Chufut Kale cave city address. Through narrow streets. Chufut-Kale - a city abandoned by people
In Crimea, there are many places that keep the history of mankind almost in its original form. One of such popular attractions among tourists is the Chufut-Kale fortress - an ancient city founded in ancient times by the Byzantine Empire. From Justinian to Hadji Giray - a chronicle of the construction of Bakhchisarai.
Bakhchisaray values
Unfortunately, to this day, the totality of buildings has survived for the most part in the form of ruins, but what remains may well tell its own legend. According to some sources, the name of the Chufut-Kale fortress is translated as "Jewish", which makes it clear its purpose, according to others - "double".
Byzantine border troops;
Crimean Tatars;
Mongols of the Golden Horde as invaders;
The first independent Crimean Khan.
All these rearrangements and “moves” took place until the beginning of the 19th century, when the places fell into disrepair, and out of the many inhabitants, only the family of the caretaker of the cultural object remained here. The former city has become an ordinary "museum" exhibit, blown by the winds and scorched by the Crimean sun.
City - fortress Chufut-Kale in Crimea
Gates and defensive walls;
Mosques and temples;
Numerous caves;
School, market and estates;
Mausoleums and wells.
All this, in varying degrees of preservation, accompanied by excellent stories (not dry facts) will allow a tourist who comes to the cave city of Chufut-Kale in Bakhchisarai to plunge not only into the world of antiquity in general, but also into the culture of different peoples and eras. And if the weather favors visitors, then in the silence of local caves you can hear the intricate melodies of a stringed instrument. On a nice warm day, a local musician comes here to play ancient, medieval pieces.
Crimea attracts tourists not only by its beaches
Wandering through the streets of an ancient city, sitting in the shade of a building that has survived through the centuries and gives a piece of the past - this will not give a shopping center or a water attraction. Listening, stopping for a moment, you can hear the monotonous conversation of people bringing their goods to the local market, in the noise of the wind you can distinguish the singing of the Mongolian bowstring or a call for defense. The appropriate atmosphere of the visit will be given by a guide who tells stories passed down through generations by local residents. Every person who prefers to relax here should go to the ancient city.
Modern people spend more and more time indoors and, going somewhere on vacation, they try to get as much impressions as possible in a short vacation period. Visiting an ancient settlement, hearing fascinating stories about a particular building is quite an interesting pastime.
We offer you to watch an interesting video about the mysterious settlement of Chufut-Kale:
I told you about the palace of the Crimean khans in Bakhchisarai and about the love story that happened there and which shocked “our everything” Pushkin so much that he wrote his own poem about it - “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai”.
But the glorious city of Bakhchisaray 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 of Chufut-Kale.
Leaving the Khan's Palace, we go on foot to the following sights of Bakhchisaray. Also located near the city Holy Dormition Monastery and medieval fortress Chufut-Kale .
On the way, I try to take photos in time to at least a little feel the atmosphere of the place. This is the minus of organized excursions - you cannot “hang out” in some place you like, consider everything more closely.
So, I literally run into a souvenir shop for a couple of minutes, but I don’t have time to see even half of the goods. Just take a couple of shots:
And still managed to lag behind the guide. My husband drags me out of the gift shop outside and we run after the group. In general, it was possible not to hurry too much. If you are already in the Khan's palace, then you are unlikely to get lost further. In that direction - to Chufut-Kala - there are a lot of people. The fact is that there is another important place on the way to Chufut-Kale, this Holy Dormition Cave Monastery b.
We leave the monastery on the way back. Because clouds are gathering in the sky, and a fine rain has begun to drizzle. Therefore, we strive to get to Chufut-Kale as soon as possible, before the weather deteriorates at all.
Having passed the monastic estates, we continue to walk uphill in the drizzling rain. The asphalt path ends, and then the road turns into a rocky path.
Therefore, my friendly advice to you, citizens and especially citizens - wear not just comfortable, but well-fitting shoes . No slates - beat your fingers on the rocks! No heels or platforms, otherwise you are guaranteed to sprain your ankles. Only sneakers and others like them.
On both sides of the trail, ubiquitous tents with souvenirs huddle. But it's better to look under your feet ... Walking along such a path, according to my feelings, is not more than a kilometer.
After that, we get to an open plateau:
And here the outlines of the cave city are already visible. Therefore, curiosity makes us walk more cheerfully. Meanwhile, the rain keeps getting worse. And some of the ladies from our group, unable to endure the hardships of the rocky path, turn back - their shoes are clearly not suitable for such a walk ...
And we are already approaching the South Gate, behind which lies a whole world of underground and ground structures... Once upon a time, enemy soldiers, falling on a narrow patch in front of the gate, found themselves at a glance for the defenders of the fortress and fell under their aimed fire... But that was once upon a time , 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 will not bore you with a detailed retelling of the centuries-old history of Chufut-Kale, friends. But still, a few words about how this city arose and what events took place in it, it’s worth saying. Because without this it will not be clear what kind of place and why many tourists strive to get into 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 the Crimea.
The earliest written sources that report it date only to the 13th-17th centuries. At this time, the fortification bears a Turkic name and is called Kyrk-Yer (“the land of the kyrk family”, Turk.), or Kyrk-Or ( "Forty Fortifications", Türk.), or, it is possible, Kyrk-Er ( "forty clefts", Turk.). The Karaites, who consider Chufut-Kale their family nest, find the most correct name Juft-Kale ("double fortress", Turk.; options: Chuft-Kale, Chift-Kale). However, on maps and in books, in most cases, a distorted in spelling and meaning, in fact, an erroneous version of the toponym is recorded - Chufut-Kale ("Jewish fortress", Turk.)
At an early stage of the existence of the city, its main population was the Alans - the most powerful of the late Sarmatian tribes of Iranian origin. They began to penetrate into the Crimea from the II 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 plundered 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 Karaites-artisans, who built a second defensive wall to protect their settlement. Thus a new part of the city was born.
The first Crimean Khan Hadji Giray , having appreciated the fortress, in the XV century. turned the old part of the city into his fortified residence. She later sheltered the khans during civil strife, was a safe haven during their struggle with the Golden Horde for independence. After the defeat of the Golden Horde, the Crimean Khanate became noticeably stronger, 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 Bakhchisaray and a place of imprisonment of noble captives.
After the departure of the Tatars, 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 "Karaim" became an ethnonym - the name of the nation.
After the conquest of the Crimea and its incorporation into Russia, the Karaites declared themselves to be its adherents. The tsarist government allowed the Karaites to live throughout the empire. Since that time, Chufut-Kale began to empty. The inhabitants left the plateau with its harsh living conditions and moved to Bakhchisaray, Evpatoria and other cities. So by the middle of the XIX century. the city was completely deserted.
However, architectural monuments reflecting various stages of the history of this city are still preserved on Chufut-Kale.
And under the intensifying rain, we went to inspect them. First of all, the caves were subjected to our inspection (after all, this is a cave city!). Feel yourself cavemen everyone wished. It looked something like this:
One-room cave - "small family", apparently:
It's fun to climb caves, I tell you. But as soon as you get out of the first caves and go further, up the cobbled street, there is something to see there too…
In fact, quite civilized buildings have been preserved here.
One of these buildings is kenasses. Kenassa is a Karaite prayer house, i.e. church for us. This is how she looks.
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. From the mosque there were pieces of walls and places where there were columns.
At this time, the rain poured like a bucket, and the best thing that the aunt-guide could come up with for our group was to hide 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-khanym, the Crimean Joan of Arc
Mausoleum Dzhanyke-khanym (and in the photo it is he) 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-khanym was the head of the thousandth garrison of the cave city and died defending the city during the siege. On the site of the death of his daughter, Tokhtamysh Khan erected a mausoleum.
There are also the real story of this woman. There is less pathos and lyrics in it, but it is more clear from it how this woman deserved respect for herself. And this is the story.
The owner of Kyrk-Ora, Khadzhibek Khan of Kirkelsky, 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 (Nanykejan). Around 1397, Tokhtamysh Khan gave his young daughter to the emir of the White Horde, the founder of the Nogai Horde, Edygeya . He was destined for a great future. But Edygei, the hope and support of Tokhtamysh, betrayed his loving father-in-law, going over to the side of the former patron of his father-in-law, Timur. In a fit of rage, Tokhtamysh killed his no less beloved Togaybek, Janyke's mother.
The grown-up Dzhanyke made a pilgrimage to Mecca with a magnificent retinue in 1416 and became a famous person in the Muslim world (yes, nothing changes, friends, under the Moon: “light up” in time in a cult place - and you are a star, as they say). In 1420, the son of Tokhtamysh and the beloved brother of Dzhanyke, Kady-Berdy-Khan led troops through Itil (Volga) to Edygeya. 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, she 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 Khadzhi-Girey, who became the founder of the Crimean Khanate, the ancestor of the Girey dynasty, who transferred 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: by clearing and opening the crypt in 1940, it was established that the tomb had been devastated more than once, so no burial was found in it.
So much for the role of the individual in history. And the role of the Muslim wife in the history of the whole city. So, there are women in any villages ...
And meanwhile the rain subsided. And we went further to explore Chufut-Kale. Fortunately, the road that led further allowed this to be done - a normal sidewalk rose above the roadway, along which a muddy stream was rushing! Take an example, mayors of modern cities!
Soon an arch appeared before us. This arch is located in the middle defensive wall.
The wall divides the city into old and new. Well, okay. that this is all conditional.
On the right, you can again see some kind of well-preserved structure. This is the estate of Firkovich. Comrade Abraham Firkovich was a famous Karaite historian and archaeologist.
Firkovich lived here until the middle of the 19th century, but 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 for us a musical break in one of the stone dungeons:
We went down there with the whole 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 nice guy with an unusual guitar, from which he extracted such melodic sounds...
The acoustics in the room are perfect, oddly enough. Because in fact it is the basement of one of the wealthy houses, albeit with three windows. We stand spellbound, listen to music, everyone thinks about his own. The energy of the place penetrates the thoughts. No fuss. Nothing extra in my head. Only thoughts of eternity...
Moreover, the view from the windows of this very basement is very impressive ... And the basement itself is rather big, two-tiered.
It seems to me that they didn’t store vegetables from the beds here ... Right now I see it clearly: vessels with Crimean wine are standing along the walls, and in the late afternoon, quietly slipping away from all household members, the owner of the house sits here with a couple of true friends and discusses the latest city news ...
After walking through 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 move back to the South Gate.
And there we also came across such an unusual group of “tourists”:
But this couple lagged behind all:
Apparently they lingered, taking a “selfie” against the background of the caves)))
In general, Chufut-Kale impressed us. The place, of course, is very energetically charged. If it were not for the time of departure of the tour bus, we would have wandered here longer.
Now our path lay in the Holy Dormition Cave Monastery.
Holy Dormition Cave Monastery.
So, the Orthodox monastery. Again, there are several versions about the time of its foundation. According to one version, it was founded on the border of the 8th and 9th centuries and was practically the center of Christianity in the Crimea. At that time, the Crimea was under Tatar influence, the Christians had a very difficult time, they were oppressed in every possible way, they were subjected to huge unbearable taxes. And they took refuge from this oppression in mountain crevices. Then for some time the monastery stopped its activity, but in the 14th century it was revived. Having escaped destruction during the Turkish invasion, the Assumption Monastery became the residence of the Metropolitans of Goth. However, the financial situation of the monastery was disastrous, which forced him to seek help from the Moscow Grand Dukes and Tsars. And since the 15th century
Others believe that the hundred 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 century until the 18th century. He quite successfully survived the Russian-Turkish wars. In the Crimean War in 1854-1855, a hospital was located in the cells, the house of pilgrims and other buildings of the monastery. Those who died from wounds were buried in the monastery cemetery.
But he did not escape from Soviet power. As the primary sources say, "in 1921 the monastery was closed, the property was looted, the monks were shot." Who would have doubted ... During the Patriotic War, a military hospital was placed on the territory of the Assumption Monastery, and after the war a real mental hospital was opened. And only in 1993 the monastery was revived again.
In order to see the monastery itself, you will have to work a little - there is a steep staircase going up. But the view from there is quite worthy:
We did not take photos inside, it is forbidden there. But I will describe. Inside the temple is very small. There are a lot of people. One stream goes up, inside the temple, the other down - to the exit. The main building of the temple is small. I was struck by the ceiling of this small room: it is stone, and it is clear that it was zealously hewn, since it is all dotted 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 the icon of the Mother of God of Bakhchisarai, called Panagia, is located.
People went there one by one, silently stood at the icon and left silently. And right here, at the exit from the room, a nimble granny was sitting and asking each (!) Person for a donation. Honestly, it freaked me out. She would sit silently, or somewhere already on the descent, and you look - it would not be so ... I can’t find the right word ... Deliberately, or something ... And so, a person comes out, immersed in his thoughts, and then he is across the road - Give it to the temple! Such straightforwardness somehow jarred me ... Or am I too sensitive?
In general, I was more impressed by the appearance of the monastery. Overhanging stone cornices, icons painted right 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 go 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 prudently ordered lunch in one of these cafes. Which is 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 we start eating
We head back full and happy. The bus moves smoothly, the guide tells ... I fall into a dream.
In general, let's summarize this excursion. Chufut-Kale is definitely worth seeing. Climbing up the mountain is not so scary (after it seemed to me to be an easy walk), only with very young children, it’s probably not worth climbing up there. Even though kids are different...
The impression about the monastery was somehow formed according to the residual principle. Well, given that we also watched in the morning, this is understandable - there is an emotional overload.
But in general, the Crimea continued to surprise, conquer us with its beauties and ... Stop. More on that in the next posts. On this note, I will end my story.
See you on the blog!
On the territory of Crimea there is a huge number of amazingly interesting places with a rich history. One of them is the cave city of Chufut-Kale. The impregnable fortress, created by the efforts of man and nature, still impresses people who have visited it for the first time.
Location of the fortress
The place where the village of Staroselye is now located has attracted people with its silence, secrecy, comfort, natural strength and the presence of water since ancient times. There are also saving rocks protruding from the forest thickets, as if intended to shelter residents from enemies.
City `s history
The ancient city has a long history, many of the events of which can only be guessed at.
The cave city of Chufut-Kale is located on a plateau of a mountain spur. It is believed that the Alano-Sarmatians were the first to master the steep plateau in the 4th century, having built a fortress here, which later received the name Chufut-Kale (in translation - the Judaic fortress).
However, there is another version of how the fortified city of Chufut-Kale appeared. In the last years of the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian (about 550 years), they began to think about protecting the approaches to Chersonesus. Engineers, at the behest of the emperor, developed a plan for three fortresses: Mangul, Chufut-Kale and Eski-Kermen. Cities were built and settled by Goths and Alans. However, it is worth noting that these events were not reflected in the treatise "On Buildings", and there were no other written reports in those days. About distant events can only be judged by archaeological finds.
The city-fortress for many centuries reliably sheltered the population of the nearest valleys in dangerous times from the invasion of militant nomads - Khazars, Huns, Magyars, Polovtsy, Pechenegs. Having appreciated the advantages of the fortress and the valley at the foot, Hadji Giray (the first Crimean Khan) organized his residence in the old part of the city in the middle of the 15th century. Below, in the village of Salachik, he built a palace. Living in the palace, the khan could always quickly hide from danger in a reliable fortress. Do not forget that in those days there was a desperate struggle for the independence of the peninsula from the Golden Horde. In the middle of the seventeenth century, the khan left the palace, and the cave city of Chufut-Kale was handed over to the Karaites. In the future, the fortress was called Calais. And over time, it began to be called Chufut-Kale.
In 1731, the first Crimean printing house was opened in the city, which printed books in Karaim and Hebrew. After the annexation of Crimea to Russia, the Karaites left the city and settled in Evpatoria, Bakhchisarai, Simferopol. So gradually the cave city of Chufut-Kale became empty.
fortress gate
The once rich history of the city is now captured in stone buildings, which can be used to judge what the fortress was like in ancient times. You can start your acquaintance with the city from the Eastern Gate. To the right of them, a large pool can be seen in the rock. It collected rainwater, which was later used by people for household needs and for livestock. There was a mill on a hill nearby. And behind it, in the wilds of the mountain forest, the Karaite cemetery was hiding from prying eyes.
Above the gate leading to the city, there is a marble slab with carved signs. Nobody knows what they mean. This mystery of the city of Chufut-Kale has not yet been solved. Massive oak gates sheathed with iron lead to the fortress. Immediately behind them begins a new part of the city, built by the Karaites. It is protected by defensive walls and impregnable rocks. There was only one main street in the city, to which numerous side streets adjoined. There is still a large stone house on it, in which the famous Karaite scientist Firkovich once lived.
Description of the ancient city
The city of Chufut-Kale (Crimea) had a very small territory, but at the same time a fairly large population. At the end of the sixteenth century, between four and five thousand people lived here and there were about 400 houses. Buildings, as a rule, were located close to each other and had several floors. The basement usually housed utility rooms. All the windows certainly overlooked the courtyard, enclosed by a massive fence. There were also sheds and rooms for animals. The former buildings are partially preserved, so you can see them while walking around the city blocks.
Fortifications
The fortress walls were up to five meters thick. The gates were located in the center, and towers towered on the sides. For greater security, a moat was cut in the wall, the width of which was 4 meters and the depth was 2. It was filled with melt and rain water, which flowed down the stone gutters. Such a simple design was built in order to make it difficult to roll wall-beating guns.
Like any fortress, Chufut-Kale had its secrets. In the northern part of the wall there was a gate, which was carefully disguised. With its help, the warriors could go out in order to inflict a sudden blow on the opponents. In the old town there was a public square outside the gates. It has preserved a well, the remains of a mosque built in 1346, and the Nenekejan-Khanym mausoleum. Three large longitudinal streets originate from the square: Kenasskaya, Srednyaya and Burunchakskaya. All of them were built at different times.
Behind the southern wall of the city there are rocks with carved battle caves in four tiers connected to each other. Later they served as utility rooms.
Mausoleum
Against the general background of the ruins of the city, the well-preserved building of the Janike-Khanum mausoleum looks amazing. Inside it is a tombstone with an inscription telling that the body of Empress Janike-Khanum rests here (she was the daughter of the Golden Horde Khan named Tokhtamysh). The name of the Khan's daughter is shrouded in secrets and legends. One of them says that she was fleeing the wrath of her father, who found her with her beloved, and threw herself into the abyss. Therefore, she was buried at the very edge.
To the north of the mausoleum, the plateau abruptly breaks off. Here, at a majestic height, you can admire the landscape of the stunning Crimean mountains.
Opening of the fortress hydraulic system
In 1988, a sensational discovery was made on the territory of the fortress. Despite the fact that the city has never had natural groundwater outlets, the city has existed for hundreds of years. It turns out that drinking water was brought from nearby sources. And for economic purposes, rain moisture was used. However, the legend tells that during the siege, water was taken from a hidden hydraulic system, information about which was considered a terrible military secret. And even after the fortress lost its defensive function, the Karaites passed the secret from generation to generation. Only a select few knew about it.
Based on oral and written sources, speleologists started searching. Finding a small depression next to the tree, they realized that this was the mouth of a well. They began to clear it, taking out soil and rocks. The work was carried out for three years. Here, at a depth of 25 meters, a littered side entrance was found leading up. It was connected to a well and formed a rather spacious room. On the walls there were traces of water and inscriptions in the Karaite language and Latin.
Further work led to the discovery of a gallery that originated in one of the towers. Apparently, this was the first defensive line. Previously, scientists did not even know about it. After careful clearing, speleologists discovered a gallery about 2 meters high and 2.5 meters wide, the length of which is about 108 meters.
In some parts of it, there are even small stalactites. A detailed plan of the dungeon and human figures were found on the walls. An interesting fact is that at a depth of 27 meters, the well expanded significantly, a stone spiral descent began here. After its clearing, extensive reservoirs were found, located at a depth of forty meters.
How did the system work?
Once upon a time, water through large cracks in the structure fell into one of the baths, then overflowed into another container located in front of the entrance to the well, and from there it was taken for use. Currently, the cracks are silted up, so water practically does not flow through them. Niches for torchlights and unknown signs were found on the walls in the lower hall.
Secrets of the hydraulic system
Speleologists did not stop working. After the lower part of the system was cleared of silt and clay, the depth of the well was 45 meters. It is assumed that the hydraulic system could have been created by the Byzantines or the Khazars at the beginning of our era, and have a cult purpose. In moments of danger, she could become a shelter from enemies. In the gallery, at a depth of 40 centimeters from the surface, a treasure was found in a clay pot. It consisted of golden Venetian ducats, Egyptian dinars, silver coins and other monetary units. Experts believe that this is the richest find not only in the Crimea, but also in Europe and the whole world. The treasure was transferred for storage to the Museum of Local Lore of Simferopol.
Excursion objects of the ancient city
On the territory of Chufut-Kale, historical objects have been preserved that make it possible to see what the city was like at different stages of history. The oldest building is the defensive wall, which can be seen during the tour. It was built in the X-XI centuries. Fragments of a three-layer medieval wall have been perfectly preserved to this day. In addition, tourists are shown the remains of a plumbing system made from pottery ceramic pipes. It was after its discovery that a well was found that supplied the entire city with water.
Guests of the city can see a well-preserved mausoleum, two Karaite prayer houses, a residential estate of a Karaite scholar, which allows you to see how people lived at that time.
All these objects can be viewed during excursions and learn more about the history of Chufut-Kale.
How to get to Chufut-Kale by public transport
The Bakhchisaray region of Crimea is rich in historical and archaeological sites, like the entire peninsula. The Chufut-Kale fortress is located a little away from the seaside resorts, but it will not be difficult to get to it both by public transport and by car. Bakhchisaray district is located in the southwest of the peninsula. Transport links with it are well established, and during the season the number of buses increases significantly based on the influx of tourists. Not to mention the fact that every resort town or village organizes daily sightseeing trips to local attractions, including the stone fortress.
If you are planning an independent trip, then you should first get by bus or car to a city like Bakhchisarai. The cave town of Chufut-Kale is only 3.5 kilometers away. Then tourists can transfer to a fixed-route taxi or bus number 2 (transport goes from the railway station) to get to Staroselye. After leaving at the final stop, you can walk past the Assumption Monastery for about 2.5 kilometers along the beautiful valley of Maryam-Dere.
Is it possible to get to Chufut-Kale by car?
If you don’t like such walks, then you can go directly from Bakhchisaray to the eastern gate of the fortress on an UAZ. In ten minutes you will be near Chufut-Kale.
How to get there by car? This question interests many motorists. If you decide to travel by car, then from Bakhchisaray you need to get to the village of Staroselye. Further, the eastern gate can be reached along the same road used by the Oise. However, keep in mind that it is quite difficult and rocky. It is not recommended to drive along it by car, it is better to leave the car in Staroselye.
If you visit the cave city on your own, then you should definitely use the services of local guides who will tell you a lot of interesting things about Chufut-Kale. Excursions conducted on its territory are incredibly interesting and informative. And after they are over, you will be able to wander through the streets of the village on your own and take amazing photos as a keepsake. They say that it is incredibly beautiful during sunset. Unfortunately, there are no tours available at this time.
Instead of an afterword
Chufut-Kale is a stunningly interesting and beautiful place. The ancient city is one of those places worth visiting in Crimea. Tourists who have visited it leave the most admiring reviews, recommending visiting the cave city. Of course, at present, most of the unique historical monument is ruins, but there are also perfectly preserved buildings and elements of the fortress.
Chufut-Kale is a medieval fortified city in the Crimea, located on the territory of the Bakhchisaray district, 2.5 km east of Bakhchisaray.
Chufut-Kale translated from the Crimean Tatar language as "Jewish fortress". The Karaites call the city Dzhuft-Kale (translated from the Karaite language as “double fortress”. Previously, the city was known under the names Kyrk-Er, Kyrk-Or, Gevher-Kermen.
In the era of Mengli Giray I, the city received its current name. As a rule, this is explained by the fact that Karaimism, the religion of the Karaite people who inhabited the fortress, is equally related to Judaism, Islam and Christianity, since all four Abrahamic religions recognize the Old Testament as a sacred book. However, only for Karaism the latter is considered the only source of faith. It is worth noting that in addition to the Karaites, there was also a community of Krymchaks in the fortress who professed Orthodox Judaism. The Karaites themselves call the city Juft-Kale or simply Kale.
The city arose presumably in the 5th-6th centuries as a fortified settlement on the border of Byzantine possessions. It is likely that in that era it was called Fulla. A city with this name is found in various sources, but historians cannot unequivocally determine which of the currently known settlements corresponds to it. The population of the city during this period consisted mainly of Alans.
In the era of Kipchak domination in the Crimea, the city came under their control and received the name Kyrk-Er.
In 1299, Kyrk-Er was taken by storm and robbed by the Horde army of Emir Nogai. In the XIII-XIV centuries, the city was the center of a small principality, which was in vassal dependence on the rulers of the Crimean Yurt of the Golden Horde. Starting from the 14th century, Karaites began to settle in the city, and by the time the Crimean Khanate was formed, they most likely already made up the majority of the city's population.
Kyrk-Er was the residence of the first Khan of the independent Crimea, Haji I Giray. After the founding under Mengli I Girey, Bakhchisaray, the khan's capital was moved there. During the time of the Crimean Khanate, the fortress was a place where high-ranking prisoners of war were kept, and the state mint was also located there.
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After the entry of Crimea into 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 the inhabitants. Only the caretaker's family remained in the fortress.
Assumption Monastery
Both the First and Second Defenses housed military hospitals there. And where there are hospitals, there are cemeteries ... but in the photo - a cemetery of the 19th century (crosses in the center of the picture). And the white building in the rock above the cemetery is by no means cells, but just a monastery chicken coop.
cave cells)
Consequences of the Great Patriotic…
The Maryam-dere gorge is somewhat reminiscent of a large greenhouse - a lot of greenery and humid air.
Sign on the gate to the cave city
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Fortifications in Chufut-Kale- absolutely extraordinary. To storm such a fortress from the gorge is an extremely protracted and thankless task.
ancient streets Chufut-Kale
Central and Eastern gates
It is impossible to recognize Crimea if you do not visit Chufut-Kale - many travelers talk about this. Even if you already know what cave cities are, this one will delight you.
Located 2.5 km from Bakhchisarai, this city is one of the best preserved monuments of medieval history. The proud and impregnable fortress saved many lives in its time. Moreover, the building itself is interesting, its architecture and the incredible atmosphere that has been preserved here to this day.
The history of the cave city of Chufut-Kale
The history of Chufut-Kale is quite unusual. The name is translated as “Jewish fortress”, which already suggests where such difficulties come from in Crimea. But the fact is that the settlement was equipped by the Karaites - a group of followers of the religion of Karaism, which is interpreted as a Jewish sect. Having settled in these places in the XII century, the Karaites expanded the settlement, fortifying it with all possible reliability. Chufut-Kale was the capital, the main center of the ethnic group.
It is very interesting that the Karaites were completely equal in rights with Orthodox Christians, they had freedoms and privileges, in contrast to the Jews living in the western provinces - a strict series of restrictions were imposed there. The Karaites could buy land, were not subject to such exorbitant taxes, and therefore became prosperous industrialists, owned land.
The emergence of Chufut-Kale dates back to the 5th-6th centuries, then this city was called Fulla. It was inhabited mainly by the Alans, then the Golden Horde occupied the city and decorated the gate with precious stones, renamed the village Gevher-Kala. Having existed for a short time as a stronghold of the Golden Horde, the city in 1299 retreats to the Nogai army, which not only successfully seized the land, but also plundered the city to the ground. And only the XIV century brings a slight lull to the area, when the Karaites come here and gradually begin to populate the land and the city. When the Crimean Khanate entered the era of its power, Chufut-Kale was already almost completely populated by Karaites. But this did not prevent Hadji I Gerey from making the official khan's headquarters from the city and moving the main capital here.
And then a female figure appears on the historical stage. Janike-Khanym was one of the daughters of Tokhtamysh and established herself as the wisest ruler who made a trip to Mecca. It was she who provided refuge in the city to the rebellious khan, which allowed him to repel the attacks of the Crimean emirs for a long time. But soon the benefactress dies and Hadji I Giray begins to seek protection from the Lithuanian princes, and the cave city of Chufut-Kale finally passes under the authority of the Crimean Khanate.
There are very few Karaites and Krymchaks left to live here. A ban is imposed on residents to leave the city and settle somewhere else, so the village gradually turns into a kind of prison. Very high-ranking prisoners of war were kept here, and the state mint was also located - the good fortifications of the city and low accessibility made it possible not to be afraid of robbery and attacks.
After the territories of Crimea joined Russia, all restrictions on the inhabitants were lifted, now the Karaites could move freely and gradually moved to other cities. The cave city of Chufut-Kale gradually became empty, the fortress walls began to deteriorate, and after a while only the caretaker's family could be found here. Being faithful to the scorched plateau to the very end, the Karaites still could not endure all the hardships of life and finally left this area.
This is how the mighty capital ended: it was not captured, it was not destroyed by the hordes of warriors - it withered itself. Depopulated and gradually withered. Today there are many ruins, but still there are well-preserved buildings, which can be used to judge the scope of the fortress walls, the population and the formidable power of the Karaites who inhabited Chufut-Kale in its heyday.
Fortress Chufut-Kale, what to see?
It is worth starting the tour from Kuchuk-Kapu, this is the Small Gate, which is also called the South Gate. You will have to climb to them by a paved road, fairly destroyed, but this has not become less difficult. You won’t be able to see Kuchuk-Kapa from the road, these are secret gates, almost invisible until you literally stumble upon them.
Massive doors made of oak were once upholstered with durable iron and formed part of a fortification - a defensive wall adjoining them, laid out of blocks of raw stone. Everything is fastened with lime mortar, which, under the weight of time and the weight of stones, has turned into a monolith. The thickness of the wall was up to 1 m, the height was up to 5 meters, and the upper part of the wall element was also equipped with loopholes for better sighting and shooting from guns.
These gates are a real trap for the enemy: the approach to them is covered by defensive masonry, which runs under the wall itself, and it turns out that the army approached the gate sideways - the unprotected side, which made it possible for the defenders to pour boiling water over the enemy, fill them with stones and arrows.
Breaking through the gate just like that will not work because of the steep descent in front of the entrance and the sharp turn of the gentle path. And even if the enemy burst into the gate, then he immediately fell into a narrow rocky corridor, specially cut through in order to fall under the fire of the defenders.
caves
It is definitely worth visiting a dozen caves located in front of a wall in three tiers - these are the oldest structures. And travelers entering the gate will be met by more caves along the entire road, also forming several tiers. Interestingly, all 32 caves have clear differences in architecture, decoration and quality. Passing them, you begin to understand that the builders did not have a special plan, the goals and owners of the caves are different, and if you look closely, the remains of steps become visible in the rock, once this staircase, apparently, connected all the caves.
What has not been preserved at all is the tomb and the church with paintings on the walls. The fact that there was such a thing remained in the literature, but today it is already impossible to find at least some paints. As historians say, it is likely that the cave where the church and the tomb were located was subsequently used as part of a defensive structure and therefore was rebuilt and plundered. But if you go along the path through the mainland rock, you can find yourself at the western part of the city.
Karaite kenasses
Karaite kenasses are a real miracle, accessible to travelers today. To see kenasses - temples, you need to go along another street, but it is better to immediately go to the southern plateau. Here on the left are the ruins of buildings, but on the right there is a fence that just closes the Big Kenesa, built in the 14th century and the Small, built in the 13th century. Interestingly, the second temple was built by the Karaites, who came from Mangul and took building stones with them. The fact that the kenasses were built by the Karaites is said by the golosniks - this device, the same in both temples, was no longer used by the population living on the territory of the Crimea at that time.
Both buildings are located behind the wall, where a gate with a threshold is carved from a slab of white marble, the age of which is much older than the cave city. A large kenesa is complemented by a stone reservoir located next to the fence. A small drain from the bowl suggests that this is a mikvah for performing ritual ablutions, which are obligatory before entering the temple. And small niches with benches, apparently, served as a place for believers to wait for prayer time.
Historians attribute the built small kenassa to the time when the Karaite community had already left Mangul and completely moved to the cave city of Chufut-Kale. Leaving what they had acquired, the Karaites on their shoulders took out not only the building stone, but also all the equipment for the temple, which was supposed to be erected in a new place. The simplicity and modest size of Malaya Kenassa speak of its everyday purpose. Daily prayers and community meetings were held here. The most important fact: all decisions were made by the Karaites together, but the main word was left to the spiritual mentors.
The large (combined) kenassa served exclusively for solemn events - festive services. Representing a basilica, which is surrounded by a column gallery, decorated with arches, kenassa has decorations from relief rosettes. The general structure is similar to all synagogues, as they were and have remained since the time of the Jerusalem temple: an entrance with an azar, where the leaders of the community gathered before starting a service or to discuss some religious issues.
According to some of the remains, you can recreate the decoration of the temple. It was necessary to enter here without shoes, inside there were carpets on the floors, and the ceiling was decorated with chic chandeliers made of copper and crystal. Today, only the rings for fastening remain from them. The famous golosniks (jugs for acoustic effects) were mounted in the walls, and shelves and cabinets kept ceremonial utensils.
The kenassa hall is divided:
* The first room is for the elderly, people in mourning - they were allowed to sit during prayer.
* A balcony with a separate entrance was a place for the female half of the community.
* The second hall was reserved for male parishioners, here they performed prayers on their knees or standing twice a day.
* The third hall for the altar-gekhal, where the main shrine of the kenassa was located - the Torah, gilded boards with images of Jehovah, a menorah and two ostrich eggs.
A little more simple, but absolutely similar was the decoration of the Small Kenassa. But after examining them, you can go out into the courtyard of the street and see the preserved building of the printing house, the opening date of which is 1731. It is believed that this is one of the oldest printing houses and the Bakhchisaray Museum has books that came out of here.
Catchment well
The catchment well is more a tribute to human patience than an architectural novelty. It is known that in Chufut-Kale there has always been a problem with water, so people had to think about how to store moisture flowing down from the mountains and falling from the sky. The reservoir that was cut through in Chufut-Kale is a well that collected absolutely any flow of moisture, all approaches are built in such a way that rain streams that collected in streams even at the middle gate still ended up inside the bowl. Next to the well there are a couple of sedimentation tanks, also carved in stone, where the water settled and became suitable for the needs of the community.
The opinion that the only source of water supply to Chufut-Kale is a well is not entirely correct, water was brought here from nearby sources, bringing it on donkeys.
Mosque of Chufut-Kale
If you walk a little in the direction of the northwest, you can see the ruins of the famous Chufut-Kale mosque. The ruins of the mosque today are of interest mainly to archaeologists, but just imagine how it was: an elegant marble building, dazzling with beauty.
Prokonesse marble was always used only for the most significant structures - the mosque was just one of them. Made in the stylistic features of the early Byzantine architecture, the mosque was equipped with capitals, but the most interesting thing is that the orientation of the structure was changed! The eastern wall lost its arched semicircle, becoming deaf, but the southern wall was supplemented with a niche. The year of the construction of the mosque is considered to be the beginning of the XIV century, during the reign of Janibek, and a little later, Hadji Giray reconstructed the building and made an inscription above the entrance for posterity.
But the tomb of Dzhanyke-Khanym has been preserved quite well. It is located a little closer to the steep bank and the mausoleum very well withstood the onslaught of time and natural elements. The monumental building in the form of an octahedron is an excellent example of Seljuk architecture.
Ribs decorated with filigree carvings, a portal, an arched entrance and, of course, a tombstone with an Arabic inscription - all this makes an amazing impression on the traveler. Dzhanyke-Khanym is not only the daughter of the great Tokhtamysh, but also the wife of Yedigei, a very powerful Nogai emir. Distinguished by prudence, kindness and inflexibility, this woman was the only chance that the descendants of Edigei would rule the steppe.
But, unfortunately, Edigei turned out to be weak and ran over to Timur, the ruler of Samarkand. Tokhtamysh kills Janyke-Khanym's mother and thereby destroys relations with her daughter.
Very soon, the woman remains the eldest in the Tokhtamysh family and takes over the reign of the Kyrkor beylik. One can only be surprised at the mind and insight of this "weak" woman, who made a bet on the Genghisides, who support the idea of creating an independent Crimean Khanate, which, in the end, reigned in these lands for a long time. The name Dzhanyke-Khanym was overgrown with legends, they composed songs about her and said that many famous men sought the attention of a beauty, but not one of them sparkled with intelligence and could not stand next to the famous daughter of the famous Tokhtamysh.
Gate of Orta-Kupu
When the mausoleum is left behind, travelers will see the Middle defensive wall with the Orta-Kupu gate. There is nothing particularly remarkable in the structure: five meters thick - the impressive power of the wall, which was located on a plateau from one edge to the other.
This is how the Old and New cities arise, and the layout is considered very difficult for that time. The wall was not monolithic and consisted of two parts 60 m long, at the docking point there is the Middle Gate (Orta-Kupu). It is interesting that initially the building was a “layer cake”: the outer layer of limestone blocks up to 8 m high and first 5 m thick, and then 10 m thick.
Then there was a moat 65 meters long, completely cut into the rocky base. The moat is 4 meters wide, more than 2 meters deep, and when this niche was filled with rainwater, it was a very difficult structure to cross. The ditch did not reach the northern cliff a little, closing with an exit gate, which was invisible to the enemies.
Moreover, the gate was also fenced with moats of small format, “only” 12 meters each. No matter how good the Middle Wall was, after the construction of the Eastern, it became unnecessary, but the space served to expand the construction and it is here that the whole cave ensemble of Chaush-kobasy appears.
Chaush-kobasy is not a prison at all, as some tourists think, it is just the same cave by which one can judge the wealth of wealthy Karaites. A huge and rather gloomy building was the basement of a very wealthy family. Looking a little more closely at the buildings, it becomes clear that the lower one is the sleeping rooms and utility areas with a ceiling height of more than three meters, but the upper one is the front rooms with a good view from the window (on the Ashlam-Dere beam) and a ceiling height of 3.5 meters . Moreover, the upper room is “more modest” than the lower one in terms of area, only 48 squares compared to 75.5 m2. Nice "apartment" for one family!
But the prison is a little further, almost on the edge of the cliff. Representing a huge room with a couple of small windows, this is a real stone bag. There were only two levels: upper and lower. Apparently, temporary prisoners were kept at the top, but more serious prisoners were sent down. The small lower hall has a small opening that acts as a window from which air and light flow. The lock was only at the top, while the bottom was blocked by a platform of wood.
It is believed that the prison was intended for high-ranking prisoners, for whom you could get a good ransom. It is known that at different times the Lithuanian ambassador, Hetman Pototsky, Vasily Gryaznoy, Prince Romodanovsky, even V.B. Sheremetev did not escape the fate. They kept the voivode for a little less than a year and only then decided to start diplomatic discussions of a ransom. During this time, 4 khans changed power, each of which put forward its own, each time more stringent demands. Someone asked Kazan and Astrakhan, but still they agreed on a "small tribute" of 60 thousand rubles in gold (a myriad of sums even at that time) and released the prisoner. Vasily Borisovich returned in the most serious condition. Not only was there no light in the cell, but a latrine was equipped right there, the shackles were not removed, they fed from hand to mouth. The half-blind, seriously ill and infirm prisoner lived in freedom for only six months, the body of a once mighty person could not withstand imprisonment in a deaf stone bag.
https://youtu.be/Xa8O1k7DllQ
A little further, the Firkovich estate opens up to travelers. This is one of the most famous people, a Karaite scholar who lived here until the end of his life. Abraham Samuilovich Firkovich was considered a fairly successful person, which is confirmed by the restored house. Wooden stacked ceiling, two floors, one (lower) for household needs, and the upper one for housing, wooden wall decoration - today you can see exactly how the Karaites lived. In the courtyard of the estate there are outbuildings, a mandatory well for collecting water. It is interesting that in the estate of Firkovich, liquid was supplied to the well from a crevice in a karst cave, and the well was equipped with a gate with a bucket. It turns out that even if the city was besieged, the inhabitants would not be left without water. But soon these sources dried up, and life-giving moisture had to be delivered from other places.
Coming closer to the area facing east, you can see the defensive wall and Biyuk-Kapu - the Big Gate. They are called large because it was through this entrance that supplies and firewood were delivered to the city. Outside the gates in Chufut-Kale began a large market. It turns out that the Eastern defensive wall, as it were, closes the city. The length of the building is 128 meters, there are corner tower buildings and a central gate tower. The wall was rebuilt, completed, equipped with a cannon embrasure, and the northern part was supplemented with a parapet with loopholes. The gate was a massive wooden gate, all braided with iron strips.
A very interesting marble slab, embedded on top of the gate - the image of a horn and a shield was considered the coat of arms of the city. This is how herds of cattle were marked, belongings - tamgas were available to all Turks who were subordinate to older or respected clans of Tatar families. And, of course, there was a moat. Single at the northern piece of wall structures and double in front of the rest. A single moat reached a depth of 9 meters, and along the bottom it was possible to reach the Ashlam-Dere valley.
Canyon Chufut-Kale
The Chufut-Kale canyon is a unique place also because there is the Josphat Valley here. This is the territory where, according to legend, the last Judgment will take place. It is not in vain that the valley is named after the one located in Jerusalem, the similarity of both squares is striking.
It's a little scary to enter the arch, because beyond it begins the city of the dead. An endless number of tombstones, dotted with calligraphy of Hebrew messages, a path passes through the territory from the west and goes to the east, and it is impossible even today to determine exactly how many graves were buried in time and left in the ground, overgrown with forest. It is known that several oaks used to grow here, which were considered sacred (some survived to our days), it was impossible to cut trees, and perhaps that is why the cemetery was named “Balta-tiymez” - “you can’t touch with an ax”.
https://youtu.be/v-bEJ6h5QLs
If you strengthen your spirit, you can consider the tombstones, they are very diverse and many of them are whimsical. One-, two-horned, slabs horizontally or vertically, steles, obelisks, monuments, cenotaphs ... the whole history of Chufut-Kale is really represented here. It is worth noting that the burial here was considered honorary and later the deceased began to be given a little more honors, decorating the resting places with rosettes, ornaments, expensive stones and wood.
But to see the most perfect structure of Chufut-Kale, the Siege Well, you need to go a little further. The history of the discovery of this very well is interesting. At the end of the 19th century, while examining Chufut-Kale, the canyon and other structures, archaeologists discovered an incredible system of underground structures that could not have been found in a fortress of this rank at all! There are memorable records about the system in the legends, but no one believed in the system itself, however, the discovery confirmed that the Karaites could have existed in the besieged city for a very long time, because "near the Small Gate there was an underground passage to the source located at the foot of the cliff."
It is not known when and by whom the well was created, information about it was a military secret, and there is no doubt that only a few Karaites were privy to this secret, which is why the information that has survived to this day is so valuable.
The monumentality of the structure is striking: a vertically descending well with a section of up to 2.2 meters stretches for 27 meters, and already at a depth of 25 meters a square-shaped gallery measuring 2 * 2 meters approaches it, gently rising to a height of 30 meters! Moreover, along the entire length of this gallery there are steps, but a small passage has not yet been cleared to the end, leading a little away from the junction of the gallery with the well. There is also a perpendicular well, located below the gallery and representing a spacious shaft with a cross section of 5 meters, descending from the portal deep into the well.
The antiquity of the building is evidenced not only by stalactites, but also by rock inscriptions made in Karaite cursive, Aramaic cursive or in Latin. The paintings on the rock walls are also very interesting, but it is better not to talk about them, but to see and breathe in the aroma of ancient times. Moreover, it is not difficult here - the whole room seemed to come from the depths of centuries, legends, which tell about disappearing troops, heroes disappearing underground and heroes falling asleep for centuries, then rising with immeasurable strength and health.
How to get to Chufut-Kale
1. From Evpatoria by car along the P25 highway to T0104, after Saki turn and drive along the T0104 / T0106 highway, and after Tabachny turn towards Bakhchisaray and go to the ring road. Then along Zhdanov street to the street. I rock and follow the signs.
2. From Simferopol along the highway to Sevastopol and also to Bakhchisaray through the street. Zhdanov and Lenin to the Rocky and follow the signs.
3. From the Evpatoria bus station there is a bus and a minibus to Bakhchisarai without transfers. And from the railway station in Bakhchisarai, you can take bus number 2 to the Starolesye stop and walk for half an hour following the signs.
4. From Simferopol, you first need to get to Bakhchisaray by train, bus and then also by bus number 2 to the Starolesye stop, then on foot.
How to get there by car from Simferopol (map)
How to get there by car from Sevastopol (map)
How to get there by car from Evpatoria (map)
But in order to see Bakhchisaray and Chufut-Kale, how to get there is little to know, you also need a mode of operation.
The cave is open every day from 9.00 to 19.00, but the ticket office closes at 17.30. True, at the South Gate you can buy tickets until 19.30, at the East Gate until 19.00.
Remember that if the group has 15 or more people, then the excursion service is free!
