Architectural Landmarks (Self Guided), Sochi

The modern railway station was designed by architect Alexei Dushkin and built in 1952. The building has a complex design with a dominant clock tower and three separate atrias adorned with sculptures and fountains. Huge arches and stately columns are everywhere and give the impression of height. The ornamentation on the station depicts Sochi's unique sub-tropical vegetation.

The Central Post Office is situated in the old part of the city and has great historical and cultural value. The square in front of the building is one of the most beautiful places in the city. It is graced by a beautiful fountain and encompassed by sycamore trees.

The Sea Port was built in 1955, and the designers of the project were architects K.S. Halabyan and L.B. Karlik. This impressive structure has two main floors and a two-story gallery. At the center of the building is a tower with a spire made of polished stainless steel. Above the three tiers of the tower there are sculptured figures that represent the four seasons and four cardinal directions. In front of the Sea Port is a fountain with the statue of the goddess of the seas.

Villa Vera, which dates back to 1910, is an eclectic, asymmetric structure. The building has a two-story gallery with a grand staircase, columns, terraces and balconies. The exquisite details on the exterior of the building lend it a certain grace.

The first public library in Sochi, Pushkinskaya, is located along the seaside. The library was inaugurated on May 27, 1912, and was named after the famous Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. The building remains as it was originally built and has been designated an architectural monument, protected by law.

Primorskaya Hotel was built facing the sea in 1936, according to the designs of architect Jan A. Rebayn. Up until the building boom of the 1960s and 1970s, which added many hotels to Sochi's skyline, Primorskaya was considered the best hotel in the city.

The villa of doctor A. V. Yakubson, which was designed by architect R.I. Budnik, is one of the finest examples of romantic modernism of the early 20th century in Sochi. This style is characterized by a combination of different surfaces. The two-story building is surrounded by open galleries. Today the building houses the administrative offices of Svetlana, a medical facility.

In 1974 the former summer residences of V.V. Barsova passed into control of the state. In 1988, the villa became the location of the history and culture section of the Sochi History Museum. Here you can view a variety of items on display in a beautiful setting.

The villa of artist N.A. Shevelev, built in 1903, is one of the few buildings designed in the Mauritanian Style. This style redefines the architectural techniques of Spanish, Portuguese, Moorish and Islamic medieval architecture. The building is decorated with mosaics, stained glass and colored marble.