Travel in Ossetia

Ossetia - one of the oldest cradles of Christianity. In the I millennium BC steppe areas of South -Eastern Europe and Central Asia were inhabited by nomadic tribes of Iran - the Scythians , Sarmatians, Saks, Massagetae . In I . BC Sarmatians South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia united under a new name - "Alans ". In the IX century . formed a strong Alanian state , which included the territory of the Central Caucasus and ciscaucasian plain. Great baptism took place at Alanya '72 earlier than the baptism of Russia and has played in the development and strengthening of statehood Alan positive role . Thus began the "golden age" of Alanya , which lasted until the arrival of the Mongol- Tatar hordes in 1238 . A disaster for the invasion of Tamerlane Alanya was in 1395-1400 gg. Timur army finally defeated and almost completely destroyed the Alans . Today, North Ossetia - one of the most ethnically diverse republics of the Russian Federation, is home to more than a hundred nationalities.

Dzuarikau road near the village, leading to Fiagdonskaya gorge, through which we get to Gizeldonskaya.

Their journey, we start with the famous city of the dead - Dargavs located in Gizeldonskaya Gorge, just complex consists of 99 above-ground stone crypts are today historic architectural monument under state protection.

Dargavs lies in the center of the mining basin of glacial origin in the past he was the center and the largest settlements in East Ossetia - Tagauria . Valley is large enough , well lit and warmed by the sun , watered by rivers, has a large and so rare in the mountains of equal area , convenient to the core activities - farming and ranching . According to local residents precisely because of the scarcity of land , they were forced to resort to that to bury their ancestors in the ancestral tombs , over many generations , thus allowing to "save " the earth.
Crypts resemble towers and characterized by high strength, exquisite masonry walls and roof . Pyramidal and conical shaped roof vaults are built of slate slate in the form of stepped ledges.

Rabinyra - The local name of the ridge on which the historical and archeological complex. Size and location of the family tomb on the hill shows the financial condition and status of the family.

Archaeologists believe that the burial in the " city of the dead " refer to different eras - from the XIV to the XIX century . Local residents have preserved the memory of the plague that raged in the mountain gorges at the turn of the XVIII and XIX centuries and claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people. Wiped out entire families ... The epidemic Ossetia population dropped from 200,000 at the end of the XVIII century to 16,000 by the middle of the XIX century. Ossetians as a nation on the brink of extinction. In order not to infect their neighbors , the sick, the whole families with children in their arms went into pre-build crypts , where died. Those who remained healthy, leaving the gorge.

River Gizeldon - translated into Tatar: "Giselle" - red, "Don" - water. "Red Water" is so deposited in the minds of the conquerors this place after Alana had a serious resistance Tatar-Mongol army. Over the next few days, the water in the river is highlighted in red.

Next, drive through Gizeldonskaya HPP, this place something in the form of the reservoir, but now the water level is minimal, and judging by the volume of sludge water here does not happen much. Oh, and one snowy peak - a mountain Kazbek (5033m), the seventh largest top of Russia.

We have before us a beautiful view of the valley, which has left its mark Koban culture, recognized outstanding phenomenon of European civilization.

Further our path lies in the depth of the gorge Genaldon Midagrabindon river valley to the highest waterfall in Europe - Big Zeygalanu.