The ancient city of Derbent arose so long ago that no one knows how old it really is, because the count goes on for centuries and millennia. It can be unequivocally argued that it is the oldest of the cities of Russia, and, possibly, the whole world. Who knows? Perhaps the upcoming archaeological finds will help establish its true age.
It is one of the few cities on the planet that lie below sea level. Most Derbent drivers stubbornly refuse to wear seat belts. Interestingly, the traffic police here usually do not pay attention to this, apparently, not considering this a serious violation. Of all the cities of Russia, Derbent is the southernmost. Even more southerly than Sochi. Here is the Juma mosque, the oldest in the entire post-Soviet space. Many pilgrims from other countries visit her annually. Mountains rise on one side of Derbent, and the Caspian Sea lies on the other. The city is stretched between them, and its width does not exceed three kilometers anywhere. Muslims live here much more than representatives of any other faiths. There are many mosques in Derbent, but only one of them has a minaret. The fact that people here are kind-hearted is evidenced by the fact that many local shops distribute bread daily for free to those who are unable to pay for it.
When a wedding is held in Derbent, a solemn procession usually goes through the streets, and all the strangers they meet are invited to join. This is a multinational city, representatives of more than sixty peoples live here. There are few Russians in Derbent, about three percent. About a third of the population are ethnic Azerbaijanis. The oldest district of Derbent, known as the Old City, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In the past, the city was called Bab al-Abwab and Faith-pahr. The age of Derbent is estimated at about 6 millennia. It was known to the ancient Greeks, who called it the Caspian Gate. And in different languages of local peoples, the name of the city means “Iron Gate” or “Closed Gate”. Indeed, the city is very well located, and for millennia it served as the only passage along the most important trade route.
