Kyunnyum Tract and Abay-Kala Tower

The Kyunnyum tract and Abay-Kala Tower preserve the silence of a vanished settlement in the Cherek District. On the edge of Upper Balkaria lies an abandoned village that once had more than thirty households. Its name means “sunny side,” fitting its position on a southeastern slope where house ruins remain among grass and stones. In the late 19th century, one of mountain Balkaria’s largest mosques stood here; a reconstruction now stands by the river. Abay-Kala, a late-medieval defensive tower, dominates the tract and is traditionally attributed to Taubiy Alimurza Abaev. Whitewashed and visible from afar, it has thick walls, pointed openings, loopholes and observation slits. It served as both watchtower and refuge and remained inhabited by the Abaev family until the late 19th century. Today it is a federal cultural-heritage monument reached by paths through the ruined village.

The area around Abay-Kala later became a film location for the movie War. The tower survives in relatively good condition. Until the late 19th century its lower level housed the princely Abaev family. Large and small boulders form a stone platform around its base, providing a durable foundation that has helped preserve it.