  We review the results obtained in an Effective Hamiltonian (EH) approach for
the three-quark systems. The EH is derived starting from the Feynman--Schwinger
representation for the gauge-invariant Green function of the three quarks
propagating in the nonperturbative QCD vacuum and assuming the minimal area law
for the asymptotic of the Wilson loop. It furnishes the QCD consistent
framework within which to study baryons. The EH has the form of the
nonrelativistic three-quark Hamiltonian with the perturbative Coulomb-like and
nonperturbative string interactions and the specific mass term. After outlining
the approach, methods of calculations of the baryon eigenenergies and some
simple applications are explained in details. With only two parameters: the
string tension $\sigma=0.15 GeV^2$ and the strong coupling constant
$\alpha_s=0.39$ a unified quantitative description of the ground state light
and heavy baryons is achieved. The prediction of masses of the doubly heavy
baryons not discovered yet are also given. In particular, a mass of $3660 MeV$
for the lightest $\Xi_{cc}$ baryon is found by employing the hyperspherical
formalism to the three quark confining potential with the string junction.
