Derbent Fortress: description, history, interesting facts and reviews. Derbent fortress Naryn-Kala, Dagestan Where is the fortress Naryn-Kala located

Reading in history books about the times when the whole city could literally be locked up, few people believe that some of these cities have survived to this day. Derbent is a city that lived for several thousand years, surrounded along its entire perimeter by the stone walls of the Naryn-Kala fortress.

The citadel itself is located at the top of the Dzhalgansky ridge, at the foot of which the city lies. The massive walls of the fortress, three meters wide, stretch for 42 kilometers on both sides of Derbent, ending in the Caspian Sea. Reaching 500 meters into it, they created an excellent protective harbor.

Thus, the fortress walls seemed to enclose the city in their embrace, which saved ancient Derbent more than once.

The Naryn-Kala Citadel is a clear indication of the global nature of the era of raids, when without the construction of powerful defensive structures, not a single city was able to survive. In the entire territory of the Middle East, Naryn-Kala is the only surviving fortress of this scale.

Naturally, the city is constantly growing, and within the fortress walls it is already crowded, so new buildings began to be built outside the fortress walls.

15 centuries of colorful history

Various fortifications arose on the site where the Naryn-Kala fortress is now located. Derbent has seen walls since the 7th century BC. But, only in the 6th century AD. Clay structures replaced powerful stone walls. Erected by order of Shah Khosrow, the fortress became the residence of the Persian Shah's trusted representatives, the so-called governors in the Caucasus.

The location for the construction of the fortification was not chosen by chance. Derbent was of great importance in trade affairs - many caravans of traders along the famous Silk Road passed through it. The location of the city in a rather narrow passage between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasian foothills made it possible to build a fortification that protected the Sasanian Empire from a possible invasion of northern nomads.

Over its 15-century history, the fortress helped the residents of Derbent repel the attacks of the armies of such military leaders, to whom many states submitted. However, the Roman Empire, Byzantium, Persia, the Khazar Khaganate, the Golden Horde, the Turkish sultans and even the Russian emperors failed to either capture the fortress for a long time or destroy it.

Even ordinary travelers were impressed by its power and scale.

Many foreigners gave it their own names, but almost all of them contained the word “gate”:

  • the Greeks called it the “Caspian Gate”;
  • the Arabs said “Bab-al-Abwa” - “Main Gate”;
  • Georgians called it “Dzgvis Kari” - “Sea Gate”;
  • The Turks believed that this was “Temi Kapisy”, that is, “Iron Gate”.

There is nothing strange in this - there were a large number of strong doors in the fortress walls, through which it was simply impossible to enter unnoticed. The gates were opened exclusively for those who came in peace.

For many centuries, Naryn-Kala served to perform military functions. Only in 1813, when it passed into the possession of the Russian Empire, did its purpose lose relevance.

Soaring over Derbent

Naryn-Kala can be seen from anywhere in Derbent. We can say that this is its high-altitude dominant, because in addition to the fact that it already stands on a mountain ridge, before its construction, an additional multi-meter embankment was made on the hill. Thus, the view from the fortress is not even a bird's eye view, it is an illuminated panorama.

The walls of the citadel consist of slabs laid in two rows, the space between which was filled with backfill. The weight of the stones, as well as their filigree cutting and tight fit to each other, made it possible to lay them without fastening with mortar. Only the backfill was held together with lime mortar.

Observation towers, of which there were more than 70 in the fortress, are located at a distance of 20 meters from each other. The western part of the fortress required the most thorough protection. On the northern side, the presence of towers and special fortifications were not required, since there were natural mountain barriers there. The walls of the fortress and tower have been preserved almost completely.

The two gates of the fortress have also been preserved almost in their original form. The eastern gate is considered the main one: it was opened for khans, honored guests, and today it is open for tourists. The Western Gate, also known as the “secret” or “shameful” gate, was intended in case the ruler had to escape from the invaders into the mountains. Entering these gates was also considered a kind of humiliation.

The only one of the honorary guests of the fortress who entered it through these gates was Peter l. This was during his Persian campaign in the summer of 1722. After examining Derbent and its surroundings, Peter found himself at Naryn-Kala precisely from the western gate. Not wanting to waste time in order to go around the fortress and enter through the front gate, he ordered this one to be opened for him. When he was informed that this gate was considered “shameful,” he replied: “Some gate cannot disgrace someone like me!” Naturally, no one dared to object to the king.

The four courtyards of the fortress have different levels, each of which was intended for specific purposes.

1. Khan's Palace. The three-story building is located in the courtyard near the main gate. This room with unusual stained glass windows now houses a museum, but at one time these were the chambers of the khan. This also included the building of the Khan's office. All issues of national importance were resolved here, and sessions of the Khan’s court were also held.

2. Zindan. While the Khan's court was in session, the criminal was put in a pit called the “small zindan.” It is located in close proximity to the building, and the defendant could hear the entire trial and sentencing. If the verdict was guilty, the defendant was transferred to the “big zindan” - death row.

In one of the courtyards, at a depth of 9 meters underground, there is a prison cell measuring 20 meters. The zindan's room is shaped like a jug with a narrow neck and a lid, from which it is simply impossible to get out. No one who fell into zindan ever returned back, dying there. Of course, no one was going to pull the corpses of dead prisoners out of the zindan, so in order to get rid of the stench, ailanthus leaves were planted around it. They have a strong odor that drives away insects and disinfects the space.

3. Reservoirs. A properly thought-out and well-functioning water supply for the fortress made it possible to withstand a long-term state of siege. Water from mountain springs flowed through special underground channels into special reservoirs. One of these reservoirs was a room located at a depth of ten meters and made in the shape of a cross, clearly indicating different directions of the world. Modern scientists suggest that initially, even before the advent of Islam in the Caucasus, this room was located on the surface and was an Orthodox church. Then it was abandoned and the cultural layers gradually submerged it. By the way, even today on the territory of Naryn-Kala you can drink cold spring water from the source.

4. Khan's baths. The white domes of the khan's baths seem to lie on the ground. But in reality, these are vaults of large underground rooms. Under the floors of the Khan's baths there were ceramic pipes through which steam circulated. By the way, such a system can be considered a prototype of the modern “warm floor” system. Lighting into the bathhouse came from the dome openings. The ruler visited the bathhouse not only for washing. Here he played chess, decided on some state issues and could even receive foreign ambassadors.

Dagestan presents the Naryn-Kala Citadel as its business card, it is a popular tourist and cultural site, a place that they try to show every guest of the republic. Many historical figures, having visited these places, described the Derbent fortress in their works and travel notes. Marco Polo, Afanasy Nikitin, Adam Olearius, Alexander Bestuzhev-Marlinsky and even the popular French writer Alexandre Dumas remembered her in his work “Journey to the Caucasus.”

Naryn-Kala is a living historical monument, showing a good example of resilience to any life situations.

There are monuments that breathe history and, like a time machine, transport a person into the past. One of these monuments is Derbent fortress, whose age is no less than 5 thousand years! Our article will help you touch this grandiose structure in absentia.

Purpose of the fortress

The history of Derbent and the Derbent fortress began 5 thousand years ago, when Maskut tribes lived on the territory of the current city, and the city belonged to the kings of Caucasian Albania. The inhabitants were forced to fortify the settlement with a fortress called Chola to protect themselves from constant raids.

In the 6th century the name was changed to Derbent. According to history, the Derbent fortress defended the city from raids and attacks of the Mongols, Persians and Arabs for 15 centuries.

Today the fortress is recognized as one of the monuments World Heritage UNESCO and is one of the most visited attractions not only in Dagestan, but also in Russia.

City `s history

Derbent is the oldest city in Russia. The first records about it were made back in the 8th century BC, but officially it is 2000 years old. How old is the Derbent fortress? The fortress was founded 5,000 years ago, and the city of Derbent - 2,000 years ago. Thus, the fortress is 5000 years old.

The city got its name from the Persian word “derbent” meaning “gate gate”. Thanks to its favorable location, it often changed owners and managed to be part of several kingdoms: Persian, Arab, Mongolian, Timurids, as well as the Shirvan Khanate.

In the 17th century, the Russian Cossack ataman Stepan Razin captured Derbent and began his campaign to Persia from here. Thanks to his victories, Peter the Great recognized the city as historically valuable and gave orders to study the architecture and preserve important architectural monuments. And the inhabitants, tired of constant raids and attacks, themselves gave the keys to the fortress to the king. After this, the city was transferred more than once different states through a peace treaty. And only in the 19th century, according to the Treaty of Gulistan, it was finally transferred to Russia. After this event, the city began to develop economically thanks to the production and trade of dyes.

The history of the city's development could not but affect its population - it is one of the most multinational cities in Russia. According to the latest census, more than 40 nationalities with different distinctive cultures and languages ​​live here.

Modern Derbent

Currently, 120 thousand people live in Derbent. It is the 2nd largest city in Dagestan and the 38th most populous in Russia. Thanks to its favorable location between the mountains and the sea and unique monument- Derbent Fortress - the city is visited by hundreds of tourists every year. In addition, despite the fact that the majority of the population in Dagestan professes Islam, the famous Caucasian cognac and wine are produced here.

Derbent can also boast of its warm climate: in winter the temperature does not drop below +15 degrees. Summer starts in April and ends late autumn- in October. Therefore, tourists can the Velvet season not only admire the Derbent fortress and try National dishes, but also swim in the sea.

Legend

There are many legends about the Derbent fortress. One of them says that when Khosrow the First Anushirvan decided to build a wall, he invited the Khazar Kagan to make peace and, to confirm the truth of his intentions, asked for the hand of a Khazar princess. The Khazar Kagan was delighted, since this marriage opened the way for him to the Persian throne, and hastened to send his daughter to Derbent. The princess was greeted with all honors, but Anushirvan did not marry her, and after erecting the wall, he sent the girl back to her father. The angry Kagan sent an army to the Derbent fortress, but was unable to conquer it.

Description

The Derbent fortress is conventionally divided into three parts: the Naryn-Kala citadel, the sea walls and the Dag-bars. Naryn-Kala, despite a large number of alterations, is the best preserved. Two walls - southern and northern - run parallel to each other. Between them is ancient part cities. Northern part The walls are better preserved than the southern one, most of which was demolished in the 19th century. In general, the length of the fortress wall is 3600 meters.

The gates, which testify to the power of the fortress, are especially beautiful. The north gate has a stern architectural appearance, which is explained by constant raids and attacks from the north. South Gate, on the contrary, they are graceful and look solemn.

In total, the fortress covers an area of ​​4.5 hectares. The walls, 3 meters thick, are made of processed and torn stones filled with lime mortar. The northern part of the Derbent fortress was built before the southern one. Once upon a time South part the wall went into the sea, which prevented attacks from shallow water. But today it is destroyed.

The Naryn-Kala citadel attracts tourists and city residents with its beauty and power - the length of its walls is 42 km. The founder of Naryn-Kala is Shah Khosrow the First Anushirvan from the Sassanid dynasty. According to legend, the fortress was named in honor of the beloved daughter of the Shah’s wife - Naryn, whose name translates as “fragile”, “tender” or “sunny”. The fortress located in the center of the citadel blocks the passage between the Caucasus ridge and the Caspian Sea.

Naryn-Kala is a unique masterpiece of fortification architecture. It has retained all its beauty and power of arches, columns, towers and walls, despite centuries and many reconstructions. Also fully preserved are the gates on the western and eastern sides, known as the secret or “gate of shame”, since through them the head of the city could escape in case of loss and hide in the mountains.

In the north-west of the citadel you can see various ancient monuments. For example, a cross-domed temple, indicating that until the 6th century Derbent was the center of the Christian religion in the Caucasus. In addition, you can get acquainted with the water supply system of those times, walk through the ruins of the Khan's palace and office of the 18th century, see the guardhouse of the 19th century and the ancient underground dungeon.

Derbent fortress Naryn Kala

The Derbent fortress was the key, most important structure of the city. Its purpose is fully reflected in the name - Naryn Kala translated from Persian means “Locked Gate”.
The exact date of its creation is unknown, but, according to some sources, it was erected during the time of Alexander the Great.

The conquerors of the city and the fortress made a lot of efforts to ensure that the fortress took on the completed appearance that is known to our time. The Derbent fortress has preserved a variety of architectural styles from different times, because the use of the fortress was active due to various confrontations over time, and, in connection with this, reconstruction and restructuring were carried out in accordance with the new times.

The walls of the Derbent fortress are part of one giant chain of walls of different peoples and eras that divided the territory of the Eurasian continent between nomads and farmers (landowners). Whether this is true or not, the Derbent fortress has always been a tasty morsel, for the right to control which many commanders have always competed.

Citadel of the fortress located on a hill over 300m high, which had rocky sides in the northeastern section, which made it more reliable and impregnable. The Naryn Kala citadel covers an area of ​​more than 4 hectares. The height of the walls reaches 20 m, and the thickness up to 3.5 m. In total, the fortress has 73 towers located along the entire perimeter of the fortress.

The fortress and most of the defensive buildings were made of stone of different types, thanks to which Naryn Kala has survived to this day in fairly good condition. Her purpose was, among other things. and administrative - there was an underground prison, court, and office.

An interesting engineering solution for the fortress was 2 water tanks, which made it possible to preserve water and food supplies for a long time, running spring water entered the reservoirs through pipes; the fortress was conquered several times precisely because the attackers had the idea of ​​adding poison to the springs, thus depriving the defenders of water.

The Derbent fortress Naryn Kala was part of a system consisting of city walls, citadels, sea and mountain walls. Now this system, like most of the various architectural and landscape objects of Derbent and its surroundings, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is under state protection, and some parts of the fortress are being reconstructed. The fortress attracts many tourists from all over the world.

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

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

Derbent recently 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.

The “testimonies” also differ regarding the date of foundation of the fortress. The most ancient date is the construction of the first fortification on this site in the Albanian-Sarmatian period in the 8th – 7th centuries. BC e.

The construction of stone walls was carried out in the 560-570s AD by Shahinshah Khosrow Anushirvan l.

He also built the Great Caucasian Wall (Dag-bars), which started 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 be the center of Christianity in the Caucasus, being located from the 1st century BC. e. within the state of Caucasian Albania. The religious and ideological center of the Arab Caliphate in the Northeast Caucasus from the 8th to the 10th century AD. The city was an independent emirate from the 10th to the 13th centuries. The area around it was invaded by the Mongols in the 13th century.

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

In 1722, a significant event occurred - Peter I 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 all that remains of it is the foundation, a staircase, and some decorative elements.

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 subject 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, this 19th century guardhouse building houses Art Gallery and a city layout.

The guardhouse building itself is built of stone of the same texture as the rest of the structures and walls of the fortress, so 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 Naryn-Kala citadel had its own water supply system.

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

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

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

Because of this, many walls began to look completely new.

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

From the walls of the fortress there is an excellent view of the city and the Caspian Sea.

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

If you believe old drawings, in the Middle Ages the territory of the fortress was built up.

Now there is a feeling of relaxation in nature.

Unlike the Old City below, the walls of Naryn-Kala are very green.

The building of the Khan's baths, built in the 16th and 17th centuries, has been well preserved.

The baths were lit through 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 also tried to check how true the legend is.

But the secret was not revealed.

Now the interiors of the baths are simply masonry. Probably, in the times of the khans they were somehow decorated.

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

Khan baths look like this from above.

And next to us there grows a tree hung with ribbons.

We even managed to find blooming poppies on one of the walls of the bathhouse.

The higher you rise, the more you are amazed by the expanses of the Caspian Sea, smoothly turning into the sky.

And it is clear that ordinary multi-storey panel houses have been built in the city away from the center.

Let's continue through the fortress...

In one of the corners there are gravestones collected.

Excavations were carried out at which visible fragments of water pipes and ancient masonry were found.

And here are the majestic walls themselves.

I couldn't deny myself the pleasure of walking through them.

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

The walls are truly impressive.

Tour groups are simply lost against the backdrop of the fortress walls.

For more convenient defense battle towers, as if protruding from the walls.

If you look closely, you can see a wall going towards the sea and a gate in it, 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.

Paintings depicting the history of the city.

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

Naryn-Kala fortress is one of the most interesting monuments Middle Ages on the territory of Russia. If possible, it is worth visiting it and touching the legend, as well as listening to local guides who tell great stories 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

There is one city in Dagestan that cannot be ignored when traveling around the republic. This is the city of Derbent. Derbent is one of the oldest continuously living cities in the world. Its history goes back 5 thousand years, 2000 of which it was a city on the border of north and south, west and east. The name “Darband” is translated from Persian as “castle”, “closed gate”. The city is located at the intersection of all trade routes on a narrow strip of land between the mountains and the sea. Built in the 6th century. the Naryn-Kala fortress further confirmed the name of the castle city.

At one time, countless peoples wanted to possess this tasty piece of land, but Derbent could only be taken by cunning; not a single army, not a single conqueror could destroy the walls of the impregnable fortress city. The history of Derbent is complex and dramatic; its memory is preserved by numerous ancient monuments. Today we will take a short walk around this quiet provincial town and admire the great buildings, some of which are under UNESCO protection.

Naryn-Kala Citadel

Of all the attractions of Derbent, the Naryn-Kala citadel is the most striking. It is located on a hill. The gigantic structure is visible from almost any part of the city. Naryn-Kala was built in the 6th century. during the reign of the Sasanian king Khosrow I Anushirvan. For many centuries it became the royal residence, military-political and cultural center. The citadel is so rich in attractions that it deserves a separate post. Unfortunately, most of them are picturesque ruins.

The Naryn-Kala Citadel is the most striking landmark of Derbent

On the territory of the complex you can see the ruins of the Khan's palace, office and royal baths, find out how water was delivered to the fortress and where it was stored, how criminals were kept, visit the guardhouse where in the 19th century. the Russian garrison was located, and now there is a huge model of the city of Derbent; wander along the walls and enjoy the fantastic panorama.

There are also very ancient buildings on the territory of the citadel. For example, a cross-domed reservoir, which may have been the first Christian temple on the territory modern Russia(V century).

City walls and gates

Impressive city walls stretch from the Naryn-Kala citadel to the Caspian Sea. The walls, like the citadel, were built in the 6th century. for protection against raids by nomads. The northern wall was much more strongly fortified than the southern one. The walls reached a height of 12 meters and a width of 2 to 4 m. Total length- about 42 km. They stretched from east to west, went 500 m straight into the waters of the Caspian Sea and rose high into the mountains. It was impossible to get around Dag-Bars, as this structure was called.

If the Dag-Bara wall had survived to this day in its former glory, it could rightfully be called the “Great Caucasian Wall”. Unfortunately, it has survived only in fragments; more than 2/3 of the original structure has been lost.

The city of Derbent was previously located inside the city walls, it was stretched from east to west by 3600 m, and from north to south by only 700 m. The walls were fortified with watch towers, which were located at a distance of 70 m from each other.

There were 14 gates leading into the city, only 9 of which have survived. Of greatest interest are:

  • Orta-kapi gate(from Turkic – middle gate). They were the main front entrance to the city from the south. On the facade with outside At the gate you can see a water cannon with a figurine of a lion. Such devices were used to remove excess water from the walls, and in the event of a siege they served as an excellent defensive weapon; it was enough to pour hot oil into the water cannon.

  • Bayat-kapi Before the construction of the Kala-kapi gate, leading directly to the citadel, they were the first from the fortress. The Russian inscription “Time destroyed me, obedience built me” was preserved on the gate. 1811." It was carved on the site of a previously existing ancient Arabic inscription.
  • Dag-caps- led from the citadel straight to the mountains. Through these secret gates, reinforcements could come to the aid of the defenders of the fortress. At the same time, the authorities, realizing that the city could no longer be saved, left through these gates into the mountains, leaving their army to die from enemy attacks. Because of this, Dag-kap is often called the “gate of shame.”
  • Kirkhlyar-kapi(from Turkic – forty gate) – the main front entrance to the city from the north. This is the most ancient gate of the fortified city, from which one can judge all the additions over the centuries. Initially, the gate led to the city necropolis.

Interesting fact! At the gates of Kirkhlyar-kapi the townspeople also met the Russian Tsar Peter I during his Persian campaigns. There is a legend that before the arrival of the king, an earthquake began in the city, and as soon as Peter hit the gate, the earthquake stopped. Residents were so amazed by the moment that they surrendered Derbent without a fight.

Magali

As in other cities of the Middle Ages, there were specialized artisan quarters in Derbent. Such neighborhoods were called mahals. Magals, in turn, were divided into quarters, and the quarters into houses. Each mahal had a rectangular shape, and the streets inside were intricately tangled and often ended in dead ends. This was also done for defensive purposes - so that the enemy, who penetrated inside the city, would quickly lose orientation. Moreover, each house, built like walls from shell rock, played the role of a kind of fortress.

From the 8th century Arab nobility and wealthy townspeople settled in the mahals. Each quarter had its own magic administration.

Now the Old Town and its mahals, along with the fortress, are under the protection of UNESCO. Here, as before, it is simple and easy to get lost.

On a note! Despite the fact that the Old Town is officially closed to vehicles, no one is stopping locals from traveling here. The streets are so narrow that if there is a car on the road you should press close to the wall. Be careful!

Juma Mosque

Another striking attraction of Derbent is the Shiite Juma Mosque. It was built in the 8th century, which makes it the oldest mosque in Russia and the CIS countries, and it is also one of the ten oldest mosques in the world.

The construction of the mosque is attributed to the Arabs, who, under the leadership of Maslama ibn Aba al-Maliki, converted the entire local population to Islam.

Juma Mosque - the oldest mosque in Russia

The Juma Mosque is not like traditional oriental mosques. It extends from east to west. Possibly before the Arab invasion, the building was used as christian temple or other place of worship.

On a note! Anyone can visit the Juma Mosque in the city of Derbent, including people of other faiths. True, women should take special capes at the entrance. When entering a mosque, it is customary to take off your shoes. It is better to ask permission to enter in advance. With a high degree of probability, there will be a person on site who will help you properly visit this holy place for Muslims, and perhaps tell you about the foundations of their faith.

There are 5 giant plane trees growing in the courtyard of the mosque. According to legend, they were planted in the 9th century. to preserve the building from natural disasters. The powerful root system of trees helps remove excess moisture from the soil and serves as “fastening reinforcement” during earthquakes. Perhaps it is thanks to natural giants that we can see this ancient monument almost unchanged.

Kirkhlyar Cemetery

An ancient Muslim cemetery has been preserved outside the city walls. There are several graves here, which Muslims from all over Russia and neighboring countries come to worship. The burial place belongs to forty soldiers who, in the 7th century. fell for their faith in a bloody battle with the infidels of the city of Derbent. Forty martyred soldiers are considered martyrs (saints who died for the faith).

From the rest of the graves, the graves of the martyrs are separated by a high fence. The holy place is constantly watched over. It is believed that the earth from the Kirkhlyar cemetery has miraculous properties; it cures the evil eye.

There is also another very interesting object- stone cradle. If a childless couple comes to the grave of the forty martyrs and rocks the cradle, soon there will be a new addition to the family.

Next to the graves of 40 martyrs you can see the Tutu-Bike mausoleum. In general, for Derbent, the construction of mausoleums is more the exception than the rule. But this brave woman deserves special veneration.

Tutu-Bike was the wife of Fatali Khan, the ruler of Cuba and Derbent. In the absence of her husband, she took the government of the city into her own hands. In 1774, when her brother Emir-Gamza tried to capture Derbent and a detachment of enemy enemies broke into the city, Tutu-Bike finished her prayer in the Juma Mosque, went out into the courtyard and killed the enemy leader with one blow of her dagger. The rest of the warriors, amazed at the courage of this woman, fled in fear. Together with Tutu-Bike, her sons and daughter-in-law are buried in the mausoleum.

Baths

Three medieval baths have also been preserved on the territory of Derbent. A men's bathhouse dating from the 8th century, a girls' bathhouse (XIII century) and a women's bathhouse (XVII century). Only the Maiden Bath is open for inspection. The building now houses the Museum of Culture and Life of Ancient Derbent.

Women's bathhouse of the 17th century.

It is noteworthy that the ladies' baths are divided into girls' and women's. It is not difficult to guess that the first one was visited only by unmarried girls. In Derbent there was a custom: the father brought the girl to the bathhouse for the last bath before the wedding. She washed herself here for the last time and talked with her unmarried friends. After ablution, no man had the right to see the girl before the wedding. At the wedding, the first person to be given such an honor was the young husband. After marriage, the girls already visited another bathhouse - the women's one.

Interesting fact! In the cruel times of the Middle Ages, if a girl or woman was noticed to be looking towards the bathhouse on a men's bath day, both her eyes would be gouged out. But if a man allowed himself to look towards the women’s bathhouse on bath day, he would lose one eye, because the other could be useful to him in battle.

House of Peter I

If you go down from the Old Town almost to the sea, you can find another attraction of Derbent - the foundation of the house of Peter I. The two-room earthen hut was built for the Russian Tsar in 1722. During the Persian campaign, Peter I stayed in the city of Derbent. Here he spent 3 days, and then moved further to Baku. For many years the dugout was revered as a kind of shrine. Now there is a museum on the site of Peter’s house.

Religious sights of Derbent

Derbent is a multinational and tolerant city. Here, not only different nationalities and cultures, but also religions have coexisted in peace and harmony for centuries.

Of course, as in other cities and villages of the Republic of Dagestan, in Derbent the majority of the population professes Islam. The city is rich in mosques, many of which are hundreds of years old. In the mahal part of the Old City, in addition to the Juma Mosque in different time others were built. Each mahal had its own mosque. Architectural monuments of federal significance have long been Kilisa Mosque And Bala Mosque. A mosque with minaret (Minara-mesjidi) And Kirkhlyar Mosque since 2003 they have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

There is also an Orthodox church in Derbent. As in, it is the only one in the city, because no more than 4% of Russians live here. This one is dedicated Church of the Feast of the Intercession Holy Mother of God . Located on Lenin Street, almost in the very center.

In the 19th century on the site of modern Freedom Square, where you can now see the monument to Lenin, there was another Christian temple - the Cathedral of St. George the Victorious. It was erected in the middle of the 19th century. and was considered the first Orthodox building on the territory of the Republic of Dagestan. Like many religious shrines in Russia, the cathedral was blown up in the 30s of the 20th century.

The one preserved on the territory of the city of Derbent is also considered an architectural monument of world significance. Armenian Church of the Holy All-Savior. It was built in the 19th century. Unfortunately, the church is currently inactive. Inside there is an exhibition of the Museum of Carpet and Decorative Arts.

At the beginning of the 20th century. a fairly large percentage of the population were Jews. 11 synagogues were opened in Derbent, today only one of them is functioning - “ Kele-Numaz”, which translated from Mountain Hebrew means “Great Synagogue”. The doors of the synagogue are always open to parishioners and guests.

House of A.A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky

In the 147th quarter of the 7th magala, in house No. 23, the Decembrist writer A.A. served his exile for 4 years from 1830 to 1834. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky. Over the course of 4 years, the writer became one of the locals. Many of his works were written under the influence of the Caucasus, which were read by other prominent people of his era. In fact, it was Bestuzhev who introduced the “fashion” for everything Caucasian, which dominated the minds of many in the first half of the 19th century.

House-Museum of A.A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky (thanks to Shturman 5578 for the photo)

Since 1988, the house of the exiled writer has been turned into a museum. Both authentic household items of Bestuzhev-Marlinsky and elements of household utensils characteristic of a Derbent house in the 19th century have been preserved here.

The port in Derbent has been known since time immemorial. However, no historical chronicles mention the existence of a lighthouse in the city. The structure that we can see between the Kirov and Nizami parks in the central part of the city dates back to the mid-19th century. It was built after the Russian-Persian War of 1826-1828. According to the peace treaty, Russia received the right to have a navy in the Caspian Sea, and merchant ships of both Russia and Persia could move freely across the sea in any direction. The lighthouse was lit for the first time on May 1, 1853.

The lighthouse in Derbent continues to operate today. It is considered the southernmost lighthouse in Russia and is on the list of protected monuments.

That's all for today. Be sure to visit the city of Derbent and its ancient sights during a trip to the Republic of Dagestan. Will not leave you indifferent either.

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