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how tourist centre Crimea has been known since the second half of XIX centuries. The special popularity of the peninsula among the imperials 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 the Crimean cities. Time passes, and Crimea becomes not just a privileged place of rest, but a health resort of the all-Union scale. However, while retaining its mass character, this tradition has undergone transformations. Wild rest has triumphed over organized spa treatment.
Today, Crimea is perceived by many as the focus of seaside resorts that popularize beach and outdoor activities. At the same time, the rich and deep history of the peninsula is well-known, the 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.
Museum, Landmark, Historic Landmark
A hero city, one of the three cities of federal significance in Russia, the largest city in Crimea in terms of population, one of the country's key naval facilities, a large ice-free sea trade port - all these are the definitions of the legendary Sevastopol. The city acquired particular importance 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 bravely withstood two defenses - during the Crimean War and during the Great Patriotic War, securing the unofficial status of the 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 the Malakhov Kurgan and Sapun Mountain, the Military-Historical Museum of the Black Sea Fleet, museum complexes "Mikhailovskaya Battery" , "35th Coastal Battery", "Balaklava" (underground submarine base). Near Primorsky Boulevard, on a granite cliff washed by the sea, stands the main symbol of Sevastopol - the Monument to the Scuttled Ships.
On the Central (City) hill is the majestic Vladimir Cathedral, which has become the tomb of famous Russian admirals - Lazarev, Nakhimov, Kornilov, Istomin. Another significant place located in historic center Sevastopol, is the Aquarium Museum - the first in Russia and one of the oldest public marine aquariums in the world, founded in 1897 at 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, 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 Chersonesos, the Genoese fortress Chembalo in Balaklava, the ancient Klimentovsky cave monastery in Inkerman. The unusually beautiful nature is not just a background for them, but an independent peculiar attraction. The numerous picturesque bays of the city are especially attractive.
Sevastopol, surrounded on three sides by the sea, is not inferior to other Crimean resorts in terms of beach holiday, striking not only by the number, but also by the variety of beaches - from wild rocky to comfortable golden sandy ones.
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Ancient, 1, Sevastopol
In ancient times central part The Crimean peninsula was occupied by the fortress city of Naples-Scythian - the capital of the Scythian kingdom. Now the capital of the Republic of Crimea is located here - the glorious city of Simferopol. It has no outlet to the sea. The Salgir River, the longest river in Crimea, flows here.
Being the main transport hub of the peninsula, the city justifies its name, which is translated from ancient Greek as "city of benefits", "city-gathering". However, Simferopol gathers not only casual guests who perceive the city as an intermediate point on the way to the Black Sea coast, but also connoisseurs of history. Indeed, whole eras have been imprinted in the appearance of the city. The memory of the late Scythian state is kept by the Scythian settlement of Naples, located on the Petrovsky rocks. A kind of symbol of the Crimean Tatar city of Akmesjit, 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 life crimean city denote Orthodox churches of the late 18th - 19th centuries. Almost the same age as Simferopol is the Constantine-Helenin Church - the first Christian church in the city. The old cathedrals - Peter and Paul Cathedral, Holy Trinity Cathedral - admire their grandeur. An interesting cult building of the Karaites - Kenassa, erected at the end of the 19th century. During the Great Patriotic War, Simferopol took a powerful enemy blow, surviving the German occupation. The feat of the defenders of the city was immortalized by the monuments placed in its parks and squares.
The most complete picture of the nature, history and culture not only of Simferopol, but of 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 city has the oldest theater of Crimea - the Russian Drama Theater named after M. Gorky, as well as the Musical Theater of the Republic of Crimea, the Puppet Theater and the world's only theater of the Crimean Tatars.
Simferopol is famous for its unique green areas. Old parks founded in the 18th-19th centuries cannot be ignored. A special place among them is occupied by the Botanical Garden of the Tavricheskiy National University (Salgirka park or Vorontsovsky park) is one of the largest and most beautiful parks in Simferopol. Young squares of the city are picturesque and cozy.
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The easternmost and most ancient city of Crimea is the city of Kerch, whose age has exceeded a colossal figure - twenty-six centuries! One of the hills of the city - Mount Mithridates - is its historical and geographical center, a place where at the end of the 7th century BC. e. the future Kerch was born, and then - the ancient Greek polis Panticapaeum, which became in 479 BC. the capital of the Bosporus kingdom. The ruins of its Acropolis are now a unique monument of the Antiquity and one of the main attractions of Kerch.
In addition to Panticapaeum, on the territory of Kerch there are other ancient settlements - Nympheus, Tiritaka, Mirmeky. Many artifacts found during the excavation of the fortified settlements are presented in the famous Kerch Museum of Antiquities. Monuments of funerary architecture of the 4th century have also survived to our time. BC. - Tsarsky and Melek-Chesmensky mounds.
Until 1774, that is, before the annexation of Kerch 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, has become a witness of many historical events, the time of 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 the most severe occupation regime was established here. Soon after the liberation of the city on the top of Mount Mithridates, a memorial complex was created - the Obelisk of Glory to the Immortal Heroes and the Eternal Flame.
423 steps of the Great Mithridatskaya 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 stairs offer a magnificent panorama of the city and Kerch Strait.
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Evpatoria, stretching along the Kalamitsky Bay off the western coast of the Crimean Peninsula, is known primarily as a resort town. Each summer season, the number of tourists on vacation is several times higher than its population. The huge popularity of the small town is undoubtedly due to the presence of beautiful beaches with golden sand and shallow seabed, a favorable climate (at the height of summer, the air temperature is usually kept at + 26-28 ° C). However, limiting ourselves to the coastal regions, it is impossible to form a complete picture of the city, whose history goes back centuries.
On the site of Evpatoria from the V century. BC e. to the end of the II century. n. e. there was one of the ancient Greek colonies - Kerkinitida. Settlement antique polis - the most valuable archaeological complex, and the ruins of the city wall of Kerkinitida today is one of the main historical relics of Evpatoria. The Greek settlement was destroyed by the Scythians. The city reappeared here already during the times of the Crimean Khanate. It was called Kezlev (Tur. Gozlev). The sonorous name Evpatoria, which is translated from Greek as "Noble", the city received after Crimea became part of the Russian Empire.
Typical eastern city The Middle Ages is the eastern part of modern Yevpatoria, the so-called Old city... The area is distinguished by narrow, crooked streets and ancient buildings. Some of the buildings in the historical part are over 500 years old, among them is the Khan-Jami Cathedral Mosque, founded in 1552.
A unique historical, architectural and religious monument in Yevpatoria - Tekie 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 Kenassas. Outstanding monuments of Russian temple architecture are pre-revolutionary Orthodox churches - St. Nicholas Cathedral, St. Elijah Cathedral.
Spa history The town began at the end of the 19th century, when the first mud baths were built, where the healing mud of Lake Moinaki was used. Subsequently were opened medicinal properties mud and waters of other lakes of Evpatoria. There are several mineral springs on the territory of the resort, which together with numerous other natural factors makes the rest in Evpatoria incredibly useful.
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On the southern coast of the Crimean peninsula, a magnificent pearl shines - the beauty of Yalta. It is one of the sunniest resorts in Crimea, a city with luxurious nature and rich cultural heritage. I wonder what the city's status and fame fashion resort Yalta acquired only in the 19th century, although its history began much earlier ...
Once on the site of the future city, on picturesque coast On the Black Sea, there was a small village of Yialos (from the Greek - "coast"), founded in the VI-V centuries BC. Greek seafarers. Like other cities of the Crimea, the settlement passed from hand to hand more than once: from the Tauride Greeks to the Venetians, then to the Genoese, Byzantines; later it entered the possession of the principality of Theodoro, the Ottoman Empire, and, finally, Russia. Cardinal changes took place in the middle of the 19th century, when the highest state officials drew attention to the small town, in the recent past - 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. It was to this time that the creation of fabulous palaces (Livadia, Massandrovsky, Vorontsovsky), noble estates and mansions, organically inscribed in the mountain landscape, belong. In pre-revolutionary times, Yalta also attracted distinguished foreign guests. For example, the German oil industrialist Baron P. Steingel, who loved to relax in the Crimea, in 1912 built a Gothic castle on the edge of the Aurora rock - the famous Swallow's Nest.
Without belittling the value and beauty of the palace and park ensembles, we will give priority in the ranking of the region's attractions to the Yalta nature. Imprisoned in the stone embrace of the Crimean mountains, Yalta is open only to the sea and the sun. The terrain is extremely diverse. There is mountain ranges, 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 most big waterfall in Crimea - Uchan-Su waterfall 98 meters high. Yalta, immersed in 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 - Yalta Embankment. Today it is developed resort area with numerous restaurants, cafes, attractions. On the embankment there is the President-Hotel "Tavrida", previously the hotel of the same name, where in different time stayed Rimsky-Korsakov, Nekrasov, Chekhov, Bunin, Mayakovsky, Stanislavsky, Chaliapin. Not far from the hotel building is the entrance to cable car "Yalta-Gorka", which makes it possible to enjoy the views of the city from a bird's eye view.
Outstanding figures of art and literature lived in Feodosia at different times - the world famous marine painter I.K. Aivazovsky, whose name Feodosia bears today picture gallery; an outstanding writer, the brightest representative of neo-romanticism A. Green, to whom the literary-memorial museum in Feodosia is dedicated. About history, culture, natural wealth southeastern Crimea tells the story of the Feodosia Museum of Local Lore, which is the oldest provincial museum institution in Russia.
During the Great Patriotic War, the city survived the German occupation. Fierce battles were fought here, leading to significant destruction. For courage, endurance and mass heroism, Theodosia was awarded the honorary title - City of Military Glory.
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The fortress city of Aluston has been known since the 6th century. The fortification, built by order of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, retained the role of an important coastal defensive point for all states that owned it in the Middle Ages: the Byzantine Empire, the Khazar Kaganate, 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, by the end of the 19th century, Alushta turned from a quiet seaside village into popular resort... Among the curious pre-revolutionary buildings - the mansion of General Golubov, known as the dacha "Golubka"; the mansion of the merchant N.D. Stakheev, Palace of Princess Gagarina. In 1941-1944. the city was under German occupation. A number of Alushta monuments are dedicated to military-historical events.
Soon after the end of the war, in the middle of the last century, a real tourist boom began in Alushta, when dozens of sanatoriums and boarding houses were opened here. Today, the city still attracts tourists. On its territory there are a large number of beaches, attractions, there is an aquarium with a large collection of freshwater and marine fish, a dolphinarium, interesting museums.
Alushta, located in a vast valley on the southern coast of Crimea, is surrounded by the Crimean Mountains like an amphitheater. From the west over the city rises the high massif Babugan-Yaila, in the north-west - Mount Chatyr-Dag, in the north - Demerdzhi. The mountain slopes are covered with dense beech and pine forests... IN picturesque surroundings Alushta hosted the shooting of the famous Soviet films "Prisoner of the Caucasus", "Hearts of Three", "Ships storm the bastions" and others.
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In the sixth century BC. e. on the Crimean peninsula, the first settlement of the ancient Greeks was founded, this was the beginning of the Great Greek colonization in the Northern Black Sea region. The ancient Greeks were attracted here by fertile lands, favorable conditions for cattle breeding and trade, they were not afraid of either the cold climate, or the hostility of the Scythians and Taurus, who inhabited the territory of Crimea at that time. Today, on the site of some ancient Greek cities, there are ruins of fortress walls, remnants of residential and utility rooms, museums with antique objects that are carefully preserved and are the attractions of the Crimean peninsula.
Kerkinitida - antiquity under the dome
One of the first ancient Greek cities based on the western coast of the Crimean peninsula was. The city was founded on the territory of modern Evpatoria at the turn of the 6th-5th centuries BC and until the end of the 4th century it existed as a separate state that was actively engaged in trade, engaged in agriculture, various crafts and minted its own coins. In the period IV-II centuries BC. e. Kerkinitida was a part of Chersonesos and was engaged in the supply of bread, after which Kerkinitida was destroyed as a result of the Greco-Scythian wars.
The remains of the ancient Greek colony are kept under a glass dome in Evpatoria on Duvanovskaya Street, on the Gorky embankment and in the city's local history museum. Here tourists and residents of Yevpatoria can see the foundations of Kerkinitida residential buildings and household items of the ancient Greeks.
Kalos Limen - a historical attraction in the village of Chernomorskoe
In the 4th century BC, an ancient Greek city was founded on the territory of the modern village of Chernomorskoye. The inhabitants of the city were engaged in agriculture, trade and crafts. Due to the favorable geographical position and the convenient bay of Kalos, Limen was often raided by stronger neighbors and by the end of the 4th century it became part of Chersonesos. In the II century BC. e polis was ruled by the Scythians, but after a few decades it again became greek city... At the beginning of our era, Kalos Limen was finally destroyed.
Today, on the site of the ancient city, there is a historical monument and "Kalos Limen", where you can see the ruins of an ancient Greek fortress, residential buildings, the remains of the central gate of the city and the slab of the main street, where traces of chariots have been preserved.
Kalos Limen
Chersonesos Tauric - a monument of world importance in Simferopol
In the middle of the first century BC. e. on the southwestern coast of the Crimean Peninsula was laid. For about two thousand years, this ancient Greek city was a political and cultural center nearby Greek colonies, it went down in history Ancient Greece, Roman Empire and Byzantium. It was here that the Grand Duke Vladimir was baptized; in honor of this event, the Vladimir Cathedral was erected on the former Chersonesos square.
Today, the ruins of this ancient city are historical monument of world importance and are under the protection of UNESCO. "Chersonesus Tauric" includes several expositions and a large research center.
Panticapaeum - archaeological museum in Kerch
In the first half of the 6th century BC, in the eastern part of Crimea, on the territory of the city of Kerch, the ancient Greek polis was founded. The city developed rapidly and already in the 5th century became the capital of the Bosporus state, uniting the nearest cities. Panticapaeum was a craft, trade and cultural center of the Bosporus, where gold, silver and copper coins were minted, and total area the policy was about 100 hectares.
The ruins of Panticapaeum are located in the center of Kerch on the slopes and top of Mount Mithridat, there is also a historical and archaeological museum, exhibits of which are amphorae painted ceramics, coins, epigraphic documents and others archaeological finds from the excavations of Panticapaeum.
Kharax - fortress and palace in Gaspra
In the 1st century AD, after the victory of the Roman army over the Tauro-Scythian army, which held Chersonesos under siege, the Romans built a fortress-city on Cape Ai-Todor. The fortress was not only a haven for the Roman garrison, but also the center where the main sea and land routes converged. Today, only ruins of stone and brick and a reservoir decorated with mosaics remain.
The remains of the Charax fortress are located on the territory of the Dnipro sanatorium, where the famous Charax palace, built for Georgy Mikhailovich Romanov at the beginning of the 20th century, is also preserved. Excursions are held on the territory of the sanatorium, and in the palace there is the main building for guests.
Naples Scythian - archaeological reserve in Simferopol
In the III century BC, the city of Naples, the capital of the Late Scythian state, was founded on the southeastern coast of the Crimean peninsula. Solid structures in the Greek style, stone living quarters and utility rooms, craft workshops, grain pits found by archaeologists make it clear that the late Scythians were no longer a nomadic people, but were actively engaged in farming, cattle breeding and crafts.
In the archaeological reserve "" you can see the remains of the city walls, visit the mausoleums of the ancient Scythian kings and learn about the culture and life of the Scythians.
If you are planning a trip to Crimea, do not forget to take care of booking accommodation in advance, because Crimean hotels are very popular during the tourist season, and be sure to include ancient attractions in your itinerary. Here you can not only touch the real antiquity, but also listen interesting stories tour guides and broaden your horizons. Travel and learn!
Ancient cities of Crimea
In ancient times, sea routes connected the Black Sea coast with the Mediterranean, where at the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 1st millennium BC. the great civilization of Greece arose. From the shores of Hellas, brave sailors set off in search of new lands.
Where large seaports, industrial and resort centers of Crimea are now located - Evpatoria, Sevastopol, Feodosia and Kerch, in the VI-V centuries. BC. the ancient Greeks founded, respectively, the cities of Kerkinitida, Chersonesus, Theodosia, Panticapaeum, and near them - Mirmekiy, Tiritaku, Nympheus, Cimmerik and others. Each of them was the center of an agricultural area where wheat was grown, grapes were cultivated, and livestock were raised. In the cities there were temples, public and administrative buildings, markets, artisan workshops.
Convenient geographical position promoted the development of trade. Merchants exported slaves and agricultural products purchased from local tribes - Scythians, Meots, Sindians - to the Mediterranean. In exchange, olive oil, wine, art and craft items were brought from the cities of the Balkan Peninsula and Asia Minor.
Chersonesus was founded in 421 BC. on the shore of the bay, which is now called Quarantine. Later, the city significantly expanded its ownership. During its heyday, Kerkinitida, the Beautiful Harbor (on the site of the modern village of Chernomorsky) and other settlements of the northwestern Crimea obeyed him.
The Chersonesos state was a slave-owning democratic republic. The supreme body of power was the People's Assembly and the Council, which decided all issues of foreign and domestic policy. The leading role in the administration belonged to the largest slave owners, whose names were brought by the Chersonese inscriptions and coins.
Archaeological excavations, begun back in 1827, showed that the city was well fortified. Remains of defensive structures - massive towers, fortresses, parts of stone walls - are also preserved throughout the state. This speaks of the constant military danger to which the inhabitants were exposed. The famous Chersonesos oath tells about their patriotism. The Chersonesos swore that they would not betray either the city or its possessions to the enemies, they would protect the democratic system, and would not divulge state secrets.
As confirmed by archaeological research, the city had the correct layout. Residential buildings were combined into quarters, streets intersected at right angles. They were paved with small stones. Stone gutters ran along the streets. Temples towered on the squares. Public buildings and homes of wealthy citizens were decorated with colonnades and mosaic floors.
From ancient buildings, only the foundations of the walls and basements have survived to this day. Particularly interesting are the mint, baths, the ruins of a theater that existed since the 3rd century. BC. to the IV century. AD Only stairways and stone benches for spectators have been partially preserved from it. Judging by their size, the theater could accommodate up to 3 thousand spectators.
The area of \u200b\u200bartisans was located near the city walls. There, archaeologists have discovered the remains of ceramic production: kilns for burning pottery, stamps for ornaments, molds for making terracotta reliefs. Other crafts also flourished in Chersonesos - metalworking, jewelry, weaving.
The largest ancient state of the Black Sea region was the Bosporus kingdom. It was formed as a result of the unification of originally independent Greek cities, such as Panticapaeum, Mirmekiy, Tiritaka, Phanagoria and others, located on the shores of the Cimmerian Bosporus - the modern Kerch Strait. Panticapaeum became the capital of the state. From 438 BC more than three hundred years they were ruled by the dynasty of Spartokids.
At the end of the 5th - beginning of the 4th centuries. BC. Nympheus and Theodosius, as well as lands inhabited by other tribes, were annexed to the possessions of the Bosporus. In the 1st century. BC. The Bosporus seized most of the territory of Crimea, subjugated Chersonesos.
Excavations on Mount Mithridates, carried out in Kerch since the end of the 19th century, made it possible to restore the size and plan of Panticapaeum. At the top was the acropolis - the central fortification of the city with powerful defensive walls and towers. The most important temples and public buildings were located inside it. Quarters of one- or two-story stone buildings descended as terraces down the slopes. The entire city and its surroundings were surrounded by numerous lines of fortifications. The deep and comfortable harbor provided safe shelter for merchant and military vessels.
Found fragments of marble statues, pieces of painted plaster and architectural details suggest the rich decoration of the city's squares and buildings, the skill of ancient architects and builders.
On the site of Myrmekia and Tiritaki, not far from Kerch, in addition to city walls, residential buildings and sanctuaries, archaeologists have discovered several wineries and baths for salting fish. In Nymphea, near the modern village of Heroevka, there are the temples of Demeter, Aphrodite and Kabirov; in Ilurat, near the modern village of Ivanovka, there was a Bosporan military settlement of the first centuries AD, which guarded the approaches to the capital.
There was a necropolis next to every ancient city - city of the dead... Usually they were buried in simple earthen graves, sometimes lined with tiles or stone slabs. The rich and noble were placed in wooden or stone sarcophagi. For their burial, crypts were built, made of stones or carved into the rocks. The walls of crypts and sarcophagi were decorated with paintings, reliefs, inlays. They were decorated with ornaments, depicted mythological plots, scenes of real life. Together with the deceased, they put things belonging to him: jewelry, dishes, weapons, vessels with incense, terracotta figurines and other items. In one of the Panticapaean burials of the 3rd century. AD, possibly the Bosporan king Riskuporis, a unique golden mask was found that reproduced the facial features of the deceased.
Researchers have long been interested in large mounds located in the vicinity of Kerch. They found burials of the Bosporan kings and nobility with outstanding works of Greek art: gold and silver jewelry, bronze and glass items, painted and figured vases.
The gold temporal pendants of the 4th century are rightfully considered a masterpiece of world art. BC. from the Kul-Oba mound. They are made in the form of discs, to which are attached numerous braided crossing chains, connected by plates and rosettes. On the disc 7 cm in diameter there is a relief of the head of Athena wearing a helmet with well-distinguishable figures of griffins, an owl and a snake. The finest filigree plates, rosettes, as well as the disc circumference are covered with grain and blue enamel.
The most valuable finds from the excavations of the ancient cities of Crimea are presented in the collections of the State Hermitage in St.Petersburg, the State Historical Museum and State Museum fine arts them. A.S. Pushkin in Moscow, as well as others.
Now on the territory of Chersonesos in Sevastopol and on Mount Mithridates in Kerch, reserves have been organized. Every year thousands of people come there to walk through the streets and squares of ancient cities, to get acquainted with the greatest cultural monuments.
When the Romans established themselves on the South Bank, they created fortified points on the coast to protect Chersonesos. Of the Roman fortifications, the largest was Kharax at Cape Ai-Todore (now there is a lighthouse on it next to the "Swallow's Nest"). Fortification Kharax (in Greek "pillar", "stake", that is, "fenced in") was founded in the 70s. 1st century under the Roman emperor Vespasian. At the end of the century there was a garrison, in the II century. housed the soldiers of the I Italian Legion. The last Roman garrison of the fort was made up of the soldiers of the XI Claudian Legion (late II - first half of the III century). Marks on bricks and tiles testify to these three periods in Kharax's history.
N.I. Sheiko
Photos of beautiful places in Crimea
List of the most major cities Crimea: we briefly tell you what the cities are remarkable for and what sights you can see there.
Now on the Crimean peninsula, only 18 settlements have received the status of a city, the largest of them in terms of their area - Sevastopol, Sudak, Yalta, Evpatoria, Kerch and Simferopol.
Sevastopol is the largest city in Crimea
A large sea and commercial port, the largest city in Crimea, which has a special status and has received the rights of a separate constituent entity of the Russian Federation. According to 2015, the population was 398.97 thousand people - it is also the largest city in terms of population in Crimea.
A huge number of attractions are concentrated here: the ruins of the ancient Greek settlement of Chersonesos, monuments of the war epochs (the Russian-Turkish war, the Great Patriotic War) and museums, a magnificent embankment, the Aquarium. Not far from the city are the Inkerman and Balaklava cave monasteries, the place where the submarines were based. There are a large number of picturesque bays in Sevastopol.
Photo © mr. Wood / flickr.com
Once there was the capital of the Scythian state, later destroyed by the Goths. Simferopol is located in the central part of the peninsula and has no access to the sea. The Salgir River flows here.
Simferopol is the second largest Crimean city in terms of population after Sevastopol, with a population of 332.6 thousand people. Tourists to Simferopol are attracted by local attractions: the ancient settlement of Scythian Naples, Vorontsov's Palace, the Ethnographic Museum, the Central Museum of Tavrida, the Kebir-Jami Cathedral Mosque, the Weeping Rock, the Chokurcha Cave, the Red Cave (Kizil-Koba).
The third largest city in Crimea and the easternmost city of the peninsula is located on the coast of the Kerch Bay. The local population is about 148 thousand people. The richest history of the city is more than 2.5 thousand years old, there is a huge number of monuments of the Bosporus and Scythian kingdoms, Tmutarakan, Byzantine villages. Kerch is a great hero city that immortalized the memory of the events of the Great Patriotic War in numerous monuments and memorials.
Photo © Alexxx1979 / flickr.com
An ancient city in the west of Crimea, the population is just over 106 thousand. Evpatoria is one of the largest cities in Crimea, stands on the shores of the Kalamitsky Gulf, there are wonderful sandy beaches and a warm shallow sea. There are many entertainment centers, water parks, attractions, the Juma-Jami mosque, the abode of the dervishes, the ancient aqueduct, turkish baths, ancient temples. Nearby is the town of Saki with curative mud, which has a large number of health facilities.
Photo © Yuriy Kuzin / flickr.com
The most popular resort in the South Coast with a population of 78.2 thousand people is also the largest city on this coast of Crimea. There are many hotels and rest houses in the city, there is a beautiful embankment, monuments, alleys, a museum of local lore, Chekhov's house-museum, the Yalta zoo "Skazka", "Glade of fairy tales", the Uchan-Su waterfall, Massandra Palace, the famous wine-making factory "Massandra", not far from Yalta - Livadia Palace and Nikitsky Botanical Garden.
Photo © B. Rad / flickr.com
Feodosia is an ancient city, located in the southeastern part of the peninsula, founded by Greek colonists. Now about 70 thousand people live here, which makes this locality one of the largest in terms of population in Crimea. There are few antique buildings here, the excavations begun make it difficult for residential areas, so the main architectural monuments have survived from the Middle Ages: the remains of the citadel of the Genoese fortress, the walls of Hayots-berd, Armenian temples and the Armenian fountain, the Mufti-Jami mosque. Connoisseurs of art will like the Alexander Green Literary Memorial Museum, the National Art Gallery of the famous marine painter IK Aivazovsky.
Photo © naiv.super1 / flickr.com
Dzhankoy
An important railway junction in the northern part of the peninsula. According to the latest data, the population was about 39 thousand people. Shallow rivers flow into Dzhankoy, there is no outlet to the sea. The city is not rich in sights: the landscape park-reserve "Kalinovsky", where more than 100 species of birds live, a mosque, the Holy Protection Orthodox Church and a museum of local lore.
Alushta
Well-known resort town South Shore Crimea, the population is about 30 thousand people, which is much less than in Yalta, but nevertheless Alushta is one of the large cities of Crimea. In Alushta there are many beaches and attractions, an aquarium, a dolphinarium, a nature museum and an arboretum, not far from the city (near the village of Luchistoye), Mount Demerdzhi and the famous Valley of Ghosts.
Photo © lazy_lizzy / flickr.com
Bakhchisarai
The former capital of the Crimean Khanate. The city with a population of just over 27 thousand people is located in the steppe zone of the Crimea in the foothills. The main attraction is the Khan's palace Hansaray, no less interesting for tourists is the Fountain of Tears, sung by Alexander Pushkin, mosques and the cave city of Chufut-Kale.
Krasnoperekopsk
Industrial city of Crimea (specializing in chemical production), with a population of just over 26 thousand people. It is located in the southern part of the Perekop Isthmus, next to the North Crimean Canal.
The history of Kerch is more than 2.5 thousand years old. This city has a large number of Byzantine villages, monuments Bosporan and Scythian kingdoms, Tmutarakan. Even a gravity-flowing water supply system, built during the Byzantine Empire, has been preserved in Kerch.
There is an Orthodox church in Kerch - ancient working temple, built by the Byzantines about 1400 years ago. There is even such a version (it was put forward by the German historian Theodor Mommsen in the 19th century) that the famous leader of the slaves, Spartacus, who raised an uprising in the Roman Empire, was born in Kerch.
The Scientific Council of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) recognized Kerch as the most ancient city in Russia. This was reported by the director of the East Crimean Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve Tatyana Umrikhina.
“After the report of the head of the Panticapaeum expedition, Vladimir Tolstikov, the Academic Council recognized that the city of Panticapaeum (modern Kerch) was founded in 610-590. BC e. The corresponding paper has arrived at the East Crimean Nature Reserve, and now we are preparing documents for the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Government of Russia, so that this date would be officially fixed ”, - said T. Umrikhina and added: by their decision, scientists confirmed the status of Kerch as ancient city countries.
Tatyana Viktorovna clarified: Kerch is also the capital of the first state in the country.
“Panticapaeum was the center of the Bosporus kingdom. Therefore, we can talk about the most ancient statehood in territory of Russia»,
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she stressed.
Before the reunification of Crimea with Russia, the Dagestan Derbent was considered the most ancient city in the country: in September 2015, it solemnly celebrated its 2000th anniversary.
