Vladikavkaz

The river Terek and the 1908 Mukhtarov Mosque

Vladikavkaz is the capital city of North Ossetia and a major transit hub for the North Caucasus region. Its position on the Georgian Military Highway makes it a staging post for journeys to both Georgia and South Ossetia.

Understand

Modern Vladikavkaz was founded in 1784 at the gateway of Daryal Canyon.

Talk

Generally, English is not spoken. Do not expect to be able to comfortably move around the city without some knowledge of Ossetian, Russian or assistance from a translator.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Beslan Airport (OGZ  ^IATA) (15 km (9.3 mi) from downtown). There are flights to and from Moscow and St. Petersburg. (updated Nov 2016)

By train

• 2 Vladikavkaz railway station. Trains run daily to Moscow (35 h) and other southern regional cities such as Rostov on Don (13 h), Adler (17 h) and Novorossisk (18 h).  

See

Monument: 200 Years With Russia

• 1 Mukhtarov Mosque (Mechet' Mukhtarova). A striking historic mosque completed in 1908. The mosque takes its name from the Azerbaijani millionaire Murtuza Mukhtarov who financed its construction. 
• 2 Central Park (Центральный парк культуры и отдыха имени Коста Хетагурова) (by tram route 2 (during autumn-winter season) / 5 (during spring-summer season) to Svobody sq.). (updated Nov 2016)
• Vladikavkaz also has quite a few outdoor sculptures and monuments.
• 3 Khudozhestvennyy Muzey Im. Makharbeka Tuganova, Prospekt Mira, 12, ☏ +7 867 253-01-82. Th 13ː00-21ː00, F-Tu 11ː00-19ː00, closed W. Art museum in an Art Nouveau merchant's house from 1903 with paintings and frescoes. (updated Jan 2021)

Do

• The Mariinsky Theatre has a branch in Vladikavkaz.

Buy

The main street, Prospekt Mira, runs roughly parallel to the Terek River, and is a pleasant boulevard with shops and restaurants. The railway station is to the east of Prospekt Mira's northern end.

Eat

Equestrian statue of the Soviet military hero, General Issa Pliev, a native of Ossetia and a veteran of the Battle of Stalingrad, among others

• Zefir Fashion Cafe, Ulitsa Mayakovskogo, 21, ☏ +7 8672 53-95-64. 10.00-24.00. Salads, pasta, pizza, deserts, full bar and shisha. Lots of pretty people who like to stare at foreigners. One of the few places in town with outside seating. 
• Grusha, Ul. Shumlevicha, 41, ☏ +7 8672 54-88-55. 12.00-24.00. Excellent Georgian food and shashlik. Loud music. 
• Magiya Cafe, Ulitsa M. Gorkogo, 9, ☏ +7 8672 54-06-48, kofemagia@mail.ru. 9.00-23.00. Good desserts, light meals, drinks, great coffee. 

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Imperial, Prospket Mira, 19, ☏ +7 8672 54-74-74. directly on the central street of the city. Comfortable, recommended over other options, little bit pricier. Restaurant Bavaria behind the hotel with outside seating and extremely loud karaoke during the summer months. Sauna onsite. 
• 2 Hotel Vladikavkaz, ul. Kotzoeva, 75, ☏ +7 8672 64-94-94, +7 8672 55-03-83. Soviet-style in tourist hotel. Cheap, on the river, five-minute walk from the center and across the street from a unique mosque. Not very comfortable but generally has rooms at affordable rates. (updated Aug 2018)
• 3 Aleksandrovskiy Grand Hotel, Prospekt Mira 29. Four-star hotel. (updated Nov 2016)

Connect

The city's phone code is 8672.

Go next

• The striking North Ossetian mountains: Tse and Fiagdon in particular. However, all non-Russian citizens are forbidden to travel outside the main towns of Vladikavkaz, Beslan, Alagir and Ardon. If found by local authorities outside the regulated areas you may be subject to a fine and/or deportation.
• Georgia - head south on the Georgian Military Highway to the border post at Verkny Lars and then to Kazbegi in Georgia.
• South Ossetia - head south on the Trans-Caucasian Highway through the Roki tunnel to the disputed region's capital, Tskhinvali.