Abkhazia Cities: Gulipsh

In the Gulripshsky district of Abkhazia, just 10 km from the southeastern outskirts of Sukhum, there is a very interesting historical object – the so-called "Palace of Prince Sokhsky". Nikolai Nikolayevich Nikolayevich Nikolayevich never was a prince, but in 1889 he builds in the hills over the Macrah River Dacha with a subtropical park for his wife, who suffered from tuberculosis. In 1900, he begins to build a full-fledged sanatorium for the treatment of this disease, which in November 1902 takes the first patients. Sanatorium "Gulipsh-1", or "White housing", was built in compliance with all the canons of the palace architecture and on a very beautiful project, and on their own means of Svoksky. In 1913, the second building is erected – a four-storey castle similar "Gulipsh-2", or "Red housing" – which becomes the biggest in Abkhazia. In 1905, they are also built by a sanatorium "Furnished home Agudzer" (Agudzer – the name of one of the villages, subsequently entered Gulipsh in the urban district) . It was used to restore after illness and climatic treatment, and after the Second World War on the personal order of Beria transformed into "Object G", On the territory of which German physicists worked on the creation of atomic weapons for the USSR. The Lavrenty Pavlovich himself, by the way, was also born in these parts – in the village of Mercheuli (later Marhaiaul), just 8 km north-east.

• Sanatorski sanatorium on an old postcard
• Palace of Prince Sokhsky
• Sanatorium "Gulipsh-1", Modern interior

And after the revolution around the sanatorium, the whole resort area has grown – there were House of creativity "Literary newspaper", Dacha Nodar Dumbadze, Konstantina Simonova, George Gulia, Ivan Tarba and Evgenia Evtushenko. In 1948, even a brand was released overlooking the sanatorium "Gulipsh-2". However, both old buildings of the sanatorium were very much injured during the Georgian-Abkhaz War and Blocade and never restored. As a result, now the majestic ruins of this once famous complex attract the attention of many independent tourists as a visual sample of the endangered architecture of the beginning of the century. According to these picturesque ruins, you can walk literally for hours, however, with a well-known share of caution due to the specifics of the object.

Attractions Gulipsh

In Gulipsk itself (in Abkhazsk, his name sounds like you, Gulrypsh) deserves attention Temple Elijah Prophet in Nagudzer, Also built in 1908 on the project and money. N. Svytsky. It attracts attention to its unusual architecture that combines the elements of the style of modernity with romance and even gothic elements – one eight-story bell tower of red bricks what is worth! During the years of Soviet power, the library, storage facilities and other economic institutions worked here, now the temple is restored, refectory and baptisteries are attached, the ancients are restored and new icons have been completed. Interestingly, worship in the church of Elijah, the Prophet is conducted on the Version Slavic and Abkhaz languages, and the chants are sounding on the Vine Elderlyland, Greek and Abkhaz. Get here very simply on the bus from Sukhumsky bus station to the side of Ochamchira to the stop "Temple".

• Sanatorium "Agudzer", Modern condition
• Temple Elijah Prophet in Nagudzer
• Durand Cathedral

2 km south of Gulipsh is the old village of Duranda, known as one of the places of formation of Orthodoxy on the territory of Collitch. In the VI-VII centuries, allegedly Emperor Justinian Great here is awarded one of the first Christian temples of the region – Durand Cathedral. Located in the Byzantine style and for a long time served by the residence of the bishop and the placement of the famous male monastery, he could not boast the majesticity of the appearance, because he was practically destroyed by the Turks first, and then revolutionary events of the beginning of the XX century. As a result of all restorations and rearrangements, the initial appearance of the ancient temple has changed a lot, disappeared and unique ancient frescoes, and the famous vineyards, as well as a real underground town in a hill under the cathedral preserved pretty good. Currently, the Assumption Cathedral of the Deranged Monastery is the current temple of the Sukhum-Abkhaz Orthodox Diocese.

How to get to Gulipsh

To get here very simply by public transport from Sukhum on the highway – from the center of Gulipsh, literally 500 meters from left to the mountain will be visible parking area and ruins. And with good beaches of Gulipsh, a beautiful panorama of the extensive Sukhumy Bay and the very capital of Abkhazia opens. Since the shores are oriented to the West, you can also watch beautiful sunsets.