Darial Gorge is a mountain canyon on the Terek River, at the foot of Mount Kazbek, in Kazbegi Municipality, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, among the natural attractions of the region. For thousands of years the gorge has served as a strategic passage between the Caucasus and the plains, carrying one of the region's oldest routes, the Georgian Military Highway. A section of the border between Georgia and Russia runs through the gorge.
At the edge of the gorge stand the ruins of the ancient Darial Castle (known as the Gates of Alan or the Iberian Gates). It was founded in the 2nd century BC as a defensive outpost on the route of caravans and armies, and was mentioned in the works of Strabo and Ptolemy.
The gorge has been defended for centuries - from the Romans and Persians to the Arabs, Alans and Russians. Archaeologists have confirmed that it served as a natural barrier and a key route for armies in the Antiquity and Middle Ages.
In addition to its historical value, the Darial Gorge is a place with dramatic nature, where a narrow canyon, a river, rocky slopes and the Dariali Monastery create a majestic landscape that attracts travelers and explorers.
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