Derbent District: Oak Forest, Springs and History

In Derbent District, travel ideas range from an oak forest near Jalgan to historic memorial sites in Nyugdi, Gedzhukh and Kommuna. Hot springs described as having healing properties add to the picture. The wider Republic of Dagestan offers further architectural and landscape themes. If you are planning your trip together, you can first decide whether nature, archaeological traces or larger fortifications should take centre stage.

History in Nyugdi, Gedzhukh and Kommuna

The Armenian Church of St. Grigoris stands in Nyugdi. It was built in memory of events in the 4th century. The wine cellars at the winery in Gedzhukh were built in the 1860s on the orders of Count Illarion Ivanovich Vorontsov-Dashkov. Both places connect the district’s history with specific buildings whose backgrounds span different eras.

The Rubas Wall is also part of the area’s history: fragments of it were described by travellers as early as the 17th and 18th centuries. A separate point in time is February 2014. At that time, the remains of an old structure were discovered in the Rubas River valley, where it meets the coastal plain near the village of Kommuna. The remains were covered by river silt deposits. The discovery and the earlier descriptions are distinct historical accounts; together, they are a reminder not to reduce the district’s traces to a single structure or era.

Oak forest and hot springs

Near the village of Jalgan lies Petrovskaya Roscha, an oak forest with old and young trees. The description of the trees draws attention to a landscape quite different from the historic buildings. Hot springs are associated with the settlements of Berekey and Belidji and are described as having healing properties. This description is not a statement about any medical effects; it is part of the springs’ traditional designation. Together, the forest and springs represent two distinct natural themes of Derbent District.

Cultural history in the Republic of Dagestan

The wider travel destination of the Republic of Dagestan also includes the cultural sites of Derbent. The citadel contains archaeological remains of a bathhouse, several underground water cisterns, a Christian church dating to the 5th century and a mosque dating to the 8th century. Steep slopes surround the citadel on three sides. Its massive stone walls are 2.5 to 3.2 metres thick, more than 700 metres long and 10 to 15 metres high. Nine of the fortification’s original 14 gates remain.

The fortifications of Derbent and the medieval buildings of the old town, the Magalims, form a cultural landscape. The mountain wall runs 40 kilometres westward across the mountains, completely blocking the pass between the sea and the mountains. These dimensions set a different scale from the individual historic sites in Derbent District and give the Republic of Dagestan’s cultural history a focus of its own.

Landscapes and experiences in the wider travel destination

The landscapes of the Republic of Dagestan offer a range of different perspectives. Tobot Waterfall lies at an altitude of 1,690 metres, at the beginning of Tsolotl Canyon on the Khunzakh Plateau, and is one of the highest waterfalls in the North Caucasus. Its exact drop is unknown; estimates range from 50 to 100 metres. It has its greatest flow from May to July and freezes into a large icicle in winter. The Mountain Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the Upper Gunib Nature Park features rare and endemic plant species of the Caucasus and Dagestan.

For a different kind of discovery, the Shamil Gates in Gunib follow a three-kilometre-long fortress wall to a tower. At the Sarykum Dune, metal walkways lead onto the dune, and a hiking trail is named the “Path of the Wise Tortoise.” Not all of the dune is accessible to visitors, so check the current visitor rules before your visit. Visitors can walk through the unusual rocky corridor of the Karadakh Gorge. On an excursion to the Chirkey Hydroelectric Power Plant, they can stand at the foot of the dam.

Choosing your accommodation focus

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Derbent District, you can first decide whether its local themes of oak forest, springs and history suit your travel interests. If your plans include other places in the Republic of Dagestan, the region’s fortifications and landscapes offer additional themes.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Khazar, Makhachkala City, Buynaksk, Gunib District, Kizlyar District.

Go to the wider travel overview: Republic of Dagestan.