Derbent is the oldest city in Russia, at the same time; it is one of the most beautiful cities in the Caucasus. Many tourists consider Dagestan as an opportunity to travel to the mountains, but the historical sights of Derbent are of no less interest. Derbent is also developing as a resort on the shores of the Caspian Sea.
Derbent is a picturesque Caucasian city. It`s not just about its attractions, but about the general atmosphere on the narrow streets of the old quarters. The Naryn-Kala fortress, the fortress walls and the Juma Mosque were built in the 6th-8th centuries. The mosque and the fortress are the oldest in Russia. In 2003, they were included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.
Sights of Derbent
Almost all tourists begin their acquaintance with the sights of Derbent from the Naryn-Kala fortress, which towers over the city and locks the "Caspian Gate". The Naryn-Kala fortress, which has survived to this day, was built in the 6th century AD. This is the oldest fortress in Russia.
At the same time, the Fortress walls of Derbent (North and South) were built. At a distance of 300-350 meters from each other, they descend from the hill in parallel and stretch for 3.5 kilometers to the Caspian Sea. The northern wall of the 6th century has survived to the present day without alterations. From the Southern Wall, only a segment of 450 meters at the foot of the fortress has been preserved. The most well-maintained area where you can see the Northern Wall is located on Kerim Mamedbekov Street.
Magaly (microdistricts) of old Derbent is a maze of narrow streets. The oldest mosque in Russia, the Juma Mosque, is also located here. It was built in 733, a century after the advent of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula. Next to the mosque there is an interesting museum of Maiden baths.
In recent years, Derbent has been actively developing a tourist infrastructure and a comfortable urban space. In the north of the city, a well-maintained Breeze beach was opened. In front of it the Derbent Embankment was built. The recreation area was formed in Nizami Ganjavi Park and Suleiman Stalsky Park. Nearby is the pedestrian lane of Mirza Kazi-Bek, which was called "The Street of Happy People".
History of Derbent
Translated from local dialects, the word "Derbent" means "Closed gates". It is also called the "Caspian Gate". These expressions fully reflect the essence of the strategic place where Derbent is located. The Caucasus Mountains stretch for a thousand kilometers from the Azov Sea to the Caspian Sea. The Daryal Gorge is the only land passage through the Caucasian Ridge, however, it remained dangerous for trade caravans until the 19th century. Thus, trade between Northern Europe and Persia could only be conducted through the passage along the Caspian Sea.
Derbent is located in a place where the Caucasus Mountains approach the Caspian Sea by 3 kilometers. This is the narrowest passage between the mountains and the sea, where it was quite logical to found a fortress. It allowed controlling this very important trade route.
The first mention of Derbent can be found in the writings of the Greek geographer Hecateus of Miletus in the 6th century BC. The city around the fortress was formed later. In 2015, Derbent celebrated the 2000th anniversary of the founding of the city. Thus, the city of Derbent was founded in 15 AD.
Derbent is the oldest city on the territory of Russia, although in the years of its foundation it was not Russian. The oldest city founded by the Russians is considered to be Old Ladoga. It was founded in 753 AD.
All the strongest states of the region constantly fought for the possession of the "Caspian Gate": Persians, Arabs, Syrians, Romans, Byzantines, Georgians, Mongols, Turks, Russians. Control over the Naryn-Kala fortress gave them exceptional advantages, both in commercial and military terms.
In 1722, Derbent was conquered by the Russian tsar Peter I during the Caspian campaign. For some time there was a struggle between Russia and Iran for control of Derbent, but in 1806 its final annexation to the Russian Empire took place. At that time, the entire Transcaucasia became part of Russia.
