Discover Eltyubyu: Tower, Poetry and History

Eltyubyu invites you to discover Balkar architectural history and the literary legacy of Kaysyn Kuliev through its real-life sites. The ancestral tower of the Balkarukov family rises above the village, and Kuliev is commemorated there. There is also a complex of empty crypts nearby.

The village name offers another clue: translated from Balkar, Eltyubyu means “at the bottom of the valley”. Those interested in the village’s history and culture will find a range of points of interest here—from a distinctive tower and memorial sites to a narrow hiking trail in a river gorge.

The ancestral tower and its history

The ancestral tower of the Balkarukov family is considered the only example of Svan architecture in the Balkar Mountains. It rises above the village and serves as a distinctive landmark for anyone interested in regional architectural styles. Its unique classification also makes the tower interesting to travelers who see architecture not just as buildings, but as part of a cultural history.

According to local tradition, the tower was built by hand in the 18th century by craftsmen from Svaneti, Georgia. The Chegem leader Akhtugan is said to have invited them. This remains a local account; it connects the tower’s construction history with the craftsmen mentioned and their region of origin. The building thus brings together a specific architectural classification and a story passed down about its origins.

Kaysyn Kuliev and the memorial sites

Eltyubyu is the birthplace of the Balkar poet Kaysyn Kuliev, who is commemorated in the village. A museum has been established in the saklya where Kuliev was born. The “One Hundred Steps to Kaysyn Kuliev” memorial is a stone wall with 100 granite slabs. Lines from Kuliev’s poems in Russian and Karachay-Balkar are engraved on the slabs.

A memorial trail leads to Kuliev’s house in the village of Verkhny Chegem, the former name of Eltyubyu. The trail was ceremonially opened on his 98th birthday. The museum, memorial and trail each have a different focus: his birthplace, lines of poetry and the connection to his home. For visitors interested in literature and cultural commemoration, they offer different ways to learn about the poet.

Mosque and architectural history

Eltyubyu’s mosque is in the village center on the right bank of the mountain river Dzhylgysu. The “Book in the Stone” and the “Tower of Love” are beside it. A new mosque was built on the same site in 2012. The modern stone building has two domes: one large and one small.

The former mosque, Ak-Mejid, was a wooden building with a single dome and a sloping hipped roof in the 19th century. The former wooden building, with its single dome and sloping hipped roof, contrasts with the stone building with its two differently sized domes. Together with the ancestral tower, the mosque offers another perspective on the village’s architectural history.

Gorge trail and nearby crypts

The “Greek Stairway” offers a different perspective: this is the name of a narrow hiking trail in the scenic gorge of the Dzhylgysu River, which you can reach on foot. The trail adds a natural highlight alongside the village’s cultural attractions.

Near Eltyubyu is a complex of crypts dating from the 14th to the 18th century, known as the “City of the Dead”. The crypts are empty. The area’s visible sites span a long period of time, while the tower, mosque and memorial sites dedicated to Kuliev appeal to different cultural interests.

When choosing a holiday apartment, you can first consider what you would like to focus on during your stay: architectural history around the ancestral tower and mosque, the literary commemoration of Kuliev, or the hiking option in the Dzhylgysu Gorge.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Prokhladny, Verkhniy Baksan, Chegem Vtoroy, Tyrnyauz, El'brus, Terskol, Nalchik, Aushiger.

For the higher-level travel overview: Kabardino-Balkaria Republic.