# Kislovodsk

Kislovodsk (Russian: Кислово́дск; Kabardian: Нартсанэ; Karachay-Balkar: Ачысуу) is a spa city in Stavropol Krai, in the North Caucasus region of Russia which is located between the Black and Caspian Seas. It is part of the Caucasian Mineral Waters region.

## Demographics

Population: 128,553 (2010 Census); 129,788 (2002 Census); 114,414 (1989 Soviet census).

## Etymology

The Russian-language name of the city translates as "sour water" and originated due to the abundance of narzan [ru] mineral-water (Russian: нарзан, romanized: narzan) springs in the area.

## History

The settlement gained town status in 1903. Several of the events in Mikhail Lermontov's 1840 novel A Hero of Our Time take place in Kislovodsk.

## Archaeology

Numerous settlements of the Koban culture (ca. 1100 to 400 BC) are found in the Kislovodsk city and its surroundings. They include the sites of Industria I, Sultan-gora I, Berezovka I, Berezovka II, Berezovka III, Berezovka IV.

## Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is, together with seven rural localities, incorporated as the city of krai significance of Kislovodsk—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts. As a municipal division, the city of krai significance of Kislovodsk is incorporated as Kislovodsk Urban Okrug.

## Geography

The city is located in the North Caucasus region of Russia which is located between the Black and Caspian Seas.

### Climate

Climate data for Kislovodsk (extremes 1886-present) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.5 (65.3) | 20.9 (69.6) | 27.7 (81.9) | 32.3 (90.1) | 34.2 (93.6) | 35.2 (95.4) | 36.2 (97.2) | 36.4 (97.5) | 36.0 (96.8) | 31.1 (88.0) | 26.3 (79.3) | 24.4 (75.9) | 36.4 (97.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 3.6 (38.5) | 5.1 (41.2) | 9.0 (48.2) | 14.4 (57.9) | 19.1 (66.4) | 22.6 (72.7) | 25.1 (77.2) | 25.2 (77.4) | 21.0 (69.8) | 16.0 (60.8) | 9.7 (49.5) | 5.2 (41.4) | 14.7 (58.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −2.2 (28.0) | −1.4 (29.5) | 2.6 (36.7) | 7.9 (46.2) | 12.9 (55.2) | 16.6 (61.9) | 19.1 (66.4) | 18.9 (66.0) | 14.5 (58.1) | 9.3 (48.7) | 3.2 (37.8) | 0.6 (33.1) | 8.5 (47.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −6.1 (21.0) | −5.7 (21.7) | −1.8 (28.8) | 3.1 (37.6) | 7.9 (46.2) | 11.4 (52.5) | 13.8 (56.8) | 13.6 (56.5) | 9.3 (48.7) | 4.5 (40.1) | −1.0 (30.2) | −4.6 (23.7) | 3.7 (38.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −24.4 (−11.9) | −26.2 (−15.2) | −18.0 (−0.4) | −13.1 (8.4) | −3.8 (25.2) | −0.4 (31.3) | 4.2 (39.6) | 4.6 (40.3) | −6.0 (21.2) | −11.5 (11.3) | −25.0 (−13.0) | −28.9 (−20.0) | −28.9 (−20.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 19.2 (0.76) | 18.9 (0.74) | 38.7 (1.52) | 60.3 (2.37) | 106.8 (4.20) | 123.1 (4.85) | 95.8 (3.77) | 62.6 (2.46) | 60.3 (2.37) | 37.8 (1.49) | 27.2 (1.07) | 23.1 (0.91) | 673.8 (26.51) |
| Source: pogoda.ru.net ||||||||||||||

## In literature

Several of the events in Mikhail Lermontov's 1840 novel A Hero of Our Time take place in Kislovodsk.

## Notable people

Nobel Prize winner Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008) was a native of Kislovodsk. A museum was planned in the house he was born. Renovations were to begin in 2011. Nikolai Yaroshenko's (1846-1898) memorial house is open to the public.
The Ukrainian historian Mykhailo Hrushevskyi (1866-1934) died in exile in Kislovodsk.
* Zuhra Bayramkulova (1940–2013), farmer and politician, was born there.
* Felix Feodosidi (born 1933), wine maker.
* Boris Parsadanian, composer, was born there.
* Karine Shadoyan, wrestler born in Kislovodsk who represented Armenia.

## Twin towns and sister cities

Kislovodsk is twinned with:
* Aix-les-Bains, France
* Baguio, Philippines
* Batumi, Georgia
* Kiryat Yam, Israel
* Muscatine, Iowa, United States
* Nazran, Republic of Ingushetia, Russia
* Velingrad, Bulgaria

## Gallery

* Narzan Gallery
* Chaliapin’s Mansion
* Kislovodsk Colonnade
* Armenian Church
* Welcome to Kislovodsk
* View of Kislovodsk
* The Cascade Staircase in Kislovodsk
* The pedestrian bridge - "Lady's Whim"