The city of Temryuk is the largest settlement on the Taman Peninsula. An exceptionally favorable location and favorable climate, as well as warm sea waters and special resort conditions have made Temryuk very popular among residents of the Krasnodar Territory and among tourists coming from all over the Russian Federation and from neighboring countries. The systematic development of local infrastructure is gradually pushing the city into the ranks of leading resorts, because there are excellent conditions for equipping a health resort of world level and scale.
Geographical location of the city
The Taman Peninsula is quite densely populated, and the city of Temryuk has access to the sea through the Petrushin branch of the Kuban River. Such a location has always been very advantageous for the development of cities, and here the geography of Temryuk is no exception to the rule. The Kuban flows into the Temryuk Bay of the warm and shallow Azov Sea, forming the so-called Verbena arm. The Kurchansky Estuary is located very close to it.
This location of the city guarantees its prosperity, since the abundance of water provides fertile soil and a large number of animals and birds living here. Numerous schools of fish come into the warm Sea of Azov to spawn, thanks to which the local population always has a sufficient variety of food. It is not for nothing that Kuban is considered the granary of the state. Temryuk is located 130 km from the capital of the Krasnodar Territory - the city of Krasnodar. Temryuk is connected to it by a highway, there is also a freight railway and a seaport.
How Temryuk survives the powerful natural disaster that hits the city
Even at the entrance to the city, the highway is blocked by water, so our car drives with difficulty. The asphalt under the water barrier is not visible - it appears only after a while. And literally a few minutes after we entered Temryuk, an unprecedented downpour began. Moreover, it fell from the sky in such a dense wall that the water sways under gusts of wind, and it seems as if the local Sea of Azov stands vertically and is in waves.
An evacuation point was located at Temryuk School No. 1. Its director has been on his feet since six o'clock in the morning when the disaster struck.
— Eight people were brought to us, they were all placed in the gym. Blankets and towels were delivered from the administration. They plan to deliver beds by 9 p.m. so people can spend the night. Hot meals are provided for everyone,” says school director Elena Troshina. It is clear that she is very excited and worried. And there is a reason.
In the gym we see several people who were evacuated from houses on the neighboring streets. One of them is Olga Shitskaya, a woman who came with two children, who are 10 and 15 years old. Just a month ago, he and his family moved from Siberia and renovated their new home. But now he is standing in the water.
“At night and early in the morning, the water began to rise, flooding the kitchen, the garage, water above the knee,” Olga says with tears in her eyes. - It’s impossible to be there - we have a one-story house. What to do now? We lost everything... The wiring was flooded, the beds were flooded. My husband drove the car a little higher so as not to at least save it. We called the Ministry of Emergency Situations - we didn’t even know where to go, there were no relatives here. We were evacuated here to school.
Another woman is sitting nearby - Maria Romanova, she is 71 years old. She and her grandson, and her daughter and son-in-law, the child’s parents, returned to the house, which was flooded up to the windows.
“We have waist-deep water there,” Romanova complains. “I’m sitting here, “guarding” my grandchildren, and they are there... My heart is not in the right place... I’m so worried.
An unprecedented disaster truly befell Temryuk - even on the central streets the asphalt was hidden under streams of water. And the areas located slightly in the lowlands were completely flooded. Moreover, entire streets were covered with water. Due to the disaster, part of the city lost power; repair crews are working, but no one can say how many people are left without electricity. The Internet in the city works intermittently - sometimes there is, sometimes not. And these jumps are impossible to predict.
On Volodarsky Street in Temryuk the water reaches up to the knee. Near one of the houses there is a man in a canvas raincoat with a hood and high boots. The rain is pouring furiously from above.
“If this continues for another two hours, our house will be flooded,” says local resident Vitaly Brytkov. “The whole garden is flooded, the basement too, the sewage system is not working.”
At our request, he goes to show us the plot - there is the sea instead of potatoes, tomatoes and carrots.
“It’s as if the entire harvest was lost,” Vitaly laments. — We all listen to the weather forecast. And there, according to forecasts, it will rain all night. Imagine what will happen here?
We talk while standing knee-deep in water. Only high boots save me: real waves splash against my fishing boots.
Having traveled around the city, it becomes clear that the situation is similar on almost all the streets, which are now deserted. Almost all shops are closed. Many private houses are flooded up to their windows, especially in low-lying areas.
“If the rain continues for another two hours, our house will flood,” Brytkov repeats again. “Then we’ll have to take the children and wait in a five-story building with relatives.” There is no other way out. But we will lose everything in the house. We already experienced such a disaster in 2000, when our Temryuk was also completely covered with water.
The administration of the Temryuk region is depopulated: the central entrance is closed, and almost all employees are working to eliminate the consequences of a disaster or at home, since their homes were also flooded. With great difficulty we managed to find the head of the district, Fyodor Babenkov. We spoke with him at a time when he was walking from one meeting to another about the current situation.
— A state of emergency has now been declared in the area. To eliminate the consequences, 13 motor pumps and 12 units of heavy equipment - tractors, fire trucks - are working, says the head of the Temryuk district Fyodor Babenkov. — More than 80 people work in operational groups in the region. And also all municipal unitary enterprises that serve the population. Seven stationary accommodation points have been deployed throughout the region. There are now 16 people in them who have turned to the administration for help. Storm drains were also cleaned throughout the day. I can’t say more, sorry, you see what’s happening - we need to coordinate the work.
Neither emergency services nor local authorities have yet been able to say the exact number of victims of the disaster or name how many houses were flooded. But one gets the feeling that almost the entire city was covered with water. According to the disappointing forecast of weather forecasters, another disaster is expected in the evening or at night, as the rain does not stop.
Emergency Ministry vehicles are currently running along the city streets, conveying the same message: “Dear citizens, heavy rainfall is expected in the near future. In case of flooding, you need to pack your things and go to higher ground."
History of Temryuk
Kuban and the entire North Caucasus as a whole have been a center of constant migration of peoples since ancient times, periodically passing from hand to hand - the piece was too tasty. Thanks to this, the population of the city and the entire region as a whole is distinguished by great ethnic diversity. The history of the settlement is very interesting and multifaceted, because this area has been inhabited since ancient times, and huge masses of people constantly moved through it from Asia to Europe. Tribes came and went, some of them settled here, because this area turned out to be extremely advantageous from different sides. Firstly, one cannot help but appreciate its strategic position with access to rivers and the sea, secondly, the natural wealth of the region, and thirdly, the local lands are able to feed a large number of people. It is not surprising that various settlements have existed on the site of the city of Temryuk since ancient times.
At first there were isolated tribal camps, from which neither names nor large objects of material culture remained. Then the ubiquitous Genoese settled here and founded a colony called Copa. In their place came the Crimeans, who founded the city of Tumnev, which became part of the Crimean Khanate. About a century later, the city came under the rule of the Kabardian prince Temryuk Idarovich, who gave the city its name. This period connects the city and all of Kabarda with Russia, since the youngest daughter of Prince Temryuk, Kuchenya, became the second wife of Ivan the Terrible under the name Maria. Despite the help of a powerful neighbor and a fortress built in the city, it was recaptured by the Crimeans and was called Adis.
All these historical features left their mark on the appearance of the city and its population. It has always been home to many different nationalities. In addition to the Turks and Crimean Tatars, there were many Black Sea Greeks, Armenians, Jews and representatives of other peoples. For a long time, the city, which was constantly engaged in trade, was disturbed by the Don Cossacks, until it became a Cossack village, and in 1860 acquired the status of a city. The origin of the name of the city was for some time mistakenly associated with the ancient city of Tamatarkha (Germonassa, Tmutarakan), which is also located on the territory of the Temryuk region . Still, the city received its current name from the name of the prince who built a fortress here.
Economy and population
The economic and industrial development of the city of Temryuk is directly related to its geographical location, climate and soil characteristics. Fishing and fish farming flourish here, there is a sturgeon breeding enterprise and a fish canning plant, as well as other fish processing. Since the region has an excellent climate and soils suitable for viticulture, this industry is very developed here.
There is a cognac factory and other wine-making enterprises, a plant that produces special fats, an experimental mechanical plant and an enterprise for the production of building materials. Many enterprises in the city are connected with the sea, for example, a ship repair plant. In 2021, the city's population reached 39,646 people and continues to grow, which indicates positive trends in the economic development of the city and region.
Natural and historical attractions
The main natural features of the city, which became the reason for the founding of the resort here, are mud volcanoes. One of them is located almost in the city center. On the outskirts there is a whole scattering of such natural wonders, and popular mud baths have been founded near Temryuk, in the village of Golubitskaya. The healing mud obtained from local volcanoes has many beneficial properties, which constantly attracts people here who want to improve their health. Healthy tourists also come here - the sight of the gurgling mud is mesmerizing, and the landscape itself looks fantastic and as if not entirely earthly, alien.
Historical architecture is mainly represented by churches of various denominations and several surviving buildings from past centuries, as well as a historical and archaeological museum. But the city also has modern attractions - an open-air museum of military equipment, the Walk of Fame and monuments to its heroes.
The city has well-groomed parks, beautiful streets with plenty of greenery. Children, youth and the older generation will be offered numerous modern entertainments, and the richest and most delicious local cuisine will not leave anyone hungry. A holiday in Temryuk will bring great aesthetic pleasure and will benefit both soul and body.
Temryuk: history, geography, climate
The city of Temryuk is famous for its location as a port city. It is located at the mouth of the Kuban, and the Temryuk region advantageously borders the Azov and Black Seas. Just 5 km away there are sandy beaches, and on the outskirts there are endless steppes immersed in greenery.
The settlement was founded as a fortress in the 16th century by a prince who named the settlement after his name. But even before this time, history tells about the Tatar peoples who once inhabited the locations of the Crimean Khanate.
Today Temryuk is part of Kuban. It is an administrative center with a population of about 38 thousand people. Its inhabitants are mainly engaged in port activities. The fishing industry is very developed here: fishing, cleaning, selling. The second direction is resort holidays in the Temryuk mountains, in which the rest of the population works. As in many southern centers, the main problem is seasonality. The summer-autumn period pleases with an abundance of fruits and vegetables, warm sea, bright landscapes and, as a result, a large number of tourists. But in winter, the pace slows down significantly, although popular fishing and hunting destinations attract an increasing number of visitors.
Temryuk today is a developing city that attracts attention with its favorable location, beautiful architecture and warm climate. Those who have repeatedly chosen to relax on the Sea of Azov know about its clear waters and beaches with soft and warm sand. Hot sunny summer attracts tourists from all over the country. By the way, the air temperature in winter practically never drops below 0°C.
Every year, entrepreneurs expand their tourism business and offer guests a large number of recreation and accommodation options: from renting an apartment to staying in luxury rooms. Cafes and bars prepare a variety of evening shows and programs, delicious Caucasian cuisine and drinks.
