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.

The Lyazhgi tower complex is located to the east of Meleri, occupying a small hollow on the right bank of the Armkhi River. Five powerful castle complexes, each with a combat tower, once stood here.

Only two combat towers have been preserved to their full height.

According to folk etymology, the name Lyazhgi was derived from the word “lyazhg”, which was the name of a leather sack used for storing grain. The village got such a name because its land gave good yields - a small piece of land yielded a whole “lazhg” of grain.

The tallest and the most slender of all the towers in the settlement is the tower of Hutievs with slate step-pyramidal covering, ending with a protruding white stone spire. Its peculiarity is the presence of a four-sided stone false vault not only on the 2nd and 6th floors, but also on the 3rd floor. This, a very rare phenomenon for local architecture, strengthened the construction of the tower and increased its defense capability.

The master installed the stone (tsIogal) at the very last moment. Without such a stone, the tower was considered unfinished. As for the other towers, they were 5-storied, with a flat roof and a parapet. Nowadays, it is not so common to see a tower with a surviving spire.

The second, no less graceful, is the combat tower of the Kharsievs, which was restored in 2006-2010 .

The residential towers have original door and window openings, economic and defensive niches, loopholes, central support pillars of inter-storey ceilings, horse stalls and other details. I.P. Shcheblykin emphasized some interesting details of local buildings.

A high stone barrier wall of the late Middle Ages adjoined the settlement from the southern side. It had a wide lockable gate. Day and night local guards were on duty near them, controlling a section of the most important trade, transportation and military highway that ran here. Nowadays, only some parts of the wall have been preserved.

Also according to legends, in the vicinity of the village, the local population actively mined copper ore, from which they made various products. The goods were then sold even to the mountainous regions of Georgia and North Ossetia.

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