Dargavs, village in Prigorodny District, Republic of North Ossetia–Alania, Russia
Dargavs is a village in the Caucasus region known for its historic stone buildings and location in a mountain valley. The houses are tightly clustered and display characteristic local architecture with flat roofs and rough stone walls, while cemeteries with traditional stone tomb structures punctuate the settlement.
The village developed as a settlement of native mountain dwellers and evolved over centuries as an important residential place in the highland landscape. Various upheavals in the region's history shaped its appearance and the tradition of its buildings through to the present day.
The settlement takes its name from the local language and functions today partly as an open-air museum where residents maintain traditional ways of life. The way people build and live here reflects deep connections to ancestral architecture and local craftsmanship.
The village sits in a mountainous area and is best reached via rural roads and smaller routes that wind through the hills. Visitors should prepare for basic lodging and supplies while bringing warm clothing suited to the highland climate.
The village contains a large cemetery with hundreds of stone tomb structures that resemble small houses and represent an unusual feature of local burial culture. These grave buildings show how mourning and remembrance were practiced in this region across generations.
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