Как пишется на английском языке дербент

Derbent Дербент
City[1]
Other transcription(s)
• Azerbaijani	Дәрбәнд (Dərbənd)
• Tat and Avar	Дербенд
• Lezgian	Кьвевар, Цал, Дербенд
• Dargwa	Чяли
Coat of arms
Location of Derbent
Derbent Location of Derbent in Dagestan Derbent Location of Derbent in European Russia Derbent Location of Derbent near the Caspian Sea Derbent Location of Derbent near the Caucasus mountains Derbent Location of Derbent in Russia
Coordinates: 42°03′N 48°18′E / 42.050°N 48.300°ECoordinates: 42°03′N 48°18′E / 42.050°N 48.300°E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Dagestan[1]
Founded	438
City status since	1840
Government
• Mayor	Khizri M. Abakarov
Area [2]
• Total	69.63 km2 (26.88 sq mi)
Elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[3]
• Total	119,200
• Estimate  (2018)[4]	123,720 (+3.8%)
• Rank	137th in 2010
• Density	1,700/km2 (4,400/sq mi)
Administrative status
• Subordinated to	City of Derbent[1]
• Capital of	City of Derbent[1], Derbentsky District[1]
Municipal status
• Urban okrug	Derbent Urban Okrug[5]
• Capital of	Derbent Urban Okrug[5], Derbentsky Municipal District
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [6])
Postal code(s)[7]	368600
Dialing code(s)	+7 87240
OKTMO ID	82710000001
Website	www.derbent.org

Derbent (Russian: Дербе́нт; Lezgian: Кьвевар, Цал; Azerbaijani: Дәрбәнд, romanized: Dərbənd; Avar: Дербенд; Persian: دربند), formerly romanized as Derbend,^[8] is a city in Dagestan, Russia, located on the Caspian Sea. It is the southernmost city in Russia, and it is the second-most important city of Dagestan. Derbent occupies the narrow gateway between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains connecting the Eurasian Steppe to the north and the Iranian Plateau to the south; covering an area of 69.63 square kilometres (26.88 sq mi), with a population of roughly 120,000 residents.

Derbent claims to be the oldest city in Russia, with historical documentation dating to the 8th century BC, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.^[9] Due to its strategic location, over the course of history, the city changed ownership many times, particularly among the Persian, Arab, Mongol, Timurid, and Shirvan kingdoms. In the 19th century, the city passed from Persian into Russian hands by the Treaty of Gulistan of 1813.^[10]

Etymology[edit]

Derbent is derived from Persian «Darband» (Persian: دربند, lit. ‘Door/opening in a Barrier’, from dar “door/gate” + band “barrier/dam”, lit., “gate in the barrier”^[11]), referring to the eastern-most pass in the high Caucasus Mountains (whence the putative «barrier/dam») on the beaches of the Caspian Sea. (The other pass, the Darial Pass, is in Central Caucasus Mountains, and likewise carries a Persian name, standing for «the Alan Pass/gate» – with the Alans being the modern Iranic Ossetians.)

It is often identified with the Gates of Alexander, a legendary barrier supposedly built by Alexander the Great in the Caucasus. The Persian name for the city came into use at the end of the 5th or the beginning of the 6th century AD, when the city was re-established by Kavadh I of the Sassanid dynasty of Persia, but Derbent was probably already in the Sasanian sphere of influence as a result of the victory over the Parthians and the conquest of Caucasian Albania by Shapur I, the second shah of the Sassanid Persians.^[12] The geographical treatise Šahrestānīhā ī Ērānšahr written in Middle Persian mentions the old name of the fortress – Wērōy-pahr (The Gruzinian Guard):

šahrestan [ī] kūmīs [ī] panj-burg až-i dahāg pad šabestān kard. māniš [ī] *pārsīgān ānōh būd. padxwadayīh [ī] yazdgird ī šabuhrān kard andar tāzišn ī čōl wērōy-pahr [ī] an ālag. (The city of Kūmīs of five towers Aži Dahag made it his own harem. The abode of the Parthians was there. In the reign of Yazdgird, the son of Šabuhr made it during the invasion of the Čōl, at the boundary of the Gruzinian Guard.).^[13]

-Wėrōy-pahr: «The Gruzinian Guard» The old name of the fortress at Darband;…^[14]

In Arabic texts the city was known as «Bāb al-Abwāb» (Arabic: بَاب ٱلْأَبْوَاب, lit. ‘Gate of all Gates’),^[15] simply as «al-Bāb» (Arabic: ٱلْبَاب, lit. ‘The Gate’) or as «Bāb al-Hadid» (Arabic: بَاب ٱلْحَدِيد, lit. ‘Gate of Iron’).^[16] A similar name meaning «Iron Gate» was used by Turkic peoples, in the form «Demirkapi«.^[17][18]

History[edit]

Derbent’s location on a narrow, three-kilometer strip of land in the North Caucasus between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus mountains is strategic in the entire Caucasus region. Historically, this position allowed the rulers of Derbent to control land traffic between the Eurasian Steppe and the Middle East. The only other practicable crossing of the Caucasus ridge was over the Darial Gorge.

Persian rule[edit]

A traditionally and historically Iranian city,^[19] the first intensive settlement in the Derbent area dates from the 8th century BC; the site was intermittently controlled by the Persian monarchs, starting from the 6th century BC. Until the 4th century AD, it was part of Caucasian Albania which was a satrapy of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, and is traditionally identified with Albana, the capital.^[12] The modern name is a Persian word (دربند Darband) meaning «gateway», which came into use in the end of the 5th or the beginning of the 6th century AD, when the city was re-established by Kavadh I of the Sassanid dynasty of Persia,^[20] however, Derbent was probably already into the Sasanian sphere of influence as a result of the victory over the Parthians and the conquest of Caucasian Albania by Shapur I, the second shah of the Sassanid Persians.^[12] In the 5th century Derbent also functioned as a border fortress and the seat of a Sassanid marzban.^[12]

The 20-meter-high (66 ft) walls with thirty north-looking towers are believed to belong to the time of Kavadh’s son, Khosrau I, who also directed the construction of Derbent’s fortress.^[21]

The Sassanid fortress does not exist anymore, as the famous Derbent fortress as it stands today was built from the 12th century onward.^[22] Some say that the level of the Caspian was formerly higher and that the lowering of the water level opened an invasion route that had to be fortified.^[23] The chronicler Movses Kaghankatvatsi wrote about «the wondrous walls, for whose construction the Persian kings exhausted our country, recruiting architects and collecting building materials with a view of constructing a great edifice stretching between the Caucasus Mountains and the Great Eastern Sea». Derbent became a strong military outpost and harbour of the Sassanid Empire. During the 5th and 6th centuries, Derbent also became an important center for spreading the Christian faith in the Caucasus.

During periods when the Sasanians were distracted by war with the Byzantines or protracted battles with the Hephthalites in the eastern provinces, the northern tribes succeeded in advancing into the Caucasus. The first Sasanian attempt to seal off the road along the Caspian seacoast at Darband by means of a mud-brick wall has been dated in the reign of Yazdegerd II (438–457 AD).^[12]

Movses Kagankatvatsi left a graphic description of the sack of Derbent by the hordes of Tong Yabghu of the Western Turkic Khaganate in 627. His successor,^{[citation needed]} Böri Shad, proved unable to consolidate Tong Yabghu’s conquests, and the city was retaken by the Persians, who held it as an integral domain until the Muslim Arab conquest.

As mentioned by the Encyclopedia Iranica, ancient Iranian language elements were absorbed into the everyday speech of the population of Dagestan and Derbent especially during the Sassanian era, and many remain current.^[24] In fact, a deliberate policy of “Persianizing” Derbent and the eastern Caucasus, in general, can be traced over many centuries, from Khosrow I to the Safavid shahs Ismail I, and ʿAbbās the Great.^[24] According to the account in the later «Darband-nāma», after construction of the fortifications Khosrow I “moved much folk here from Persia”,^[25] relocating about 3,000 families from the interior of Persia in the city of Derbent and neighboring villages.^[24] This account seems to be corroborated by the Spanish Arab Ḥamīd Moḥammad Ḡarnāṭī, who reported in 1130 that Derbent was populated by many ethnic groups, including a large Persian-speaking population.^[26]

Arab conquest[edit]

In 654, Derbent was captured by the Arabs, who called it the Gate of Gates (Bab al-Abwab),^[27] following their invasion of Persia. They transformed it into an important administrative center and introduced Islam to the area. The impression of antiquity evoked by these fortifications led many Arab historians to connect them with Khosrow I and to include them among the seven wonders of the world.^[12] The Darband fortress was certainly the most prominent Sasanian defensive construction in the Caucasus and could have been erected only by an extremely powerful central government.^[12] Because of its strategic position on the northern branch of the Silk Route, the fortress was contested by the Khazars in the course of the Khazar-Arab Wars. The Sassanids had also brought Armenians from Syunik to help protect the pass from invaders; as Arab rule weakened in the region at the end of the ninth century, the Armenians living there were able to establish a kingdom, which lasted until the early years of the thirteenth century.^[28][29] The Holy Saviour Armenian Church still rises up in the skyline, though it is used as the Museum of Carpet, Arts and Crafts today due to the decline in the Armenian population. There was also a second Armenian church and two Armenian schools which served the Armenian community, which numbered about 3,000 in the census of 1913.

Excavations on the eastern side of the Caspian Sea, opposite to Derbent, revealed the Great Wall of Gorgan, the eastern counterpart to the wall and fortifications of Derbent. Similar Sassanian defensive fortifications there—massive forts, garrison towns, long walls—also run from the sea to the mountains.

The Caliph Harun al-Rashid lived in Derbent and brought it into great repute as a seat of the arts and commerce. According to Arab historians, Derbent, with a population exceeding 50,000, was the largest city of the 9th century in the Caucasus. In the 10th century, with the collapse of the Arab Caliphate, Derbent became the capital of an emirate. This emirate often fought losing wars with the neighboring Christian state of Sarir, allowing Sarir to manipulate Derbent’s politics on occasion. Despite that, the emirate outlived its rival and continued to flourish at the time of the Mongol invasion in 1239. In the 14th century, Derbent was occupied by Timur’s armies.

Shirvanshah era[edit]

The Shirvanshahs dynasty existed as independent or a vassal state, from 861 until 1538; longer than any other dynasty in the Islamic world. They were renowned for their cultural achievements and geopolitical pursuits. The rulers of Shirvan, called the Shirvanshahs, had attempted, and on numerous times, succeeded, to conquer Derbend since the 18th Shirvanshah king, Afridun I, was appointed as the governor of the city. Over the centuries the city changed hands often. The 21st Shirvanshah king, Akhsitan I, briefly reconquered the city. However, the city was lost once again to the northern Kipchaks.

After the Timurid invasion, Ibrahim I of Shirvan, the 33rd Shirvanshah, managed to keep the kingdom of Shirvan independent. Ibrahim I revived Shirvan’s fortunes, and through his cunning politics managed to continue without paying tribute. Furthermore, Ibrahim also greatly increased the limits of his state. He conquered the city of Derbend in 1437. The Shirvanshahs integrated the city so closely with their political structure that a new branch of the Shirvan dynasty emerged from Derbend, the Derbenid dynasty. The Derbenid dynasty, being a cadet dynasty of Shirvan, inherited the throne of Shirvan in the 15th century.

In the early 16th century, the kingdom of Shirvan was conquered by Shah Ismail of the Safavid dynasty. As Shah Ismail incorporated all the Shirvan possessions, he also inherited Derbend.

Russian conquest[edit]

Derbent stayed under Iranian rule, while occasionally briefly taken by the Ottoman Turks such as in 1583 after the Battle of Torches and the Treaty of Constantinople, till the course of the 19th century, when the Russians occupied the city and wider Iranian-ruled swaths of Dagestan.^{[30][31][32][33][34][35][36]}

Being briefly taken by the Russians as a result of the Persian expedition of 1722–23 by Peter the Great, the 1735 Treaty of Ganja, formed by Imperial Russia and Safavid Iran (de facto ruled by Nader Shah), forced Russia to return Derbent and its bastion to Iran. In 1747, Derbent became the capital of the Derbent Khanate of the same name.

During the Persian Expedition of 1796, Derbent was stormed by Russian forces under General Valerian Zubov, but the Russians were forced to retreat due to internal political issues,^[37] making it fall under Persian rule again.
As a consequence of the Russo-Persian War (1804-1813) and the resulting Treaty of Gulistan of 1813, Derbent and wider Dagestan were ceded by Qajar Iran to the Russian Empire.^[38] (For background, see Russian conquest of the Caucasus#Caspian Coast.)

In the 1886 census of Dagestan Oblast, as part of Russia’s Caucasus Viceroyalty, people of Iranian descent (Russian: персы) were still an absolute majority at 8,994 out of 15,265, or 58,9%.^[39]

Geography[edit]

The modern city is built in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe; near the western shores of the Caspian Sea, south of the Rubas River, on the slopes of the Tabasaran Mountains (part of the Bigger Caucasus range). Derbent is well served by public transport, with its own harbor, a railway going south to Baku, and the Baku to Rostov-on-Don road.

To the north of the town is the monument of the Kirk-lar, or forty heroes, who fell defending Dagestan against the Arabs in 728. To the south lies the seaward extremity of the Caucasian wall (fifty metres long), otherwise known as Alexander’s Wall, blocking the narrow pass of the Iron Gate or Caspian Gates (Portae Athanae or Portae Caspiae). When intact, the wall had a height of 9 m (29 ft) and a thickness of about 3 m (10 ft) and, with its iron gates and numerous watch-towers, defended Persia’s frontier.^[20]

Climate[edit]

Derbent has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk).

Administrative and municipal status[edit]

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Derbent serves as the administrative center of Derbentsky District, even though it is not a part of it.^[1] As an administrative division, it is incorporated separately as the City of Derbent—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.^[1] As a municipal division, the City of Derbent is incorporated as Derbent Urban Okrug.^[5]

Demographics[edit]

According to the 1897 census, Derbent had 14,649 inhabitants, 9,767 of whom were Tatar (later known as Azerbaijani) speakers (66.7%) and 1,004 were Russian speakers (6.9%).^[41]

In 1916, Derbent had a population of 31,168 consisting of 7,919 Shia Muslims (25.4%), 7,567 Russians (24.3%), 6,879 Jews (22.1%), 5,138 Caucasian highlanders (16.5%), 2,604 Armenians (8.4%), and 1,061 Sunni Muslims (3.4%).^[42]

According to the 2010 Census, the main ethnic groups in the city are:^[43]

• Lezgins (33.7%)
• Azerbaijanis (32.3%)
• Tabasarans (15.8%)
• Dargins (5.6%)
• Russians (3.7%)
• Aghuls (3.2%)
• Jews (1.1%)
• Rutuls (0.8%)

[edit]

Jews began to settle in Derbent in ancient times. During the Khazars’ reign, they played an important part in the life of the city.^[44] The Jewish traveler Benjamin of Tudela mentions Jews living in Derbent in the 12th century, and Christian traveler Wilhelm of Rubruquis writes about a Jewish community in the 13th century. The first mention of Jews in Derbent in modern times is by a German traveler, Adam Olearius, in the 17th century.

Derbent’s Jewry suffered during the wars in the 18th century. Nadir Shah of Persia forced many Jews to adopt Islam. After the Russian conquest, many Jews of rural Dagestan fled to Derbent, which became the spiritual center of the Mountain Jews. The Jewish population numbered 2,200 in 1897 (15% of total population) and 3,500 in 1903. In the middle of the 20th century, Jews constituted about a third of the population of Derbent.^[45] In 1989, there were 13,000 Jews in the city, but most emigrated after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In 2002, there were 2,000 Jews with an active synagogue and community center.^[46]
The chief rabbi of Derbent, Obadiah Isakov, was badly injured in an assassination attempt on July 25, 2013, sparking concerns of further acts of anti-Semitism targeting the Jewish community.^[47] In 2016, the Jewish population was down to 1,345.^[48]

Economy and culture[edit]

The city is home to machine building, food, textile, fishing, and fishery supplies, construction materials, and wood industries. It is the center of Russian brandy production. The educational infrastructure includes a university as well as several technical schools. On the cultural front, there is a Lezgin drama theater (named after S. Stalsky). About two kilometers (1.2 miles) from the city is the vacation colony of Chayka (Seagull).

The Soviet novelist Yury Krymov named a fictional motor tanker after the city in his book The Tanker «Derbent».

Theaters[edit]

Derbent has 3 state and 1 municipal theaters.

• State Azerbaijan Drama Theater
• State Lezgin Music and Drama Theater named after S. Stalsky
• State Tabasaran Drama Theater
• Judeo-Tat Theatre

Citadel of Derbend[edit]

Derbent resembles a huge museum and has magnificent mountains and shore nearby, and therefore possesses much touristic potential, further increased by UNESCO’s classification of the citadel, ancient city and fortress as a World Heritage Site in 2003; however, instability in the region has halted development.

The current fortification and walls were built by the Persian Sassanian Empire as a defensive structure against hostile nomadic people in the north, and continuously repaired or improved by later Arab, Mongol, Timurid, Shirvan, and Iranian kingdoms until the early course of the 19th century, as long as its military function lasted. The fortress was built under the direction of the Sassanid emperor Khosrow (Chosroes) I.^[21]

A large portion of the walls and several watchtowers still remain in reasonable shape. The walls, reaching to the sea, date from the 6th century, Sassanid dynasty period. The city has a well-preserved citadel (Narin-kala), enclosing an area of 4.5 hectares (11 acres), enclosed by strong walls. Historical attractions include the baths, the cisterns, the old cemeteries, the caravanserai, the 18th-century Khan’s mausoleum, as well as several mosques.

Religious monuments[edit]

As of 1865, the city had: 1 — Russian and 1 — Armenian church; 1 — Sunni and 16 — Shiite mosques, as well as 3 synagogues.^[49]

Mosques[edit]

• Juma Mosque is the oldest mosque in Russia and the CIS. Built over a 6th-century Christian basilica; it has a 15th-century madrasa.
• Bala-mosque is a mosque at the gates of Orta-kapa. In 1796 it was destroyed during the siege of the city by General Zubov. Restored in 1812.^[50]
• Kilis-mosque is a mosque. It is located in the 7th district. In 1823-1853 the mosque served as a church. Now it is called Tovba Mesjidi.^[51]
• Kyrhlyar-mosque is a mosque at the gates of Kyrhlyar-kapa. Built in 1626-1627 by order of Shah Abbas. Another name is Shah Abbas Mesjidi. Rebuilt several times.^[52]
• The Minaret-mosque is the only mosque in the city with a minaret. Construction dates back to the XIII-XIV centuries. Rebuilt in the middle of the 19th century. The minaret is 11.5 meters high.^[53]
• Chertebe-mosque is a mosque in 1 mahal. Construction dates back to the 17th century. Rebuilt at the end of the 19th century. Completely demolished in the 1960s.^[54]

Churches[edit]

• Armenian Church of the Holy All-Savior is an architectural monument of the XIX century. Built in 1860. After the completion of the overhaul and restoration work, in May 1982, a museum of fine arts (a branch of the republican museum of fine arts) was opened in it. The museum became part of the State Museum-Reserve as a department of «Carpets and arts and crafts».
• Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin is an Orthodox church. Built in 1899, opened in 1900. ^[55]
• Cathedral of St. George the Victorious of Derbent was the main Russian Orthodox Church in the city of Derbent. Demolished in 1938.

Synagogues[edit]

• The Derbent Synagogue is the only synagogue in the city. The center of the spiritual life of the Jews of Derbent. Built in 1914. In 2009 the synagogue building was reconstructed. It was reopened on March 22, 2010.

Cemeteries[edit]

• Kyrkhlyar is an old and revered cemetery established in the 7th century. It is the oldest active Muslim cemetery in Russia.^[56][57] The name means «the forty» and refers to the 40 companions of Prophet Muhammad who were martyred there in 20 AH (640-641 CE) during the early Muslim expansion.^[58]

Lighthouse[edit]

• Derbent Lighthouse is the southernmost lighthouse in Russia. The lighthouse is included in the list of protected monuments of Russia and UNESCO.

Notable people[edit]

• Shahriyar of Derbent, Sasanian commander
• Bella Nisan, ophthalmologist
• Boris Gavrilov, writer and poet
• Mikhail Gavrilov, writer and poet
• Daniil Atnilov, poet
• Igor Yusufov, politician
• Israel Tsvaygenbaum, artist
• Manuvakh Dadashev, poet
• Mishi Bakhshiev, writer and poet
• Mushail Mushailov, artist and teacher
• Sergey Izgiyayev, poet, playwright, and translator of Mountain Jewish descent
• Sevil Novruzova, lawyer
• Suleyman Kerimov, businessman, investor, and politician
• Tamara Musakhanov, sculptor and ceramist
• Yagutil Mishiev, writer
• Yuno Semyonov, prose writer, playwright and artistic director
• Zoya Semenduev, poet

Twin towns – sister cities[edit]

Derbent is twinned with:^[59]

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

Sources[edit]

• Народное Собрание Республики Дагестан. Закон №16 от 10 апреля 2002 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Республики Дагестан», в ред. Закона №106 от 30 декабря 2013 г. «О внесении изменений в некоторые законодательные акты Республики Дагестан». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: «Дагестанская правда», №81, 12 апреля 2002 г. (People’s Assembly of the Republic of Dagestan. Law #16 of April 10, 2002 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of the Republic of Dagestan, as amended by the Law #106 of December 30, 2013 On Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Republic of Dagestan. Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
• Народное Собрание Республики Дагестан. Закон №6 от 13 января 2005 г. «О статусе и границах муниципальных образований Республики Дагестан», в ред. Закона №43 от 30 апреля 2015 г. «О статусе городского округа с внутригородским делением «Город Махачкала», статусе и границах внутригородских районов в составе городского округа с внутригородским делением «Город Махачкала» и о внесении изменений в отдельные законодательные акты Республики Дагестан». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: «Дагестанская правда», №8, 15 февраля 2005 г. (People’s Assembly of the Republic of Dagestan. Law #6 of January 13, 2005 On the Status and Borders of the Municipal Formations of the Republic of Dagestan, as amended by the Law #43 of April 30, 2015 On the Status of the «City of Makhachkala» Urban Okrug with Intra-Urban Divisions, the Status and the Borders of the Intra-City Districts Comprising the «City of Makhachkala» Urban Okrug with Intra-Urban Divisions, and on Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Republic of Dagestan. Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
• Some text used with permission from www.travel-images.com. The original text can be found here [1].
• M. S. Saidov, ed., Katalog arabskikh rukopiseĭ Instituta IYaL Dagestanskogo filiala AN SSSR (Catalogue of Arabic manuscripts in the H.L.L. Institute of the Dāḡestān branch of the A.N. of the U.S.S.R.) I, Moscow, 1977.
• Idem and A. R. Shikhsaidov, “Derbend-name (k istorii izucheniya)” (Darband-nāma. On the history of research),” in Vostochnye istochniki po istorii Dagestana (Eastern sources on the history of Dāḡestān), Makhachkala, 1980, pp. 564.

External links[edit]

• Official website of Derbent (in Russian)
• Derbent Business Directory (in Russian)
• History and attractions of Derbent
• History of Derbent and the millennia old historical and cultural relations it has with Iran.

дербент

Морфемный разбор слова:

Однокоренные слова к слову:

Дербент

1 Дербент

2 Дербент

3 Дербент

См. также в других словарях:

Дербент — город, р.ц., Дагестан. Основан в 438 г. как крепссть, охраняющая проход между Кавказскими горами (Табасаранский хребет) и Каспийским мо рем, находящийся на пути между Европой и Передней Азией, что и отражено в его названии: иран. дербекд горный… … Географическая энциклопедия

Дербент — город в Дагестане, расположен на берегу Каспийского моря, в отрогах Табасаранских гор Большого Кавказа. Территория города замыкает… … Города мира

ДЕРБЕНТ — (турец.). Место жительства особой стражи, которая охраняет полицейский порядок и преследует разбойников. Словарь иностранных слов, вошедших в состав русского языка. Чудинов А.Н., 1910 … Словарь иностранных слов русского языка

дербент — сущ., кол во синонимов: 1 • город (2765) Словарь синонимов ASIS. В.Н. Тришин. 2013 … Словарь синонимов

Дербент — У этого термина существуют и другие значения, см. Дербент (значения). Город Дербент Герб … Википедия

Дербент — (от перс. дер дверь и бонд преграда) город в Дагестанской АССР. Расположен на побережье Каспийского моря. Порт. Ж. д. станция на линии Махачкала Баку. 59 тыс. жителей в 1971 (14,6 тыс. жителей в 1897, 34,1 тыс. в 1939 и 47,3 тыс. в 1959) … Большая советская энциклопедия

Дербент — город в России, Дагестан, порт на Каспийском море. Железнодорожная станция. 91,1 тыс. жителей (1998). Заводы: «Электросигнал», шлифовальных станков; пищевкусовая промышленность, шерстопрядильная и ковровая фабрики. Театр. Краеведческий, историко… … Энциклопедический словарь

ДЕРБЕНТ — город, районный ц. Дагестанской АССР, расположен на побережье Каспийского м., ж. д. станция. В 1961 61 т. ж. (с поселком Огни ) (в 1824 11 т.ж., в 1897 13.8 т. ж., в 1914 20 т. ж., в 1939 34 т. ж., в 1959 47 т. ж.). Крепость Д., запиравшая узкий… … Советская историческая энциклопедия

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Как пишется на английском дербент

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Derbent city, Russia (Derbend)

Derbent overview

Derbent (in Persian “darband” means “narrow gates”) is a city in the Dagestan Republic located in the narrow pass between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus, the southernmost city in Russia.

Derbent city coat of arms

Derbent city map, Russia

Derbent city latest news and posts from our blog:

Derbent history

The ancient Greek historian Herodotus mentioned “Derbentsky pass” in the 5th century B.C. The Roman Empire was greatly interested in the town, it organized its first expedition in 290-281 B.C. In 66-65 B.C., military expeditions to the Caucasus headed by Lucullus and Pompeus took place, one of their objectives was to conquer Derbent.

A new stage in the development of Derbent was related to the invasion of the Arabs in the 7th century. In 651, the Arabs conquered Derbent, but managed to finally assimilate it just in 733-734s. From that time, the population of the town was rapidly turned into Islam.

At this time, Dzhuma mosque was constructed. Derbent turned into the main strong point of the Arab caliphate in the Caucasus and became the most important political and ideological center. It was the largest medieval town in the Caucasus with developed crafts and agriculture.

In 1239, Derbent was conquered by the Mongols and became part of the Golden Horde. In 1387, Timur conquered Azerbajan and Derbent shah Ibrahim I Derbendi was ready to subordinate to him.

In the early 18th century, when there was a threat of Iran and Turkish invasion in the Caspian region, Peter I committed his famous Persian (Caspian) expedition (1722-1723).

Derbent took a special place in Peter’s the Great plans. On August 23, 1722, Peter I arrived in Derbent with a large army. Peter I paid his attention at its historical monuments. Scientists and professionals who came with his escort made the first description of historical monuments. It was the beginning of scientific research of Derbent.

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дербент

1 Дербент

2 Дербент

3 Дербент

См. также в других словарях:

Дербент — город, р.ц., Дагестан. Основан в 438 г. как крепссть, охраняющая проход между Кавказскими горами (Табасаранский хребет) и Каспийским мо рем, находящийся на пути между Европой и Передней Азией, что и отражено в его названии: иран. дербекд горный… … Географическая энциклопедия

Дербент — город в Дагестане, расположен на берегу Каспийского моря, в отрогах Табасаранских гор Большого Кавказа. Территория города замыкает… … Города мира

ДЕРБЕНТ — (турец.). Место жительства особой стражи, которая охраняет полицейский порядок и преследует разбойников. Словарь иностранных слов, вошедших в состав русского языка. Чудинов А.Н., 1910 … Словарь иностранных слов русского языка

дербент — сущ., кол во синонимов: 1 • город (2765) Словарь синонимов ASIS. В.Н. Тришин. 2013 … Словарь синонимов

Дербент — У этого термина существуют и другие значения, см. Дербент (значения). Город Дербент Герб … Википедия

Дербент — (от перс. дер дверь и бонд преграда) город в Дагестанской АССР. Расположен на побережье Каспийского моря. Порт. Ж. д. станция на линии Махачкала Баку. 59 тыс. жителей в 1971 (14,6 тыс. жителей в 1897, 34,1 тыс. в 1939 и 47,3 тыс. в 1959) … Большая советская энциклопедия

Дербент — город в России, Дагестан, порт на Каспийском море. Железнодорожная станция. 91,1 тыс. жителей (1998). Заводы: «Электросигнал», шлифовальных станков; пищевкусовая промышленность, шерстопрядильная и ковровая фабрики. Театр. Краеведческий, историко… … Энциклопедический словарь

ДЕРБЕНТ — город, районный ц. Дагестанской АССР, расположен на побережье Каспийского м., ж. д. станция. В 1961 61 т. ж. (с поселком Огни ) (в 1824 11 т.ж., в 1897 13.8 т. ж., в 1914 20 т. ж., в 1939 34 т. ж., в 1959 47 т. ж.). Крепость Д., запиравшая узкий… … Советская историческая энциклопедия

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Презентация Древнейший город Дербент на анг

Описание презентации по отдельным слайдам:

The most ancient town Derbent

Самый древний город России – это Дербент. Он располагается на территории современного Дагестана. The town, about which I am going to speak, is situated between the Caspian sea and the most beautiful landscapes of the Caucasus mountains. It is the most ancient and the most southern town of our country. It is Derbent.

The ancient name of this town is the Caspian Gates. Derbent has experienced a very turbulent life.

Once upon a time Derbent was one of the main parts of the well-known ancient Silk road. That’s why many people wanted to own the town. There were many bloody battles and fights for it.

Derbent was repeatedly destroyed, was subjected to assault at, was fallen into decay. But it had long periods of prosperity as well.

The oldest town of Russia is now filled with a huge number of museums.

It is considered that more than half of the city is Museum-reserve, where a lot of stone buildings are situated.

Many buildings date back to the sixth century BC.

The complex of these buildings includes the fortress called the Naryn-Kala. It served as a defensive checkpoint for many centuries.

The mosque-Juma deserves special attention. It was built in the eighth century BC. Juma is the oldest mosque in Russia.

I love Derbent. Derbent «is Our Common House», «The Pearl of the World History». It is a unique city with a special culture. I spend my vacations in this wonderful city.

Now the town is trying to keep up with modern trends and travel routes.

In October 2015 an unforgettable trip to Derbent was organized.

We visited the fortress Naryn-Kala with my class.

We enjoyed our trip very much.

Курс повышения квалификации

Дистанционное обучение как современный формат преподавания

Курс повышения квалификации

Специфика преподавания английского языка с учетом требований ФГОС

Курс профессиональной переподготовки

Английский язык: теория и методика преподавания в образовательной организации

Ищем педагогов в команду «Инфоурок»

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Derbent overview

Derbent (in Persian “darband” means “narrow gates”) is a city in the Dagestan Republic located in the narrow pass between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus, the southernmost city in Russia.

The population of Derbent is about 121,000 (2015), the area — 69.63 sq. km.

The phone code — +7 87240, the postal code — 368600.

Derbent history

The ancient Greek historian Herodotus mentioned “Derbentsky pass” in the 5th century B.C. The Roman Empire was greatly interested in the town, it organized its first expedition in 290-281 B.C. In 66-65 B.C., military expeditions to the Caucasus headed by Lucullus and Pompeus took place, one of their objectives was to conquer Derbent.

In the early Middle Ages, struggle for the Caucasus was continued by Byzantine and Iraq. From the 5th century, the town rapidly grew and fortifications were constructed in order to prevent Asia from nomads’ attacks — Turkish tribes of the Huns and Khazars. In 488-531, stone walls were constructed. The fortress acquired the outlook preserved till nowadays.

A new stage in the development of Derbent was related to the invasion of the Arabs in the 7th century. In 651, the Arabs conquered Derbent, but managed to finally assimilate it just in 733-734s. From that time, the population of the town was rapidly turned into Islam.

More Historical Facts…

Derbent views

Derbent features

Derbent is one of the most ancient “live” cities in the world. The first settlements were founded there in the early Bronze Age, at the end of 4,000 B.C. Its ancient name, “Caspian Gates”, was first mentioned in the 6th century B.C.

The climate in Derbent is transitional from temperate to semi-dry subtropical. It is affected by the Caspian Sea. Autumn is usually long and warm; spring comes with a delay; winter is mild, the coldest month is February; summer is long and hot. The average temperature in January is +3.1 degrees Celsius, in July — +24.7 degrees C.

Derbent is located on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, not far from the mouth of the Samur River, where the Caucasian mountains come closest to the Caspian Sea and leave just a narrow, 3 km wide, line of lowland.

The importance of Derbentsky pass was high, it was located in one of the most strategically important and topographically convenient points of the famous Caspian way which connected the Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia.

The pass was attacked of the Scythians, Sarmats, Alans, Huns, Khazars and others. It experienced stormy historical events, attacks and destruction, decline and prosperity. Derbent was an important part of the Great Silk way. The town was the crossroads of civilizations connecting East and West, North and South.

September 19, 2015, the 2000th anniversary of Derbent was celebrated.

National composition of Derbent population (2010): Lezgins (33.7%), Azerbaijanis (32.3%), Tabasarans (15.8%), Dargins (5.6%), Russians (3.7%), Aguls (3.2%), Armenians (1.2%), Jews (1.1%), Rutuls (0.8%), others (2.6%).

The city has a cognac plant producing famous Derbent cognacs, and a sparkling wine plant — the only plant in Russia producing sparkling wine in souvenir and even crystal bottles.

Derbent places of interest

Today, Derbent is an outstanding monument of defense architecture. Its defense complex impresses us with its grandeur, mightiness and power.

Derbent is the oldest cultural center of Dagestan Republic, the birthplace of its spiritual and material culture, it is where art, art crafts, written language, values of Islam and other world religions spread from.

In 2003, UNESCO included the old part of Derbent with traditional buildings in the World Heritage List, highlighting the following sites:

Derbent Wall — a double wall built in the Sassanid times that completely closed the Caspian pass and went far into the sea forming a port. It is the only preserved monument of ancient Persian fortification architecture.

Naryn-Kala — an ancient fortress towering over Derbent. Inside, you can see preserved baths, water tanks in case of siege, and the ruins of ancient buildings.

Juma Mosque — the most ancient mosque in Russia. This temple was captured by the Arabs and converted into a mosque. That’s why this mosque has an entrance from the south rather than the north. Before the mosque, there is a madrassas of the 15th century.

The combination of unique monuments of history, architecture and archaeology together with wonderful nature landscapes and favorable climate make the whole region an important center of inner and international tourism.

Derbent streets

There are four theaters in Derbent:

• Azerbaijan State Drama Theater,
• Lezgin State Music and Drama Theater named after Suleyman Stalsky,
• Tabasaran State Drama Theater,
• Tat Folk Theater.

There is a number of museums in Derbent:

• Museum of Carpets, Arts and Crafts located in the Armenian-Gregorian church (Rzayeva Street, 7),
• Museum of Culture and Life of Ancient Derbent (Rzayeva Street, 7),
• Museum “Caspian Nature” (Lenina Street, 64),
• Museum of Military Glory,
• Derbent Historical and Architectural Museum (Rzayeva Street, 7),
• Museum of History of World Cultures and Religions (Mira Street, 3),
• Museum “The House of Peter I”.

На основании Вашего запроса эти примеры могут содержать грубую лексику.

На основании Вашего запроса эти примеры могут содержать разговорную лексику.

Перевод «дербент» на английский

Дагестанский город Дербент считается одним из древнейших населённых пунктов.

The Dagestani town of Derbent is considered to be one of the oldest living human settlements.

Открытие набережной, безусловно, важное событие, потому что Дербент является приморским городом.

The opening of the embankment is certainly an important event, because Derbent is a seaside city.

Старый город Дербент — один из самых колоритных городов страны.

The old town of Derbent is one of the most colorful cities in the country.

Город Дербент был построен между этими двумя стенами и сохранил часть своей средневековой постройки.

The town of Derbent was built between these two walls, and has retained part of its medieval fabric.

Прибыв в Дербент, вы разместитесь в отеле.

Upon arrival to Derbent you will stay at a hotel.

В 2006 году таким же дипломом был награжден город Дербент.

In 2006 the city of Derbent was awarded the similar honorary diploma.

По задумке архитекторов, Дербент снова станет зелёным городом.

As planned by the members of the consortium, Derbent should become a green city again.

Город Дербент сложился между этих двух стен и сохранил свой средневековый дух.

The city of Derbent developed between these two walls has retained its medieval character to the present.

В самом его начале русским войскам удалось занять Дербент и Баку.

At the very beginning the Russian forces succeeded in occupying Derbent and Baku.

Дербент старейший центр Дагестана, горнило его духовной и материальной культуры.

Derbent is the oldest center of Daghestan, the crucible of his spiritual and material culture.

«Дербент — самый древний город нашей страны.

Derbent is our country’s most ancient town.

Дербент уже пять тысяч лет стоит на перекрестке цивилизаций, пережил сотни войн, нашествий.

Derbent has spent 5000 years at the crossroads of civilisations, and has suffered countless wars.

За передовые взгляды его вскоре уволили со службы и сослали в г. Дербент.

For his progressive views, he was soon dismissed from service and exiled to the city of Derbent.

Дербент — древнейший из «живых» городов в мире.

Derbent is one of the most ancient «live» cities in the world.

«Дербент — огромная стена, которая загораживала дорогу, простираясь от горной вершины до моря.

Derbent is a huge wall that blocks the road, stretching from the mountain tops to the sea.

Дербент имеет такую продолжительную и насыщенную событиями историю, что уместить ее на трех монетах было бы невозможно.

Derbent has such a long history filled with events that it was impossible to put it to three coins.

А значит, Дербент представлял большой интерес для ряда империй на протяжении своей истории.

Naturally, Derbent was of great interest to a number of empires over its history.

Дербент — живой город, и почтенный возраст не засушил его, а только прибавил колорита.

Derbent is a live eastern city, and its respectable age didn’t dry it, but only added color to the city.

Съемки реалити-шоу проходят в формате экспедиционной поездки участников в город Дербент.

Filming of the reality show takes place in the format of an expedition trip of participants to the city of Derbent.

В конце 1904 в Дербент была основана социал-демократическая группа.

At the end of 1904 a Social Democratic group was founded in Derbent.

Ничего не найдено для этого значения.

Результатов: 255. Точных совпадений: 255. Затраченное время: 63 мс

Documents

Корпоративные решения

Спряжение

Синонимы

Корректор

Справка и о нас

Индекс слова: 1-300, 301-600, 601-900

Индекс выражения: 1-400, 401-800, 801-1200

Индекс фразы: 1-400, 401-800, 801-1200

Derbent Дербент
City[1]
Other transcription(s)
• Azerbaijani	Дәрбәнд (Dərbənd)
• Tat and Avar	Дербенд
• Lezgian	Кьвевар, Цал, Дербенд
• Dargwa	Чяли
Coat of arms
Location of Derbent
Derbent Location of Derbent in Dagestan Derbent Location of Derbent in European Russia Derbent Location of Derbent near the Caspian Sea Derbent Location of Derbent near the Caucasus mountains Derbent Location of Derbent in Russia
Coordinates: 42°03′N 48°18′E / 42.050°N 48.300°ECoordinates: 42°03′N 48°18′E / 42.050°N 48.300°E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Dagestan[1]
Founded	438
City status since	1840
Government
• Mayor	Khizri M. Abakarov
Area [2]
• Total	69.63 km2 (26.88 sq mi)
Elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[3]
• Total	119,200
• Estimate  (2018)[4]	123,720 (+3.8%)
• Rank	137th in 2010
• Density	1,700/km2 (4,400/sq mi)
Administrative status
• Subordinated to	City of Derbent[1]
• Capital of	City of Derbent[1], Derbentsky District[1]
Municipal status
• Urban okrug	Derbent Urban Okrug[5]
• Capital of	Derbent Urban Okrug[5], Derbentsky Municipal District
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [6])
Postal code(s)[7]	368600
Dialing code(s)	+7 87240
OKTMO ID	82710000001
Website	www.derbent.org

Derbent (Russian: Дербе́нт; Lezgian: Кьвевар, Цал; Azerbaijani: Дәрбәнд, romanized: Dərbənd; Avar: Дербенд; Persian: دربند), formerly romanized as Derbend,^[8] is a city in Dagestan, Russia, located on the Caspian Sea. It is the southernmost city in Russia, and it is the second-most important city of Dagestan. Derbent occupies the narrow gateway between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains connecting the Eurasian Steppe to the north and the Iranian Plateau to the south; covering an area of 69.63 square kilometres (26.88 sq mi), with a population of roughly 120,000 residents.

Derbent claims to be the oldest city in Russia, with historical documentation dating to the 8th century BC, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.^[9] Due to its strategic location, over the course of history, the city changed ownership many times, particularly among the Persian, Arab, Mongol, Timurid, and Shirvan kingdoms. In the 19th century, the city passed from Persian into Russian hands by the Treaty of Gulistan of 1813.^[10]

Etymology[edit]

Derbent is derived from Persian «Darband» (Persian: دربند, lit. ‘Door/opening in a Barrier’, from dar “door/gate” + band “barrier/dam”, lit., “gate in the barrier”^[11]), referring to the eastern-most pass in the high Caucasus Mountains (whence the putative «barrier/dam») on the beaches of the Caspian Sea. (The other pass, the Darial Pass, is in Central Caucasus Mountains, and likewise carries a Persian name, standing for «the Alan Pass/gate» – with the Alans being the modern Iranic Ossetians.)

It is often identified with the Gates of Alexander, a legendary barrier supposedly built by Alexander the Great in the Caucasus. The Persian name for the city came into use at the end of the 5th or the beginning of the 6th century AD, when the city was re-established by Kavadh I of the Sassanid dynasty of Persia, but Derbent was probably already in the Sasanian sphere of influence as a result of the victory over the Parthians and the conquest of Caucasian Albania by Shapur I, the second shah of the Sassanid Persians.^[12] The geographical treatise Šahrestānīhā ī Ērānšahr written in Middle Persian mentions the old name of the fortress – Wērōy-pahr (The Gruzinian Guard):

šahrestan [ī] kūmīs [ī] panj-burg až-i dahāg pad šabestān kard. māniš [ī] *pārsīgān ānōh būd. padxwadayīh [ī] yazdgird ī šabuhrān kard andar tāzišn ī čōl wērōy-pahr [ī] an ālag. (The city of Kūmīs of five towers Aži Dahag made it his own harem. The abode of the Parthians was there. In the reign of Yazdgird, the son of Šabuhr made it during the invasion of the Čōl, at the boundary of the Gruzinian Guard.).^[13]

-Wėrōy-pahr: «The Gruzinian Guard» The old name of the fortress at Darband;…^[14]

In Arabic texts the city was known as «Bāb al-Abwāb» (Arabic: بَاب ٱلْأَبْوَاب, lit. ‘Gate of all Gates’),^[15] simply as «al-Bāb» (Arabic: ٱلْبَاب, lit. ‘The Gate’) or as «Bāb al-Hadid» (Arabic: بَاب ٱلْحَدِيد, lit. ‘Gate of Iron’).^[16] A similar name meaning «Iron Gate» was used by Turkic peoples, in the form «Demirkapi«.^[17][18]

History[edit]

Derbent’s location on a narrow, three-kilometer strip of land in the North Caucasus between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus mountains is strategic in the entire Caucasus region. Historically, this position allowed the rulers of Derbent to control land traffic between the Eurasian Steppe and the Middle East. The only other practicable crossing of the Caucasus ridge was over the Darial Gorge.

Persian rule[edit]

A traditionally and historically Iranian city,^[19] the first intensive settlement in the Derbent area dates from the 8th century BC; the site was intermittently controlled by the Persian monarchs, starting from the 6th century BC. Until the 4th century AD, it was part of Caucasian Albania which was a satrapy of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, and is traditionally identified with Albana, the capital.^[12] The modern name is a Persian word (دربند Darband) meaning «gateway», which came into use in the end of the 5th or the beginning of the 6th century AD, when the city was re-established by Kavadh I of the Sassanid dynasty of Persia,^[20] however, Derbent was probably already into the Sasanian sphere of influence as a result of the victory over the Parthians and the conquest of Caucasian Albania by Shapur I, the second shah of the Sassanid Persians.^[12] In the 5th century Derbent also functioned as a border fortress and the seat of a Sassanid marzban.^[12]

The 20-meter-high (66 ft) walls with thirty north-looking towers are believed to belong to the time of Kavadh’s son, Khosrau I, who also directed the construction of Derbent’s fortress.^[21]

The Sassanid fortress does not exist anymore, as the famous Derbent fortress as it stands today was built from the 12th century onward.^[22] Some say that the level of the Caspian was formerly higher and that the lowering of the water level opened an invasion route that had to be fortified.^[23] The chronicler Movses Kaghankatvatsi wrote about «the wondrous walls, for whose construction the Persian kings exhausted our country, recruiting architects and collecting building materials with a view of constructing a great edifice stretching between the Caucasus Mountains and the Great Eastern Sea». Derbent became a strong military outpost and harbour of the Sassanid Empire. During the 5th and 6th centuries, Derbent also became an important center for spreading the Christian faith in the Caucasus.

During periods when the Sasanians were distracted by war with the Byzantines or protracted battles with the Hephthalites in the eastern provinces, the northern tribes succeeded in advancing into the Caucasus. The first Sasanian attempt to seal off the road along the Caspian seacoast at Darband by means of a mud-brick wall has been dated in the reign of Yazdegerd II (438–457 AD).^[12]

Movses Kagankatvatsi left a graphic description of the sack of Derbent by the hordes of Tong Yabghu of the Western Turkic Khaganate in 627. His successor,^{[citation needed]} Böri Shad, proved unable to consolidate Tong Yabghu’s conquests, and the city was retaken by the Persians, who held it as an integral domain until the Muslim Arab conquest.

As mentioned by the Encyclopedia Iranica, ancient Iranian language elements were absorbed into the everyday speech of the population of Dagestan and Derbent especially during the Sassanian era, and many remain current.^[24] In fact, a deliberate policy of “Persianizing” Derbent and the eastern Caucasus, in general, can be traced over many centuries, from Khosrow I to the Safavid shahs Ismail I, and ʿAbbās the Great.^[24] According to the account in the later «Darband-nāma», after construction of the fortifications Khosrow I “moved much folk here from Persia”,^[25] relocating about 3,000 families from the interior of Persia in the city of Derbent and neighboring villages.^[24] This account seems to be corroborated by the Spanish Arab Ḥamīd Moḥammad Ḡarnāṭī, who reported in 1130 that Derbent was populated by many ethnic groups, including a large Persian-speaking population.^[26]

Arab conquest[edit]

In 654, Derbent was captured by the Arabs, who called it the Gate of Gates (Bab al-Abwab),^[27] following their invasion of Persia. They transformed it into an important administrative center and introduced Islam to the area. The impression of antiquity evoked by these fortifications led many Arab historians to connect them with Khosrow I and to include them among the seven wonders of the world.^[12] The Darband fortress was certainly the most prominent Sasanian defensive construction in the Caucasus and could have been erected only by an extremely powerful central government.^[12] Because of its strategic position on the northern branch of the Silk Route, the fortress was contested by the Khazars in the course of the Khazar-Arab Wars. The Sassanids had also brought Armenians from Syunik to help protect the pass from invaders; as Arab rule weakened in the region at the end of the ninth century, the Armenians living there were able to establish a kingdom, which lasted until the early years of the thirteenth century.^[28][29] The Holy Saviour Armenian Church still rises up in the skyline, though it is used as the Museum of Carpet, Arts and Crafts today due to the decline in the Armenian population. There was also a second Armenian church and two Armenian schools which served the Armenian community, which numbered about 3,000 in the census of 1913.

Excavations on the eastern side of the Caspian Sea, opposite to Derbent, revealed the Great Wall of Gorgan, the eastern counterpart to the wall and fortifications of Derbent. Similar Sassanian defensive fortifications there—massive forts, garrison towns, long walls—also run from the sea to the mountains.

The Caliph Harun al-Rashid lived in Derbent and brought it into great repute as a seat of the arts and commerce. According to Arab historians, Derbent, with a population exceeding 50,000, was the largest city of the 9th century in the Caucasus. In the 10th century, with the collapse of the Arab Caliphate, Derbent became the capital of an emirate. This emirate often fought losing wars with the neighboring Christian state of Sarir, allowing Sarir to manipulate Derbent’s politics on occasion. Despite that, the emirate outlived its rival and continued to flourish at the time of the Mongol invasion in 1239. In the 14th century, Derbent was occupied by Timur’s armies.

Shirvanshah era[edit]

The Shirvanshahs dynasty existed as independent or a vassal state, from 861 until 1538; longer than any other dynasty in the Islamic world. They were renowned for their cultural achievements and geopolitical pursuits. The rulers of Shirvan, called the Shirvanshahs, had attempted, and on numerous times, succeeded, to conquer Derbend since the 18th Shirvanshah king, Afridun I, was appointed as the governor of the city. Over the centuries the city changed hands often. The 21st Shirvanshah king, Akhsitan I, briefly reconquered the city. However, the city was lost once again to the northern Kipchaks.

After the Timurid invasion, Ibrahim I of Shirvan, the 33rd Shirvanshah, managed to keep the kingdom of Shirvan independent. Ibrahim I revived Shirvan’s fortunes, and through his cunning politics managed to continue without paying tribute. Furthermore, Ibrahim also greatly increased the limits of his state. He conquered the city of Derbend in 1437. The Shirvanshahs integrated the city so closely with their political structure that a new branch of the Shirvan dynasty emerged from Derbend, the Derbenid dynasty. The Derbenid dynasty, being a cadet dynasty of Shirvan, inherited the throne of Shirvan in the 15th century.

In the early 16th century, the kingdom of Shirvan was conquered by Shah Ismail of the Safavid dynasty. As Shah Ismail incorporated all the Shirvan possessions, he also inherited Derbend.

Russian conquest[edit]

Derbent stayed under Iranian rule, while occasionally briefly taken by the Ottoman Turks such as in 1583 after the Battle of Torches and the Treaty of Constantinople, till the course of the 19th century, when the Russians occupied the city and wider Iranian-ruled swaths of Dagestan.^{[30][31][32][33][34][35][36]}

Being briefly taken by the Russians as a result of the Persian expedition of 1722–23 by Peter the Great, the 1735 Treaty of Ganja, formed by Imperial Russia and Safavid Iran (de facto ruled by Nader Shah), forced Russia to return Derbent and its bastion to Iran. In 1747, Derbent became the capital of the Derbent Khanate of the same name.

During the Persian Expedition of 1796, Derbent was stormed by Russian forces under General Valerian Zubov, but the Russians were forced to retreat due to internal political issues,^[37] making it fall under Persian rule again.
As a consequence of the Russo-Persian War (1804-1813) and the resulting Treaty of Gulistan of 1813, Derbent and wider Dagestan were ceded by Qajar Iran to the Russian Empire.^[38] (For background, see Russian conquest of the Caucasus#Caspian Coast.)

In the 1886 census of Dagestan Oblast, as part of Russia’s Caucasus Viceroyalty, people of Iranian descent (Russian: персы) were still an absolute majority at 8,994 out of 15,265, or 58,9%.^[39]

Geography[edit]

The modern city is built in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe; near the western shores of the Caspian Sea, south of the Rubas River, on the slopes of the Tabasaran Mountains (part of the Bigger Caucasus range). Derbent is well served by public transport, with its own harbor, a railway going south to Baku, and the Baku to Rostov-on-Don road.

To the north of the town is the monument of the Kirk-lar, or forty heroes, who fell defending Dagestan against the Arabs in 728. To the south lies the seaward extremity of the Caucasian wall (fifty metres long), otherwise known as Alexander’s Wall, blocking the narrow pass of the Iron Gate or Caspian Gates (Portae Athanae or Portae Caspiae). When intact, the wall had a height of 9 m (29 ft) and a thickness of about 3 m (10 ft) and, with its iron gates and numerous watch-towers, defended Persia’s frontier.^[20]

Climate[edit]

Derbent has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk).

Administrative and municipal status[edit]

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Derbent serves as the administrative center of Derbentsky District, even though it is not a part of it.^[1] As an administrative division, it is incorporated separately as the City of Derbent—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.^[1] As a municipal division, the City of Derbent is incorporated as Derbent Urban Okrug.^[5]

Demographics[edit]

According to the 1897 census, Derbent had 14,649 inhabitants, 9,767 of whom were Tatar (later known as Azerbaijani) speakers (66.7%) and 1,004 were Russian speakers (6.9%).^[41]

In 1916, Derbent had a population of 31,168 consisting of 7,919 Shia Muslims (25.4%), 7,567 Russians (24.3%), 6,879 Jews (22.1%), 5,138 Caucasian highlanders (16.5%), 2,604 Armenians (8.4%), and 1,061 Sunni Muslims (3.4%).^[42]

According to the 2010 Census, the main ethnic groups in the city are:^[43]

• Lezgins (33.7%)
• Azerbaijanis (32.3%)
• Tabasarans (15.8%)
• Dargins (5.6%)
• Russians (3.7%)
• Aghuls (3.2%)
• Jews (1.1%)
• Rutuls (0.8%)

[edit]

Jews began to settle in Derbent in ancient times. During the Khazars’ reign, they played an important part in the life of the city.^[44] The Jewish traveler Benjamin of Tudela mentions Jews living in Derbent in the 12th century, and Christian traveler Wilhelm of Rubruquis writes about a Jewish community in the 13th century. The first mention of Jews in Derbent in modern times is by a German traveler, Adam Olearius, in the 17th century.

Derbent’s Jewry suffered during the wars in the 18th century. Nadir Shah of Persia forced many Jews to adopt Islam. After the Russian conquest, many Jews of rural Dagestan fled to Derbent, which became the spiritual center of the Mountain Jews. The Jewish population numbered 2,200 in 1897 (15% of total population) and 3,500 in 1903. In the middle of the 20th century, Jews constituted about a third of the population of Derbent.^[45] In 1989, there were 13,000 Jews in the city, but most emigrated after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In 2002, there were 2,000 Jews with an active synagogue and community center.^[46]
The chief rabbi of Derbent, Obadiah Isakov, was badly injured in an assassination attempt on July 25, 2013, sparking concerns of further acts of anti-Semitism targeting the Jewish community.^[47] In 2016, the Jewish population was down to 1,345.^[48]

Economy and culture[edit]

The city is home to machine building, food, textile, fishing, and fishery supplies, construction materials, and wood industries. It is the center of Russian brandy production. The educational infrastructure includes a university as well as several technical schools. On the cultural front, there is a Lezgin drama theater (named after S. Stalsky). About two kilometers (1.2 miles) from the city is the vacation colony of Chayka (Seagull).

The Soviet novelist Yury Krymov named a fictional motor tanker after the city in his book The Tanker «Derbent».

Theaters[edit]

Derbent has 3 state and 1 municipal theaters.

• State Azerbaijan Drama Theater
• State Lezgin Music and Drama Theater named after S. Stalsky
• State Tabasaran Drama Theater
• Judeo-Tat Theatre

Citadel of Derbend[edit]

Derbent resembles a huge museum and has magnificent mountains and shore nearby, and therefore possesses much touristic potential, further increased by UNESCO’s classification of the citadel, ancient city and fortress as a World Heritage Site in 2003; however, instability in the region has halted development.

The current fortification and walls were built by the Persian Sassanian Empire as a defensive structure against hostile nomadic people in the north, and continuously repaired or improved by later Arab, Mongol, Timurid, Shirvan, and Iranian kingdoms until the early course of the 19th century, as long as its military function lasted. The fortress was built under the direction of the Sassanid emperor Khosrow (Chosroes) I.^[21]

A large portion of the walls and several watchtowers still remain in reasonable shape. The walls, reaching to the sea, date from the 6th century, Sassanid dynasty period. The city has a well-preserved citadel (Narin-kala), enclosing an area of 4.5 hectares (11 acres), enclosed by strong walls. Historical attractions include the baths, the cisterns, the old cemeteries, the caravanserai, the 18th-century Khan’s mausoleum, as well as several mosques.

Religious monuments[edit]

As of 1865, the city had: 1 — Russian and 1 — Armenian church; 1 — Sunni and 16 — Shiite mosques, as well as 3 synagogues.^[49]

Mosques[edit]

• Juma Mosque is the oldest mosque in Russia and the CIS. Built over a 6th-century Christian basilica; it has a 15th-century madrasa.
• Bala-mosque is a mosque at the gates of Orta-kapa. In 1796 it was destroyed during the siege of the city by General Zubov. Restored in 1812.^[50]
• Kilis-mosque is a mosque. It is located in the 7th district. In 1823-1853 the mosque served as a church. Now it is called Tovba Mesjidi.^[51]
• Kyrhlyar-mosque is a mosque at the gates of Kyrhlyar-kapa. Built in 1626-1627 by order of Shah Abbas. Another name is Shah Abbas Mesjidi. Rebuilt several times.^[52]
• The Minaret-mosque is the only mosque in the city with a minaret. Construction dates back to the XIII-XIV centuries. Rebuilt in the middle of the 19th century. The minaret is 11.5 meters high.^[53]
• Chertebe-mosque is a mosque in 1 mahal. Construction dates back to the 17th century. Rebuilt at the end of the 19th century. Completely demolished in the 1960s.^[54]

Churches[edit]

• Armenian Church of the Holy All-Savior is an architectural monument of the XIX century. Built in 1860. After the completion of the overhaul and restoration work, in May 1982, a museum of fine arts (a branch of the republican museum of fine arts) was opened in it. The museum became part of the State Museum-Reserve as a department of «Carpets and arts and crafts».
• Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin is an Orthodox church. Built in 1899, opened in 1900. ^[55]
• Cathedral of St. George the Victorious of Derbent was the main Russian Orthodox Church in the city of Derbent. Demolished in 1938.

Synagogues[edit]

• The Derbent Synagogue is the only synagogue in the city. The center of the spiritual life of the Jews of Derbent. Built in 1914. In 2009 the synagogue building was reconstructed. It was reopened on March 22, 2010.

Cemeteries[edit]

• Kyrkhlyar is an old and revered cemetery established in the 7th century. It is the oldest active Muslim cemetery in Russia.^[56][57] The name means «the forty» and refers to the 40 companions of Prophet Muhammad who were martyred there in 20 AH (640-641 CE) during the early Muslim expansion.^[58]

Lighthouse[edit]

• Derbent Lighthouse is the southernmost lighthouse in Russia. The lighthouse is included in the list of protected monuments of Russia and UNESCO.

Notable people[edit]

• Shahriyar of Derbent, Sasanian commander
• Bella Nisan, ophthalmologist
• Boris Gavrilov, writer and poet
• Mikhail Gavrilov, writer and poet
• Daniil Atnilov, poet
• Igor Yusufov, politician
• Israel Tsvaygenbaum, artist
• Manuvakh Dadashev, poet
• Mishi Bakhshiev, writer and poet
• Mushail Mushailov, artist and teacher
• Sergey Izgiyayev, poet, playwright, and translator of Mountain Jewish descent
• Sevil Novruzova, lawyer
• Suleyman Kerimov, businessman, investor, and politician
• Tamara Musakhanov, sculptor and ceramist
• Yagutil Mishiev, writer
• Yuno Semyonov, prose writer, playwright and artistic director
• Zoya Semenduev, poet

Twin towns – sister cities[edit]

Derbent is twinned with:^[59]

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

Sources[edit]

• Народное Собрание Республики Дагестан. Закон №16 от 10 апреля 2002 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Республики Дагестан», в ред. Закона №106 от 30 декабря 2013 г. «О внесении изменений в некоторые законодательные акты Республики Дагестан». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: «Дагестанская правда», №81, 12 апреля 2002 г. (People’s Assembly of the Republic of Dagestan. Law #16 of April 10, 2002 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of the Republic of Dagestan, as amended by the Law #106 of December 30, 2013 On Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Republic of Dagestan. Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
• Народное Собрание Республики Дагестан. Закон №6 от 13 января 2005 г. «О статусе и границах муниципальных образований Республики Дагестан», в ред. Закона №43 от 30 апреля 2015 г. «О статусе городского округа с внутригородским делением «Город Махачкала», статусе и границах внутригородских районов в составе городского округа с внутригородским делением «Город Махачкала» и о внесении изменений в отдельные законодательные акты Республики Дагестан». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: «Дагестанская правда», №8, 15 февраля 2005 г. (People’s Assembly of the Republic of Dagestan. Law #6 of January 13, 2005 On the Status and Borders of the Municipal Formations of the Republic of Dagestan, as amended by the Law #43 of April 30, 2015 On the Status of the «City of Makhachkala» Urban Okrug with Intra-Urban Divisions, the Status and the Borders of the Intra-City Districts Comprising the «City of Makhachkala» Urban Okrug with Intra-Urban Divisions, and on Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Republic of Dagestan. Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
• Some text used with permission from www.travel-images.com. The original text can be found here [1].
• M. S. Saidov, ed., Katalog arabskikh rukopiseĭ Instituta IYaL Dagestanskogo filiala AN SSSR (Catalogue of Arabic manuscripts in the H.L.L. Institute of the Dāḡestān branch of the A.N. of the U.S.S.R.) I, Moscow, 1977.
• Idem and A. R. Shikhsaidov, “Derbend-name (k istorii izucheniya)” (Darband-nāma. On the history of research),” in Vostochnye istochniki po istorii Dagestana (Eastern sources on the history of Dāḡestān), Makhachkala, 1980, pp. 564.

External links[edit]

• Official website of Derbent (in Russian)
• Derbent Business Directory (in Russian)
• History and attractions of Derbent
• History of Derbent and the millennia old historical and cultural relations it has with Iran.

Derbent Дербент
City[1]
Other transcription(s)
• Azerbaijani	Дәрбәнд (Dərbənd)
• Tat and Avar	Дербенд
• Lezgian	Кьвевар, Цал, Дербенд
• Dargwa	Чяли
Coat of arms
Location of Derbent
Derbent Location of Derbent in Dagestan Derbent Location of Derbent in European Russia Derbent Location of Derbent near the Caspian Sea Derbent Location of Derbent near the Caucasus mountains Derbent Location of Derbent in Russia
Coordinates: 42°03′N 48°18′E / 42.050°N 48.300°ECoordinates: 42°03′N 48°18′E / 42.050°N 48.300°E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Dagestan[1]
Founded	438
City status since	1840
Government
• Mayor	Khizri M. Abakarov
Area [2]
• Total	69.63 km2 (26.88 sq mi)
Elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[3]
• Total	119,200
• Estimate  (2018)[4]	123,720 (+3.8%)
• Rank	137th in 2010
• Density	1,700/km2 (4,400/sq mi)
Administrative status
• Subordinated to	City of Derbent[1]
• Capital of	City of Derbent[1], Derbentsky District[1]
Municipal status
• Urban okrug	Derbent Urban Okrug[5]
• Capital of	Derbent Urban Okrug[5], Derbentsky Municipal District
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [6])
Postal code(s)[7]	368600
Dialing code(s)	+7 87240
OKTMO ID	82710000001
Website	www.derbent.org

Derbent (Russian: Дербе́нт; Lezgian: Кьвевар, Цал; Azerbaijani: Дәрбәнд, romanized: Dərbənd; Avar: Дербенд; Persian: دربند), formerly romanized as Derbend,^[8] is a city in Dagestan, Russia, located on the Caspian Sea. It is the southernmost city in Russia, and it is the second-most important city of Dagestan. Derbent occupies the narrow gateway between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains connecting the Eurasian Steppe to the north and the Iranian Plateau to the south; covering an area of 69.63 square kilometres (26.88 sq mi), with a population of roughly 120,000 residents.

Derbent claims to be the oldest city in Russia, with historical documentation dating to the 8th century BC, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.^[9] Due to its strategic location, over the course of history, the city changed ownership many times, particularly among the Persian, Arab, Mongol, Timurid, and Shirvan kingdoms. In the 19th century, the city passed from Persian into Russian hands by the Treaty of Gulistan of 1813.^[10]

Etymology[edit]

Derbent is derived from Persian «Darband» (Persian: دربند, lit. ‘Door/opening in a Barrier’, from dar “door/gate” + band “barrier/dam”, lit., “gate in the barrier”^[11]), referring to the eastern-most pass in the high Caucasus Mountains (whence the putative «barrier/dam») on the beaches of the Caspian Sea. (The other pass, the Darial Pass, is in Central Caucasus Mountains, and likewise carries a Persian name, standing for «the Alan Pass/gate» – with the Alans being the modern Iranic Ossetians.)

It is often identified with the Gates of Alexander, a legendary barrier supposedly built by Alexander the Great in the Caucasus. The Persian name for the city came into use at the end of the 5th or the beginning of the 6th century AD, when the city was re-established by Kavadh I of the Sassanid dynasty of Persia, but Derbent was probably already in the Sasanian sphere of influence as a result of the victory over the Parthians and the conquest of Caucasian Albania by Shapur I, the second shah of the Sassanid Persians.^[12] The geographical treatise Šahrestānīhā ī Ērānšahr written in Middle Persian mentions the old name of the fortress – Wērōy-pahr (The Gruzinian Guard):

šahrestan [ī] kūmīs [ī] panj-burg až-i dahāg pad šabestān kard. māniš [ī] *pārsīgān ānōh būd. padxwadayīh [ī] yazdgird ī šabuhrān kard andar tāzišn ī čōl wērōy-pahr [ī] an ālag. (The city of Kūmīs of five towers Aži Dahag made it his own harem. The abode of the Parthians was there. In the reign of Yazdgird, the son of Šabuhr made it during the invasion of the Čōl, at the boundary of the Gruzinian Guard.).^[13]

-Wėrōy-pahr: «The Gruzinian Guard» The old name of the fortress at Darband;…^[14]

In Arabic texts the city was known as «Bāb al-Abwāb» (Arabic: بَاب ٱلْأَبْوَاب, lit. ‘Gate of all Gates’),^[15] simply as «al-Bāb» (Arabic: ٱلْبَاب, lit. ‘The Gate’) or as «Bāb al-Hadid» (Arabic: بَاب ٱلْحَدِيد, lit. ‘Gate of Iron’).^[16] A similar name meaning «Iron Gate» was used by Turkic peoples, in the form «Demirkapi«.^[17][18]

History[edit]

Derbent’s location on a narrow, three-kilometer strip of land in the North Caucasus between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus mountains is strategic in the entire Caucasus region. Historically, this position allowed the rulers of Derbent to control land traffic between the Eurasian Steppe and the Middle East. The only other practicable crossing of the Caucasus ridge was over the Darial Gorge.

Persian rule[edit]

A traditionally and historically Iranian city,^[19] the first intensive settlement in the Derbent area dates from the 8th century BC; the site was intermittently controlled by the Persian monarchs, starting from the 6th century BC. Until the 4th century AD, it was part of Caucasian Albania which was a satrapy of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, and is traditionally identified with Albana, the capital.^[12] The modern name is a Persian word (دربند Darband) meaning «gateway», which came into use in the end of the 5th or the beginning of the 6th century AD, when the city was re-established by Kavadh I of the Sassanid dynasty of Persia,^[20] however, Derbent was probably already into the Sasanian sphere of influence as a result of the victory over the Parthians and the conquest of Caucasian Albania by Shapur I, the second shah of the Sassanid Persians.^[12] In the 5th century Derbent also functioned as a border fortress and the seat of a Sassanid marzban.^[12]

The 20-meter-high (66 ft) walls with thirty north-looking towers are believed to belong to the time of Kavadh’s son, Khosrau I, who also directed the construction of Derbent’s fortress.^[21]

The Sassanid fortress does not exist anymore, as the famous Derbent fortress as it stands today was built from the 12th century onward.^[22] Some say that the level of the Caspian was formerly higher and that the lowering of the water level opened an invasion route that had to be fortified.^[23] The chronicler Movses Kaghankatvatsi wrote about «the wondrous walls, for whose construction the Persian kings exhausted our country, recruiting architects and collecting building materials with a view of constructing a great edifice stretching between the Caucasus Mountains and the Great Eastern Sea». Derbent became a strong military outpost and harbour of the Sassanid Empire. During the 5th and 6th centuries, Derbent also became an important center for spreading the Christian faith in the Caucasus.

During periods when the Sasanians were distracted by war with the Byzantines or protracted battles with the Hephthalites in the eastern provinces, the northern tribes succeeded in advancing into the Caucasus. The first Sasanian attempt to seal off the road along the Caspian seacoast at Darband by means of a mud-brick wall has been dated in the reign of Yazdegerd II (438–457 AD).^[12]

Movses Kagankatvatsi left a graphic description of the sack of Derbent by the hordes of Tong Yabghu of the Western Turkic Khaganate in 627. His successor,^{[citation needed]} Böri Shad, proved unable to consolidate Tong Yabghu’s conquests, and the city was retaken by the Persians, who held it as an integral domain until the Muslim Arab conquest.

As mentioned by the Encyclopedia Iranica, ancient Iranian language elements were absorbed into the everyday speech of the population of Dagestan and Derbent especially during the Sassanian era, and many remain current.^[24] In fact, a deliberate policy of “Persianizing” Derbent and the eastern Caucasus, in general, can be traced over many centuries, from Khosrow I to the Safavid shahs Ismail I, and ʿAbbās the Great.^[24] According to the account in the later «Darband-nāma», after construction of the fortifications Khosrow I “moved much folk here from Persia”,^[25] relocating about 3,000 families from the interior of Persia in the city of Derbent and neighboring villages.^[24] This account seems to be corroborated by the Spanish Arab Ḥamīd Moḥammad Ḡarnāṭī, who reported in 1130 that Derbent was populated by many ethnic groups, including a large Persian-speaking population.^[26]

Arab conquest[edit]

In 654, Derbent was captured by the Arabs, who called it the Gate of Gates (Bab al-Abwab),^[27] following their invasion of Persia. They transformed it into an important administrative center and introduced Islam to the area. The impression of antiquity evoked by these fortifications led many Arab historians to connect them with Khosrow I and to include them among the seven wonders of the world.^[12] The Darband fortress was certainly the most prominent Sasanian defensive construction in the Caucasus and could have been erected only by an extremely powerful central government.^[12] Because of its strategic position on the northern branch of the Silk Route, the fortress was contested by the Khazars in the course of the Khazar-Arab Wars. The Sassanids had also brought Armenians from Syunik to help protect the pass from invaders; as Arab rule weakened in the region at the end of the ninth century, the Armenians living there were able to establish a kingdom, which lasted until the early years of the thirteenth century.^[28][29] The Holy Saviour Armenian Church still rises up in the skyline, though it is used as the Museum of Carpet, Arts and Crafts today due to the decline in the Armenian population. There was also a second Armenian church and two Armenian schools which served the Armenian community, which numbered about 3,000 in the census of 1913.

Excavations on the eastern side of the Caspian Sea, opposite to Derbent, revealed the Great Wall of Gorgan, the eastern counterpart to the wall and fortifications of Derbent. Similar Sassanian defensive fortifications there—massive forts, garrison towns, long walls—also run from the sea to the mountains.

The Caliph Harun al-Rashid lived in Derbent and brought it into great repute as a seat of the arts and commerce. According to Arab historians, Derbent, with a population exceeding 50,000, was the largest city of the 9th century in the Caucasus. In the 10th century, with the collapse of the Arab Caliphate, Derbent became the capital of an emirate. This emirate often fought losing wars with the neighboring Christian state of Sarir, allowing Sarir to manipulate Derbent’s politics on occasion. Despite that, the emirate outlived its rival and continued to flourish at the time of the Mongol invasion in 1239. In the 14th century, Derbent was occupied by Timur’s armies.

Shirvanshah era[edit]

The Shirvanshahs dynasty existed as independent or a vassal state, from 861 until 1538; longer than any other dynasty in the Islamic world. They were renowned for their cultural achievements and geopolitical pursuits. The rulers of Shirvan, called the Shirvanshahs, had attempted, and on numerous times, succeeded, to conquer Derbend since the 18th Shirvanshah king, Afridun I, was appointed as the governor of the city. Over the centuries the city changed hands often. The 21st Shirvanshah king, Akhsitan I, briefly reconquered the city. However, the city was lost once again to the northern Kipchaks.

After the Timurid invasion, Ibrahim I of Shirvan, the 33rd Shirvanshah, managed to keep the kingdom of Shirvan independent. Ibrahim I revived Shirvan’s fortunes, and through his cunning politics managed to continue without paying tribute. Furthermore, Ibrahim also greatly increased the limits of his state. He conquered the city of Derbend in 1437. The Shirvanshahs integrated the city so closely with their political structure that a new branch of the Shirvan dynasty emerged from Derbend, the Derbenid dynasty. The Derbenid dynasty, being a cadet dynasty of Shirvan, inherited the throne of Shirvan in the 15th century.

In the early 16th century, the kingdom of Shirvan was conquered by Shah Ismail of the Safavid dynasty. As Shah Ismail incorporated all the Shirvan possessions, he also inherited Derbend.

Russian conquest[edit]

Derbent stayed under Iranian rule, while occasionally briefly taken by the Ottoman Turks such as in 1583 after the Battle of Torches and the Treaty of Constantinople, till the course of the 19th century, when the Russians occupied the city and wider Iranian-ruled swaths of Dagestan.^{[30][31][32][33][34][35][36]}

Being briefly taken by the Russians as a result of the Persian expedition of 1722–23 by Peter the Great, the 1735 Treaty of Ganja, formed by Imperial Russia and Safavid Iran (de facto ruled by Nader Shah), forced Russia to return Derbent and its bastion to Iran. In 1747, Derbent became the capital of the Derbent Khanate of the same name.

During the Persian Expedition of 1796, Derbent was stormed by Russian forces under General Valerian Zubov, but the Russians were forced to retreat due to internal political issues,^[37] making it fall under Persian rule again.
As a consequence of the Russo-Persian War (1804-1813) and the resulting Treaty of Gulistan of 1813, Derbent and wider Dagestan were ceded by Qajar Iran to the Russian Empire.^[38] (For background, see Russian conquest of the Caucasus#Caspian Coast.)

In the 1886 census of Dagestan Oblast, as part of Russia’s Caucasus Viceroyalty, people of Iranian descent (Russian: персы) were still an absolute majority at 8,994 out of 15,265, or 58,9%.^[39]

Geography[edit]

The modern city is built in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe; near the western shores of the Caspian Sea, south of the Rubas River, on the slopes of the Tabasaran Mountains (part of the Bigger Caucasus range). Derbent is well served by public transport, with its own harbor, a railway going south to Baku, and the Baku to Rostov-on-Don road.

To the north of the town is the monument of the Kirk-lar, or forty heroes, who fell defending Dagestan against the Arabs in 728. To the south lies the seaward extremity of the Caucasian wall (fifty metres long), otherwise known as Alexander’s Wall, blocking the narrow pass of the Iron Gate or Caspian Gates (Portae Athanae or Portae Caspiae). When intact, the wall had a height of 9 m (29 ft) and a thickness of about 3 m (10 ft) and, with its iron gates and numerous watch-towers, defended Persia’s frontier.^[20]

Climate[edit]

Derbent has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk).

Administrative and municipal status[edit]

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Derbent serves as the administrative center of Derbentsky District, even though it is not a part of it.^[1] As an administrative division, it is incorporated separately as the City of Derbent—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.^[1] As a municipal division, the City of Derbent is incorporated as Derbent Urban Okrug.^[5]

Demographics[edit]

According to the 1897 census, Derbent had 14,649 inhabitants, 9,767 of whom were Tatar (later known as Azerbaijani) speakers (66.7%) and 1,004 were Russian speakers (6.9%).^[41]

In 1916, Derbent had a population of 31,168 consisting of 7,919 Shia Muslims (25.4%), 7,567 Russians (24.3%), 6,879 Jews (22.1%), 5,138 Caucasian highlanders (16.5%), 2,604 Armenians (8.4%), and 1,061 Sunni Muslims (3.4%).^[42]

According to the 2010 Census, the main ethnic groups in the city are:^[43]

• Lezgins (33.7%)
• Azerbaijanis (32.3%)
• Tabasarans (15.8%)
• Dargins (5.6%)
• Russians (3.7%)
• Aghuls (3.2%)
• Jews (1.1%)
• Rutuls (0.8%)

[edit]

Jews began to settle in Derbent in ancient times. During the Khazars’ reign, they played an important part in the life of the city.^[44] The Jewish traveler Benjamin of Tudela mentions Jews living in Derbent in the 12th century, and Christian traveler Wilhelm of Rubruquis writes about a Jewish community in the 13th century. The first mention of Jews in Derbent in modern times is by a German traveler, Adam Olearius, in the 17th century.

Derbent’s Jewry suffered during the wars in the 18th century. Nadir Shah of Persia forced many Jews to adopt Islam. After the Russian conquest, many Jews of rural Dagestan fled to Derbent, which became the spiritual center of the Mountain Jews. The Jewish population numbered 2,200 in 1897 (15% of total population) and 3,500 in 1903. In the middle of the 20th century, Jews constituted about a third of the population of Derbent.^[45] In 1989, there were 13,000 Jews in the city, but most emigrated after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In 2002, there were 2,000 Jews with an active synagogue and community center.^[46]
The chief rabbi of Derbent, Obadiah Isakov, was badly injured in an assassination attempt on July 25, 2013, sparking concerns of further acts of anti-Semitism targeting the Jewish community.^[47] In 2016, the Jewish population was down to 1,345.^[48]

Economy and culture[edit]

The city is home to machine building, food, textile, fishing, and fishery supplies, construction materials, and wood industries. It is the center of Russian brandy production. The educational infrastructure includes a university as well as several technical schools. On the cultural front, there is a Lezgin drama theater (named after S. Stalsky). About two kilometers (1.2 miles) from the city is the vacation colony of Chayka (Seagull).

The Soviet novelist Yury Krymov named a fictional motor tanker after the city in his book The Tanker «Derbent».

Theaters[edit]

Derbent has 3 state and 1 municipal theaters.

• State Azerbaijan Drama Theater
• State Lezgin Music and Drama Theater named after S. Stalsky
• State Tabasaran Drama Theater
• Judeo-Tat Theatre

Citadel of Derbend[edit]

Derbent resembles a huge museum and has magnificent mountains and shore nearby, and therefore possesses much touristic potential, further increased by UNESCO’s classification of the citadel, ancient city and fortress as a World Heritage Site in 2003; however, instability in the region has halted development.

The current fortification and walls were built by the Persian Sassanian Empire as a defensive structure against hostile nomadic people in the north, and continuously repaired or improved by later Arab, Mongol, Timurid, Shirvan, and Iranian kingdoms until the early course of the 19th century, as long as its military function lasted. The fortress was built under the direction of the Sassanid emperor Khosrow (Chosroes) I.^[21]

A large portion of the walls and several watchtowers still remain in reasonable shape. The walls, reaching to the sea, date from the 6th century, Sassanid dynasty period. The city has a well-preserved citadel (Narin-kala), enclosing an area of 4.5 hectares (11 acres), enclosed by strong walls. Historical attractions include the baths, the cisterns, the old cemeteries, the caravanserai, the 18th-century Khan’s mausoleum, as well as several mosques.

Religious monuments[edit]

As of 1865, the city had: 1 — Russian and 1 — Armenian church; 1 — Sunni and 16 — Shiite mosques, as well as 3 synagogues.^[49]

Mosques[edit]

• Juma Mosque is the oldest mosque in Russia and the CIS. Built over a 6th-century Christian basilica; it has a 15th-century madrasa.
• Bala-mosque is a mosque at the gates of Orta-kapa. In 1796 it was destroyed during the siege of the city by General Zubov. Restored in 1812.^[50]
• Kilis-mosque is a mosque. It is located in the 7th district. In 1823-1853 the mosque served as a church. Now it is called Tovba Mesjidi.^[51]
• Kyrhlyar-mosque is a mosque at the gates of Kyrhlyar-kapa. Built in 1626-1627 by order of Shah Abbas. Another name is Shah Abbas Mesjidi. Rebuilt several times.^[52]
• The Minaret-mosque is the only mosque in the city with a minaret. Construction dates back to the XIII-XIV centuries. Rebuilt in the middle of the 19th century. The minaret is 11.5 meters high.^[53]
• Chertebe-mosque is a mosque in 1 mahal. Construction dates back to the 17th century. Rebuilt at the end of the 19th century. Completely demolished in the 1960s.^[54]

Churches[edit]

• Armenian Church of the Holy All-Savior is an architectural monument of the XIX century. Built in 1860. After the completion of the overhaul and restoration work, in May 1982, a museum of fine arts (a branch of the republican museum of fine arts) was opened in it. The museum became part of the State Museum-Reserve as a department of «Carpets and arts and crafts».
• Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin is an Orthodox church. Built in 1899, opened in 1900. ^[55]
• Cathedral of St. George the Victorious of Derbent was the main Russian Orthodox Church in the city of Derbent. Demolished in 1938.

Synagogues[edit]

• The Derbent Synagogue is the only synagogue in the city. The center of the spiritual life of the Jews of Derbent. Built in 1914. In 2009 the synagogue building was reconstructed. It was reopened on March 22, 2010.

Cemeteries[edit]

• Kyrkhlyar is an old and revered cemetery established in the 7th century. It is the oldest active Muslim cemetery in Russia.^[56][57] The name means «the forty» and refers to the 40 companions of Prophet Muhammad who were martyred there in 20 AH (640-641 CE) during the early Muslim expansion.^[58]

Lighthouse[edit]

• Derbent Lighthouse is the southernmost lighthouse in Russia. The lighthouse is included in the list of protected monuments of Russia and UNESCO.

Notable people[edit]

• Shahriyar of Derbent, Sasanian commander
• Bella Nisan, ophthalmologist
• Boris Gavrilov, writer and poet
• Mikhail Gavrilov, writer and poet
• Daniil Atnilov, poet
• Igor Yusufov, politician
• Israel Tsvaygenbaum, artist
• Manuvakh Dadashev, poet
• Mishi Bakhshiev, writer and poet
• Mushail Mushailov, artist and teacher
• Sergey Izgiyayev, poet, playwright, and translator of Mountain Jewish descent
• Sevil Novruzova, lawyer
• Suleyman Kerimov, businessman, investor, and politician
• Tamara Musakhanov, sculptor and ceramist
• Yagutil Mishiev, writer
• Yuno Semyonov, prose writer, playwright and artistic director
• Zoya Semenduev, poet

Twin towns – sister cities[edit]

Derbent is twinned with:^[59]

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

Sources[edit]

• Народное Собрание Республики Дагестан. Закон №16 от 10 апреля 2002 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Республики Дагестан», в ред. Закона №106 от 30 декабря 2013 г. «О внесении изменений в некоторые законодательные акты Республики Дагестан». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: «Дагестанская правда», №81, 12 апреля 2002 г. (People’s Assembly of the Republic of Dagestan. Law #16 of April 10, 2002 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of the Republic of Dagestan, as amended by the Law #106 of December 30, 2013 On Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Republic of Dagestan. Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
• Народное Собрание Республики Дагестан. Закон №6 от 13 января 2005 г. «О статусе и границах муниципальных образований Республики Дагестан», в ред. Закона №43 от 30 апреля 2015 г. «О статусе городского округа с внутригородским делением «Город Махачкала», статусе и границах внутригородских районов в составе городского округа с внутригородским делением «Город Махачкала» и о внесении изменений в отдельные законодательные акты Республики Дагестан». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: «Дагестанская правда», №8, 15 февраля 2005 г. (People’s Assembly of the Republic of Dagestan. Law #6 of January 13, 2005 On the Status and Borders of the Municipal Formations of the Republic of Dagestan, as amended by the Law #43 of April 30, 2015 On the Status of the «City of Makhachkala» Urban Okrug with Intra-Urban Divisions, the Status and the Borders of the Intra-City Districts Comprising the «City of Makhachkala» Urban Okrug with Intra-Urban Divisions, and on Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Republic of Dagestan. Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
• Some text used with permission from www.travel-images.com. The original text can be found here [1].
• M. S. Saidov, ed., Katalog arabskikh rukopiseĭ Instituta IYaL Dagestanskogo filiala AN SSSR (Catalogue of Arabic manuscripts in the H.L.L. Institute of the Dāḡestān branch of the A.N. of the U.S.S.R.) I, Moscow, 1977.
• Idem and A. R. Shikhsaidov, “Derbend-name (k istorii izucheniya)” (Darband-nāma. On the history of research),” in Vostochnye istochniki po istorii Dagestana (Eastern sources on the history of Dāḡestān), Makhachkala, 1980, pp. 564.

External links[edit]

• Official website of Derbent (in Russian)
• Derbent Business Directory (in Russian)
• History and attractions of Derbent
• History of Derbent and the millennia old historical and cultural relations it has with Iran.