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Tower Ossetia: The Mountain Village of Tsymiti

R7QR+5C Tsimiti, Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Russia

The mountain village of Tsymiti today is an archaeological complex, an open-air museum of medieval history. There are more than 30 architectural monuments here — towers, ruins of residential houses, and crypts.
North Ossetia: Stories, Legends, Tragedies
photo
Jermaine
According to legends, the settlement was founded at the beginning of the 14th century. Its founder is considered to be Tsymyti (a proper name) — the military commander of the last Alan king Os-Bagatar.
In Tsymyti, you can see the best examples of typical Ossetian architecture — clan towers. It only seems that all the towers are the same. In the Middle Ages, they were divided into combat, semi-combat, and residential towers. Each type of monument is characterized by specific construction methods, its own layout, and a special purpose.
In the settlement of Tsymyti, the towers stand in ruins. A particular interest is the ancient necropolis. The light-colored houses with conical roofs are not as numerous and picturesque as in the neighboring Dargavs, but they are still very interesting.
The settlement was the center of the Tsymytin society (a kind of independent civil community with its own social structure, legislative assembly (nykhas), and judicial system (tarhon), staffed by representatives of the highest class — aldars), occupying the upper part of the Fiagdon basin. In addition to the settlement of Tsymyti itself, the Tsymytin civil community included nearby settlements — Kadat, Khidikus, and later — Urikau, which were popularly called the three Tsymyti. These settlements were inhabited by families descending from the sons of Tsymyti. Besides these settlements, the Tsymytin community was adjacent to the settlements of the farsaglags — Kharisdzhin and the settlements of the Hilak basin. From time to time, the settlements of Lats and Kora also joined the community.

Sources: 
https://www.tourister.ru/world/europe/russia/city/fiagdon/museum/41284/responses/9571


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Jermaine

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