On Earth, there are a lot of places that amaze with their beauty and attract with mystery. These include the Zhiguli mountains. This is one of the most interesting sights not only of the country, but of the whole planet. These mountains are located near Samara. The great Volga River goes around this massif with a loop. Even from a bird's eye view, the beauty of these mountains is visible.
It is still a mystery why powerful river flows do not pierce the soft rocks that make up the Zhiguli Mountains, but destroy rock granite between Samara and Tolyatti.
It was this attraction that gave the name to the series of Russian cars.
For many thousands of years, this unique mountain range has been formed. Having studied the structure that the Zhiguli Mountains have, the scientists were able to fully describe the history of their origin. The most ancient rocks are dolomites and limestones. Of these, mountains are practically composed.
This mountain range, due to its shape, is called the Zhiguli Gate. A unique flora and fauna was formed around them. Some species are very rare and are found only in this area. This is due to the isolation that the Zhigulevsky Reserve has. The waters of the Volga surround it from almost all sides.
These mountains are also famous for their unique caves. They appeared as a result of the formation of karst rocks. They attract a large number of not only scientists, but also ordinary people. Archaeologists have discovered traces of the ancient city in the caves. Their find was confirmed by the legends that exist in these places. Perhaps the ancient inhabitants of the city built a network of secret passages and mines that could lead to the Volga coast.
The reserve covers not only the territory of the peninsula. It includes two islands: Shalyga and Seredysh.
The height of the Zhiguli mountains reaches a maximum mark of 400 meters. Some peaks are presented in the form of rocks or cliffs. The length of the mountains is several tens of kilometers.
Zhiguli mountains are an undoubted decoration of the reserve. Despite their small height, they make an impressive impression on the river side and look like a real mountain range. Additional beauty to this natural complex is given by the valleys, which divide it into separate parts. Some of them gradually turn into gorges that have rocky shores without vegetation, as well as forested mountainsides.
The Zhiguli massif has remained unchanged for a long time. Therefore, the tops of some mountains are hidden under the heading of vegetation. This determines the presence of unique representatives of fauna and flora.
Many elevations and valleys of the reserve have folk names that were assigned to them for certain features. Many legends and legends are associated with the Zhiguli mountains. So, for example, it is believed that in the Monastery Hill there are many secret caves, interconnected by passages. The mummies of its settlers are still preserved in them. In more ancient times, from the depths of the mountain there was a ringing of bells on major church holidays, which supposedly heard barge haulers.
This corner of the planet is striking not only for its beauty and uniqueness. It carries a lot of unknown and mysterious, therefore, causes such a storm of interest among scientists and ordinary tourists.
