List of attractions Bakhchisarai in Crimea

Crimea is one of those places where you need to plan a rest. It’s physically impossible to see the entire peninsula in a week, so first of all think about what type of holiday you like and what you want to see. This article presents the main attractions of the city of Bakhchisarai in the Crimea. We hope this will help you determine the choice of direction.

Holidays in the Crimea every year is becoming more popular. It is worth considering what the peninsula so attracts tourists. Rest in Crimea has the following advantages:

• developed transport infrastructure;
• competent pricing, allowing the tourist to rest in the Crimea is cheaper than on familiar destinations, such as Turkey and Egypt, without losing comfort;
• mild continental climate, without temperature changes;
• Diversified recreation - in Crimea, every tourist will find a suitable type of recreation, whether it is a quiet and relaxing pastime on the beach or in sanatoriums, sightseeing or active pastime for lovers of extreme recreation.

Of course, like any direction, rest in the Crimea is not without drawbacks. The main drawback noted by many tourists is the quality of service. Many tourists underline the perseverance of taxi drivers, screaming vied with each other in order to get a client. Sellers, taxi drivers, waiters can cheat tourists. The second serious drawback is infrastructure. Tourists complain that the canopies on the beaches, the stairs leading to the beach, have remained since Soviet times. To walk to the beach along a broken boulevard without lighting is the norm for small coastal cities.

One of the areas in which all the above-mentioned advantages are successfully combined is the small town of Bakhchisarai, located in the South-Western part of Crimea. In modern Bakhchisarai it is conditionally possible to distinguish the Old Town and the New Town.

Tourists must visit Old townin which the sights are located. This city is glorified by many poets - A. Akhmatova, A. S. Pushkin, and other great poets dedicated their timelines to this beautiful city.

One of the main attractions of the city, which gave it a name, is the Khan Palace (barn). Bakhchisarai in Turkic means “palace of gardens”. The exact date of construction of the residence of the Crimean Khans is unknown.

According to historians, the Khan-Sarai was built at the turn of the XV and XVI centuries. The construction of the palace was begun during the reign of Khan Haji-Giray. According to the legend, the place of residence was not chosen by chance - during a walk along the river the son of Khan noticed the fighting snakes. The losing, severely wounded snake dived into the water and climbed out on the other side of the river, healthy and strong again. Khan decided that it was a good sign to build a palace on the bank of this river. In memory of this event, a cut-out image of two fighting snakes is located above the entrance to the palace.

The Khan's palace served as the residence of the Crimean khans until the end of the 8th century and for several centuries it underwent a significant number of changes, both in terms of the appearance of the buildings and the internal contenttherefore, he cannot “tell” us the whole history of his magnificent past. In its original form, planned according to the builders' plan, the residence was burned after the city was captured by troops of Field Marshal Munnich in 1736.

At the moment, the area of ​​the estate of the Crimean Khans is about 5 hectares. In this area there are several palace buildings, a harem, the Khan mosque Biyuk-han-Jami, the family cemetery of the Girey clan, the Sokolinaya Tower, several official buildings (most often guided tours to the Divan Hall) and inner courtyards. In the courtyards are numerous fountains - some of them were designed to collect water; others used for ablution before prayer (for example, you can see the famous Golden Fountain near the entrance to the small Khan's mosque).

But especially attracts tourists The Tears Fountain, also known as the Celebulance. The second name of the fountain is associated with the inscription on its bottom. According to the Koran, Selsebil is a paradise source that quenches the thirst of the faithful who died for the Koran. For the sake of this fountain, many travelers and visit the palace of Khan.

At the present time, the Fountain of Tears is located in the fountain yard, but initially it was located at the gazebo of the main building of the palace or at the tomb walls of one of Khan Gerey's concubines - Dilara Bikech.

There are many beautiful legends about the creation of this fountain, but perhaps one of the most romantic stories that gives a special charm to this place, this fountain was built in memory of the beautiful Dilara - the beloved of Khan Kiram-Geray. Apart from the name of the girl, historians, unfortunately, know little: the inscription “Bikech” sheds a little light on Dilyara’s mausoleum. For the wives of Khan there were many titles, for example, Hani, Khanum and others.

According to the legends, a bag was brought to the fierce khan, when it was opened, a girl appeared in front of the khan, beautiful as a rose. Khan's heart trembled - Khan fell in love with Dilyara at first glance. However, Khan's happiness was short. The beautiful concubine died suddenly, under one version - being eaten by homesickness, and on the other - a jealous rival from the harem poisoned Dilara. Deeply grieving for the untimely love that had passed away, Kyrym-Gerai buried her beloved with the highest respect, having erected a mausoleum over her grave and attached a fountain to it.

Fountain strikes the art of carving. On the cold surface of marble carved beautiful flowers and fruits in vases, symbolizing the Garden of Eden. In the upper part of the fountain, a five-petalled flower is carved, resembling the shape of eyes, and below it there are several bowls filled with water. All this tells us about the tragedy and its significance - the sorrow is so great that the stone wept tears.

But historians have many questions - if the khan really loved her so much, why didn’t he transfer Dilyara to wife status. In addition to Dilara, at least three more concubines were buried separately (their crypts are also preserved to this day), but why they were honored with separate crypts, and not slaughtered with all the servants. In 1824 Pushkin's poem A. S. “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai” was published, providing fame to this place - and to this day the romantic legend about the creation of the fountain attracts artists, poets and lovers, and in the upper part of the fountain in memory of the great poet lie red and white roses.

In 1917, a museum was founded on the territory of the courtyard complex - the basis of the collection was the interior and everyday objects of the palace.. In 1925, the "cave cities" became branches of the museum, which will be discussed below.

Among the cliffs, hiding from the bustle of the outside world in rich vegetation, in the gorge of St. Mary is located the Holy Dormition Monastery. It is one of the main attractions of the Crimea. The reason for this is the story of the appearance of the temple in this place.

According to one legend, a shepherd drove a flock of sheep to a pasture located near the mountains. At sunset one of the days, gathering back to the settlement, the shepherd noticed an unusual glow in the mountains. Having decided to find out what caused this phenomenon, the shepherd scrambled up on the rocks and froze, shaken - he was presented with the not-made image of the Mother of God.

The agitated shepherd hurried back to the village and told the residents and the local priest about the miracle he had seen. The population of the village decided to organize a procession to the icon and take it to the house of the priest. On the second day, the icon disappeared from the house of the priest and was again found in the same gorge at the same place. Again, residents brought her to the priest's house, but on the third day the situation repeated. Then the residents decided that the appearance of a threefold image suggests that the Mother of God herself chose this place for herself.

The exact date of foundation of the temple is not known for sure. It is believed that the temple was founded in the period between the VIII and XIII centuries and is definitely one of the oldest Orthodox churches. During its long life, the temple survived quite a lot - during the reign of the Crimean khans, Orthodox churches were destroyed, but this temple enjoyed reverence not only among Orthodox, but also among Muslims. According to the stories, the great rulers often came to the temple, asking for help from the Virgin, and also did not stint on donations to the temple.

One of the most favorable for the monastery was the XIX century - a large number of new buildings appeared, including a house for pilgrims, a beautiful garden was laid out.

In 1921, by decision of the Soviet authorities, the monastery was closed, during the years of Soviet power, the property of the monastery was plundered. During the years of the Crimean War and the Great Patriotic War, the monastery played the role of a hospital (after these tragic events a cemetery appeared on the territory of the monastery), and after 70-80 years of the twentieth century it played the role of a psycho-neurological dispensary.

And only in 1993, after the coup d'état, was the monastery transferred to the authority of the UOC (Ukrainian Orthodox Church). Work began on the restoration of the temple - the stairs connecting the buildings of the temple were repaired, an amazing cave painting was restored and a source from which visitors of the temple could take holy water was equipped.

At the moment in the temple there are such especially revered icons as:

• The holy icon of the Assumption of Our Lady;
• the icon of the Savior with particles of holy relics;
• a cross sent from Saint Athos and others.

At the entrance to the temple, pay attention to the left wall of the staircase - it is sealed with medallions of various temples and monasteries from around the world. Inside each lies a handful of earth from the place where the temple depicted on the medallion is located. Should remember that visiting temples is possible only in closed clothes - shorts and T-shirts for visiting the monastery are not suitable. Women also need to bring shawls covering their heads.

If, however, forgot, do not worry - before entering the temple is a box with scarves and skirts. Do not forget about the container for a set of holy water.

The exact date of the foundation of this settlement, as well as for all objects of ancient culture, is unknown. But most often, researchers tend to the VI – VII centuries AD. e. This construction was home to the tribes of Sarmatians and Alans - people from Iran. It performed a defensive function — on three sides, sheer cliffs surround the fortress, and the entrance to the fortress is a narrow path that was perfectly visible from the plateau on which the structure was located. As a result of the bloody wars, the fortress masters were constantly changing.

In the XII century, they became the Kipchak tribes, who made this fortress their capital. In the XIV century, artisans settled in the fortress, who built another wall of defense - this is how a new part of the city appeared, which was named Juft-Calais, which means “double fortress. But later, due to the change in the population of the fortress (the Karaites remained in the fortress, sticking to the Jewish faith), the name flowed smoothly into Chufut-Kale, which means "Jewish fortress."

And it is also known that in this fortress, the eastern rulers held Russian, Lithuanian and Polish ambassadors and representatives of famous families in captivity, demanding for them considerable ransoms or land. For them, a Christian church was built here, in which prisoners could not only pray, but also meet with relatives. With time, the church was transformed into a monastery, which still exists today and is known as the Holy Dormition Monastery.

Coffee was always present in the culture of the Crimean Tatars, was a kind of symbol of the well-being of the family. You can try real Crimean coffee in the Degirmen coffee shop, located 100 meters from the Khan's Palace. In addition to coffee, this place is famous for the museum - a model of medieval Bakhchisarai, whose area is 18 square meters. And also in the coffee shop there is a large assortment of sweets that can be brought from Bakhchisarai as a souvenir.

Once in the Crimea, pay attention to the amazing natural attractions of the peninsula, which include the Grand Canyon. It is located in the reserve, which bears its name, on the north-eastern slope of Mount Ai-Petri. More than two million years ago, a tectonic plate fracture occurred, as a result of which this natural monument was formed.

This object can be found in many guidebooks and it is not surprising, because the depth of the canyon is 320 meters, the width in the narrowest part is no more than 3 meters, and throughout the length of the canyon (more than 3.5 km) there are waterfalls up to 3-4 meters high.

At the bottom of the gorge the river Auzun-Uzen flows, which is fed by numerous springs and springs. Even in the hottest summer, the water in the river remains cold. A stormy river has formed in the gorge a lot of natural baths, the depth of some of them reaches 2.5 meters. The most famous of them is the Bath of Youth. According to the stories of local residents, the bath returns the people who bathe in it, its former strength and vigor.

Previously, the Bath of Youth was also known as the Black Lake (Kara-Gol). This name is due to the fact that despite the clear water, the bottom of the lake is not visible. The second feature is the water temperature - even on the hottest day, the temperature does not exceed 12 degrees. This results from the fact that this bath is fed by numerous mountain springs.

During the walk to the canyon, pay attention to unique flora of the place. More than 3.5 thousand trees growing on the territory of the reserve are relict, for example, berry yew, kamnelomka irrigated, as well as several types of orchids.

When planning a trip, think about comfortable clothes and shoes. Choose comfortable shoes with non-slip soles. Trips to the Grand Canyon are held only in summer and exclusively in dry weather — during spring floods and rains, the amount of water increases, turning the river into a turbulent stream.

The city of Bakhchisarai has a rich history. But the main attractions that can convey the mood of this distinctive colorful place are the following:

• Khan's Palace;
• the cave cities of Eski-Kerman, Tepe-Kerman and Chufut-Kale;
• Assumption and Holy Annunciation Monasteries;
• Grand Canyon

The Khan Palace is located in the Old Town at 133, Rechnaya Street. If you get from the train station, you need to take the number 2 bus or the number 3 bus at the “Sales House” stop. Get off at the stop "registry office." By car, this route will take 9 minutes. Route map on Yandex. Maps are presented below.

To get to the cave city of Chufut-Kale from the train station, you also need to take bus number 2. Get off at the stop "Staroselie". The route map by car is shown in the following figure.

Assumption Monastery is located 1.5 kilometers from Chufut-Calais. Driving trip by car is shown in the figure below.

The Annunciation Monastery is located next to the cave city of Mangup-Kale, which is located on the opposite side of Staroselieu. From the train station to the Blagoveshchensky Monastery the road takes 46 minutes (excluding traffic jams).

The nearest settlement to the Grand Canyon is the village of Sokolinoye. If you decide to visit this attraction on your own, you can reach the village by bus No. 129 or route taxi No. 165, and then look for fellow travelers. The route by car is indicated in the following figure.

If you find yourself in this amazing city, you should visit the picturesque surroundings of Bakhchisaray district.

One of the popular destinations is Suatkan waterfall. The name of the waterfall in Turkic means "throwing out the water." The waterfall originates from the mountain Kaya-Bash at an altitude of 540 m. At the beginning of its path, the stream rushes down from a height of 13 meters, breaking on the ledges of the rocks and pours into a small lake surrounded by centuries-old inhabitants of these places - yews.

If you want to get to Suatkan Falls by car, you need to get to the village of Golubinka on the Bakhchisaray – Sevastopol road: you can follow the Sevastopol – Bakhchisarai highway, turning right in the Verkhnesadovy district, or on the T0105 highway through the ancient fortress Mangup-Kale. Immediately after Pigeon, turn right, drive over the bridge over the Belbek and follow to Novopolya. After Novopolya, at the fork, turn right onto Putilovka and Rich Gorge.

After that, it is better to leave the car and go on foot, as in spring time the road becomes difficult even for off-road vehicles.

In addition to the rich history, Bakhchisaray district has an amazing landscape, formed under the action of the elements. One of the most amazing natural phenomena is the formation of the so-called Bakhchisarai pillars or, as they are also called, “Bakhchisarai sphinxes”. These are huge limestone formations of up to 15 meters in size, which have acquired fancy shapes as a result of centuries of exposure to wind and water.

It is possible to rise to the Bakhchisarai pillars from the Old City. Do not be lazy to climb to them - from the plateau on which the pillars are located, offers a breathtaking view of the Old part of Bakhchisarai.

Wine lovers, as well as anyone who is interested in the process of making wine, should think about visiting a place like the Alma Valley winery located near the villages of Vilino and Peschanoye. The territory of vineyards is 250 hectares. Currently, the winery produces 35 wines from 7 different lines.

As already mentioned, the types of recreation in the Crimea abound in diversity - for younger visitors there will also be entertainment for everyone. If you are relaxing with your children, think about visiting the Bakhchisarai park “Crimea in miniature in the palm of your hand” located at ul. Lenin 4 (in front of the Khan's Palace), which contains copies of the main and significant attractions of the peninsula.

A nice addition to the little visitors of the park will be acquaintance with the heroes of your favorite fairy tales and cartoons in the "Multipark", located on the right side of the park of miniatures. Children will be able to meet with such characters as Avatar, Batman, Mickey Mouse and many others. In addition, on the territory of the Multipark complex there is a mini-zoo in which pigs, kids, chickens and other animals live. If desired, animals can buy food and feed them, which will surely bring joy to the little visitors of the park. In the shady part of the park are also trampolines.

Older children may be interested to visit. planetarium. The Crimean Astrophysical Observatory was organized in 1945 on the basis of the Pulkovo laboratory, founded in 1908. The main part of the observatory is located in the village. Scientific Bakhchsarai area. The observatory has 17 telescopes, one of which is the second largest optical telescope in Russia.

Under good weather conditions, the Sun is demonstrated at a lecture in the daytime, and objects of the evening sky are shown in the evening. It should be remembered that the observatory is, first of all, a scientific, not an entertainment institution, therefore, the hours of receiving visitors are limited, the visit time should be coordinated in advance. By car, the road from Bakhchisarai to smt. Scientific will take about 30–35 minutes.

Important! Most of the excursion takes place outdoors or in unheated rooms, choose warm clothes and shoes to visit the observatory.

See the sights of Bakhchisarai in the next video.