Alagir

Rayon (sector) centre in North Ossetia, 54 km west of Vladikavkaz. Located on the Ardon River (left tributary of the Terek), at its exit from Alagir Gorge of the Greater Caucasus to the Ossetian Slanting Plain. Starting point of the Ossetian military highway. Terminal railway station of the branch starting from Darg-Kokh station in the Kotlyarevskaya - Beslan line. Population (1992 est.) 23,2 thousand, (1959 est.) 15.2 thousand, (1979 est.) 18.3 thousand.

Arose in the middle of the 19th century as a fortified settlement of the non-ferrous metals melting plant, functioning in 1853 - 1897, constructed at behest of Prince M.S. Vorontsov, Vicegerent of the Caucasus, near an ancient silver-lead mine, at the entrance to Alagir Gorge. Construction of the plant laid foundations to development of mining industry in the North Caucasus. In 1938, the settlement of Alagir obtained the city status.

Modern Alagir is one of the industrial cities of Northern Ossetia. Alagir has a woodworking combine, an electrical resistors factory and a cannery. There is production of lead-zinc ores (the Saaon deposit) and cement marls in Alagir Gorge.

Museum of local lore. The city centre has preserved a low wall with bartisans and embrasures, behind which there is a white-brick cathedral erected in the Russian Byzantian style in 1850 - 1853 from the design by the artist G.G. Gagarin; the interior of the cathedral was decorated in 1888 - 1889 by the Ossetian poet, artist and public figure K.L. Khetagurov.

Tamisk, a balneal health resort founded in 1937, with springs of sulphide-sulphate-magnesium-calcium waters is near Alagir, in the valley of the mountain river of Tamiskdon (tributary of the Ardon).