Makhachkala (Russian: Махачкала́ [məxət͡ɕkɐˈla] Avar: МахӀачхъала [maħat͡ʃq͡χːala]) is the capital city of Dagestan and the largest city in the North Caucasus. It is an important economic, educational, scientific, and cultural centre as well as a major seaport. Makhachkala is among the fastest growing cities in the Russian Federation and undergoing a construction boom.
Understand
Makhachkala, previously known as Petrovkoye, has a population of ca. 600,000 and sits at the shore of the Caspian Sea. The greater urban agglomeration has over 1 million inhabitants, making it the 3rd largest city on the Caspian Sea shore. The city is ethnically very diverse.
History
The historic town of Tarki, nowadays a suburb, has a history dating back to the 15th century. The modern city was founded in 1844 as a Caspian Sea fortress and supporting settlement. After the young city, then called Petrovsk, was linked to by a new rail line to Vladikavkaz and Baku in 1894, its population started growing quickly. This lead to a serious malaria outbreak in 1904.
During the Russian Civil War, 2 British RAF squadrons were based in the city and were involved in bombing raids on Bolshevik forces in Astrakhan and surrounding areas. After the British withdrew mid 1919, the city was overrun by the Red Army early 1920 and annexed into the Soviet Union. As part of the Soviet revolution, many names referring to religion or monarchy were altered and thus Petrovsk was renamed to current Makhachkala, after a Dagestani revolutionary. On 14 May 1921, the Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was formally established with Makhachkala as its capital. Makhachkala has remained the capital city of Dagestan ever since. The city was chosen as a naval testing station during the Soviet era, which leaves behind a curious 1 sea fort off the shore.
Climate
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Makhachkala has a cold semi-arid climate with warm summers and cool winters. Owing to the proximity of the Caspian Sea, the climate is very mild to Russian standards. Winters are usually overcast and can be a little depressing, whereas summers are typically sunnier and dryer. Most rain falls in the autumn season between September and November. Snow is common in the winter months from late November to early March.
The best time of the year to visit Makhachkala is from mid June to mid August.
Get in
- See also: Dagestan#Get_in
By plane
The principal airport serving the city is 1 Uytash Airport 
(MCX IATA), some 20 km south-east of the city. It has scheduled flights to/from Moscow (Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo and Domodedovo), Krasnodar, Novy Urengoy, Rostov-on-Don, Saint-Petersburg, Surgut, Aktau, Mineralnye Vody, and Kazan. There are also seasonal tourist charter flights to/from Antalya, Dubai, and both Jeddah and Medina during the Hajj (Islamic pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia).
To get to the city, the best option is a taxi. Beware of the eager taxi drivers awaiting tourists at the Arrivals terminal: they tend to overcharge for the journey. Using the Yandex taxi app, a one-way trip from the airport to the city centre is about 500 руб. Without the Yandex app, you may be charged 800-1000 руб for the same journey.
There is also an airfield, 2 Kakhachakala-1 Aerodrome just north of Makhachkala, but it doesn't serve scheduled international flights.
By train
A daily train service from Moscow is available, taking two nights. Long-distance connections with Kyiv, Novosibirsk and Saint Petersburg among others are 1-2 times each week. Trains heading to and from Baku also call here.
- 3 Makhachkala railway station, ul. V. Emirova, 10.
- 4 Sortirovachnaya railway station. Serves the north and north-west of the city.
Get around
Public transportation is chaotic and requires knowledge of Russian to use. Taxi services are relatively cheap and can be a better alternative.
See
Museums
- 2 National museum of the Republic A. Takho-Godi (Национальный музей Республики Дагестан им. А. Тахо-Годи), Ulitsa Daniyalova A. D., 33, ☏ 7 988 292-90-12, ✉[email protected]. 10:00-18:00, closed M. Dagestan history museum, with guns and paintings and taxidermy and other fun stuff.
- 3 Museum of Fine Art, Gorkogo ul., d. 8, ☏ 7 872 267-25-99. Art museum with work from Karl Bryullov, Viktor Vasnetsov, Vassily Perov, Konstantin Makovsky, Ivan Shishkin (a full-size charcoal sketch of his Morning in a Pine Forest!), Ivan Aivazovsky, Franz Raubaud (saved parts of his lost panoramic masterpiece Conquest of the Caucausus), and others.
- 4 Museum of Makhachkala city history, просп. Петра Первого, 14. Museum with permanent and temporary exhibitions. The permanent exhibition focuses on the peoples of Dagestan and their culture, such as traditional jewelry, homespun carpets, weapons, ceramics, and clothing. The temporary exhibitions are on the first floor, with works by contemporary Dagestani artists.
- 5 Museum of Military History (Музей Боевой славы) (Leninskogo Komsomola park). Military museum of Dagestan.
- 6 Historical Park Rossiya-Moya Istoriya, Imana Shamilya Ave., 31G, ☏ 7 989 878-79-07, ✉[email protected]. A neatly laid out historical museum, but most exhibits are just walls of static text or displays with images, with relatively little engagement value. You need to get a guided tour to get the most out of it.
- 7 Theatre Museum, Lenina ul., d. 38, ☏ 7 8722 75385. Museum of the theatres of the Republic of Dagestan and their traditions.
Religious Architecture
- 8 Grand Mosque of Makhachkala (Центральная Джума-мечеть), Ulitsa Dakhadayeva 136, ☏ 7 964 007-74-22. open sunrise to sundown usually. Financed by Turkey and completed in 1998, it is made in the likeness of Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul and is the premier mosque of Dagestan and landmark of Makhachkala. Of grand design and architecturally impressive on both inside and outside, and able to accommodate 17,000 visitors simultaneously. It stands out in the city with 57 domes and 2 minarets. Unfortunately only a small part of it is open to visitors, and men and women are separated at the entrance. Free.
- 9 Orthodox cathedral of the Dormition of Our Lady (Свято-Успенский собор). Christian Orthodox cathedral, inaugurated in 1906 and in use until its closure by the Soviets in 1929.
- 10 Holy Assumption Cathedral, Ordzhonikidze St., 148.
Downtown
- 11 Rasul Gamzatov Street (Проспект Расула Гамзатова). Historic centre of Makhachkala.
- 12 Old Russian Cemetery (Старое Русское кладбище). Former Soviet military cemetery. Free.
- 13 Lighthouse (Махачкалинский маяк). A 84.5 m tall brick lighthouse on the Caspian Sea shore.
- 14 Lenin Square (Площадь Ленина).
- 15 Monument to Russian Teachers, Komsomol'skiy Prospekt, 59а. A somewhat atypical monument in the central park.
- 16 Observation Deck (along the 82К-005 road to the south-west of the city). 24/7. An observation platform at al altitude of 240 m above the city, offering a fantastic view especially if you catch the sunset. There is no bus stop close so you need a taxi to get here. Excellent location to snap a few panoramic pictures of the capital. Free.
- 17 Kirov Statue, Kirova Ave. 24/7. Soviet era statue of a Bolshevik military commander, erected in 1975. Free.
- 18 Dagestani Society of Hunters and Fishermen, Magidova St., 76, ☏ 7 822684504, ✉[email protected]. Housed on the Anji-Arka hill where Peter I camped during the Caspian campaign in 1722. Opposite the society is the Leninist Komsomol Park and the Weiner Garden, founded by the German brewer Weiner, a very famous person in Makhachkala. A wonderful, picturesque place from where Makhachkala began.
Do
- 1 Gorodskoy Plyazh. Beach for walking or possibly dipping a toe in if you don't mind a little debris in the water sometimes.
- 2 City Beach. Another beach, where you can potentially unwind and buy a fritter or two.
- 3 Tarki-Tau (approach thru township of Tarki southwest of Makhachkala via secondary roads). A promontory affording views of Makhachkala that can be attained via hiking (or driving) if security concerns permit.
- 4 Dagestan Russian Drama Theater (Дагестанский государственный Русский Драматический Театр им. М. Горького), Prospekt Rasula Gamzatova, 38, ☏ 7 872 267 73 75. A city landmark and fine place for repertory.
- 5 Puppet Theatre (Дагестанский театр кукол). Since 1941 the official state puppet theatre of Dagestan.
- 6 Avar Musical-Dramatic Theatre Gamzat Tsadasa (Аварский музыкально-драматический театр имени Гамзата Цадасы), Pushkina ul., d. 1, ☏ 7 872 268-14-96. Musicals and drama theatre.
- 7 Dynamo Stadium (Динамо cтадион). Multi-purpose stadium primarily used by FC Dynamo Makhachkala, with a capacity of 15,200. It hosted the Russian Premier league side Anzhi Makhachkala until they moved to the new Anzhi Arena in 2013.
- 8 Rossiya Cinema, Imama Shamilya prospekt, 64 (trolley bus lines 5, 8, and 326, get off at Rossiya Cinema), ☏ 78722624616. Modern cinema complex, Russian language.
- 9 Oktyabr (Кинотеатр Октябрь), Ulitsa Korkmasova, 11, ☏ 78722676300. Cinema complex.
- 10 REALLY, Ulitsa Gagarina, 70 (get off at bus stop Telli Supermarket), ☏ 78005519193. Arcade for computer, VR, and board games. Indoor activity for adults and children.
Buy
- 1 7 Kontinent (7 КОНТИНЕНТ), Ulitsa Yaragskogo, 30, ☏ 7 872 260 00 32. 09ː00-23ː00. A full shopping mall for all your shopping urges.
- 2 Daniyalova Street (Улица Даниялова). The main shopping district.
Eat
- 1 Pirosmani, Ulitsa Pushkina, 3, ☏ 7 963 411 32 32. Daily 12:00-00:00. Upscale dining featuring Georgian cuisine.
- 2 Kazan-Mangal (Казан-Мангал), Ulitsa Korkmasova, 33А, ☏ 7 988 292 55 95. Daily 09ː00-23ː00. Caucasian/Georgian cuisine (aubergine, lamb, etc), some English speaking waiters. Subdued ambience.
- 3 Ресторан "Номер 1", Ulitsa Batyraya, 11 (2nd floor Grand Plaza Business Center), ☏ 7 988 649 70 70. M-Sa 09:00-00:00, Su 13:00-00:00. Khan barbeque, kabobs, soup, pumpkin dessert in a warm environment.
Drink
Sleep
- 1 Хостел House (House Hostel), Portovoye Shosse 5, ☏ 7 967 177 77 94. New, clean, and economical beachfront hostel. US$5.
- 2 Маяк, Ulitsa Magidova, д. 36. Another hostel that is fairly clean and spacious, although a bit hard to find. US$13.
- 3 Khostel Cherdak, Ulitsa Ushakova, 6и (close to Merkuriy shopping mall), ☏ 7 928 055-12-82. Hostel with berths/bunks along the walls that will make you feel like you're a sailor. Maybe learn some Russian while you are getting acquainted with your roommates. US$16.
- 4 Gostinitsa "Tsentral'naya" Korpus 2, Ulitsa Daniyalova A. D., 68, ☏ 7 928 809-41-04. Low-key urban hotel with free breakfast and wifi. US$22.
Stay Safe
- See also: Dagestan#Stay_safe
Makhachkala has had its share of terrorist attacks in the 2000s, when radical islamic insurgents targeted the capital city in an effort to destabilise the central government. The rate at which these attacks took place has dropped significantly since 2013, and they have now become a very rare occurrence along the Caspian coast line of Dagestan. Once or twice a year attacks by islamic separatists still take place, but they are always targeted at Russian security forces or police (such as police stations or checkpoints) and never at civilians or tourists. As one of the most diverse cities in the Russian Federation, Makhachkala takes pride in its diversity and cultural co-existence of peoples of different religions and languages. Terrorists find little support among the population, and there is a large police force to deal with insurgent groups. Corruption is still a widespread problem.
Crime rates for theft and burglary are on the same level or below as other capital cities in the Caucasus, especially in the policed city centre and around government institutions. The rules of common sense apply: don't flash valuables or money, carry a copy of identity documents rather than originals, and generally try to 'blend in' with the local population. Most tourist sights and attractions are free, so there should be no reason to carry large amounts of cash. Makhachkala is safe for lone female travelers, although some suburbs are best avoided after nightfall. If you do get in trouble, police officers are generally helpful to tourists, but typically do not understand any English.
Go next
- 1 Derbent — historic city at the northern frontier of the Persian Empire