Ruins of the Karadakh fortress

The ruins of the Karadakh fortress are located in the Valley of the Avar Koysu River in the village of Karadakh. 3 kilometers from them is the Karadakh Gorge, one of the most famous sights of mountainous Dagestan. The Karadakh fortress does not attract anyone, since only ruins have been preserved from it, but if it is reconstructed, it could become an interesting location for tourists. 

Now the Avar Koysu River in Karadakh village can be crossed by a high bridge, but in the 19th century, 50 meters to the east, there was the only arch bridge in these parts, which was of strategic importance. The Avar Koisu River is the most important waterway of mountainous Dagestan and the Karadakh fortress was built in the 1860s to control the bridge over the river. The ruins of this bridge have also been preserved, they are clearly visible from the high bridge.

After the end of the Caucasian War in 1859, the tsarist authorities began the construction of several fortresses. They housed military garrisons and weapons depots that could be used to suppress uprisings. However, Dagestanis preferred a peaceful life after 40 years of war and there were no uprisings.

The largest fortress was built in Khunzakh in 1867. Previously, it was called the Arani fortress (after the village of Arani), but now it is more often called the Khunzakh fortress. In the village of Gunib, a Gunib fortress was built on the slope of the Lighthouse Mountain. The Karadakh fortress was also built in the 1860s, and it was a fortified fort over the bridge over the Avar Koysu River.

The Karadakh fortress is located on a hill above the narrowest point of the Avar Koisu riverbed, where the water flow made a passage in the rocks 10 meters wide. There was a powerful tower in the fortress from the side of village of Karadakh, and next to it there was a fortified barracks for a battalion of soldiers with loopholes for rifle shooting.

In Soviet times, the fortress building was used as a farm for cows. It was gradually destroyed and now it is impossible to use it even as a stable for livestock. However, the ruins of both the fortress and the arched bridge look like historical landmarks and the Karadakh administration should think about restoring them in order to place a museum there. It would certainly attract tourists who come to the Karadakh gorge in large numbers.