Russia · 18th century
Vovnushki (Ingush: Вӏо́внашке, romanized: Vhóvnashke) is a medieval complex with defensive Ingush watchtowers. It is a unique monument of Ingush architecture, which is part of the Dzheyrakh-Assa State Historical-Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve and is under state protection. According to scholars, several routes of the Silk Road passed through the mountains of Ingushetia. One route supposedly ran along the river Guloykhi, along the tower cities of Gul, Tsori, Vovnushki, Pyaling, Niy, etc. The Vovnushki towers are traditionally regarded as the ancestral towers of the Ingush taïp Ozdoy (Ingush: Оздой).
In 2008, the Vovnushki tower complex became a finalist in the Seven Wonders of Russia competition. In 2010, the Central Bank of Russia issued a commemorative silver coin dedicated to Vovnushki.
Text adapted from “Vovnushki” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Vovnushki ranks #3,118 of 9,079 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #80 of the 146 mapped in Russia. Founded c. 1705, it is older than 21% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 696 atlas entries founded in the 18th century. See how Russia compares in the castle statistics.
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