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AbkhaziaWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
Stalin's dacha Cold River or Gosdacha No.18 is one of the five leaders of the peoples in Abkhazia, converted into a museum and accessible to tourists. In total, Stalin had about 20 residences or so-called dachas throughout the USSR, which he used for rest and work. Not all of them have survived, but the cottage in the Cold River has been preserved in excellent condition. It is believed that this was one of his favorite residences, where he rested at least 20 times.
Unfortunately, not all rooms and buildings of the cottage are open for inspection. The second floor of the main building is closed, individual buildings on the territory are also inaccessible. To be honest, it is difficult to call this attraction spectacular, there are few exhibits here, but accompanied by a tour guide who will tell you about the history of this place and draw your attention to the details, the visit will be interesting and informative. Therefore, we advise you to choose the option with excursion accompaniment when buying tickets.
The history of the creation of Stalin's Dacha "Cold River" goes back to ancient times. According to local guides, in 1931 Stalin visited Sochi for a holiday and fell in love with the beautiful nature and favorable climate. During a boat trip, he saw a beautiful rocky place from the ship, and decided to build his next residence there. Moreover, by his order, it should not have been visible from the outside. We do not know how true this is, but the truth is that the construction of the residence was completed quickly, during the year from 1932 to 1933, and after that the cottage was never reconstructed and preserved in its original form. More than 2 thousand employees of the NKVD were engaged in its maintenance and protection. When Stalin came to rest, the entire territory was immediately cut off from outsiders, and security personnel were stationed in the forest, they were strictly forbidden to show themselves to Stalin. Each guard had a rank not lower than major, and neither it was possible to call for help using a special button located in each room.
One of the most interesting features of the "Cold River" is its architecture. The author of the project, Miron Merzhanov, realized the architectural idea of the building in the form of a ship directed into the sea from a cliff at an altitude of 300 meters, breaking off steeply into the Black Sea, creating the impression of a liner. The buildings, built in the style of Stalinist neoclassicism, were distinguished by grandeur and luxury. They were furnished with expensive interior items, luxurious furniture and works of art. The surrounding park was landscaped and decorated with fountains, benches and paths. Interestingly, the cottage cannot be seen from the water, as this was justified by security issues.
However, in addition to its architectural beauty, the Dacha is also closely connected with the historical events of the Soviet Union. Within these walls, decisions were made that had an impact on the lives of millions of people. Meetings with senior figures of the party and the state were held here, as well as negotiations were held during the Second World War.
🕐 Working hours
From 10:00 to 18:00, seven days a week.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price
Entrance ticket without excursion – 250 rubles, ticket with excursion – 400 rubles. Children are free. Travel by car – 100 rubles.
🚶 How to get there
Stalin's dacha Kholodnaya Rechka is located in the village of Bagripsh near the Tsandripsh resort and 20 kilometers from Gagra (dacha-museum on the map). Although according to the map it is located next to the main highway of Abkhazia Sukhumi highway, in fact, it is not so easy to get directly to the museum. The last two and a half kilometers after the exit from the highway is an old dead road, besides it passes through a private territory, for which you will have to pay another 100 rubles to enter.
If you don't have your own transport, then you can get here by minibus. Any route taxi between Gagra and the Psou checkpoint on the border runs along the highway next to the dacha, there are also flights from Sukhum, New Athos, Pitsundi, etc. In high season, they run about every 30 minutes (there is no schedule, by filling in), the fare costs from 100 rubles. When you get to the village of Bagripsh, then you will have to walk two and a half kilometers up to the museum all the time, or you can drive this distance by private taxi from 400 rubles.
And finally, the easiest way is to buy ready-made excursions from distributors on the streets of resorts. For example, an excursion from Gagra to Stalin's dacha on the Cold River will cost from 800 rubles, discounts for children.
💥 We remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at online booking options on these proven search and price comparison sites: