Izberbash brings together a cultural centre and an unusual natural landmark: on the southwestern outskirts of the city stands a protected rock with the profile of A. S. Pushkin. The Centre for Traditional Culture of the Peoples of Russia has a different focus, ranging from everyday objects to traditional textiles. There are also tours at the «Izberbashskiy» plant, where specific stages of beverage production are presented. This offers a local introduction to culture, nature and production; the Republic of Dagestan also has its own regional themes.

Traditional Culture in Izberbash

The Centre for Traditional Culture of the Peoples of Russia opened in the city’s Palace of Culture in 2013. It includes the «Etnodvor» cultural and educational centre. With support from local residents, the centre assembled materials on the cultural heritage of the peoples of Dagestan. These include household items, national costumes, folk instruments, examples of traditional Dagestani embroidery and old Tabasaran carpets. The collection thus brings together objects from everyday life, music, costume and textile work.

Literary and musical evenings, seminars and meetings on preserving Dagestan’s national traditions are held at the centre. Tours of «Etnodvor» are offered to school pupils and students. This is the intended audience for the tours; the events and tours provide different ways to explore the centre’s themes.

Rock Profile and Production Tours

The natural monument «Skala-memorial „Profil Pushkina“» protects a rock with the profile of A. S. Pushkin. Its location on the southwestern outskirts of the city is part of what makes this natural monument distinctive: its striking shape is associated with a specific place in Izberbash.

The «Izberbashskiy» plant offers tours covering the production stages of still wine, sparkling wine and cognac. These are three different products. Tours must be booked by phone; confirm the arrangements for your visit in advance.

More Culture and Nature in the Republic of Dagestan

The historic sites of Derbent offer their own points of interest in the Republic of Dagestan. The citadel contains archaeological remains of a bathhouse, several underground water reservoirs, a fifth-century Christian church and an eighth-century mosque. The fortifications of Derbent and the medieval buildings of the old town, known as the Magalims, together form a cultural landscape.

The scale of the fortifications also provides a concrete point of comparison: the Mountain Wall runs 40 kilometres westwards across the mountains, completely blocking the pass between the sea and the mountains. Nine of the original 14 gates remain. Steep slopes surround the citadel on three sides; its massive stone walls are 2.5 to 3.2 metres thick, more than 700 metres long and 10 to 15 metres high.

A fortress wall with a round tower and two gates survives in Gunib. The lower gate is called the Baryatinsky Gate, and the upper one the Shamil Gate. A path leads from the Shamil Gates along the three-kilometre-long fortress wall to a tower. Another historical feature is the 107-metre-long Gunib Tunnel, which was carved through rock in the 1860s.

The landscapes of the Republic of Dagestan also vary considerably. Tobot Waterfall lies at an altitude of 1,690 metres, at the head of the Tsolotl Canyon on the Khunzakh Plateau, and is one of the highest waterfalls in the North Caucasus. Its exact height is unknown; estimates range from 50 to 100 metres. Tobot has its greatest flow from May to July; in winter it freezes and turns into a large icicle. The Mountain Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences is located in the «Upper Gunib» Nature Park and is home to rare and endemic plant species of the Caucasus and Dagestan.

Access and trails are also important distinguishing features of the Sarykum Dune: the area is part of the Dagestan Nature Reserve, but visitors cannot access the entire dune. Metal walkways lead onto the dune; the hiking trail is called «Put mudroy cherepakhi» («Path of the Wise Turtle»). Check the visiting rules before your trip. In the Karadakh Gorge, visitors can walk through the unusual rocky corridor.

Discover more destinations: Makhachkala, Derbent, Shara, Bryansk, Kurla, Kizlyar, Khasavyurt, Sovetskoye

Go to the main travel overview: Republic of Dagestan.