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.

Lyalakh is a large castle-type tower settlement on a steep mountain slope, 0.3 km northeast of Khani. Today, you can see three damaged battle towers and semi-ruined residential buildings in the late medieval castle complexes.

The buildings are arranged in tiers on the slope. The battle towers, which were key support centers of separate but closely interconnected complex castles, are five stories high and reach a height of 26.00 m. Two of them, oriented with arched doorways to the east and south, respectively, are square in plan and have a pyramidal stepped roof (12 slate slabs topped with a large conical stone). The third battle tower has no roof.

According to local legends, this tower was never inhabited in the past: the architect repeatedly erected a pyramidal roof with the obligatory “blessed” stone at the top, but each time it collapsed. Even the abundant sacrifices brought to the sanctuary of the goddess of fertility, Tusholi, did not help. The priests explained this as a bad omen, and the owner was forced to abandon this battle tower. It remained unfinished, although its walls had already reached a height of 25 meters.

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