22 best sights of Grozny that are worth seeing

The official date of the foundation of Grozny is considered to be October 5, 1818. Then, on the instructions of General A. Ermolov, a fortress was founded in a strategically important place at the entrance to the Khankala Gorge. With the end of the Caucasian Wars, the citadel lost its defensive significance. The impetus for the further development of the village was given by the discovery of oil fields in the vicinity. Already in 1869 it received city status. With the advent of Soviet power, industry began to develop here, and in 1944 the policy became the capital of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. During the two wars that followed the collapse of the USSR, the city was almost completely destroyed. Its restoration began immediately after the end of hostilities. Today, Grozny looks great again, being the largest business, cultural and educational center in the region, ranking third among the most populated cities in the Russian Caucasus.

Sights in the vicinity of Grozny

Argun Museum-Reserve

A natural-historical reserve 50 km south of Grozny. Founded back in the USSR in 1988. On its territory there are hundreds of objects of historical significance. There are especially many medieval towers and tower settlements.

The places are beautiful, but difficult to access. But still, about 10 thousand tourists come here a year. A suitable location for active recreation combined with sightseeing.

Address (GPS): 42.89249, 45.69965

Stone towers

Ushkaloy towers (stone towers) stand on the banks of the Argun River. They were built in the 11th and 12th centuries, when they served defensive and customs functions. The towers are buildings of 4 floors, their height is 12 meters. They are located under a small rock overhang.

It seems that the towers are hiding, pressed against the rock. According to legend, this is not a customs house at all, but a tower of the sages. And any resident could turn to them in search of justice.

The place will attract the attention of both lovers of ancient architecture and connoisseurs of pristine nature. In addition, there is a comfortable tourist complex with all amenities nearby.

Address: Ushkaloy village, Chechen Republic, Russia

Lake Kazenoy-Am

The mountain lake is located near the village of Kazenoy-Am, on the border of Chechnya and Dagestan. Apparently, it arose as a result of a mountain collapse that blocked the mouths of several rivers. TO

Azenoy-Am attracts visitors with its amazingly clear water, clean air and magnificent mountain scenery. The lake looks especially impressive on sunny days, when the water takes on a bright blue hue.

Back in Soviet times, a training base for rowers was built here. And in 2015, a whole tourist cluster was organized here - a hotel, cottages, sports grounds. An ideal place to relax away from the bustle of the city.

Address: Kazenoy village, Chechen Republic, Russia

Medieval Phakoc Castle

A complex of buildings dating from the 10th–12th centuries. Located in the village of Itum-Kale. The perimeter of the castle is surrounded by a wall made of stone. The complex itself consists of residential and watchtowers, a mill, and outbuildings.

The museum located in one of the towers is also worthy of attention. Its visitors can get acquainted with the household appliances and tools of the Chechens. Moreover, any exhibit is at least 100 years old.

Address: st. H. Isaeva, Itum-Kale, Chechen Republic.

Dondi-Yurt Museum

A small private museum created by a resident of the small town of Urus-Martan. The museum opened its doors to visitors in 2000. In essence, this is a reconstruction of an ancient Chechen village. Towers, crypts, stone residential buildings with furnishings have been recreated.

The museum will be of interest to those who appreciate history and like to “dive” into past eras.

Address: Magomed-Merzoeva street, 114, Urus-Martan village, Chechen Republic

Opening hours: daily from 9:00 to 19:00

Lake Galanchozh

Lake Galanchozh lies 90 km from Grozny. This is one of the most beautiful natural attractions of Chechnya. The reservoir is famous for its clear water, which turns blue on sunny days. The natural landscapes around are also pleasing to the eye - picturesque mountains, subalpine meadows.

In addition to lovers of natural beauty, connoisseurs of antiquities also come here. The remains of ancient watchtowers are scattered around the lake.

Address: Chechen Republic, Russia

Grozny Sea

The Chernorechenskoe reservoir (Grozny Sea) is located on the northern outskirts of the city. The reservoir was created in the 60s of the 20th century. And since 2012, the surrounding area of the sea has been actively improved. A men's and women's beach has been created here, an elite hotel and a floating restaurant have been built.

A great place to relax with children - there are water parks and sports grounds nearby.

Address: Chernorechenskoye Reservoir, Grozny, Chechen Republic

Day 2 – Lake Kezenoy-Am and Cheberloev Gorge

Kezenoy-Am is the highest mountain lake in Russia. The color of the water is unusually blue, bright and rich.

There are many hotels and restaurants around the lake, and various events are held on weekends. You can rent a boat for 200 rubles, ride a horse, or for extreme sports fans, ride a zipline for 1000 rubles.

There is one caveat - swimming in the lake is prohibited, but only from Chechnya. From the Dagestan side - it’s possible. However, on that side there is no infrastructure with cafes, hotels, houses and entertainment.

You can get to Kezenoy-Am from Grozny by car along the “Tsarskaya” road. Travel time is 2 hours (about 100 km). On the way to the lake, be sure (!) to make short stops to see the mosques in Argun and Shali.

The "Mother's Heart" mosque in Argun has a very unusual, futuristic design. It doesn't look like a classic mosque at all. Unfortunately, I don’t have any original photos from the trip. Google it and marvel!

The snow-white mosque “Pride of Muslims” in Shali is the largest mosque in Russia. The height of the minarets reaches 63 meters. It was officially opened in the fall of 2021. During my trip, it was unfinished.

Also not far from the lake is the Cheberloev Gorge and the village of Khoy with an interesting tower complex. You can climb one of the towers.

Where to go in Grozny and what else to see

Memorial complex of Glory named after. A. Kadyrova

The memorial complex began work in 2010. It occupies more than 5 hectares in the city center. The memorial is dedicated to the Chechen military who died in the Great Patriotic War, as well as to the first president of the republic, Akhmat Kadyrov. The complex includes the Kadyrov Museum, a park, several monuments, a stele and memorial reliefs.

In the museum you can find out details of Kadyrov’s biography and hear stories about the soldiers who fought in the Patriotic War. The museum also houses an art gallery.

Address: st. Mayakovsky, 9 V, Grozny, Chechen Republic

Opening hours: daily from 9:00 to 18:00

Entrance: for adults - 100 rubles, children under 16 years old - free

Official website: https://al-slavy.mk95.ru/

Akhmat-Arena

The sports facility was built in 2006–2011. The arena seats about 30 thousand people. It is equipped with a modern video surveillance system. In addition to sports competitions, holiday concerts are held here.

A guided tour of the Arena is possible. For a small fee you are invited to visit the locker room, VIP boxes, and substitutes' bench. The price depends on the composition of the group.

Address: Umar Sadaev street, 21, Grozny, Chechen Republic

Opening hours: daily from 9:00 to 18:00; Saturday and Sunday are days off

National Museum of the Chechen Republic

The museum has existed since 1996. But its predecessor, the local history museum, was created back in 1924. True, after the Chechen wars, museum collections had to be restored almost from scratch. Now the museum has archaeological and ethnographic halls. Visitors can view fine paintings by local artists.

Collections of applied art, ancient weapons and national costume of Chechnya attract particular attention.

Address: Putin Avenue, 1B, Grozny, Chechen Republic

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 17:00; Monday - closed

Entrance: for adults - 160 rubles, children under 16 years old - free

Temple of the Archangel Michael

The building was erected at the end of the 19th century. The construction was paid for by the Terek Cossacks. The temple consists of a main building, a refectory and a bell tower. During the Chechen wars the building was partially destroyed. In 2005, the church was partially restored.

The temple is interesting as a historical building, and there are few of these in Grozny. Now it is a functioning Orthodox church again.

Address: Akhmat Kadyrov Avenue, Grozny, Chechen Republic

Park of Miracles

At the foot of the Grozny City complex there is a Flower Park, which the townspeople nicknamed the Park of Miracles. It opened in 2021. On an area of 4.5 hectares, 500 trees, thousands of shrubs were planted, and flower beds were laid out. Throughout the park there are metal structures (there are more than 400 of them), entwined with bright flowers.

The park is a favorite place for photo shoots for tourists and townspeople. A great place for walking and relaxing with the whole family.

Address: Proletarskaya street, Grozny, Chechen Republic

Triumphal Arch

There is an arched passage above the highway at the entrance to the city (from Argun). The opening of the arch in October 2006 was timed to coincide with the birthday of Ramzan Kadyrov. The structure is a majestic double arch. On both sides of the landmark there are two towers, stylized as ancient guard buildings of Chechnya.

The arch greets guests of the city as a symbol of the revival of Grozny.

Address: Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russia

Chechen Drama Theater

The theater was created in 1931, on the basis of a theater studio. His repertoire consisted of plays by local authors. In addition, women took part in the productions of this theater. Previously, there were no female actresses in Chechnya.

The theater did not work during the Patriotic War, but in the 50s of the 20th century it was brought back to life.

Now the theater has returned to the city, after the evacuation of the troupe during the Chechen wars. Since 2008, it has been delighting theatergoers with productions from Chechen, Russian and foreign classics.

Address: Makhmud Esambaev Avenue, 9, Grozny, Chechen Republic

Opening hours: daily from 9:00 to 19:00

Philharmonic

The State Philharmonic of Chechnya grew out of a song, music and dance ensemble. The year of official foundation was 1939. But during the wars of the 90s of the 20th century, the team almost disintegrated. Many artists left the republic.

Today, the Philharmonic is restoring operations. It consists of three orchestras, a choir and a dance ensemble. The Philharmonic's repertoire constantly delights music lovers with new performances.

Address: Khedy Kishieva street, 31, Grozny, Chechen Republic

Opening hours: daily from 9:00 to 18:00; Saturday, Sunday - closed

Drama Theater named after M. Lermontov

The oldest theater institution in Chechnya. The history of the Russian drama theater began in 1904. The first performances took place under the direction of Evgeny Vakhtangov.

Over the history of its existence, the theater has changed a number of buildings. The theater group moved to the modern building in 2012. In front of the theater there is a sculpture of Lermontov (he served in the Grozny fortress).

Theatergoers will be interested in visiting the theater. The repertoire includes Russian and European classics.

Address: Mohammed Ali Avenue, 13A, Grozny, Chechen Republic

National Library

It was founded in 1904. The library is located in the heart of the city, near the national museum. The establishment was damaged by bombing in 1995.

Today the library is located in a modern building erected in 2013. The facade of the building depicts a book. Its three floors house reading rooms, a video library, and a winter garden. A café and gallery are available to visitors. You can come here with children - there is a children's book section.

Address: Ugryumov street, 75, Grozny, Chechen Republic

Opening hours: daily from 9:00 to 19:00; - day off

State Gallery named after. A.A. Kadyrov

The gallery was created in 2010. Two exhibition halls house artistic canvases and objects of applied art. There is a permanent exhibition of the brothers Movladi and Movsar Yusupov. Among the exhibits you can see ancient musical instruments, weapons, and household items.

In addition to exhibitions, the gallery hosts a variety of lectures and master classes.

Address: Isaeva Avenue, 75, Grozny, Chechen Republic

Opening hours: daily from 9:00 to 18:00

Entrance: for adults - 70 rubles, children under 16 years old - free

Autodrome "Fortress Grozny"

One of the largest and most popular race tracks in the country. Created in 2015. Up to 70 competitions take place here every year. There are tracks for karting, autocross, and circuit racing. Thanks to the climate, racing can be held here almost all year round.

From the stands the tracks are perfectly visible. Just a paradise for racing lovers. In addition, you can take a test drive yourself. The cost will depend on the duration of the trip.

Address: Khimikov street, Grozny, Chechen Republic

Opening hours: daily from 9:00 to 17:00

Kadyrov Avenue

House "Chinese Wall" on Kadyrov Avenue.

The entire avenue is designed in sandy tones.

Kadyrov Avenue is considered the face of Grozny; of all the city streets, it was raised from ruins at a Stakhanov pace. Until 2004, the avenue was named after Lenin.

In the USSR, everything was named after Lenin, but in Grozny now Kadyrov has replaced Lenin.

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Attitude towards a woman

Male tourists should take into account that Chechnya has very strict laws regarding contacts with the opposite sex. In Chechnya, communication between a man and a girl is excluded. Only partnerships are possible, strictly on a specific matter. Men are forbidden to touch women, so sometimes taxi drivers even wear gloves to avoid touching the girl while paying the fare. Young people of opposite sexes never hold hands, do not kiss in public places and practically do not come close.

It is considered indecent to ask members of the opposite sex about the location of the toilet. Moreover, when communicating in a group, it is not customary to go into the restroom and talk about it to those present.

The rules of behavior for young people in society are very strict and controlled by elders. Even if a guy and a girl fall in love, they are still not allowed to touch each other or walk together. They must meet and communicate only in front of witnesses and at a certain distance. Closer communication is possible only after marriage.

Recently, a decree was introduced in Chechnya to pay a fine of one million rubles for bride kidnapping. According to Mufti Sultan Mirzoev, who established this law, the deliberate removal of a girl is a violent act against her and insults the entire family. Previously, such actions led to bloody consequences that lasted for years, since the punishment for this crime is blood feud. In accordance with the new law, not only the parent who gave secret consent to the kidnapper, but also the imam, who influenced the father due to his authority, which is why the kidnapping was carried out, will be responsible for the abduction of the bride. In this case, the father is sentenced to pay a fine, and the imam will be deprived of his position and clergy.

Best hotels in Grozny

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How to dress

Since the main religion in this republic is Islam, many Chechen women dress according to traditions. It is common here to wear national clothes and scarves worn on the head. Despite this, in Chechnya there is a democratic attitude towards appearance, and many modern young girls can use cosmetics and wear European clothes.

However, wearing revealing and provocative clothing is not accepted here. Chechen girls do not wear very short skirts, or even trousers. Therefore, female representatives are recommended to wear skirts no higher than the knee, and it is better to wear a tunic over tight jeans. T-shirts, transparent blouses, and deep necklines are also excluded. You must have a scarf with you, as you may not be allowed into the mosque without it. Males should not appear on the street in sleeveless T-shirts and shorts.

There are no informal youth movements in the republic. There are no representatives of punks, goths, emo, etc. here. Chechnya has a fairly high level of cultural social behavior. People do not behave in a provocative manner, do not swear on the street, do not use foul language. Elders are treated with great respect; men always give way to female representatives.

Kunachestvo

In Chechnya, there is also such an ancient custom as kunachestvo. The ritual represents twinning with a person who considers himself your friend. The law of hospitality is considered one of the main ones among the Chechens. The owner who receives a guest, who can be any person, regardless of nationality, is obliged to feed and drink him and place him for the night in the best place in the house. Also, the owner is obliged to protect the property and life of the guest, even at the risk of his own.

A person who has become a kunak, i.e. a friend is considered practically a relative and discourteous attitude towards him is unforgivable. Twinning can be in the form of one of the rituals. An oath may be taken, with older relatives or friends as witnesses. Sometimes the ritual consisted of drinking milk together from one glass, into which a gold ring was dipped.

In some cases, small cuts are made on the hands of both friends, then the blood from the wounds is mixed to complete the relationship. After this, friends can give each other various personal items, which solidifies the procedure. Previously, mountaineers usually gave checkers as a sign of their friendship, as for example to Leo Tolstoy, who was on friendly terms with many Chechens.

Visiting mosques

In order to visit a mosque in Chechnya, you must first dress correctly. Girls must wear long dresses or skirts and long-sleeved sweaters. There should be a scarf on your head. If you do not have such clothes, they can be given to you at the entrance to the mosque. Men are not allowed to enter the mosque building in shorts or short-sleeved T-shirts.

During the process of prayer, it is better not to visit establishments of this type, so as not to disturb those praying. You should also not talk or laugh loudly. It is better to turn off your cell phone so as not to disturb others.

About transport

The idea of visiting Grozny had been in my head for a long time, but, as often happens, there were always other plans and other directions. Having immediately received a newsletter that you could fly there for 5,600 rubles with Utair airlines for the weekend (Fri-Sun), I decided that the time had come. And now, on the last weekend of April, I am already leaving the Northern airport in Grozny:

I always prefer to get from the airport to the city by public transport to immediately immerse myself in the atmosphere of the city, although taxis in Grozny cost very reasonable money. One evening it was raining heavily and in the dark I had no desire to get to the other end of the city on my own, so the trip cost 85 rubles (I ordered through the Maxim app). The public transport stop is located near the parking lot (landmark - parking meter), which is no more than 200 meters from the entrance. I needed minibus No. 111, which goes to the railway station, the fare cost 22 rubles.

As I understand it, minibuses are the main form of transport here, because all the times I traveled by public transport, they were the ones who arrived.

For some reason, the minibus from the airport that I was traveling on was less than halfway, and the driver suggested that everyone change to another one, and, of course, took money for the journey. I don’t know if it was just me who was so lucky or if it was supposed to be this way, but I decided to continue walking. I stayed quite far from the center (2.5 km) on Zhukovsky Street and I can say that while I was walking to the hotel, I probably saw the largest concentration of tire shops and car services per square meter. In principle, I can say the same about the concentration of domestic cars (in the neighboring city of Argun, Priors have even been assembled at the Chechenavto plant since 2011), and for some reason it seems to me that these facts are related. By the way, local services are always busy.

A little history

The history of Grozny cannot boast of thousands of years, but during these couple of centuries that the city has existed, it has seen enough to cover several European capitals.
The fortress was founded in 1818 by order of Infantry General Alexei Ermolov - at that time he was the commander of the Separate Caucasian Corps. Needless to say, the fortress became the most important link in the Sunzha fortified line, because it was thanks to its powerful walls that the exit from the mountains to the plain through the Khankala Gorge was closed. At one time, many prominent figures and writers of the Russian Empire served here: Lermontov, Leo Tolstoy, and Pushchin.

However, already in 1870 the fortress as an important strategic point lost its significance, it was abolished, and Grozny itself became a district city of the Terek region. But not for long - already in 1893, the capital of modern Chechnya became one of the largest industrial centers of the Caucasus, and oil production began here. At the same time, a railway was built from Beslan to Baku via Grozny, and already in 1914 the first oil pipeline in Russia, Grozny - Petrovsk - Port, was opened (for a moment!). The further history of glorious Grozny, with the exception of the last two decades, bears only traces of withering and destruction - like, alas, much on the territory of the USSR.

Blood feud

In the Caucasus, there is still an ancient custom of blood feud that has been in effect for centuries and has not changed in the modern world. This tradition is intended to punish criminals and prevent further violations of the law. There is no statute of limitations for the implementation of this custom. It can be carried out after a large number of years, even if the criminal himself is no longer alive.

If for some reason someone is killed, the relatives themselves find the killer and announce the beginning of blood feud through the village elder. At the same time, only the murderer himself can be pursued, without extending revenge to his relatives. This is not always done in practice, and any of the relatives can suffer. The family of the perpetrator may send an envoy to the injured party to effect reconciliation. This is possible in cases where the murder was committed through negligence or accident, for example, in an accident or fight. If it was done deliberately, with a selfish goal, then it is almost impossible to achieve reconciliation.

The process of reconciliation must take place with the participation of elders. If reconciliation has not been achieved, then the relative of the murdered person is obliged to take revenge, otherwise he will bear the stigma of shame. This whole procedure is very long-term and requires great moral effort from relatives. This custom should have a great psychological impact on the behavior of a Chechen man, reminding him that he has a huge responsibility in case of rash actions on his part.