About the village

The village of Gamsutl is located in the picturesque, mesmerizing Dagestan with its majestic mountain beauty in the Gunib district. This abandoned mountain village is called a «ghost village» because of the lack of people. Some of the residents moved to larger villages or cities for a better life, some died. Gradually, the village became empty. In 2015, the last inhabitant died.

The time of the settlement's formation is not known for sure. Presumably it was founded by the Avar Khans. The name of the village is translated from the Avar language as «the foot of the Khan's tower». It is likely that the khan, the founder of Gamsutl, lived on the top of the mountain, and his army was located on its slopes. The village has a very convenient location, from here the entire surrounding area is perfectly visible. The steep slopes and difficult ascent make this place almost inaccessible to the enemy.

Thanks to talented military leaders and impregnable cliffs, Gamsutl has never been conquered by any army. According to legend, there was one woman in the military council of the village. History has not preserved her name, but it is known that she was the only female commander in the entire history of Dagestan. During one battle, she managed to trick the enemy into the gorge. After the victorious defeat of the enemy, the water at the bottom of the abyss turned red, since then the reservoir has been called the «Red River».

The Russian troops also failed to get into the village. According to legend, Imam Shamil watched the Russian army from a cliff similar to a tooth, which was nicknamed «tooth rock». The inaccessibility of the high-altitude village and the military tactics of the commanders did not allow the Russian troops to conquer Gamsutl.

There is information that Imam Shamil exiled the guilty here, for which the village was called «Shamil's Siberia» at that time.

Sutil was inhabited by Avars, so the historical customs and culture of the village had the same roots as all the traditions of the Avars. The main rituals regulating relationships in the culture of this people are:

• the absolute authority of the elders;
• respect for elders;
• maintaining a distance between the speakers;
• hospitality;
• the priority of a man over a woman in family relations;
• the ban on communication between young people before the wedding;
• the custom of blood feud.

The Avar culture is rich in oral tales, legends, fairy tales, songs, and a wide variety of dances.

During the existence of the village, three religions have given way to each other — Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Islam.

Probably, the village was inhabited by other nationalities, as evidenced by the inscriptions on the walls of houses in the Iranian language. In the vicinity of Gamsutl, an inscription was found on a tombstone, which was made about two thousand years ago in the ancient Iranian language.

The picturesque corner of this region is generously rewarded by nature with a mild climate, clean air and plenty of sun. The area around the settlement is mountainous. During the heyday of Gamsutl, there was a dense forest with a variety of game nearby. This area is rich in springs. There is a spring with healing water very close to the village. Its beneficial properties are known throughout the area. «Kuanitz» is what the locals call it, which means «edible water».

The mountain, to the slopes of which the ghost village clung, served as the basis for the construction of dwellings. One of the walls of the houses was the rock itself, if due to the uneven surface it was not possible to use it as part of the building, then the rock was crushed. The stones left over from crushing were adapted as a building material. The roofs of the houses were covered with logs, and earth was poured on top. Heavy rains washed away this layer of the roof, as a result of which the roof had to be regularly repaired and tamped.

Dagestan is a country of mountains and fascinatingly beautiful nature. Gunib district is located in inner-mountainous Dagestan. This territory is indented by small rivers flowing in intermountain canyons.

As the ancient city of Machu Picchu, the village of Gamsutl is located on the very crest of Gamsutlmeer Mountain. This high-altitude village is located at an altitude of 1,418 meters above sea level. It is difficult to see it from below with the naked eye. The houses of the residents resemble swallow's nests, they also cling to the rocks at an inaccessible height. The village itself is surrounded by steep cliffs, steep slopes and precipices. But from the territory of the settlement there is a unique view of the whole district — the surroundings are visible at a glance.

Gamsutl can be called an open-air museum. Everything is unique here: the location on the crest of the mountain, the surrounding nature with healing springs and steep cliffs, the historical past of the abandoned village and the architecture of the houses.

Despite the fact that the village is located in a remote area, Gamsutl is popular among tourists. Every year it is visited by those who wish to plunge into the atmosphere of the past centuries, to examine the life and architecture of a high-mountain village in close proximity, to visit the Caucasian version of the ancient Inca city.

Previously, a highway led to the village, but over time it collapsed. Now you can only get here on foot along a winding path. But this does not stop tourists from wanting to enjoy the historical monument and the views of the surrounding area, opening from a one and a half kilometer height.