I told you about the palace of the Crimean khans in Bakhchisaray and about the love story that happened there and which shocked “our everything” Pushkin so much that he wrote his poem about it - “The Bakhchisaray Fountain”.
But the glorious city of Bakhchisarai may surprise you with another interesting place. This is the cave city of Chufut-Kale. You can (and should) walk to it from the Khan's palace. Here's how we did it.
Cave city Chufut-Kale.
Leaving the Khan's Palace, we set off on foot to the next attractions of Bakhchisarai. Near the city there are also Holy Dormition Monastery and the medieval fortress of Chufut-Kale .
Along the way I try to take photos in order to feel at least a little bit of the atmosphere of the place. This is the disadvantage of organized excursions - you cannot “hang out” in some place you like and look at everything more closely.
So, I literally run into the souvenir shop for a couple of minutes, but I don’t have time to look at even half of the goods. Just take a couple of shots:
And still managed to lag behind the guide. My husband drags me outside from the souvenir shop, and we run after the group. In general, there was no need to rush too much. If you find yourself in the Khan's palace, then you are unlikely to get lost. A lot of people are going in that direction - towards Chufut-Kale. The fact is that on the way to Chufut-Kale there is another important place, this Holy Dormition Cave Monastery b.
We leave the monastery on the way back. Because clouds are gathering in the sky, and a light rain has begun to drizzle. Therefore, we strive to get to Chufut-Kale as soon as possible, before the weather completely deteriorates.
Having passed the monastic property, we continue to walk up the mountain in the drizzling rain. The paved path ends and then the road turns into a rocky path.
Therefore, my friendly advice to you, citizens and especially female citizens - wear not just comfortable, but well-fitting shoes . No slates - you'll break your fingers on the rocks! No heels or platforms, otherwise you are guaranteed to have sprained ankles. Only sneakers and others like them.
The ubiquitous souvenir stalls line both sides of the trail. But it’s better to watch your step... Walking along such a path, according to my feelings, is no more than a kilometer.
After this we find ourselves on an open plateau:
And here the outlines of a cave city can already be seen. Therefore, curiosity makes us walk more cheerfully. Meanwhile the rain is getting worse. And some of the ladies from our group, unable to bear the hardships of the rocky path, turn back - their shoes were clearly not suitable for such a walk...
And we are already approaching the South Gate, behind which lies a whole world of underground and above-ground structures... Once upon a time, enemy soldiers, falling into a narrow area in front of the gate, found themselves in full view of the defenders of the fortress and fell under their targeted fire... But that was a long time ago , and now there is a ticket office outside the gate and you can enter Chufut-Kale quite calmly by buying a ticket for 200 rubles.
City `s history.
I won’t bore you with a detailed retelling of the centuries-old history of Chufut-Kale, friends. But still, it’s worth saying a few words about how this city came into being and what events took place in it. Because without this it will not be clear what kind of place it is and why many tourists strive to get to it.
Some believe that the city arose in the 5th-6th centuries as a fortified settlement on the border of Byzantine possessions. According to others, a fortified settlement arose here in the 10th–11th centuries. In any case, despite its ancient age, this cave city is the best preserved of all similar cities in Crimea.
The earliest written sources that report about it date back only to the 13th–17th centuries. At this time, the fortification had a Turkic name and was called Kirk-Yer (“land of the Kirk clan”, Turk.), or Kirk-Or ( "forty fortifications", Turkic), or, possibly, Kirk-Er ( "forty chasms", Turkic). Karaites, who consider Chufut-Kale their ancestral nest, find the most correct name Juft-Kale ("double strength", Turkic; options: Chuft-Kale, Chief-Kale). However, on maps and in books, in most cases, a variant of the toponym, distorted in spelling and meaning, and actually erroneous, is recorded - Chufut-Kale (“Jewish fortress”, Turkic)
At the early stage of the city’s existence, its main population was Alans - the most powerful of the late Sarmatian tribes of Iranian origin. They began to penetrate Crimea from the 2nd century. n. e. Having settled in the mountainous Crimea, the Alans adopted Christianity. In 1299, the Tatar horde of Emir Nogai made another raid on the Crimean peninsula. Among other robbed cities was Kyrk-Or. Having captured the city, the Tatars placed their garrison in it. At the turn of the XIV–XV centuries. In front of the eastern line of fortifications, the Tatars settled Karaite artisans, who built a second defensive wall to protect their settlement. This is how a new part of the city emerged.
The first Crimean Khan Hadji Giray , having appreciated the fortress, in the 15th century. turned the old part of the city into his fortified residence. Later, it sheltered the khans during civil strife and was a reliable refuge during their struggle with the Golden Horde for independence. After the defeat of the Golden Horde, the Crimean Khanate noticeably strengthened, and the importance of Kyrk-Ora as a fortress fell, the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey moved to the new capital - Bakhchisarai. The old city remained a kind of citadel of Bakhchisarai and a place of imprisonment for noble captives.
After the Tatars left, the Karaites lived here for more than 200 years. Having adopted the Jewish religion, the Karaites were followers of the Hebrew Old Testament Bible. Over time, the word “Karaite” became an ethnonym - the name of a nationality.
After the conquest of Crimea and its inclusion into Russia, the Karaites declared themselves its adherents. The tsarist government allowed Karaites to live throughout the empire. From that time on, Chufut-Kale began to empty. Residents left the plateau with its harsh living conditions and moved to Bakhchisarai, Yevpatoria and other cities. So by the middle of the 19th century. the city was completely empty.
However, Chufut-Kale still has architectural monuments that reflect various stages of the history of this city.
And in the growing rain we went to inspect them. The first thing we examined were the caves (after all, this is a cave city!). Feel yourself cavemen everyone wanted. It looked something like this:
One-room cave-“small family”, apparently:
It’s exciting to climb caves, I’ll tell you. But once you get out of the first caves and go further, up the cobblestone street, there is also something to see...
In fact, quite civilized buildings have been preserved here.
One of these buildings is kenassas. Kenassa is a Karaite prayer house, i.e. church in our opinion. This is what she looks like.
We go into the courtyard:
Further on our way we meet mosque ruins . During its history, Crimea many times left the influence of some peoples and fell under the influence of others. Therefore, on the same piece of land you can see traces of different civilizations and cultures. All that remains of the mosque are pieces of walls and places where there were columns.
At this time, the rain poured down like buckets, and the best thing that the aunty guide could come up with for our group was to take shelter under the arches of the mausoleum-tomb. To wait out the rain and find out the story of a great woman who was buried in this tomb.
The story of Dzhanyke-khanum, Crimean Joan of Arc
Mausoleum Dzhanyke-khanum (and it is he in the photo) is a monumental octagonal structure with a high portal. In the depths of the mausoleum, on a stepped elevation, there is a tomb with Arabic script: “This is the tomb of the famous Empress Nenekejan-Khanym, daughter of Tokhtamysh-Khan, who died in the month of Ramadan 841 Khizra” (1437-38). According to the accepted legend Dzhanyke-khanum was the head of the thousand-strong garrison of the cave city and died defending the city during the siege. Tokhtamysh-Khan erected a mausoleum at the site of his daughter’s death.
There are also the real story of this woman. There is less pathos and lyricism in it, but it is more clear from it how this woman has earned respect for herself. And this is the story.
The owner of Kyrk-Ora, Khan of Kirkelsky Hadzhibek, being a vassal of the Golden Horde, married his daughter Togaybek to the Golden Horde Khan Tokhtamysh. She became his third wife, and from this marriage was born Dzhanyke (Nanykedzhan). Around 1397, Tokhtamysh Khan married his young daughter to the emir of the White Horde, the founder of the Nogai Horde, Edygea . He was predicted to have a great future. But Edygei, Tokhtamysh’s hope and support, betrayed his loving father-in-law, going over to the side of his father-in-law’s former patron, Timur. In a fit of rage, Tokhtamysh killed his equally beloved Togaybek, Dzhanyke’s mother.
The matured Dzhanyke made a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1416 with a magnificent retinue and became a famous person in the Muslim world (yes, nothing changes, friends, under the Moon: “light up” on time in a cult place - and you are a star, as they say). In 1420, the son of Tokhtamysh and beloved brother of Dzhanyke, Kady-Berdy-Khan led troops through Itil (Volga) to Edygei. The battle took place on the river. Yaik. Both commanders did not return from the battlefield.
Dzhanyke-khanym remains the eldest in the Tokhtamysh family, thereby gaining independence and political weight, as they would say now. But she did not fight for power in the Horde, but, being the ruler of Kyrk-Ora, used her political influence to ensure that the Crimean ulus of the Golden Horde became an independent state. Without claiming power, she far-sightedly supported Hadji-Girey, who became the founder of the Crimean Khanate, the ancestor of the Girey dynasty, who moved his residence from Solkhat to Kyrk-Or. Here, in the capital of the newly created Crimean Khanate, Dzhanyke-Khanum died at the age of more than fifty years in 1437. She was buried with the honors of the great empress.
This is the story we heard in the silence of the vaults of her mausoleum. But our tourist group did not disturb the peace of this lady in any way: the clearing and opening of the crypt carried out in 1940 established that the tomb had been destroyed more than once, so no burial was found in it.
So much for the role of personality in history. And the role of a Muslim wife in the history of an entire city. So, there are women in all villages...
Meanwhile the rain subsided. And we went further to explore Chufut-Kale. Fortunately, the road that led further allowed this to be done - above the roadway along which the muddy stream was rushing, there was a normal sidewalk! Take an example, mayors of modern cities!
Soon an arch appeared in front of us. This arch is located in the middle defensive wall.
The wall divides the city into old and new. Well, okay. that all this is conditional.
On the right you can again see some well-preserved building. This is Firkovich's estate. Comrade Abraham Firkovich was a famous Karaite historian and archaeologist.
Firkovich lived here until the mid-19th century, and after him the caretaker of Chufut-Kale lived here.
You can look behind the wall and there is such a wonderful view.
Well, the real surprise of this day was a musical break for us in one of the stone dungeons:
We went down there as a group, drawn by the sounds of gentle music... It seemed as if this cunning spirit of the dungeon was luring us into its possessions. But everything turned out to be much more interesting: in the underground room we were met by a handsome guy with an unusual guitar, from which he extracted such melodic sounds...
The acoustics in the room are perfect, oddly enough. Because actually this is the basement of one of the wealthy houses, albeit with three windows. We stand spellbound, listen to music, everyone thinks about their own. The energy of the place penetrates your thoughts. No fuss. Nothing superfluous in my head. Only thoughts about eternity...
Moreover, the view from the windows of this very basement is very impressive... And the basement itself is quite large, two-tiered.
It seems to me that they weren’t storing vegetables from the garden beds here... I can see it clearly: there are vessels with Crimean wine along the walls, and in the late afternoon, having quietly slipped away from all the household members, the owner of the house is sitting here with a couple of faithful friends and discussing the latest city news...
After walking around the dungeons, we climbed up.
Another tourist group was walking towards the mausoleum (apparently they were also waiting out the rain somewhere...) Well, after drinking hot tea with Crimean herbs from a thermos, we set off on the way back to the South Gate.
And there we also came across this unusual group of “tourists”:
But this couple lagged behind everyone:
Apparently they stayed late taking a “selfie” with the caves in the background)))
In general, Chufut-Kale impressed us. The place is, of course, very energetically charged. If it weren’t for the timing of the departure of the excursion bus, we would have wandered here longer.
Now our path lay in the Holy Dormition Cave Monastery.
Holy Dormition Cave Monastery.
So, the monastery is Orthodox. Again, there are several versions about the time of its founding. According to one version, it was founded on the border of the 8th and 9th centuries and was practically the center of Christianity in Crimea. At that time, Crimea was under Tatar influence, Christians had a very difficult time, they were oppressed in every possible way, and subjected to huge, unaffordable taxes. And they took refuge from this oppression in mountain crevices. Then for some time the monastery ceased its activities, but was revived in the 14th century. Having escaped defeat during the Turkish invasion, the Assumption Monastery became the residence of the Gothic metropolitans. However, the financial situation of the monastery was disastrous, which forced them to seek help from the Moscow Grand Dukes and Tsars. And since the 15th century
Others believe that the monastery appeared somewhere in the 15th century. But be that as it may, the Assumption Monastery was the main stronghold of the religious life of the Orthodox population of Crimea, from the 15th to the 18th century. He quite successfully survived the Russian-Turkish wars. During the Crimean War in 1854-1855, a hospital was located in the cells, pilgrims' house and other buildings of the monastery. Those who died from wounds were buried in the monastery cemetery.
But he was not saved from Soviet power. As the primary sources say, “in 1921 the monastery was closed, property was looted, and the monks were shot.” Who would doubt it... During the Patriotic War, a military hospital was placed on the territory of the Assumption Monastery, and after the war they opened a real mental hospital. And only in 1993 the monastery was revived again.
In order to see the monastery itself, you will have to work a little - there are steep stairs going up. But the view from there is quite decent:
We didn’t take any photos inside, it’s prohibited there. But I will describe it. The inside of the temple is very small. There are a lot of people. One stream goes up, inside the temple, the others down - to the exit. The main premises of the temple are small. I was struck by the ceiling of this small room: it is stone, and it is clear that it was diligently hewn, since it is all covered with some kind of special chisel. Right in the center, of course, is the iconostasis, and behind it is the altar. And if you look to the right, there is a small room where there is an icon of the Mother of God of Bakhchisarai, called Panagia.
People entered there one by one, stood silently at the icon and silently left. And right there, at the exit from the room, a nimble granny sat and approached every (!) person with a request for a donation. Honestly, it bothered me. If she were sitting silently, or somewhere already on the descent, and you look - it wouldn’t be like that... I can’t find the right word... Deliberately, or something... And so, a man comes out, immersed in his thoughts, and here he’s in the way - give it to the temple! I was somehow offended by such straightforwardness... Or am I too sensitive?
In general, I was more impressed by the external appearance of the monastery. Overhanging stone cornices, icons painted directly on the rocks... This was the last shooting point. We take a couple of photos (and we don’t have time for more). And we head back to the parking lot of our bus.
There is also a parking lot for numerous cars, a cafe and even a hotel.
And we have prudently ordered lunch at one of these cafes. Which is already ready for our return. We wish ourselves a pleasant appetite (and we have no problems with this after a 3-hour walk in the rain!) and start eating
We set off on the return journey full and satisfied. The bus rides smoothly, the guide talks... I fall asleep.
In general, let's summarize this excursion. Chufut-Kale is definitely worth seeing. The climb up the mountain is not that scary (afterwards it seemed like an easy walk to me), but it’s probably not worth going up there with very young children. Although children are also different...
The impression I got about the monastery was somehow based on a residual principle. Well, if you consider that we also watched it in the morning, then this is understandable - there is an emotional overload.
But in general, Crimea continued to surprise, captivate us with its beauty and... Stop. More on this in the following posts. On this note I will end my story.
See you on the blog!
The cave city of Chufut-Kale is located near the city of Bakhchisarai, at a distance of 2.8 km. The Chufut-Kale fortress is located at an altitude of 600 meters above sea level. Three of the four approaches to the fortress are sheer cliffs.
Geographic coordinates of Chufut-Kale on the map of Crimea GPS N 44.741298, E 33.920656
Getting to Chufut-Kale is very easy from Bakhchisaray, there are signs from almost anywhere in the city, but even if you don’t pay attention to them, from the center towards the outskirts of the city move along Lenin Street to Staroselskaya Street. Continuing to move towards the outskirts of the city along Staroselskaya Street, you will come across a wide road paved with stones, in places with pieces of laid asphalt, move along it for about 600 meters and you will reach the rocky Assumption Monastery, from the monastery the road moves into the mountains.
There are two ways to get to the Chufut-Kale fortress: either on foot or by going up in jeeps from Bakhchisarai. Both options are good in their own way. By jeep you will visit more places. Driving along a mountain ridge, narrow rocky roads and stunning views are guaranteed. Going up on foot, you can visit the Assumption Monastery, and if from the monastery you take a little right along the road towards Chufut-Kale, you will come to an ancient cemetery, the place is a little creepy, but leaves impressions of its antiquity and architectural forms.
Then the road will move up at a slight angle. At an average speed of 2-3 km per hour, you will reach the top in 30 minutes in quite good condition.
Name Chufut-Kale appeared in the 17th century and is translated as “Jewish Fortress”. They began to call it Jewish because of the Karaites who inhabited these places. According to many historians and the Karaites themselves, their roots come from the Jews.
The history of the Fortress supposedly began in the 5th century AD, with the settlement of Fulla, which is often mentioned in Byzantine archives and chronicles. But learned historians have not determined a definite date.
The Alans are considered the founders of the cave city of Chufut-Kale, but this is contradicted by their reluctance to build and settle down. Most likely, the Alan tribes captured someone’s fortified cave city, but history has not conveyed such information to us.
From the 10th to the 14th centuries, the cave city of Chufut-Kale gradually turned into a fortress, a fortress wall and defensive structures appeared.
In the 15th century, the city was already almost 80% populated by Karaites due to the fact that in the Crimean Khanate they were allowed to settle only in a small number of places.
In 1532, not far from Chufut-Kale, Khan Sahib Geray built a new khan's residence, which was called Bakhchisarai. Since then, the fortified city of Chufut-Kale began to lose its relevance; if not for the Khan’s decree on the place of residence of the Karaites, it might have been empty immediately.
In 1783, the Crimean Peninsula became part of the Russian Empire and the Chufut-Kale fortress began to empty. By the end of the 19th century, the fortress was completely deserted, the Karaites settled throughout Crimea, and the defensive properties of the fortress almost in the center of Crimea lost their necessity.
Visit to Chufut-Kale quite interesting, the whole city is practically carved into stone, into the rock, in two, and sometimes three, floors. The fortified city had two entrances, natural defenses on three sides and a man-made wall on the fourth. Inside the city there were many buildings, armories, warehouses, a mosque, barracks for the garrison and living quarters. A small palace was built and for many years the mint of the Crimean Khanate was located here. There was also a school and a small food market in Chufut-Kale.
At the beginning of the 15th century, a moat appeared, due to trends from the west. The effectiveness of the moat was highly questionable, but like a real Fortress, this attribute gave it a more imposing appearance.
Chufut-Kale is one of the oldest, its geographical proximity to often combines these two attractions into one excursion: first, then the climb to the rocky Assumption Monastery and the last effort the climb to the fortified city of Chufut-Kale.
Some of the most ancient and little-studied sights of Crimea. Most of the cave cities of the peninsula are located in the Bakhchisarai region, starting from the village of Skalistoe, towards Sevastopol. The founding of cities occurred at the end of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Byzantine Empire. Colonization of Crimea began in the 7th century BC by the ancient Greeks, who came from the city of Miletus. One of the first settlements was the city of Kerch (Pantikapaea).
Further, small settlements began to form along the eastern coast of Crimea, along the southern and western coasts. Gradually, the cities grew larger and richer, which led to increased confrontation between the nomadic tribes and the Greeks. Attacks on Greek cities most often passed through the area of present-day Bakhchisarai, which is why, starting from the 3rd century AD, small guard posts began to appear in the Bakhchisarai area, which over the centuries began to grow into large settlements, powerful fortresses and good fortifications.
Given the mountainous terrain of central Crimea and the very malleable rock material, fortresses were mainly built on high ground, and houses were carved out of stone. There is also an opinion that the Greeks did not cut out most of the caves, but occupied earlier caves made over several thousand years by primitive people. Proof of this version was the discovery of the Kiik-Koba cave at the beginning of the 20th century, in the vicinity of Simferopol. There are over 20 cave cities in Crimea that are known today. Eight survive in relatively good condition.
The former capital of the kingdom of Theodoro, in Crimea. The Kingdom of Theodoro was formed in 1140 and lasted until 1475. The first settlements on Mangup-Kala appeared 4 thousand years ago, as evidenced by archaeological excavations in these places. The first large settlement on Mangup-Kale appeared in the 6th century AD, but it flourished in the 13th - 15th centuries. It is the ruins of this period that can be seen today. Mangup-Kale is located near the village of Khoja-Sala, in the Bakhchisarai region. The cost of visiting the open-air museum is 100 rubles. in summer, free in winter. .
Chufut - Kale
Chufut - Kale is the most famous cave city of Crimea. The popularity of this place is directly related to its geographical proximity to Bakhchisaray and the large number of attractions near it. Perhaps the most famous are the Khan's Palace and the Assumption Cave Monastery.
Until the beginning of the 15th century, Chufut-Kale was the capital of the Crimean Khanate, but with the advent of the city of Bakhchisarai, the importance of Chufut-Kale rapidly fell and by the beginning of the 19th century, the city was practically deserted. But until the beginning of the 20th century, people still lived in the city, and for this reason Chufut-Kale was best preserved of all the cave cities of Crimea. Today Chufut-Kale operates as a museum and is located 2.8 km from Bakhchisarai. Read more about.
Tepe - Kermen
A visit to Tepe-Kermen is often combined with a visit to Chufut-Kale. If you leave Chufut-Kale towards the eastern gate, then after a few kilometers you can get to Tepe-Kermen along the path.
Tepe-Kermen was founded in the 4th-5th centuries as an advanced post of the Chufut-Kale fortress, but by the 6th century it had become a relatively small city in central Crimea. Tepe-Kermen began to be overgrown with stone fortifications, and the fertile valleys and abundance of sunshine brought large harvests of grapes. Quite quickly the city became one of the key subsidiary farms of Chufut-Kale. The city flourished in the 11th-13th centuries. The population of the city has increased significantly, and the geography of trade has already reached the size of Crimea. Read more about.
Eski - Kermen
The list of the largest and most preserved cave cities of Crimea is completed by Eski-Kermen. The city is located near the village of Zalesnoye, in the Bakhchisarai region. On the territory of the city, cave houses and the remains of a cave temple are well preserved. A visit to Eski - Kermen is best done in the summer. Unlike the cave cities described above, the road to Eski-Kermen is greatly eroded from autumn to spring and walking along it is quite difficult. Read more about.
Kachi - Kalyon
Kachi-Kalyon today is better known not as a cave city, but as a cave monastery. And there are several reasons for this: firstly, the cave monastery of Kachi-Kalyon was abandoned much later than most monasteries in cave cities, and secondly, it was the cave monastery of Kachi-Kalyon, one of the best preserved in its original form. Kachi-Kalyon, like practically all the cave cities of Crimea, was founded during Byzantine times, but life in it stopped a little later. Read more about.
Cave city of Bakla
The cave city of Bakla is located near Simferopol, in the village of Pochtovoye. The city of Bakla, unlike other cave cities, was built and inhabited in tiers. The city, today, is poorly preserved, but still the two tiers are quite clearly visible and you can still see the preserved caves and find the remains of ancient buildings and defensive structures. Read more about.
Syuren Fortress
Kalamita Fortress
The Kalamita fortress is located in the suburbs of Sevastopol, in the city of Inkerman. The fortress was built several decades before the invasion of the Golden Horde and stood for a relatively short time. But the caves of this fortress are today its main wealth.
Under the walls of the fortress there is a cave monastery, founded in 92 AD, by the 4th Pope, a disciple of the Apostle Peter, Saint Clement. The monastery is active today and receives pilgrims and guests of the peninsula. More about and about.
Today, the cave cities of Crimea, are again becoming one of the most visited attractions in Crimea, and this is facilitated by the development of hiking and cycling tourism in Crimea. More and more people are interested in the history of Crimea and strive not only to swim in the warm Black Sea, but also to learn about the life of our ancestors, walk along mountain trails and visit as many different places as possible.
Cave cities of Crimea on the mapGreetings, friends!
Do you know that when you come to Crimea, you get the opportunity to travel back many centuries and feel like a real resident of an ancient settlement?
No, this is not participation in the crowd for a historical film, not cheap decorations with mummers extorting payment for photos, this is a real, albeit long-abandoned Chufut-Kale cave city.
As our journey progresses, I will answer many questions, including who advised the inhabitants of the fortified city to dig caves instead of building with stone, what could be What Karaites have in common with Jews , and when they left the deserted city.
Well, let's start with the most important thing - how, when, why and for whom entire cities were created in such inaccessible places and how people lived there.
It is not known for certain when the first cave settlement appeared high above the green valley. According to scientists and researchers, people have inhabited these places since the 5th century. The found burial grounds belonging to the Alan tribes seem to confirm this theory, but this is not certain - the debate about this is still ongoing.
We can say with confidence that the ancient people did not just climb onto the rocks and equip their home there. The time was turbulent; endless bloody conquests of neighboring lands were a traditional matter.
The steppe nomads especially loved this event - to snatch a good piece from the peaceful and hard-working population, kill and take the inhabitants into slavery.
But there is another version, according to which, the advantageous location and relief of the stone plateau was used as a defensive object by the Byzantines, who built their structures here approximately in the years 500-600.
Maybe this is where he stood the mysterious city of Fulla , which our scientists cannot find in any way, and the chronicles do not say where exactly it was located.
History and fate of the settlement
But no matter how the tribes defended their city, it periodically passed from one people to another. Life, politics and names changed.
So, during the Mongol-Tatars’ possession of this area, the city was called Kyrk-Er. In 1299, the Horde, under the leadership of Emir Nogai, entered this land, having previously plundered the previous settlement.
Then the cave city developed and became the center of the principality, although under the subordination of the Crimean yurt Golden Horde . After the collapse of the latter and the formation of the Crimean Khanate, Kyrk-Er became the residence of Haji 1 Giray.
Mengli 1 Giray moved the capital of the khanate to another place - Salachik, in modern times the village of Staroselye. Most of the inhabitants left the cave city and went to the new capital. Only the unwanted Karaites and Krymchaks remained in the impregnable settlement.
Judean city on the rock
There was no special love for the Karaites, as representatives of another religion. When the Khan's people moved to the valley, the Karaites were forbidden to leave the cave city for free settlement.
It was then that the current name was born - Chufut-Kale, as "Jewish fortress" Although the Karaites, according to some theories, came from the Khazar and Polovtsian tribes, they at one time adopted the “religion of the Jews”, had an ancient Hebrew dialect, but at the same time did not consider themselves to be part of this nation.
After the annexation of Crimea to Russia, Karaites were allowed to live outside their city. But only at the end of the 19th century. Chufut-Kale was abandoned by the last inhabitants.
What's happening there now
It must be said that until recently, the caretaker’s family lived in the abandoned city. And it’s amazing how well Chufut-Kale has survived to this day. Now this area is a nature reserve and a cultural heritage site.
You can visit the cave city all year round, which is what numerous curious tourists and Crimeans do.
Where is Chufut-Kale
Why is the cave city interesting?
As you already understand, Chufut-Kale is a very ancient city, with a complete (you will even be surprised how much) structure. It is difficult to imagine how and under what conditions the builders and craftsmen of that time carried out their work.
Buildings on the ground appeared later. Initially, all the rooms were carved out of the rocks.
Each people living here made their own adjustments. Their own temples were created - Christian, Muslim, Karaite, fortress walls were rebuilt, roads were laid, the city grew and was replenished with new buildings.
Under the Khan's rule, for example, casemates appeared here, where prisoners were kept in the most terrible and harsh conditions.
And many noble people were captured - Prince Romodanovsky, Lithuanian Ambassador Lez, Russian Ambassador V. Gryaznoy, Hetman Pototsky, governor and favorite of the Tsar Sheremetev spent more than 20 years in this dungeon.
They demanded ransom for them, sometimes with such impossible conditions as give up Astrakhan and Kazan.
There are a lot of ruins in Chufut-Kale, and ancient above-ground structures can only be seen from the outside.
Walk through the streets of a “dead” city
So, you go on your own or with an excursion to the Southern (main) gate of Chufut-Kale. The impregnable wall, behind which a view of the city opens, has withstood more than one brutal siege.
The city itself is divided by a defensive wall with an arch into old and new. In the old city you will come to a square, on the sides of which there are various structures - a stone well, the ruins of a Christian temple and mosque, and other buildings.
The Karaites lived, so to speak, in a separate quarter. They were engaged in crafts and farming.
The large stone house of the famous Karaite chronicler, scientist and traveler Firkovich is well preserved.
The city had its own mint, printing house, and various craft shops. Many cave rooms are outbuildings where supplies were stored, some work was done, livestock was kept, but in dangerous moments, stone labyrinths became a shelter for city residents.
What to pay attention to
Among the many ruins there are also well-preserved structures.
- Mausoleum of Janike-Khanym, where Takhtamysh’s beloved daughter was buried. But the story of her death or natural death is interpreted differently. The guide can tell you three versions!
- Big and Small Kenassa . Karaite houses of worship;
- Siege well Tik-Kuyu - an amazingly well-thought-out underground structure designed to collect, settle and store water. You can read about it in detail in my article
Despite the bustling life in the cave city, the streets are perfectly preserved. By the way, when it rains, all the water flows down the road, and you can safely walk along the stone sidewalk, which is slightly elevated.
You can wander through the streets of the city, look into cells, and think about the meaning of life on observation platforms all day long, if you are not tied to a guide and a group.
What else to see in Chufut-Kale
On the side of the Eastern Gate, which leads to the Karaite part of the city, there is Jehosophat Valley.
And across the road, deep into the forest, you can come across an ancient Karaite cemetery – the place is extremely atmospheric. In the darkness of dense thickets, without any paths or paths, one can see rickety, intact and dilapidated tombstones, overgrown with soft emerald moss.
There were windmills and bathhouse complexes in the city, but, unfortunately, they have not survived. But the pools carved out of stone to collect rainwater, combat and living cave rooms with cut-out staircases will remind us for many centuries of the once-existing city of Chufut-Kale.
A word to visitors: reviews
Imagine, there is not a single negative review! An amazing place where the history and fate of many peoples are intertwined, leaving no one indifferent.
A dead, dilapidated city on a high plateau, with magnificent views, attracts not only tourists, but also scientists, archaeologists, as well as lovers of mysticism and esotericism.
Among the disadvantages, it was noted: the peculiarity of the landscape is a difficult walk along the mountain slopes, broken roads, and a cooler weather atmosphere, wind is possible.
And, if you don’t want to be limited in time, then choose an independent excursion or a hike with experienced guide, and I’ll tell you how to get there and return below.
Information for visitors
The official website says that visit carried out from 9.00 to 18.00. The ticket office closes 1 hour earlier. And it is written in red and white that without hats and a supply of drinking water, entry into Chufut-Kale is strictly prohibited!
So at the checkout, please present your hat and bottle. Well, not with beer, of course!
There is an entrance fee and tickets can be purchased at the South and East Gates.
Price adult and child tickets: 200/100 rubles.
They took pity on pensioners, but not as much as on students - 150 rubles. They could have let them in for free. I don't think many of our pensioners will climb this hill.
Official site: handvorec.ru(one for two with ).
How to get there yourself
On foot
If you get there on your own, then first you need to purchase a ticket to Bakhchisarai. Then from the bus station take bus number 2 to the stop "Staroselye" .
But you can use any other route transport, having previously found out whether it will reach this stop. It's at least an hour's walk from the stop.
Further signs will guide you, and there is only one road to Chufut-Kale. As I already said, on the way is located cave monastery – a place that captivates even non-religious visitors. You can plan a visit to it before or after the excursion to Chufut-Kale.
From the monastery it’s another half hour uphill. It is better to have a mobile device with maps.me maps.
Where can I get them? — Download from the Play Market application. How to use them correctly? - Look Here.
By transport
By car from Bakhchisarai to Chufut-Kale it takes 10-15 minutes.
You need to move along the following streets: Zhdanova, Lenina, Skalistaya. Either have a map at hand or use the coordinates for the navigator.
You leave the car before entering the territory of the Assumption Monastery for 100 rubles before the evening and walk for another 30-40 minutes, depending on your performance characteristics.
You can, of course, use the services of a taxi or local auto guides, who clearly lie in wait for tourists in Bakhchisarai at every corner.
Or immediately ask to be a crew member of one of professional jeepers. They will take you on a more scenic route through the valley.
Good to know
Chufut-Kale is not an embankment, be sure to wear closed and comfortable shoes and comfortable clothes. There is no place to buy water there, stock up in advance.
It is better not to go there with small children, there are still dangerous slopes, climbs, cliffs, and holes. Although schoolchildren are ahead of everyone and you are unlikely to catch up with them.
I'll wrap it up here, I think you'll soon see everything for yourself. If you want to prepare for the hike visually, here is help cavetowns.crimea.com
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One of the largest cave settlements, Chufut-Kale, is located just three kilometers from the Bakhchisarai Palace. Presumably this medieval city arose in the 5th-6th centuries as a Byzantine fortification. Its proximity to Bakhchisaray makes it one of the most visited tourist places on the peninsula.
History of Chufut-Kale
The city is located on the small Burunchak plateau and is surrounded by deep gorges. The natural landscape and fortress walls ensured the safety of the settlement; getting here was very difficult. The only way was a mountain path that connected the inhabitants with the rest of the world.
The first inhabitants of the caves were the Alans, a powerful Sarmatian tribe and allies of Byzantium, who settled in the mountainous Crimea. Mentions of settlements in these places have been found in written sources since the 13th century. The fortress on the impregnable mountain was known under the Turkish name Kirk-Or. In 1299, hordes of the Tatar emir Nogai raided the peninsula, and Kyrk-Or, along with other cities, was destroyed. The Tatars stayed in the city for a long period, placing a military detachment here.
A new stage in the life of the city began in the 14th century, when Karaites settled on the eastern side of the fortifications and erected a second row of fortress walls. Under them, Kyrk-Or became a major trade and craft center. And from the middle of the 15th to the beginning of the 16th century, Kyrk-Or became the first residence of the Crimean khans and was called Kyrk-Yer.
After the capital of the Crimean Khanate was moved to Bakhchisarai, only Karaites remained in the fortress, under them the settlement grew, and its eastern part began to be called Yany-Kale, which means “new fortress,” and the ancient part is Eski-Kale, which means “old fortress.” According to one version, the whole city then began to be called Juft-Kale, which means “Twin Fortress”, this name was transformed into the current Chufut-Kale. There is also a version that Juft-Kale meant a Jewish fortress, since the Karaites were of the Jewish faith.
By the end of the 19th century, after the Karaites left these places, Chufut-Kale was deserted.
Before the revolution, temples operated in the fortress, holidays of the Karaite community were celebrated, and prayer services were held. The houses were kept in order and the dead were buried in the family cemetery. Until the 20s of the 20th century, a caretaker, watchmen and several families lived in the city.
Fortress today
The cave city of Chufut-Kale is one of the most interesting monuments on the peninsula. Since the 20th century, many writers and artists visited the fortress, among them was Ivan Kramskoy. The artist saw landscapes in the desert area of Chufut-Kale that reminded him of Palestine. And Vladimir Nabokov, having visited these places, wrote: “I saw a dead city: the pits of former dungeons, deaf temples, the silent hill of Chufutkale... I saw the blessed shine of heaven, the flinty path, and the humble monastery, and ancient cells in the rock.”
To this day, four-tiered battle caves connected by internal passages have been preserved at the Southern Gate of the city. Caves-cellars, water pipes, remains of city blocks, defensive walls and temples were also discovered. Buildings from different periods have been preserved, among them: the mausoleum of Janike Khanum, daughter of Khan Tokhtamysh; the remains of the Khan's palace, mosque and mint; a rich estate with economic caves Chaush-Kobasy, a residential estate of the 19th century, which belonged to the Karaite historian A. Firkovich.
In addition to being a historical monument, Chufut-Kale is also interesting as a unique natural site, where architecture merges with miraculous cave labyrinths. From the plateau, which is reached by a winding road, there is a stunning view of the nature of the Crimean peninsula.
