Mezmay

44°12′N 39°58′E

View of Mezmay
Coat of arms of Mezmai

Mezmay (Adyghe: Мэзмые, Russian: Мезма́й) is a settlement in Apsheronsky District of Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located in the valley of the Kurdzhips River near its confluence with the Mezmay River, 35 kilometres (22 mi) south-east of Apsheronsk. Population: less than a thousand inhabitants. It is a popular mountain resort.

The village was linked with Apsheronsk by branch line of the Apsheronsk narrow-gauge railway,[1] yet, in 2010 this branch was almost completely dismantled, except 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) length part between Mezmay and village Guamka. This remaining railway was from 2011 to 2017 interrupted due to a landslide.

Name

The name Mezmay is formed of the two Circassian words Mez (forest) and Mye (wild apple),[2] so Mezmay translated from Circassian as "wild apples forest."

Landmarks

Mezmay is a popular tourist site with a lot of natural attractions: (waterfalls, caves, canyons, etc.), the Clay Roman necropolis (Mezmayskoe burial) on the north-western outskirts of the village and the astrophysics observatory of the Kuban State University.

There is also Mezmaiskaya cave, where, in 1993, was found perfectly preserved skeleton of a Neanderthal baby from which DNA was extracted.[3]

  • Cliffs of Guam Ridge in the surroundings of Mezmay
    Cliffs of Guam Ridge in the surroundings of Mezmay
  • Kurdzhips River Canyon near Mezmay
    Kurdzhips River Canyon near Mezmay
  • Apsheronsk mountain railway near Mezmay
    Apsheronsk mountain railway near Mezmay
  • Mezmai surroundings
    Mezmai surroundings

References
  1. Узкоколейные железные дороги Краснодарского края (in Russian)
  2. К. Х. Меретуков. Адыгейский топонимический словарь. Краснодар. 1981 г.]
  3. Причина вымирания неандертальцев – вулканическая зима?.


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