The brightest attraction of Derbent is the Naryn-Kala fortress. Derbent fortress Naryn-Kala Location of Naryn-Kala fortress
Naryn-Kala fortress (Dagestan)
Fortress in Derbent (Dagestan), erected in the pre-Arab period. Object of cultural heritage of federal significance "Derbent citadel Naryn-Kala, VI - XVIII centuries.
Story
There are several versions of the name of the fortress. One of the most common - Naryn-Kala - is translated as "Sunny fortress". That is what the citadel is often called. The second explanation is more poetic: the Persian Shah named the fortress built by him in honor of his beloved wife named Naryn, which means “tender” in translation. Some sources claim that the name of the fortress in translation means "small". There are also legends that state that a lot of orange blossom (“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 built in the VI century, in 562-571. Shah Khosrow I. The latest research by archaeologists specifies that the ancient settlement on the territory of the future Naryn-Kala stone citadel was built of mud bricks on a stone plinth in the 440s. during the reign of Yazdegerd II (438–457). Thus, the ancient settlement occupied the territory of the future Naryn-Kala stone citadel, which repeated the outlines of the citadel of the 5th century, and its dating fits into the framework of the 1st-6th (7th) centuries. AD (Late Albanian-Sarmatian and Sasanian 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 on 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 plan, the citadel has the shape of an irregular polygon, all its ledges are deaf: two of them have internal stairs that climbed the walls.
The main purpose of the fortress, inhabited by guards from different regions of Iran, was to to close the narrow Derbent passage from incursions of militant nomads from the north.
The fortress became a stronghold of the Sassanids in the Caucasus, the residence of Iranian governors - marzpans, guardians of the borders, the seat of his court and garrison, an administrative, military-political and cultural center. Located on a high hill, it dominated the narrow passage between the sea and the spurs of the Dzhalgan Range. Powerful walls 2.5-3.5 m thick, reaching a height of 20-25 m in some areas, made it an impregnable fortress capable of withstanding a heavy and long siege.
Naryn-Kala had an autonomous water supply system. Water through underground channels from mountain springs flowed into large stone reservoirs. Thus, the fortress was built 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 in 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 monuments of architecture of the early modern period on the territory of the fortress are the khan's office of the 18th century. There is also a 19th century guardhouse.
The architectural complex "Citadel" Naryn-Kala "is part of the D Erbent 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 jagged head over the Naryn fortress, and plays with its tail in the Caspian Sea" .
Modernity
In 2003, Naryn-Kala, the Old Town of Derbent and the fortifications of the city were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In 2013, the Naryn-Kala fortress, according to the voting results, passed to the third round (1,450,312 votes) of the Russia 10 contest, 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:
- 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.
- Kudryavtsev E.A. Stratigraphy and development of the southern part of the Naryn-kala citadel in the XIII-XVIII 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 Derbent citadel of the Sasanian period (based on the materials of the excavations P-X1 and P-XIII) // Ancient and medieval architecture of Dagestan. Makhachkala. - 1989. - cit. according to Gadzhiev M.S. The latest research of the Derbent settlement // Proceedings of the IV All-Russian Archaeological Congress in Kazan, Volume III.
- Hope Ionina. 100 great castles. M.: Veche, 2007
- Gadzhiev M.S. The ancient city of Dagestan: Experience of historical-topographical and socio-economic analysis. Moscow: Eastern Literature, 2000.
- Citadel "Naryn-Kala" // Website of the Derbent Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve.
- Historical Derbent // Lezghin Historical Portal.
- Website of the project "Russia 10".
- 616 million rubles will be spent on the reconstruction of the Naryn-Kala citadel // AiF, 08/15/2014.
In the article we will talk about the Naryn-Kala fortress. Few people know about it, but this pre-Arab citadel really deserves attention. We will look at its history, as well as talk about the current state of the structure. In addition, the Naryn-Kala fortress is an excellent tourist place where you can plunge into the historical, ancient atmosphere.
I must say that the ancestors of the builders of the Great Wall of China look with envy at the Derbent citadel, because its age is more than 2 thousand years. At the same time, new archaeological research gives the right to think that the age of the Naryn-Kala fortress may be even greater. Earlier, the main function of the building was that it protected a large section of the Great Silk Road, that is, it was an outpost. At the moment, the role of the building is peaceful: it is a museum, which often hosts interesting events.
Fortress in the defense system
The citadel is part of the Derbent fortress. It, in turn, is connected to the Caspian Sea with the help of double walls that block the Caspian gates to the Persian state. Of course, the fortress performed such a function earlier, and now it is a worthy architectural monument.
Derbent itself, ironically, was located in a rather vulnerable place from a strategic point of view. It was located near the Caspian passage, where the mountains of the Greater Caucasus are closest to the sea. Only a very narrow strip of plain remains. At the same time, the Derbent fortress itself is part of a huge defensive system, which in ancient times protected the peoples of Asia Minor and Transcaucasia from enemies and attacks of nomads. This system included a citadel, sea and city walls, and a large Dag-Bary - Mountain Wall.
Location of Naryn-Kala fortress
The citadel is located on the top of the hill closest to the sea. Previously, the path to the sea was blocked by the parallel fortress walls of the Derbent building, which ran along the entire coast. They adjoined the citadel in the west, and in the east they completely went into the sea, thus preventing the enemy from bypassing the citadel in shallow water and creating a harbor for ships. Between the walls of a huge shelter was a city called Derbent. On the western part of the Naryn-Kala fortress was the Mountain Wall, which stretched for about 40 km. It ensured that the inhabitants of the city could not be reached bypassing the valleys and passes.
Description
The fortress of Naryn-Kala (Dagestan) has an irregular shape, it occupies 4.5 hectares. Its dimensions are as follows: 180 m wide, 280 m long. Each wall has a small fortification in the form of a turret. They are located at a distance of about 20-30 m from each other. The southwestern corner of the Naryn-Kala fortress in Derbent is decorated with a large square-shaped tower, which is a bow with a defensive wall. The steep slopes of the mountains on all three sides of the building serve as additional protection.
The territory has undergone serious destruction and fires many times, but despite this, it has not become deserted. Until the Sasanian conquests, there were always settlements here, which indicates the strategic importance of the site. The walls were made of poorly processed shell rock, which was laid on a clay mortar or earth embankment. Such masonry in some places has survived to this day.
Of course, the fortress was not built in one day. For centuries, new premises have been created here: both external and internal. Many of them were completely destroyed or restored over time.
The first stage in the construction of any defensive structure was the construction of a mud wall. It was the spread of building techniques and their improvement that allowed the people to defend their borders, especially during active enemy campaigns. Apart from minor changes, the fortress was finally built inside and out during the reign of the Sassanid dynasty. At the same time, solid stone walls were built.
Sassanid masonry can be observed not only within the walls of the citadel, but also in ordinary buildings in the city. It is interesting that the outer part of the walls was laid dry, and a very high-quality lime mortar was used when processing the inner part. To strengthen the structure, alternation of plates was used. The elements of ancient masonry are more uniform, although they do not imply the use of slabs of the same shape. The masonry of the Sassanids not only made the building incredibly strong, but also outwardly gave it splendor and inviolability.
What's inside?
Inside the fortress there are still baths and separate water tanks. Also here you can find ruined buildings, which, according to the initial estimates of archaeologists, were erected in ancient times. There is a cross-domed church, which researchers date back to around the 5th century. It is known that the church has undergone some changes. It was rebuilt into a temple of fire worshipers, and then into a mosque.
There is also the Juma Mosque - the oldest in Russia. Researchers claim that it was laid around the 8th century, however, over the centuries it has been updated many times. In front of it is a madrasah, which dates back to the 15th century. Recall that a madrasah is a Muslim educational institution that performs not only the functions of a school, but also a theological seminary.
Tourists especially love the Shah Palace, which, unfortunately, has survived to modern times in the form of ruins. When the Russian-Persian war began in 1796, the fortress was taken by Russian troops under the leadership of Valerian Zubov.
Tourist excursion
The Naryn-kala fortress in Derbent, the photo of which is posted in the article, is a real storehouse of secrets and mysteries for a curious tourist. To begin with, I would like to say that the building seems to soar over the entire territory of the city. By the way, it is the highest point in the region. Separately, it is worth noting the view that opens up to everyone who looks into the fortress. The view from the fortress walls is difficult to convey in words, because a panorama of a huge natural area opens before the viewer. The whole area is occupied by small houses, and the horizon line runs along the Caspian itself.
Tourists who like to walk and look for various unusual objects will be pleasantly surprised when they find a large number of tanks that the reader already knows about. In the future, they plan to open a tasting club here. The natives of the city say that the first wonder of the world is Derbent cognac.
Wine production
It is known that they were engaged in wine production here during the reign of Peter I. According to legend, the ruler tried the local wine, but he did not like it at all. The point was not that the wine was bad, but that the culture of winemaking in these parts did not yet exist at that time. To change the situation, the emperor sent Astrakhan specialists to Derbent. A few years later, a batch of wine was sent to him for testing, with which the ruler was completely satisfied.
An interesting fact: when the emperor visited these parts, it was a hot summer. He ordered a haircut. Subsequently, the preserved hair was used to create a wax figure.
Prisons in the fortress
As we know, it is difficult to find a fortress that did not have prisons. Derbent fortress Naryn-Kala is no exception. Here the prison looks especially intimidating. It is a stone bag into which a narrow hole leads. By the way, locals call such underground prisons zindan. Claustrophobic people should not go there. The underground room is located at a depth of 9 m, has an area of 20 m 2 . Mostly state criminals were imprisoned here, who were very guilty. It is not known exactly, but it is believed that even the President of Dagestan R. Abdulatipov visited this fortress. The director of the tourist center has repeatedly suggested making their prison a stylized museum, but so far the idea has not materialized.
Secret
The fortress of Naryn-Kala (Derbent), whose history we examined, has its own secrets. In 960, an underground room was built here. It was located at a depth of 10 m underground. Its shape is a strict cross, clearly oriented to the cardinal points. Until now, no one can say for sure what this building was intended for. There are two main versions. The first - the room was a reservoir. According to the second version, the underground building was a Christian temple, which eventually went underground and was abandoned.
As for the ancient monuments of architecture, there is an amazing khan's office of the 18th century and a guardhouse.
Modernity
In 2003, the Naryn-Kala fortress (photo in the article), as well as the old part of Derbent and the surrounding fortifications, became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2013, the building known to us passed to the third round in the competition "Russia 10" according to the results of voting. It was held by the TV channel "Russia 1" and the Russian Geographical Society. According to the results of the competition, the fortress took 15th place among the main attractions of Russia.
The government plans to restore the fortress for the 2000th anniversary of the city, according to the decree of September 12, 2013. According to preliminary calculations, about 616 million rubles will be spent on the improvement of the territory and repair work.
Opening hours of the Naryn-Kala fortress: every day from 8 am to 5 pm. The architectural complex is an integral part of the Derbent Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.
There is one city in Dagestan that cannot be ignored while 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 centuries for 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 gates". The city is located at the crossroads of all trade routes on a narrow strip of land between the mountains and the sea. Erected in the VI century. Naryn-Kala fortress - further confirmed the name of the castle town.
At one time, countless peoples wanted to possess this tasty piece of land, but they managed to take Derbent only 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; numerous monuments of antiquity keep its memory. Today we will take a short walk around this quiet provincial town and admire the great buildings, some of which are under the protection of UNESCO.
Naryn-Kala Citadel
Of all the sights of Derbent, the citadel of Naryn-Kala is the brightest. It is located on a hill. The giant structure can be seen from almost every part of the city. Naryn-Kala was built in the VI century. during the reign of the Sasanian king Khosrov I Anushirvan. For many centuries it became the royal residence, military-political and cultural center. The citadel is so rich in sights that it deserves a separate post. Unfortunately, most of them are picturesque ruins.
The Naryn-Kala Citadel is the brightest sight of Derbent
On the territory of the complex you can see the ruins of the khan's palace, the office and the royal baths, find out how water was delivered to the fortress and where they were stored, how criminals were kept, visit the guardhouse, where in the 19th century. hosted the Russian garrison, and now hosts a huge model of the city of Derbent, wander along the walls and enjoy the fantastic panorama.
There are very ancient buildings on the territory of the citadel. For example, a cross-domed reservoir, which may have been the first Christian church on the territory of modern Russia (5th 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. to protect against nomadic raids. The northern wall was much stronger fortified than the southern one. The walls were 12 meters high and 2 to 4 meters wide. The total length was about 42 km. They stretched from east to west, went 500 meters straight into the waters of the Caspian Sea and climbed high into the mountains. It was impossible to bypass Dag-Bary, and that is how this building was called.
If the wall of Dag-Bary had survived to this day in its former glory, it could rightfully be called the “Great Caucasian Wall”. Unfortunately, it survived only in fragments, more than 2/3 of the original structure was lost.
The city of Derbent was previously located within 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 reinforced with watchtowers, which were located at a distance of 70 m from each other.
14 gates led inside the city, of which only 9 have survived. Of greatest interest are:
- Gate of Orta Capa(from Turk. - the middle gate). They were the main front entrance to the city from the south. On the facade from the outside of the gate you can see a water cannon with a figure 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 tool, it was enough to pour hot oil into the water cannon.
- bayat caps before the construction of the Cala Capa gate leading directly to the citadel, they were the first from the fortress. There is a Russian inscription on the gate: “Time destroyed me, obedience built me up. 1811". It was carved on the site of a pre-existing ancient Arabic inscription.
- Dug 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, went through these gates into the mountains, leaving their army to die from enemy attacks. Because of this, the Dag-Kaps are often referred to as the "Gate of Shame".
- Kyrkhlyar-kapy(from Turk. - the gate of forty) - the main front entrance to the city from the north. These are the most ancient gates of the city-fortress; they can be used to judge all the additions over the centuries. Initially, the gate led to the city necropolis.
Interesting fact! At the gates of Kyrkhlyar-Kapy, the townspeople 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. The residents were so amazed by the moment that they surrendered Derbent without a fight.
Magali
As in other cities of the Middle Ages, specialized quarters of artisans existed in Derbent. Such quarters were called mahals. Magals, in turn, were divided into quarters, and quarters into houses. Each magal had a rectangular shape, while 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. At the same time, each house, like walls built of shell rock, played the role of a kind of fortress.
From the 8th century Arab nobility and wealthy townspeople settled in mahals. Each of the quarters had its own magal administration.
Now the Old City 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 motor vehicles, no one bothers the locals to travel 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, besides, it is 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
Juma Mosque is not like traditional oriental mosques. It is elongated from east to west. Perhaps before the Arab invasion, the building was used as a Christian temple or other place of worship.
On a note! Everyone can visit the Juma Mosque in the city of Derbent, including people of a different faith. 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 the territory who will help you properly visit this holy place for Muslims, and possibly tell you about the foundations of your 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 save the building from natural disasters. The powerful root system of trees helps to remove excess moisture from the soil and serves as a "reinforcement" during earthquakes. Perhaps it is thanks to the natural giants that we can see this ancient monument almost unchanged.
Cemetery Kirchlyar
Outside the city walls, an ancient Muslim cemetery has been preserved. There are several graves here, which Muslims from all over Russia and neighboring countries come to worship. The burial place belongs to forty warriors, who in the 7th century. fell for the faith in a bloody battle with the Gentiles of the city of Derbent. Forty warrior-martyrs are considered martyrs (saints who fell 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 looked after. It is believed that the earth from the Kyrkhlyar cemetery has miraculous properties, it heals from the evil eye.
There is another very interesting object on the territory - a stone cradle. If a childless couple comes to the grave of forty martyrs and shakes the cradle, soon there will be a replenishment in the family.
Next to the graves of 40 martyrs, you can also see the mausoleum of Tutu-Bike. In general, for Derbent, the construction of mausoleums is more an exception than a rule. But this brave woman deserves special reverence.
Tutu-Bike was the wife of Fatali Khan, the ruler of Cuba and Derbent. In the absence of her husband, she took control of the city in 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 completed her prayer in the Juma Mosque, went out into the courtyard and killed the enemy leader with one blow of a 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
Preserved on the territory of Derbent and 3 medieval baths. A men's bathhouse dated from the 8th century, a maiden's bathhouse (XIIIth century) and a women's bathhouse (XVIIth century). Only the Maiden's Bath is open for inspection. The building now houses the Museum of Culture and Life of Ancient Derbent.
Women's bath XVII century.
It is noteworthy that the ladies' baths are divided into girls' and women's. It is not difficult to guess that only unmarried girls visited the first. In Derbent, there was a custom, for the last ablution before the wedding, the girl was brought to the bathhouse by her father. She washed here for the last time, talked with her unmarried friends. After bathing, no man before the wedding had the right to see the girl. At the wedding, the first person to be given this 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 it was noticed that a girl or woman was looking towards the bathhouse on a men's bathing day, both eyes were gouged out to her. But if a man allowed himself to look in the direction of the women's bath on a bath day, he lost one eye, because the second one 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. A 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 honored 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, in peace and harmony for centuries, not only different nationalities and cultures, but also religions have coexisted.
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 magical part of the Old City, in addition to the Juma Mosque, others were built at different times. Each mahal had its own mosque. Architectural monuments of federal significance have long been Kilisa Mosque and Bala Mosque. A mosque with a minaret (Minarya 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 of the Most Holy Theotokos. Located on Lenin street, almost in the center.
In the 19th century on the site of the modern Freedom Square, where you can now see the monument to Lenin, there was another Christian church - 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 XX century.
An architectural monument of world importance is also considered to be preserved in the territory of the city of Derbent. Armenian Church of the Holy Savior. It was built in the 19th century. Unfortunately, the church is currently closed. Inside there is an exposition of the Museum of Carpet and Decorative Arts.
At the beginning of the XX century. Jews made up a fairly large percentage of the population. 11 synagogues were opened in Derbent, today only one of them is functioning - “ Kele Numaz”, which in translation from the mountain-Jewish means “Great Synagogue”. The doors of the synagogue are always open for parishioners and guests.
House of A.A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky
In the 147th quarter of the 7th mahal, in the house No. 23, for 4 years from 1830 to 1834, the Decembrist writer A.A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky. For 4 years, the writer became "his own" among the locals. Under the influence of the Caucasus, many of his works were written, 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 exiled writer's house has been turned into a museum. Here, both authentic household items of Bestuzhev-Marlinsky and elements of household utensils typical of a Derbent house of the 19th century have been preserved.
The port in Derbent has been known since time immemorial. However, no historical chronicles mention the existence of a lighthouse in the city. The building that we can see between the parks of Kirov and Nizami in the central part of the city dates back to the middle of the 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, and merchant ships of both Russia and Persia could freely move across the sea in any direction. The lighthouse was first lit 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 your trip to the Republic of Dagestan. Will not leave indifferent and.
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Derbent fortress Naryn-Kala was built about one and a half thousand years ago. The exact date of its creation is unknown, but, according to some sources, it was built during the time of Alexander the Great, and with his direct participation.
Naryn-Kala in Persian means "Locked Gate". The fortress was built during the existence of the Sasanian state. But the Arabs managed to win this war and they were already completing the construction of the Naryn-Kala fortress.
The Derbent fortress has preserved a variety of architectural styles from different times, as the fortress was actively used in various confrontations, and, accordingly, its reconstruction or restructuring was carried out in accordance with the trends of the new time.
The fortress is located on a hill with a height of more than 300 meters, which has rocky sides in the northeastern section, which made it a more reliable defense. The citadel occupies an impressive area - more than 4 hectares. The height of the walls reaches 20 meters, and the thickness - up to 3.5. Tower-shaped ledges and two large towers are attached to them, the longitudinal section of which is a square. In total, there are 73 towers on the fortress, which were placed along the entire perimeter of the walls.
The fortress and most of the defensive buildings were made of stone of different breeds, thanks to which Naryn-Kala came to us in very good condition. Its purpose was, among other things, administrative - there was an underground prison, a court, and an office.
An interesting engineering solution of the fortress were two water reservoirs, which made it possible to store the most important liquid reserves for a long time, which, in turn, made the fortress much more durable in defense. Water from the spring was supplied to the reservoirs of the fortress with the help of metal and ceramic pipes, and it was possible to conquer the fortress several times only because one of the attackers guessed to add poison to the source, depriving the defenders of water.
Another of the outbuildings that ensured the improved viability of the fortress, one can note the baths, where there was cold and hot water, so that life here was even comfortable, and not just relatively safe.
In the fortress of Naryn-Kala, many interesting household items from different eras have been preserved - ceramics, tools, jewelry, even some jewelry stored in the museum of the fortress, which also works in the citadel. Active life in this area began in the Bronze Age, and in the Middle Ages Derbent was one of the key centers for the production of valuable madder dye and opium, which was even reflected in its old coat of arms. In those days, it was a completely legal occupation that brought huge profits to the city. Russia received the Naryn-Kala fortress of Derbent in the 19th century.
Derbent fortress Naryn-Kala was part of a system consisting of city walls, citadels, sea walls and mountain walls. Now this system, like most of the various architectural and landscape objects of Derbent and its environs, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is under state protection, and some parts of the fortress are being reconstructed.
In the Republic of Dagestan, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, not far from the border with Azerbaijan, there is one of the oldest cities in Russia - Derbent, in which the legendary Naryn-Kala citadel is located.
In 2003, the Citadel, the Old City 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 foundation of the fortress, "testimonies" also differ. 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 of our era by Shahinshah Khosrov Anushirvan l.
He also built the Great Caucasian Wall (Dag-bars), which started from the citadel and stretched for 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 from l to 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 century. 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 was 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 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 and the stairs, and some decorative elements.
On May 10, 1796, during the Russo-Persian War, the city was taken by Russian troops led by General V.A. Zubov.
In fact, Derbent passed into the citizenship of the Russian Empire in 1806, which was enshrined in the Gulistan Treaty with Persia in 1813.
Now the fortress has been turned into a large museum. For example, this building of the 19th century guardhouse houses an art gallery and a model of the city.
The building of the guardhouse itself is built of stone of the same texture as the rest of the buildings 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 through the fortress, sometimes you even forget whether you are inside or outside, as 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.
For clarity, here are examples of pipes and gutters that formed the plumbing system.
In the north-eastern part of the fortress there is a rectangular reservoir built approximately in the 11th century.
By the 2000th anniversary of Derbent, the fortress was reconstructed.
Because of what, many walls began to look completely new.
Even the color of the new masonry on a sunny day is slightly different.
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 the old drawings, in the Middle Ages the territory of the fortress was built up.
Now there is a feeling of relaxation in nature.
In contrast to the Old Town that lies below, it is very green within the walls of Naryn-kala.
The building of the khan's baths of the 16th-17th centuries of construction has been well preserved.
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 revealed.
Now the interiors of the baths are just masonry. Probably, in the Khan's times they were somehow decorated.
Well, part of the ceilings is completely absent, unable to withstand the struggle with time and people.
From above, khanki baths look like this.
And next to them grows a tree hung with ribbons.
We even managed to find blooming poppies on one of the walls of the bathhouse.
The higher you climb, the more you are amazed at the expanses of the Caspian Sea, smoothly turning into the sky.
And it is clear that ordinary multi-storey panel houses were built away from the center in the city.
Let's continue through the fortress...
In one of the corners there are collected gravestones.
Excavations have been carried out on which there are visible fragments of a water pipe and ancient masonry.
And here are the majestic walls themselves.
I could not 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 really impressive.
Excursion groups are simply lost against the backdrop of the walls of the fortress.
For more convenient defense, combat towers were made, as if protruding from the walls.
If you look closely, you can see the wall going towards the sea and the gates in it, through which the streets in the old city still pass.
Above the entrance to the citadel 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 Yermolov, who since 1816 was the tsar's governor in the Caucasus.
The Naryn-kala fortress is one of the most interesting monuments of the Middle Ages 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, Artyom Mochalov
