| North Ossetia-Alania | |
 | |
Location  | |
Coat of arms and flag   | |
| State | Russia |
|---|---|
| Region | Ciscaucasia |
| Capital | Vladikavkaz |
| Surface | 8,000 km² |
| Inhabitants | 712.980 (2010 census) |
| Institutional website | |
 | ATTENTION: Ossetia is currently not a safe region. Although the conflict has officially ended, however, the presence of armed groups and acts of violence are recorded both in the capital Vladikavkaz and on the borders. |
North Ossetia - Alania is a region of the Russia.
To know
Background
The territory of North Ossetia has been inhabited for thousands of years, thanks to the fertility of its lands and the fact that it is located on a key passage of the trade routes that cross the Caucasus. The ancestors of the present inhabitants of the country were a population called Alani, a nomadic warrior people of the Iranian language. A part of the Alans settled in the Caucasus around the 7th century AD. By the ninth century, the kingdom of Alania had grown and had been converted to Christianity by Byzantine missionaries. An archbishopric was established in western Alania under the authority of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and numerous churches were erected. Alania became a powerful state in the Caucasus, benefiting greatly from the presence on its territory of the legendary Silk Road that led to China.
Being a small group, Orthodox Christian, in a Sunni-majority area in the north of the Caucasus, the Ossetians were quick to ally with the Russian imperial government in its conquest and annexation of the region during the 18th century, not least because the Muslims' they were held responsible for a long series of destructions in Ossetia during their religious expansion. This alliance has resisted to this day and Russia is still tacitly supporting its allies in Ossetia with the aim of reunifying North Ossetia with North Ossetia.South Ossetia, under Georgian control, in conflict among other things with its neighbor Ingushetia. This ethnic conflict has made North Ossetia a magnet for terrorist attacks, especially in the southern and eastern parts, and has led to a corrupt and unstable government that often discourages travel.
Spoken languages
The Russian it is still the official language and despite the disputes and conflicts with the Russia, maintains the status of the most widely spoken and lingua franca with foreigners. L'Ossetian it is the most widely spoken local language, a symbol of the identity of the Ossetian people and a language related to Persian.
Territories and tourist destinations
The not very large territory of Ossetia can in turn be divided into three areas or sub-regions:
- Central lowland - A fertile and flat area surrounded by the Caucasus Mountains.
- Mozdok region - Named after the river and the city of the same name, this region is a narrow corridor between the Caucasian mountains and large cities.
- Ossetian highlands - Almost inaccessible to those who have not lived here and are unfamiliar with the area, these mountains are nevertheless crossed by the great highway to Georgia and the Transcaucasian highway. Today they still are Event already past under military control.
Urban centers
- Vladikavkaz (Владикавказ in Russian and Дзæуджыхъæу in Ossetian) - regional capital and most important city. Its importance was also its undoing since strategic and destructive operations were concentrated here during the conflict.
- Alagir (Алагир)
- Ardon (Ӕрыдон)
- Beslan (Беслан) - City notorious for its terrible Beslan massacre
- Digora (Дигора)
- Mozdok (Моздок)
- Čikola (Чикола)
How to get
By plane
The capital Vladikavkaz it is the main transport hub. Here is a small airport with flights from Moscow is St.Pietroburgo.
By car
At the moment (2015) the M29 motorway from Rostov-on-Don it is the most convenient way to reach Ossetia by land.
On the train
The only railway connections still active are those coming from Stavropol Territory '.
How to get around
What see
- Dargavs - also known as the dead city or city of death (Мёртвый городок) (a.k.a., Mertviy Gorodok, City of the Dead). Dargavs is a small village made up of house-shaped tombs, a legacy of the ancestral traditions of the Ossetians.
- School of Beslan - the school N.1 Beslan was the scene of the terrible slaughter of 2004 when a group of separatists and fundamentalists killed hundreds of people including nearly 200 children. This place has become a symbol of the horrors of the conflict and a pilgrimage destination in memory of the fallen.
What to do
At the table
Ossetian cuisine offers several typical dishes:
- Khabizgini - it is a kind of rustic pizza, very similar to Georgian khachapuri, prepared with different types of meat and mushrooms.
- Fizonag - the Ossetian kebab.
- Dzykka - similar to polenta, with many other ingredients, it is the oldest dish in the region and a symbol of Ossetian cuisine. Dzykka is also the dish that tourists most easily taste because its flavor is reminiscent of some Western dishes.
Drinks
- Arak - also Ossetia like Russia has a long tradition in the preparation and consumption of alcohol. Arak in particular is Ossetian vodka, prepared by fermenting a particular type of grain.
Safety
Before embarking on the journey consult:
- Safe travel - Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Farnesina) (Country safety information).
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning North Ossetia-Alania
Commons contains images or other files on North Ossetia-Alania
