VLADIKAVKAZ, a town of Russia in the North Caucasian area, in 3' N., 42' E. Pop. (1933) 113,20o. The name means "Key of the Caucasus," and it stands on a plateau 2,345 ft. high on both sides of the Terek river, where the latter issues from the Darial gorge. Towering above the town is the famous Kasbek peak. A small fort was established here in 1784, but the expansion of the town dates from the completion of the great Georgian mili tary road southwards through the gorge to Tiflis, which was begun in 1811 and opened in 1864. Later a railway link was made
through Beslan to the Rostov-Baku line to the north. The great gorge has much historic importance for the region ; through it came Persian armies and, later, Timur and his Mongol hordes, and its military road brought about the pacification of the warring Caucasian frontier tribes and gave Russia her foothold in the Caucasus. The town is now re-named Ordjonikidze.