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.

As part of the work plan for visual inspection of the technical condition of cultural heritage objects, an inspection trip to the Erzi architectural complex was made.

Erzi Tower Complex (Airzi) is one of the largest medieval castle-type tower settlements located at the tip of the mountain range, including fifty small residential towers, two semi-combat towers, 8 battle towers and a long stone defensive wall with wide gates of the late Middle Ages. The battle towers are 5 and 6-storey. Also on the territory of the complex are visible the remains of stone walls, once blocking the path of enemies. The floors of the towers start from four and end with six levels. Erzi translates from Ingush as “eagle”.

At the foot of the Erzi complex there is a domed mausoleum of Yand-Kash, that is, Yandov’s grave. Here is buried Yand tower builder - the famous stone architect of all times, who lived in the XVII century. The mausoleum contained a relic that gave this village such a name - the bronze Eagle of Suleiman. Or rather, for the Ingush it was simply the Eagle, and the name of the master Suleiman, as well as the date of manufacture, was already determined by Caucasian experts, who found that the bird was ringed with an inscription on an Arabic alphabet. Around the figure of the eagle began a discussion of scientists, arguing about the date of its manufacture, the date of its appearance in the mountains of Ingushetia, its purpose, etc. The eagle was made in 796, most likely in Basra, and is the oldest accurately dated piece of Islamic art in the Middle East. How he got here - no one now will say: maybe he was captured by the mountaineers in some caravan, or maybe was presented by the Persians as a sign of peace.

For Ingushetia, it became one of the national symbols. For many years this eagle was in the Hermitage, the Ingush long demanded to return the eagle home, where he was taken back in 1931. As a result, a copy was made in St. Petersburg, in 2013 it was placed in the local history museum named after T. Malsagov, in Nazran.

The Ayrzi complex is historically part of the Metskhal Society.

As part of the state contract for the restoration of monuments, for 2012-2017 restoration works were carried out at the complex, which allowed them to be preserved for posterity and adapted for museum display.

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