Mysterious places in the Caucasus. The most mystical sights of the North Caucasus. Watchtowers of the North Caucasus
The history of the Caucasus is covered in legends. It was there, according to Greek myths, that the ancient country of Colchis was located. If you believe modern “mythology”, then the Caucasus Mountains are entirely inhabited by aliens, Bigfoot people and even... gods. Well, aliens and monsters won’t surprise anyone these days, but living spirits and deities helping people are still exotic.
Healing tears of Mashuk
Place of Lermontov's duel
Russian poets have repeatedly sung the Caucasus, admiring its beauty and grandeur. One of them was M.Yu. Lermontov, killed in a duel at the foot of Mount Mashuk. But it is much more famous for its healing waters. The origin of its name is connected with them. According to legend, a long time ago there lived in these places a blue-eyed beauty named Mashuko, who loved a young horseman. Her lover died in battle, and Mashuko's grief was so strong that she petrified and turned into a mountain. And the tears that the unfortunate girl shed came out of the ground in the form of keys. And they have miraculous powers...
Information about the healing springs of Mashuk really goes back to very ancient times. The Arab traveler Ibn Battuta in the 14th century reported about five mountains and springs of hot water located in them, in which the Turks bathed. One of the heights next to Mashuk was called Beshtau (“Pyatigorye”). Rumors about the local Nart-Sane, the “hero-water,” spread far beyond the borders of the region.
Soldiers from the Konstantinovskaya fortress, built at the foot of the mountain in 1780, were among the first to appreciate the merits of the Mashuk springs. Bathing in hot springs replaced servicemen's baths. Rheumatic and skin diseases disappeared from such “sanitation”. Pilgrims from all over Russia flocked to Hot Waters, as the town that arose here began to be called (later it was renamed Pyatigorsk). In 1803, Alexander I issued the highest decree “on recognizing the Caucasian waters as a healing area of national importance.” To this day, people come here, hoping to improve their health and be healed of illnesses, and maybe, like the king in Ershov’s fairy tale “The Little Humpbacked Horse,” and find a second youth after swimming in living water.
Stone Tenderness
This is what one of the Caucasian dolmens looks like
And those who need not physical, but mental healing, can turn for help to one of the main sacred attractions of the Caucasus - dolmens. Quite a few of them are found at the confluence of the Pshada and Doguab rivers, about forty kilometers from Gelendzhik beyond the Mikhailovsky Pass. The structures are in the form of large boxes covered with flat slabs, built 2000-4000 years ago.
And in total there are about 2.5 thousand of them! Along the Black Sea coast you can find tiled dolmens, entirely carved out of the rock, structures made from a combination of stone slabs and blocks laid in two or more rows.
Each dolmen has its own appearance and even name. They say that each of them carries a special energy charge. Dolmen Khan, for example, improves health and mobilizes the body's defenses. Dolmen Tenderness is considered feminine.
His spirit helps in everything related to motherhood and children. The May Dolmen will protect you from unrequited love, give you happiness in marriage, and help you attract the heart of your loved one. Dolmen Tor focuses on achieving the goal of your path.
God's Hut
Pagan sanctuary Rekom, located in the Tseysky Gorge
However, even the local population cannot confidently answer the question about the purpose of dolmens. There are other ancient monuments in the Caucasus that are revered. For example, the pagan sanctuary Rekom, located in the Tseyskoye Gorge. Here people have long worshiped and made sacrifices to the god Uastirdzhi, the patron saint of men. Women, as a rule, were not allowed here.
A log house made of pine logs was built without a single nail, using the traditional ancient method - oblo (each subsequent log was adjusted to fit the notch in the previous one). Decorative finials with pagan symbols rise on the roof. Inside on the wall there is a shelf with skulls of sacrificial animals: deer, rams, aurochs. There is also a wooden bowl with coins and paper money.
Tradition says that Uastirdzhi decided to build a sanctuary for the Ossetians from the “eternal tree” - larch. She grew up at the other end of the mountain range. Then God ordered his oxen to cross the glacier and bring trees. They say that they themselves fell into the carts. And upon arrival at the place, the carts themselves emptied themselves, and miraculously a log house grew in the clearing.
Ossetian warriors once left broken arrows and tips in the sanctuary; beer was brewed in copper cauldrons for festive feasts and honoring mountain spirits. Before the battle, the warriors performed the rite of fraternization - they broke two arrows, after which they became blood brothers.
It was believed that a personal item left in Recom would bring its owner the favor of the gods. This tradition continues to this day. Nowadays, the holy place is usually visited on major Ossetian holidays, for example, on the day of men born in a year - Kakhtsgenen. And young people go up to Rekom before joining the army. They say that many dreams come true.
Unfortunately, in 1995, the ancient structure burned down from a lightning strike. There was talk that this was no accident: the modern generation had forgotten its gods and spirits and was mired in sins.
A team of enthusiasts set about restoring the sanctuary according to the surviving drawings. Before construction began, they fasted for a whole week, and began every day with prayer. The ancient technology was followed, however, the structure had to be built from pine - larch is almost never found in the mountains today.
To this day, in order to soften the anger of Uastirdzhi, Ossetians annually hold a holiday dedicated to this deity in the area of the sanctuary. They brew beer, slaughter sacrificial animals, have fun and compete in dancing, singing, horse racing, archery, and hand-to-hand wrestling. And priests, appointed from each village, go around the ranks of pilgrims and collect offerings.
Researchers argue about the dating of the monument. Some attribute it to the Koban culture, which existed about a thousand years BC. But according to lichenometric analysis (i.e., determining age by the size of lichen spots on stone blocks or wooden frames), Rekom could not have been built earlier than the 12th century.
Elbrus Prometheus
Statue of Prometheus in Sochi in the place where, according to legend, Zeus ordered him to be chained to a rock
Elbrus is famous for the fact that none other than the famous ancient Greek god Prometheus lives there. How is this possible?
The name of the mountain comes from the Persian “Alborz”, which is mentioned in the sacred Avesta. Some researchers also believe that this is Mount Alatyr from the Russian sacred tradition, the “hero mountain”. Only the ancients called it in their own way - Alatavr, and “taurus”, as you know, means “bull” in Greek. For Slavic pagans, the bull symbolized the god Veles. The Slavic-Russian tribes believed that Alatyr Mountain is an altar at the throne of the Almighty. And on its slopes there are earthly paradise and hell (in Slavic - Iriy and Peklo). By the way, Elbrus corresponds to the description of the mountain, at the foot of which, according to legend, Prince Kiy, the son of Arius (the ancestor of the Aryans) and the grandson of the solar god Yar, founded the ancient city of Kyiv (Kiyar), even before the “mother of Russian cities.” In Slavic myths, Kiyar is a holy city, the spiritual capital of the world, something like the Himalayan Shambhala.
On the same mountain, according to legend, the Fire God (who gave fire to people) was crucified. The Russians called him Veles, Simargl and Finist, the Iranians called him the Firefeathered Simurgh, the Indians called him Agni Promati (“the one who warms”), and the ancient Greeks called him Prometheus. But the most common legend is about a god who appears in the guise of a huge bird (among the Slavs it is Finist - the Clear Falcon, well known to us from Russian folk tales; among the Persians it is the divine bird Simurgh). As for Prometheus, Aeschylus reports that this titan was chained to a rock in the mountains of Scythia. And Cicero attributes to the hero the words that his blood oozes “on the rocks of the Caucasus.”
It is difficult to judge whether Elbrus is related to Greek mythology. However, in 1838, Russian historian V.V. Passek wrote in “Essays on Russia”: “Almost all of our mountain peoples believe in mountain spirits. The Abkhazians say that on the top of Mount Elbrus there is a terrible abyss, in which groans are heard and the sounds of chains are heard; there lies a chained giant…” And N. Dubrovin, a specialist in the history of the Caucasus, published a study based on folklore records. It says: “On a high snowy mountain, at its very top, there is a huge spherical stone, on which sits an old man with a beard long to his feet, his whole body is overgrown with gray hair, the nails on his feet and hands are very long and look like eagle claws. His red eyes burn like hot coals. On the neck, in the middle of the body, on the arms and legs, there is a heavy chain with which he has been chained since time immemorial..."
There is another legend - about the hero Samo, the ancestor of the Caucasian peoples, who defeated the monster Zahhak. Let's remember another Greek myth - about Theseus and the Minotaur. "Tavr" again!
Nowadays, the mountain is notable for the fact that saucers constantly circle around it. So, in the period from February 18 to February 22, 1989, many people observed luminous objects of various shapes rising from Elbrus. Head of the Electrodynamics Laboratory of Kabardino-Balkarian State University V.I. Altukhov even put forward the version that one of the “UFO bases” is located on the mountain. Attempts have been made to find landing sites, but so far they have all been unsuccessful.
An ancient structure comparable in scale to the Pyramids of Giza has been discovered in the North Caucasus.
We are accustomed to believe that the main megaliths of the planet are concentrated in Egypt, South America, and China. Our dolmens, which are conventionally classified as megalithic structures, look like dwarfs against the background of pyramids and “great walls”. But more recently, a system of mysterious underground structures was discovered in the North Caucasus. Thus, in Kabardino-Balkaria, near the village of Zayukovo, mysterious multi-kilometer tunnels have been discovered. Researchers suggest that they connected ancient settlements that existed on our planet thousands of years ago. It is curious that all the tunnels are concentrated around a huge underground structure in the shape of an overturned pyramid...
Miracle City
“For many years we have been searching, going to the sites of supposed dungeons, listening to old-timers,” says Vadim Chernobrov, head of the All-Russian public scientific research association “Cosmopoisk”. “And so last fall we moved to the place where, according to the elders’ stories, the Old City is located. This is not an allegory, but a literal translation from the local dialect. Old-timers say that it was built by the people who lived here before them. Nobody knows for sure who lived here, what kind of people they were.”
The object is located at an altitude of about a kilometer above sea level. Local residents showed the researchers one small hole in the mountain. The entrance is very narrow - about 30 centimeters in diameter. The guide said that the local population has a legend: if you climb there, you will find yourself in a huge city where there are squares, streets and houses, but no people. Indeed, the search engines found themselves in a vast dungeon, which, gradually expanding, stretches in depth for tens, and possibly hundreds of meters.
When the researchers began to examine the area around the hole, they discovered a wide crevice. Perhaps this is the main entrance to the dungeon, because if we assume the very fact of the existence of an underground settlement, it is unlikely that its inhabitants made their way through a narrow gap. Perhaps, going down the hole, it will be possible to get to the “main street”. Last year, due to the weather, this was not possible; the researchers postponed the descent until next summer. However, there was a second discovery - another manhole was found not far from the Old Town. Local historians Maria and Viktor Kotlyarov were brought here by climber and speleologist Artur Zhemukhov, who was training in the mountains and drew attention to a strange depression.
Stones are piled on top, bushes grow, and in appearance it is an ordinary hole, the likes of which are visible or invisible in the ground. But Arthur noticed that there was a lot of draft coming from the hole. This means there is a large cavity in the ground. He began to widen the hole and fell into a huge shaft that led somewhere into the darkness. One did not dare to climb there, so he called a detachment of speleologists. They went down into the mine and realized that there was no end in sight to the underground. “The first thing that caught their eye was that the main walls in the mine were clearly of artificial origin,” says Vadim Chernobrov. - They are made of smooth stone blocks of approximately the same size as in the Egyptian pyramids, and are stacked using similar technologies - one on top of the other. Each weighs 50-100 tons, well processed, although chips and cracks have appeared over time.”
What is this mysterious masonry? There are no traces of concrete or other mortar, as in the Egyptian pyramids. It is not clear how the ancient builders fastened the blocks together, but it is clear that they have been standing for thousands of years and not even a needle can fit into the seam.
When the speleologists delved deeper into the cave, they discovered a strange column. It seems to hang in the air, but at the same time it is firmly attached to the wall. Apparently, the dungeon is colossal in size, and people were able to explore only a small part of it. They advanced 100 meters deeper. And they ran into narrow passages.
Miracle machine
The fact that the dungeon was not intended for human habitation became obvious to the searchers when they explored the entire accessible part of the cave. It turned out that it is crammed with narrow passages, where even a child cannot squeeze through, and tiny holes, where a human hand can hardly fit. Each such mini-cavity goes far into the depths: the light from the flashlights does not reach the bottom. What kind of building is this? Researchers were under the impression that the underground pyramid had a technological, not a sacred purpose. It looks like some kind of machine, an engineering structure of unknown purpose. “It looks like some kind of resonator, a device for seismological research, exploration, mining, or an energy generator,” says Chernobrov. “It’s impossible to say for sure yet - no analogues have been found in the world.” Many people come to mind with an analogy with the mysterious cavities inside the Egyptian pyramids, which were also not intended for the movement of people.
In principle, a person cannot get there, but the ancient builders made them conscientiously. These narrow passages also lead tens of meters deep, but for what and where is a big question. Sometimes they end with rows of doors with handles, behind which there are rooms of unknown purpose. There are plenty of versions about the purpose of underground passages: a “refrigerator” for storing food, the dwelling of the ancient Aryans, a giant air conditioner, an air duct. Or, for example, a giant energy generator... There is information that during the Second World War, researchers from the SS organization Ahnenerbe were seen in these places, which, as is known, was looking for the entrance to Shambhala. They say that Hitler considered the Caucasus, along with Tibet, “the seat of power” and the “center of world control.” And he allegedly rushed to the Caucasus precisely for this reason.
Researchers, of course, also pay attention to the fact that next to the pyramid is the same Old City. And they assume that these two objects are somehow connected. After all, for example, in Turkey, near the village of Derinkuyu, an 8-story city was found underground, designed for the permanent and comfortable residence of 40-50 thousand people. There are houses, outbuildings, bazaars, shops, water sources, wells and ventilation hatches.
In a word, a miracle of engineering technology, which is at least 4 thousand years old. Now about a dozen underground cities have been excavated in the world, three of them have become tourist sites. It is known that some cities have underground communications with each other. These are huge distances - hundreds of kilometers. According to some scientists, the strange hum, which was recorded by scientists in different parts of the planet, is nothing more than air draft in a system of man-made underground communications located in the depths of the earth.
If this summer it turns out that there really was an underground city under the village of Zayukovo, then the pyramid can be considered a kind of technical installation that ensures its vital functions. And then the “Zayukov miracle” will turn out to be the largest man-made prehistoric structure on the territory of modern Russia.
OpinionsVera Davidenko, head of the Kabardino-Balkarian geological exploration expedition:
The fact that underground caves are man-made is a controversial issue. The tuff of the Zayukovsky site is an accumulation of volcanic ejection products - ash, fragments of lava, volcanic glass and, to a small extent, fragments of rocks that make up the walls of the crater. The ejecta material was hot during accumulation, and therefore, when it solidified, cracks formed separately, that is, the entire tuff massif appeared to be broken into blocks. Consequently, the depression discovered in the area of the village of Zayukovo is one of these gravitational separation cracks, which is characterized by smooth contact surfaces. Another thing is that the natural cavity could have been used by ancient people.
Alexander Pankratenko, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor of Moscow State Mining University:
I examined a sample of the “solution” taken by speleologists from the stone blocks of the cave. It looks like some kind of reinforcing material. The composition is unknown to me; nothing similar is used now. Studying the sample also shows that the inside of the cave has ideal ventilation and is quite dry. Photographs of the cave also confirm the version of its artificial origin. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen in future studies.
It is no coincidence that the Northern Caucasus is one of the favorite destinations for domestic tourism in Russia. It amazingly combines a diverse flora, magnificent landscapes, fast rivers and high mountains, semi-deserts and healing mineral springs, architectural monuments and delicious food. Be sure to visit this wonderful region. At least virtually.
Elbrus
The highest point in Russia is rightfully considered one of the seven wonders of our country. The mountain is a cone of an extinct volcano that last erupted at the beginning of our era.
It was here, according to legend, that the Titan Prometheus was chained for daring to bring fire to people. The powerful glaciers of Elbrus give rise to the rivers Kyukyurtlyu, Ullu-Khurzuk, Ullu-Kam, which, merging, form the Kuban - the largest river in the North Caucasus.
In the depths of Elbrus there are still hot masses that heat the local “hot narzans” - springs saturated with mineral salts and carbon dioxide, the temperature of which reaches +52 and +60 ºС.
Tobot Falls
Travelers are treated to an unforgettable view: the flat plateau suddenly ends, as if the universe ends here, and from the top of the gorge, which in this place resembles the Latin letter V, a previously calm river falls with a terrible roar, flying past picturesque rocks. Below, water crystals rise from the bottom of the canyon and, illuminated by the sun, play with all possible colors.
“However, lovers of winter landscapes can argue about the beauty: in the frosty months, Tobot freezes like a giant icicle, hollow inside (crystal clear and incredibly tasty water runs through this cavity). The entire gorge is covered with transparent ice, as if turning into the kingdom of the Snow Queen,” he writes.
Blue lakes in Kabardino-Balkaria
Five amazing karst lakes are hidden between the rocks in Kabardino-Balkaria. Their waters contain hidden mysteries of nature that man has not yet fully unraveled.
Not a single river or stream flows into one of them, the Lower Lake, although it loses up to 70 million liters of water every day, but its volume and depth do not change at all. The lower lake, or Tserik-Kol, is one of the deepest in the area. It rightfully bears the title of one of the deepest lakes in Europe.
It is best to admire them, especially Tserik-Kol, in clear sunny weather, when the water there has a really soft blue color (this is due to the content of hydrogen sulfide). During the day, the lake can change color up to 16 times - from azure to emerald. But the water temperature in it is constant: no more than +9 ºС - both in winter and in summer.
Lake Proval
The beautiful turquoise color of the mineral water filling the reservoir is due to the high sulfur content and the presence of certain bacteria in it.
The attraction of the Proval is two lions guarding the entrance to the cave. These sculptures appeared here in the middle of the twentieth century. Since then, tourists have been sure to take photos (for good luck) with at least one of them.
During Lermontov’s time, however, local residents called the lake “hell’s abyss” and believed that it was home to a fire-breathing monster that circled the city at night in search of victims. Nevertheless, one of the amusements of the “water society” - the society of visitors and military men, which gathered around the family of Prince V.S. Golitsyn, - there were dances over the abyss: on the initiative of the prince, the famous architects Bernardazzi brothers built a platform over the Proval in 1837, on which those who wished could dance a square dance. The most curious ones had the opportunity to go down in a special basket all the way to the water.
Watchtowers of the North Caucasus
The North Caucasus is one of the few places in Russia where ancestral watchtowers have been preserved - a vivid example of a distinctive mountain culture. They are located on the slopes of the Main Caucasus Range: in the territory of Ossetia, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Chechnya and Kabardino-Balkaria.
In the North Caucasus, towers served both a residential and defensive function, which is why they most often served as clan guards. Due to enemy invasions, most of these structures were not preserved. Some of the towers were family ones. According to custom, the tower should have been built no more than a year, otherwise the family could be considered dysfunctional; It was usually built near a settlement.
The North Caucasus towers symbolize the honor of the clan, unity and courage, being the pinnacle of construction and architectural skill of the highlanders of the North Caucasus.
Caucasian dolmens
Dolmens are structures constructed from large stone blocks, presumably of a cultic nature. Today there are about three thousand of them preserved in the Caucasus.
Tiled dolmens usually include four walls, a lid and a floor consisting of one large or several smaller (heel) slabs. The chamber is rectangular or trapezoidal. The plates have grooves, due to which they are all tightly connected. The front plate forms a portal.
Composite dolmens are partially or completely assembled from individual small blocks. They have a complex geometric connection. The shape of the chamber is varied: rectangular, trapezoidal, horseshoe-shaped, round and multifaceted.
Trough-shaped dolmens were carved into the thickness of the stone, and then covered with a slab on top. Dolmen-monoliths are entirely hewn out of one block of stone or into the rock.
The real history of most ancient monuments, perhaps, could be told by their creators. But they are long gone... And unusual man-made structures still excite people. Moreover, incredible stories and legends are born around some of them. Someone confirms them by their own example, collecting evidence that in certain places or ancient buildings there are mystical mysteries, the answer to which can only be found by the bravest and smartest. Komsomolskaya Pravda compiled its route through places in the North Caucasus that are popularly considered mysterious.
Lake Proval
STORY
This natural monument at the foot of Mashuk has long attracted a lot of researchers and ordinary people. The tunnel to the underground lake was built later. At first it could be admired through the collapsed vaults of the cave. Somewhere far below could be seen a spot of a hydrogen sulfide lake of marble blue color. Walking to the Proval was a favorite pastime of the first holidaymakers. In “Princess Mary” Mikhail Lermontov wrote: “In the evening, a large company set off on foot to Proval. According to local scientists, this failure is nothing more than an extinct crater; it is located on the Mashuk slope, a mile from the city. A narrow path between bushes and rocks leads to it.”
WHAT THEY SAY
Among the first inhabitants of these places there were legends that a terrible fire-breathing snake lived in the lake, which flew out at night and ate people. The lake enjoyed a bad reputation. It happened that the bodies of the dead were thrown into it from above. Later, scientists proved that the hydrogen sulfide water of Proval is saturated with beneficial bacteria. And therefore, at the end of the 19th century, a small stone font was made here, which was called the “Shameless Baths.” And now many people take them even in winter, because they believe that after several procedures they can be cured of all diseases.
Where is it located: at the foot of Mount Mashuk. We take bus number 1 from the Pyatigorsk railway station to the Proval stop.
Elsa's dacha
STORY
It was built at the beginning of the 20th century in the pseudo-Romanesque style and resembled a medieval castle as a hotel for vacationers. Its owner Elizaveta Gukasova, the daughter of a German merchant and the wife of the famous confectioner Alexander Gukasov, rented out furnished rooms on Bernadazzi Brothers Street, and her husband opened a restaurant and coffee shop there. The couple's business was going well, but the building had to be rented. Therefore, in 1903, they bought a plot of land on the outskirts of Pyatigorsk and built a luxurious dacha with many rooms. The country hotel was given the romantic name “Elsa”. Comfortable rooms opened within two years. After the revolution, the building was nationalized and a sanatorium building was opened in it.
WHAT THEY SAY
Now the building of Elsa's Dacha is in a deplorable state. According to one of the popular versions, the ghost of Elizaveta Gukasova herself lives in the mansion, whom the Bolsheviks allegedly shot and walled up in the walls of the building. And now the rebellious spirit of unfortunate Elsa, who, by the way, divorced her husband even before the revolution, wanders through the dilapidated rooms. Some visitors to the dacha are sure that the ghost of the lady is not at all kind, but has a difficult, evil character. She doesn’t like to be disturbed out of curiosity, but if she feels that talent has come to her, she helps her to open up, albeit with an ominous, mystical overtone.
Where is it: Pyatigorsk, Lermontova str., 15. We get from Pyatigorsk railway station to Tsvetnik on trams No. 1, 3, 5 and go towards the Academic Gallery.
Rome-Mount HISTORY
Located near Kislovodsk in the valley of the Podkumok River. On the slope of Rome Mountain, archaeologists found more than 150 catacomb burials with numerous household items, jewelry, and weapons. It is believed that the catacombs belonged to the Romans. Local residents called the mountain Rim-kale, that is, the fortress of the Rums, or Eastern Romans. It is believed that an ancient trade route ran here. And according to one legend, a detachment of Roman soldiers who died in battle with local residents took refuge in the fortress. Later, archaeologists partly confirmed the assumptions. They established that in the 10th - 12th centuries there was a trading city with an impregnable fortress in the Podkumka valley. And in the catacombs where the Romans buried their own, scientists found arrows, spears, jewelry, and dishes.
WHAT THEY SAY
You can look at the archaeological treasures at the Kislovodsk Fortress Museum. They say that if you are lucky, during the excursion you can find a fragment of ancient ceramics or the remains of a weapon.
Location: 18 km west of Kislovodsk. You can get there by car.
Second entrance to Shambhala
STORY
Speleologists told famous local historian Viktor Kotlyarov about the interesting cave. On the slabs that crowned it, they found a German swastika.
The entrance to the underground mine is carefully laid out from huge side slabs. It continues to a depth of several tens of meters and is lined with massive stone blocks,” Viktor Kotlyarov told KP. - This is a shaft about 80 meters long, consisting of several bends with transition chambers from one to another. The first of them, going outside, consists of two solid stone slabs, placed parallel, with the sides laid with neat small stones measuring 134 by 43 cm, so not everyone can squeeze through.
The naked eye can see that the mine is partly man-made. Researchers continue to study it. It is quite possible that, having passed through the next narrow passage, they will stumble upon a large cave with interesting artifacts, and perhaps an entrance to a parallel world.
WHAT THEY SAY
According to esotericists, the entrance to the other world, where you can acquire the properties of a superman, is in Tibet. But there are others.
For example, not far from Elbrus - the sacred mountain of the Aryans. In the Northern Elbrus region there is a plateau, which is popularly called the “German airfield”. Some researchers believe that the Germans found a mysterious mystical place on Elbrus with high energy, prayed for since ancient times, and set up an occult laboratory there. They brought Tibetan lamas there for meditation in order to comprehend and perhaps change the future.
The North Caucasus is a graphic and mystical point where the beginning and end of present humanity are united. The meeting place of positive and negative forces, the axis of the world, says Viktor Kotlyarov. - It is quite obvious that Hitler perceived reaching the top of Elbrus as a harbinger of the last battle between the forces of good and evil.
Where is it located: Baksan district of Kabardino-Balkaria. Please note that it is not very calm there now and they may introduce a CTO regime. So you should go there only with tour operators who are well versed in the area.
City of dead
STORY
One of the most mysterious archaeological sites, which is located in North Ossetia near the village of Dargavs, in the valley of the Midagrabindon River. The burial complex consists of 99 above-ground crypts.
Scientists attribute it to the XIV - XVIII centuries. It was then that family tombs for collective burials were built in North Ossetia. The Ossetian tradition of burial in such structures was associated with the cult of ancestors, who were buried in full clothing, with small household items. The deceased were placed on special wooden beds or in wooden boats. Scientists are still arguing where such a tradition came from in the mountains. From Mount Rabinaragh, where the City of the Dead is located, you can admire the surrounding peaks. The monument is located in a very beautiful place.
WHAT THEY SAY
Ossetians are sure that the souls of their ancestors are immortal and there is a constant connection with the dead. Visiting a mystical place affects everyone differently. Someone says that you can see a ghost dressed as a prince there. After a visit, someone sees prophetic dreams. The main thing is to come to the tombs with pure thoughts and behave calmly and judiciously.
Where is it located: in the Suburban region of Northern Oestia-Alania, near the village of Dargavs. A bus runs to the village daily from the Vladikavkaz central station, located near the central market.
List of attractions that are definitely worth visiting in the North Caucasus. Top list of natural and man-made wonders of the North Caucasus.
Mountain Elbrus
North Caucasus. Mountain ElbrusMount Elbrus is the highest point in Russia. It is located on the border of the Kabardino-Balkarian and Karachay-Cherkess Republics. The powerful glaciers of Elbrus give rise to rivers that form the Kuban River, the largest river in the North Caucasus. Today the Elbrus region is one of the largest centers of skiing, mountaineering and tourism. And at an altitude of 3500 m, on the territory of the Mir station, you can visit the highest mountain museum in the world - the Museum of Military Glory of the Defenders of Elbrus and the Caucasian Passes during the Great Patriotic War.
Naryn-Kala Fortress
North Caucasus, Naryn-Kala Fortress The Naryn-Kala fortress is the oldest fortress in Russia, located in Derbent (Republic of Dagestan). She is 1600 years old. The fortress was built as a powerful defensive complex that blocked an important trade route - the Great Silk Road, for which there was constantly a fierce struggle. Currently, within the walls of Naryn-Kala, structures from different eras have been preserved: a cross-domed temple, the ruins of the khan’s palace, the khan’s office and even an ancient underground prison. And if you climb the wall, you can admire a beautiful view of the old city.
North Caucasus. Mosque named after Akhmat-Hadji Kadyrov The Akhmat-Hadzhi Kadyrov Mosque is the largest mosque in Russia. It is located in Grozny, on the banks of the Sunzha River. The mosque was built in the classical Ottoman style and was named after the first president of the Chechen Republic. More than 10,000 people can be in it at the same time. This mosque is also called the “Heart of Chechnya”. It is the center of the Islamic complex, which includes the Russian Islamic University named after Kunta-Hadji and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic.
Barkhan Sarykum
North Caucasus. Barkhan Sarykum A unique sand mountain with a special climatic zone is located near the village of Korkmaskaly in Dagestan, at the foot of the Kumtorkalinsky ridge. Its height is 250-260 meters. The area of the dune is three times larger than the territory of Monaco. The mountain consists of fine-grained sand of golden color. The nature of origin of Sarykum is unknown. It is interesting that during strong winds, the shape of the dune “walks” and can change before our eyes.
Dargavsky necropolis
North Caucasus. Dargavsky necropolis The Dargavsky necropolis is often compared to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. This site is included in the UNESCO list. It is located in North Ossetia near the town of Dargavs. The Dargavsky necropolis has about a hundred stone above-ground and underground crypts, which served as family tombs for the ancestors of the Ossetians. An interesting fact is that the bodies of the deceased were placed in wooden boats, although there is no sea nearby. The microclimate of the gorge promotes the natural mummification of bodies.
Lotus Valley
North Caucasus. Lotus Valley The North Caucasus also has its own lotus valley. It sounds strange, since we have heard about lotuses in Thailand, Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia. It is located on the Taman Peninsula of the Krasnodar Territory. The Lotus Valley is located on the site of an ancient solar estuary. In the nineteenth century, local residents desalinated the reservoir, the estuary became shallow, and various species of fish and plants appeared in it. The lotus was introduced by biologists and quickly spread.
Lake Proval
North Caucasus. Lake Proval Lake Proval is located at the foot of Mount Mashuk in Pyatigorsk. Previously, it was possible to admire the beauty of the lakes only through holes in the rock, but later a tunnel was built through which you can go down to the healing spring. The lake is filled with turquoise colored mineral water. The water is healing thanks to the hydrogen sulfide springs located under the lake. At the entrance to the Proval there are two stone lions, guarding the entrance to the cave.
Dzheyrakh Gorge
North Caucasus. Dzheyrakh Gorge The Dzheirakh Gorge is located in one of the regions of Ingushetia. It is part of the complex of the Dzheirakh-Assinsky State Historical, Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve. These are the ancient settlements of Egikal, Khamkhi and Targim, the Christian temple of Thaba-Erdy, located near the village of Khairakh. This museum-reserve is one of the largest in Russia. It covers an area of 64,000 hectares, its length from north to south is more than 50 km, from west to east - over 70 km.
Blue Lakes
North Caucasus. Blue Lakes Five amazing karst lakes are located between the rocks in Kabardino-Balkaria. Their waters contain hidden mysteries of nature that man has not yet fully unraveled. Not a single river or stream flows into one of them, the Lower Lake, although it loses up to 70 million liters of water every day, but its volume and depth do not change at all. The lower lake, or Tserik-Kol, is one of the deepest in the area. It is one of the deepest lakes in Europe. It is best to admire them, especially Tserik-Kol, in clear sunny weather, when the water there is really pale blue. This is due to the hydrogen sulfide content in it. During the day, the lake can change color up to 16 times - from azure to emerald. But the water temperature in it is constant: no more than +9 ºС - both in winter and in summer.
Ancestral watchtowers are a striking example of the original mountain culture in the North Caucasus. They are located on the slopes of the Main Caucasus Range: in the territory of Ossetia, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Chechnya and Kabardino-Balkaria. The towers served both a residential and defensive function, which is why they most often served as clan guards. Due to enemy invasions, most of these structures were not preserved. Some of the towers were family ones. According to custom, the tower should have been built no more than a year, otherwise the family could be considered dysfunctional; It was usually built near a settlement. These towers symbolize the honor of the clan, unity and courage, being the pinnacle of construction and architectural skill of the highlanders of the North Caucasus.
Dolmens are structures constructed from large stone blocks, presumably of a cultic nature. There are about three thousand of them preserved in the Caucasus.
Tiled dolmens usually include four walls, a lid and a floor consisting of one large or several smaller slabs. The chamber is rectangular or trapezoidal. The plates have grooves, due to which they are all tightly connected. The front plate forms a portal. Composite dolmens are partially or completely assembled from individual small blocks. They have a complex geometric connection. The shape of the chamber is varied: rectangular, trapezoidal, horseshoe-shaped, round and multifaceted. Trough-shaped dolmens were carved into the thickness of the stone, and then covered with a slab on top. Dolmen-monoliths are entirely hewn out of one block of stone or into the rock.
North Caucasus. Mud volcanoes of Taman One of the most mysterious places on the Black Sea coast is mud volcanoes. They are located in Taman. In total, there are about thirty places in this region where you can take therapeutic mud baths. The most famous and beautiful volcano is Karabetova Sopka with a crater size of 1380x860 meters. In all places where therapeutic mud bathing is permitted, special pontoons have been built, thanks to which you can take mud baths completely safely. These places are very popular among tourists, especially in the summer season.