Abstract
<jats:p>Mozdok’s history contains significant, yet little-explored, chapters that generate widespread public interest. These chapters provide fertile ground for various speculations and popular myths, often rooted in plausible urban legends. One such theme concerns famous individuals who visited the area and left a significant mark on our country’s history. This article examines a widely known urban legend about the visit of the Russian literary genius Alexander Pushkin to Mozdok during his two trips to the Caucasus—in 1820 and 1829. For decades, various variations of this legend have circulated widely in the media, passing from generation to generation and accumulating fictitious details. This article represents the first attempt at a critical analysis of this urban legend, which is associated with the name of one of the greatest figures in Russian culture, whose life and work has never lost its relevance. Based on an analysis of established historical facts and the resulting evidential logic, as well as the memoirs of A.S. Pushkin and his contemporaries, the author demonstrates the inconsistency of this legend, which has long since become a fictional reality, accepted not only by the general public but also by a significant portion of the historical community. As a result of this research, the author has reached the unequivocal conclusion that A.S. Pushkin, unfortunately, never visited Mozdok — neither in 1820 nor in 1829.</jats:p>