For Nizhniy Lars, St. Nicholas Church and the beginning of the “Iron Gates” of Darial provide two specific local points of reference. When looking for a holiday apartment for a trip focused on these landmarks, it is also worth considering whether you would like to include other nature and culture themes of the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania.

Church history and local orientation

The first Orthodox church in Nizhniy Lars was dedicated to St. Nicholas, the Wonderworker and Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, and was built in 1839. It was renovated and reconsecrated in 1895. Only the walls of the original St. Nicholas Church remain; some have deep cracks in places. Nizhniy Lars is also regarded as a historic military outpost. The “Iron Gates” of Darial begin at Nizhniy Lars—a geographical point of reference that connects the place name with a striking landscape feature.

Lomisoba and a movable festival date

Lomisoba is celebrated every year on the first Wednesday after Trinity Sunday, in the seventh week after Easter. The village of Balta is the center of the celebrations for the Georgian diaspora in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania. If you would like to include Lomisoba in your travel plans, check the exact date for the year in question.

Nature trails in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania

The trail to the Shalagom viewpoint begins in the village of Kharisdzhin and runs through the Khilak Gorge to the Shalagom tract. On the left slope of the gorge, the North Ossetian Nature Reserve is home to the largest local population of endemic East Caucasian tur; it may also be the largest in all of North Ossetia. From the Shalagom viewpoint, it is possible to observe the animals in their natural habitat in the subalpine and alpine zones of the Bokovoy Range. However, a sighting is not guaranteed.

The trail to Shagatsikomdon Waterfall runs along the left terrace of the Tseydon River through a pine forest with Oriental beech, Trautvetter’s maple and grey alder, growing on brown podzolic mountain forest soils. It climbs steeply over an outcrop of grey granite, then descends to the riverbank and continues to the lower waterfall cascade. This makes it possible to understand the trail description not only through its destination, but also through the transition between forest, rocky terrain and riverbank.

The circular trail to Galdoridon Waterfall begins on the left terrace of the Khareseidon River and runs through the start of the Khares Gorge to the waterfall. The route lies at an altitude of 1,800 to 2,200 metres above sea level; seasonal conditions may vary. Galdoridon is a five-tiered natural attraction in Alania National Park and is more than 30 metres high.

The glaciers also differ in their described features. Karaugom Glacier is the largest in North Ossetia; from the moraine, there are views of the glacier and its icefall, which is up to 800 metres high. Tsey Glacier is the second largest in the republic and is considered one of the most beautiful and accessible glaciers in the Caucasus. Its trail begins in a large meadow on the steep left bank of the Tseydon River, at an altitude of 1,958 metres.

Cultural heritage in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania

The Dargavs Necropolis Complex is located in the old village of Dargavs in the valley of the same name, 42 kilometres from Vladikavkaz. The federally significant cultural monument comprises 95 tomb structures of various types, dating from the 14th century to the first third of the 19th century. Since 1978, the complex has been a branch of the National Museum of the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania. Its architecture and burial customs reflect the socioeconomic conditions and religious beliefs of the Ossetian population in the late Middle Ages.

The Khilak (Gutievskaya) defensive wall is also located in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania. According to scientists, it was built in the 5th to 8th centuries AD. This attribution makes clear that its dating is a scholarly assessment.

Discover more destinations: Kussu, Mozdok, Khidikus, Vladikavkaz

Return to the regional travel overview: Republic of North Ossetia–Alania.