Village of Tsmiti

The ancient Village of Tsmiti is located on the western bank of the Fiagdon River in the Kurtatinsky gorge. This gorge became one of the main places of residence of the ancient Alan people, who, due to the invasion of the Mongol-Tatar troops in 1221, were forced to move to the mountain gorges. The Alans are the ancestors of the Ossetian people. 

The village of Tsmiti was founded in the 14th century by the military commander Tsmiti, who served the last Alan king Os-Bagatar. It is located on a high mountain slope above the village of Upper Fiagdon. Several houses have been preserved in Tsmiti, where people still live, but in general, Tsmiti is an archaeological complex of ancient residential and defensive towers, fortified walls and necropolis.  

The tombs of the City of the Dead Tsmiti are similar to the City of the Dead Dargavs, which is located 15 kilometers from Tsmiti, in a nearby gorge. These necropolises of ancient Ossetia are protected by the state as cultural monuments not only at the republican, but also at the all-Russian level.  

Most of the tombs, battle towers and fortress walls of the Village of Tsmiti date back to the 13th-14th century. This village is clearly visible from the neighboring slopes of the mountains. From there it can be seen that in the Middle Ages Tsmiti was the most fortified village of the Kurtatinsky gorge.