Rekom Sanctuary in the Tsey gorge

The Rekom Sanctuary is located in the Tsey Gorge at the foot of Mount Monk (2990 m).  At this point, the rivers Tseydon and Skazdon merge, forming the famous Tsey Horseshoe. The sanctuary is located above the bed of the Tseydon River. At a short distance from each other there are three sanctuaries: one male and two female. 

The Rekom Sanctuary is located in a glade behind a fence of stones. On the north side, a dense pine forest rises above the Sanctuary. From the south side there is a picturesque view of Mount Monk and the Kalperovsky mountain range.  

In the past centuries, access to the Tsey Gorge was limited, and it was impossible to settle here. Then there were several sanctuaries dedicated to the Alan gods in the gorge. Alans are the ancestors of Ossetians. They converted to Christianity in the 10th century. However, the Ossetians still worship the ancient gods as a tribute to ancient traditions.  

Such sanctuaries are only a place of storage of ritual attributes. Skulls of ritual animals are displayed on the shelves. Ossetians have always prayed in the open air, barefoot and bareheaded. The ritual feasts are held during the pray. Men also perform a ritual dance-pray Simd.  

The door to the Sanctuary Rekom is opened only twice a year. Only Ossetian men can enter the Rekom sanctuary for holidays: the men`s holiday Kehtsgenen, which is celebrated in June and Khorybon, the harvest holiday in March. According to Ossetian beliefs, passage inside the stone fence of the Rekom Sanctuary is prohibited. We urge tourists not to violate these customs.

Women are also prohibited from entering the stone fence of Rekom, but they can observe the rituals from special sites located nearby. There are two small sanctuaries near the Men’s Rekom: one for women and the second for girls. 

The Rekom sanctuary, which we see now, was built in 1995 in compliance with all traditions. It is made of logs without the use of nails. The ancient Rekom Sanctuary was built in the 15th century, and possibly earlier. It was built of larch, which is not susceptible to rot, but in 1995 it was struck by lightning and it burned down.