Those houses you see on the hill are not houses but actually tombs and basements. It is popularly known as the "city of the dead".

Those houses you see on the hill are not houses but actually tombs and basements. It is popularly known as the "city of the dead". Its original name was Dargavs. North Ossetia is located in Russia. It is estimated that there are around 99 buildings and a capacity of 10 thousand people between the graves and crypts. Their origin is unknown. Some claim that the first burials date back to the Bronze Age, while others believe that the first burials date back to the 12th century. The most common story about this ancient medieval cemetery claims that it is connected to a series of epidemics in the 17th and 18th centuries. According to legend, clan members built these buildings for relatives who were infected with the plague. They would bring them food, but they were not allowed to leave the residence until they died. Zafer Kizilsu