Beautiful City - Vladikavkaz 1/Heart of Caucasus
Vladikavkaz is the capital city of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Russia. It is located in the southeast of the republic at the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains, situated on the Terek River. Population: 311,693 . Vladikavkaz is one of the most populous cities in the North Caucasus.
The city is an industrial and transportation centre. Manufactured products include processed zinc and lead, machinery, chemicals, clothing and food products.
In 1784, a tower was founded on the site of the Ossetian village Dzaug on the right bank of the river Terek, Russian troops built the Vladikavkaz fortress, which had the purpose of serving as an outpost for the routes of communication between Russia and Georgia. The Georgian Military Highway, crossing the mountains, was constructed in 1799 to link the city with Georgia to the south, and in 1875 a railway was built to connect it to Rostov-on-Don and Baku in Azerbaijan. Vladikavkaz has become an important industrial centre for the region, with smelting, refining, chemicals and manufacturing industries.
The city is served by the bus network (marshrutkas). There are also tram (since 1904) and trolleybus (since 1977) networks, plus the main Vladikavkaz railway station.
The city is served by Beslan Airport located about 9 kilometres from the city.
The Georgian Military Road, which is a part of European route E117, starts in Vladikavkaz and it connects the city with the South Caucasus.
