The Naryn-Kala Fortress (Dagestan) is the hallmark of the city of Derbent. This citadel was included in the honorary list of UNESCO as a historical and cultural monument of world importance. The walls, gates and towers of the defensive complex have survived to this day. Inside the fortress there are water cisterns and reservoirs, baths, a cross-domed church and the Juma mosque. These last two temples are the oldest on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Scientists are still debating how old Naryn-Kale is. The earliest constructions of the fortress date back to the sixth century, and the latest to the fifteenth. Let's take a virtual tour of this ancient fortification.
Naryn-Kala fortress: history
The city of Derbent itself is more than five thousand years old. It is believed that the citadel, called Naryn-Kala, that is, the Solar Fortress, was built by Shah Kavad in the sixth century. His son, Khosrov the First Anushirvan, continued his father's work and erected a fortress wall blocking the passage between the Caucasus and the Caspian. It is believed that its length was forty kilometers. The wall went into the sea, thereby blockingthe way for the barbarians from the north through shallow water and providing the defenders of the citadel with a convenient port. But all these buildings belong to the pre-Arab period of the early Middle Ages. And modern archaeological research has discovered that on the territory of the fortress of Naryn-Kala (Derbent), there was an older settlement surrounded by a wall of raw brick. It dates from the reign of Yazdegerd II (438-457) and belongs to the late Albanian-Sarmatian and Sasanian periods. But that's not all. Raw bricks were laid on a stone plinth. Apparently, this masonry belongs to the defensive walls of Derbent, which existed five thousand years ago.
Where and why was Naryn-Kala built
In the early Middle Ages, the Persian state was constantly subjected to raids by barbarian nomads from the steppes near the Volga delta. Therefore, it was decided to block the so-called Caspian Gates between the spurs of the Dzhalgan Range and the sea. The resistant and reliable brickwork of thick and high walls was impregnable for the weapons of those times. But even later, the Naryn-Kala fortress withstood many sieges. After all, the terrain helped the defenders. On three sides, the slopes of the hill on which the citadel rises are very steep.
The fort, unlike previous fortified complexes, was not a settlement. It stood at some distance from Derbent and was inhabited by guards guarding the narrow passage. But the fortress was also the residence of marzpans - Iranian governors. Therefore, it soon became an important administrative, commercial and cultural center.
Powerful citadel
Until now, people are amazed by the defensive ability of the fortress. Its shape is dictated by the contours of the relief. The Naryn-Kala fortress is an irregular polygon, outlined by walls three meters thick. The builders used lime mortar and stone blocks for soldering. The height of these walls is ten to twelve meters. There are towers along the perimeter - at a distance of about 20-30 m from each other. The area of the fortress is four and a half hectares. In the southwestern end of the stronghold there is a square tower, which is a lintel with the Dag-bara wall, which closes the "Caspian passage". One part of it went to the sea, and the other to the mountains. There are four courtyards at different levels of the fortress. From the side of Derbent, the citadel guarded a very steep mountainside. So the stronghold could only be taken with artillery. What happened in 1796, during the Russian-Persian war.
Internal buildings of Naryn-Kala fortress
The citadel guarding the northern borders of Persia was prepared for a possible long siege. For an autonomous water supply system, underground channels were built leading from mountain springs to stone reservoirs inside the fortress. One of these tanks was … the Christian church. This cross-domed building was erected in the fourth or fifth century. Later it was used as a temple of fire worshipers - Zoroastrians. When Islam established itself on these lands, the building was abandoned. She gradually went underground and began to be used as a reservoir for storing water. Paradoxically,but thanks to this, the church has survived to our time. This is the oldest Christian church in Russia.
Juma Mosque belongs to the medieval monuments of architecture. It is also the oldest in Russia. Its construction dates back to the eighth century. But in the following centuries the building was rebuilt several times. In the fifteenth century, a madrasah was erected in front of the mosque. I was in the citadel of Naryn-Kala (Derbent) and the Shah's palace. But he came to us in ruins.
Buildings of the New Age on the territory of Naryn-Kala
The fortress, and with it the city, did not lose their strategic importance even at the end of the Middle Ages. The Derbent khans settled in the citadel. They turned the Naryn-Kala fortress into their residence. The Shah's palace was abandoned, but new khan's chambers were erected on the territory of the citadel in the eighteenth century (during the reign of Fet-Ali). In addition, the complex was replenished with administrative buildings. These are zindan (prison cellars), divan-khana (office). The remains of Derbent rulers rest in mausoleums here.
Khan's baths (XVI-XVII centuries) have also been preserved. The guardhouse belongs to the Russian buildings of the nineteenth century. Now this building houses the art gallery of Derbent.
Archaeological excavations
In the twentieth century, historians began to work on the territory of the fortress in order to establish the true age of Naryn-Kala. Of course, the construction of the citadel and the erection of the defensive wall of the Dag-bara, which closes the Derbent passage, belong to the sixthcentenary. But archaeological research has extended the age of the settlement back into the depths of centuries. It turns out that as early as the eighth century BC there was a fortified settlement. Stratigraphy of cultural layers indicates that it experienced a difficult history. The alternations of ash testify that the graying has experienced many fires. But the place on the top of the hill, on which the Naryn-Kala fortress now stands, has never been empty. Control over the passage between the Caspian and the Caucasus has always been important in military and commercial relations. The settlement grew steadily and developed until the Sassanian infiltration.
Open Air Museum
In 1989, the State Historical and Architectural Reserve was established. It includes the ancient districts of the city of Derbent and the museum complex "Naryn-Kala Citadel". The protected zone covers 2044 hectares. On such a vast territory there are about two hundred and fifty monuments of culture and history. These are public and residential buildings, Christian and Muslim temples, archaeological artifacts recovered by excavations. But not only the citadel is interesting for tourists. Worth a visit to the Old City. Derbent, whose name is translated from Persian as “Locked Gates”, has always been inextricably linked with its fortress. In 2003, the UNESCO Committee included this entire historical and architectural complex in the World Heritage List of mankind. And in 2013, according to the results of a vote among the citizens of Russia, the Derbent fortress took fifteenth place among the most famous and iconic sights.our country.
Naryn-Kala: excursion
What should a tourist visit the citadel on his own? A fragment of the Khan's palace of the eighteenth century is open for viewing. It will also be interesting to look at the baths. This semi-basement structure is divided inside into two vast halls. They are adjoined by several small rooms with vaulted roofs. The Zindan underground prison is also worth a visit. This structure, eleven meters deep, has the shape of a jug. The sloping walls made it impossible for the prisoners to climb up. The most beautiful of all the gates of the fortress are Orta-Kala in the southern wall. You should also familiarize yourself with the water supply system of the citadel. Stone and ceramic pipes have been preserved. And in Derbent itself, residents still take water from the Khaibulakh and Dgiarchi-bulakh fountains, which is supplied from mountain springs through an old aqueduct. And of course, you can't leave the citadel without visiting the Juma Mosque and the ancient Christian temple.
