Fortress Naryn-Kala (Dagestan)

Fortress in Derbent (Dagestan), erected in the pre-Arab period. Federal cultural heritage site "Derbent citadel Naryn-Kala, VI - XVIII centuries.

History

There are several versions of the origin of the name of the fortress. One of the most widespread - Naryn-Kala - is translated as "Sun Fortress". This is what the citadel is often called. The second explanation is more poetic: the Persian Shah named the fortress he had erected in honor of his beloved wife, Naryn, which means "tender" in translation. Some sources claim that the name of the fortress means "small" in translation. There are also legends in which it is stated that a lot of pomeranian ("narynch") grew on the territory of the citadel and that the citadel was originally called "Narynch-kala", and then the last letter was lost.

It is known that the Naryn-Kala fortress was erected in the VI century, in 562-571. Shah Khosrov I. Recent studies by archaeologists clarify that the ancient settlement on the territory of the future stone citadel of Naryn-Kala was built of adobe bricks on a stone base in the 440s. during the reign of Yezdegerd II (438–457). Thus, the ancient settlement occupied the territory of the future stone citadel of Naryn-Kala, which repeated the outlines of the 5th century citadel, and its dating falls within the framework of the 1st – 6th (7th) centuries. AD (late Albanian-Sarmatian and Sassanid periods).

The fortress located between the mountains is the center of the fortification system. The approximate area of ​​Naryn-Kala is 4.5 hectares. The walls are fortified with towers. The four courtyards of the fortress are located at different levels. On one side, the walls of the fortress reach the seashore, on the other, they go into the mountains. The hill on which the citadel is located has round slopes on the north side - towards the ravine, and on the east - towards the city. The southern and western slopes of the hill are more gentle. The total length of the walls of Naryn-Kala reaches 700 meters, and their thickness is 2 meters. In terms of the citadel has the shape of an irregular polygon, all its protrusions are deaf: two of them have internal stairs, along which they climbed the walls.

The main purpose of the fortress, inhabited by guards from different regions of Iran, was to close the narrow Derbent passage from the invasions of warlike nomads from the north.

The fortress became a stronghold of the Sassanids in the Caucasus, the residence of the Iranian governors - marzpans, guardians of borders, the seat of his court and garrison, an administrative, military-political and cultural center. Located on a high hill, it dominated a narrow passage between the sea and the spurs of the Dzhalgan ridge. Powerful walls with a thickness of 2.5-3.5 m, reaching a height of 20-25 m in some areas, made it an impregnable fortress capable of withstanding a heavy and prolonged siege.

There was an autonomous water supply system in Naryn-Kala. Water through underground channels from mountain springs was fed into large stone reservoirs. Thus, the fortress was designed in such a way that it could withstand any siege.

On the territory of the fortress there is an underground prison (zindan), khan's baths, the oldest known mosque on the territory of Russia (7th century), the mausoleum of the Derbent khans and a Christian temple of the 4th-5th centuries. - the oldest known in Russia. Over time, the temple went underground and was used to store water. It is believed that thanks to this it has survived to the present day. Among the architectural monuments of the early modern period, the khan's office of the 18th century is located on the territory of the fortress. There is also a 19th century guardhouse.

The architectural complex "Citadel" Naryn-Kala "is part of the structure D Yerbent State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve (since 1989).

Naryn-Kala was repeatedly mentioned by the Decembrist A.A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky, who served in the Caucasus for some time. Derbent reminded him of "a huge boa constrictor, which, under the scales of houses, stretched out from the mountain in the sun and raised its scalloped head over the Naryn fortress, and plays with its tail in the Caspian Sea."

Modernity

In 2003, Naryn-Kala, the Old City of Derbent and the city's fortifications were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

In 2013, the Naryn-Kala fortress, according to the voting results, passed into the third round (1,450,312 votes) of the Russia 10 competition, held by the Russia 1 TV channel and the Russian Geographical Society. According to the voting results, Naryn-Kala scored 3 million 125 thousand votes and took 15th place among the sights of Russia .

Sources:

1. O.S. Subbotin. Formation of the architectural and planning structure of the first settlements in the south of Russia. Bulletin of the Volgograd State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering - 2012, no. 28.
2. Kudryavtsev E.A. Stratigraphy and development of the southern part of the Naryn-Kala citadel in the 13th-18th centuries. // From the history of the peoples of the North Caucasus .: Collection of scientific articles. Issue 2. Stavropol: SSU, 1998 .; Gadzhiev M.S. Studies of the mud fortification of the citadel of Derbent of the Sassanian time (based on materials from excavations P-X1 and P-XIII) // Ancient and medieval architecture of Dagestan. Makhachkala. - 1989. - cit. by Gadzhiev M.S. The latest studies of the Derbent settlement // Proceedings of the IV All-Russian Archaeological Congress in Kazan, Volume III.
3. Nadezhda Ionina. 100 great castles. M .: Veche, 2007
4. Gadzhiev M.S. The Ancient City of Dagestan: An Experience of Historical-Topographic and Socio-Economic Analysis. M .: Vostochnaya literatura, 2000.
5. Citadel "Naryn-Kala" // Site of the Derbent Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve.
6. Historical Derbent // Lezgin Historical Portal.
7. Website of the "Russia 10" project.
8. 616 million rubles will be spent on the reconstruction of the citadel of Naryn-Kala // AiF, 15.08.2014.

The Naryn-Kala fortress is located in Derbent, this city is part of the Dagestan Republic, located on the shores of the Caspian Sea, north of the border with Azeirbajan. It is the southernmost city in Russia, and the second most important city in Dagestan.

The history of the Naryn-Kala fortress

Derbent can lay claim to the title of the oldest city in Russia - it was first found in the documentation back in the 8th century BC. Due to its strategically favorable location, throughout history the city has often changed several times, especially during the Persian, Arab, Mongol, Timurids, Shirvan and Iranian kingdoms. It was finally transferred to Russia in the 19th century under the Gulistan Peace Treaty. The history of the Naryn-Kala fortress goes back centuries and is interesting from the point of view of the formation of the people living here.

The etymology of the city comes from the Persian word "derbent", which means "gate on the gate" and is often identified with the legendary gate of Alexander.

Almost all historians, without exception, recognize the fortress complex of Derbent as a truly unique creation, unlike any known to us and preserved city fortifications. The main part of the fortification system - the citadel of Naryn Kala (one of the versions of the translation “Sun Fortress”) was built on a high spur of the Dzhalgan ridge in the 6th century.

In the southern and northern walls of the city there are several places, of which the most interesting in terms of architecture are unanimously considered the gates of the Southern wall - Orta-Kala (Middle Gate). Over the centuries, the walls, towers and gates of the fortress have been repaired several times. The architectural details in the reconstruction of the upper walls and towers reflect different periods of architecture and building art.

Naryn Kala fortress in Derbent - detailed description, photo and video

A detailed description of the Naryn Kala fortress in Derbent makes it impossible to imagine this powerful structure. Powerful walls, three meters thick, limit an area of ​​4.5 hectares. They are composed of two rows of well-worked stone blocks filled with torn stone and mortar. They have the same structure and parallel city walls. The northern ones were built earlier, and the South ones later. There are numerous towers on both walls. Once they went far out to sea, preventing them from going around the city in shallow water and creating a comfortable and well-protected harbor. Look at the Naryn-Kala fortress in the photo illustrating the power and might of its walls:

The most interesting ancient monuments are located in the northwestern part of the Naryn-Kala citadel. It is an underground structure with cruciform vaults and ceilings and a pond carved into the rock. Careful study allowed archaeologists to establish that in front of them is a cross-domed Christian temple, built on the ground in the fifth century, and then buried under powerful millennial cultural layers. Historians claim that until the 6th century Derbent was the Christian center of the Caucasus

Naryn-Kala is an ancient fortress located on a hillside. The city originates from the citadel of Naryn Kala. The fortress overshadows the rest of the city for tourists with its beauty and extraordinary fabulousness. The walls of the fortress can be called the Great Caucasian Wall - their depth is 42 kilometers. The fortress is located in the very center of these powerful defensive structures, thereby blocking the passage between the Caucasian ridge and the Caspian Sea - the only convenient way from the steppes of South-Eastern Europe to the Middle East.

The citadel at the Caspian Gate was built at the beginning of the 6th century, when Derbent still belonged to the Persians. The founder of Naryn Kala is considered to be a shah from the Sassanid dynasty Khosrov the First Anushirvan, who reigned in the last years of his father's life. The name of the fortress is often translated as “sunny”, but there are other versions, including romantic ones: Naryn can mean “gentle”, “beautiful”, this is the name of the daughter of Shah's beloved wife. The fortress can be translated as tender, weak or even immature, but it is certainly beautiful.

Naryn-Kala is an impressive masterpiece of fortification architecture that has not deteriorated even after numerous rebuildings. Pointed arches, carved columns, round towers and walls made of stone blocks have not become decrepit for several centuries and still reign over the city roofs. The walls and towers are almost completely preserved, as are the gates - the main gates of the East and West sides, also known as "secret".

These secret gates are also called the gates of shame - the leader can secretly leave the fortress through them, fleeing from enemies in the mountains. The city walls limit the area of ​​4.5 hectares. Buildings of different eras have also survived here: a unique cross-domed cathedral of the 6th century, the remains of a water supply system (which is of great importance for the fortress), the ruins of the khan's palace of the 18th century, baths of the 16-17th centuries, the khan's office of the 18th century (later converted into the Commandant's house), a 19th century guardhouse and an ancient underground prison-dungeon.

How to get there

As we already said, the fortress is located in Dagestan, so first you need to get to it. It can be easily reached by train or plane. Before you get there, you should carefully calculate the entire route.

There are also direct flights from Moscow to Derbent. Buses leave the Sadovod market in Moscow and are on the way, so you will spend about 1.5 days on the way. This is one of the cheapest and relatively short-lived ways to get to your destination. Buses will comfortably take you to the place you need, and the ticket price will be only 3000 rubles, which is quite inexpensive for this direction.

The fastest, but also the most expensive option is a plane to Makhachkala, and then 1.5-2 hours by car or minibus to Derbent. The ticket price can vary from 9 to 20 thousand in economy class. You can save a lot by buying a ticket much in advance.

There is a direct train from Moscow to Baku - along the route it passes Derbent, so it may well suit you. Only the schedule is better to check at the box office or on the station website. In this case, a ticket will cost about 4 thousand, and it will take about 43 hours to travel.

You can also get there by your own transport, but we advise you to go through all the Caucasian republics - the road there is newer and better. Alternatively, you can choose the highway through Volgograd, but the roads there are old and the traffic is very dense. The direct flight Mosca-Derbent will take you no more than 20 hours.

It is not so difficult to get from Derbent to the Naryn-Kala fortress. From the railway station you need to walk about 20-30 minutes or you can use bus routes 3,4,4а, 5,7,10,12 to the Bayat-Kapy stop.

The State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve "Ancient Derbent" is located at 7 Rzayev Street.

Weather and climate

Derbent is located in the subtropical zone, therefore it is one of the warmest cities in Russia. The weather and climate delight with their softness and comfortable conditions for recreation at any time of the year. Snow falls here for no more than 2-3 weeks, and in winter the temperature does not drop below 15 degrees - this is already a disaster for local residents. But for them it is quite normal that in January the temperature varies from 15 to 20 degrees. And the summer here is therefore long - from mid-April to the end of October (you can even swim in the sea).

Where to stay and eat?

An important question for any traveler is where to stay so that you can carefully examine the Naryn-Kala fortress in Derbent. You can settle down at the very coast of the Caspian Sea at the Red Bak hotel. The cost of the rooms varies from 400 rubles to 3 thousand. The rooms are equipped with everything necessary for a comfortable living. The room rate includes breakfast. And you will surely like the restaurant of the hotel located on the seashore.

Or you can choose the recreation center "Chaika" with its own fenced-off beach and all other amenities.

Almost all hotels are located near the sea, and some of them, for the greatest convenience, are equipped with their own kitchen with all the necessary household appliances, but for such a pleasure you will have to pay about 500 rubles.

A good option for a tasty and inexpensive meal is to use restaurants and cafes, which are most often located on the ground floor of a hotel or hotel. There are different bonuses for visitors, and it’s just an opportunity to eat comfortably on the seashore.

The Caspian Travel Agency offers to visit Derbent and the Naryn-Kala fortress as part of tours and excursions.
Fill out the application on the website or call us and we will find you a trip.

The Naryn-Kala fortress, located in Dagestan, is a real visiting card of Derbent. Today this legendary citadel is included in the UNESCO list as a significant historical and cultural monument of world significance. Despite the fact that not all parts of the fortress have survived to this day, this unique structure surprises with its scale and beauty. Inside there are the famous water cisterns and reservoirs, baths, the Juma mosque, as well as the oldest cross-domed church. The last two buildings are currently the oldest churches in the Russian Federation.

The exact age of Naryn-Kala is unknown. Scientists agree that the construction of the complex took several centuries. In particular, the earliest buildings date back to the sixth century, and the later ones were completed by the fifteenth.

The history of the Naryn-Kala fortress

The history of Derbent itself is more than five thousand years old. If you believe the facts, the citadel began to be built in the sixth century under the leadership of Shah Kavad. The business started by the shah was continued by his sons and grandchildren. The fortress wall, which was built by the son of the shah Khosrov First Anushirvan, reaches a length of 40 kilometers. As conceived, it protected the territory from the barbarians, who, through shallow water, reached the city from the northern part.

Place and purpose of building a fortress

During the early Middle Ages, the Persian power was regularly attacked by barbaric nomads. That is why, over time, it was decided to close the Caspian gate between the sea itself and the spurs belonging to the Dzhalgan ridge. This could be done only by building a huge and powerful wall, which was absolutely impossible to break through with weapons of that time. The citadel was erected not far from Derbent and for a long time only guards lived there, who guarded the passage inside around the clock. Later it turned into a significant trade, administrative and cultural center.

Citadel power

The impressive defensive ability of the fortress is amazing to this day. Moreover, it was built in such a way that all the features of the relief were taken into account. The thickness of the walls reaches three meters, and according to its shape from above, the entire fortress looks like an irregular polygon. All this is located on an impressive area of ​​4.5 hectares.

Naryn-Kala from the inside

Everything on the territory of the complex was thought out in such a way that it could withstand the longest possible sieges. In order not to leave the territory without water, underground channels were dug, which filled the internal reservoirs directly from the mountain springs. One of these reservoirs was the local Christian church, which was erected in the fourth or fifth century, but later abandoned, as a result of which it gradually went almost entirely underground. Surprisingly, this church has survived to this day. It is believed to be the oldest Christian church in Russia.

On the vast territory of the fortress, the Juma mosque functions, which is also considered one of the oldest in Russia, since it was built here in the eighth century. Since the fifteenth century, a madrasah was erected next to the mosque.

New buildings inside the Naryn-Kala fortress

The Middle Ages were remembered in the history of Naryn-Kala by the fact that the Derbent khans settled here, who made the citadel their main residence for some time. In the eighteenth century, the khan's chambers were built here, a little later - the divan-khan (office), zindans (prison cellars) and several more administrative buildings. The guardhouse, which was built in the nineteenth century, can be attributed to the number of Russian buildings.

Amazing archaeological site

Archaeologists began working in Naryn-Kala only in the twentieth century to find out the true age of the citadel. The excavations carried out made it possible to obtain more detailed data on the local settlements. In particular, it turned out that a fortified settlement on the territory of Naryn-Kala existed in the eighth century BC. In addition, a large amount of ash was formed, which indicates the numerous fires that have happened here.

Huge open-air museum

The citadel is part of the State Historical and Architectural Reserve, organized in 1989. The protected zone includes 2,044 hectares of land. Such an impressive territory contains about 250 cultural and historical monuments. However, tourists will be interested to see not only the fortress itself, but also to visit the Old Town. The name of Derbent is literally translated from Persian as “Locked Gate”. The city has been closely associated with its legendary fortress since ancient times. Many associate it with this citadel. In 2013, according to the results of the vote, it turned out that among the residents of the Russian Federation, this fortress is in 15th place in the list of the most significant state attractions.

What to see on excursions in Naryn-Kala?

A small fragment of the Khan's palace, which was erected in the eighteenth century, is open to tourists. Be sure to take a look at the baths - this is a unique semi-basement space, divided into two spacious halls with small rooms attached to each of them. You can look at the zindan-prison, which is made in depth (11 meters) and differs in the shape of a jug. The sloping walls made it difficult for the prisoners to climb up.

The gates of Orta-kala, located in the southern wall, look amazingly beautiful. You will also be amazed by the ancient water supply system of the citadel, which was mentioned above. Even stone and ceramic pipes from that period have been preserved to this day. And, of course, must-see - the Juma mosque, as well as an old Christian temple.

You can visit here as part of a tour to Dagestan Treasures of the country of mountains

Working hours:

in summer from 9:00 to 20:00, in winter from 9:00 to 18:00

Citadel Naryn-Kala in Derbent on the map:

The address: Russia, Dagestan, Derbent

GPS: 42.0527979778902, 48.2742194831371

The fortress is a unique evidence of history preserved in Derbent!

According to various versions, the name of the fortress is translated as "sunny fortress", "small fortress", "tender" (in honor of Shah's wife Naryn). The fortress was founded at the beginning of our era.

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3. Naryn-Kala is an ancient fortress in the mountainous part of Derbent, connected to the Caspian Sea by double walls designed to block the Caspian gates to Persia.
The sea part of the wall goes 500 meters into the sea, blocking the entrance to the harbor

And now these walls pass through the city

4. Wonderful view of the city, the Caspian Sea, the oldest Juma mosque.
The trees next to it are natural monuments.

5. Cemetery, which is far from one century

6. The citadel has an irregular shape and covers an area of ​​4.5 hectares

7. Members of our blog

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10. There was a well-functioning water supply system in Naryn-Kala.
Large stone reservoirs, built in the 11th century, have survived to us.
Water flowed down from the mountains and through underground channels entered the pools.
They made it possible to hold the siege for a long time

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15. The guide told us the history of the city and the fortress

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17. The southern wall was demolished in the 19th century, while the northern one largely retains its original appearance.
The length of the wall is 3600 meters with a thickness of 3 meters

18. The mountainous part of the wall goes 40 km towards the Caucasian ridge, it is only partially preserved.
Baths, water tanks, ruined buildings, a cross-domed church of the 5th century, a temple of fire worshipers and a mosque have been preserved inside the fortress.

19. Hamam - vaulted-domed structures buried in the ground, illuminated by light through special holes in the domes and vaults

20. In the northwestern part of the citadel of Naryn-Kala, one of the most interesting monuments of Derbent is located, the purpose of which has long remained a mystery. We are talking about a large underground structure that has entered the historical literature and all guidebooks as an "underground cistern" for storing water, carved into the rock. However, archaeological research in recent years has shown that this structure, strictly oriented to the cardinal points, is a cross-domed Christian church

21. Initially, the entire structure was above ground, and not carved into the rock, but then it turned out to be buried in powerful cultural deposits.
In the XVII - XVIII centuries. the abandoned temple was cleaned, renovated and adapted to store water

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24. In Naryn-Kale in the 12th century, an underground prison - zindan was also built.
The inner space of the prison narrowed upwards, so it was impossible to get out of it.

25. The depth of this structure reached 11 meters, and the area - 25 square meters

26. The prison has survived to this day. During excavations, a large number of human bones were found in it.

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30. The architectural ensemble-citadel "Naryn-Kala" is a precious diamond in the UNESCO World Heritage Site

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34. Peter I visited the fortress of Derbent. This happened during the Persian (Caspian) campaign in August 1722, when the Russian army occupied the city

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43. According to the calculations of researchers, the construction of defensive structures in Derbent required seven times more material than the creation of the Cheops pyramid!

44. The preserved gates of the old city.
Despite such a solid age, the fortress is well preserved.
More about the city near Niyaz.

In the Republic of Dagestan, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, not far from the border with Azerbaijan, one of the most ancient cities of Russia, Derbent, is located, in which the legendary citadel of Naryn-Kala is located.

In 2003, the Citadel, the Old Town and the fortifications of Derbent were included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Recently Derbent officially celebrated its 2000th anniversary, although historians write that the city arose here much earlier, at the turn of the 4th and 3rd millennia BC.

According to the date of the foundation of the fortress, the "testimonies" also differ. The most ancient of the dates is the construction of the first fortification at this place in the Albanian-Sarmatian period in the VIII-VII centuries. BC e.

The construction of stone walls was carried out in the 560-570s of our era by Shahinshah Khosrov Anushirvan l.

He also built the Great Caucasian Wall (Dag-bars), which began from the citadel and stretched 42 kilometers into the mountains.

On the other side, the walls of the fortress descended into the Caspian Sea. Thus, the citadel blocked the passage of caravans and enemy troops along the Caspian coast.

During its existence, the city managed to visit the center of Christianity in the Caucasus, being from the l century BC. e. within the state of Caucasian Albania. The religious and ideological center of the Arab Caliphate in the North-Eastern Caucasus from the 8th to the 10th century A.D. The city was an independent emirate from the 10th to the 13th century. The area around it was invaded by the Mongols in the 13th century.

From the 15th to the 17th century, there was a struggle between Safavid Iran and Turkey for Derbent. The city came under the rule of the Persians, but the local population was very hostile to the invaders. Until the 18th century, anti-Persian riots broke out.

In 1722, a significant event took place - Peter the Great annexed Derbent to Russia for the first time. However, in 1735 the city was returned to Persia.

In the second half of the 18th century, Derbent Khan Fet-Ali built a palace for himself in the fortress.

Now only the foundation and the stairs, and some decorative elements are left of it.

On May 10, 1796, during the Russian-Persian war, the city was taken by Russian troops under the leadership of General V.A. Zubov.

In fact, Derbent became a citizen of the Russian Empire in 1806, which was enshrined in the Treaty of Gulistan with Persia in 1813.

Now the fortress has been turned into a large museum. For example, in this building of the guardhouse of the 19th century, there is an art gallery and a model of the city.

The guardhouse building itself is built of stone of the same texture as the rest of the structures and walls of the fortress, therefore it does not stand out much.

The territory of the fortress is huge and covers an area of ​​4.5 hectares.

The dimensions of the walls are approximately 180 meters wide and 280 meters long.

Walking around the fortress sometimes you even forget whether you are inside or outside, since the walls do not "press" and a feeling of spaciousness is created.

Back in the Middle Ages, the citadel of Naryn-Kala had its own water supply.

For clarity, here are examples of pipes and gutters that formed the plumbing system.

In the northeastern part of the fortress there is a rectangular reservoir of approximately 11th century construction.

For the 2000th anniversary of Derbent, the fortress was reconstructed.

Because of what many walls began to look completely new.

Even the color of new masonry on a sunny day is slightly different.

An excellent view of the city and the Caspian Sea opens from the walls of the fortress.

You can walk along the walls and along the walls, looking into the loopholes and feeling like the defender of the fortress.

According to old drawings, the territory of the fortress was built up in the Middle Ages.

Now there is a feeling of being outdoors.

Unlike the Old City stretching below the walls of Naryn-Kala, it is very green.

The building of the khan's baths of the 16-17th centuries, built in the 16th and 17th centuries, has survived well.

The baths were illuminated through such a small window in the ceiling.

And after warming up (there is such a legend), the hot temperature in the baths could be maintained with just one candle.

Soviet scientists tried to check how much the legend corresponds to reality.

But the secret was not solved.

Now the interiors of the baths are just masonry. Probably, in the khan's times, they were somehow decorated.

Well, some of the ceilings are missing altogether, unable to withstand the struggle with time and people.

From above, the Khank baths look like this.

And next to them there is a tree hung with ribbons.

Blooming poppies were even found on one of the walls of the bathhouse.

The higher you go, the more you are amazed at the vastness of the Caspian Sea, smoothly turning into the sky.

And it can be seen that ordinary multi-storey panel houses have been built in the city away from the center.

Let's continue along the fortress ...

There are grave stones in one of the corners.

Excavations were carried out on which prominent fragments of a water supply system and ancient masonry were carried out.

And here are the majestic walls themselves.

I could not deny myself the pleasure of walking along them.

Nothing remains of the 42-kilometer wall built in the mountains in the 6th century. Perhaps this foundation has something to do with her.

The walls are really impressive.

Excursion groups are simply lost against the background of the walls of the fortress.

For a more convenient defense, combat towers are made, as if protruding from the walls.

If you look closely, you can see the wall and the gates in it that go out towards the sea, through which the streets in the old city still pass.

Above the entrance to the citadel there is a museum with exhibits from the history of Derbent.

Pictures depicting the history of the city.

There is also an instrument that belonged to General Ermolov, who was the Tsar's governor in the Caucasus since 1816.

The Naryn-Kala fortress is one of the most interesting medieval monuments in Russia. If possible, it is worth visiting it and touching the legend, as well as listening to local guides who perfectly tell about the history of the city and the fortress.

And finally - white doves at the gates of Naryn-kala.

Have a nice trip!

2016, Mochalov Artyom