The Gunib Fortress is the main historical attraction of the Village of Gunib. Its construction began immediately after the capture of Imam Shamil in Gunib in 1859 and the end of the 40-year Caucasian war. The Russian governor decided to make Gunib a main military base in mountainous Dagestan. The local Avar population was evicted, and a powerful fortress was built in Gunib.
The Gunib fortress did not look like a medieval castle. This was not necessary, since the mountaineers called Gunib a "Natural fortress". You can get to the vast Gunib plateau only by a narrow road through Gunib. At the entrance to the Lower Gunib, the Baryatinsky Gate was built, which could be easily defended in case of danger. If the enemies broke through the Baryatinsky Gate, the soldiers could retreat up to the Shamil Gate. They blocked the entrance to the Gunib Plateau.
From the Shamil Gate, a fortress wall stretches up the slope, which ends with a round tower at the top of the stone ridge. In the understanding of tourists, this wall is a Gunib fortress, but this is not entirely correct. This wall only covered the Gunni Plateau from above, which is a Natural Fortress.
The Upper Gunib Botanical Garden, Tsar’s Glade, Gunib Waterfall and Shamil`s Gazebo are now located on the territory of the Gunib Natural Fortress. It will take a whole day to explore these sights, especially if you decide to climb up to the top of Mount Mayak (2352 meters). It offers very beautiful views of the mountainous regions of Dagestan.
In 1871, by the arrival of Emperor Alexander II in Gunib, a tunnel was cut in the Gunib plateau so that a second exit appeared from it. This was done because of the superstition that the emperor should not take the same road twice during trips. The tunnel has survived to this day, and now it is called the Imperial Trail. Along it, from the Gunib plateau, you can get to the Karadakh Gorge.
