The beauty of modern architecture has always attracted travelers who conquer cities and countries. Bizarre shapes, cosmic lines, the expanse of high technology... Meanwhile, in parallel, there is a world of other buildings - without any frills, but containing many secrets and mysteries. These are the ancient cave cities of Crimea, carved into inaccessible rocks, symbolizing the rebellion of the great people.
The rock cities of Crimea appeared before our era, but special historical meaning purchased after the Nativity of Christ. Approximately up to 13-14 tbsp. AD The rich valleys of the peninsula were periodically subjected to raids by wild nomadic tribes, so it was unsafe to live here.
The first cave cities in Crimea
In those days, settlements began to appear in the rocky part of the peninsula, in which the population hid during enemy attacks. All of them are united by their special location in inaccessible places and the fact that they had artificial caves - “apartments”, carved into the rocks. Such settlements back in the 19th century. AD became known as the cave cities of Crimea . Those cities that were built on steep cliffs held out the longest under siege conditions. It was possible to enter the city only from one, flat side, which was reinforced with fortifications.
The rocky towns of Crimea look like huge termite mounds - once people escaped from enemy invasions here local residents
Crimean settlements stretch in a neat chain along the Inner Ridge - from the middle of the Alma River to the mouth of the Chernaya River. Not all of them are classically considered cities. Only some of them, the largest, grew to the level of administrative and industrial centers. The rest served purely as a refuge, less often as cave monasteries in Crimea.
The cave city of Inkerman is a historical pearl of Crimea
Inkerman is one of the cave cities of the Crimea of the early Middle Ages near Sevastopol. The history of Inkerman begins in the 6th century AD. At that time, Chersonesos was under attack from enemies, and to protect it, the Greeks built a fortress on the Monastery Mountain, called Kalamita. In a couple of centuries. Time destroyed it, only cave temples remained.
The rocks of Inkerman are dotted with numerous caves, which the peoples of Crimea used as shelter during the attack of the Tatar-Mongol hordes
The remains of the observation towers and walls of Kalamita have survived to this day.
At 12-15 st. AD Calamita was owned by the princes Theodoro - they expanded and strengthened the fortress. It has always been a tasty morsel due to its favorable location at the mouth of the Black River - the main trading port of the Christian principality of Theodoro was formed here. In 1434, the Genoese attacked the city and set the port on fire. And 21 years later, Kalamita was captured by Turkish troops and gave it the name Inkerman, which means “cave fortress.” The Turks, who ruled in Crimea, conquered the cave city of Inkerman, but soon abandoned it, and the city gradually turned into ruins.
Ruins rise above the temple in Inkerman ancient fortress Kalamita
The wall of the monastery of the cave city of Inkerman looks like the facade of a man-made building
Inkerman Monastery is carved into the depths of a steep cliff
Extraterrestrial beauty of the cave city of Crimea Eski-Kermen
One of the most beloved by travelers who conquer the Crimean Peninsula is the cave city of Eski-Kermen. It was built as a Byzantine fortification at the end of the 6th century. AD The advantageous coastal location allowed people to hide here from the hordes of steppe inhabitants who robbed, killed and burned unfortified settlements.
The flat tops of the rocks allowed the residents of Eski-Kermen to form unique terraces on the “roof” of their homes
The defensive ability of Eski-Kermen was ideal - the mountains in this area rise above the plain like high walls with steep slopes
The cave city of Eski-Kermen is located in Crimea, 5 km from Bakhchisarai. Its name means “old fortress” from Crimean Tatar. Eski-Kermen began to develop in the 10th century AD. e. and turned into a thriving settlement. There even lived a bishop who ruled the area. In 1299, the city was ravaged by the Mongols, and 100 years later they attacked again and completely destroyed it.
The rounded shape of the mountains on the territory of the cave city of Eski-Kermen is associated with an unearthly relief
Irregularly shaped openings create the feeling of holes that have arisen naturally in the thickness of the rocks
Eski-Kermen is interesting for its many caves carved into local rocks (about 350 in the city, about 50 outside the settlement). They were used mainly as outbuildings, some of them to defend this cave city of Crimea (clearly visible in the photo). Also, several cave temples were carved into the rocks in the 12th and 13th centuries.
The mysterious cave city of Crimea - Bakla
The northernmost and least visited cave city of Crimea is Bakla. This is the word with Tatar language translated as "beans". But there is another version where the name of the settlement came from: “baklak” is a travel water container with a narrow neck. Exact date The foundation of the city has not yet been determined. It is known that the first burials in this place date back to the 5th century. AD There is information that Byzantium secretly used the cave city of Baklu in order to introduce the peoples of Crimea to Christianity.
The defensive capacity of the Crimean cave city of Bakla was practically zero due to the low mountains - rather, it was simply a convenient place to establish a settlement
The cave city of Bakla seems to hang over the fertile Crimean valley
The city was built in a picturesque but unprotected area. Within its boundaries there was a castle with incomplete defensive structures, and completely unfortified settlements adjoined it. During aggressive raids, local residents were forced to hide in Chufut-Kala. Poor defensive ability led to the death of the cave city of Bakly - it was one of the first in Crimea to collapse at the end of the 13th century. AD under the pressure of the Tatar-Mongols. The main attractions of the destroyed city: a Christian temple, wine presses carved into the rocks, and an underground tunnel.
In the process of shifts in the Crimean mountain layers, soft sandstone rocks were exposed - they became a haven for many generations of Crimeans
Pliable shell rock allowed the Crimean peoples to hollow out deep caves in the rocks for habitation without much stress
Through the window openings of the cave city of Bakla there is a picturesque view of the Crimean plains
Mangup Kale - the oldest cave city in Crimea
Mangup Kale is considered one of the most ancient cave cities of Crimea and the largest among them. In 11-14 Art. AD it, being the capital of the Principality of Theodoro, was called the same. It was located in an inaccessible place: the southern one was inaccessible to the conquerors, while the northern one was blocked with fortifications. Therefore, Mangul Kale existed for a long time, reaching its peak in the 12-13th century. AD Neither Nogai's warriors, who traded in robbery, nor the Mongol hordes were able to capture the cave city , personifying the disobedience of Crimea.
The fortification buildings of the cave city of Mangup Kale have survived to this day.
The Crimean rocks are pierced by numerous caves - “apartments” - multi-level living spaces
Only towards the end of the 13th century. AD The Genoese and Tatars conquered some parts of the principality. Despite the losses, Theodoro remained an influential state for a long time. But in 1475, its ruler, Prince Isaac, died, and the Turks, taking advantage of the confusion of the inhabitants, besieged the city, and six months later they plundered and burned it. Now in this place there are the remains of a citadel and fortifications, casemate caves and several temples.
To found cave cities, the local population chose the most inaccessible rocks of Crimea
Secrets of the Crimean cave city Chufut-Kale
From the Crimean Tatar, the melodic name of the medieval Chufut-Kale is translated literally as “Jewish fortress”. “Rock of the Jews” and “Rock of the Karaites” are other versions of the name of the cave city located in the Bakhchisarai region. It was in this part of Crimea that settlers lived, whose religion was Orthodox Judaism.
The soft rock of the Crimean rocks allowed local residents to make numerous caves and passages in their thickness
Mausoleum of the Mongol-Tatars on the territory of the cave city of Chufut-Kale
Residents of Chufut-Kale carved out not only residential caves in the rocks, but also stairs to move between levels of the city
It is assumed that the city was built 400 BC. He lived peacefully for many centuries. But in 13th Art. AD the city was stormed by the troops of Emir Nogai, and in 13-14 Art. AD the Crimean Khanate was formed here, the rulers of which allowed the Karaites to settle only in the cave city of Chufut-Kale. When Crimea became part Russian Empire, the restrictions were lifted, and by the end of the 19th century the last Karaites left the city and settled throughout the entire Crimea.
Living spaces of the cave city of Chufut-Kale
The western part is considered the most ancient in Chufut-Kale. Except huge amount outbuildings-caves, the walls of a mosque and a small mausoleum of the daughter of Khan Tokhtamysh, two temples (one of the most interesting cave temples in Crimea) and an estate have been preserved here. The last Karaites moved out of the city at the end of the last century, after which the rapid decline and destruction of the once beautiful Chufut-Kale, one of the most famous cave cities of the Bakhchisarai region, began.
Romantic cave city of Crimea - Kyz-Kermen
Not far from Chufut-Kale is Kyz-Kermen. From the first stone, this cave city of Crimea was fortified with hewn blocks and boulders. Despite the formidable appearance, the name of the settlement has a romantic name, which in translation sounds like “maiden’s fortress.” At the dawn of our era, Scythians lived in Kyz-Kermen, who did not really care about strengthening their dwellings - they consisted of not particularly hewn stone, held together with clay. In case of an attack by enemies, there was a fenced wasteland in Kyz-Kermen, on which many people could settle.
The impregnable city of Kyz-Kermen in the mountains of Crimea
Sheer slopes protected the inhabitants of Kyz-Kermen from enslavement by hordes of Mongol-Tatars
Three caves were found in the old settlement - the remains of a manor and one temple. Many small niches were carved into the rock - in this cave city of Crimea they served as cells for hermits. On the right slope, where Kyz-Kermen was located, there is an ancient reservoir - one of the first basins with drinking water made by human hands in Crimea.
Living quarters inside the rocks of the cave city of Kyz-Kermen
Caves rock city Kyz-Kermen in Crimea
It still remains a mystery who was the first to start building Crimea - the Scythians, Taurians or Cimmerians. Some settlements that arose in the 6th century. AD, - presumably the work of the Byzantines who arrived from across the sea (guesses arose after the discovery of Byzantine construction techniques in the masonry style). But in order to create a strategically thought-out fortification, you need to know the mountains of Crimea well - and only local residents can do this.
In contact with
Chufut-Kale
Tepe-Kerman
Bakla
Kyz-Kermen
Kachi-Kalyon
Chelter Marmara
Shuldan
Kyz-Kule
“Cave cities of Crimea” are the ruins of medieval cities, fortresses and monasteries located on mountain plateaus and rocky capes in the southwestern part of Crimea. Most of them are located in the Bakhchisarai region and near Sevastopol.
The first “cave cities of Crimea” were allegedly founded in the 5th-7th centuries. tribes inhabiting the Crimean steppes and foothills - Scythians, Sarmatians and Alans, fleeing the invasion of nomads in inaccessible mountainous areas.
In addition to natural fortifications - impregnable steep cliffs, mountain settlements were reliably protected by defensive walls, battle and watchtowers, and fortress ditches. Due to their favorable location near busy trade routes, they often turned into large centers of crafts and trade. The reasons for the death of the “cave cities of Crimea” are different: some of them were destroyed by wars and devastating raids of nomads, others were abandoned by residents after the change in the political situation on the peninsula, when their population no longer needed to hide on the high mountain plateaus behind powerful fortress walls. Many cities existed for several centuries, and the inhabitants of the last of them - Chufut-Kale - left the city in the middle of the 19th century. The most famous and most visited of these places are Chufut-Kale, Eski-Kermen and Mangup.
CHUFUT-KALE
Today, only silent ruins, meager chronicle information and local legends remind us of the former greatness of the “cave cities”. Chufut-Kale is the best preserved “cave city”, located three kilometers from Bakhchisarai. The time of the founding of the city is unknown: some researchers attribute it to the 6th century, others to the 10th-11th centuries. In 1299, the troops of the Golden Horde captured the fortress by cunning, placed their garrison in it and named the city Kyrk-Or, which means “forty fortifications” in Tatar. At the beginning of the fifteenth century. Karaite artisans, descendants of Turkic tribes who professed a version of Judaism, settled in Kyrk-Ora. They built new part city, and soon Kyrk-Or turned into a major center of crafts and trade in the South-Western Crimea.
Karaite prayer houses are kenas. In the 15th century The city became the fortified residence of the first Crimean Khan, Hadji Giray, who fought for the independence of the Crimean Khanate from the Golden Horde. However, after the fall of the Golden Horde, the Kyrk-Or fortress lost its defensive significance. In the fertile valley at its foot was the capital - Bakhchisaray (“city in gardens”), where the khan and his subjects moved, leaving only the Karaites to live on the top of the mountain. Since they were considered Jews, the city received its last name - Chufut-Kale (“Jewish fortress”).
Local Karaites were artisans and traders, sometimes engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding. The richest of them kept shops in Bakhchisarai, but they were only allowed to stay there until sunset, and at night they had to return to Chufut-Kale. After the inclusion of Crimea into Russia in 1783, Catherine II allowed Karaites to settle in Bakhchisarai, Evpatoria, Simferopol and others major cities empires. For Chufut-Kale, this was the beginning of the end: one after another, the inhabitants left the rocky plateau with harsh living conditions, and by the middle of the 19th century. the city was completely deserted. Most of the city buildings were dismantled by the residents themselves, who needed material for the construction of new houses in Bakhchisarai.
Today, city blocks are shapeless piles of stones that were once two-story, back-to-back houses. A unique monument of medieval architecture is the remains of the city’s fortress walls, the height of which reaches 10 and the thickness of 5 meters. At the South Gate of the city, the wall forms a “mousetrap” - a narrow passage into which the enemy fell, breaking through the gate lined with wrought iron. During a siege, a platform was built over the passage, from which boiling water and tar were poured from cauldrons onto the enemy. Nearby are four-tiered battle caves. The prayer houses of the Karaites - kenas, well preserved to this day, were built in the 14th and 18th centuries.
One of the oldest cemeteries in Crimea The structure of both kenas is the same. In the first room, old people prayed, sitting on benches, and men prayed in the large hall. The women prayed separately on a balcony behind a wooden lattice.
Another attraction of Chufut-Kale is the Karaite cemetery in the Josaphat Valley, one of the oldest in Crimea. Scientists believe that the oldest burials on it date back to the mid-13th century. Back in the 19th century. Among the white-stone tombstones in the cemetery, centuries-old oak trees grew, cutting which was considered a great sin. Therefore, among the Tatars the cemetery was called “Balta-Tiymez” (literally “the ax does not touch”), and the khan’s officials extorted regular taxes from the Karaites, threatening to cut down the sacred oaks if they refused.
ESKI-KERMEN
Like Chufut-Kale, Eski-Kermen (translated from Tatar as “old fortress”) was located on the top of a table mountain with steep cliffs. The city was founded at the beginning of the 1st century. and existed until the end of the 13th century. The “Old Fortress” had a powerful fortification system for those times, and the steep cliffs on which the city was located were practically impregnable. Eski-Kermen developed and flourished until the end of the 8th century, when it became one of the centers of rebellion against the Khazars, who oppressed the local population. Having suppressed the rebels, the Khazars completely destroyed the city's defense system.
However, after this, life in the city did not die, and it existed for another five centuries as an open, unprotected settlement. Eski-Kermen was finally defeated and burned in 1299 by hordes of Nogais. Gradually its ruins were covered with earth and overgrown with bushes; Only numerous caves remained unchanged.
Seven centuries have passed since the destruction of the city, but in some caves you can still see the remains of religious buildings. For example, the Temple of the Three Horsemen, which got its name thanks to a fresco preserved on the wall above a grave carved into the rock. It depicts three horsemen, the middle of whom, St. George the Victorious, strikes a serpent with a spear. The figure of a boy is visible next to one of the riders on a horse. Under the image are traces of a Greek inscription: “The church was carved and the holy martyrs of Christ were written for the salvation of the soul and the remission of sins.”
In a cave to the east of the city gate there is a semblance of a tombstone with a cross carved in a circle. Archaeologists suggest that here was the burial of one of the prominent residents of the city, since, according to medieval tradition, the most honorable citizens were buried at the gate.
In Eski-Kermen, numerous casemates have been preserved, equipped with special holes in the floor through which stones could be thrown onto the attacker. Not far from the casemates there are grain pits. Due to the frequent sieges of the city, they kept a constant supply of grain, replenished by residents of the surrounding villages, who took refuge from uninvited guests behind the fortress walls.
MANGUP
“The rock on which this citadel rises has a circumference of 20 thousand steps. That rock spreads out like a flat plain, overgrown with grass and tulips, and around it abysses gape a thousand arshins deep—the real abysses of hell!” — a Turkish traveler of the 17th century wrote about Mangup. Evliya Celebi. Mangup still produces a similar impression of grandeur on travelers today, although more than two hundred years have passed since its last inhabitants left it. Researchers do not have a consensus on the time of Mangup's appearance.
Excavations have shown that already in the first centuries AD there was a small settlement on Mount Mangup, and the first fortress was built in the 5th-6th centuries. The remains of defensive fortifications that have survived to this day belong to more late period- XIV-XV centuries, and inscriptions on stones and chronicle sources indicate that in the XIII-XV centuries. the city was called Theodoro and was the capital of the principality of the same name. It was ruled by princes from the noble Byzantine family of Gavras, who previously dominated Trebizond. In Russian chronicles the principality was called Mangup, and in Western European documents it was often called “Gothia”.
The Principality of Theodoro was one of the largest in Crimea. In its heyday, its borders in the northeast reached the Kacha River, in the west - to the territories of Chersonesos, and in the south, before the advent of the Genoese, the principality most likely belonged to the entire coast from Alushta to Balaklava. The inhabitants of Theodoro - Greek descendants of the Tauri, Scythians, Sarmatians and Alans - were engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding, fishing and handicrafts, fought, built fortresses and founded ports. Crafts and trade flourished in the Principality of Theodoro and its capital.
The tools found during excavations indicate the development of blacksmithing, and ceramics, including Chersonesos, indicate the intensive trade that the principality conducted. Here the interests of the Theodorites often collided with the interests of the Genoese, who settled on the Crimean coast and were engaged in trade, which often led to wars. The Principality of Theodoro was considered a serious political force not only in Crimea: the rulers of neighboring states sought to enter into an alliance with it and entered into dynastic marriages. The sister of the last Mangup prince Alexander was the wife of the ruler of Wallachia Stephen III, and the Moscow Grand Duke Ivan III intended to marry his son to another sister of the prince. The marriage was interrupted by the Turkish invasion of Crimea.
“Cave cities” is a conditional name. In the old days, their development consisted mainly of above-ground structures - residential, religious and defensive. In the summer of 1475, an army of thousands of Turks landed at the walls of Kafa (Feodosia) and soon occupied the entire coast. After the Tatars went over to the side of the Turks, the Principality of Theodoro was left alone with a formidable enemy. The Turkish army approached Mangup, where it met desperate resistance from its defenders. The siege of the doomed city lasted almost six months; the Turks stormed the fortress five times, but were never able to take it.
Only in December, exhausted by hunger, the Theodorites laid down their arms and surrendered to the mercy of the Turkish Pasha, who promised to spare the defenders of Mangup. Pasha did not keep his word: most of the city's inhabitants, including Prince Alexander, were brutally killed, and the city itself was burned and destroyed. For another three hundred years, a Turkish garrison was stationed in the deserted city, and after the annexation of Crimea to Russia, the last inhabitants left Mangup.
In addition to defensive walls and cave casemates, the ruins of a citadel of the 5th-6th centuries, an early medieval cemetery, the remains of the temple of St. Constantine and Helen, the ruins of street blocks and a large stone house, where, as researchers suggest, the palace of the rulers of Mangup were located, have survived to this day. In the southern part of the house there was a main hall with a terrace, the walls of which were decorated with frescoes, and the door frames were decorated with marble. Not far from the house is the most high point Mangup, from which a majestic panorama opens over almost the entire territory of the former principality of Feodoro - from Chatyr-Dag and Babugan in the east to the Balaklava heights in the south. In the west the surface of the Black Sea sparkles, behind the nearby mountain you can see Eski-Kermen, in the north you can see the cliffs of Tepe-Kermen and Knchi-Kalyon, and beyond the hills of the foothills stretch the Crimean steppes - the cradle of the Crimean civilization, the beginning and end of the “cave cities”.
The Dzhanyke-Khanym mausoleum (XV century) is one of the few well-preserved buildings in Chufut-Kale. Inside the mausoleum, on a low pedestal, there is a stone sarcophagus, on which is carved an Arabic inscription: “This is the tomb of the famous Empress Dzhanyke-Khanym, daughter of Khan Tokhtamysh, who died in 1437.” 11 August 2012, 10:11
Caves became one of the first human habitations. People used these natural formations for housing and fortifications, and so they created their own. The resulting cave cities were very unusual in their own way. appearance. Some of them exist and operate successfully today. Some have been temple complexes since ancient times. But most of them were abandoned long ago. But these cave cities did not remain dead and forgotten. Their secrets haunt their contemporaries. Ahead lies a lot of painstaking work by archaeologists and restorers to study and preserve these witnesses of a turbulent and vibrant history. humanity. About the most famous such settlements and we'll talk below. Petra(Jordan)
Petra is the main attraction of Jordan, included in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage. Petra is a city carved into the rocks, which is called the Pink City due to the unique shade of the rock structures. 
Petra is a 3-hour drive from the Jordanian capital Amman. 
Petra is an amazing and, apparently, very ancient city. It is believed that the Nabateans came to these lands around two thousand years BC. 
Then Rome conquered them. In the architectural elements of Petra, art historians find monuments that could have belonged to the ancient Egyptians, the ancient Greeks, and the ancient Romans. 
The construction of two citadels in the heart of Petra is attributed to the Crusaders. But in fact, nothing is known for sure about this ancient and mysterious city. This mystery and indescribable beauty of the city attracts travelers from all over the world. 
Cave cities of Crimea Mangup-Kale, Eski-Kermen, Chufut-Kale, Tepe-Kermen, Kachi-Kalon, Chelter-Koba and many others - all these wonderful monuments of Crimean antiquity and the Middle Ages are united common name- "cave cities". Located on high mountain plateaus with mysteriously blackened cave windows, they have been exciting the imagination of travelers for centuries, causing surprise and admiration. There are the most contradictory assumptions about their origin. Mangup-kale 
Mangup-Kale is a medieval fortress town in the Bakhchisarai region of Crimea. The capital of the medieval Orthodox principality of Theodoro, then a Turkish fortress. It is located on the top of a remnant mountain, rising 250-300 m above the level of the surrounding valleys and forming a plateau with an area of about 90 hectares. On three sides the plateau is limited by steep 70-meter cliffs. The northern slope is cut through by three deep gorges separating the spurs, because of which in plan Mangup looks like a four-fingered hand. There is no consensus among its researchers about the time of Mangup's founding. Excavations have shown that already in the first centuries AD there was a settlement on the plateau. 
In the cliff on the southern side of the plateau there is a descent to an ancient cave temple. Having gone down, you can get to a platform from which a stone staircase leads to a vast natural grotto, on the sides of which there are monastery premises. Now several monks live in the temple, services are held, and its appearance is being restored. Eski-Kermen This one of the significant cave cities of Crimea is located south of Bakhchisarai, twenty kilometers from Yalta. The city was founded at the end of the 6th century AD. e. as a Byzantine fortification and existed until the end of the 14th century. In the Middle Ages, it was a major trade and craft center in the area, dominating the economic life of nearby settlements. The city of Eski-Kermen was a first-class fortress for its time. The steep cliffs were practically inaccessible, and in the upper reaches of the crevices along which one could climb to the city, battle walls rose. The defense system included well-defended gates and sally gates, ground towers and cave casemates. Eski-Kerman was major center crafts and trade, but the basis of its economy was agriculture - viticulture, gardening, gardening. In the vicinity of Eski-kermen, the remains of an irrigation system and traces of terraced areas with wild grape vines were found. 
Chufut-Kale Chufut-Kale is the best preserved and most visited of the cave cities near Bakhchisarai. The original name of the city is unknown, as is the time of its origin: some researchers believe the 6th century, others 10-12 centuries. Archaeological excavations indicate that in the 6-8 centuries. In the Mairam-Dere gully lived the Alans, a Sarmatian tribe that penetrated into Crimea in the 1st century. AD 
The plateau rises 200 m above the gorge, has steep rocky slopes on three sides, and on the fourth, eastern side it is connected to Mount Beshik-Tau by a saddle. The Chufut-Kale fortress was well fortified. However, in 1299, during another raid on Crimea, Nogai’s troops besieged the city. They managed to break through a large opening in the southern part of the defensive wall with battering machines and break into the fortress. Almost all of the inhabitants were destroyed. Later the defensive structures were restored. The restored part of the fortress wall is still visible. 
Later, with the formation of the Crimean Khanate, the city became a Tatar fortress and received the name Kyrk-Er - Forty Fortifications. The headquarters of the first Crimean Khan, Hadji-Davlet-Girey, was moved here. To the east of the fortress wall, the Tatars settled Karaites (Turkic by origin, followers of the Old Testament Bible), who lived in the adjacent valleys. Those, at the end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th century, erected another one, the Eastern defensive wall and three towers, to protect their settlement, thus strengthening the fortress. After the Tatars left for Bakhchisarai, the Karaites remained in the cave city, which received a new name - Chufut-Kale - Jewish fortress. 
After Crimea became part of the Russian Empire, the Karaites began to leave the fortress and move to other Crimean cities. By the end of the 19th century, Chufut-Kale was completely abandoned by its inhabitants. Tepe-Kermen The Tepe-Kermen settlement is located on the top of a mountain outcrop 535m above sea level and 225m above the surrounding area, 7 km southeast of Bakhchisaray. The height of the cliffs from the south and west reaches 12 m. The plateau on which Tepe-Kermen is located occupies an area of no more than 1 hectare, however, there are up to three hundred artificial caves located in several tiers. Caves like honeycombs perforated the rocky peak. In addition to single apartments, there are also “apartments” of 2, 3 and even 4 rooms, connected to each other. The upper caves at the edge of Tepe-Kermen served as combat casemates. Through the embrasures, the defenders of the fortress fired arrows and threw stones at the enemy. On the plateau there are cellars carved into the stones and cisterns carved into the rock for storing water. The caves on the lower and middle floors were used as pens for livestock and for other economic purposes. The city existed from the 6th to the 14th centuries. It reached its greatest prosperity in the 12th-13th centuries. According to some versions, the death of the city is tied to Nogai’s raid in 1299. Kachi-Kalyon 
Kachi-Kalyon is located south of Bakhchisaray in the valley of the Kacha River. The huge rock mass of Kachi-Kalyon with natural grottoes in its outline resembles the bow of a huge, floating ship. 
It has been established that at first there was a small rural settlement here, founded by the Goto-Alans or descendants of the Tauro-Scythians at the beginning of our era, at which a fortified shelter was soon erected, this gave rise to calling the monument a settlement. Later a relatively small Orthodox monastery, which existed until 1921. 
Unfortunately, Kachi-Kalyon has hardly been studied, and everything that has already been done by archaeologists is still just exploration. That is why the judgments of researchers, based mainly on general and rather subjective impressions of this huge archaeological site, are so controversial. 
The main shrine of the settlement is the rock church of St. Sofia was built in the 8th - 9th centuries. The temple existed until 1778, before the exodus of the Crimean Greeks, and then was restored in the 19th century. 
Chelter Koba 
The Chelter-Koba monastery is located in the Belbek Valley, on the cliff of Cape Ai-Todor. 
The architectural ensemble of the monastery consists of 23 rooms carved into the rock, including one cave temple. In the late 1970s - early 1980s. Archaeological research was carried out here. The monastery looks like a one-time complex, without traces of significant repairs or reconstruction. Most likely, the monastery was founded in the XIV-XV centuries. on the northern border of the Principality of Theodoro. Modern inhabitants adapt cave premises for the needs of monastic life - they make partitions and additional extensions, which does not always have a favorable effect on the preservation of the monastery, which is a cultural heritage site of national importance. 
Myra Lycian (Türkiye)
Myra Lycian - ancient city ( modern name- Demre), lost between the eras and peoples who once inhabited this land. 
The Lycians, an Indo-European people who inhabited the southwestern part of Anatolia, are among the insufficiently studied peoples of antiquity. This area, according to inscriptions in the Lycian language, called Termilla, was inhabited several thousand years BC. 
Myra itself was founded around the 5th century BC, and one of the city's attractions is the famous rock burials - the rock-cut tombs of the ancient Lycians. 
They are located on a sheer cut of the rock, which is literally dotted with these “caves”. 
The Lycians had a custom of burying their dead in elevated places, as it was believed that this would help them get to heaven. Each tomb was magnificently decorated on the outside with bas-reliefs and carvings, by which one can determine what the deceased did during his lifetime... And next to the rock tombs there is a Roman theater, the architecture of which, and especially the beauty of the sculptural bas-reliefs, speaks of the excellent artistic taste of local craftsmen. 
Vardzia and Uplistsikhe (Georgia) One of the most interesting sights of Georgia is the cave city of Vardzia. The ancient structure is a whole complex of corridors and rooms, carved out of rock almost a thousand years ago. The cave city is located in the south of Georgia, just 6 kilometers from the border with Turkey. The history of Vardzia begins at the end of the 12th century. 
Vardzia is a real underground city with many tunnels, stairs and alleys. Inside the rock there was a place not only for a monastery, but also for several libraries, baths and many residential buildings. A real anthill! 
In total, in Vardzia there are over 600 different rooms, which stretch along the mountain for a distance of more than a kilometer, and the entire underground complex goes 50 meters deep into the rock! There are 13 floors in total in the cave city, and each one has running water. 
In the event of an attack by enemies, up to 20 thousand people could simultaneously take refuge in the fortified city, and thanks to three secret passages, the defenders could deliver unexpected blows to the enemy forces. 
For a long time, the cave city was abandoned, but at the end of the last century, Vardzia was restored again, and monastic life resumed there. On this moment in the monastery ancient city About 10-15 monks live there. 
Uplistsikhe 10 km from Gori, on the banks of the Kura River, there is one of the rarest monuments in the world - the ancient fortress city of Uplistsikhe, carved into the volcanic rocks of the Kvernaki ridge. Uplistsikhe - literally: the fortress of the ruler; one of the political centers of Eastern Georgia of the ancient era. 
The rock structures here date back to the very ancient pre-antique and ancient periods. Part of the complex is from the pre-Hellenistic period and is fairly accurately dated to the 8th-5th centuries. BC e., part is much more ancient. It was a major pagan center, and after Georgia adopted Christianity in the 4th century, by the 9th century it became one of the most important cities in the country. It was in the 9th century that a Christian brick basilica church was built on the site of the former pagan Temple of the Sun. 
Not far from the church, an altar from the 4th-5th centuries has been preserved. BC. and a cross carved in stone from the early Christian period. A wide road carved into stone leads to the city from the river. Streets equipped with a sewerage system radiate from the center from the square. 
Residential and utility rooms, wine storage facilities, fragments of fortress walls and temples of the 6th-7th and 10th-11th centuries, a secret underground passage leading to the river, as well as deep 8-meter prison wells (VI-VIII centuries) have been preserved. Among other unique exhibits, you can see a wine press that is 8,000 years old. This is the oldest wine press in the world that has survived to this day. Cave city of Arbel (Israel) Arbel is a locality in Galilee. The natural beauty of the Arbel Valley is perfectly combined with the rich history of this region. Mount Arbel - rises 380 meters above Lake Kinneret and 180 meters above sea level. The Arbel spring flows from the rocks of the mountain. At the foot of Mount Arbel is Wadi Hamam, which means “Stream of Pigeons”. Many pigeons take refuge among the rocks and in caves. 
The sheer cliffs surrounding the river are dotted along the entire length on both sides with once inhabited caves. 
The fortification is a group of caves located in three tiers, connected by stairs and passages. Here and there we find storage rooms and water containers. These structures are always plastered on the inside. There must have been a rainwater collection system. Descending from the mountain along a beautiful walking route, tourists find themselves in the ruins of a fortress carved into a steep rock; there, in the caves, armed rebels who rebelled against Herod the Great in 39 BC found their shelter. The Romans could not cope with them for a long time until they lowered large wooden cages with soldiers from the mountain on cables, and only then destroyed the rebels. In subsequent centuries, the inhabitants of Galilee hid there. The natural inaccessibility of the caves was complemented by completed walls, making the cave fortress a very tough nut to crack for the besiegers. Traces of later additions to the 16th and 17th centuries are clearly visible. These works were carried out here on the orders of the Druze rulers of the Man dynasty, who owned the area during the Turkish Empire. The fortress is badly destroyed and this gives a peculiar charm to a walk through it. 
Matera (Italy)
The city of Matera, Italy is the oldest locality in the south of the country, located in the Basilicata region and is the best preserved example of a cave settlement. In terms of its value for world science and culture, Matera can be given first place among all similar settlements in the Mediterranean. 
The peculiarity of this city, where life is uniquely adapted to the local landscape, is that the first settlements here date back to Paleolithic times. 
In 1993, the city of Matera (Italy) was included in the UNESCO list as a World Cultural Heritage Site. On a tour of the city, you can see seemingly fantastic cave houses, carved directly into the rock and called sassi (“stones”). According to scientists, the oldest Sassi are seven thousand years old. There are also “younger” buildings here, the time of construction of which is evidenced by churches built presumably in the 6th century. 
The walls and ceilings of some churches in this “cave” city are decorated with frescoes from the 11th and 12th centuries that have survived to this day. Much of Mel Gibson's film The Passion of the Christ was filmed in and around Matera. Uchisar in Cappadocia (Türkiye)
Unique mountains of volcanic origin cover the entire area of Cappadocia. These are sedimentary rocks of tuff, they are quite easy to process, which allowed local residents to cut houses into them and create entire cave settlements. The first such dwellings appeared here several thousand years ago. One of the most populated cave-type villages is Uchisar. 
Although most of the modern residents have already moved to new comfortable houses, the living quarters cut into the caves still have their inhabitants. Some caves are used as warehouses and storage facilities, but others are inhabited by people. Many cave apartments have modern brick extensions. The owners of the apartments cut into the rocks willingly show them to tourists and sell souvenirs, which is a kind of tourism business for them. Modern houses peacefully coexist next to the ancient cave village. Tsaparang in Tibet 
250 km from the foot of Mount Kailash, on a huge plateau, on the banks of the Sutlej River, lie the majestic ruins of the once powerful kingdom of Guge. 
The ancient ruins lie surrounded by yellow-brown rocks pockmarked by erosion and time, and the entire area is a vast, lifeless desert. 
Along the once busy road, which in ancient times connected Tibet with India and Turkestan, there were trade caravans and pilgrims heading to Kailash. 
In ancient sources, the first information about inhabited cities in this area dates back to 2800 BC. Tsaparang is the ruined capital of the ancient kingdom of Guge. In 1685, Tsaparang was conquered by the Muslims. The city suffered serious damage. But especially serious damage was caused to the city during the reign of Mao Zedong during the Cultural Revolution in China: many temples, statues and buildings were destroyed. Cave temples of India Ellora Caves 
Considered the largest complex of cave temples and monasteries in India, Ellora is located 30 km northwest of Aurangabad, the center of the district of the same name in the state of Maharashtra. All Ellora caves are carved into a low basalt rock cliff. 
From the point of view of dating the time of creation of individual temples and monasteries, for scientists Ellora is probably one of the most problematic sites among all cave structures in India. 
Ajanta Caves 
The Ajanta Caves are carved into steep granite rocks, in a 22 m high gorge. Temples were carved into the rocks over several centuries - in the 3rd–7th centuries. 
These famous caves preserve some of the finest masterpieces of Buddhist art in India. Ajanta is located in the Indian state of Maharashtra and has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1983. The caves were discovered by chance in 1819. An English officer, hunting in the mountains while chasing a tiger, accidentally noticed the vague outlines of the caves. 
Paintings and murals are placed throughout the cave except for the floor. In some places the frescoes have been destroyed due to human intervention, so in many areas only fragments remain. Exploration of the Ajanta Caves continues to this day, but there are still many mysterious moments in their history. For example, it is not clear how artists could paint in semi-darkness; The secret of luminous colors has not been revealed either. Today there is an art museum here. Ajanta painting is a unique encyclopedia in which all social strata of Indian society are represented (from the ruler to the beggar). There are stories here about the numerous peoples who inhabited India, about important points 
her stories. 
Elephanta Caves Elephanta Caves are located in the central part of Elephanta Island near the city of Mumbai. The so-called City of Caves contains a large collection of rock art dedicated to the cult of the god Shiva. In 1987, the cave temples on Elephanta Island were included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The most impressive among these monuments is from the 7th and 8th centuries. – a complex of ancient cave temples with huge sculptures inside. The main spectacle here is a five-meter massive bust of the three-headed Shiva, which embodies his aspects as the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer. The "Shiva Caves", these famous ancient caves of Elephanta Island, are carved out of the rock, forming a sacred temple complex dedicated to the god Shiva. Mesa Verde (USA) Mesa Verde is the name of the plateau and 
national park 
, located on it, and not a cave city. No one will ever know what the Anasazi Indians, the ancestors of the Pueblo, called their settlements. In fact, the settlements themselves would have remained unknown if not for the persistence of historians and archaeologists. For six hundred years from the 13th century, when the Anasazi mysteriously disappeared from these places, until the 19th century, when exploration of the area began, no human set foot on Mesa Verde. 
There is still a trail of mystery behind the plateau and cave settlements. But it is known for certain that Anasazi architecture is the first example in America of the construction of “apartment” buildings: the rock deo-retz in Mesa Verde has about a hundred different rooms. 
The palace expands the interpretation of the term “cave city”: it is not a system of caves used for living, but a full-fledged building, entirely built inside a huge grotto, above a rocky ledge.
Life in Masa Verde was not easy: from their rock houses on the plateau where agriculture was carried out, the Indians climbed out using rope or wooden ladders that swung over the abyss. Cave city Kandovan (Iran) Located in the remote northwestern part of Iran, the village of Kandovan is known for more than just its beauty. 
surrounding nature 
, but also the unique housing of local residents. 
Some even have porches, windows and doors, and flights of stairs carved into the rocks. Caves are among the most efficient energy-efficient dwellings in the world, providing sufficient insulation in winter and protection from heat in summer. 
Sigiriya(Sri Lanka)
Sigiriya is an ancient fortified city built on a rock. Sigiriya or Lion Rock is the main asset of Sri Lanka, the most valuable architectural and cultural monument. The rock itself was formed from lava large volcano, which has long since ceased to exist. An amazing landscape opens up from a 200-meter cliff: picturesque gardens surrounding the mountain stretch for miles. 
The history of Lion Rock begins in the 5th century BC, around this time a Buddhist monastery appeared here. This temple ceased to exist for only 18 years: from 477 to 495, and then was restored again and existed until the end of the 14th century. The period of development of Sigiriya falls during the reign of King Kassapa (477 - 495). It was during this short period of time that the rock was transformed into a complex city with palaces, temples, gardens, fountains and defensive structures. 
The name "Lion Rock" also appeared during the reign of Kassapa. The architects of Sigiriya brought to life a grandiose idea - the central entrance to the city was guarded by a huge lion carved from the rock, and to get inside you had to go through the mouth of the stone beast. Unfortunately, only the lion's paws have survived to this day, but they also look very impressive. 
Bamiyan (Afghanistan)
At one time, the province of Bamiyan, located 225 miles from Kabul, attracted many tourists. The north of the valley is famous for the huge mysterious Buddha statues carved into the rocks. One of them, 55 m in height, was the largest Buddha statue in the world. 
During the reign of Kanishka the Great, Bamyan was a significant center of Buddhism. The sculptures of the deity, and the territory itself, were sacred. The priests created many cells here, where round holes in the rocks led. 
The wars that have been going on in Afghanistan since 1980 until the present day have caused significant damage to Bamyan and the Buddhist monastery located in the province.
A complex of 252 man-made caves 16 km southeast of the Chinese city of Datong, Shanxi Province. Contains up to 51,000 Buddha images, some of which reach 17 meters in height. 
Most of the cave temples were created between 460 and 525 AD. n. BC, when Chinese Buddhism experienced its first flowering. 
Yungang Grottoes are carved into the rock from porous material. They stretch for 1 km from east to west. In December 2001, the Yungang cave-temple complex was included in the “List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage.” 
Unlike the natural Reed Flute Cave, where only the magnificent lighting is man-made, highlighting the beauty of the underground world, the Yungang cave grottoes are entirely the work of human hands. One has only to imagine how much work would have been expended to make this unique place appear, and one involuntarily becomes imbued with respect and genuine admiration for the talents of the ancient masters. Matmata (Tunisia) Tourists who have visited the desert hills of Matmata in the central part of southern Tunisia are amazed by the inspired exoticism of the “lunar landscape” of these places. Millions of people on our planet saw them, not knowing that it was Tunisia, because George Lucas filmed here" star Wars", and Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones. In Search of the Lost Ark." 
But the main attraction of Matmata is the Berber dwellings. The houses of the Matmata Berbers resemble not caves, but fox holes - they have rounded entrances and branches inside the soft local rock. Often fish and palms are depicted on doorposts - protective symbols of the Berbers. Entering the “house”, you find yourself in a spacious open-air courtyard (actually, this is not a hole yet), but from it cave rooms are dug in different directions - bedrooms, living rooms, children's rooms and storage rooms. 
It is easier to build houses from the inside in the soft rock here than to build houses from the outside. Even in the most scorching heat, it is not hot inside the house. In winter, the walls retain heat perfectly, and the home can be heated no worse than an ordinary apartment. 
The Tunisian cave city has been truly popular among tourists ever since one of the caves “starred” as Luke Skywalker’s home in “Star Wars.”
The cave cities of Crimea, such as Chufut-Kale or Eski-Kermen, in my opinion, are one of the most important and unique attractions of the peninsula and the most mysterious page medieval history. Until now, some tourists are sure that the cities on the plateau received this name because its inhabitants settled in caves. However, it is not. The caves were used for economic and defensive purposes. Some of them were equipped as temples.
Chufut-kale
The cave city of Chufut-kale is the most famous among its counterparts in Crimea. It is located in Bakhchisarai in the old district. It is easy to get to even for individual travelers. In addition, it has been preserved better than all the others, since the last inhabitants left the plateau in late XIX century.
The city appeared in this place in the 5th century. According to some reports, he was called Fulla, but scientists have still not been able to accurately determine whether it is him or not. The history of Chufut-Kale was not without conquests: in 1299, Khan Nogai captured and plundered the city. From that moment on, the principality became dependent on the Golden Horde.
In the 14th century, Karaites appeared in Chufut-Kala. Over time, they began to make up the majority of the city's residents. The Karaites chose the plateau as their place of residence, since at that time they were prohibited from settling in many Crimean cities.
Any cave city (and Chufut-Kale is no exception) looks impressive from the outside and seems so distant and high that it frightens unprepared tourists. They believe that it is simply impossible to climb such a height on their own. However, this is not true. In addition, the guides will definitely encourage you and will not rush along the trail.
How to get there: from the bus station by minibus No. 2 to the Old Town. From the final stop immediately after the lower ticket office, the ascent begins past the Holy Dormition Cave Monastery. The path is not difficult, it will take about 40-45 minutes.
Ticket price – 200 rubles, with a tour – 300 rubles.
Mangup-kale
– my favorite among all the cave cities of Crimea. Perhaps this is due to the fact that it was my first one-day adventure on the peninsula.
Mangup is located near the village of Khodzha-sala, not far from the villages of Zalesnoye, Ternovka and Krasny Mak. This is the largest cave city in terms of area. It is curious that the first settlement here appeared before our era. Then the Tauri came here, followed by the Goths and Alans. The first fortifications were built in the 5th century, and the city itself was known as Doros and was the capital of Crimean Gothia. In the 8th century, the Khazars took the fortress; it was liberated only in the 10th century.
The most mysterious page in the history of Mangup-Kale is connected with the Principality of Theodoro. From this period, many fortifications, caves, crypts, as well as the ruins of a citadel remained on the plateau. The citadel, by the way, was not only a defensive structure, but also a princely palace.
The history of the city did not end with the inhabitants of the Principality of Theodoro. In 1475, the Turks besieged the fortress and, after a long siege, took the city. They rebuilt it and gave it its current name - Mangup-Kale. The city existed until 1774.
How to get there: the easiest way is by car to the village of Khoja-sala, from which there is a path to the plateau. From the Sevastopol bus station, first go to Krasny Mak, then walk along the highway through Zalesnoye (walk for about 1 hour) to Khoja-Sal. The ascent to Mangup-Kale is more difficult than to Chufut-Kale, but there are benches along the way; the ascent time is about an hour.
Ticket price is 100 rubles.
Eski-Kermen
Eski-Kermen is considered the most populated cave city in Crimea. The number of its inhabitants in its heyday exceeded 2 thousand people. There is also a theory that the famous Doros is not Mangup, but Eski-Kermen, since historical documents mention a siege well with 80 steps, which corresponds to the well in this place.
The city was founded in the 6th century, but until the 10th century it was only a minor fortification of the Byzantines, so little is known about life in that period. Eski-Kermen flourished in the 12th-13th centuries. The city flourished, the entire plateau was built up, the streets were so wide that a cart could drive through them. The bishop of the area lived in the city, a pulpit was built in one of the churches for his speeches, its remains can still be seen.
But 1299 became the saddest year in the history of Eski-Kermen. It was destroyed by the troops of Khan Nogai. The townspeople were never able to recover from this blow, the city lost its importance, and 100 years later it died completely during the next Tatar-Mongol raid.
Now this is the most interesting cave city for tourists on the peninsula. It preserves about 400 caves, several cave temples, the ruins of a basilica and a siege well with a staircase of 80 steps.
How to get there: by car you can drive to the foot of the cave city from the village of Kholmovka. By public transport it will be a little more difficult, but there are several options. In Sevastopol, take the “5th kilometer” stop to Ternovka, get off at the turn in front of the village, go through outbuildings, go up to the Cherter-Marmara monastery, and then go down through the forest to Eski-Kermen. The easier route lies through Kholmovka; you can get to it from the Sevastopol bus station by bus in the direction of Sokolinoe. The fastest way to get to the plateau is from the northern gate, it will take no more than 15 minutes.
Ticket price is 100 rubles.
Kachi-Kalyon
translated as "ship of the crusade". On one of the slopes of the rock you can see a carved cross, and the rock itself really resembles a huge ship. This cave city differs from others in that people lived not on a plateau, but in five large grottoes; some cave complexes were multi-story.
Historians are still arguing about what Kachi-Kalyon was - a cave city or a cave monastery. However, the second hypothesis is confirmed by outbuildings, in particular, many tarapans - grape presses - were found on the territory. It is believed that Kachi-Kalon was the center of winemaking.
Nowadays tourists are especially amazed by the grandeur of the fourth grotto of Kachi-Kalyon, where the source of the Holy Great Martyr Anastasia is located. It resembles a temple created by nature with a huge majestic dome. The source was named, according to one version, in honor of the Great Martyr Anastasia, who ransomed prisoners, and according to another, in honor of the local saint - her namesake.
In addition to the grottoes and caves, it is worth visiting the plateau itself, from which breathtaking views open up. According to some travelers, this place can easily be called “Crimean Norway”.
How to get there: from Sevastopol first to Bakhchisarai, and from there to Bashtanovka, ask the driver to stop at Kachi-Kalyon. The ascent begins immediately from the road, it is difficult to confuse the path, it is made of car tires. To get into the grottoes, you need to turn right at the large stone. Even small children can handle this climb. If you go to the plateau, you need to go up to the wall of tires and do not miss the small sign “to the plateau” leading into the forest.
Tepe-Kerman
According to historians, it has never been a real cave city. Its name translates as “fort on top” and proves its role in the Middle Ages. This version is confirmed by the absence of wells on its territory.
The history of Tepe-Kermen began in the 6th century, it flourished in the 12th-13th centuries, and the army of Khan Nogai destroyed this place in 1299. However, scientists are still puzzling over the fate of this either city or fortress.
Despite all the mystery, there are still many caves for economic and defensive purposes, as well as a temple from the 7th century with Greek inscriptions carved on the walls.
How to get there: from Sevastopol first to Bakhchisaray, from there by bus to Mashino (direction Sinapnoe). You need to get out at the end of the village and walk a little forward, and then turn left and go up the path. A dirt road leads to the foot of Tepe-Kermen. The easiest way to climb the plateau is not along a small loose path, but along a dirt ring road through the forest. The journey will take about an hour, the last 10-15 minutes will be difficult.
Bakla
Tourists very rarely get to Bakly, but neither do local residents. This is due to the fact that it is located far to the north. The city was studied by archaeologists in the middle of the 20th century, but has now been plundered by “black diggers” and still keeps its secrets. One of them is why it is called that. According to one version, the name translates as “beans”.
The cave city of Bakla grew up on the mountain of the same name in the second half of the 3rd century. At first it was a defensive settlement. Over the next few centuries, fortifications were erected on the southern sloping side. From the north, the city was protected by a 20-meter cliff, where defensive caves were cut down, some of which have survived to this day. In the 6th century, a castle was built on the site of the wine-making complex; it was protected by walls and a moat from the rest of the settlement, where ordinary residents settled.
Bakla ceased to exist after the raid of the Golden Horde Khan Nogai in 1299. Nowadays, rare tourists visit the ruins of the medieval city. Some of the caves on the northern slope of the mountain collapsed, but the Tarapans, a cave monastery and temple, and many grain pits remained.
How to get there: from Sevastopol to the turn to Skalistoye (direction Simferopol). Then, through Skalistoye and a beautiful flooded quarry, reach the forest, climb the road through the forest, turn right, go through the Church Cape and go down to the cave city.
Kyz-Kermen
Kyz-Kermen – the “maiden’s fortress” – is completely avoided by tourists. It has long been overgrown with trees and bushes, carefully guarding all its secrets. It is believed that about 100 people lived in this place, but basically it was a fortification where the inhabitants of the valley hid in case of an enemy attack.
Several caves, tarapans and the remains of a defensive wall have been preserved on the plateau. The city flourished in the 8th-9th centuries. Some scientists believe that it was Kyz-Kermen that was the early medieval city Fully.
On the right slope of Kyz-Kermen there is a Turtle grotto with a spring. From the plateau there was a staircase carved into the rock leading to it; now you can climb up along it. A cistern was built near the spring in the Middle Ages.
How to get there: from Sevastopol to Bakhchisaray, from there to Mashino (direction Sinapnoe). Get out at the beginning of the village and start climbing up the path, which will then lead to a dirt road, and then to a forest path. The last 10 minutes before the grotto will be difficult; after the grotto you need to turn right and climb the stone stairs to the plateau itself. The climb is not difficult, the walk will take about 45 minutes.
Cave monasteries
In addition to cave cities, a large number of cave monasteries have been preserved in Crimea. The most popular is on the way to Chufut-Kale. Others are no less interesting: monastery St. Theodore Stratilates (Chelter-Koba), Inkerman St. Clement Monastery, monastery of the Holy Great Martyr Anastasia the Pattern Maker with a beaded temple, Chelter-Marmara, Shuldan, Monastery of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God, St. George's Monastery on.
P.S. I hope you found this article interesting and useful. If you haven’t found answers to your questions, you can always ask me in the comments. I will definitely answer.
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Crimea | 6 days | 65 km. | On foot | 6000 rub.+ 1000 rub. additional expenses (transport costs, forestry fees, paid attractions).
The mountainous southwestern part of the Crimean peninsula is a unique historical and geographical complex. The cave cities of Crimea are unique monuments of all eras. We invite you to visit the cave cities of Crimea. Ruins of cities, fortresses, rich history and many interesting stories await you from our instructors and guides with extensive experience. The end of our journey through the ancient history of Crimea will be Chersonesus. After all, there is nothing better than ending a hike on the seashore.
SCHEDULE OF HIKES ACCORDING THE ROUTE
VIDEO
Route: Simferopol - Bakhchisarai - Khan's Palace - Assumption Monastery - Chufut-Kale - Karaite Cemetery - Tepe-Kermen - Kachi-Kalyon - Alimova Balka - Chelter-Koba - Syuren Fortress - Mangup - Shuldan - Eski-Kermen - Donator Temple - Kyz -Kule - Chelter - Ternivka - Sevastopol - Chersonesos.
1 day. Khan's Palace. Assumption Monastery. Cave city Chufut-Kale.
The group gathers in Simferopol and moves to Bakhchisarai. From there the route “Cave Cities of Crimea” will begin.
On the first day of our hike, we have an extensive program planned, or rather a visit to three attractions of the Crimean peninsula. First there is waiting for us walk through the old streets of the capital of the Crimean khans Bakhchisarai and visit to the Khan's Palace with its famous fountain of tears. The second object of our day will be Holy Assumption Monastery. And at the end of the day, the pearl of the Crimean cave cities - Chufut-Kale. This the most visited cave city and the best preserved. Here there are fortress walls, towers and ditches, cave complexes carved into the rocks, city streets and individual surviving buildings, Karaite prayer houses. This city will allow you to understand how cave cities were built in ancient times. Now you can mentally imagine what the buildings look like in other, less preserved cities that we will visit during our hike. We will stop for the night near the cave city, at the Gazu-Mansyr spring.
Day 2. Karaite cemetery. Cave city Tepe-Kermen. Cave monastery Kachi-Kalyon.
Continuing along our route, we will come to the ancient Karaite cemetery. More than 10,000 tombstones are located in a small grove, the sight is a little depressing and freezing. Cemeteries always carry a feeling of antiquity and antiquity, and a cemetery that is more than 1000 years old enhances the impression significantly. Our further path will lead us to Mount Tepe-Kermen, on which the cave city of the same name is located. The view of this mountain is amazing. Exactly sketches from life of Tepe-Kerman served as K.F. Bogaevsky as the basis for the painting “ Altars in the desert
Karaite cemetery
Day 3. Alimova beam. Chelter-Koba. Syuren Fortress. The third day will be for us a simple walk with swimming in rivers and sightseeing of two attractions : Chilter-Koba cave monastery and the ruins of the Suren fortress. Chilter-Koba is a whole monastery complex, cut into a rock monolith. The temple, cell, refectory, spring are all connected to each other. An interesting and educational object with a view of the Tower Cape, where the next object of our trip is located - the ruins of the Surensky fortress. Perhaps the Suiren fortress is not the largest and most significant attraction among the cave cities of Crimea, but there is something to see there - this Fortress will not leave you indifferent. We will spend the night near the Belbek River, not far from the Chilter-Koba monastery.
Day 4 Cave city of Mangup, capital of the Principality of Theodoro.
On this day, the famous cave city of Mangup awaits you; it was the capital of the Principality of Theodoro. The Principality is little known in world history, but one of the key figures in the history of medieval Crimea. It is difficult to describe this cave city, to reveal all its significance and greatness without knowledge of the history of Crimea, at least superficially. Here you will not see preserved buildings, streets and kenassas like in Chufut-Kale. Only the ruins of ancient fortifications and traces on the stones where a vast city had previously been located. To appreciate this attraction, you need to know the history of Crimea and this city, as well as a leisurely exploration of the entire territory of Mangup, all the small nooks and crannies of this city. During the hike you will have just such an opportunity, stories from the instructor and a lot of time, I think you will be able to appreciate the cave city of Mangup and its greatness. We will spend the night on a plateau among the ancient city.
Day 5 Shuldan Monastery. Cave city Eski-Kermen. Temple of Donators. Kyz-Kule Tower.
On the fifth day we have a big program planned. First we will visit active cave monastery Shuldan. Next we will head to the ruins of another cave fortress city - Eski-Kermen, founded at the beginning of the 6th century. From the once flourishing city, only caves remain(more than 300), there are many of them and they are different: caves-temples, battle caves, utility caves, caves with stairs, caves with columns. Some of them are simply inaccessible without a rope and climbing skills. Not far from Eski-Kermen, in a separate rock outcrop, we Let's visit the Temple of Donators. The entrance to the temple is not visible from the bottom of the beam. It can only be discovered by climbing to the top. The Temple of Donators is famous for the fact that medieval fresco paintings have been preserved here for a long time. Perhaps it was the secrecy of the place that contributed to this. Unfortunately, over the past 100 years, little has survived from the painting. The last attraction for today will be the Kyz-Kule tower, one of the towers of the Eski-Kermen watch complex. We will spend the night in the picturesque lion grotto.
