Mount Akhun

Mount Akhun is located in the Khostinsky district on the territory of Sochi. It is a popular tourist destination for lovers of mountain peaks, the height of the mountain reaches 663 meters above sea level. Maly Akhun, 501 meters high, and Eagle Rocks, 380 meters high, are located next to it. The tower of the old fortress, erected by order of Stalin in 1936, is located here. Not so long ago, a Ferris wheel was installed, from the height of which you can even better view the picturesque landscapes of the Krasnodar Territory.

Legends of Mount Akhun

There are several legends associated with the name "Akhun", which often sound different to the locals. According to one of them, the deity Akhyn, who protects cattle, used to live in this place. Ahyn had a staff with which he walked from peak to peak, but one day the staff fell into the gorge, and Ahyn died. According to another version, the daughter of a local rich man fell in love with Akhyn and married him. However, the girl's father was against the union and secretly broke Ahin's staff, which caused the deity to fall into the river from a great height. Another legend is connected with Prometheus, whose statue can be seen on the top of the mountain. According to the stories of residents of the Krasnodar Territory, it was here that Prometheus lived in captivity. A girl named Agura came to him to bring food and water. Ahin found out about this and pushed the girl into the abyss - that's how the mountain river appeared.

Observation Tower

The highlight of Mount Akhun is a small observation tower, built by order of Joseph Stalin. He really liked this place, and in order to admire the beautiful landscape, he proposed building a fortress with an observation deck on the mountain. At first, in less than a year, a road was paved to the top, along which you can still get to the fortress. And then, in record time, the tower was built in 10 months. The stone used was the one that was mined during the construction of the road.

The height of the Romanesque-style tower is 30 meters. There is a convenient staircase leading to the roof, and from above, from 700 meters above sea level, there is a stunning view of Sochi, mountain landscapes, and the Black Sea. From here you can see the Olympic Village, and in clear weather you can see Abkhazia and the Turkish coast.

Wisteria blossoms are especially beautiful on Mount Akhun. One of the walls of the tower is completely covered with it. There is a tasting room inside, and nearby there are restaurants where you can enjoy dishes of Caucasian cuisine.

Akhun Caves

Nature has prepared a special entertainment for fans of non-tourist places. There are about 30 caves of different lengths on Mount Akhun. The longest cave, Bolshaya Akhunskaya, stretches 1,200 meters underground. So far, the corridors of the caves are not equipped for tourists, so you definitely need experience, rubber boots and flashlights to visit them.

There is another mysterious place on Mount Akhun - the building of an abandoned restaurant. It opened at the top in the same year that the tower was built. The richest people in the country spent their evenings here. The architecture of the restaurant was particularly attractive, but the establishment closed a year later due to a fire. They say people died here, and now you can see ghosts at night. So far, no one has dared to restore the restaurant and open its doors to visitors.