Iceberg Skating Palace is a dazzling sports venue situated in the mesmerizing city of Sochi in Russia. The arena has been designed to host sporting events like figure skating, speed skating and ice skating. The venue was established in 2012 and has been a witness to several 2014 Winter Olympics events. Most of the prominent structural elements of this architectural marvel were constructed with the help of steel.
The top of Akhun Mountain boasts a splendid view of the city, the sea, and Sochi National Park. People say that on a clear day you might even see Turkey. The slopes of the mountains contain 30 caves as well as the ancient Khosta Yew and Boxwood Grove. Akhun's watchtower is an architectural landmark, which dates back to 1936 and was built using the medieval style.
Housed in a former school building with neoclassical architecture, the Muzei Istorii Goroda-Kurorta Sochi is a culturally important institution with thousands of items on display. Among the exhibits are documents and important artifacts related to the city's history, including photographs and archeological objects. You will learn about the ancient history of the area, the foundation of Sochi in the 19th century, the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars, and Sochi's past as the resort capital of the Soviet Union. The museum organizes excursions for schoolchildren, dedicated to topics such as "Astronauts in Sochi," "The Black Sea and Its Inhabitants," "Nature of the Western Caucasus," and "The Archaeological Sites of the Sochi region."
Sochi National Park is 193,737 hectares (478,735 acres) of natural and cultural wonders. There are mountains, canyons, rivers, waterfalls, gorges, and caves. Among the park's main attractions are Akhun Mountain, the Zmeyka Cascade, the Vorontsovskiye Caves and the Khosta Yew and Boxwood Grove. Cultural attractions include the ruins of a Byzantine temple, a Bronze Age dolmen, and the watchtower on top of the Akhun. The national park is home to various kinds of rare flora and fauna, including several leopards that live in open-air cages.
Built in 1979, the Festivalny Concert Hall is one of the most important concert venues in the city. It hosts a variety of events ranging from operas and ballets to musical performances and cultural festivals. With a capacity to accommodate 2,500 spectators, Festivalny is always buzzing with activity. State-of-the-art lighting and acoustics ensure that all spectators enjoy the spectacular shows sans any hassle.
The Organ and Chamber Music Hall is a state-of-the-art music venue that hosts concerts, musicals, and other performances. The hall has great acoustics, which is why it is the venue of choice for highly esteemed classical performers. The outside foyer is often used for workshops, exhibitions, and various cultural events. The garden within the complex adds charm to the place with its lush green stretch and beautiful flowers all around.
Locals call this park "green Hermitage." It has an astonishing collection of rare plants from all over the world. The park is especially gorgeous during spring, when the sakura is in full bloom. Yuzhniye Kultury is located in the Adler District, where the coastal Olympic facilities are located.
Brilliantovaya Ruka, or The Diamond Arm, is one of the most popular Russian movies ever. Released in 1968, it is a comedy that tells the story of a kindly oaf named Semyon Semyonych who inadvertently became a diamond smuggler. Part of the movie was shot in Sochi, so it is no wonder that the city would have a monument dedicated to it. The sculptural composition is located close to the Morvokzal (Seaport Building). It depicts Semyon Semyonych with his family as well as the smugglers Gesha and Lyolik.
Regarded as the ‘Summer Capital’ of Russia, Sochi boasts a coruscating coastline bejeweled with beaches and swaying palm trees. Gracefully sprawling for miles along the Black Sea, this bright and beguiling city once served as a summertime retreat to the ancient Russian elites, while today, it beckons citizens from every part of the country and tourists from across continents, with wide, open arms. Having especially burgeoned after hosting the prestigious 2007 Winter Olympics, Sochi proffers an unparalleled wealth of beach activities, upscale shopping and a scintillating nighttime revelry. However, the city is as historic as it is contemporary, harboring a wealth of ancient landmarks within its aegis. The Tsentralny City District comprises the city's historic district, its winding thoroughfares brimming with restaurants, nightclubs and boutiques. The heritage Sochi Rail Station, the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel and the Sochi Winter Theater are some of its most prized landmarks, whereas Krasnaya Polyana is the newest addition to the city’s urban landscape, a massive Olympic snow-sport park that offers an outstanding infrastructure to sports enthusiasts. Nature abounds at the Sochi National Park, a verdant oasis that is mottled with waterfalls, wildlife and enchanting forests, while the teeming Port of Sochi, with its assemblage of charming historic buildings, is the very locus of the city’s marine transportation system.
What looks like a giant mythical bird is actually The Poyushchiye Fontany in the Olympic Park in Sochi. It is also known as “The Singing Fountain'', which springs to life at a set time when the Russian folklore plays and bewitches her visitors with lights, glare, dancing water and jets that spill water up to 70 meters (229 feet) high. It was built especially for the Olympic Games held in 2014 and has continued to mesmerize its spectators.
St. Michael the Archangel is said to be Sochi's heavenly protector. Therefore, it is no wonder that the city would have a monument dedicated to him. This statue on a 66-meter high column decorates Sochi's main street, Kurortnyy Prospekt.
Housed in a former school building with neoclassical architecture, the Muzei Istorii Goroda-Kurorta Sochi is a culturally important institution with thousands of items on display. Among the exhibits are documents and important artifacts related to the city's history, including photographs and archeological objects. You will learn about the ancient history of the area, the foundation of Sochi in the 19th century, the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars, and Sochi's past as the resort capital of the Soviet Union. The museum organizes excursions for schoolchildren, dedicated to topics such as "Astronauts in Sochi," "The Black Sea and Its Inhabitants," "Nature of the Western Caucasus," and "The Archaeological Sites of the Sochi region."