Jeyrakh-Assin Reserve
Jeyrakh-Assin Reserve

The Jeyrakh-Assin historical, architectural and natural museum-reserve is located within the boundaries of the Jeyrakh district of the Republic of Ingushetia on the northern slopes of the foothills of the Central part of the Greater Caucasus Range. The reserve was established on June 2, 1988. The area of the reserve is slightly more than 627 square kilometers. The activity of the reserve is aimed at ensuring the preservation, restoration and study of territorial complexes of cultural and natural heritage, material and spiritual values in their traditional historical (cultural and natural) environment. On the territory of the museum-reserve there are 122 ancient architectural complexes, including more than 2,670 objects of cultural significance, including defensive and residential towers, burial crypts, Christian and pagan sanctuaries and temples. The oldest buildings of the megalithic type belong to the middle of the second millennium BC. Every year, significant scientific discoveries are made on the territory of the reserve, new objects are identified, archaeological expeditions are constantly working, scientists from all over the world come. Since 1996, the reserve has been a candidate for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Significant value in the reserve is given to work on creating conditions for the development of organized tourism, its educational and service component.

On September 18, 2024, the acting director of the museum-reserve Sampiev A.A., together with the staff, made an inspection trip to the Tsori tower complex as part of the work plan.

Medieval complex "Tsori" - one of the largest tower complexes - is located in the eastern part of the Dzheyrakh district of the Republic of Ingushetia, on the border with Chechnya and Georgia, on a high mountain ledge. Its more accurate location is the Guloikhi Gorge. There is a tower complex at an altitude of 1,170 m.

At the moment, there are three battle towers, more than three dozen residential, 12 crypt burial grounds, early Muslim land burials, an early Muslim mosque built, according to studies, on the remains of a destroyed residential tower, an ancient mausoleum, and traces of two river mills were found. If you look closely, on the walls of the towers you can see interesting ornaments created from stones of different colors. There is a lot of evidence that artisans and architects who lived in the fortress were famous for their art throughout Ingushetia.

The battle towers of the castle ensemble are quite high, although not completely preserved. You can still see window openings, loopholes, arched ceilings and nothing like salt symbols, telling about the traditions of ancient Ingush. In general, despite the huge age of the buildings, many ornaments and decorative fragments have been preserved on the buildings.

The roof of the battle tower is flat with teeth at the corners, topped with conical stones. In Tsori, the towers and sakli of almost all the villages adjoin each other, piling up with tiers and forming one solid, strongly fortified castle.

Crypts are scattered near the village in several places. They are made of uncooked stones, on lime, have a yellow lining and in each tier of lazes - often rectangular, less often with a semicircular vault. More than half of them remained at full height. And the crypt that collapsed in 2022 was restored last autumn.

Employees of the institution on the spot collected field material, examined the safety of monuments, made photofixation.

On all objects of cultural heritage of the complex will be drawn up acts of technical condition and sent to higher organizations.

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