Kyunnyum Village (Upper Balkaria)

Kyunnyum (also spelled Kyunlyum) is an abandoned Balkar village in the Cherek Gorge, on the left bank of the Cherek River next to the village of Verkhnyaya Balkaria in the Chereksky District of Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia. Its ruins, with the Abayev watchtower and an old mosque, are among the main sights of Upper Balkaria and are open to visitors as a memorial site, free of charge.

History of Kyunnyum

Kyunnyum was the ancestral seat of the Abayevs, a family of Balkar princes (taubiy). Its most prominent structure is the Abai-Kala watchtower, or Abayev Tower, built in the 16th century. This late medieval defensive tower stands about 17 metres high, with walls up to 1.8 metres thick at the base. According to local historians, people lived in it until the late 19th century, with members of the Abayev family occupying the lower floors. The tower is protected as a cultural heritage site of federal significance.

The Second World War brought tragedy to the gorge. Between 27 November and 4 December 1942, an NKVD detachment killed civilians in several Balkar villages of the Cherek Gorge, events remembered as the Cherek Tragedy. In March 1944 the Balkar people were deported to Central Asia and Kazakhstan, and Kyunnyum was left empty. When the Balkars returned from exile, the old village was never resettled, and life moved to present-day Verkhnyaya Balkaria.

What to see

Among the stone ruins of houses built on the slope, the Abai-Kala tower stands out. A path leads up to it from the village, and from the top there is a view over the Cherek Gorge. The village also has the stone Eski Mezhgit mosque from the mid-18th century, one of the oldest in Balkaria. It has been restored and reopened for worship in 2016. The ruins are popular with photographers, and locals say films have been shot here as well.

Legends

Local tradition credits the tower to the Balkar prince Alimurza Abayev, on whose orders Abai-Kala is said to have been built to guard the family's village.

Getting there

Suburban buses run from Nalchik to Verkhnyaya Balkaria. By car, the paved road follows the Cherek River, though the surface is rough in places inside the gorge. From the village, a footpath climbs to the ruins of Kyunnyum. Wear sturdy shoes: the slopes are rocky and the path gets slippery in rain. The village is a place of remembrance, so treat the ruins and the mosque with care.