Yana Vinetskaya exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
Pyatigorsk, the center of the Caucasian Mineral Waters area, is a relatively young city, although the first mention of the Bish-dag or Beshtai ("five mountains" in Karachai) area with a source of hot waters is known to us from the records of a 14th century Arab traveller. The official history of Pyatigorsk as a spa begins in 1803, when a decree «Recognition of the state significance of the Caucasian Mineral Waters and the need for their advancement" was signed by Alexander I. In 1828 the Swiss architect Giuseppe Bernardazzi designed blueprints for the town. At the same time, different variations of the town’s name were presented: Novogeorgievsk, Konstantinogorsk, and finally Pyatigorsk – after the name of Mount Beshtau, at the foot of which it stands. In the mid-19th century, under the governance of Prince Vorontsov, life in the Caucasian spas became more lively, galleries were built in many places, and the first open air museum in Russia - the Museum of Antiquities of the North Caucasus - was opened in Pyatigorsk.
Alexander Arnoldi, cavalry general, a participant of the Caucasian campaigns and the last Russian-Turkish war, the military governor of Sofia, described his life in Pyatigorsk in the days when he was not yet 25 years old in the following way: "At the time, the Pyatigorsk mineral water resort was assiduously visited by Russians, since a ticket to travel abroad cost up to 500 rubles, and the 1841 season turned out to be one of the most brilliant. As far as I remember, it was said that up to 1,500 families attended. Doctors Roger, Norman, Conrady and many others practiced with great success. I have seen many apparently incurable people in Pyatigorsk, who after having taken a course of healing waters left the resort completely cured. For example, I remember one landowner with spasms in his arms and legs, who was immersed in a 40-degree bath on a bed sheet and carried around in a baby carriage, and [later on] in Kislovodsk he already walked in the most funny manner, and had full command of his arms."
40 years later, the course of life at the spa has changed very little. Young officers entertained the ladies who came to visit the spa, wrote poetry and sometimes even duelled. Here's what "The Latest Guide to the Mineral Waters of Russia and Europe" from the 1885 season writes about it: "The life of the inhabitants of Pyatigorsk in the summer is centred on the boulevard. In the evenings, you can see most of the privileged class walk along the boulevard, where the newcomers also introduce themselves. The central “news office” is also here. Music, predominantly of military style, plays twice a day. It is played for the most part, during lunches and dinners in state-run and private hotels. In Pyatigorsk, there is also a casino-club, or the so-called "society gathering", to which visitors are allowed as guests or members, but only on a recommendation of two current members."
During the season, there were also dance parties, concerts, and performances of artists, and even a circus. However, the guide is stingy in its praise: "Despite the apparent abundance of entertainment, visitors almost unanimously complain of boredom. The reason for this is certainly the heterogeneity of the public, who come here from various places." Young Arnoldi, however, would disagree with the critical author. This active young man quickly found for himself a good company, and things to do: "It is easy to strike an acquaintance at the spa, and during these sessions time passes quickly. I hired a horse from the nearest Cossack post and often rode around the neighbourhood, and in the evenings all the spa public crowded on the long boulevard, where the regimental band pleased it every day with its harmonic sounds. We had a chef with us, and ate at home very well, but not to full satisfaction, because a lot of the foods were forbidden. Trout, wild goat and greens were our food. I diligently took a bath twice a day and after a full course of 120 baths, recovered completely, so that even today, 30 years later, I do not feel any rheumatic pains. Once or twice a week we went to the Naytaki restaurant and danced till midnight, but that, however, was an exception to the usual spa life, because usually with the onset of twilight whole of Pyatigorsk froze."
The most famous visitor to Pyatigorsk, who immortalized not only the city, but also sang praises to the entire Caucasus, but for whom the spa town was fatal, was Mikhail Lermontov. A Pyatigorsk neighbour of Lermontov describes the day of his last duel: "... I hurried to my neighbour, but, catching sight of the shutters and doors of his apartment being closed, went back home. Only in the morning did I find out that Mikhail had been brought home already dead, he duelled with Martynov, 10 steps, and, exactly like the fatalist he wrote about, it seemed he was far from the idea he could be killed, as he, without raising his gun slowly began to move toward the barrier, whereas Martynov had arrived at the point already and was aiming at him. When Lermontov reached the endpoint, Martynov pulled the trigger, and he fell, having breathed once, twice, and was said to have looked at Martynov with contempt."
