Dakhma or Tower of Silence in Kubachi

What to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting

Dakhma or the Tower of Silence is a little–known place in Kubachi village. It is a low hill overgrown with grass, on top of which there is a plateau, and at the foot of the hill there is a depression resembling the remains of a moat. The place is sacred and revered as a religious object.

According to legends and research, Kubachi was the capital of the state of Zirikhgeran, which existed in mountainous Dagestan from the VI to the XV centuries. It was absorbed by the neighboring state of the Utsmiystvo of Kaitag (Kala-Koreish) in the XV century. There was a population in Zirikhgeran who professed different religions, including Zoroastrianism. Dakhma is connected with him. No one still knows for sure if the Tower of Silence really existed and where this second name came from. But the fact that in the period of Zoroastrianism it was decided not to bury the dead, but to leave their bodies to be eaten by vultures is a fact. At the same time, the whole ritual was held in a certain place, probably the Kubachinskaya Dakhma or the Tower of Silence is the very place. After the bones were gnawed, they were put in a bag and stored near the house or burned.

Dakhma is located behind the village, 1 kilometer west of the Kubachinskaya Tower. You can walk here from the village or get there by car. The road to the hill is unpaved, so on a rainy day, it can be difficult to drive. It is better to visit on a sunny day, where you can relax and see the beautiful surrounding landscapes. As a must-visit place, they would not recommend it.

💥 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:

• 📷 Search for excursions in Dagestan on Sputnik8.com
• 📷 Search for excursions in Dagestan on Tripster.ru