Story By: Feza Uzay, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
This is the moment a section of the Gunib Fortress – a UNESCO protected site in Russia – collapses in front of a stunned group of tourists.
The Gunib Fortress was constructed by Russian soldiers between 1861 and 1870 in the Russian city of Makhachkala near the Gunib plateau where many fierce battles were fought during the Caucasian War (1763–1864).
Local media said the wall section came crashing down on 6th October following months of heavy rain in the region.
The video shows a part of the wall near ‘Shamil’s Gate’ collapsing. It is unclear if other parts of the fortress were also badly damaged by heavy rains.
The fortress, which sits on Mount Gunib, was erected after the Russian Imperial army captured Imam Shamil, the political, military, and spiritual leader of the Caucasian resistance.
Shamil, a Sunni Muslim, led the resistance against the Russian army but was captured in 1859 and sent to a Gulag.
Following his capture, the war continued in the Western Caucasus until 1864 when Tsar Alexander II declared victory and an end to hostilities in the region.
The fortress was erected by Russian soldiers with the guidance of two engineers, Betulinsky and Bilinsky.
The news site Fontanka said employees in charge of painting the fortress and several experts have been sent to investigate the incident.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations in the region recommended that residents refrain from travelling to the fortress as the heavy rains may result in underground passages collapsing.
