Liventsovskaya fortress in Rostov is a monument that could attract thousands of tourists to the country. However, it is abandoned and is on the verge of extinction. Its importance is reminded only of a faded tablet, past which residents and guests of the outskirts of Rostov may pass without paying special attention to it.
History
Liventsovskaya fortress is a fortification built in the 17th century. BC. Archaeologists discovered its ruins back in the 1950s. After conducting research, the ruins of the fortress were recognized as an object of cultural heritage. Findings indicate that these lands were inhabited as early as the Copper Age due to their convenient geographical location, mild climate and natural wealth.
Unfortunately, very little is known about the history of the fortress, since large archaeological research was not carried out here. Probably, the locals erected a fortification to protect against Indo-Iranian tribes. The silicon arrowheads found in the fortress indicate that it was taken by storm, fell and was no longer restored. Historians suggest that the inhabitants of these lands were Aryans, who were then forced to move to Central Asia.
Landfill on the ancient ruins
Liventsovskaya fortress, a photo of the ruins of which can be seen above, is sometimes compared with Troy. But is such a comparison legitimate? After all, the alleged Aryans erected a fortress on the territory of the present Rostov region in the 17-16 centuries. BC, and Troy reached its peak only in the 13th century BC Most likely, due to the popularity of the Greek city, the Russian fortress is compared with it. In fact, the Liventz fortress is considered the oldest in Eastern Europe. However, residents of its environs either do not realize the importance of the lands on which they live, or they just do not care. Therefore, the condition of the ruins of the fortress is deplorable at the moment: the area around is turned into a landfill, and the stones are used by the local population for personal needs.
Description
The archaeological complex, of which Liventsovskaya Fortress is a part, was discovered during the North Caucasian archaeological expedition under the direction of A.A. Miller. At the moment, only a small part of the fortification has been excavated. But this fact does not prevent archaeologists from judging the size and internal structure of the archaeological complex. According to their assumptions, its area covers 8 hectares, and inside there is a settlement of the Copper-Stone Age, a Bronze Age necropolis and Scythian settlements with burials. The walls of the Liventsov fortress are made of rubble stone, and there are moats around its perimeter.
Reconstruction
Rostov local historians have long dreamed of creating a National Archaeological Park here. However, the city authorities have no funds for such large-scale work. In addition, there are other reasons why the Liventsovskaya fortress has not yet been restored.
Firstly, this territory does not belong to the city, but is part of federal property. Therefore, the Rostov authorities cannot contain the fortress, and the federal authorities have reasons why they do not allocate funds for its restoration.
Secondly, local residents use the territory of the Liventsovskaya fortress for personal needs, which makes it difficult to determine its exact boundaries.
According to scientists, it will take three years to disassemble the landfill formed by the fault of local residents at the site of the legendary monument.
Summer residents, officials and esoterics
If today something has been preserved from the Liventz fortress, it is only thanks to the efforts of ordinary and caring citizens. A lonely shield reminds people of a historical place. But it might not have been. On November 28, 2011, the land on which the monument is located was divided into 37 parts and sold according to forged documents to citizens who belong to the Puteets gardening partnership.
The representative of the Ministry of Culture was surprised that a request for the sale of land in this territory was not sent to them. And the owners of the documents do not indicate that the area is historical. According to Vladimir Levendorsky, the administrator of the site “Monuments of the Don,” the Rosreestr employees are to blame for this situation, who practically ignore the legislation on the protection of cultural heritage.
The expert noted that officials from Rosreestr when registering some land plots rarely apply to the Ministry of Culture with a request about the territory belonging to cultural monuments. But Vladimir Levendorsky believes that the ministerial officials are also idle, although they could create a working group together with Rosreestr’s employees to publish a handbook that would indicate territories belonging to the cultural heritage.
While officials are looking for the guilty, the territory of the Liventsovskaya fortress attracted not only local summer residents, but also esoteric people. In place of the ancient necropolis, they dug a hole, poured it with concrete in the form of a swastika and perform their mystical rituals and rituals here. Naturally, such vandalism not only does not preserve the monument, but also complicates its restoration, or even makes it almost impossible.
How to get there
The Liventsovskaya fortress is located in Rostov-on-Don on the outskirts of the city between the farms of Karataevo and Liventsovka, on the right bank of the Dead Donets River.
You can get here by bus number 32 or by car.