The emblem of the Caucasian Mineral Waters is the eagle, known not only in Russia but also beyond its borders. In 1903, to mark the centenary of the Pyatigorsk resort, an eagle sculpture was installed, which became a symbol not only of Pyatigorsk but of the entire Caucasian Mineral Waters region. The author embodied in stone the legend of the mountain eagle, fatally stung by a snake and saved by the healing water on Mount Goryachaya. This mountain is also known for its karst caves, especially on the southern slope. The sketch of the sculpture was proposed by the artist from Novocherkassk, Ivan Ivanovich Krylov.

The eagle, as a strong bird and 'king of the mountains,' symbolizes the 'healthy forces of the Caucasus.' The snake, on the contrary, is associated with diseases and fear, being a cold and poisonous creature. There is a version that the eagle, bitten by the snake, healed by drinking the local mineral water.

The sculpture was first presented to the residents and guests of the city on May 1, 1901, at Goryachaya Voda in a new park in honor of the opening of the treatment season. Immediately after its installation, it became popular, appearing on postcards and in the press, as well as on the covers of guidebooks.

Just as the Eiffel Tower became a symbol of Paris despite initial rejection, the eagle gradually established itself as a symbol of the Caucasian Mineral Waters. Over time, images of the eagle began to appear in the parks of the cities in the region and other resorts in Russia. Over the past hundred years, the sculpture at the top of Goryachaya Voda has undergone numerous changes. In November 1972, a contract for the restoration of the sculpture was signed between the Pyatigorsk Resort Council and the Leningrad Decorative and Applied Arts Combine. The cement figure of the eagle was replaced with a bronze copy, cast at the monumental sculpture factory in Leningrad on October 15, 1973.