# Walls of Derbent (562)

URL: https://history-russia.com/timeline/562-walls-of-derbent
Categories: main-event

The Sasanian Persian shah Khosrow I built massive stone walls at Derbent in the 6th century to close the narrow passage between the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea against northern nomads. The walls stretched from the sea into the mountains. Derbent, now in Dagestan, is often described as the oldest city in Russia. The fortress of Derbent is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a monument to the Caucasus as a frontier of empires.

## Why it matters
The fortress of Derbent is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a monument to the Caucasus as a frontier of empires.

Ruler at the time: [Huns, Khazars and Early Slavs](https://history-russia.com/rulers/huns-khazars-and-early-slavs)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Derbent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derbent)
- [Wikipedia — Fortifications of Derbent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortifications_of_Derbent)
- [Wikipedia — Early Slavs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Slavs)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Walls of Derbent](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Walls+of+Derbent)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of Russian history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Russian_history)