Mashuk Mountain

Mount Mashuk is a laccolith 993 meters high, a geological formation that arose when magma solidified between layers of the Earth's crust, which is sometimes called a "failed volcano." At its northwestern foot, on July 15, 1841, a duel of Mikhail Lermontov took place, at the site of which a memorial obelisk is now installed, although the exact location of the site remains a subject of dispute among historians. From the top of the mountain, a panorama of Pyatigorsk and its surroundings opens up, and on clear days, a chain of the Caucasus Mountains with Mount Elbrus at the head is visible. On the slopes of Mashuk are located the Aeolian Harp, Diana's Grotto, and the "Eagle" sculpture, and you can reach the summit via a passenger cable car, built in 1971 according to the design of engineer Vladimir Lezhava.