History
Whereas the region in and around Nalchik was inhabited early on by Kabarda and Balkar population groups, it is only with the creation of a russian fort in 1818 that the development of the present day city really started. For nearly a century, Nalchik remained a backwater military garrison town. In 1921, 4 years after the october revolution, Nalchik was registered a city.
Nalchik is named after the river nalchik on the banks of which it is built. The word nalchik means "small horseshoe" in Kabardian language. It possibly evocates the shape of the mountain range surrounding the city / river.
During Soviet union, Nalchik has developped into a spa town. Numerous sanatorium were built. Compared to many former soviet city, Nalchik is a green, fairly agreeable town. Artificials lakes and parks have been arranged. The main avenue Lenin Prospekt is wide, friendly, boarded with bleached white buildings of 5-6 floors. Nalchik has largely escaped - possibly thanks to its touristical vocation - the brezhnev era grey concrete buildings that have uglied most other former soviet cities.
Nalchik has regretably made it to world fame on Oct 13 2005 when a group of fighters took over the city, attacking the police and army headquarters. The city was finally assaulted by the russian special forces. Some 136 people died in the event. Within a few days life returned to normal even though many people mourn a friend or relative who has been killed or injured in the attack
