Nalchik, Russia
Нальчик
Nalchik is a regional capital of 239,300 people in Kabardino-Balkariya Republic, Russia, founded in 1818.
Why visit Nalchik
Townapedia lists 47 museums and landmarks, 28 parks and trails, 168 places to eat, 12 places to stay and 15 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Балкарский театр, Дея Синема, Spartak Stadium and Детский стадион.
Weather in Nalchik
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Nalchik
Nalchik (Russian: Нальчик, IPA: [ˈnalʲtɕɪk]; Kabardian: НалщӀэч, romanized: Nalṣ̂ăčʼ [naːɮɕʼakʲ]; Karachay-Balkar: Нальчик or Налчыкъ, romanized: Nalçik or Nalçıq [naltʃɯk]) is the capital city of Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia, situated at an altitude of 550 meters (1,800 ft) in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains; about 100 kilometers (62 mi) northwest of Beslan (Beslan is in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania). It covers an area of 131 square kilometers (51 sq mi). Population: 247,054 (2021 census); 240,203 (2010 census); 274,974 (2002 census); 234,547 (1989 Soviet census).
From the Wikipedia article Nalchik (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Nalchik on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do15
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Berbekov Kabardino-Balkarian State University
School · 1.9 km
University in Russia
3 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks47
Город воинской славы
Monument and historic site · 3.5 km
В честь присвоения Нальчику звания Город воиснкой славы
Аллея восстановления автономии балкарского народа
Monument and historic site · 3.2 km
35 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds28
Детский стадион
Sports field and stadium · 1.5 km
Mo-Fr 08:00-13:00,14:00-18:00
16 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes168
Lab Coffee
Cafe · Bubble Tea, Coffee Shop, Tea · 2.1 km
23 улица Пачева
Mo-Sa 08:00-23:00; Su 10:00-23:00
Ностальжи
Restaurant · Barbecue, Japanese, Local · 1.9 km
47
Mo-Su 12:00-02:00
Deni Coffee&Bakery
Cafe · Breakfast, Cake, Coffee Shop, Hotdog · 1.8 km
42 улица Пачева
Mo-Su 08:00-22:00
156 more on the map.
History
The territory of modern-day Nalchik was formerly known as Sloboda. The modern city dates from the early 19th century when the expanding Russian Empire built a fort there in 1818.
In 1838, a Russian military settlement was founded in the city, and after the Russian Revolution of 1917, in the year 1921, Nalchik was given the status of administrative center of Kabardin Autonomous Oblast. During the Russian Empire, the settlement was the administrative capital of the Nalchiksky Okrug of the Terek Oblast.
The word "Nalchik" literally means "small horseshoe" in Kabardian (or Circassian, a Northwest Caucasian language) and Karachay-Balkar (a Turkic language). It is a diminutive of na'l, a common Middle Eastern word (Arabic, Persian, Turkish) for "horseshoe", possibly from the ancient Scythian, 'nalak' (horseshoe). The city of Nalchik was named this way because of how it is shaped as surrounded by the mountains of the land, and the Nalchik River is named after the city it runs across.
From the History section of Nalchik on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay12
Churches and places of worship4
Соборная мечеть
Place of worship · Sunni · 1.1 km
41 проспект Шогенцукова
Горско-еврейская религиозная община
Place of worship · Conservative · 1.7 km
21 улица Левича
Shopping108
Gas and EV charging24
Schools, colleges and libraries71
Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov
School · 2.0 km
Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov
School · 2.6 km
Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov
School · 2.6 km
Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov
School · 3.1 km
Healthcare67
Map of Nalchik
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Nalchik Airport (NAL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 km away.
- Vol’nyy Aul 2 km south, about 2 min by car
- Kenzhe 5 km west, about 5 min by car
- Shalushka 6 km northwest, about 6 min by car
- Nartan 7 km east, about 7 min by car
- Chegem 8 km north, about 8 min by car
- Kamenka 9 km northwest, about 9 min by car
- Belaya Rechka 10 km southwest, about 10 min by car
- Chegem Vtoroy 11 km north, about 11 min by car
- Urvan’ 12 km east, about 12 min by car
- Aushiger 15 km southeast, about 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Белый дом КБР, Nalchick, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Nalchik trolleybus 123 Trolza 5265, Тимур Курилов, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ГУК КБГУ новый, Юрий Керимов, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Нальчик. Рынок - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик. Рынок - panoramio (1), Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик. Ленин с нами - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик. Парламмент Кабардино-Бплкарской республики - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик. Кафе - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Аэропорт Нальчик - panoramio, Paweł Krawczyk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Нальчик, магазин исламские товары "Иман" - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик. Светлой памяти павших - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик - panoramio (6), Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- ISS065-E-428037 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Нальчик - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Balkarisches Tanzensemble, Rellers Völkerschafts-Archiv, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Нальчик. Навеки с Россией - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик, памятник А.С.Пушкину - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик. Улица Ленина - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик. Почта России - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик. Кинотеатр - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик. Алим Пшемахович Кешоков (1914 — 2001), кабардинский поэт, прозаик. Народный поэт Кабардино-Балкарск - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик. Навеки с Россией - panoramio (1), Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Администрация Нальчика - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик. Салон красоты "Маня" - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик, налоговая инспекция - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик - panoramio (3), Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик - panoramio (2), Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик - panoramio (4), Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Нальчик - panoramio (1), Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- В.И.Ленин. Нальчик - panoramio, Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Xanthoria parietina 105255563, Anastasiia Merkulova, CC BY 4.0
- На стеле (Нальчик), Almaz2010, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Нальчик город воинской славы, Almaz2010, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Стела в ореховой роще, Нальчик, Almaz2010, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Просто роща, Almaz2010, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Другая аллея, Almaz2010, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Одна из аллей ореховой рощи, Almaz2010, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ореховая роща 2мая, Almaz2010, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Губжев Б.Р., Нальчик13, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kardanov VZ, Непрофессиональное фото, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Page built November 4, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.