Vladikavkaz

The capital of North Ossetia on the Terek River and northern end of the Georgian Military Road, with Dargavs' City of the Dead and the dramatic mountain scenery of the Kurtatin Gorge nearby.

Vladikavkaz is the capital of the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania in Russia, set at the northern foot of the Greater Caucasus where the Terek River leaves the mountains. Founded in 1784 as a Russian fortress, its name means "ruler of the Caucasus". It is also the northern starting point of the Georgian Military Road, about 30 km north of the Upper Lars checkpoint on the Russia–Georgia border. The city is compact, centred on Prospekt Mira, a pedestrian street lined with 19th-century buildings and cafés; the Mukhtarov Mosque on the banks of the Terek is the city's landmark, and on clear days you can see the snowy peak of Kazbek to the south. Kosta Khetagurov's grave at the Ossetian Church and the National Museum offer an introduction to Ossetian culture. The real highlights are in the mountains to the south: to the southeast, the Karmadon–Dargavs–Kurtatin loop links the tomb houses of the City of the Dead, the Midagrabin waterfalls, the Dzivgis cave fortress, the Kadargavan Canyon and the Alan Monastery, making it the classic day trip; to the west, the Transcaucasian Highway runs via Alagir into the Alagir Gorge, where you can see the Uastyrdzhi equestrian statue and the small Nuzal Chapel, and ride the cable car in the Tsey Gorge to view glaciers—worth another day or an overnight stay. The best season is Jun–Sep, when mountain roads are clear and the waterfalls are at their fullest; October brings beautiful autumn colours, but temperatures in the mountains start to drop; in winter some mountain roads are snowbound, and there's skiing at Tsey. Vladikavkaz (Beslan) Airport has flights to and from Moscow and is about 25 km from the city; public transport to mountain sights is scarce, so hire a car with driver, join a local jeep tour or drive yourself. Plan on 2–3 days. Note: check the security situation in the North Caucasus and your government's travel advisories before you go; mobile signal is patchy in the mountains, and crossing into Georgia must be done via the Upper Lars checkpoint. Don't miss Ossetian pies.

Top sights

• Dargavs City of the Dead – An ancient Ossetian necropolis of nearly a hundred white stone tombs with pointed roofs on a mountainside, known as the most striking “City…
• Kurtatin Gorge (Fiagdon Valley) – A high-mountain gorge carved by the Fiagdon River, linking medieval towers, cliffside villages and a monastery, and North Ossetia's classic…
• Midagrabin Waterfalls (Zeygalan) – Glacial meltwater plunges from cliffs hundreds of metres high, and the Zeygalan Falls, with a drop of about 600 metres or more, are said to…
• Tsey Gorge – A pine-covered high-mountain gorge and resort area where you can ride a cable car up for views of the Skhara Glacier, the mountain getaway…
• Prospekt Mira – Vladikavkaz's pedestrian main street, lined with 19th-century buildings, cafés and museums, with Mount Kazbek visible in the distance
• Dzivgis Cave Fortress – A medieval fortress with stone walls set in a cliff cave, overlooking the Fiagdon River valley, and the most distinctive historic site in K…
• Kadargavan Canyon – A narrow rift more than 60 metres deep and only 2–3 metres wide at its narrowest, carved by the Fiagdon River, viewed closely along the 'Mi…
• Alanian Assumption Monastery – An Orthodox monastery built by the river deep in Kurtatin Gorge, with white stone walls and red roofs set against the cliffs, a popular sto…
• Karmadon Gorge & Bodrov Memorial – A gorge where the 2002 collapse of the Kolka Glacier buried a film crew; the 'bottleneck' cliffs and the memorial are deeply moving.
• Rekom Sanctuary – A wooden ancient sanctuary in the pine forest of Tsey Gorge, one of the most important sacred sites of traditional Ossetian belief.
• Uastyrdzhi Monument – A giant bronze statue of the war god on horseback bursting out of a cliff, suspended above the Alagir Gorge road, a landmark of the Transka…
• Nuzal Chapel – A small medieval stone chapel in the Alagir Gorge, home to rare frescoes and traditionally believed to be a burial place of Alano-Georgian…
• Mukhtarov Mosque – A blue-and-white mosque on the banks of the Terek River, built in 1908 with funds from a Baku oil magnate, and the city's most famous landm…
• Ossetian Church & Kosta Khetagurov's Grave – One of the city's oldest churches, where the Ossetian national poet Kosta Khetagurov is buried in its courtyard, revered as a national shri…
• National Museum of North Ossetia – A comprehensive museum showcasing the history of the Alans and Ossetians, with Koban culture bronzes, folk costumes, and everyday objects.
• Kosta Khetagurov House Museum – The small courtyard where Ossetian national poet Kosta Khetagurov lived in his later years, displaying manuscripts, paintings, and everyday…
• Armenian Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator – An Armenian Apostolic church completed in 1868, with an elegant stone exterior that reflects the city's multi-faith heritage.
• St. George Cathedral – A newly built cathedral dedicated to St. George, the patron saint of Ossetia, with white walls and golden domes; the center of the Orthodox…

Where to eat

• Fyddzhynta Pie House – An affordable Ossetian pie house with a Soviet canteen feel. It has the highest rating and the most reviews of any pie…
• Kona Ethnic Restaurant – An Ossetian restaurant that doubles as a folk museum, serving pies, cheese porridge (dzykka) and traditional soups.
• Mangal Grill House – A popular charcoal-grill restaurant. Its signature veal pie and the sadzh iron-plate grill, lit at the table, are the h…
• Kuyroy Mill Restaurant – A restaurant in a 19th-century mill on the Terek riverbank, with a riverside terrace. Its Ossetian pies and khachapuri…