Maykop.

History

A military camp appeared here in 1825, and in 1857 General Kozlovsky founded a Russian fortification on Abadzekh land. By the 1870s Maykop was the centre of a district of Kuban Oblast. In 1897 the excavation of a burial mound in the town revealed an ancient Bronze Age culture. Oil was found nearby in the early 20th century, the railway arrived in 1910, followed by a telegraph and a water supply. The city was occupied from August 1942 to January 1943, and it has been the main city of Adygea since 1936.

Culture & traditions

Maykop is a city of several cultures, home to Russians, Adyghe, Cherkess and Armenians. The Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral, seat of the local diocese, and the Grand Mosque stand not far from each other. The city has Adyghe State University and Maykop State Technological University, a theatre and the Park of Friendship. Ice hockey player Nikita Kucherov was born in Maykop.

Sport

The main venue is the Republican Stadium in the city park. The football club Druzhba represents the city and the republic. In 2014 the Olympic torch relay passed through Maykop.

Food & drink

The signature of the local table is Adyghe cheese, soft and slightly salty. Try it at the market or in local cafés alongside other dishes of Adyghe cuisine.

Practical information

The local airport handles only light aircraft and helicopters, so travellers usually fly to Krasnodar and continue by road. A branch of the North Caucasus Railway serves Maykop, with the station on the northern edge of town. Trolleybuses, buses and minibuses run around the city. The climate is mild, with an average annual temperature of about 12 °C; the best time to come is from late spring to mid-autumn.

What to see

• Holy Trinity Cathedral — the main Orthodox church of Adygea
• Grand Mosque — one of the city's defining buildings
• Belaya River banks — a walk along a mountain river right in town
• Park of Friendship — a quiet green spot in the centre
• City park with the Republican Stadium — for walks and sport