ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CAUCASIAN MOUNTAIN SOCIETY

The article deals with the creation, directions of activities of the Caucasian Mountain Society at the turn of the XIX -early XX centuries. The Caucasian Mountain Society played an important role in the development of tourism in the North Caucasus, in the study of the Caucasian Mineral Waters, the Caucasus Mountains, and the study of the multinational region. The Society brought together scientists, ethnographers, topographers, photographers, engineers, writers and teachers of Russia. Excursion work took a significant place in the field of activity of the Society's members. The Society organized excursions for residents of the Caucasian Mineral Waters, tourists coming from different parts of the Russian Empire and Western Europe. The main attention was paid to conducting excursions for students of educational institutions of the Russian Empire, who got acquainted with amazing places, history, culture, nature of the Caucasus. The company has developed 16 routes, ranging from excursions along the Caucasian Mineral Waters to routes along military roads - Georgian, Ossetian, Elbrus, and Kazbek. One of the directions in the work of the Society was publishing. Members of the Society published the "Yearbook of the Caucasian Mountain Society in Pyatigorsk" and "Bulletin of the Caucasian Mountain Society", as well as brochures reflecting observations on the history, archeology, geology, botany of the North Caucasus. The Caucasian Mountain Society carried out archaeological work, took care of the protection of archaeological monuments. The society opened a library, which presented unique collections of books on the history of the North Caucasus, maps, reference materials. The Caucasian Mountain Society did a lot to create a museum, which presented materials on geology, botany, entomology, paleontology, archeology, photographs of prominent places in the Caucasus, on the basis of which the Pyatigorsk Museum of Local Lore was created. The Caucasian Mountain Society laid the foundation for a comprehensive study of the North Caucasus, the development of North Caucasus local history, laid research and practical traditions that were perceived by scientists and scientific institutions during the Soviet period.

Caucasian Mountain society, activities, tourism, local history, Caucasian studies, North Caucasus, the turn of the XIX - early XX centuries

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