1973 GUGK Map of Lake Ritsa - Sochi Region, Russia and Georgia

A Soviet-era tourist map of Sochi and Lake Ritsa, Abkhazia, Georgia, produced in 1973 by the Main Administration of Geodesy and Cartography (G.U.G.K.) of the Soviet Union.

A Closer Look

The main map, centered on Lake Ritsa (enlarged in size for emphasis and to include an illustration of a boat), covers the region as far north as the famous seaside resort city of Sochi (сочи) and as far south as Pitsunda (Пицунда). Two legends denote a wide variety of information relevant to travelers, such as major roads, the locations of hotels and other accommodations, offices to assist tourists, gas stations, museums, and other attractions. An inset map of Sochi appears at top-left, numbering sites across the city corresponding to an accompanying index. The rail line seen on both the main map and inset map is a famously picturesque portion of the North Caucasus Railway.

Promotional text in blue extols the beauties of Lake Ritsa and the surrounding region, ending with the phrase 'Bon voyage, tourists!' (доброго пути вам, туристы!). The red text at the top-right describes the main 'tourist routes' in the region, which change depending on the time of year. This route numbering scheme was an official system of organizing tourist routes throughout the Soviet Union (for context, see Ian Byrne's article cited below). The black text below provides information (phone numbers) for tourists to obtain assistance. At bottom-right is an illustration of the front of a museum dedicated to the Soviet writer Nikolai Ostrovsky (Николай Островский, 1904 - 1936).

The verso contains text relating to local attractions, as well as additional illustrations, including a memorial to Red Army soldiers killed in the Akhtsu Gorge near Sochi in 1920, a view of the road to Krasnaya Polyana, an attractive mountain town renowned for skiing, and a view of Avadhara, another mountainous resort.

Sochi

After coming under Russian control in the long and brutal Russian-Circassian War (1763 - 1864), Sochi became home to a wide variety of peoples from across the Russian Empire and began to develop as a seaside resort. The city was heavily developed as a summer destination by Stalin, whose favorite dacha was located there (he had a total of four in the city, designed by his personal architect Miron Merzhanov). Over the Stalinist period, new institutions, including resorts, museums, and sanitoria, were built in grand Neoclassical style along the Black Sea coast. Subsequent Soviet leaders continued to develop tourist infrastructure in Sochi and throughout Abkhazia.

Lake Ritsa

The mountainous Lake Ritsa is well-known for its natural beauty. Located nearly 1,000 meters above sea level in a remote portion of Abkhazia, it is surrounded by dense forests and mountains. In the Soviet period, the lake was developed as a tourist site, with roads, hotels, and resorts constructed along its banks (an all-important road from the coast was completed in 1936). Both Stalin and Brezhnev resided in summer dacha near the lake. A nature reserve was established around the lake in 1930 to limit development and protect the natural beauty. In recent times, this region is best known for being a flashpoint in tensions between Russia and Georgia (including a 2008 war) and for hosting the XXII Olympic Winter Games, held in 2014.

Publication History and Census

This map was prepared and published by the Main Administration of Geodesy and Cartography (G.U.G.K.) of the Soviet Union in Moscow in 1973. It was edited by N. G. Mgebrishvili, with L.S. Nesterova serving as technical editor. OCLC identifies one example, located at the Library of Congress.