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RussiaWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
Dagestan is known for its abandoned ghost villages, which were abandoned decades ago by residents, and they are one of the brightest cultural attractions of the Republic. However, in addition to the abandoned villages, no less interesting for the guests of the republic are the original old residential villages, one of which is the ancient Avar village of Koroda. It is possible and convenient to visit it during a trip to Kardakh Gorge, but more details on how to get here at the end of the article.
So, according to some sources, the village of Koroda is considered one of the oldest villages in Dagestan, according to various estimates, it was founded in the III—IV century. It is interesting for its ancient architecture, of course, on the scale of this small original rural settlement, but you will not see any elegant architectural buildings here. There is also a mosque (Mazhgit), an underground relatively well-preserved ancient part of the chela "Old Koroda", it is also called the "Ancient City".
The old Koroda is located next to the new village on an elongated steep hill, which, apparently, was intended to protect the inhabitants of the village. In the modern world, such a need has disappeared, and therefore the old village was abandoned and began to build houses in a more convenient area nearby. Today, the old crooked houses of the old Bark are gradually decaying, and the edges of the cliff are crumbling, "taking" part of the buildings with them. Now there is actually only one narrow street left of the old Bark, along which you can walk and even visit a private museum here for 50 rubles. However, you need to walk very carefully, because everything here is in disrepair, and by coincidence something may collapse, especially in bad weather.
Wikipedia says that in 2019 its last resident died in the old village and it is completely abandoned, but this is not entirely true. During our visit in 2022, while walking along the only street, we met local residents who equipped a room for living there (possibly temporary), and moreover, someone organized even a modest private museum there, where for a symbolic 50 rubles you can get to know life more closely and learn about the history of the old Bark from the living witnesses of the events.
Another remarkable place in Koroda is the "underground mosque" or "underground oratory". But to get into it, you will have to go through the residential courtyard and get permission to enter it. The owners of the yard are not very happy that tourists bother them about this every time. Therefore, if you certainly want to get into it, it is better to visit the village with excursions, and then the guide will arrange a visit. Such excursions are offered at least from Makhachkala and Gunib. Well, or alternatively, local boys will be happy to give you a tour of the village with a visit to the underground mosque for a small fee.
🕐 Working hours
Around the clock, it is better to visit during the day.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price
Free of charge, guided tours at a negotiated price.
🚶 How to get there
The village of Koroda is located in Gunib district, 35 kilometers from Gunib (by the shortest route) and 150 kilometers from Makhachkala (Koroda village on the map). You can visit it only by private transport or with individual excursions, you can't get there by public transport. If you decide to get here from Gunib, the navigator will offer you two routes:
- Through the dam Gunibskaya HPP and the village of Murada leads a short route of 35 kilometers. This is a bad dirt road, along which in good weather you can easily drive any car, but you will have to overcome the pass with a large climb and subsequent descent. We do not recommend going this way.
- Detour on asphalt through Kurmi, Kikuni, Chalda 52 kilometers. Although this road is longer, you will get there without adventures and faster.
Inexpensive group excursions to the village are not held, at least we have not met such. Therefore, you will have to go here with an individual guide-driver.
💥 We remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights of Dagestan with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at online booking options on these proven search and price comparison sites: