Kurtatinsky gorge. Upper Fiagdon village
Kurtatinsky gorge is one of the most beautiful gorges in North Ossetia. Passes along the river Fiagdon. Sometimes the gorge is called Fiagdonsky, after the name of the river. Almost everywhere along the road you can see this mountain river.
Located not far from Vladikavkaz, the gorge is a favorite vacation spot for residents of the capital of North Ossetia. High mountains and a large number of attractions attract many tourists here. The beautiful nature of these places is mesmerizing.
The road through the gorge is very winding. Pines and beeches come close to the road. Many different trees grow here, but the most common is beech. If you direct your gaze above the roadbed, it seems that we are sailing on a green sea, in which, instead of water, the foliage of trees.
When planning a route, independently focus on the village of Upper Fiagdon, located 50 kilometers from Vladikavkaz. Often Upper Fiagdon is simply called Fiagdon. But this is not true. Fiagdon is a completely different settlement, located 22 kilometers from Vladikavkaz. Not often, but they get confused in the names and when they arrive in Fiagdon, instead of mountains, they see a plain.
Upper Fiagdon village. Located at an altitude of about 1300 meters above sea level. Approximately 1100 people live here. This is the most visited by tourists settlement in North Ossetia, of course, after Vladikavkaz.
Tourists are interested in impregnable mountains and various sights.
To see the beauty of nature and mountains, you can simply drive through the gorge. The road here is pretty good. It is better to see sights with a guided tour, it will be difficult to find all the artifacts of antiquity on your own. And there is something to see here.
Clouds are often visible on mountain peaks. In the Caucasus, this is a common occurrence.
The height of the mountains, the peaks of which are covered with snow all year round, is usually higher than 3000 meters above sea level. Although in some places in the Caucasus, the eternal snow cover may be lower.
Of the sights that can be seen in the gorge, the Kadargavan canyon fascinates. It's not hard to find it on your own. Located 5 kilometers before reaching the Upper Fiagdon. Here, the Fiagdon River cut a narrow five-meter crevice in the mountain range, 60 meters deep.
There are fortresses built on the slopes of mountains. And from the road at a high altitude you can see the entrances to the caves.
In ancient times, the gorge was a narrow path along the river. But already in the 19th and 20th centuries, the path was widened and a road was laid. People have lived here for many centuries and for them the mountains have always been a fortress.
In the village of Dzivgis, a fortress was preserved on the slope of the mountain, which blocked the way for the enemy troops. The fortress consists of 6 caves and stone fortifications attached to them. Removable stairs, which were removed when enemy units approached, made the fortress impregnable.
Several hundred fighters could hide in the caves, who from a height could hit the enemy with stones and arrows.
This place is a must visit. You can go to the fortress on your own, but it is better with a guide who will show you how to get there faster.
A good paved road made the gorge easily accessible.
There are gorges in North Ossetia, which are much more difficult to navigate. For example, the Upper Gorge, which branches off from Digorsky and leads to the ancient city of Galiat. I have a video on the channel about the Digorskoe and Upper Gorges.
Rocks hang over the road in places. Sometimes it seems that the road is blocked by mountains. One side of the gorge is steeper, the other is gently sloping and in some places covered with forest.
In some places, the width of the gorge is narrow, no more than 20 meters. Only the road and the river fit here. In such places, defensive structures were built, provided that it was impossible to get around them in the mountains. The remains of the rock fortress are also in the Alagir Gorge.
The entire Kurtatinsky gorge, together with the interesting places surrounding it, cannot be explored in one day. A few kilometers from the Upper Fiagdon there is the highest Alani Holy Dormition Monastery.
15 kilometers from Upper Fiagdon is the Dargav historical and ethnographic complex City of the Dead, which is a branch of the National Museum. The City of the Dead can also be reached from the Karmadon Gorge.
Kurtatinsky gorge, I am sure, will give you many of the most vivid impressions.
But this is not the only gorge in North Ossetia. If possible, then visit Karmadon (it is sometimes called Genaldon), Alagir (this is Transkam, or Ardon), Tsey, Digor, Upper Gorges, Daryal (Georgian Military Highway).
A brief description of the gorges is given in the article at the link https://blagoustroystvo-doma.ru/dosto...
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