi, Russia (12 km from the city centre), known for its resorts, vacation spots and tea plantations. It was developed as a resort since before the Russian Revolution, when a botan ...
, central Sochi (
Tsentralny City District),
Khosta,
Matsesta, and
Adler. The whole city is located on the slopes of the
Western Caucasus
The Western Caucasus is a western region of the Caucasus in Southern Russia, extending from the Black Sea to Mount Elbrus.
World Heritage Site
The Western Caucasus includes a natural UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising the extreme western e ...
which descend to the Black Sea and are cut by the rivers. The biggest rivers in Sochi are the
Mzymta
Mzymta (, , lit. 'the place (-ҭа) of the river Мӡым", , ''Mezmytha'') is a river in Western Caucasus, Russia, flowing through Mostovsky District and the city of Sochi (Adlersky City District) of Krasnodar Krai, Russia. Mzymta is the larges ...
, which is in fact the longest Black Sea tributary in Russia, and the
Shakhe. Other rivers include the Ashe, the Psezuapse, the
Sochi
Sochi ( rus, Со́чи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg) is the largest resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi River, along the Black Sea in Southern Russia, with a population of 466,078 residents, up to 600,000 residents in ...
, the Khosta, and the
Matsesta. The
Psou River
The Psou (; ady, Псыу; ka, ფსოუ; ab, Ҧсоу; russian: Псоу) is a river in the West Caucasus, bordering the Gagra Range to the east. It flows along the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and forms a part of ...
makes the border with Abkhazia.
The northeastern part of the city belongs to the
Caucasian Biosphere Reserve
The Western Caucasus is a western region of the Caucasus in Southern Russia, extending from the Black Sea to Mount Elbrus.
World Heritage Site
The Western Caucasus includes a natural UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising the extreme western ...
which is a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
spanning vast areas in Krasnodar Krai and Adygea. Almost the whole area of the Greater Sochi, with the exception of the coast and of the area which belong to the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve, are included into
Sochi National Park
Sochi National Park (russian: Сочинский национальный парк, also Sochinsky National Park) is Russia's oldest national park, established on May 5, 1983. It is located in the Western Caucasus, near the city of Sochi, in Souther ...
.
Sochi has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
with mild winters (average during the day and at night) in the period from December to March and warm summers (average during the day and at night) in the period from May to October.
Layout and landmarks
Sochi is unique among larger Russian cities as having some aspects of a
subtropical
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Geographical z ...
resort. Apart from the scenic
Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains,
: pronounced
* hy, Կովկասյան լեռներ,
: pronounced
* az, Qafqaz dağları, pronounced
* rus, Кавка́зские го́ры, Kavkázskiye góry, kɐfˈkasːkʲɪje ˈɡorɨ
* tr, Kafkas Dağla ...
, pebble and sand
beach
A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shel ...
es, the city attracts
vacation-goers with its subtropical vegetation, numerous parks, monuments, and extravagant
Stalinist architecture
Stalinist architecture, mostly known in the former Eastern Bloc as Stalinist style () or Socialist Classicism, is the architecture of the Soviet Union under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, between 1933 (when Boris Iofan's draft for the Palace ...
. About two million people visit Greater Sochi each summer, when the city is home to the annual film festival "
Kinotavr
Kinotavr (russian: Кинотавр), also known as the Sochi Open Russian Film Festival is an open film festival held in the resort city of Sochi, Russia annually in June since 1991, until it was cancelled in the wake of the 2022 Russian invasio ...
" and a getaway for Russia's elite.
File:0 38ba3 c3a1c3bc orig.jpeg, Sochi's quay
File:Dendrarium Sochi Amours fontain.JPG, Cupid
In classical mythology, Cupid (Latin Cupīdō , meaning "passionate desire") is the god of desire, lust, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus (mythology), Venus and the god of war Mar ...
fountain in Arboretum
An arboretum (plural: arboreta) in a general sense is a botanical collection composed exclusively of trees of a variety of species. Originally mostly created as a section in a larger garden or park for specimens of mostly non-local species, man ...
File:0 5fb3a 42e76fa0 orig.jpeg, Hotels
File:Tower on the Akhun mountain.JPG, Mount Akhun
Mount Akhun (Ахун) is a stand-alone mountain in the Khostinsky City District of Sochi, Russia. Wedged between the Matsesta and Khosta rivers, this karst massif is the highest point of the Sochi littoral.
The peak of Greater Akhun is above ...
File:Аэрофотоснимок гостиницы Приморская 02.jpg, Aerial view of Sochi
File:Памятник Петру I (Сочи).jpg, Monument to Peter I in the seaport berth
A
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
, the
Caucasian Biosphere Reserve
The Western Caucasus is a western region of the Caucasus in Southern Russia, extending from the Black Sea to Mount Elbrus.
World Heritage Site
The Western Caucasus includes a natural UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising the extreme western ...
, lies just north from the city. Sochi also has the region's most northerly
tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of '' Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and northe ...
plantation
A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...
s.
Climate
Sochi has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Cfa''),
at the lower elevations. Its average annual temperature is during the day and at night. In the coldest months—January and February—the average temperature is about during the day, above at night and the average sea temperature is about . In the warmest months—July and August—the temperature typically ranges from during the day, about at night and the average sea temperature is about . Yearly sunshine hours are around 2,200. Generally, the summer season lasts three months, from June to September. Two months—April and November—are transitional; sometimes temperatures reach , with an average temperature of around during the day and at night. December, January, February and March are the coldest months, with average temperature (of these four months) during the day and at night. Average annual
precipitation
In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...
is about .
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
The ''Great Soviet Encyclopedia'' (GSE; ) is one of the largest Russian-language encyclopedias, published in the Soviet Union from 1926 to 1990. After 2002, the encyclopedia's data was partially included into the later ''Bolshaya rossiyskaya e ...
Entry on Sochi
Sochi lies at 8b/9a
hardiness zone
A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...
, so the city supports different types of palm trees.
Sochi is situated on the same latitude as
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...
but strong cold winds from Asia make winters less warm. In fact, temperatures drop below freezing every winter. The highest temperature recorded was , on July 30, 2000, and the lowest temperature recorded was on January 25, 1892.
Administrative and municipal status and city divisions
![Krasnodarsky krai Sochi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Krasnodarsky_krai_Sochi.PNG)
Within the
framework of administrative divisions, it is, together with one
urban-type settlement
Urban-type settlementrussian: посёлок городско́го ти́па, translit=posyolok gorodskogo tipa, abbreviated: russian: п.г.т., translit=p.g.t.; ua, селище міського типу, translit=selyshche mis'koho typu, ab ...
(
Krasnaya Polyana
Krasnaya Polyana (russian: Кра́сная Поля́на) meaning "Red Meadow" is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia:
Modern localities Amur Oblast
As of 2012, one rural locality in Amur ...
) and seventy-nine
rural localities, incorporated as the
City
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
of Sochi—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the
districts
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
.
[''Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units of Krasnodar Krai''] As a
municipal division, the City of Sochi is incorporated as Sochi Urban Okrug.
[Law #679-KZ]
Sochi is administratively subdivided into four city districts:
Tsentralny City District,
Lazarevsky City District
Lazarevsky City District (russian: Лазаревский райо́н) is one of four city districts of the city of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. The city district borders Tuapsinsky District in the northwest, Apsheronsky District in the nort ...
,
Khostinsky City District
Khostinsky City District (russian: Хостинский райо́н) is one of four city districts of the city of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. The city district borders Maykopsky District of the Republic of Adygea in the northeast, Adlersky C ...
, and
Adlersky City District
Adlersky City District (russian: А́длерский райо́н) is the southernmost of four city districts of the city of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, lying along the Black Sea coast near the southern Russian border with Georgia. The city ...
. Tsentralny City District, comprising the central portion of, is by far the smallest out of four in terms of the area, and the other three have comparable areas, with Lazarevsky City District being the biggest. In terms of the population, Tsentralny City District is approximately twice as big as each of the other three city districts.
Tsentralny City District
Tsentralny City District, or central Sochi, covers an area of and, as of the
2010 Census, has a population of 137,677.
The highlights include:
*
Michael Archangel Cathedral, a diminutive church built in 1873–1891 to
Kaminsky
Kaminsky is a surname with various origins. It may be derived from Czech/Slovak Kaminský, uk, Камінський,
russian: Каминский, be, Камінскі, or Polish Kamiński. Feminine forms include Kaminská (Czech and Slovak), K ...
's designs in order to commemorate the victorious conclusion of the
Caucasian War
The Caucasian War (russian: Кавказская война; ''Kavkazskaya vojna'') or Caucasus War was a 19th century military conflict between the Russian Empire and various peoples of the North Caucasus who resisted subjugation during the R ...
.
*The red-granite Archangel Column, erected in 2006 in memory of the Russian soldiers fallen in Sochi during the Caucasian War. It is capped by a 7-metre bronze statue of Sochi's patron saint,
Michael the Archangel
Michael (; he, מִיכָאֵל, lit=Who is like El od, translit=Mīḵāʾēl; el, Μιχαήλ, translit=Mikhaḗl; la, Michahel; ar, ميخائيل ، مِيكَالَ ، ميكائيل, translit=Mīkāʾīl, Mīkāl, Mīkhāʾīl), also ...
.
*Sochi Art Museum occupies a large building with a four-columned portico, completed in 1939. The
Neoclassical design is by
Ivan Zholtovsky
Ivan Vladislavovich Zholtovsky (russian: Иван Владиславович Жолтовский, be, Іван Уладзіслававіч Жалтоўскі; November 27, 1867 – July 16, 1959) was a Soviet and Russian architect and educator ...
.
*
Sochi Arboretum
The Sochi Arboretum is a unique collection of subtropical flora and fauna. It is a monument of landscape architecture located in the Khosta district of the city of Sochi
Sochi ( rus, Со́чи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg) is the large ...
, a large
botanical garden
A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
with tropical trees from many countries, and the Mayors Alleé—a landscape avenue of palm trees planted by mayors from cities around the world.
*The
Tree of Friendship, a
hybrid citrus tree planted in 1934 in the Subtropical Botanic Garden. Since 1940 numerous citrus cultivars from foreign countries have been
grafted
Grafting or graftage is a horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion () while the lower part is called the rootstock. The succ ...
onto this tree as a token of friendship and peace. The associated Friendship Tree Garden Museum has a collection of 20,000 commemorative presents from around the world.
*The Winter Theater (1934–1937) is another rigorously Neoclassical edifice, surrounded by 88 Corinthian columns, with a pediment bearing the statues of
Terpsichore
In Greek mythology, Terpsichore (; grc-gre, Τερψιχόρη, "delight in dancing") is one of the nine Muses and goddess of dance and chorus. She lends her name to the word " terpsichorean" which means "of or relating to dance".
Appearance ...
,
Melpomene
In Greek mythology, Melpomene (; grc, Μελπομένη, Melpoménē, to sing' or 'the one that is melodious), initially the muse of chorus, eventually became the muse of tragedy, and is now best known in that association.
Etymology
Melp ...
and
Thalia
Thalia, Thalía, Thaleia or Thalian may refer to:
People
* Thalia (given name), including a list of people with the name
* Thalía (born 1971), Mexican singer and actress
Mythological and fictional characters
* Thalia (Grace), one of the three ...
, all three cast by
Vera Mukhina
Vera Ignatyevna Mukhina (russian: Ве́ра Игна́тьевна Му́хина; lv, Vera Muhina; french: Vera Moukhina; – 6 October 1953) was a prominent Soviet sculptor and painter. She was nicknamed "the queen of Soviet sculpture".
B ...
.
*Hall of Organ and Chamber Music. Located centrally in the city of Sochi it conducts organ, symphony, chamber-ensemble, choral, vocal music concerts. All year round the
Sochi Symphony Orchestra
The Sochi Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Sochi, Russia.
History
The orchestra was founded in 1991 as a chamber ensemble, in 2001 it received the status of a symphony orchestra. Its current chief conductor is Oleg Soldatov.
The orc ...
, local actors of the city art groups, famous Russian and international performers, International Contests Winners and Laureates give concerts here.
*The Maritime Passenger Terminal (1955) is notable for its distinctive 71-meter-high steepled tower and four statues symbolizing the
cardinal points
The four cardinal directions, or cardinal points, are the four main compass directions: north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials N, E, S, and W respectively. Relative to north, the directions east, south, and west are at ...
.
*The Railway Station (1952) is one of the most remarkable buildings of Sochi.
*The Riviera Park was established by Vasily Alexeyevich Khludov in 1883 in the part of the city which later became known as Khludovskaya. The park is popular with tourists and local residents alike. It has a variety of attractions, including an outcrop of funny statues and a "glade of friendship" where
magnolia
''Magnolia'' is a large genus of about 210 to 340The number of species in the genus ''Magnolia'' depends on the taxonomic view that one takes up. Recent molecular and morphological research shows that former genera ''Talauma'', ''Dugandiodendro ...
trees were planted by every
Soviet cosmonaut, among other notables.
Lazarevsky City District
Lazarevsky City District
Lazarevsky City District (russian: Лазаревский райо́н) is one of four city districts of the city of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. The city district borders Tuapsinsky District in the northwest, Apsheronsky District in the nort ...
lies to the northwest from the city center; the 2010 Census showed the population of 63,894 people.
It is the largest city district by area, covering some and comprising several
microdistrict
Microdistrict, or microraion (russian: микрорайо́н, ''mikrorajón''), is a residential complex—a primary structural element of the residential area construction in the Soviet Union and in some post-Soviet and former Socialist st ...
s:
*
Lazarevskoye, from the city center, contains a
delphinarium
A dolphinarium is an aquarium for dolphins. The dolphins are usually kept in a pool, though occasionally they may be kept in pens in the open sea, either for research or public performances. Some dolphinariums consist of one pool where dolphins pe ...
, an old church (1903), and a new church (1999). The settlement was founded as a Russian military outpost in 1839 and was named after Admiral
Mikhail Lazarev
Admiral Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev (russian: Михаил Петрович Лазарев, 3 November 1788 – 11 April 1851) was a Russian Naval fleet, fleet commander and an explorer.
Education and early career
Lazarev was born in Vladimir, R ...
.
*
Loo, from the city center, was once owned by Princes Loov, a noble Abkhazian family. The district contains the ruins of a medieval church, founded in the 8th century, rebuilt in the 11th century, and converted into a fortress in the Late Middle Ages.
*
Dagomys
Dagomys ( ady, Дэгъумес); is a microdistrict of Sochi, Russia (12 km from the city centre), known for its resorts, vacation spots and tea plantations. It was developed as a resort since before the Russian Revolution, when a botan ...
, from the city center, has been noted for its
botanical garden
A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
, established by order of
Nicholas II
Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov; spelled in pre-revolutionary script. ( 186817 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,. was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Pola ...
, as well as tea plantations and factories. A sprawling hotel complex was opened there in 1982. Dagomys adjoins
Bocharov Ruchey
Bocharov Ruchey (russian: Бочаров Ручей) is the summer residence of the President of Russia. It is located in the Tsentralny City District of Sochi, Russia.
The Bocharov Ruchey residence was commissioned by the People's Commissar fo ...
, a
dacha
A dacha ( rus, дача, p=ˈdatɕə, a=ru-dacha.ogg) is a seasonal or year-round second home, often located in the exurbs of post-Soviet countries, including Russia. A cottage (, ') or shack serving as a family's main or only home, or an outbu ...
built for
Kliment Voroshilov
Kliment Yefremovich Voroshilov (, uk, Климент Охрімович Ворошилов, ''Klyment Okhrimovyč Vorošylov''), popularly known as Klim Voroshilov (russian: link=no, Клим Вороши́лов, ''Klim Vorošilov''; 4 Februa ...
in the 1950s, but later upgraded into a country residence of the
President of Russia
The president of the Russian Federation ( rus, Президент Российской Федерации, Prezident Rossiyskoy Federatsii) is the head of state of the Russian Federation. The president leads the executive branch of the federal ...
, where he normally spends his vacations and often confers with leaders of other states.
*
Golovinka is a historic location at the mouth of the Shakhe River. Formerly marking the border between the
Ubykhs
The Ubykh ( Ubykh: Пэху / Туахы, ''Pəxu / Tuaxy''; , ''Ubyx''; russian: Убыхи; tr, Ubıhlar / Vubıhlar) are one of the twelve Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelve stars on the green-and-gold Circassian flag. Along wi ...
and the
Shapsugs
The Shapsug ( ady, шапсыгъ , russian: шапсуги, tr, Şapsığlar, ar, الشابسوغ, he, שפסוגים) (also known as the Shapsugh or Shapsogh) are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes. Historically, the Shapsug tribe ...
, the settlement was noted by Italian travelers of the 17th century as Abbasa. On May 3, 1838, it was the site of the
Subashi landing
Subashi may refer to:
* The Subaşi, Ottoman gubernatorial title which most often means the commander of the town or castle
* Subashi Temple, a ruined Buddhist temple on the Silk Road, in Xinjiang, China
* Subashi, Iran, a village in Hamadan Pro ...
of the Russians, who proceeded to construct Fort Golovinsky where many convicted
Decembrists
The Decembrist Revolt ( ru , Восстание декабристов, translit = Vosstaniye dekabristov , translation = Uprising of the Decembrists) took place in Russia on , during the interregnum following the sudden death of Emperor Ale ...
used to serve. The fort was intentionally destroyed by Russian forces at the beginning of the
Crimean War
The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia.
Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...
, so as to avoid its capture by the enemy.
*
Fort Godlik
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
, of which little remains, had a turbulent history. It was built at the mouth of the Godlik River in the Byzantine period (5th to 8th centuries), was destroyed by the
Khazars
The Khazars ; he, כּוּזָרִים, Kūzārīm; la, Gazari, or ; zh, 突厥曷薩 ; 突厥可薩 ''Tūjué Kěsà'', () were a semi-nomadic Turkic people that in the late 6th-century CE established a major commercial empire coverin ...
and revived by the
Genoese in the High Middle Ages.
Khostinsky City District
Khostinsky City District
Khostinsky City District (russian: Хостинский райо́н) is one of four city districts of the city of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. The city district borders Maykopsky District of the Republic of Adygea in the northeast, Adlersky C ...
, sprawling to the southeast from the city center, occupies approximately , with a population of 65,229 as of the 2010 Census.
The district is traversed by many rivulets which give their names to the microdistricts of Matsesta ("flame-colored river"), Kudepsta, and Khosta ("the river of boars").
Adlersky City District
Adlersky City District
Adlersky City District (russian: А́длерский райо́н) is the southernmost of four city districts of the city of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, lying along the Black Sea coast near the southern Russian border with Georgia. The city ...
, with an area of and a population of 76,534 people as of the 2010 Census,
is the southernmost district of the city, located just north of the border with Abkhazia. Until the establishment of Greater Sochi in 1961, it was administered as a separate town, which had its origin in an ancient
Sadz
The Sadz or Asadzwa, also Jigets, are a subethnic group of the Abkhazians. They are sometimes purported to have originated from the Sanigoi tribe mentioned by the Classic authors. In the 6th century, they formed a tribal principality, which later ...
village and a medieval
Genoese trading post.
Among the natural wonders of the district is the Akhshtyr Gorge with a 160-meter-long cave that contains traces of human habitation from about 30,000 years ago. The upland part of the district includes a network of remote mountain villages (
aul
An aul (; ce, oil; russian: аул) is a type of fortified village or town found throughout the Caucasus mountains and Soviet Central Asia, Central Asia.
The word itself is of Turkic origin and simply means ''village'' in many Turkic language ...
s), the
Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
n colony at
Estosadok
Estosadok, sometimes spelled Esto-Sadok or Estosadoc (russian: Э́стосадо́к or ; et, Eesti Aiake, lit. ''Little Estonian Garden'') is a rural locality (a '' selo'') under the administrative jurisdiction of Adlersky City District of ...
, and the ski resort of
Krasnaya Polyana
Krasnaya Polyana (russian: Кра́сная Поля́на) meaning "Red Meadow" is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia:
Modern localities Amur Oblast
As of 2012, one rural locality in Amur ...
which hosted the events (Alpine and Nordic) of the
2014 Winter Olympics
, ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'')
, nations = 88
, events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, athletes = 2,873
, opening = 7 February 2014
, closing = 23 February 2014
, opened_by = President Vladimir Putin
, cauldron =
, stadium = Fisht Olympic ...
.
Also located here are the largest
trout
Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salmoni ...
fishery in Russia (founded in 1964) and a breeding nursery for
great ape
The Hominidae (), whose members are known as the great apes or hominids (), are a taxonomic family of primates that includes eight extant species in four genera: '' Pongo'' (the Bornean, Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutan); ''Gorilla'' (the east ...
s.
Demographics
Sochi has an ethnic
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
majority (~70%). The city is home to a sizable
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
minority (~20%), which is especially notable in the
Adlersky City District
Adlersky City District (russian: А́длерский райо́н) is the southernmost of four city districts of the city of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, lying along the Black Sea coast near the southern Russian border with Georgia. The city ...
where they compose more than half of the total population. Most of Sochi's Armenian community are descendants of
Hamshen Armenians from Turkey's northeastern
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
coast, who began arriving in the late 19th century. The rest are
Armenians from Georgia (particularly from
Abkhazia
Abkhazia, ka, აფხაზეთი, tr, , xmf, აბჟუა, abzhua, or ( or ), officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, recognised by most countries as part of Georgia, which vi ...
and
Samtskhe-Javakheti) and Armenia (especially from
Shirak Province
Shirak ( hy, wikt:Շիրակ, Շիրակ, ) is a provinces of Armenia, province (''Administrative divisions of Armenia, marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the north-west of the country, bordering Turkey to the west and Georgia (country), Geor ...
due to the
1988 earthquake
This is a list of earthquakes in 1988. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury, or damage. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Maximum intensitie ...
).
Religion
![Church in Sochi 2014 08](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Church_in_Sochi_2014_08.jpeg)
The
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
brought Christianity to the Sochi region in the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
.
The region was relatively isolated before 1829.
In the North, a few hundred Sunni Muslim
Shapsugs
The Shapsug ( ady, шапсыгъ , russian: шапсуги, tr, Şapsığlar, ar, الشابسوغ, he, שפסוגים) (also known as the Shapsugh or Shapsogh) are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes. Historically, the Shapsug tribe ...
, a part of the
Circassian nation, lived around Tkhagapsh, near
Lazarevskoye. The Circassians (also known as Adyghe) converted to
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
from Christianity in the 17th century. In the nineteenth century, Islam spread to the region.
Currently, Sochi is a large predominantly
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
city, though there are thought to be around 20,000 Muslims (5% of inhabitants) living there now (the majority are
Adyghe) plus other Eastern
Caucasians, Turks,
Tatars
The Tatars ()[Tatar]
in the Collins English Dictionary is an umbrella term for different , and other smaller Muslim groups.
[Sochi: a city with no mosque](_blank)
''OpenDemocracy
openDemocracy is an independent media platform and news website based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2001, openDemocracy states that through reporting and analysis of social and political issues, they seek to "challenge power and encourage de ...
'', October 22, 2010
A
mosque
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
was built in 2008 by
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
in the central area of Bytkha, in addition to the old mosque being around north of the city center
in the Adyghe ''
aul
An aul (; ce, oil; russian: аул) is a type of fortified village or town found throughout the Caucasus mountains and Soviet Central Asia, Central Asia.
The word itself is of Turkic origin and simply means ''village'' in many Turkic language ...
'' of Tkhagapsh.
There are around thirty
Russian Orthodox
Russian Orthodoxy (russian: Русское православие) is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, whose liturgy is or was traditionally conducted in Church Slavonic language. Most ...
churches, the largest being St. Michael's, and two monasteries, plus two
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
churches, one in the center of Sochi and the other in Lazarevskoye. The
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
n community, which is important in Sochi, gathers in about ten churches.
Economy
Overview
Sochi is an important economic centre of
Krasnodar Krai
Krasnodar Krai (russian: Краснода́рский край, r=Krasnodarsky kray, p=krəsnɐˈdarskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subject of Russia (a krai), located in the North Caucasus region in Southern Russia and administratively a part of t ...
and
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
. According to the economist-geographer
Natalia Zubarevich, Sochi, being a "recreational capital", along with the largest industrial centers, acts as a "motor" of development that determines the prospects and directions of the country's development. The economy of Sochi is based on trade, construction, resort and tourism. Its structure for 2015: retail trade (59%), construction (15%), resorts and tourism (11%), industry (10.6%), transport (3.5%) and agriculture (0.9%).
Sochi is one of the most popular tourism centres, as well as a prominent financial centre in Russia. Investments in the city's economy over the past 10 years have amounted to more than 1.1 trillion rubles.
The turnover of medium and large enterprises in Sochi in 2017 amounted to more than 191.3 billion rubles. The increase in turnover in comparison with the previous year is 12%.
Experts appreciate the city's contribution to the Russian economy, often including it in the development and investment attractiveness ratings. In 2010, Sochi headed the "Rating of Russian cities by quality of life" of the Urbanika Institute, and in 2014 and 2015 it ranked as 4th and 5th city respectively; experts noted the high rate of development of the city, large-scale investments on the eve of the
2014 Winter Olympics
, ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'')
, nations = 88
, events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, athletes = 2,873
, opening = 7 February 2014
, closing = 23 February 2014
, opened_by = President Vladimir Putin
, cauldron =
, stadium = Fisht Olympic ...
, favorable environmental conditions and high safety of residents. In 2012, Sochi topped the rating of "30 best cities for business" in Russia, by
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
.
Tourism
Today, Sochi is an all-season resort of an international level; 705 classified accommodation facilities operate on its territory, including: 66 sanatoriums, 20 boarding houses and recreation centers and 618 hotels. 183 beach areas have been opened, more than 100 tourist facilities operate, about 70 excursion companies operate.
In recent years, there has been a steady increase in tourist traffic. Over 5.2 million tourists visited Sochi in 2016, 5.9% more than in 2015.
The average annual occupancy rate of hotels is at 77%, but varies by season. The importance of tourism for the development of Sochi is also determined by the financial revenues from the industry. According to statistics, in 2015, tourism revenues amounted to about 30 billion rubles. At the same time, throughout the country, revenues from the industry amounted to 161 billion rubles; thus, the tourist industry of the city occupies 18.6% of the total market of the country.
File:Metallurg Sochi.jpg, Sanatorium Metallurg
File:Санаторий Орджоникидзе (г.Сочи) 01.jpg, Sanatorium Ordzhonikidze
File:Гостиница «Приморская».JPG, Primorskaya Hotel
File:Bogatyr hotel 02.jpg, Bogatyr hotel
File:Rodina Grand Hotel View5.jpg, Rodina Grand Hotel pool
File:Sochipark in the evening.jpg, Sochipark in the evening
Trade, finance and services
The retail trade turnover for medium and large enterprises (accounting for about 30% of the total turnover) in the city in 2016 amounted to 57.2 billion rubles. On the territory of the city there are 8,769 objects of the consumer sphere, of which: 5013 are stationary retail enterprises, 1450 are catering enterprises, 335 are wholesale enterprises, and 1083 are service enterprises.
In Sochi, 1807 grocery stores, 2,708 non-food stores, 294 stores of a mixed group of goods, 178 pharmacies, 16 car dealerships, 20 stores at gas stations, 945 pavilions and kiosks have been opened. The provision of the population with retail space is per 1000 people.
According to 2017 data, the annual trade turnover per capita in Sochi is 1.75 times higher than the average in Russia (373,527 rubles per year per person). At the same time, it exceeds the annual trade turnover per capita in all cities with a population of over one million, including Saint Petersburg and Moscow. A high trade turnover is ensured by both a large flow of tourists and a high average wage in the city. The annual retail turnover generated by permanent residents is about 96.2 billion rubles (52%). Tourists generate about 87.83 billion rubles (48%).
The turnover of public catering in the city in 2016 for medium and large enterprises amounted to 7 billion rubles (about 36% of the total turnover). 1450 public catering establishments were opened in Sochi, with a total of 90473 seats. The market of paid services to the population in 2016 amounted to 34.3 million rubles; the industry employs 3393 people, with a total of 1083 enterprises.
Industry and agriculture
The volume of goods shipped in 2016 for medium and large industrial enterprises of the city amounted to 19.4 billion rubles. The distribution of energy, gas and water accounted for 11.9 billion rubles,
the largest enterprises in the industry are: Adler TPP and Sochinskaya TPP. Processing industries accounted for 3.3 billion rubles.
The volume of shipment of minerals amounted to 76 million rubles, the largest enterprise in the industry is Firma Sochinerud.
In the manufacturing industry, the overwhelming share of food production enterprises, which account for 92.3% of the production volume.
Large enterprises: Sochi meat-packing plant, Trout-breeding farm, Primorskaya quail farm, Sochi bakery and Lazarevsky bakery.
The volume of shipped agricultural products in 2016 amounted to 49.8 million rubles. Vegetables, citrus fruits, fruits (including heat-loving crops such as feijoa, medlar, kiwi) and flowers are cultivated by large agricultural enterprises: Verlioka, Voskhod and Pobeda. The only producer of poultry meat is the Adler Poultry Factory. Five enterprises are engaged in the cultivation and processing of tea: Dagomyschay, Solokhaul tea, Matsesta tea, Khosta tea, Shapsug tea and a number of farmers.
File:Adler TES-2016.jpg, Adler TPP
File:Ахинтам.jpg, Tea plantations near Akhintam
File:Forel farm Sochi.jpg, Trout farming near Adler
Education
![Russian International Olympic University in Sochi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Russian_International_Olympic_University_in_Sochi.jpg)
There are more than 70 secondary schools in Sochi.
In addition to branches of well-known metropolitan universities, Sochi has its own higher educational institutions, which are also of federal importance:
*
Sochi State University
*Russian International Olympic University
*Sochi Institute of
Peoples' Friendship University of Russia
The Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (russian: Российский университет дружбы народов), also known as RUDN University and, until 1992, Patrice Lumumba University in honor of the hero Patrice Lumumba, is a ...
*International Innovation University
*Sochi Institute of Fashion, Business and Law
*Sochi Maritime Institute
*Sochi Branch of the
Russian State Social University
Russian State Social University (RSSU; russian: link=no, Российский государственный социальный университет, abbreviated as РГСУ) was the first public university in the Russian Federation to offer ...
*Sochi Branch of the
Russian State University of Justice
The Russian State University of Justice is a university that trains the members and candidates of the judiciary (judges and court officials) of Russia. Until 2014, it was the Russian Academy of Justice, which was founded in 1998 after a decree ...
*Sochi Branch of the Moscow New Law Institute
*Sochi Branch of the Moscow Automobile and Highway State Technical University
*Sochi Branch of the
Adyghe State University
Adyghe State University is a university located in Maykop, Adyghe Republic, Russian Federation. It is a leading educational and research center in the republic. The rector is Daud Mamiy. History
The university was founded in 1940
A cale ...
Secondary specialized educational institutions:
*College of Economics and Technology at Sochi State University
*College of Art
*College of Multicultural Education
*Medical College
*Professional Technical School
*Kuban College of Law
*Sochi Financial and Law College
*Sochi College of Humanities and Economics
Science
Sochi is indispensable for
Russian science Polymaths
*Karl Ernst von Baer, polymath naturalist, formulated the geological Baer's law on river erosion and embryological Baer's laws, founder of the Russian Entomological Society, co-founder of the Russian Geographical Society
*Alexander Borod ...
from a geographical and climatic point of view. The only subtropics in Russia are actively used as a base for scientific research in the field of botany, medicine and coastal construction. In addition to higher education institutions that develop science, Sochi has a number of research institutions of all-Russian importance:
*Sochi Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences
*Research Institute of Medical Primatology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences
*Research Institute of Mountain Forestry and Forest Ecology of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation
*All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Floriculture and Subtropical Crops of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences
*Sochi Branch of the Russian Geographical Society
Sports
Sports facilities
Sochi is also known for its
sport
Sport pertains to any form of Competition, competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and Skill, skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to specta ...
facilities: a local
tennis
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...
school spawned the careers of such notable players as
Grand Slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
champions
Maria Sharapova
Maria Yuryevna Sharapova ( , ; rus, Мари́я Ю́рьевна Шара́пова, p=mɐˈrʲijə ʂɐˈrapəvə, a=Maria_sharapova.ogg; born 19 April 1987) is a Russian former List of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players, world No. 1 ...
and
Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Kafelnikov ( rus, Евгений Александрович Кафельников, , jɪvˈɡʲenʲɪj ˈkafʲɪlʲnʲɪkəf, a=Ru-Yevgeny-Kafelnikov.ogg; born 18 February 1974) is a Russian former world No. 1 tennis p ...
(Kafelnikov spent much of his childhood here, while Sharapova relocated to
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
at the age of seven). In late 2005, the
Russian Football Union
The Russian Football Union (russian: Российский Футбольный Союз, ''Rossiyskiy Futbolnyy Soyuz'' or RFS) is the official governing body of association football in the Russian Federation. With headquarters in Moscow, it org ...
announced that it was planning to establish a year-round training center for the country's national teams in Sochi. The city's warm climate was cited as one of the main incentives. Sochi is also the home for the football team
PFC Sochi
Football Club Sochi (russian: Футбольный клуб Сочи, Futbolny Klub Sochi), is a Russian professional football club based in Sochi. The club is playing its home matches at the 47,000-capacity Fisht Stadium.
History
FC Sochi was ...
which plays in the
Russian Premier League
The Russian Premier League (RPL; russian: Российская премьер-лига; РПЛ), also written as Russian Premier Liga, is the top division professional association football league in Russia. It was established at the end of 2001 ...
and for the ice hockey team
HC Sochi
Hockey Club Sochi (russian: Хоккейный клуб Сочи) is a professional ice hockey team based in Sochi, Russia. The team joined the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in 2014–15 season.
History
On May 23, 2014, it was reported that ...
which plays in the
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; russian: Континентальная хоккейная лига (КХЛ), Kontinental'naya khokkeynaya liga) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs ba ...
.
2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics
![RusskiGorki Estosadok1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/RusskiGorki_Estosadok1.jpg)
The nearby ski resort of
Roza Khutor at
Krasnaya Polyana
Krasnaya Polyana (russian: Кра́сная Поля́на) meaning "Red Meadow" is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia:
Modern localities Amur Oblast
As of 2012, one rural locality in Amur ...
was the location of the alpine and Nordic events for the
2014 Winter Olympics
, ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'')
, nations = 88
, events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, athletes = 2,873
, opening = 7 February 2014
, closing = 23 February 2014
, opened_by = President Vladimir Putin
, cauldron =
, stadium = Fisht Olympic ...
.
In June 2006, the
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...
announced that Sochi had been selected as a finalist city to host the
2014 Winter Olympics
, ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'')
, nations = 88
, events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, athletes = 2,873
, opening = 7 February 2014
, closing = 23 February 2014
, opened_by = President Vladimir Putin
, cauldron =
, stadium = Fisht Olympic ...
and the
2014 Winter Paralympics
The 2014 Winter Paralympics (russian: Зимние Паралимпийские игры 2014, Zimniye Paralimpiyskiye igry 2014), the 11th Paralympic Winter Games, and also more generally known as the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, were an ...
. On July 4, 2007, Sochi was announced as the host city of the 2014 Winter Games, edging out
Pyeongchang
Pyeongchang (; in full, ''Pyeongchang-gun'' ; ) is a county in the province of Gangwon-do, South Korea, located in the Taebaek Mountains region. It is home to several Buddhist temples, including Woljeongsa. It is about east southeast of Seou ...
,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
and
Salzburg
Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian) is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872.
The town is on the site of the ...
,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
.
This was Russia's first time hosting the Winter Olympic Games, and its first time hosting the Paralympic Games. The site of a training centre for aspiring Olympic athletes, in 2008, the city had no world-class level athletic facilities fit for international competition.
[A Major Tuneup for a Sports Machine](_blank)
NYTimes.com, July 29, 2008 Severe cost overruns made the 2014 Winter Olympics the most
expensive Olympics in history; with Russian politician
Boris Nemtsov
Boris Yefimovich Nemtsov ( rus, Бори́с Ефи́мович Немцо́в, p=bɐˈrʲis jɪˈfʲiməvʲɪtɕ nʲɪmˈtsof; 9 October 195927 February 2015) was a Russian physicist and liberal politician. He was involved in the introduction ...
citing allegations of corruption among government officials, and Allison Stewart of the
Saïd Business School
Saïd Business School (Oxford Saïd or SBS) is the business school of the University of Oxford. The School is a provider of management education and is consistently ranked as one of the world's top business schools.
Oxford School of Management ...
at
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
citing tight relationships between the government and construction firms.
While originally budgeted at US$12 billion, various factors caused the budget to expand to US$51 billion, surpassing the estimated $44 billion cost of the
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Na ...
in Beijing. According to a report by the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is an international financial institution founded in 1991. As a multilateral developmental investment bank, the EBRD uses investment as a tool to build market economies. Initially focus ...
, this cost will not boost Russia's national economy, but may attract business to Sochi and the southern Krasnodar region of Russia in the future as a result of improved services.
The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi saw
concern and controversy following a new federal law approved in Russia in June 2013 that bans "
homosexual propaganda to minors". There were also concerns over
Islamist militants
''Mujahideen'', or ''Mujahidin'' ( ar, مُجَاهِدِين, mujāhidīn), is the plural form of ''mujahid'' ( ar, مجاهد, mujāhid, strugglers or strivers or justice, right conduct, Godly rule, etc. doers of jihād), an Arabic term t ...
.
Construction work
![Sochi adler aerial view 2018 14](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Sochi_adler_aerial_view_2018_14.jpg)
The state-controlled
RAO UES
OAO RAO UES (OAO Unified Energy System of Russia; russian: ЕЭС России or russian: Единая Энергетическая Система) was an electric power holding company in Russia. It controlled about 70% of Russia's installed el ...
announced in July 2007 that it might spend 30 billion roubles (about US$1.2 billion) on upgrading the electrical power system in the Sochi area by 2014. The power generating companies
Inter RAO UES
Joint Stock Company Inter RAO UES (russian: Публичное акционерное общество «ИНТЕР РАО ЕЭС», short form: Inter RAO), traded as, is a diversified energy holding company headquartered in Moscow, Russia. Its ...
and
RusHydro
RusHydro (previous name: Hydro-OGK, russian: РусГидро) is a Russian hydroelectricity company. As of early 2012 it had a capacity of 34.9 gigawatts. In late 2009, it was the world's second-largest hydroelectric power producer
and is ...
would have to build or modernize four thermal power plants and four hydroelectric plants—and the federal grid company
FGC UES
OAO FGC UES (russian: Федеральная сетевая компания Единой энергетической системы, Federalinaya Setevaya Companiya Edinoy Energeticheskoy Sistemy, Federal Grid Company of Unified Energy System) ...
has to replace the Central-Shepsi electricity transmission line, which reportedly often fails in bad weather. The new power line would run partly on power towers and partly across the bottom of the Black Sea. By 2011, the power supply of the resort area would increase by 1129 MW—of which 300 MW would be used for Olympic sports facilities. "The cost of the work is estimated at 83.6 billion rubles (about US $3.26 billion), of which 50 billion rubles (about US$2 billion) will go to investments in the electricity grid," the power companies announced. They did not say how much of the bill the state would foot. In February 2007, when UES had planned to spend 48.8 billion rubles (about US$1.9 billion) on the Sochi area, the share the state had been ready to pay 38 billion roubles (about US$1.48 billion) of that.
Other sports events
![Sochi adler aerial view 2018 23](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Sochi_adler_aerial_view_2018_23.jpg)
The
Silk Way Rally
The Silk Way Rally ( rus, Шёлковый путь) is an annual rally raid type of off-road race. The first Silk Way Rally was raced in 2009 from Kazan, Russia to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. From 2010 to 2013, the race has taken place in Russia. ...
which is part of
Dakar series
The Dakar Series is an annual series of rally raid off-road races, organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation. The series groups together events similar in style to the Dakar Rally
The Dakar Rally (or simply "The Dakar"; formerly known as the ...
took place in Sochi in 2010 for the last stage between the capital of the
Republic of Adygea
The Republic of Adygea (; russian: Республика Адыгея, Respublika Adygeya, p=ɐdɨˈɡʲejə; ady, Адыгэ Республик, ''Adıgə Respublik''), also known as the Adyghe Republic, is a republic of Russia. It is situated ...
Maykop
Maykop (russian: Майкоп, p=mɐjˈkop Help:IPA/Russian, mɐj'kop); ady, Мыекъуапэ, Mıéquapə ) is the capital city of the Republic of Adygea in Russia, located on the right bank of the Belaya River (Kuban), Belaya River (a tribut ...
to the city of Sochi through
Pseshwap.
President
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
reached a deal with
Bernie Ecclestone
Bernard Charles Ecclestone (born 28 October 1930) is an English business magnate. He is the former chief executive of the Formula One Group, which manages Formula One motor racing and controls the commercial rights to the sport, and part-owns ...
for the city to host the
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
Russian Grand Prix
The Russian Grand Prix (russian: Гран-при России, Gran-pri Rossii) was an annual motor racing event held at Sochi Autodrom – a permanent circuit built around the Olympic Park in Sochi – as part of the Formula One World Champio ...
from 2014. However, because of the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
, Sochi is not allowed to host future races.
The
World Robot Olympiad
The World Robot Olympiad (WRO) is a global robotics competition for young people. The World Robot Olympiad competition uses Lego Mindstorms manufactured by LEGO Education. First held in 2004 in Singapore, it now attracts more than 28,000 teams fro ...
took place in the
Adler Arena Skating Center
The Adler Arena Trade And Exhibition Center (Адлер-Арена) is an 8,000-seat speed skating rink, speed skating oval in the Sochi Olympic Park, Olympic Park, Sochi, Russia. It opened in 2012 and looks like an iceberg or ice fault. The center ...
on November 21–23, 2014.
The
2014 World Chess Championship between
Viswanathan Anand
Viswanathan "Vishy" Anand (born 11 December 1969) is an Indian chess grandmaster and a former five-time World Chess Champion. He became the first grandmaster from India in 1988, and is one of the few players to have surpassed an Elo rating of ...
and
Magnus Carlsen
Sven Magnus Øen Carlsen (born 30 November 1990) is a Norwegian chess grandmaster who is the reigning five-time World Chess Champion. He is also a three-time World Rapid Chess Champion and five-time World Blitz Chess Champion. Carlsen has h ...
was played in Sochi in November 2014, with Carlsen emerging as the winner.
The
Fisht Olympic Stadium
Fisht Olympic Stadium (russian: Олимпийский стадион «Фишт», p=ɐlʲɪmˈpʲijskʲɪj stədʲɪˈon ˈfʲiʂt, r=Olimpiyskiy stadion "Fisht", ''Olimpiyskiy Stadion Fisht'') is an outdoor stadium in Sochi, Russia. Located i ...
was also used to host
2018 FIFA World Cup
The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's national Association football, football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awa ...
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
matches.
Since 2014, the city has hosted
HC Sochi
Hockey Club Sochi (russian: Хоккейный клуб Сочи) is a professional ice hockey team based in Sochi, Russia. The team joined the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in 2014–15 season.
History
On May 23, 2014, it was reported that ...
, who play at the
Bolshoy Ice Dome
The Bolshoy Ice Dome (russian: Большой Ледовый дворец) is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Sochi Olympic Park, Olympic Park, Sochi, Russia. Opened in 2012, the 12,000-seat arena was primarily constructed to host Ice ho ...
in the
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; russian: Континентальная хоккейная лига (КХЛ), Kontinental'naya khokkeynaya liga) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs ba ...
, the biggest
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
league in Russia and eastern Europe.
Transportation
Public transport is represented mainly by bus and taxi. Sochi is served by the
Adler-Sochi International Airport
Sochi International Airport (russian: Международный Аэропорт Сочи; ) is an airport located in Adler District of the resort city of Sochi, on the coast of the Black Sea in the federal subject of Krasnodar Krai, Russia. So ...
. Types of non-mass public transport include two
funicular
A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite en ...
s (at the Central military sanatorium and Ordzhonikidze resort) and three cable cars (at arboretum sanatorium "Dawn" and pension "Neva") also has several
cableway
Cable transport is a broad class of transport modes that have cables. They transport passengers and goods, often in vehicles called cable cars. The cable may be driven or passive, and items may be moved by pulling, sliding, sailing, or by driv ...
s in
Krasnaya Polyana
Krasnaya Polyana (russian: Кра́сная Поля́на) meaning "Red Meadow" is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia:
Modern localities Amur Oblast
As of 2012, one rural locality in Amur ...
.
The
Sochi Port terminal building was built in 1955 by
Karo Alabyan
Karo Semyonovich Halabyan (russian: Каро Семёнович Алабян, hy, Կարո Հալաբյան) (26 July 1897, Elisabethpol, now Ganja - 5 January 1959, Moscow) was a Soviet Armenian architect. He earned the title of emeritus art wo ...
and
Leonid Karlik in
Stalinist architecture
Stalinist architecture, mostly known in the former Eastern Bloc as Stalinist style () or Socialist Classicism, is the architecture of the Soviet Union under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, between 1933 (when Boris Iofan's draft for the Palace ...
. It is topped with a 71-meter steepled tower. Sculptures embodying seasons and cardinal points are set above the tower's three tiers.
Five of the railway stations of Sochi were renovated for the
2014 Winter Olympics
, ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'')
, nations = 88
, events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, athletes = 2,873
, opening = 7 February 2014
, closing = 23 February 2014
, opened_by = President Vladimir Putin
, cauldron =
, stadium = Fisht Olympic ...
. These are
Dagomys
Dagomys ( ady, Дэгъумес); is a microdistrict of Sochi, Russia (12 km from the city centre), known for its resorts, vacation spots and tea plantations. It was developed as a resort since before the Russian Revolution, when a botan ...
,
Sochi
Sochi ( rus, Со́чи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg) is the largest resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi River, along the Black Sea in Southern Russia, with a population of 466,078 residents, up to 600,000 residents in ...
,
Matsesta and
Khosta railway stations. In
Adler city district of Sochi, the original railway station was preserved and
new railway station
The New Thessaloniki Railway Station ( el, Νέος Σιδηροδρομικός Σταθμός Θεσσαλονίκης, ''Neos Sidirodromikos Stathmos Thessalonikis'') is the main central passenger railway station and terminal of Thessalonik ...
was built near it. Another new railway station
was built in
Estosadok
Estosadok, sometimes spelled Esto-Sadok or Estosadoc (russian: Э́стосадо́к or ; et, Eesti Aiake, lit. ''Little Estonian Garden'') is a rural locality (a '' selo'') under the administrative jurisdiction of Adlersky City District of ...
, close to
Krasnaya Polyana
Krasnaya Polyana (russian: Кра́сная Поля́на) meaning "Red Meadow" is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia:
Modern localities Amur Oblast
As of 2012, one rural locality in Amur ...
.
At some point, plans to construct the light metro network to serve the Olympics were considered; however, the
Sochi Light Metro
Sochi Light Metro was a planned public transportation system in Sochi, Russia, with an intended completion date of 2013. The system was intended to be used during the 2014 Winter Olympics. The plans for the light metro were abandoned in favor of t ...
plan was abandoned in favor of the reconstruction of the railway.
Notable people
![Kafelnikov Lagardere 2009](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Kafelnikov_Lagardere_2009.jpg)
*
Yuri Nikolaevich Denisyuk
Yuri Nikolayevich Denisyuk (Russian language, Russian: Юрий Денисюҝ; July 27, 1927 in Sochi — May 14, 2006 in Saint Petersburg) was a Russian people, Russian physicist and one of the founders of optical holography in the former Soviet ...
, physicist
*
Mikhail Galustyan
Nshan Sergeyevich Galustyan (russian: Ншан Сергеевич Галустян; born 25 October 1979), known professionally as Mikhail Galustyan (russian: link=no, Михаил Галустян), is a Russian showman, comedian, screenwriter, ...
, comedian
*
Andre Geim
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Sochi, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
, death_date =
, death_place =
, workplaces =
, nationality = Dutch and British
, fields = Condensed matter physics
...
, physicist,
graphene
Graphene () is an allotrope of carbon consisting of a single layer of atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice nanostructure. researcher and 2010
Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize winner
*
Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Kafelnikov ( rus, Евгений Александрович Кафельников, , jɪvˈɡʲenʲɪj ˈkafʲɪlʲnʲɪkəf, a=Ru-Yevgeny-Kafelnikov.ogg; born 18 February 1974) is a Russian former world No. 1 tennis p ...
,
tennis player
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball cove ...
, former
World No. 1 tennis player
*
Daria Kondakova
Daria Vladimirovna Kondakova (russian: Дарья Владимировна Кондакова; born 30 July 1991) is a Russian retired individual rhythmic gymnast. She is a three-time ( 2011, 2010, 2009) World all-around silver medalist, the ...
, rhythmic gymnast
*
Grigory Leps
Grigory Viktorovich Lepsveridze (russian: link=no, Григо́рий Ви́кторович Лепсверидзе, ka, გრიგორი ვიქტორის ძე ლეფსვერიძე), known as Grigory Leps (born 16 July ...
, singer, songwriter, musician of Georgian origin
*
Slava Metreveli
Slava Kalistratovich Metreveli ( ka, სლავა კალისტრატეს ძე მეტრეველი; russian: Слава Калистратович Метревели, 30 May 1936 – 7 January 1998) was a Soviet and G ...
, Georgian/Soviet association football player
*
Vladimir Nemshilov, Olympic swimmer
*
Boris Nemtsov
Boris Yefimovich Nemtsov ( rus, Бори́с Ефи́мович Немцо́в, p=bɐˈrʲis jɪˈfʲiməvʲɪtɕ nʲɪmˈtsof; 9 October 195927 February 2015) was a Russian physicist and liberal politician. He was involved in the introduction ...
, politician
*
Mordechai Spiegler
Mordechai "Motaleh" Shpigler ( he, מרדכי "מוטל'ה" שפיגלר; born 19 August 1944) is a retired Israeli footballer, and manager. Shpigler is placed second in Israel's all time goalscoring list, with 32 goals in 83 caps.
Early life ...
, Russian-
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
i association football player and manager
*
Vladimir Tkachenko
Vladimir Pyotrovich Tkachenko (alternate spelling: Vladimir Tkatchenko) (russian: Владимир Петрович Ткаченко; born September 20, 1957 in Sochi, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Soviet Union) is a retired Sovie ...
, basketball player
*
Elena Vesnina
Elena Sergeyevna Vesnina (born 1 August 1986) is a Russian former professional tennis player and a former world No. 1 in doubles.
She is a four-time Grand Slam champion, having won the 2013 French Open, 2014 US Open, and 2017 Wimbledon Cha ...
,
tennis player
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball cove ...
*
Kharis Yunichev
Kharis Kharisovich Yunichev (russian: Харис Харисович Юничев; 7 August 1931 – 12 February 2006) was the first Soviet male swimmer to win an Olympic medal – at the 1956 Summer Olympics he finished third in the 200 m breastst ...
, the first Soviet male swimmer to win an Olympic medal
*
Anna Zak
Anna Kuzenkova ( he, אנה קוזנקוב, russian: Анна Кузенкова; born 12 March 2001), known professionally as Anna Zak (), is a Russian-born Israeli online personality, model, and singer. Her following consists of 4 million follo ...
, Israeli celebrity
Twin towns – sister cities
Sochi is
twinned with:
*
Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden () is a spa town in the states of Germany, state of Baden-Württemberg, south-western Germany, at the north-western border of the Black Forest mountain range on the small river Oos (river), Oos, ten kilometres (six miles) east of the ...
, Germany (2011)
*
Long Beach
Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California.
Incorporate ...
, United States (1990)
*
Menton
Menton (; , written ''Menton'' in classical norm or ''Mentan'' in Mistralian norm; it, Mentone ) is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the French Riviera, close to the Italian border.
Me ...
, France (1966)
*
Nagato, Japan (2018)
*
Pärnu
Pärnu () is the fourth largest city in Estonia. Situated in southwest Estonia, Pärnu is located south of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and west of Estonia's second largest city, Tartu. The city sits off the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet o ...
, Estonia (1994)
*
Rimini
Rimini ( , ; rgn, Rémin; la, Ariminum) is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It sprawls along the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia (the ancient ''Ariminu ...
, Italy (1977)
*
Trabzon
Trabzon (; Ancient Greek: Tραπεζοῦς (''Trapezous''), Ophitic Pontic Greek: Τραπεζούντα (''Trapezounta''); Georgian: ტრაპიზონი (''Trapizoni'')), historically known as Trebizond in English, is a city on the Bl ...
, Turkey (1991)
*
Weihai
Weihai (), formerly called Weihaiwei (), is a prefecture-level city and major seaport in easternmost Shandong province. It borders Yantai to the west and the Yellow Sea to the east, and is the closest Chinese city to South Korea.
Weihai's popula ...
, China (1996)
Former twin towns
*
Cheltenham
Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...
, United Kingdom (1959) - Suspended due to the ongoing
Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
.
*
Espoo
Espoo (, ; sv, Esbo) is a city and municipality in the region of Uusimaa in the Republic of Finland. It is located on the northern shore of the Gulf of Finland, bordering the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, Kirkkonummi, Vihti and Nurmijärvi ...
, Finland (1989-2022)
See also
*
Federation Island
Federation Island (russian: Остров "Федерация") is an artificial island archipelago that was projected to be located off the coast of Sochi, Russia, in the Black Sea.
History
The archipelago complex plans were designed by Erick va ...
*
Sochi Police
The Sochi City Police Department (Officially: Department for Internal Affairs of Sochi; In Russian: Управление внутренних дел по городу Сочи or just ''Sochi Police'', ''Полиция Сочи''), established in ...
References
Notes
Sources
*
*
*Historical Dictionary of Sochi,
urrently the only major work on the city in English.*
External links
Official website of SochiOfficial website of Sochi
*Secrieru, Stanislav: "The 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi: Implications for the Caucasus" in th
Caucasus Analytical Digest No.19Weather Report for Sochi, RussiaSochi at funiq.eu
{{Authority control
1838 establishments in the Russian Empire
Black Sea Governorate
History of Kuban
Populated coastal places in Russia
Populated places established in 1838
Port cities of the Black Sea
Seaside resorts in Russia
Spa towns in Russia
Cities and towns in Krasnodar Krai