Foreign passports and documents

Ak-Kaya is a beautiful white rock in the vicinity of Belogorsk. Ak-kaya - white rock White rock Crimea

Ak-Kaya or White Rock is not the most popular tourist place in Crimea. Meanwhile, its history is rich in significant events. Since ancient times, the snow-white fortress has served as a refuge for both animals and humans. Many secrets and archaeological discoveries are hidden in the caves and grottoes of Ak-Kai, and the picturesque snow-white slopes of the mountain are a wonderful natural scenery, which is actively used by directors and artists.

Hospitable mountain

In the southeastern part of Crimea, above the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu river, in a corner far from popular resort places, there is a magical Ak-Kaya - a snow-white rock, the same age as mammoths and Neanderthals.

Once the mountain was under water, at the bottom of the endless ancient ocean. Archaeologists have found confirmation of this in the thickness of its limestones - the fossilized remains of ancient mollusks and fish. The sensational find took place over 20 years ago. In one of the quarries of the mountain, bones of an amphibian whale with a shelf life of 50 million were found!

When the waters of the mighty Tethys retreated, the land rose, raising Ak-Kai over the Crimean steppes. Blown by the winds, washed by rains for hundreds of centuries, the rock has changed its appearance, eventually acquiring bizarre outlines with pillars-towers and caves, similar to the loopholes of a fortress. Here in the harsh prehistoric times, all kinds of earthly creatures, including primitive man, found refuge. In the upper cave Altyn-Teshik (translated as Golden Burrow), located at a height of 52 meters, many animal bones were found, among which the majority were the remains of mammoths, as well as stone tools. Not so long ago, another sensational find took place: during excavations in the Golden Burrow, researchers discovered perfectly preserved skeletons of a Neanderthal woman with a child, which is 150 thousand years old!

Despite the inaccessibility of Altyn-Teshik, the flow of inquisitive guests visiting the cave does not decrease. The Golden Burrow has overgrown with a mass of legends, according to one of which its 20-meter grotto was once the lair of a werewolf snake. The cave allegedly has a secret hole that stretches all the way to Feodosia. Another tale explains the cave's "golden" nickname. According to her, a chest with gold is hidden in Altyn-Teshik. There are many who wish to find the treasure, however, so far no one has found the treasure ...

A fairy tale is a lie, but a hint of it. It is likely that the hidden depths of the White Rock are indeed hidden treasures. When exploring the upper and lower caves, tamgas were discovered - the generic signs of the Sarmatians, indicating the presence of a warlike tribe in the Ak-Kai caves. Who knows, perhaps one day, some lucky one will find a treasure with Sarmatian gold.

The foothills of Ak-Kai are no less attractive for treasure seekers. Closer to summer, to Karasubazar (as Belogorsk was called in ancient times), near which there is a rock, a diverse people flock with shovels. It is not surprising, because the largest concentration of ancient Scythian burial mounds is located here, and among them, perhaps, there are also rich tombs of the Scythian kings.

By the way, once Karasubazar was a rich trading city, through which the famous silk road passed. In 1666, the famous Turkish traveler Evliya Chelebi, who visited Crimea, wrote: “This city is located in the very center of Crimea. A river flows along it, and on it there are more than 100 rotating water mills. Springs gurgle all over the city and gardens are washed. There are 8 bridges made of wood in total ... The countless gardens and vineyards located on both sides of the city, to the right and left of Karasu, are worthy of praise. In general, if we describe this city in detail, countless books will turn out, and this will become a hindrance to travel ... "

A significant section of the Great Silk Road from Sudak and Kafa through Karasubazar and Solkhat to the north - to Veliky Novgorod, was controlled by the powerful Tatar clan Shirin. In honor of the owner of the vicinity of the rock, a descendant of Genghis Khan, she was given another name - Shirinskaya. The noble family consisted of more than 300 Murzas, the eldest of which was elected at the top of the White Rock. Shirin-beis were so influential that the Gireis gave their daughters to their sons as wives.

During the reign of the Khanate in the Crimea, the slave trade became one of the main sources of income for the local population. The surroundings of White Rock were filled with the clang of shackles. Those sentenced to death were ruthlessly pushed from a height of 100 meters. They often killed innocent hostages, demanding ransom by blackmail. Twice, Bohdan Khmelnitsky, who was captured in 1620, was brought to the White Rock. Before his eyes, prisoners were thrown from the mountain, forcing him to ask the hetman not to delay the ransom.

During the war of Russia for the Crimea in 1777, White Rock became the headquarters of the famous Russian commander A.V. Suvorov. A talented military leader, managing a 10 thousandth army of soldiers, managed to snatch victory from Kalgi-Sultan, which has several times superior forces. The enemy was taken by surprise. First, the Tatar courts, which were clearly visible from the mountain, were hit with cannons, and then they were swept by cavalry from behind the cliff, dispersed the Shirins' army across the surrounding mountains. Then, on the White Rock, the Crimean Khan Sahib Girey signed an agreement with Prince Dolgoruky, according to which the Crimea was declared an independent Khanate from Turkey.

The result of the 10-year war of Russia for the Crimea was also summed up on the White Rock. On June 10, 1783, Prince G.A. Potemkin took the oath of allegiance to the Russian state of the Crimean Tatar nobility. Then the city of Karasubazar became the administrative center of the peninsula.

At the top of the White Rock

There is a path leading to the White Rock that follows the eastern corner ledge. Being part of the Inner ridge of the Crimean mountains of Ak-Kai, from the side of the plain it has a height of 100 meters. In places, the climb makes travelers sweat a lot, but the effort is rewarded with stunning views. The top of the White Rock is a flat surface. In the east - a chain of ancient burial mounds. On the other hand, there is the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu river and, as if in the palm of your hand, Belogorsk. In clear weather, you can see the eastern part of Simferopol, and in the distant haze, closer to the horizon, the ridges of the Main Ridge and the high massif of Karabi-Yaila stretch.

White rock is beautiful at any time of the day. At night, especially on a full moon, the mountain looks mysterious and mystical, shining in the darkness with the whiteness of its ledges. It is no coincidence that Ak-Kaya is a favorite filming location for adventure films. Everyone's favorite Soviet feature films were filmed against the backdrop of White Rock: The Headless Horseman, Mirage, Fifteen Years Captain, Business People, Lobo, General Lukach, Mustang the Pacing and even Chipollino and many others.

There is no place more suitable for filming a western! By the way, those wishing to feel like a cowboy can rent a horse. There is a horse farm at the foot of the White Rock. There, travelers will be offered to drink cool kumis and ride a horse: In addition, the farm has rest rooms, so you can stop for a couple of days and try to find the Sarmatian gold!

GPS g. 45.104846,34.624079 (format used in online maps)
GPS gm. 45 ° 6.907 ", 34 ° 37.444" (format used in navigators and geocaching)
GPS g.m.s. 45 ° 6 "17.45", 34 ° 37 "26.68"

White rock (Ak Kaya) is a hundred-meter sheer wall of limestone, like the whole Crimea, origin. The rock, well viewed from the southern directions, gave its name to Belogorsk, becoming its landmark as a monument of nature, archeology and history.

Monument of nature, archeology and history

On the northern slopes of Ak-Kai, four sites of a primitive man of the Mousterian era were discovered, a Neanderthal skull was found, proving that civilization arose not only in Europe. It was not so bad to live there - water, black soil on which something tasty grew, many grottoes and caves in which you can hide from the beast and bad weather. A high cliff made it possible to practice driven hunting - around were found the remains of a mammoth, a saiga, a cave bear, a giant and noble deer, a primitive bull, a wild horse, an onager.

Caves in White Rock

There are many legends about caves and grottoes in the White Wall. In the cave "Golden Burrow", the entrance to which is located 52 meters from the foot and 49 meters from the edge of the cliff, there used to be a dragon that abducted beauties from all over the area. And the robbers kept their gold there, which gave it such a name.

They also said that this cave lasts until Feodosia itself, but only climbers in 1960 were able to check this. As it turned out, this is not a cave, but a high grotto, where the sun's rays never fall, which is why it seems so bottomlessly black.

According to the fourth legend, the sea once overflowed around the White Rock, and even somewhere on the rock you can find iron rings for mooring ships. Well, in the place of Crimea there was not a sea - the Tethys ocean, only there were no people then, and on the young Earth there was only one continent - Pangea.

The closer you come to the rock, the more majestic it seems, these rocks are millions of years old and they are made of billions of shells of ancient mollusks, just as small in relation to you as you now appear before this rock.

And in 1783, Prince Potemkin took the oath of the upper classes of the Crimean Khanate, which ended the centuries-old struggle of the Russian Empire for the Crimea.

Be that as it may, the rock is just very beautiful. You can drive up to it from Belogorsk, knowing the coordinates, you can climb the embankment to the right of the two main grottoes, there is even the possibility of an under-drive drive along the road with coordinates. 45 07.272; 34 36.265.

To the left of the cliff is the Red Gully - a cold gorge. It got its name from the huge number of red wild peonies that bloom here in late April - early May. In general, the place is worth a visit, and on the way you can hug the centuries-old

In the Middle Ages, White Rock became a place of execution - they loved to throw off prisoners from it, who, before death, could contemplate all the beauty of the nearby lands. Not the best consolation, but people have always been cruel. So they blackmailed Bohdan Khmelnytsky, hinting that they could hurry up with the ransom of prisoners.

Even if you don't have time to go upstairs, visit at least the lower cave - its atmosphere evokes thoughts of an ancient sanctuary. It is light and dry there, the entrance is comfortably shaded by a tree, and, perhaps, any view from the window will envy the sight.

- April, 10th 2008

White rock, or Ak-Kaya, is the only one in Crimea and not only ... What can be seen from it, as well as how to find the source of the Biyuk-Karasu river in the gorge.

This rock stands far from the main resort places of the peninsula and, probably, that is why many of those who were vacationing in Crimea did not see it, although they would probably recognize it as a “participant” in many famous Soviet feature films: “The Headless Horseman”, Mirage, Fifteen Years Captain, Business People, Lobo, General Lukach, Mustang Pacing and even Cipollino. And it’s a pity that they didn’t see her, because she is worthy not only of attention, but even a separate trip to her. So go ahead, hike!

And in order to still meet with the White Rock, first of all, you need to go to the southeastern Crimea, to the Belogorsk region (which was once called Karasubazar). Today it is a modest, small town and it is almost impossible to believe that its history is more than seven centuries old! He experienced and saw a lot: both times of prosperity and times of decline.

When the "wrath of Allah" in the form of an earthquake hit the capital of the Tatar Khanate (today it is Old Crimea), many of the survivors moved to the fertile plain of the Biyuk-Karasu River and laid the foundation of the city of Karasubazar ("market on black water"). The first mentions of it are found in the 13th century, when the Great Silk Road, a trade artery of world importance, lay here. Although today you will not find this Path on the map of Crimea, you can easily find the Simferopol - Feodosia highway, almost in the middle of which you will meet the present Belogorsk, and not far from it, the White Rock. It will be difficult to miss it: the majestic view, unusual color and special outlines of a hundred-meter rock, surprisingly similar to an impregnable fortress, will not allow it to remain unnoticed even from afar. But this "fortress" was erected over the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu river (which originates here, and then carries its waters to the Sivash itself) not by people, but by nature, and so long ago that, probably, she herself does not even remember when- then sea waves splashed around it ... Yes, yes, in the thickness of its white limestones the fossilized remains of ancient mollusks and fish are still "stored". What fish! 27 years ago, in one of the quarries of the mountain, the bones of a special, amphibious whale, 50 million years old, were found! Later, the Americans found the same whale in Pakistan, so there was some noise, there was noise ... And our whale (by the way, the only such whale so far in all of Europe) entered the annals of world paleontology modestly and intelligently, although it was found six years earlier (!)

Then, when either the sea left, or the land rose, our Ak-Kaya began to be blown by the winds, washed by rains, dried by the sun, and over many centuries formed these bizarre outlines with pillars-towers and caves, so similar to the loopholes of the fortress. There are interesting caves on it and for visiting - the lower and the upper. During their research, special images were discovered: these are not drawings or writings, but the so-called tamgas - generic signs of the Sarmatians, indicating the "residence" of the tribe in these caves (Sarmatians appeared in Crimea from the end of the 3rd century BC and according to evidence ancient authors were tall, fair-haired, beautiful people, but also formidable - able to stand up for themselves).

The Altyn-Teshik (Golden Burrow) cave is called the upper cave because it is located at an altitude of 52m. It is quite difficult to access and has overgrown with a mass of legends, according to one of which it was once the lair of a werewolf snake and stretches with its hidden hole, almost to the very; on the other - a chest with gold was hidden here, which, please note, has not yet been found ... In the 60s, a group of climbers found that it was not only a cave, but also a grotto of 20 meters height. Then archaeologists came and found in it many animal bones (most of all - mammoths), as well as stone tools. In general, it turned out that people lived here for many thousands of years, both in the cave itself and along the banks of the river. In recent years, Americans and Italians also got into the habit of participating in the excavations. And more recently, perfectly preserved skeletons of a Neanderthal woman with a child, which, as it turned out, are 150 thousand years old, were discovered!

Mammoths, people, snakes, whales - so, as you can see, these places were once quite densely populated, not like now. But even now, by the summer, so many people with shovels are coming to Belogorsk that it would be time to start a snake on them ... They say that, among other things, it is in this area that the largest concentration of ancient Scythian burial mounds is located, and among them there are probably rich tombs of the Scythian kings (so these would-be archaeologists do not give rest to the kings). But it’s better to just come with a backpack, climb, wander around, get some fresh air, climb to the top. And you can even ride a horse! At the foot of the White Rock there is a horse farm with the same name - "Ak-Kaya". There you can drink kumis and rent a horse. You will even be offered two ascent routes: fast - 1.5-hour, with a steep ascent and descent; and a 3-hour walk around the cliff - completely safe (60-100 UAH). In addition, on the same farm there are rest rooms (and even with conveniences), so you can stop for a couple of days and not drag a tent with you.

You can easily climb the White Rock by the trail yourself. The road is clearly visible from below - it is to the right (east) of the corner ledge of the rock. Ak-Kaya rises only 100m above the plain, and all 325m above sea level, being part of the Inner ridge of the Crimean Mountains with characteristic steep southern and gentle northern slopes (so-called cuestas). The difficulty of climbing will be more than rewarded with the stunning view that opens up from above. The White Peak is a relatively flat surface. To the east, there will be ancient burial mounds in a chain, and on the other side, the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu river, and Belogorsk, which will be all visible at a glance. If the weather is clear enough, it will be possible to see even the eastern part of Simferopol. Further to the horizon in the haze are the ridges of the Main Ridge, and the high massif in the southwest is. The White Rock is interesting at any time of the day: at dawn and dusk. Even at night (it looks especially impressive on a full moon), it stands out for its whiteness. But it is on a bright day, illuminated by the sun, that it literally blinds the eyes. An interesting hypothesis in this regard was put forward in the middle of the 19th century. the author of one of the reference books on Crimea: they say, the reason for the heat in Karasubazar is precisely Ak-Kaya, which additionally casts sunlight on the city ...

In the Middle Ages, the White Rock had another name - Shirinskaya, after the owners of these lands (and many more from Perekop to Kerch), the richest Tatar clan Shirin, originating from Genghis Khan himself. Crimean rulers - Girei traditionally gave their daughters to wives for Shirin-beys. The clan was really big - more than 300 Murzas, the eldest of which was elected there, on the top of the White Rock. And if from the XVI century. was the political capital of the Crimean Khanate, then Karasubazar was undoubtedly its economic center. 8 stone citadels then stood inside this commercial metropolis (this is how the famous traveler Evliya Chelebi found him in 1667). Today, almost in the center of the city, there are only ruins and then only one of the towers - the mighty Tash-Khan with powerful walls, loopholes, vaulted dungeons, where caravans once stopped, goods were stored, trade deals were concluded (they say that even this day there is still an underground passage leading to the river ...).

On the outside of the caravanserai, on the market square, they sold both numerous goods and people ... The main source of income for the Khanate was the slave trade, and for more than a decade the surroundings of the White Rock were announced with the clang of shackles. In addition, the rock itself also became an ominous place of executions: those guilty of something and those sentenced to death were pushed down from a height of 100 meters. They also pushed the innocent, namely the captives, in order to frighten others, richer, and force them to hurry up with the ransom. So, Bogdan Khmelnitsky, who was captured in 1620, was twice brought to White Rock to watch the torment of his fellow tribesmen, until he was finally bought by one of the Tatar murzas. For all this, the Zaporozhye and Don Cossacks repeatedly attacked Karasubazar, and freed the prisoners, and exterminated the city itself as punishment. So he got everyone ...

During the war of Russia for the Crimea in 1777, the headquarters of A.V. Suvorov was on the White Rock. Then with the legendary military leader there were only 10 thousand. soldiers, and at Kalgi-Sultan - 4 times more, but while the Tatars were gathering, on the orders of Suvorov, first in their yards, which were clearly visible from the mountain, "fired" volleys from cannons, and then they were carried out by cavalry from behind the cliff and dispersed the army Shirinov in the mountains. That's right: do not compete with Suvorov - he won not such people. And then it was on the White Rock that the Crimean Khan Sahib Girey signed an agreement with Prince Dolgoruky, according to which the Crimea was declared an independent Khanate from Turkey.

And here on June 10, 1783, finally, the whole 10-year war of Russia for the Crimea was summed up: it was on the White Rock that the Most Serene Prince G.A. Potemkin took an oath of allegiance to the Russian state from the Crimean Tatar nobility and all layers of the Crimean population. Then the city of Karasubazar became the main - the administrative center of the peninsula. And only since 1785. the capital of Crimea was moved to Simferopol. Even Empress Catherine II herself dropped in here, during her Crimean trip in 1786. For this, a palace with a park, fountains, cascades and gazebos was specially built, in which, however, the empress stayed for only two days. Now it is the building of the local hospital, rebuilt many times over the years. It stands right outside the city, on a hill in front of the bridge over the river and can also be seen from above.

What a wonderful journey into the past you can make while standing on the majestic peak of Ak-Kai one summer day!

In addition, it will not hurt to take a walk in the upper reaches of the Biyuk-Karasu river - to its source in the Karasu-Bashi gorge. How many rivers have you seen the beginning? And isn't it interesting to see the place where one of the most abundant tributaries of the Salgir, the main Crimean river, begins? It is not for nothing that its Türkic name contains the word "biyuk" - big; the word “karasu” can be translated both as “black water” and as “water flowing out of the ground”. And the Karasu-Bashi gorge itself in the upper reaches is a very picturesque dark gray (almost black) real stone chaos: cliffs, fragments of rocks, heaps of stones. The Karasu-Bashi cave also makes a strong impression (you can go through it with a narrow underground passage - 8-10 m). In dry times, the sources of the river are at the foot of a cliff, in a clearing, where, among the thickets, a lot of springs come to the surface, which are already 50m connected into a real stream. And in spring and during the rains, water literally roars out right from the opening of the cave (hence the second name of the cave - Su-Uchkhan-Khoba - "cave of flying water"). This is really the most abundant source of Crimea (even in dry times it gives 200 liters per second of the purest, tastiest underground water). It is not for nothing that two reservoirs have been built on the river above Belogorsk: Taiganskoye and Belogorskoye. So there are no problems with water in the city, and even on the shore of the reservoir there is a beach - one of the favorite places for local recreation. They say they even catch fish there!

The Karasu-Bashi gorge is located about 8 km south-west of the city (near the village of Karasevka). Outside the village, after going up the river for a couple of kilometers, at the water measuring point you need to go to the path and walk a little more up the wall of the diversion channel. So you will find yourself in the gorge. And even better - take some of the local guys as guides (everyone will be happy to earn 30-40 hryvnias, and they will probably tell you a lot of interesting things).

From Belogorsk, you can then go down to the sea: one of the most picturesque roads of Crimea, the highway to Privetnoe village (34 km to it), ran to the southwest. Moreover, 15 km to Krasnoselovka you can take a bus or a ride, but further you can walk and enjoy the Crimean forest, its coolness, the singing of birds and the murmur of another local river - Tanasu ("tana" is a heifer, and "su" is water; then there is - "calf water", which the calf ford will cross). This river is very small and flows into the familiar Biyuk-Karasu. By the way, you can make a journey to its source, and then continue your journey to the sea.

This is what I suggest is a wonderful route for the easy-going and curious. Bon Voyage! And, as always, a big request: please do not leave traces of your stay behind you, and it will be absolutely great if you don’t consider it a job to clean up the glades and paths for the careless, because, as it may not seem strange at first glance, but from this kind mission your journey will be doubly pleasant.

White Rock (Ak-Kaya) is a well-known attraction of the Crimea, which is located between the steppe part of the peninsula and its main mountain range. This is the same name for the settlement, which until 1948 bore the name of Ak-Kaya (“White Rock” in Tatar). Since 1981 Ak-Kaya is a natural monument.



Geographic features

Ak-Kaya is a steep rock that rises above the valley of the river. Biyuk-Karasu is 100 m. The valley itself is 225 m above sea level. The geological rocks that make up the mountain are white limestones as well as sandstones, which provide a unique color. The peculiarities of these rocks allowed nature to create a real miracle by weathering: closer to the top of the rock, grottoes, niches, and pillars appeared. In its lower part, blockages of boulders, picturesque talus and hollows have formed. The rock is partially protected from erosion by wild rose bushes and hornbeam, which are actively growing at its foot.
The height of the cliffs reaches 107 meters.!

This is a treasure trove of information for geologists, as in the layers of the rock, the remains of the ancient inhabitants of the sea, which were once there, are perfectly preserved.

Historical reference

Archaeological expeditions of the 1960s - 70s managed to excavate 20 sites of ancient people (their age is 300 - 30 thousand years BC) at the foot of Ai-Kai. In addition, the remains of ancient animals were found:

  • - mammoth,
  • - cave bear,
  • - a giant deer,
  • - onara, and a number of others, no less interesting.

The natural conditions of the mountain - caves, grottoes, a nearby river, the presence of a silicon deposit - made these places very comfortable for the primitive inhabitants of Crimea. In addition, it was convenient to drive prey to the steep cliff while hunting.


It was in this place that the remains of a Neanderthal man were first found on the peninsula.

At the beginning of the new era, Sarmatians lived on this territory, scientists believe that the rock was a sanctuary for them.

In the Middle Ages, Tatars already settled here. The noble clan Shirin, the descendants of Genghis Khan, controlled part of the Silk Road passing through the present Belogorsk. For them, Ak-Kaya played the role of a veche, where the Elder of the clan was elected, and the Murzas discussed their claims to the Crimean Khan.

But it was also a convenient place of execution. The owners of the locality, who did not disdain the slave trade, threw those who could not (or did not want) to ransom from the cliff. Bohdan Khmelnitsky himself saw something like this, who was captured by Tatar in his youth. Then, in front of the future hetman, prisoners were executed in order to stimulate him to more intensively collect money for his own ransom.

Interesting:
The Shirin clan was so powerful that the khans of the Crimea gave them their daughters as wives. And the city of Karasubazar (now Belogorsk) was considered the economic capital of the khanate.

In 1777, the headquarters of A.V. Suvorov, who defeated the Tatar army. An oak tree has survived at the foot of Ai-Kai, under which, according to legend, the great commander rested.

Good to know:
On the White Rock plateau in 1783, the elite of the defeated Crimean Khanate through their representatives swore allegiance to the Russian Empire.

Legends of Ak-Kai

The inhabitants of Crimea love to tell beautiful legends about their wonderful peninsula. And the White Rock is simply created so that amazing events take place here.


According to one version, once it was the home of the Serpent Gorynych himself. As usual, the monster flew around the neighborhood, stole livestock from people for food, and, according to the laws of the genre, fell in love with a young girl. The Serpent brought his chosen one to the cliff.

The beauty learned how to kill a monster and dropped a letter with information from the mountain. But in vain she waited for help, no one came. As time went on, she gave birth to a baby, for whom a happy father made a golden cradle. And only after hearing the cry of the baby, a certain hero took out a magic sword and managed to defeat Gorynych. True, the end of the legend is sad - everyone died, including the beauty and the child, with whom she threw herself off the cliff. Only the golden cradle remains, and enthusiasts still hope to find it.

According to another legend, one of the most famous caves of Ai-Kai (Altyn-Teshik) served as a treasure for local robbers, hence the name, which in Russian sounds like "Golden Burrow". And some are sure that an underground passage begins from this cave to Feodosia itself. Other interesting stories are connected with the rock.

Be that as it may, but Ai-Kaya is a real treasure for scientists. Many discoveries were made here
- geologists,
- biologists.
- ethnographers
- archaeologists and historians.

Video review

Information for tourists

The legendary treasures of the Golden Burrow and the Scythian burial mounds attract modern treasure hunters to the White Rock, but it is no less popular with ordinary tourists.

You can climb Ai-Kai:

- by car, best of all by off-road vehicle and not in winter;
- on a horse, at the foot of the cliff there is a horse farm, where the horse will be rented, and a route of your choice will be offered - 1.5 hours along a steep path up and down or a calm ascent and descent in 3 hours;
- on foot, which, of course, cannot be called an easy walk, but all difficulties will be rewarded with beauty that can only be appreciated from the highest point.

Going to the White Rock, travelers see not only this miracle of nature itself and breathe wonderful air, but also get acquainted with historical artifacts, excavations of the ancient Scythian settlement. And many more wonderful impressions await them along the way.


Important!
There is no shadow on the plateau, you need to take hats, and there will be nowhere to take water on the mountain!

Fans of active and extreme recreation can try themselves in rope jumping (jumping from a cliff on a rope). And romantic natures to stay in a camping and spend an evening with a guitar by the fire

Interesting:
The unusual shape and beauty of the mountain attracts filmmakers. Many famous films were filmed here, among them
- "The Man from the Boulevard des Capucines",
- "Headless horseman",
- "The Star and Death of Joaquin Murieta",
- "Business people".

How to get to Ai-Kai

From Simferopol to the village of Belaya Skala, only 47 km,
- by car you need to go along the highway to Feodosia, then turn to Belogorsk;
- by bus from the Vostochnaya bus station to Belogorsk, then take a minibus to the village of Belaya Skala, then on foot;
- a trip by excursion bus is possible.

Address: Belogorsk district, Belaya Skala village

White Rock on the map of Crimea

GPS Coordinates: N 45 06.483 E 34 37.317 Latitude / Longitude

White rock or in Turkic Ak-Kaya is not the most popular place in Crimea, but nevertheless, it immediately attracts the eye of even casual tourists.

This place is steeped in the spirit of history and rich in significant events. In its caves, people always found shelter from the enemy and animals from the predator. Its grottoes keep hundreds of archaeological secrets, mysteries and discoveries.

Ak-Kaya looks like the bow of a huge snow-white ship, which cuts the Crimean steppes of the Belogorsk region.

White Rock impresses with its natural strength and beauty, which has been used more than once by many artists and filmmakers.

Ak-Kaya in Belogorsk involuntarily makes you stop enthusiastically and enjoy its unusual shape and beauty.

Natural monument

And since 1981, Ak-Kaya has been recognized as a natural monument of republican significance. Mount Belaya Skala is a federal cultural heritage site.

White Rock (Ak-Kaya) - a natural monument

Temperature drops, destruction by rain and snow, natural weathering, tectonic processes have formed amazing and unique forms of slopes and outlines of White Rock for many years. Aeolian grottoes were formed on the western side under the influence of the wind.

White Rock allows you to enjoy a piece of Crimea, untouched and not destroyed by man. The height of the top of the cliff is 325 meters above sea level.


And the snow-white color of the rock is given by the limestone rock with which it is covered. Photos against the background of Ak-Kai will not leave anyone indifferent.

Films filmed on White Rock


Famous and beloved by many Soviet films were shot here:

  • "Captain at fifteen",
  • "General Lukach",
  • "Business people",
  • "Mirage",
  • "The Man from Boulevard des Capuchins"
  • and many others.

How did the White Rock come about?

Ak-Kaya thousands of years ago was at the very bottom of the ancient ocean of Tethys, which is confirmed by the finds of fossilized remains of ancient fish and mollusks, shark teeth in the thickness of limestone.

At that moment, when the waters of ancient Tethys receded, the mighty Ak-Kaya rose above the Crimean lands.

For many years, natural phenomena have shaped and changed its appearance, creating unusual shapes, outlines, grottoes and caves.

In addition, in one of its quarries about 20 years ago, the bones of an amphibian whale were discovered, which were at least 50 million years old.


In the prehistoric period, there was a refuge for animals and primitive man. In the cave Golden Burrow, or Altyn-Teshik, many remains of ancient animals, including mammoths, as well as stone ancient tools were discovered.

More detailed excavations helped to find skeletons of a Neanderthal girl and her child, preserved in perfect condition, which are at least 150 thousand years old.

Another archaeological expedition included found four sites of primitive man of the Mousterian era, a period of about 100-140 thousand years ago.

In total, thanks to excavations, 17 sites of primitive people have been discovered in these places.

Legend of the White Rock

According to one of the legends, a chest with gold is hidden in the local cave of the Golden Burrow, which archaeologists and tourists have been looking for for many years. However, there is a piece of truth here. During the study of the lower and upper caves, tamgas were found - signs of the Sarmatians, probably staying or living in rock caves. This means that in its depths there may well be precious hiding places with Sarmatian gold.

Cave "Golden Burrow" Altyn Teshik

In the foothills of the White Rock there are many ancient Scythian burial mounds, which does not exclude the tombs of the rich Scythian kings. This means that one day a particularly happy treasure hunter may be significantly lucky.

During the period of the Khan principality on the territory of the Crimea, the slave trade was one of the ways to generate income. It is assumed that Ak-Kaya was the place of execution of those sentenced to death. They were thrown down from a 100-meter height.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich Sometimes innocent people were killed here, demanding a ransom for their lives. There is a legend that young Bogdan Khmelnytsky was twice brought to the slope of the cliff and innocent prisoners were pushed against him, forcing the hetman to pay a ransom.

However, White Rock became much more famous after the events during the war of Russia for the Crimea, in 1777. Here was the headquarters of the great commander Suvorov Alexander Vasilyevich.

According to history, managing a small Russian army, he managed to defeat the forty-thousand army of Turkish janissaries. The enemy did not expect an attack, was taken by surprise and dispersed through the surrounding mountains.

After that, on the White Rock, Prince Dolgoruky and the Crimean Khan Sahib-Girey signed an agreement, according to which the Crimea became an independent Khanate from Turkey.

Here the result of this ten-year war was summed up. June 10, 1783 Potemkin G.A. swore allegiance to the Crimean Tatar nobility to the Russian state. After that, Karasubazar, modern Belogorsk, became the administrative center of Crimea.

Late Scythian fortress and settlement of Ak-Kaya

Not far from White Rock, near the village of Vishennoye, active excavations of a large-scale ancient fortress are currently underway. The site of the ancient Scythians dates back to the 4th – 3rd centuries. BC, and this is a unique find.

The fortress covers an area of \u200b\u200babout 10 hectares. From the north and east, it was reliably surrounded by defensive fortress walls, the thickness of which was about 4-6 meters. And on the southern and western sides, the fortress was surrounded by steep rocks.

In the northernmost part, a section of the main defensive wall and proteikhism was investigated - the front wall, which was intended to protect against battering machines.

Section of the main defensive wall

A little later, in the 1st century. BC. on the inner side of the defensive wall, several outbuildings and a large dugout were added.

In addition, thanks to the excavations, it was found out that before the appearance of the fortress there was no settlement here and it was built directly on the rock.

Two Chersonesus hallmarks of rare types are extremely important finds in this area.



You can find similar holes in the rock in the Cave cities of Crimea - Eski-Kermen, Bakla, Tepe-Kermen and others. These pits were used to store grain, collect rainwater.

White rock caves and grottoes

Of great interest are the Ak-kaya caves - the upper and lower ones. In the middle of the western side there is the Lower Cave - the Big Grotto. It is believed that there used to be an ancient temple - a sanctuary here. And the Upper Cave is Altyn-Teshik, which we have already spoken about earlier. It is quite difficult to access - its round entrance is located 49 meters from the cliff and 50 meters from the bottom.
In total, more than 50 karst voids were found on the slopes of the rock.

We head to the Big grotto, to which a rather steep path leads. But these difficulties do not stop hiking enthusiasts, from a distance you can see that there will be something to see inside.

Trail to the Great Grotto


Judging by the excavations carried out in these places, once, the Great Grotto was used as a sanctuary by the Sarmatians. Inside, you really get the impression of a large and spacious temple. This impression is reinforced by a large stone resembling an altar.



If you continue your route further along the White Rock, then you will definitely pass by the cold gorge - Krasnaya Balka. It got its name from the myriad of red peonies that bloom here between April and May.

Blooming peonies in the Red Beam. Photo from the site - zerkalokryma.ru

How to climb to the top? Routes on the White Rock on the map

A path leads along the eastern corner ledge to the top of the cliff. On the flat side, the height of Ak-Kai in Belogorsk is about 100 meters. The ascent is quite difficult in places, but worth it. Following this trail, you can also reach the lower grotto. All efforts at the top are rewarded in full with stunning scenic panoramas.


The top of the white rock is a flat and level surface. Turning to the east, one can observe the ancient burial mounds. And in the west, the city of Belogorsk and the Biyuk-Karasu river, on the banks of which A.S. Suvorov once camped. And closer to the horizon, the peaks of the main ridge of the Crimean Mountains are visible.

On the way to the top, you will see a freestanding stone block, near which our imagination began to play.

I wonder what you think about this? Leave your opinion in the comments under this article.


How to get to an amazing place?

It is quite easy to get to the Ak-Kaya rock. It is located just 5 kilometers from the city of Belogorsk.
by private car. You should get to Belogorsk, and then turn towards the mountain and continue your journey for about 5 km.
GPS coordinates of Mount Ak-Kaya for the navigator - 45 5 ′ 55.45 ″ N 34 37 ′ 53.92 ″ E
by public transport. By regular bus you should get to Belogorsk, where change to a minibus, which goes in the direction of the village of Belaya Skala. Then walk along a wide street to the river. Cross the small bridge and pass the apple orchard.

The mighty white overhanging rock vaults will be visible from afar and will help you stay on track. On the way, you can also visit and try to hug the famous Suvorov Oak.