Located on the
Black Sea coast, near the
Caucasus Mountains, not far from the border with
Georgia /
Abkhazia, Greater Sochi area sprawls for 145 kilometers and is Federation's largest resort city. It is one of the very few places in
Russia with a subtropical climate, with warm to hot summers and mild winters. Anyway, Russia conquered this coastline only in 1829, and since 1866, after the
Circassian Genocide, the area was actively colonized by
Russians,
Armenians,
Ukrainians, and other people from inner Russia.
Sochi was established as a fashionable resort area under
Stalin, and following the loss of the popular resorts of the
Crimean peninsula in favor of
Ukraine, it emerged as the unofficial summer capital of the country. During
Vladimir Putin's term in office, the city witnessed a significant increase in investment, and, as everybody know, this year hosted the
XXII Olympic Winter Games (7-23 February 2014), the most expensive in history, with a budget of US$51 billion. The events were held around two clusters of new venues: an
Olympic Park constructed in Sochi's
Imeretinsky Valley on the coast of the Black Sea, and the Games' indoor venues located within walking distance, and snow events in the resort settlement of Krasnaya Polyana.
The Adler Arena Skating Center (the first postcard), an 8,000-seat speed skating oval opened in 2012, looks like an iceberg or ice fault. After the Olympics, it was turned into an exhibition center. A crystal face theme is supported by angular walls and triangular stained-glass windows. The gray and white color of the building enhances this impression. The walls along the sides of the skating rink are made transparent so that spectators can look outside. The skating center is designed to make the utmost use of local natural features.
The Ice Cube Curling Center (the second postcard) is a 3,000-seat multi-purpose arena, opened also in 2012. After the games, it remained a sports arena, mainly that this venue is a portable one and may be re-located. It is simplistic in design, which symbolizes democracy, and accessibility alongside the festivity.
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