Usually Russia stays out of scope of my travelling posts. This time Dagestan changed this tradition.
Dagestan appeared in sight of my camera because of Derbent with it’s ancient fortress.
GPS coordinates Garmin/Navitel: N42.052414, E48.275243
Admission time: summer 09:00 – 18:00, winter 10:00 – 16:00
Derbent claims to be the one of the oldest cities in Russia and the World. Since antiquity, the value of the area as the gate to the Caucasus has been understood, and Derbent has archaeological structures over 5,000 years old. As a result of this geographic particularity, the city developed between two walls, stretching from the mountains to the sea. These fortifications were continuously employed for a millennium and a half, longer than any other extant fortress in the world. Over the years, different nations gave the city different names, but all connected to the word gate; its name in Persian is Darband, which means “closed gates”.
The fortress is quite beautiful inside and outside. You have to pay for the entrance, but it is quite cheap. I also advise you to take a guide. He can tell many interesting things about the fortress and the city.
The territory of “Naryn-Kala” fortress contains ancient buildings (bath-houses, water reservoirs, houses for servants, palace and jail ruins) and beautiful plants.
The fortress wall surrounds city centre. It is very long. It goes deep in the sea in order to protect the city from the sea side.
Most of Russian sights are seriously protected from photographers – you won’t find a perspective without cables or wires in camera viewfinder. 😀
After a short walk, we’re moving forward.
To mountains.
Somebody forgot to cut the grass 😀
And finally we’re moving to Azerbaijan. This river is a natural border between Azerbaijan and Russia.
