Some researchers joke that without the sulfur springs of Matsesta, Sochi would hardly have become a resort city. There is some truth to this statement. The ancient Romans first noted the healing properties of the local water as early as the 1st century AD, but they only became seriously interested in it at the end of the 19th century. Chemist Struve began studying the water and confirmed its healing properties. Later, doctor Viktor Podgursky started to popularize the sulfur springs, claiming that they help heal many ailments. As a result, the springs became so popular that in 1901, Minister of Agriculture and State Property Alexey Yermolov proposed creating a resort in Matsesta.

At first, a road was laid to the springs and a small wooden house with baths was built, and then the number of bathing facilities quickly increased. According to contemporaries, on particularly hot days, many bathed without clothes, unashamed of their nudity. Bathing was supposed to follow strict rules, but sometimes people ignored recommendations, leading to tragedies. In 1902, doctor Gordon described a case where overly enterprising patients tried to bathe in the water of the spring before it surfaced, climbing into caves from which the water flowed, and suffocated there from excess hydrogen sulfide.

Nevertheless, by the early 20th century, Matsesta was gradually turning into a nationwide health resort. Local houses lacked rooms for tourists, and a hotel was built that was well-equipped for its time: it had plumbing, a telephone, and electricity. Along with Matsesta, Sochi also began attracting vacationers. The active construction of the resort came to a halt during World War I and the Civil War, when the country had no time for leisure. Have you ever been here?