The dolmens located along the coastline on the territory of the resort date back to the III century before the Birth of Christ. These are some of the oldest buildings in Anapa. Most traces of dolmens have been preserved near the village of Natukhaevskaya and near the Sukko Valley.
At the beginning of the first millennium BC, people began to actively use iron, and the population of the Caucasus was not spared this find. Sinds lived on the territory of Anapa – a warlike people who used iron weapons with a special predilection. Until now, archaeologists have found burials full of iron armor, swords, daggers.
Next to the Sinds, the Greek kingdom was also located, with which the people had good relations. This helped to establish developed trade relations, and in the 6th century BC, the Hellenes began to settle on the territory of Anapa. The development of the city, which was named Syndica, led to the creation of an entire state with its own financial system. And after a while, a huge seaport – Gorgippia - appeared on the territory of the modern resort.
Until the III century AD, Gorgippia flourished, but then it was increasingly attacked by nomadic tribes. Over time, most of the buildings of the port were destroyed, and the Natukhais, nomadic tribes, distant ancestors of the Adygs, settled on the ruins. They established good relations with the Russians, which allowed the people to exist for a long time. In the XV century Anapa was captured by the Ottoman Empire, from that time the resort got its real name.
There is no consensus about which language the name came from, there are 5 theories:
"Ana-pa– - translated from Sanskrit as "breath of water", the name of the Sindh era;
"Anapai" - the name arose after the Tatar people received shelter on the territory of the city, translated from Tatar as "mother's share";
"Ana-pa" - the name is mentioned in the context of the features of the rocky terrain, translated from ancient Greek as "high cape";
"Anne-pe" in Adyghe means "the edge of a rounded table", the name perfectly describes the shape of the bay;
"Ana-py" in the Abkhaz language means "hand".
There is another theory that the name came from "Ane pee", which means "pillar-shaped ledge" in Circassian.
At the end of the 18th century, fortifications were built around Anapa – the Turks foresaw a war with the Russian Empire. The Ottomans were helped to build an architectural masterpiece by French engineers, laying the foundation of bastions in it. This made the fortress impregnable to enemies.
The conquest by the Russians and the development of Anapa
Under the onslaught of Russian troops, the Ottoman rule on the territory of Anapa fell, and in 1829 the Adrianople Peace Treaty was signed. Since that time, the resort town has belonged to Russia. A few years later, the builders destroyed the fortifications around the settlement, only the eastern gate remained. Now they serve as a monument to the heroic actions of Russian soldiers during the war.
At the end of the XIX century, the history of Anapa takes a new direction – now it is a resort town. A great contribution to its development was made by Dr. Budzinsky, who drew the attention of the state authorities to the unique natural possibilities of the region. The very first sanatorium was opened by him at the beginning of the XX century. Every year the number of sanatoriums increased, they were equipped with modern equipment, and officials, government representatives and notable people came to Anapa to rest.
Large resources are allocated for the development of Anapa, every year the infrastructure is modernized: resort equipment is changed, new entertainment complexes are built. Since 2006, the municipal formation "Anapa resort city" has been formed. Every year millions of tourists from Russia and nearby regions have a rest here
