Lake Abrau. Sights of the Krasnodar region

Lake Abrau is included in the list of the most striking attractions of Kuban: it is the largest freshwater body of water in the entire region. 3 km long and 600 m wide, it is located just 14 km from the resort Novorossiysk. Picturesque at any time of the day or night, lovers of nature and beautiful photographs consider the lake in Abrau-Durso a must-visit place: having seen it once, you will want to come back here again and again.

Lake Abrau on the map

Geographic coordinates 44.699436, 37.592508
The distance from the capital of Russia is about 1250 km in a straight line
Anapa or Gelendzhik airports are approximately 40 km away from each

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The lake stretches from north to south. The left coast has a smooth, curved shape, but on the right there are three small bays, in which the width of the lake reaches 965 meters.

Lake Abrau is mainly fed by the waters of the river of the same name, as well as springs gushing at the bottom and small mountain streams.

The water in the lake is saturated with dissolved limestone, so the transparency here is low, no more than 1 meter, and the color of the reservoir is from emerald to white-blue.

Where is it and how to get there

On the map:

Abrau-Durso – grape sparkling wines. The name was received from two villages Abrau and Durso. Residents of these places live in populated areas, and visitors present the area as a single whole. Abrau-Durso extends on Lake Abrau. Durso is a small village on the Black Sea coast. It is located seven kilometers from Abrau. This rural district is located 14 km along the highway from Novorossiysk, at an altitude of 84 meters. It is part of the Novorossiysk region. You can get to it by public transport, private car, taxi. Excursion tours are organized from many resort towns.

Important: Route taxis and bus 102 go from Novorossiysk to the lake. If you want to get to the attraction by taxi, then from Anapa it will cost you about 1,600 rubles, from Novorossiysk from 700 rubles, and from Gelendzhik about 1,500 rubles.
To get to Abrau-Dyurso from Gelendzhik by bus, you will first have to get to Novorossiysk by bus number 185.

Theories of the formation of Lake Abrau

Scientists put forward several versions of the birth of the lake. According to one of them, the lake is a failure of karst layers, which was gradually filled with the waters of the Abrau River and streams from the nearby mountains. But such a theory is unlikely, since such failures usually have a round shape. For example, like the Well of Souls in Argentina.

According to the second version, Lake Abrau is the remains of a prehistoric freshwater reservoir of the Cimmerian period.

There is a theory according to which the lake was formed as a result of landslides that blocked the bed of the Abrau River. But this version also loses, since there are no high peaks in the lower part of the lake, and accordingly nature had nothing to block the river’s path.

The most plausible version is that in ancient times there was an earthquake that changed the mountainous terrain in the area of the dam. That is, the layers of the earth's surface rose here and blocked the flow of the river, as a result of which this lake was formed.

Lake Abrau is drainless. This means that it has no surface runoff. Some of the water simply evaporates from the surface, while the other part is absorbed into the ground in the southern part of the lake. In fact, there is no direct connection with the Black Sea. But there are suggestions that Abrau is connected by groundwater to Lake Maly Liman, located right on the seashore one and a half kilometers to the south.

Where to go for tourists in Abrau-Durso, interesting places

After relaxing in a cozy hotel room, you are invited to familiarize yourself in more detail with the interesting objects of the resort. Many of them are easy to visit on your own.

Center for Media Arts "MARS"

The winery is considered the center of social life in the town. An impressive addition to the territory was an exhibition space for expressing the bold creative endeavors of artists. Here they realize original ideas in the form of light installations. The play of light and visual effects are performed using modern equipment and create the conditions for “live” exhibitions. The visitor is completely captivated by the process and becomes not just an observer, but also a participant in light shows and interactive scenes. The Media Arts Center is often called the “gallery of light,” a new art direction of the postmodern era.

Address: st. Industrial, 19.

Open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

How to get there: bus stop 102 M is nearby.

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Spa complex "Champagne"

At the Abrau-Durso resort there is an opportunity to find yourself in the world of a fairy tale come to life. To do this, it is suggested to visit the Champagne spa complex. It is located in the building of the Imperial Hotel. It offers original procedures in baths with the addition of champagne. It contains natural antioxidants that produce a cosmetic effect, prevent the destruction of collagen and elastin, and are responsible for skin tone and smooth out wrinkles. The complex has three types of baths (sauna, hammam), and an outdoor swimming pool with warm water. Visitors are offered about 20 body and facial care procedures using grape cosmetics. Since 2014, the spa complex began to cooperate with the French cosmetics company Caudalie, which turned it into a popular, interesting holiday destination.

Address: st. Industrial, 38.

Opening hours: from 10.00 to 20.00.

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Cultural and tourist complex "My Russia"

There are numerous entertainment centers on the Black Sea coast, where vacationers from various resort areas tend to go. One of them is the “My Russia” complex near the Abrau-Durso resort. The territory has a petting zoo and its own stables, where they offer riding lessons and ride obedient horses. The main entertainment is horse shows with extreme situations, special effects, and dancing with torches in the Colosseum amphitheater. The original elements of the complex include a two-story house built “upside down”, or “Upside Down House”. Everything is upside down here: the ceiling instead of the floor, the chandelier below, the furniture above.

Address: st. Korolenko, 16A, on the Kamchatka farm.

Open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

How to get there: take minibus 102.

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Amphitheater

The snow-white amphitheater is considered one of the decoration elements of the embankment. The dome is supported by eight columns. There is a platform underneath that offers views of the blue waters of the lake, mountains, and green forests. In this place, village residents often organize festive events, and tourists love to take photographs as a souvenir of the trip. Nearby stands a monument to Leonid Utesov, created in the image of the singer playing his favorite role - a shepherd from the movie "Volga-Volga". The monument is often called the “shepherd boy”. At a short distance, a metal structure rises, included in the list of “famous places” of the village. This is a monument to all lovers.

Address: embankment, art park.

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Singing Fountains

You don’t have to go to Barcelona to see this extraordinary spectacle. Here, in the Krasnodar Territory, on the way to the Black Sea resorts on the shores of a mountain lake, you are invited to walk and admire the unusual fountains in the evenings. Powerful jets “dance” accompanied by music and videos about the city. There is an interactive screen covering the view of the surrounding area. Bright, original laser lighting makes the dance fantastically beautiful. You can walk and admire them from the shore or swim up close on a rented non-motorized boat.

Address: Lake Abrau.

How to get there: take bus 102 or taxi.

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Climate of Lake Abrau

The climatic conditions here are close to mild Mediterranean. The maximum water level is recorded from late autumn to early spring. Low water (minimum level) is typical for summer. The surface of the lake does not completely freeze even in winter. The minimum temperature on the water surface in January reached +0.2°C. From April the water temperature begins to rise and reaches its maximum at the end of July. In 1954, the water temperature was recorded at +29.8°C. In general, the average monthly water temperature in summer is about 25°C, which is quite comfortable for swimming.

Characteristic

Lake Abrau in Abrau-Dyurso is second only to the Kezenoyam mountain reservoir in terms of surface area , which is located on the border between Dagestan and Chechnya. According to some data, the length of the Abrau reservoir reaches 3100 m, in some places its width is 630 m. Over the past few decades, the depth characteristics have changed significantly.

If earlier researchers noted a depth of 30.5 m, now this figure is 10.5 m. The shallowing occurred due to erosion caused by the construction of roads and the planting of vineyards near the village of Abrau-Durso.

According to statistics, Lake Abrau belongs to the estuarine group. This means that no rivers flow from it. The only river that flows into a mountain reservoir is the river of the same name. Its length is 5.3 km. Additional sources for Lake Abrau are temporary drains, which mainly fall into the category of atmospheric precipitation.

Features of the reservoir associated with the running conditions of the region:

the maximum water level is recorded from November to March;
Low water is recorded in mid-summer;
The reservoir contains a small amount of limestone, which gives the waters a bluish-emerald color.

Of particular importance to local residents is the legend telling about the appearance of the reservoir. The story is connected with the meaning of the word “abrau”, which translated from the Turkic language means “collapse” or “failure”. Local residents are happy to tell the legend about the outbreak of love between the daughter of the richest merchant and a simple shepherd. Instead of a lake then there was a green plain.

The Adygs, the tribes of that time, took advantage of the bounty of the land: they grew vegetables and fruits, receiving an excellent harvest every year. The daughter of a rich Circassian was sweet and beautiful. She was walking in the field when she heard the sound of a flute. It turned out that the shepherd who looked after the animals himself composed and played invented melodies.

The young people met and fell in love with each other. The parents found out about this and opposed their daughter’s choice. The father locked his daughter in prison, constantly appealed to the heavenly powers and argued that there would be no wedding with a shepherd in his house; it would be better if the rivers overflowed their banks and completely covered the house.

Meanwhile, the fertility festival was approaching. The girl managed to escape from prison to the sounds of music and festivities coming from the street. Local residents celebrated the New Year with a bountiful harvest, they drank and ate, danced and threw bread into the sea. For this act, the gods were angry with the local residents. They decided to punish the villagers.

The girl ran away from the village to her lover. She walked through the mountains for a long time, looking for him, but did not find him. Then she decided to return home. When the girl came down from the mountain, she saw only a wide and beautiful lake at the site of the village. The gods covered all the houses with water.

In despair, the girl wanted to drown herself, but suddenly found herself in the arms of her lover, who began to console her. Then the girl came to terms with the death of her relatives. The lovers began to rebuild the house. The lake became both sadness and consolation for them.

As for the scientific explanations for the appearance of a mountain lake in this particular area, researchers have not yet come to a consensus.

There are several versions of the origin:

Karst breach	Crustal displacement	Fairy tales and legends
Karst lakes usually have an oval shape; Lake Abrau does not fit this characteristic. More than 45% of scientists support the version with leaching and washing out of rocks by groundwater	As a result of natural changes in the earth's crust caused by human activity. A rupture occurred and waters came to the surface. More than 70% of researchers adhere to this version.	Legends about lovers, about the wrath of the gods, as well as legends about the appearance of a lake as a response to the requests of residents

The waters begin to warm up in April, maximum temperatures are recorded in July, and from August the water begins to gradually cool again. The record water temperature, which was recorded in the 19th century, was 29°.

Lake Abrau in Abrau-Durso belongs to the category of objects that come under the close attention of natural conservation authorities. It is strictly forbidden to wash vehicles in the lake, dump toxic waste, or use it for industrial purposes.

The reservoir is rich in crustaceans, trout, carp, sprat, and crucian carp are found there. Fishing and crayfish fishing is permitted during certain periods. A fine has been imposed for illegal fishing.

Not only local residents or residents of the Krasnodar Territory, but also tourists who come from different cities and countries like to relax on the reservoir.

Holidays on Abrau are suitable for those who appreciate the beauty of pristine nature. Despite the fact that a factory for the production of champagne wines was built near the village, and vineyards were also erected, the infrastructure carefully interacts with input data without disturbing natural processes.

Tour operators in the region can offer tourists special excursion trips that are directly related to the location. For example, gastronomic festivals or wine tours are organized here annually. This is one of the relatively new types of tourism, which is becoming more and more in demand every year.

Historical reference

The name of the lake comes from the Adyghe “Abragio”, which means “big” or “huge”. From Abkhazian Abrau can be translated as a depression or cliff.

According to legend, there was once a large and very rich village here. So rich that its inhabitants, wanting to show off their treasures, decided to pave a road to the sea and line it with gold and silver coins. But the gods did not appreciate such enthusiasm and punished the mountaineers for their pride - the village sank into the ground, and a lake appeared in its place.

There is another legend (of course, tragic like most legends). In a mountain village lived a poor shepherd and the daughter of a rich and noble man. They fell in love with each other, but the girl's parents were against it. One day, in order not to let her go on a date with the shepherd, they closed the doors in front of her with the words “It is better that the entire village goes underground and is flooded by the river than that you ever meet again.” As they say, be afraid of your wishes - they may come true. And so it happened, it didn’t take long to beg the gods, the village collapsed and was covered with water.

In 1870, at the direction of Emperor Alexander II, “an appanage estate called Abrau-Durso” was formed in the vicinity of the lake. This name can be translated as “the basin of four springs.”

Since 1872, on the advice of winemakers from France, vineyards were planted near the lake. In 1890, the first wines appeared under the Abrau-Durso brand: Bordeaux, Sauternes, Lafite and Burgundy. Since then, these regions have been famous for their winemaking traditions.

In 1891, the first batches of Abrau-Durso champagne went on sale.

Since 1988, Lake Abrau has had the honorary title “Nature Monument”.

Housing

If tourists come here from far away, then they have several options to choose from where they can stay. You can rent accommodation upon arrival or book it in advance.

Boutique Hotel Imperial

This is the most expensive option for staying at a four-star boutique hotel.

Guests are offered several types of rooms:

luxury;
junior suite;
standard with improved balcony.

The cost of a “standard” room starts from 8,000 per day per person.

The boutique hotel is located in a mansion built in the 19th century. on the territory of the village of Abrau-Durso. Inside there is a heated swimming pool, a restaurant, and a spa area.

Apart-hotel "Vintage"

An atmospheric hotel with its own winery and lounge area is located in the village of Abrau-Durso. You can get here from Anapa International Airport using transfer services.

Guests can choose from a list of rooms:

2 bedroom apartments;
deluxe apartments;
superior apartments.

Room rates start from 5,000 per night per person.

From the hotel to the lake you can walk in 7-10 minutes. The hotel has a small swimming pool, lounge area and veranda. The cafe operates on a pre-order system.

Estate "Round Lake"

This is a recreation area where you can book a room for several people, rent a cabin, or pay for a space for a caravan. The estate is located 5 km from the center of Abrau-Durso, it is a vast area in the valley, surrounded by deciduous trees.

On the territory there is a swimming pool, area for barbecues and tents. People come here from different parts of the Krasnodar region to spend holidays in nature, away from the bustle.

Features and rules:

the rooms are equipped with everything necessary;
it is possible to include breakfast in the price;
You can cook yourself, you can order food in the canteen.

Guests who come to the Round Lake estate can rent a bathhouse, a sauna, and order preparation of a court for playing basketball or volleyball. If necessary, football or field hockey competitions can be organized.

Guest house "Rainbow"

One of the most budget options for a holiday in Abrau-Durso. The cost of the room does not exceed 2000 rubles. per day.

Features and Description:

guests can choose a standard room for 2 or 3 people or stay in a two-story cottage with its own entrance;
You can cook in the shared kitchen;
Next to the guest house is the Church of Xenia of Petersburg.

On the territory there is a grill, gazebos, and a play area for children.

Interesting Facts

The maximum depth in the southern part of the lake reached 30 meters, but in recent decades, as a result of silting of the bottom, it has decreased to 11 meters
In the summer, every day from 9 to 10 pm here you can see the mesmerizing show of Singing Fountains. For a whole hour you will be delighted by colored jets flowing directly from the lake to the beat of various musical compositions, from classics to modern times.
There is a cozy park on the shore of the lake where you can take a quiet walk and enjoy beautiful views of the lake and mountains
Like many resort villages in the Krasnodar Territory, Abrau-Durso can boast an abundance of tents with souvenirs, cafes, well-groomed grounds and a great mood among vacationers
Here you can find interesting and photogenic places for photography. For example, a bottle of champagne or the “Shepherd Boy” figure, which is dedicated to the hero of the film “Jolly Fellows” Kostya Potekhin. His role was then played by the legendary Leonid Utesov. This sculpture is located near a small stage, behind which are the Singing Fountains
The heart sculpture in the park, one of the popular tourist attractions, symbolizes love (what else)
There is a remarkable shop in Abrau-Durso called “Grotto”, carved into the rock. If you're in these places, be sure to check it out