Krasnaya Polyana, Mountain settlement in Sochi, Russia.
Krasnaya Polyana is a mountain settlement in the Sochi area that spreads through the Mzymta River valley at 533 meters (1,749 feet) above sea level. The peaks of the Western Caucasus rise all around, giving the place its position amid a steep mountain landscape.
The settlement was founded in 1869 after Russian expansion into the Caucasus region and received its current name in 1878 from Greek newcomers. Over time the place served as an imperial hunting ground before it evolved into the host site for the 2014 Winter Games.
The name refers to the reddish brown ferns that Greek settlers noticed during autumn when they arrived in the late 19th century. Today you can still find traces of the Greek, Georgian and Armenian communities in some parts of the settlement, visible in the architecture of certain houses and in regional dishes served at local eateries.
A railway system connects the place to Adler-Sochi International Airport, making the journey relatively straightforward. The ski areas like Rosa Khutor sit higher up the slopes and are easy to reach, with the main season running through winter when snow covers the mountainsides.
Before the Olympic Games the area served as an exclusive imperial hunting ground with dedicated lodges for the royal family. The transformation into an international sports center within just a few years ranks among the fastest construction developments in modern Russian history.
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