Download on the Appstore
Brief.
Curated.
Every day.
Download on the Appstore Get it on Google play

Download RBTH Daily app for free to be up to date with what’s new in Russia. Get a fresh and brief digest every day.

Follow the link to learn more
Russia Beyond The Headlines
RBTH RBTH RBTH RBTH RBTH RBTH RBTH RBTH RBTH
The field exploitation in the Caspian Sea When faith overcomes superstitions

Mountainious North Ossetia invites tourists

By Gazeta Russa
Two major highways across the Caucasus pass through Ossetia: the Georgian and Ossetian military highways, which were built in the 19th century during the Russian conquest of the Caucasus. Construction began in the late 20th century on a new all-weather highway. Vladikavkaz is also linked by highways with Grozny (Chechnya) and the Caspian and with Rostov-na-Donu.
Scroll down to see more

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

Two major highways across the Caucasus pass through Ossetia: the Georgian and Ossetian military highways, which were built in the 19th century during the Russian conquest of the Caucasus. Construction began in the late 20th century on a new all-weather highway. Vladikavkaz is also linked by highways with Grozny (Chechnya) and the Caspian and with Rostov-na-Donu.
Ossetians are very hospitable people and are generally well open to foreigners. But still this is a traditional and conservative society. Ossetes are very proud of their own culture and language, and may act defensive if someone speaks out against their customs or implement undesirable reforms in their common way of life.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

Ossetians are very hospitable people and are generally well open to foreigners. But still this is a traditional and conservative society. Ossetes are very proud of their own culture and language, and may act defensive if someone speaks out against their customs or implement undesirable reforms in their common way of life.
Someday, someone will blaze a trail to the Midagrabinsk waterfalls in Dargav gorge. One of the waterfalls is the third-highest in Europe. Water rushes down from the glacier in 200-metre steps.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

Someday, someone will blaze a trail to the Midagrabinsk waterfalls in Dargav gorge. One of the waterfalls is the third-highest in Europe. Water rushes down from the glacier in 200-metre steps.
Vakats is a densely populated town by local standards. Artur, a local jack-of-all-trades, believes that there is hope for developing a tourism industry in the area.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

Vakats is a densely populated town by local standards. Artur, a local jack-of-all-trades, believes that there is hope for developing a tourism industry in the area.
It was clear from the beginning that any plan for developing tourism in North Ossetia had to begin with the mountains. All Ossetians can trace their roots to some mountain village. They can name not only the village, but also describe the family shrine and the fate of six generations of their families. Everybody knows everybody else here.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

It was clear from the beginning that any plan for developing tourism in North Ossetia had to begin with the mountains. All Ossetians can trace their roots to some mountain village. They can name not only the village, but also describe the family shrine and the fate of six generations of their families. Everybody knows everybody else here.
"In 2006, I was the first one to take a tour of mountain villages in the Caucasus. I started making contracts with house owners, worked out routes together with Ardz association specialists. We came up with recreation plans and safety procedures - guidelines for incoming tourists." - he says.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

"In 2006, I was the first one to take a tour of mountain villages in the Caucasus. I started making contracts with house owners, worked out routes together with Ardz association specialists. We came up with recreation plans and safety procedures - guidelines for incoming tourists." - he says.
"You come to a village and see a magnificent ancient tower there - a few rooms, a large yard, several outbuildings behind the tower, with ancient tools scattered around. You could turn it into a museum!" - says the chairman of the local tourism committee Valery Torchinov.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

"You come to a village and see a magnificent ancient tower there - a few rooms, a large yard, several outbuildings behind the tower, with ancient tools scattered around. You could turn it into a museum!" - says the chairman of the local tourism committee Valery Torchinov.
There are nearly 3000 historical monuments in the republic and more than half of its area is occupied by Alania National Park and the North Ossetia National Preserve.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

There are nearly 3000 historical monuments in the republic and more than half of its area is occupied by Alania National Park and the North Ossetia National Preserve.
Besides providing the basis for health spas, these mineral waters also have the potential to be bottled and sold. North Ossetian mineral waters are known for their unique qualities, as well as special mineral composition.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

Besides providing the basis for health spas, these mineral waters also have the potential to be bottled and sold. North Ossetian mineral waters are known for their unique qualities, as well as special mineral composition.
Though certain steps are made to develop the tourist industry. Projects under a program for spa, resort, and tourism development have been successfully implemented in the mountainous part of the republic, according to the head of the regional government. There are more than 250 therapeutic, mineral, and freshwater springs in the republic with estimated daily reserves of 15,000 cubic meters.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

Though certain steps are made to develop the tourist industry. Projects under a program for spa, resort, and tourism development have been successfully implemented in the mountainous part of the republic, according to the head of the regional government. There are more than 250 therapeutic, mineral, and freshwater springs in the republic with estimated daily reserves of 15,000 cubic meters.
The proximity to Chechnya and some other regions sometimes discourage tourists for traveling in North Ossetia.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

The proximity to Chechnya and some other regions sometimes discourage tourists for traveling in North Ossetia.
Russian colonization began in the northern Ossetian area especially after the establishment of the fortress of Vladikavkaz in 1784. However the Ossetians succeeded to preserve their customs with regard to the local food, arts, crafts and the authentic construction.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

Russian colonization began in the northern Ossetian area especially after the establishment of the fortress of Vladikavkaz in 1784. However the Ossetians succeeded to preserve their customs with regard to the local food, arts, crafts and the authentic construction.
Ethnic Ossetians and Russians make up most of the population of North Ossetia. Russian influence in the area increased in the 18th century with the founding of a military outpost at Vladikavkaz.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

Ethnic Ossetians and Russians make up most of the population of North Ossetia. Russian influence in the area increased in the 18th century with the founding of a military outpost at Vladikavkaz.
The dispute between the Ossetian subgroups and the Georgian-Ossetian conflict made the Ossetian intellectuals search for a new inclusive ethnic name. That led to the popularization of the toponym "Alania", the name of the medieval Sarmatian confederation, to which the Ossetians traced their origin, as well as to the inclusion of this name into the official republican title of North Ossetia in 1994.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

The dispute between the Ossetian subgroups and the Georgian-Ossetian conflict made the Ossetian intellectuals search for a new inclusive ethnic name. That led to the popularization of the toponym "Alania", the name of the medieval Sarmatian confederation, to which the Ossetians traced their origin, as well as to the inclusion of this name into the official republican title of North Ossetia in 1994.
The Ossetes are an Iranian ethnic group who speak Ossete, a language related to Farsi. Pictured are the petroglyphs (also called rock engravings) - pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

The Ossetes are an Iranian ethnic group who speak Ossete, a language related to Farsi. Pictured are the petroglyphs (also called rock engravings) - pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading.
A lot of rivers flow across the territory of Northern Ossetia. North Ossetia Republic is mountainous region with the largest river of Terek.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

A lot of rivers flow across the territory of Northern Ossetia. North Ossetia Republic is mountainous region with the largest river of Terek.
North Ossetia is mountainous, with the Glavny (Main) Range reaching 15,682 feet (4,780 metres) at Mount Dzhimara and other peaks in the republic reaching more than 14,000 feet (4,250 metres).

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

North Ossetia is mountainous, with the Glavny (Main) Range reaching 15,682 feet (4,780 metres) at Mount Dzhimara and other peaks in the republic reaching more than 14,000 feet (4,250 metres).
North Ossetia-Alania is a republic within the Russian Caucasus bordering Kabardino-Balkaria to the west, Stavropol Krai to the north, Chechnya and Ingushetia to the east, and Georgia to the south.

Anton Agarkov / Strana.ru

North Ossetia-Alania is a republic within the Russian Caucasus bordering Kabardino-Balkaria to the west, Stavropol Krai to the north, Chechnya and Ingushetia to the east, and Georgia to the south.
Print page
August 23, 2012
Tags: history, tourism, customs

Related articles

Read more

+
Like us on Facebook