Cat Mountain - the famous natural monument of Crimea

For many decades, the most favorite holiday destination of residents of different countries is the peninsula of Crimea. This area is famous not only for its unique climate, unusual plants, clean and healing air, azure sea and comfortable beaches, but also for its unique landscape.

Nature has surprisingly collected in one region a huge number of unique monuments, whose age reaches millions of years. In order to see all the sights, tourists for many years returned to the Crimea and enthusiastically listen to fascinating and mysterious legends and tales. One of the most memorable and popular monuments is Mount Cat.

Mount Cat - a unique natural monument, which arose as a result of seismic oscillations of the earth's surface and located at a distance of 19 km from Yalta near the small settlement of Simeiz. The territory of the picturesque village is located on the Black Sea coast and is an ornament of the southern part of the Crimean peninsula. The main attraction of the village for many years is the mountain range, which is located on the western border of Simeiz. The mountain range extends from west to south and goes straight into the sea.

The name of the natural object comes from the ancient Tatar name Kosh-Kai, which means double rock. The mountain consists of the following parts:

• head with ears;
• arched back;
• tail.

Koshka Mountain is a moving limestone massif that a million years ago was disconnected from the main ridge of the Crimean Mountains and began to move along the southern slope of the peninsula. The age of limestone deposits is not more than 150 million years.

Relatively young terrain is in constant dynamic movement, during which cracks, voids, rocks and mudflows, as well as rock formations with pointed peaks arise. The inner part of the mountain consists of karst caves, the length of which can reach 100 meters, and their outer part is hidden in dense thickets of trees.

The height of the highest point of the mountain is 250 meters, and the height of the tail does not exceed 210 meters. The total area of ​​this territory is 50 hectares. The array consists of two elongated parallel elevations - the western and eastern, between which there is a plain. This area has inaccessible and constantly crumbling cliffs.

The southern side, despite its difficult terrain, is more attractive for tourists who can get through a small gorge to a flat plain. It is best to climb the mountain on the north side, where there is a narrow road.

Guides recommend to pay attention to the objects surrounding the mountain:

• rock diva;

• remnants of the cliff Monk;

• Mount Panea

• Wing Swan

Cat Mountain is not only a beautiful natural object, but also a historical heritage of the ancient and medieval period. The result of long and painstaking work of researchers and archaeologists was the remnants of the settlements of early and middle Bronze.

At the highest point of the cliff, evidence was found of the presence of a Tavrian village and tombs in these places.Later in the VII century the Greeks lived in this territory, who fled from Constantinople, but already in the XIV century the territory was occupied by the Genoese. Invaders to strengthen the line of defense built the fortress of Panea. In the middle of 1400 the Turks took possession of the territory and built a refuge of pirates and slavers on it.

Historians claim that the original appearance of this array was significantly different from the modern one. In ancient times, the mountain was connected to the plain of Islay, and all the lowlands were barricaded with huge stones. This building was a reliable barrier that protected the southern side from the invasion of enemies. Today, tourists can only see the remains of a fence no longer than 100 meters, a width of about 2.5 meters and a height of no more than 3 meters.

The original history of the appearance of the village and the surrounding mountain sculptures is covered with secrets and legends. According to one of them, many centuries ago, the ancient people built a small village in which an unusual person appeared after some time. As a dwelling, the wanderer chose a mountain cave and lived far from people. Many residents of Simeiz turned to the hermit for help in solving life problems and health problems.

A modest, calm and unsociable man did not refuse anyone and helped everyone. Prayer has always been its main tool in healing the sick. Since then, he has acquired the status of a saint, but behind the mask of the savior was a robber and a crook who wanted to redeem his evil deeds.

For a long time the life of a monk was observed by evil spirits, who by all means wanted to return him to their ranks. To realize his plan, the dark forces turned into a cat that came to the monk's house. The priest regretted the animal and sheltered in his dwelling. The insidious animal by all means tried to harm man and provoke him into bad deeds. The behavior of a furry beast did not please the hermit, and he drove the beast out of the house.

The idea of ​​provocation did not leave the dark forces, and after a short time, while fishing, they sent a beautiful girl to the monk. As soon as the hermit saw the beauty, all the images of women he had harmed appeared in his memory.

Light forces were carefully watching everything that happened, and when the priest remembered all the evil he had created, the sky lit up a piercing light, and under his rays all the actors in these events turned into stone rocks. Huge and silent mountain sculptures have survived in the form of the Cat, the Monk and the Diva.

The tourist attraction of a natural object is not only geological and landscape features, but also botanical. Scientists and ordinary tourists from many countries of the world come to admire the nature of this corner, on whose territory the following plants of sub-Mediterranean light forest can be seen:

• fluffy oak;
• juniper high;
• stupid pistachio;
• Crimean incense;
• Pontic iglitsa;
• shrub jasmine;
• Fumana Thyme;
• small strawberry.

Astronomers and lovers of the sky will be interested to visit the Simeiz astrophysical observatory, located on the top of the mountain. This scientific center is equipped with a huge radio telescope, whose diameter is 22 meters.

In mid-1960, the center’s workers were the first in Europe to capture the reverse side of the lunar surface. Guides tell visitors to the Crimea about dolmens - ancient tombs, which consisted of four plates and were covered with a fifth plate. The weight of one plate is about 1 ton.Most of the structures are in the ground, and some are completely covered with soil and vegetation, and adventurers can explore the coast and discover the hidden and unexplored sides of the mountain.

The road to the monument will not cause difficulties even for novice travelers. In the direction of Simeiz go regular bus flights, and private carriers will take travelers to the very foot of the sights, but the distance from tail to head will have to go on their own. Before you go to enjoy the natural beauty, you must purchase comfortable clothes and shoes, as well as make the necessary supply of water and food.

If there is no self-confidence or a desire to overcome the difficulties of recovery, experts recommend abandoning the planned event and enjoying the beauty of the mountain from the adjacent village. Having come into contact with the beauty of Crimea, we must remember that This region is a reserve and it is necessary to treat its nature carefully and carefully, trying not to harm it.

Climbing to the top of the ridge, you can see the endless expanses of the sea, the mountains and the territory of Simeiz. Even professional travelers, these landscapes lead to indescribable delight, and the pictures taken will be a vivid reminder of the journey for many decades. Guides draw the attention of tourists to the possible disappearance of mountain sculpture in connection with its constant movement towards the sea.

Of course, this process will continue for several hundred years, but nature is full of mysteries, to which even scientists do not know the answer. In order to have time to enjoy the miraculous beauty of nature, you should not delay with a trip to the picturesque and amazing Crimea. After all, this does not necessarily go to distant countries and spend huge financial resources. Scientists recommend first to explore the nearby beauty and memorable signs that will give no less pleasure and no less bright palette of sensations.

See what legends Cat Mountain keeps in Crimea, see the next video.