Kyrkhlyar, Muslim cemetery in Derbent, Russia
Kyrkhlyar is a cemetery in Derbent featuring stone chest-shaped tombs arranged in organized rows throughout the grounds. The site is surrounded by a substantial stone wall and contains multiple burial structures with distinctive architectural forms.
The cemetery dates to the early Islamic period and is linked to religious conflicts of the 7th century. The burials reflect an important moment in regional history and the spread of Islam across the Caucasus.
People visit this place to honor connections to early Islamic history and show respect at what they consider a sacred burial ground. The site serves as a gathering point where visitors acknowledge religious traditions that shaped the region.
The cemetery sits north of the city center and is easy to locate by following directions from the old city gates. Visitors should keep in mind that this is a sacred space and dress respectfully when spending time at the site.
The number of graves, roughly forty, is encoded in the place's name derived from a Turkic word. This connection between name and content shows how the site's history has been preserved through language itself.
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