Ancient cities of Crimea. History, description of the ancient cities of Crimea

CITIES OF CRIMEA Success in the economy contributed to the growth of Crimean cities. By the end of the century, Simferopol was rightfully the administrative, cultural and economic center of the province. All provincial institutions and organizations were located in the city. Simferopol is the first of all

Ancient cities of the Northern Black Sea region

ABOUT THE CAPTURE OF THE CITY OF THESSALONICA BY THE LATINS. MESSAGE OF EUSTATHIUS, ARCHBISHOP OF THESSALONICIA, ABOUT THE LAST CONQUEST OF THIS CITY, WE HOPE

ABOUT THE CAPTURE OF THE CITY OF THESSALONICA BY THE LATINS. MESSAGE OF EUSTATHIUS, ARCHBISHOP OF THESSALONICIA, ABOUT THE LAST, AS WE HOPE, CONQUEST OF THIS CITY During the ill-fated reign of Emperor Andronikos Komnenos, Thessalonica weakened and reached the point of exhaustion, which

Crimea is an amazing peninsula, a place where the history of past centuries and the present are harmoniously intertwined. Here, right in the center of modern cities, you can see monuments of past centuries.

“Fragments” of the past in Crimean cities

Ruin large settlements, the remains of fortresses, mounds, and religious buildings are found in almost every city or its environs. Most of the ancient buildings are today considered historical and archaeological monuments. Many have been given the status of nature reserves; research papers and museums operate.

How developed the peninsula was already in ancient times can be understood by familiarity with even a short list of ancient settlements. The following objects are the most famous today:

Panticapaeum is the most ancient of the Greek cities in Crimea. Founded at the end of the 7th century BC, it is located in the center of modern Kerch. To see his remains, you need to climb the high staircase of 500 steps leading to Mount Mithridates.

And 11 kilometers from Panticapaeum, the ruins of the ancient Bosporan settlement of Tiritaka were found.

Chersonese Tauride - the ruins of another Greek settlement, one of the attractions of Sevastopol. The founding of this colony dates back to the fifth century BC. Chersonesus was a large, well-fortified city.

The remains are still preserved here today. ancient temple, the ruins of a theater where, according to legend, gladiatorial battles were fought, a mint, a defensive tower. Prince Vladimir, the Baptist of All Rus', was baptized in the church of Chersonese.

Scythian Naples is an ancient settlement on the outskirts of Simferopol. Created in the 3rd century BC. e., the city served as the capital of the Scythian state. Today, on the territory of the ancient tract, a defensive tower and the mausoleum of King Skilur have been preserved.

Ruskofil-Kale - castle in the area Big Yalta, built in the 13th–14th centuries - a fortification with an area of ​​about 450 sq. m.

Kerkinitida is a Greek city built at the beginning of the 5th century BC. e. and existed until the end of the 2nd century BC. e. Its ruins are located in the center of Evpatoria, on the Quarantine Cape. Although most of the site is filled up, two sections of it are well maintained and museumized.

Kalos Limen - ruins of an ancient Greek settlement founded in the 4th century. BC e. in the village of Chernomorskoye.

Cimmeric - Cimmerian tract of the 6th - 5th centuries BC. e., located between Lake Elken and Mount Opuk.

The Scythian Ust-Alminskoe settlement is one of the largest Scythian settlements of the 2nd century BC. e., located on Cape Kremenchik.

Cave and underwater cities of Crimea

A separate category includes antique cave cities. Mangup-Kale - a Byzantine defensive fort of the sixth century BC, Chufut-Kale near Bakhchisarai, Kacha-Kalyon, Kyz-Kermen, others - these villages were created in the rocks. Houses, utility rooms, temples, defensive walls were cut down directly into the rock.

Crimea even has its own Atlantis - the underwater city of Acre. A small ancient Greek village, which served, among other things, as a port, existed near Cape Takil in the 6th century BC. e. ‒ IV century AD e. Later, the subsidence of the coast led to the flooding of most of the city.

Travelers with diving skills can see the ruins of Acre. Diving is possible as part of specialized excursions in the summer.

Note to tourists

A visit to the excavations of ancient cities can be easily combined with other types of recreation:

excursion activities;

visiting unique natural monuments;

beach, health holidays.

On the peninsula there are many ancient defensive towers, forts, and other fortifications, preserved in excellent condition. Many of them host exciting events. In particular, thematic festivals are held annually in the Genoese fortress, and reconstructions of medieval battles are staged.

There are numerous hotels, inns, and boarding houses throughout the peninsula. Room reservations are available online. Pricing policy depends on the region, level of service and season of visit.

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How tourist centre Crimea has been known since the second half of the 19th century. The special popularity of the peninsula among imperial persons and the highest foreign guests is evidenced by the large number of summer residences - palaces and villas, which to this day make up the architectural appearance of Crimean cities. Time passes, and Crimea becomes not just a privileged vacation spot, but a health resort on an all-Union scale. However, while maintaining its mass character, this tradition has undergone transformation. Wild recreation triumphed over organized sanatorium treatment.

Today, Crimea is perceived by many as a center sea ​​resorts, popularizing beach and leisure. At the same time, the rich and deep history of the peninsula is not unknown, traces of which are preserved by numerous monuments covering the widest time and thematic range. The seven diverse cities presented in our review can rightly be called museums that introduced their guests to the heritage of the ancient, multinational and generous land called Crimea.

Hero City, one of three cities of federal significance in Russia, the largest city in Crimea by population, one of the country's key naval facilities, a large ice-free sea Trading port- all these are definitions of the legendary Sevastopol. The city acquired particular significance from the moment of its foundation, when in 1783 it became the main base of the newly formed fleet of the Russian Empire - the Black Sea Fleet. Sevastopol valiantly withstood two defenses - during the Crimean War and during the Great Patriotic War, securing its unofficial status as a city of Russian glory.

Numerous sights tell about the military-historical heritage of Sevastopol, including the world-famous panorama “Defense of Sevastopol 1854–1855”, large-scale memorial complexes on Malakhov Kurgan and Sapun Mountain, the Military Historical Museum of the Black Sea Fleet, and the museum complexes “Mikhailovskaya Battery” , "35th coastal battery", "Balaklava" (underground submarine base). Near Primorsky Boulevard, on a granite cliff washed by the sea, rises main symbol Sevastopol - Monument to sunken ships.

On the Central (City) Hill there is the majestic Vladimir Cathedral, which became the tomb of the famous Russian admirals - Lazarev, Nakhimov, Kornilov, Istomin. Another significant place located in historical center Sevastopol, is the Aquarium Museum - the first in Russia and one of the oldest public marine aquariums in the world, founded in 1897 on the initiative of N.N. Miklouho-Maclay. Sevastopol squares and boulevards are beautiful, the appearance of which is made up of interesting historical and architectural objects. The city has an art museum and four professional theaters, two of which have academic status.

ABOUT ancient history The southwestern part of the Crimean peninsula is narrated by unique monuments located in the suburbs of Sevastopol: the ancient settlement of Chersonesus, Genoese fortress Chembalo in Balaklava, the ancient Klimentovsky cave monastery in Inkerman. Not just a backdrop for them, but an independent unique attraction is unusually beautiful nature. The city's numerous picturesque bays are especially attractive.

Sevastopol, surrounded on three sides by the sea, is not inferior to others Crimean resorts and from the point of view beach holiday, striking not only with the number, but also with the variety of beaches - from wild rocky ones to comfortable golden sandy ones.

Sight

Ancient, 1, Sevastopol

In ancient times, the central part of the Crimean peninsula was occupied by the fortress city of Naples-Scythian - the capital of the Scythian kingdom. Nowadays the capital of the Republic of Crimea is located here - the glorious city of Simferopol. It has no access to the sea. The Salgir River flows here - the longest river in Crimea.

Being the main transport hub of the peninsula, the city lives up to its name, which is translated from ancient Greek as “city of benefit”, “gathering city”. However, Simferopol attracts not only random guests who perceive the city as an intermediate point on the way to Black Sea coast, but also history buffs. After all, entire eras are imprinted in the appearance of the city. The memory of the late Scythian state is preserved by the ancient settlement of Neapolis Scythian, located on the Petrovsky rocks. A unique symbol of the Crimean Tatar city of Aqmescit, the predecessor of Simferopol, is the Kebir-Jami mosque - oldest building in the city, known since the beginning of the 16th century. And finally, the beginning of the Russian period in life Crimean city denote Orthodox churches of the late 18th - 19th centuries. Almost the same age as Simferopol is the Church of Constantine and Helena - the first Christian church in the city. The ancient cathedrals - Peter and Paul and Holy Trinity - admire with their grandeur. An interesting religious building of the Karaites is Kenassa, erected at the end of the 19th century. During the Great Patriotic War, Simferopol took on a powerful enemy attack, surviving the German occupation. The feat of the city’s defenders was immortalized by monuments placed in its parks and squares.

The most complete picture of the nature, history and culture of not only Simferopol, but also the entire Republic of Crimea is given by the main museums of the city - the Central Museum of Taurida, the Crimean Ethnographic Museum and the Simferopol Museum art museums. The oldest theater in Crimea operates in the city - the Russian Drama Theater named after. M. Gorky, as well as the Musical Theater of the Republic of Crimea, the Puppet Theater and the only Crimean Tatar theater in the world.

Simferopol is famous for its unique green areas. You cannot ignore the ancient parks founded in the 18th-19th centuries. A special place among them occupies Botanical Garden Tauride National University (Salgirka Park or Vorontsovsky Park) - one of the largest and most beautiful parks in Simferopol. The city's young squares are picturesque and cozy.

The easternmost and most ancient city Crimea - the city of Kerch, whose age has exceeded the colossal figure - twenty-six centuries! One of the hills of the city - Mount Mithridates - is its historical and geographical center, the place where at the end of the 7th century BC. e. the future Kerch was born, and then the ancient Greek city of Panticapaeum, which became in 479 BC. capital of the Bosporan kingdom. The ruins of his Acropolis are now a unique monument era of Antiquity and one of the main attractions of Kerch.

In addition to Panticapaeum, there are other ancient settlements on the territory of Kerch - Nymphaeum, Tiritaka, Mirmekiy. Many artifacts found during excavations of ancient settlements are presented in the famous Kerch Museum of Antiquities. Monuments of funerary architecture from the 4th century have also been preserved to this day. BC. - Tsarsky and Melek-Chesme mounds.

Until 1774, that is, before Kerch was annexed to Russia, the city was part of many states: Byzantine Empire, Khazar Kaganate, Genoese Republic, Ottoman Empire. Witnessed by many historical events became the Church of St. John the Baptist - the oldest Orthodox church on the Crimean Peninsula, the construction of which dates back to the period between the 8th and 9th centuries.

Kerch bears the honorary title of hero city. During the Great Patriotic War, the front line passed through Kerch four times; in 1941–1944, a brutal occupation regime was established here. Soon after the liberation of the city on the top of Mount Mithridates was created memorial Complex- Obelisk of Glory to Immortal Heroes and Eternal Flame.

The 423 steps of the Great Mithridates Staircase, which is an outstanding architectural monument of the first half of the 19th century, lead to the top of the mountain. From the top observation deck The stairs offer a magnificent panorama of the city and the Kerch Strait.

Evpatoria, stretching along the Kalamitsky Bay on the western coast of the Crimean peninsula, is known primarily as a resort city. Every summer season, the number of vacationing tourists is several times greater than its population. Huge popularity small town, of course, is explained by the presence beautiful beaches with golden sand and a shallow seabed, a favorable climate (at the height of summer, the air temperature usually stays at + 26–28 °C). However, limiting ourselves to coastal areas, it is impossible to get a holistic picture of the city, whose history goes back centuries.

On the site of Evpatoria from the 5th century. BC e. to the end of the 2nd century. n. e. there was one of the ancient Greek colonies - Kerkinitis. The ancient settlement of the ancient polis is a most valuable archaeological complex, and the ruins of the city wall of Kerkinitida today are one of the main historical relics of Evpatoria. Greek settlement was destroyed by the Scythians. The city re-emerged here during the time of the Crimean Khanate. It was called Kezlev (Turkish Gözleve). The city received the sonorous name Evpatoria, which is translated from Greek as “Noble”, after Crimea became part of the Russian Empire.

A typical eastern city of the Middle Ages is the eastern part of modern Evpatoria, the so-called Old city. The area is distinguished by narrow, crooked streets and ancient buildings. The age of some buildings in the historical part exceeds 500 years, among them is the Khan-Jami Cathedral Mosque, founded back in 1552.

A unique historical, architectural and religious monument in Evpatoria - Tekiye Dervishes - the only Muslim monastery in Crimea, founded at the end of the 15th - 16th centuries. Of no less interest is the complex of religious buildings of the early 19th century - the Keraim kenasses. Outstanding monuments of Russian temple architecture are pre-revolutionary Orthodox churches - St. Nicholas Cathedral, the Church of St. Elijah.

The resort history of the city began at the end of the 19th century, when the first mud bath was built, where the healing mud of Lake Moinaki was used. Subsequently they opened medicinal properties mud and waters of other lakes of Evpatoria. The resort has several mineral springs, which, together with numerous other natural factors, makes a holiday in Evpatoria incredibly useful.

On South Coast A magnificent pearl shines on the Crimean peninsula - the beautiful Yalta. This is one of the most solar resorts Crimea, a city with luxurious nature and rich cultural heritage. It is interesting that Yalta acquired the status of a city and the fame of a fashionable resort only in the 19th century, although its history began much earlier...

Once upon a time, on the site of the future city, on the picturesque shore of the Black Sea, there was a small village of Yialos (from Greek - “shore”), founded in the 6th-5th centuries BC. Greek sailors. Like other cities of Crimea, the settlement changed hands more than once: from the Tauride Greeks to the Venetians, then to the Genoese, Byzantines; later it became part of the possessions of the Principality of Theodoro, the Ottoman Empire, and, finally, Russia. Dramatic changes occurred in the middle of the 19th century, when Small town, in the recent past - a fishing village, drew the attention of the highest government officials. In the 1860s, the nearest Yalta suburb - Livadia - became the summer residence of the royal family. And by the end of the 19th century, Yalta was turning into a prestigious vacation spot for the Russian aristocracy. The creation of fabulous palaces (Livadiysky, Massandrovsky, Vorontsovsky), noble estates and mansions organically integrated into the mountain landscape dates back to this time. In pre-revolutionary times, Yalta also attracted distinguished foreign guests. So, for example, the German oil industrialist Baron P. Steingel, who loved to relax in the Crimea, built a gothic castle- the famous "Swallow's Nest".

Without detracting from the value and beauty of the palace and park ensembles, we will give primacy in the ranking of the region’s attractions to Yalta nature. Enclosed in the stone embrace of the Crimean Mountains, Yalta is open only to the sea and the sun. The terrain is extremely varied. There is mountain ranges, one of which includes the famous peak Ai-Petri; hills covered with dense pine and beech forests; deep gorges with waterfalls; valleys mountain rivers, on one of which the most big waterfall in Crimea - the Uchan-Su waterfall, 98 meters high. Yalta, surrounded by greenery, boasts an abundance of exotic plants: palm trees, cypresses, magnolias, wisterias grow here...

One of the most beautiful places in the city and the most visited street in Crimea is the Yalta Embankment. Today it is a developed resort area with numerous restaurants, cafes, and attractions. On the embankment there is the President-Hotel "Tavrida", formerly the hotel of the same name, where different time Rimsky-Korsakov, Nekrasov, Chekhov, Bunin, Mayakovsky, Stanislavsky, Chaliapin stayed. Not far from the hotel building there is an entrance to cable car“Yalta Gorka”, which gives you the opportunity to enjoy bird's eye views of the city.

Outstanding figures of art and literature lived in Feodosia at different times - the world famous marine painter I.K. Aivazovsky, whose name the Feodosia Art Gallery bears today; an outstanding writer, the brightest representative of neo-romanticism A. Green, to whom the literary and memorial museum in Feodosia is dedicated. About history, culture, natural wealth south-eastern Crimea is narrated by Feodosiysky local history museum, which is the oldest provincial museum institution in Russia.

During the Great Patriotic War, the city survived the German occupation. Fierce fighting took place here, leading to significant destruction. For courage, perseverance and mass heroism, Feodosia was awarded the honorary title - City of Military Glory.

The fortified city of Aluston has been known since the 6th century. The fortification, built by order of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, retained its role as an important coastal defensive point for all the states that owned it in the Middle Ages: the Byzantine Empire, the Khazar Khaganate, and the Principality of Theodoro. The fortress lost its strategic importance after the conquest of Crimea by the Turks. The ruins of an ancient structure that have survived to this day are one of the main attractions of the peninsula.

Like Yalta, Alushta by the end of the 19th century turned from a quiet seaside village into popular resort. Among the curious pre-revolutionary buildings is the mansion of General Golubov, known as the “Golubka” dacha; mansion of merchant N.D. Stakheeva, Palace of Princess Gagarina. In 1941–1944 the city was under German occupation. A number of monuments in Alushta are dedicated to military-historical events.

Soon after the end of the war, in the middle of the last century, a real tourism boom began in Alushta, when dozens of sanatoriums and boarding houses opened here. Today the city still attracts holidaymakers. On its territory there are a large number of beaches, attractions, an aquarium with a large collection of freshwater and marine fish, a dolphinarium, and interesting museums.

Alushta, located in a vast valley on the southern coast of Crimea, is surrounded by the Crimean Mountains like an amphitheater. The high Babugan-Yayla massif rises above the city in the west, Mount Chatyr-Dag in the north-west, and Demerdzhi in the north. The mountain slopes are covered with dense beech and pine forests. In the picturesque surroundings of Alushta, the famous Soviet films “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, “Hearts of Three”, “Ships Storm the Bastions” and others took place.

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The territory of Crimea was inhabited 3,000 years ago. Its indigenous inhabitants were the Tauri, famous for their warlike character and penchant for piracy. More precisely, this is the first people about whom it was possible to find out reliable information. Archaeologists have found ancient sites whose age exceeds 1 million years. The favorable location of the peninsula at the intersection of trade routes determined its fate, full of conquests. Greeks and Venetians, Scythians and Romans, Goths and Huns, Genoese and Turks, Tatars and Slavs managed to visit here. A rich historical past and traces of various cultures have led to the formation of a wide variety of settlements in the region over different eras, many of which still exist today.

Top 10 oldest cities in Crimea

Many ancient and earlier settlements that existed in Crimea have not survived. The most famous of them were:

• Chersonese Tauride - founded in antiquity by the Greeks, now located on the territory of Sevastopol and protected by UNESCO;
• Panticapaeum is the capital of the powerful Bosporan kingdom, the ruins of which are now on Mount Mithridates in Kerch;
• Kerkinitida is a settlement created by the ancient Greeks, on the site of which Evpatoria now stands.

The Crimean Republic includes 16 cities, and only two of them were founded in the last century: Krasnoperekopsk in 1932 and Shchelkino in 1978. The rest can boast of a rich, eventful history: at least three appeared more than two thousand years ago, and the formation of a significant part of the others falls in the Middle Ages.

Among the most ancient cities of Crimea that currently exist are:

1. Kerch - 7th century BC e.
2. Feodosia - VI century BC e.
3. Evpatoria - 497 BC e.
4. Sudak - 212.
5. Alushta - VI century.
6. Alupka - 960.
7. Yalta - 1154.
8. Old Crimea- XIII century.
9. Belogorsk - XIII century.
10. Bakhchisarai - 1389.

Kerch is the most ancient in Crimea

The oldest city of the Crimean peninsula is Kerch, located in its eastern part. Archaeological research shows that people lived on these lands already 100,000 years ago, and in the center of Kerch scientists found a mammoth tooth. More than 60 sites date back to the later Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. At first, the local primitive population was engaged in fishing and hunting, and later mastered cattle breeding and crafts.

True story The city began in the 7th century BC. e., when Greek sailors, who were exploring neighboring regions, actively founded new colonies in the Black Sea region. One of them was the ancient settlement of Panticapaeum: it was located on a hill - Mount Mithridates, and was surrounded by other, less famous settlements. Subsequently, they all merged together, forming the urban area of ​​modern Kerch. In 480 BC. e. Panticapaeum reached its peak of prosperity when it assumed the title of capital of the Bosporus Kingdom - one of the most powerful in the region at that time. Since then, the ruins of the Temple of Apollo, the Royal Mound of the king of the Spartokid dynasty and an impressive necropolis have reached us.

By the 4th century of the new millennium, after the unsuccessful era of the reign of the Tiberian Julian dynasty and the Hunnic invasion, Panticapaeum finally lost any importance. Two centuries later, the Turks came here and named the settlement Karsha, which meant “the other shore.” In the 10th century, the Slavs took possession of the lands, changing the toponym in their own way: Korchev. Afterwards it was owned by the Genoese, then by the Turks, and then by the Russians. From this period, military fortresses remained in Kerch: the Turkish Yeni-Kale and the Russian Kerch, built in the 18th and 19th centuries, respectively. The main attraction of the resort, the Mithridates Staircase, appeared only in the middle of the last century, but it is worth climbing it for the stunning panoramas.

Feodosia - an ancient picturesque town

Almost simultaneously with Kerch, and by the forces of the same Milesian Greeks, Feodosia was founded. Unlike its famous neighbor in the ranking, Feodosia did not distinguish itself in anything special in antiquity, but in 2015 it received the honorary title of City of Military Glory for its services to the centuries-old defense of the Fatherland.

The date of the formation of the settlement is streamlined as the 6th century BC. e., since there is no exact data on the time of appearance. However, it is reliably known that from 355 BC. e. it already belonged to the territory of the Bosporan kingdom. Due to this further destinies settlements are similar: Huns, Byzantines, Tatars, Genoese. The latter brought a golden era to the small settlement: they renamed the town Cafu. The Genoese made it an important commercial trading port and administrative center, from where they controlled the entire Northern Black Sea region: by the 15th century it could already be compared in size to Constantinople.

They also gave Feodosia its main tourist attraction today: a defensive limestone fortress built in the 14th century. Previously, it circled an area of ​​70 hectares, but today only its southern part and several towers are well preserved, among which the Tower of St. Constantine with hinged loopholes deserves special attention.

Evpatoria - beautiful and historically attractive

The appearance of Evpatoria, the best modern children's balneo-mud climatic resort not only in Crimea, but also in all countries of the post-Soviet space, dates back to the fifth century, or more precisely to 497 BC. The healing properties of the local mud have been known since the ancient period, when the first reliably known settlement, Kerkinitida, was formed. The settlement was located on the shores of the Kalamitsky Bay and on a cape, today called Quarantine.

According to some reports, the Greeks from Ionia arrived here a century earlier, and by the 4th century of the previous era they were able to create a prosperous trading settlement that existed in the status of an independent polis, independently developing its own economy. This state of affairs did not last long: in the same century it became dependent on the Kherson kingdom. And if development continued under him, then the Scythians, and then the Huns, destroyed everything. In the Middle Ages, the Turks founded the Gezlev fortress here, and in 1784, by decree of Catherine II, the settlement received the status of a city and was renamed Evpatoria in honor of the famous ruler Mithridates VI Eupator, who ruled in Kerch in antiquity.

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Crimea has been known as a tourist center since the second half of the 19th century. The special popularity of the peninsula among imperial persons and the highest foreign guests is evidenced by the large number of summer residences - palaces and villas, which to this day make up the architectural appearance of Crimean cities. Time passes, and Crimea becomes not just a privileged vacation spot, but a health resort on an all-Union scale. However, while maintaining its mass character, this tradition has undergone transformation. Wild recreation triumphed over organized sanatorium treatment.

Today, Crimea is perceived by many as the center of seaside resorts that popularize beach and active recreation. At the same time, the rich and deep history of the peninsula is not unknown, traces of which are preserved by numerous monuments covering the widest time and thematic range. The seven diverse cities presented in our review can rightly be called museums that introduced their guests to the heritage of the ancient, multinational and generous land called Crimea.

A hero city, one of three federal cities in Russia, the largest city in Crimea by population, one of the country's key naval facilities, a large ice-free sea trade port - all these are definitions of the legendary Sevastopol. The city acquired particular significance from the moment of its foundation, when in 1783 it became the main base of the newly formed fleet of the Russian Empire - the Black Sea Fleet. Sevastopol valiantly withstood two defenses - during the Crimean War and during the Great Patriotic War, securing its unofficial status as a city of Russian glory.

Numerous sights tell about the military-historical heritage of Sevastopol, including the world-famous panorama “Defense of Sevastopol 1854–1855”, large-scale memorial complexes on Malakhov Kurgan and Sapun Mountain, the Military Historical Museum of the Black Sea Fleet, and the museum complexes “Mikhailovskaya Battery” , “35th coastal battery”, “Balaclava” (underground submarine base). Near Primorsky Boulevard, on a granite cliff washed by the sea, stands the main symbol of Sevastopol - the Monument to Sunken Ships.

On the Central (City) Hill there is the majestic Vladimir Cathedral, which became the tomb of the famous Russian admirals - Lazarev, Nakhimov, Kornilov, Istomin. Another significant place, located in the historical center of Sevastopol, is the Aquarium Museum - the first in Russia and one of the oldest public marine aquariums in the world, founded in 1897 on the initiative of N.N. Miklouho-Maclay. Sevastopol squares and boulevards are beautiful, the appearance of which is made up of interesting historical and architectural objects. The city has an art museum and four professional theaters, two of which have academic status.

The ancient history of the southwestern part of the Crimean peninsula is told by unique monuments located in the suburbs of Sevastopol: the ancient settlement of Chersonesus, the Genoese fortress of Chembalo in Balaklava, the ancient Klimentovsky cave monastery in Inkerman. The unusually beautiful nature is not just a backdrop for them, but an independent unique attraction. The city's numerous picturesque bays are especially attractive.

Sevastopol, surrounded on three sides by the sea, is not inferior to other Crimean resorts in terms of beach holidays, striking not only with the number, but also with the variety of beaches - from wild rocky to comfortable golden sand.

Sight

Ancient, 1, Sevastopol

In ancient times, the central part of the Crimean peninsula was occupied by the fortress city of Naples-Scythian - the capital of the Scythian kingdom. Nowadays the capital of the Republic of Crimea is located here - the glorious city of Simferopol. It has no access to the sea. The Salgir River flows here - the longest river in Crimea.

Being the main transport hub of the peninsula, the city lives up to its name, which is translated from ancient Greek as “city of benefit”, “gathering city”. However, Simferopol attracts not only casual guests who perceive the city as an intermediate point on the way to the Black Sea coast, but also history buffs. After all, entire eras are imprinted in the appearance of the city. The memory of the late Scythian state is preserved by the ancient settlement of Neapolis Scythian, located on the Petrovsky rocks. A unique symbol of the Crimean Tatar city of Akmescit, the predecessor of Simferopol, is the Kebir-Jami Mosque - the oldest building in the city, known since the beginning of the 16th century. And, finally, the beginning of the Russian period in the life of the Crimean city is indicated by Orthodox churches of the late 18th - 19th centuries. Almost the same age as Simferopol is the Church of Constantine and Helena - the first Christian church in the city. The ancient cathedrals - Peter and Paul and Holy Trinity - admire with their grandeur. An interesting religious building of the Karaites is Kenassa, erected at the end of the 19th century. During the Great Patriotic War, Simferopol took on a powerful enemy attack, surviving the German occupation. The feat of the city’s defenders was immortalized by monuments placed in its parks and squares.

The most complete picture of the nature, history and culture of not only Simferopol, but also the entire Republic of Crimea is given by the main museums of the city - the Central Museum of Taurida, the Crimean Ethnographic and Simferopol Art Museums. The oldest theater in Crimea operates in the city - the Russian Drama Theater named after. M. Gorky, as well as the Musical Theater of the Republic of Crimea, the Puppet Theater and the only Crimean Tatar theater in the world.

Simferopol is famous for its unique green areas. You cannot ignore the ancient parks founded in the 18th-19th centuries. A special place among them is occupied by the Botanical Garden of the Taurida National University (Salgirka Park or Vorontsov Park) - one of the largest and most beautiful parks in Simferopol. The city's young squares are picturesque and cozy.

The easternmost and most ancient city of Crimea is the city of Kerch, whose age has exceeded the colossal figure - twenty-six centuries! One of the hills of the city - Mount Mithridates - is its historical and geographical center, the place where at the end of the 7th century BC. e. the future Kerch was born, and then the ancient Greek city of Panticapaeum, which became in 479 BC. capital of the Bosporan kingdom. The ruins of his Acropolis are now a unique monument of Antiquity and one of the main attractions of Kerch.

In addition to Panticapaeum, there are other ancient settlements on the territory of Kerch - Nymphaeum, Tiritaka, Mirmekiy. Many artifacts found during excavations of ancient settlements are presented in the famous Kerch Museum of Antiquities. Monuments of funerary architecture from the 4th century have also been preserved to this day. BC. - Tsarsky and Melek-Chesme mounds.

Until 1774, that is, before Kerch was annexed to Russia, the city was part of many states: the Byzantine Empire, the Khazar Khaganate, the Genoese Republic, the Ottoman Empire. The Church of St. John the Baptist, the oldest Orthodox church on the Crimean Peninsula, whose construction dates back to the period between the 8th and 9th centuries, has witnessed many historical events.

Kerch bears the honorary title of hero city. During the Great Patriotic War, the front line passed through Kerch four times; in 1941–1944, a brutal occupation regime was established here. Soon after the liberation of the city, a memorial complex was created on the top of Mount Mithridates - the Obelisk of Glory to the Immortal Heroes and the Eternal Flame.

The 423 steps of the Great Mithridates Staircase, which is an outstanding architectural monument of the first half of the 19th century, lead to the top of the mountain. From the top observation deck of the stairs a magnificent panorama of the city and the Kerch Strait opens.

Evpatoria, stretching along the Kalamitsky Bay on the western coast of the Crimean peninsula, is known primarily as a resort city. Every summer season, the number of vacationing tourists is several times greater than its population. The huge popularity of the small city is, of course, explained by the presence of beautiful beaches with golden sand and a shallow seabed, and a favorable climate (at the height of summer, the air temperature usually stays at + 26–28 °C). However, limiting ourselves to coastal areas, it is impossible to get a holistic picture of the city, whose history goes back centuries.

On the site of Evpatoria from the 5th century. BC e. to the end of the 2nd century. n. e. there was one of the ancient Greek colonies - Kerkinitis. The ancient settlement of the ancient polis is a most valuable archaeological complex, and the ruins of the city wall of Kerkinitida today are one of the main historical relics of Evpatoria. The Greek settlement was destroyed by the Scythians. The city re-emerged here during the time of the Crimean Khanate. It was called Kezlev (Turkish Gözleve). The city received the sonorous name Evpatoria, which is translated from Greek as “Noble”, after Crimea became part of the Russian Empire.

A typical eastern city of the Middle Ages is the eastern part of modern Evpatoria, the so-called Old Town. The area is distinguished by narrow, crooked streets and ancient buildings. The age of some buildings in the historical part exceeds 500 years, among them is the Khan-Jami Cathedral Mosque, founded back in 1552.

A unique historical, architectural and religious monument in Evpatoria - Tekiye Dervishes - the only Muslim monastery in Crimea, founded at the end of the 15th - 16th centuries. Of no less interest is the complex of religious buildings of the early 19th century - the Keraim kenasses. Outstanding monuments of Russian temple architecture are pre-revolutionary Orthodox churches - St. Nicholas Cathedral, the Church of St. Elijah.

The resort history of the city began at the end of the 19th century, when the first mud bath was built, where the healing mud of Lake Moinaki was used. Subsequently, the healing properties of the mud and waters of other lakes in Evpatoria were discovered. There are several mineral springs on the territory of the resort, which, together with numerous other natural factors, makes a holiday in Evpatoria incredibly useful.

On the southern coast of the Crimean peninsula shines a magnificent pearl - the beautiful Yalta. This is one of the sunniest resorts in Crimea, a city with luxurious nature and rich cultural heritage. It is interesting that Yalta acquired the status of a city and the fame of a fashionable resort only in the 19th century, although its history began much earlier...

Once upon a time, on the site of the future city, on the picturesque shore of the Black Sea, there was a small village of Yialos (from Greek - “shore”), founded in the 6th-5th centuries BC. Greek sailors. Like other cities of Crimea, the settlement changed hands more than once: from the Tauride Greeks to the Venetians, then to the Genoese, Byzantines; later it became part of the possessions of the Principality of Theodoro, the Ottoman Empire, and, finally, Russia. Dramatic changes occurred in the middle of the 19th century, when the highest government officials paid attention to the small town, which in the recent past had been a fishing village. In the 1860s, the nearest Yalta suburb - Livadia - became the summer residence of the royal family. And by the end of the 19th century, Yalta was turning into a prestigious vacation spot for the Russian aristocracy. The creation of fabulous palaces (Livadiysky, Massandrovsky, Vorontsovsky), noble estates and mansions organically integrated into the mountain landscape dates back to this time. In pre-revolutionary times, Yalta also attracted distinguished foreign guests. For example, in 1912, the German oil industrialist Baron P. Steingel, who loved to vacation in the Crimea, built a Gothic castle on the edge of the Aurora Rock - the famous “Swallow’s Nest”.

Without detracting from the value and beauty of the palace and park ensembles, we will give primacy in the ranking of the region’s attractions to Yalta nature. Enclosed in the stone embrace of the Crimean Mountains, Yalta is open only to the sea and the sun. The terrain is extremely varied. There are mountain ranges here, one of which includes the famous Ai-Petri peak; hills covered with dense pine and beech forests; deep gorges with waterfalls; valleys of mountain rivers, on one of which the largest waterfall in Crimea is formed - the Uchan-Su waterfall with a height of 98 meters. Yalta, surrounded by greenery, boasts an abundance of exotic plants: palm trees, cypresses, magnolias, wisterias grow here...

One of the most beautiful places in the city and the most visited street in Crimea is the Yalta Embankment. Today it is a developed resort area with numerous restaurants, cafes, and attractions. On the embankment there is the Tavrida Presidential Hotel, previously a hotel of the same name, where Rimsky-Korsakov, Nekrasov, Chekhov, Bunin, Mayakovsky, Stanislavsky, and Chaliapin stayed at different times. Not far from the hotel building there is the entrance to the Yalta-Gorka cable car, which gives you the opportunity to enjoy bird's-eye views of the city.

Outstanding figures of art and literature lived in Feodosia at different times - the world famous marine painter I.K. Aivazovsky, whose name the Feodosia Art Gallery bears today; an outstanding writer, the brightest representative of neo-romanticism A. Green, to whom the literary and memorial museum in Feodosia is dedicated. The Feodosia Museum of Local Lore, which is the oldest provincial museum in Russia, tells about the history, culture, and natural wealth of southeastern Crimea.

During the Great Patriotic War, the city survived the German occupation. Fierce fighting took place here, leading to significant destruction. For courage, perseverance and mass heroism, Feodosia was awarded the honorary title - City of Military Glory.

The fortified city of Aluston has been known since the 6th century. The fortification, built by order of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, retained its role as an important coastal defensive point for all the states that owned it in the Middle Ages: the Byzantine Empire, the Khazar Khaganate, and the Principality of Theodoro. The fortress lost its strategic importance after the conquest of Crimea by the Turks. The ruins of an ancient structure that have survived to this day are one of the main attractions of the peninsula.

Like Yalta, Alushta by the end of the 19th century had transformed from a quiet seaside village into a popular resort. Among the curious pre-revolutionary buildings is the mansion of General Golubov, known as the “Golubka” dacha; mansion of merchant N.D. Stakheeva, Palace of Princess Gagarina. In 1941–1944 the city was under German occupation. A number of monuments in Alushta are dedicated to military-historical events.

Soon after the end of the war, in the middle of the last century, a real tourism boom began in Alushta, when dozens of sanatoriums and boarding houses opened here. Today the city still attracts holidaymakers. On its territory there are a large number of beaches, attractions, an aquarium with a large collection of freshwater and marine fish, a dolphinarium, and interesting museums.

Alushta, located in a vast valley on the southern coast of Crimea, is surrounded by the Crimean Mountains like an amphitheater. The high Babugan-Yayla massif rises above the city in the west, Mount Chatyr-Dag in the north-west, and Demerdzhi in the north. The mountain slopes are covered with dense beech and pine forests. In the picturesque surroundings of Alushta, the famous Soviet films “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, “Hearts of Three”, “Ships Storm the Bastions” and others took place.

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