Kalos Limen: the history of the walled city
The fate of the Kalos Limen fortress can be safely called tragic. The fortified settlement arose approximately in the 4th century. BC e. It was built by members of the Greek Ionian tribe, who arrived in Crimea with the aim of seizing land. The colonialists liked the place on the shores of the "beautiful harbor" in the northwest Crimean peninsula, which gave such a romantic name to the city they built.
At the end of the IV century. BC e. the fortress, unable to withstand the attackers, falls under the sphere of influence of Tauric Chersonesos. In the III century. BC e. the settlement began to storm the Scythians. Local residents significantly strengthened Kalos Limen with the help of additional fortifications, but they did not manage to hold back the advance. Longtime enemies became the owners of the policy from the II century. BC e.
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| The Corner Tower and the Kalos Limen soldiers' barracks on the reconstruction sketch |
The further fate of the fortress is connected with the foreign policy activities of Tauric Chersonesos. After the Chersonesians asked for military assistance from the Pontic kings, Kalos Limen was recaptured from the Scythians by the army of Diophantus. The victory did not bring anything good to the settlement. Being a part of Tauric Chersonesos, it gradually begins to decline.
1st century BC e. - I century. n. e. - this is another period in the history of Kalos-Limen as part of the Scythian kingdom. It ends with the destruction of the settlement after the invasion of the Sarmatians.
Kalo Limen (distorted name) was last recalled in Italian maps XIII-XIV centuries. It is known that in the 18th century, a Russian redoubt was located near the Uzkaya Bay, and later - the structure of the border cordon.
Architectural features of the Kalos Limen settlement
Kalos Limen stood on 4 hectares of territory on the coast of the bay. A fortress wall was erected around the city. This fortification was complemented by towers with right angles. There were huge gates inside the fortress.
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| North gate of Kalos Limen, through it brought fallen warriors into the city |
North watchtower ruins Kalos Limen |
With the growth of the Scythian-Sarmatian threat, the strengthening strengthens. Then a multi-tower citadel appears. Archaeologists have discovered a 16-meter lighthouse tower, from which the Kalos-Limenians controlled the entrance to the bay with the help of stone throwers. In the basement compartment of this building, the locals stored food that could be used in the event of a siege of the fortress. A little later, the tower was reinforced with a stone wall.
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The principle of building up the settlement practically did not differ from that which was taken during the construction of Tauric Chersonesos. Throughout Kalos Limen there was a central street, covered with strong tamped crumb, and carts drove along it. Their traces can be seen on a stone slab near the entrance to the fortress. There was a drain running through the city. The neat architectural style of the Greeks is very different from that which was later used by the Scythians. The barbarians never learned to build as the people of Greece did.
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There was an agricultural district around the settlement. Scientists managed to determine its radius - 2 km. The land plots included in the choir were approximately the same. Each of them occupied 9 hectares of land. Houses or towers were erected on the plots. Those farmers who, apparently, were not afraid of the enemy, attached farm yards to their dwellings.
From the very beginning of the existence of the polis, its inhabitants were engaged in agriculture, and later trade and handicraft became the main activities of the Kalos-Limenians.
Fortress Kalos Limen in our time
The location of the Kalos-Limen settlement was unknown for a long time. Ancient travelers wrote a lot about it, but scientists still could not determine the territory on which the policy was located. The clue for the discovery of this historical monument was a clearly man-made hill, which later turned out to be a 16-meter tower covered with earth. Excavations of the Kalos Limen settlement began in 1929. Since then, archaeologists have found the remains of the fortress walls, towers, a citadel, ruins of houses and soldiers' barracks.
1987 was marked by the opening of the Kalos Limen Museum of History and Local Lore, which already then was in the center of the Chernomorskoye village.
Since 1997, the historical and archaeological reserve "Kalos Limen" has been operating on the site of the fortress. Its activity today is difficult to imagine without the Black Sea Museum of History and Local Lore, which houses an exposition of artifacts found during excavations.
Today the complex is called: Historical and Archaeological Museum-Reserve "Kalos Limen".
Where is Kalos Limen located and how to get there?
The ruins of Kalos Limen are located 140 kilometers from Simferopol. The distance between the fortress is half the distance. Regular buses and minibuses run from both cities. You will have to spend 1.5 - 3 hours on the way.
The ruins of an ancient fortress are located on a land plot near the Uzkaya Bay (Tarkhankut), which is adjacent to the village of Chernomorskoye. This is Naberezhnaya street. You need to go along the asphalt road to the sea. You do not need an admission ticket to see what remains of Kalos Limena. You can touch its buildings absolutely free.
The museum is located in the center of the Black Sea settlement, at the address: Revolution Street, 8.
INLIGHT
Like all the sights of the Crimean Peninsula, antique city Kalos Limen, on the site of which the village of Chernomorsky is now located, keeps many historical secrets. Researchers of the Crimean cultural values until now reveal the mysteries associated with the existence of this ancient Greek settlement.
The importance of Kalos Limen is evidenced by the fact that references to it are preserved by the works of such famous ancient authors as Herodotus and Flavius Arrian. By the way, in Crimea there are ruins with a very similar name, but they are located much further south - above.
Kalos Limen Open Air Museum
The beginning of the existence of the Beautiful Harbor (this is the name of the city in translation from ancient Greek) dates back to the 4th century BC, and the decline of its history came in the 1st century AD. The settlement was created by the Ionian Greeks, and the Sarmatians destroyed.
The ancient center, surrounded by defensive walls with towers, was located on a large territory - more than 3 hectares. The wealth of Fine Harbor was based mainly on the development of agriculture.
Fertile lands and a favorable location of the city attracted the attention of many contenders for its capture. At first, these were the Chersonesos, who occupied the harbor at the end of the 4th century BC. e. Numerous raids of new potential invaders - Scythians and Sarmatians - forced its inhabitants to take care of strengthening defensive structures. For this purpose, a powerful citadel was erected. This is what her tower looked like:
And this is how it looks now:
It is known that in the basements of this 16-meter lighthouse, food supplies were stored in case of a state of siege, and on the upper floors there was a military checkpoint with stone-throwing guns, from where the entrance to the bay was clearly visible. Very similar towers can be seen in the settlements and.
In the II century BC. e. the city came under the control of the Scythians and soon became an important seaport.
The beautiful harbor changed hands several times as a result of hostilities. It was occupied either by the Greeks or by the Scythians, until the Sarmatians, who descended from the northern steppes, put an end to the history of the existence of the once bustling trade and craft center.
In order to popularize the valuable archaeological site in Crimea, on the site of the settlement, in 1997, a reserve was created, and ten years earlier - the Kalos Limen museum, it is a branch of the local museum of local lore. There, in the lapidarium, the main artifact of the ancient city is kept - a plate with Scythian petroglyphs (a people who allegedly did not have a written language). Until now, no one has been able to read them.
The name of this ancient Greek city, which was located on the coast of Crimea, translates as "Beautiful harbor". Archaeologists are still working on the remains of the ancient settlement, the main find of which was the ruins of a stone structure, somewhat reminiscent of a pyramid. Later, the origin of the mysterious ruins, which turned out to be a high defensive tower, was found out.
Historical landmark
Kalos Limen (Crimea) is the main attraction of the village of Chernomorskoye on the coast. this moment consists of an area where scientists are engaged in excavations, and the Museum of History and Local Lore.
Settlement history
Interestingly, no one knew the exact location of the city, about which ancient travelers so often wrote. For a long time, researchers could not figure out where the settlement was. And only the man-made hill that kept the ruins of the tower became a clue for archaeologists.
The first expeditions began their work in 1929 and continue to this day. Researchers of the ancient city found that the settlement with nice name was founded in the IV century BC by the Greeks who arrived to seize the land. They fell so much in love with the vast territory of about four hectares that they gave it such a poetic name.
The erected small settlement, which turned into a large polis, was surrounded by fortress walls, and all the land was distributed among the inhabitants as allotments on which estates or towers were erected.
The ancient city of Kalos Limen, which eventually came under the rule of Chersonesos, had a very favorable location. The convenient harbor, which was visited by foreign ships, and the fertile soils famous far beyond the borders of the polis, became the reason for the constant raids of stronger neighbors. It is believed that the period of independence of the settlement was very short.
Invader raids
With the emergence of the Late Scythian state, raids on Kalos Limen became more frequent, whose calm life turned into an eternal defense of its positions. Residents fortified defense lines and erected forts and fortresses to prevent looting greek city... However, this did not help much, and in the II century BC it was conquered by the Scythians, and the sea harbor turned into a demanded port of the invaders.
Destruction of the ancient settlement
It was at this time, according to historians, that the largest military operations began. The Pontic commander Diophantus, who arrived at the request of the besieged Chersonesos, seizes the Crimea and takes the ancient Kalos Limen from the Scythian rulers. The once blooming city is gradually falling into decay. Local residents leave it, and all buildings are covered with sand and slowly collapse. The famous harbor, which has become a large port and received warships and merchant ships, turns only into a shallow estuary.
But the policy suffered the most terrible losses in the 1st century BC after the invasion of the Sarmatian nomads, who destroyed it almost to the ground, leaving only the ruins of defensive fortresses and residential buildings.
Kalos Limen: description
The city, which stood on the coast of the bay, was surrounded on all sides by a fortress wall, supplemented by rectangular towers. As soon as the Scythians began to threaten the policy, local population strengthened the strengthening. A 16-meter tower is being erected, from the height of which, with the help of stone throwers, the path of the invaders was barred.
In addition, in the dark, it served as a beacon for merchant ships entering the local port. And the organized basement inside the building, where food supplies were stored, allowed the city to be in a long siege. After the attacks of the Scythians, the tower was surrounded by a stone belt, which gave it its shape. mysterious pyramids, and the building itself has turned into a real bastion that protects all approaches to the city from land.
Distinctive features
The remains of the fortress walls, on which the strikes from the battering rams are visible, are still being investigated by scientists. Through Kalos Limen there was a wide street, along which carts drove. She was the connecting link between the main gate and the harbor. There was a sidewalk along one side of it, and a gutter on the other.
Archaeologists note the neat style in the architecture of the immigrants of Hellas, which looked advantageous against the backdrop of the new Scythian buildings.
Agricultural lands stretched around the city, on which they worked locals who received nine hectares each. But gradually handicraft and trade are becoming the main activity of the population.
Organized Museum
Now the historical and archaeological museum-reserve "Kalos Limen", opened in 1987, attracts the attention of curious tourists who want to get to know the amazing ancient city with a tragic fate. The employees often conduct educational excursions about the ancient rituals of the settlement and its valiant struggle against the invaders.
What to see?
Not only part of the fortress wall has been perfectly preserved. You can see several towers that served as the protection of the gates, residential buildings that give a complete picture of the life of the population. Of great interest are the remains of brick walls with the tips of the Sarmatians firmly embedded in them.
Scythian buildings are the best preserved in the settlement, and their careless masonry testifies to the lack of construction skill inherent in the Greeks.
Far from the settlement, burial mounds were found, under the embankments of which there were cemetery crypts and ordinary graves. Scientists have found jewelry and weapons in them.
Kalos Limen (Black Sea) is a unique monument that stores artifacts that are of interest not only to scientists, but also to ordinary tourists. Rare finds helped to restore the historical picture telling about the life of the ancient city.
In the North-West Crimea there is no more ancient and interesting architectural monument than the ancient settlement of Kalos Limen. It is located on the shore of a calm bay, which is considered a sign of classical ancient settlements. Such a location gave several advantages to the inhabitants of the city: sea communications, protection from the coastal side and developed fishing industry.
Kalos Limen is located just 1.5 km from the popular resort - the village of Chernomorskoe. There are steppes around, and the bay in which ancient city, is called "Narrow". The attraction can be attributed to the riches of both the Black Sea and Tarkhankut.
The history of the formation of the fortress city
Kalos Limen was founded in the 4th century BC. Local lands attracted settlers - Greek Ionians. The rich black soil has been producing bountiful harvests for several centuries. The rapid development of the city led to the fact that neighboring peoples - the Scythians - learned about it. For a short time the city was subjected to devastating raids, after which it was forced to join Chersonesos for protection. Until the middle of the 3rd century, the inhabitants built a powerful fortress to protect themselves from the barbarians. The remains of this fortress now attract tourists visiting the Western Crimea.
Important! For the first time, an ancient city was found on archaeological site in 1929.
In the 2nd century, Chersonesos ceded the great settlement to the Scythians. However, by the middle of the century, Kalos Limen was annexed to the Bosporus kingdom. For 200 years, wars and constant devastation wore down the settlement, and it was deserted.
Archaeological excavations
Archaeologists who began excavations did not know the exact position ancient monument... However, after the discovery of a man-made hill, the remains of a 16-meter tower, which once guarded the settlement, were found in it.
In the center of the first excavations, a religious building was discovered that resembled a Scythian sanctuary. Not far from the sanctuary there is the eastern gate of the fortress... However, most of the ancient buildings are hidden under water - the result of natural changes in the landscape. Archaeologists believe that only 10% of what the site was more than 2500 years ago has been developed.
Museum of the settlement
In the halls of the sights, there are finds collected throughout Tarkhankut. But most of them belong to people from the ancient settlement. Ancient amphorae and vessels are the most massive artifacts, the oldest of which date back to the 4th century BC. e.
There is a hall of the Middle Ages, in which artifacts are kept - monuments from the times when the Black Sea was called Ak-Mechet. Tourists get acquainted with the unusual relics of the eras of the Crimean Khanate, as well as the Ottoman invasion.
There is an ethnography hall in the museum - it contains various exhibits of Russians, Crimean Tatars, Ukrainians and Bulgarians. Most of them date back to the 19th-20th centuries. Much attention is paid to the period of the Second World War; there is a separate hall with this name.
The military hall contains most of the historical documents about the underground and partisans of the Black Sea region. There is also a hall, unusual for Crimea, dedicated to the war in Afghanistan: photographs, soldiers' belongings.
They did not ignore the flora and fauna of the area: the hall contains photographs and man-made objects, including stuffed animals living on Tarkhankute... It is followed by a hall dedicated to the everyday life of Chernomorneftegaz employees.
A unique feature of each of the halls is sound accompaniment and video installations. For example, in the ancient Greek hall, you can hear the sounds of harps and the surf. Each room is distinguished by a unique interior, corresponding to the era. Some valuable exhibits were donated to the Moscow and St. Petersburg state museums.
How to get to the attraction?
The attraction is located 150 km from Simferopol, you can get to the settlement from the village of Chernomorskoye. Buses run to it from Evpatoria, the capital of Crimea and other resorts. From the village the path to the settlement is very close - it is located in one of the bays.
The Kalos Limen Museum is located in the village of Chernomorskoye, on the street. Revolution, 8. It occupies part of a building that used to belong to a hospital. You can get there by any bus that reaches the center of the town.
