Genoese towers in Crimea. Inside the Genoese fortress. What can be seen in the fortress in Sudak
How much do you know medieval fortresses built on coral reef? I think no.
Genoese fortress in Sudak. It rises on an ancient petrified coral reef, which today is a cone-shaped mountain. The mountain has several names, the oldest mention is Kyz-Kulle-Burun, the most frequent mention is Mount Fortress, there is also a Tatar name - Dzhenevez-Kaya.
This is the former military base the Genoese colony of Soldaya, which was considered almost impregnable. The fortress was built for almost 100 years - from 1371 to 1469. And in 1475 it was taken by the Turks...
2. The first defensive structures on the site of the modern fortress appeared in the 6th century. Alternately, they ruled here, replacing each other: Allans, Khazars, Polovtsy, Byzantines, Golden Horde. In XII, envoys of the Byzantine state appeared on the shores of the Black Sea - Venetians, Pisans and Genoese. They actively begin to trade with Russian, Polovtsian and Central Asian merchants. Gradually, it was the Genoese who captured the entire coast from the Bosporus (Kerch) to Chersonesos (the current region of Sevastopol). Kafa (Feodosia) became the capital of their colony in the Crimea, and Sudak became a military base. 
3. The Genoese united all the separate defensive structures available here at that time into one complex. Thus began the construction of the now world-famous Genoese fortress.
The fortress occupied an area of about 30 hectares, and had two tiers of defense - the lower and upper. The lower tier was protected by a wall about 6-8 meters high and 1.5-2 meters thick. The fortress wall was fortified with fourteen combat towers up to 15 meters high and the Main Gate complex. 
4. At the foot of one of the combat towers. 
5. Each of the towers bore the name of one of the consuls under whom this tower was built, as evidenced by the slabs preserved on the towers with heraldic symbols and inscriptions in medieval Latin. Unfortunately, these slabs were not preserved on all towers, as well as the towers themselves. Some of the surviving towers are: Giovanni Marione, Pasquale Gedice, Corrado Chikalo, Frederico Astagvera… 
6. Heraldic plate on one of the towers 
7. Main gate complex. It consists of two gate towers - the western Jacobo Torsello and the eastern Bernabò di Franchi di Pagano. The bottom of the western tower was reinforced with a gentle slope, a buttress, which performed both the engineering function of strengthening the base of the tower, and the combat one. The combat function of the buttress was that stones bounced off it, which were thrown down by the defenders of the Sudak fortress, and this increased the area and the possibility of hitting the enemy.
Loopholes were cut in the combat tier of the tower, and rectangular embrasures were arranged on the tier above, expanding outwards. Inside the tower there are niches where bombards or ballistas were installed.
The eastern tower appeared somewhat later than the western one. The tower has loopholes and four embrasure windows, the same as in the tower of Jacobo Torsello. Crosses are carved on the wall, from the side of the gate. On the south side of the base of the tower, the remains of the steps of the stairs are visible, along which, apparently, the guards climbed the tower and walls. Both towers are connected by a stone bridge with a loophole. 
8. There was a city inside the fortress. At the main gate of Soldaia there was a small trading square, where the main city institutions were concentrated. The Greek Cathedral of Hagia Sophia, the Catholic Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, the market, the building of the loggia of the commune (town hall) and customs. 
10. All the space inside the fortress, which is empty today, in ancient times was built up with religious buildings and residential buildings. On the territory of the city, no more than 20 hectares in size, plus the settlements adjoining the fortress walls from the northeast and north, about 8 thousand people lived. This is known for sure, because. the census of 1249 has been preserved. For the Middle Ages, this is a big figure. 
11. The houses of the inhabitants of medieval Sudak were built on terraces. From south to north, the city had five streets with narrow lanes. 
12. Remains of the western wall. Today, no more than a meter remains from the former height of several meters. 
13. Loophole closed with shutters 
14. View of the upper tier with the Consular Castle and the Maiden's Tower, which is considered the most ancient. 
15. Not all visitors decide to climb to the highest point of the fortress - the Maiden's Tower. This is prevented by a gentle smooth slope of the rock on which the tower is located.
But it's worth getting on it. From here you have an incredible view in all directions. No wonder this tower has a second name - Watch.
One of the local legends is associated with the name of the Maiden's Tower. In ancient times, the archon (local mayor) had a beautiful daughter, the most beautiful of which was not in all of Tauris. The best commander of the king of Pontus Mithridates Diophantus sought the hand of the girl, but she preferred the poor shepherd. The Archon did not even want to think about such a choice of his daughter, because I would be glad to acquire influential relatives.
They informed the ruler about the secret meetings of the shepherd and the princess, and the angry father ordered the shepherd to be thrown into the well.
Having bribed the guards, the girl freed her lover and hid him in her room. The archon found out about this and decided to act more cunningly - he pretended to send the young man to Miletus, but ordered his servants to kill him.
The archon said to his daughter: “In a year, the ship will return back, and if your beloved does not cheat on you, then you will see a white sign on the mast. I will not resist your happiness. But if he is not worthy of you, there will be no sign on the ship, and you will go out for Diophantus. When the ship appeared a year later, there was no sign on it. The girl threw herself into the sea from the tower and crashed. Since then, the tower has been called the Maiden Tower. 
16. View from the Maiden Tower on the territory of the fortress and the current Sudak 
17. West Bank 
18. East coast, where Sudak and its beaches are now located.
You can also see the wall of the second tier and the Consular Castle. 
19. Consular Castle 
20. Courtyard of the Consular Castle.
The castle itself consisted of three towers connected by fortress walls. In the Middle Ages, it also served as the home and residence of the Genoese consul - the head of the Genoese administration of Soldaya.
The structure of the consular castle consists of a donjon and a courtyard, which is joined from the northwest by a portico and a corner tower added later. The courtyard is closed in thick walls, in which loopholes are made. The width of the yard is 8.6 m, the length is 15.5 m. Until now, on the eastern side of the yard, the remains of a staircase are visible, along which one could go to the battlefield with a ledge, where secret doors are still walled up. Where a slightly noticeable path goes down the rock. This exit was used when there was a siege of the fortress for escape or communication with the outside world. It was possible to enter the courtyard of the castle only through a gate protected by a rectangular barbican.
The consular tower served not only as a headquarters, but also as an arsenal, and could be isolated from the rest of the fortress.
In the tower, in case of a siege, water tanks with a total volume of about 40 cubic meters were installed. This is evidenced by traces of waterproof plaster and two ceramic pipes. 
21. As mentioned above, in the Middle Ages, the consular castle served as the home and residence of the Genoese consul - the head of the Genoese administration of Soldaya. Usually the consul was elected for a term of one year and received a very high salary for the performance of his office.
The post of consul, as a rule, was occupied by representatives of the nobility from the Genoese families. Before taking office, the consul was not supposed to be in Soldaia. This rule was considered important so that the ruler could not use his official position for personal purposes. The consul did not have his own housing in the city, which is why the military residence of the consular castle served as his home. 
22. The room where the consuls of Soldai lived - a throne, a fireplace, skins .. maybachs of that time 
24. The building of the mosque, which is now a museum, and in official documents is referred to as the Building with an arcade. This is the only well-preserved building on the territory of the fortress.
There are several theories about the purpose of this building. One of them says that initially it was a Christian temple, and after the capture of Sudak by the Tatars, it was converted into a mosque. According to another version, the building was built by the Genoese in 1365 and then converted into a mosque. There is also a version that this domed building was built by the Tatars or the Seljuk Turks as a mosque, and the Genoese converted it into a Catholic church.
Excavations, carried out in 1962 outside and inside the domed building, say that it was originally built as a mosque. Firstly, no traces of the previous Christian temple and any accompanying burials were found. Secondly, this is confirmed by the fact that the foundations of the previously existing galleries and the minaret are folded into a band with the foundation of the building. 
25. Arched-domed entrance to the mosque building. 
26. Today central part The museum is a cubic building. The building is covered with a spherical dome resting on the so-called corrugated tromps.
A spherical dome without a drum passes into the walls of the mosque with the help of corrugated "sails". A similar structure of spherical domes is typical of the architecture of Ottoman Turkey, which was influenced by Byzantium. 
27. The most important architectural units of the building - vaults, corners, columns and window frames - are made of solid blocks and decorated with carved ornaments. This ornament is most often defined in the literature as Seljuk. 
28. The greatest controversy is a fragment of a fresco on the western pilaster of the inner arcade of the building. A fragment of the painting was discovered in 1958, at the time of peeling off the plaster. A figure in a reddish robe with a covered head looms against a light gray background. O. Dombrovsky believes that this is a male figure depicting a saint with a halo. Other researchers believe that the fresco depicts a woman. For example, art critic I. F. Trotskaya states that this is a uniquely female image. Proof of this is a scarf or a kind of hood on the head of the depicted. 
29. Nowadays, some traces of Soldaia found on the territory of the fortress - frescoes, pithoi, heraldic plates, etc. are exhibited in the museum. 
30.
31. Tiled ceiling of the cisterns and a view of the Consular Castle 
32. Stylized as "medieval retro" dry closets. True not working in the heat tourist season in the middle of summer. Which, however, is not surprising. 
33. In conclusion of the story about the Genoese fortress - views from its different parts.
Sokol and Cape Kapchik in the distance 
34. Sudak, Alchak-Kaya and Meganom. View from the Maiden's Tower 
35. Sudak, Karagach and Karadzha 
36. Wish Tree 
The history of the Genoese fortress is short. After that, it was captured by the Turks in 1475. The towers and defensive walls were not repaired. In 1783, the fortifications became the property Russian Empire and the castle began to fall into disrepair.
In our time, due to its picturesqueness, good preservation of ancient buildings and easy accessibility, the Sudak fortress was often used as a colorful scene in historical, adventure and fairy tale films.
More than forty films were filmed here, such as "Amphibian Man", "Othello", "Rings of Almanzor", "Single Voyage", "Pirates of the Twentieth Century", "Head of Chukotka", "Bridal Umbrella", "Primordial Russia", "The Odyssey of Captain Blood", "The Master and Margarita", "Socrates", "Hamlet", "Marco Polo" and others.
In addition, every year a historical festival dedicated to the art of chivalry takes place on the territory of the fortress.
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Of the numerous architectural sights of the Crimea, the Sudak fortress is the most striking. Holistic defensive system medieval city seen in every detail. The absence of modern buildings favorably emphasizes the uniqueness of the monument and contributes to large-scale archaeological and architectural research. The Sudak fortress is of considerable interest as a cultural monument of international importance. It attracts the attention of everyone who seeks to know the past of the Crimea.
As a result of archaeological and architectural research, restoration work carried out over three decades on the territory of the Sudak fortress, the chronological framework of the city's existence has been significantly expanded. Scientists have established that from the middle of the 7th century, long before the appearance of the Genoese in the Northern Black Sea region, the Byzantine city of Sugdea, protected by fortifications, existed on this territory for several centuries - a trade, economic and political center region. This gave grounds for scientists and specialists to call the fortress not Genoese (it had such a name long time), and Sudak.
Favorable climate and profitable geographical location Crimean peninsula, especially his south coast have long attracted the attention of many peoples. Throughout the ancient and medieval periods Greek culture actively influenced the peoples who replaced one after another in the Crimea. At the end of the ancient period, almost the entire population of the Northern Black Sea region, regardless of ethnicity, firmly mastered the main features of the Hellenistic culture and began to perceive the Greek language as the language of culture and education.
According to medieval legend, the fortress of Sugdeya was founded in 212. At the beginning of the III century. almost whole mountain Crimea became part of the Bosporan kingdom. To control the territory of the kingdom and to fight piracy, several points were founded where detachments of Bosporan warriors were stationed. One of these points was Sugdeya, by that time it was a small observation post and a pier. With the subsequent development of the city, the original settlement was almost completely destroyed, so the archaeological materials of that time are insignificant: a few coins, small fragments of marble decrees and an altar dedicated to the god of the sea - Poseidon.
In written sources, the city of Sudak is recorded under different names: in Greek - Sugdea; in Western Europe - most often Soldaya; in Persian, Arabic and Turkish - Sugdak and Sudak. The modern name of the city is close to the eastern forms, as well as to the initial toponym, which comes from the ancient Iranian word “sugda” (translated as “pure” or “holy”).
In the Late Antique period, the population of Crimea as a whole was descended from Iranian-speaking tribes, among which in the III c. the most powerful and numerous was the tribe of the Alans. Despite the significant influence Greek culture, in the language of the inhabitants eastern Crimea for a long time, the system of proper names and geographical names inherent in it was preserved. Some of them have survived to the present day. Therefore, many scientists believe that the Alans were the first inhabitants of Sugdea.
In the VI century. Southern Crimea gradually becomes part of the Byzantine Empire. Along the southern coast of Taurica, the remains of a system of Byzantine fortifications have been preserved, one of which appears in the second half of the 7th century. in Sugdeya, and the presence of a Byzantine customs point here indicates that the city played a significant role in the trade of the Byzantine state.
At the end of the 7th century Turkic-speaking tribes that were part of the Bulgarian Confederation, and then the Khazar Khaganate, begin to penetrate into the southeastern Crimea. They settled near the Byzantine fortresses. The Khazar Khaganate, finally formed by the beginning of the 8th century, was by that time the largest state formation of Eastern Europe. This state was a confederation of nomadic and sedentary tribes (Alans, Bulgarians, Slavs) united by the military force of the Khazars. In Sugdey in the first half of the 8th century. the headquarters of the Khazar official - tudun was located.
From the 8th century Christianity plays a significant role in shaping the worldview of the inhabitants of the city. The missionary activity of Christian preachers was especially intensified during the period of iconoclasm in Byzantium. Internal social conflicts, a decrease in territory led to an outflow of the population from the central regions. In the first half of the 8th century A bishopric was established in Sugdey, one of the first abbots of which was St. Stephen, who later became the heavenly patron of the city. Due to the influence of Greek Christianity throughout almost the entire history of the city, the majority of the population spoke Greek and professed Orthodox Christianity.
After the collapse of the Khazar Khaganate at the end of the tenth century. power in Sudak, as in everything southeastern Crimea, passes to the Byzantine Empire. Old fortifications are being repaired and new fortifications are being built, the intra-fortress space is being actively built up.
X-XIII century - the period of the highest development of the city. He becomes significant shopping center Taurica and the entire Northern Black Sea region. The port of Sudak connects the countries of Eastern Europe and Kievan Rus with the countries of the Mediterranean, the Eurasian steppes - with the countries North Africa, Middle East and Western Europe. The wealth and role of the city in international trade could not fail to attract the attention of militarily strong neighbors.
From the end of the XI century. the city falls under the protectorate of the Polovtsy, who, on the terms of paying tribute, guaranteed residents protection from external enemies. However, they were not always able to fulfill their obligations. When in 1228 a squadron of the Turkish Seljuk sultan Ala-Ed-Din-Key-Kubad approached Sudak, a ten-thousand-strong detachment of Polovtsy came out to defend the city. However, he was defeated, and the Turks captured Sudak. This campaign was an episode in the conditions of the war between the Ionian Sultanate and the Empire of Trebizond, which included the city.
On January 27, 1223, Mongol troops first appeared under the walls of Sudak. On December 26, 1239, after a campaign against northeastern Rus', the Mongol army of Batu Khan appeared at Sudak for the second time. The population, out of fear of the conquerors, left the city.
With the formation of the Golden Horde state, whose capital was the city of Sarai-batu on the lower Volga, Sudak, like the entire southeastern part of the peninsula, became part of the Crimean ulus of the Golden Horde. Starting from 1249, the administration of the ulus annually collected tribute in the interests of the Golden Horde Khan.
From the second half of the XIII century. to the markets Black Sea coast merchants from Western Europe are penetrating more and more actively, mainly from two northern Italian cities - Venice and Genoa. They were attracted by favorable terms of trade with countries Far East and Central Asia, which developed here after the formation of the great Mongol Empire. By paying a three percent duty, the merchants received on behalf of the Mongol khan a guaranteed right, without risking anything, to cross the continent from the Black Sea to the Yellow. Therefore, a fierce struggle continued between representatives of different states for the possession of ports on the Black Sea coast. Around 1260, Genoa founded the large trading post of Kaffa (modern Feodosia), which was located 50 km east of Sudak. In Soldaya (as the Italians called Sudak) since the 70s of the XIII century. strengthened the Venetians. In the city had own house Venetian merchant Matteo Polo, who was visited by the nephew and famous traveler Marco Polo. Formally, Soldaya was not subordinate to Venice, but was dependent on the Khan of the Golden Horde.
In the first half of the fourteenth century The Golden Horde governors of the Crimea, under the pretext of religious struggle, expelled the Christian population of the city from the city and ordered the demolition of the fortress walls.
In the Golden Horde, after the death of Khan Berdibek (1359), the struggle for the throne began, in which Beklyaribek Mamai played the main role. The period of unrest, which lasted until the end in 1380, was successfully used by Genoa. Their military detachments captured almost the entire Crimean coast, gradually pushing out representatives of the Golden Horde administration. On July 19, 1365, the Genoese detachment, according to one of the written sources, "occupies the heights of Sugdeya."
Since then, the renewal of urban infrastructure began - fortifications and public buildings. First, the Genoese built a citadel on top of a mountain, and most cities were surrounded by earthen ramparts. The restoration of the outer line of defense began no later than 1385.
The territory of the Genoese Soldaia was divided by fortress walls into three parts: the citadel - the castle of St. Ilya, the lower city - the fortress of the Holy Cross and the port suburb. To protect Soldaya, the Genoese administration hired from 20 to 80 soldiers - fellows, for a fairly high fee. However, hired soldiers were not enough not only to protect the fortress, but even to protect it. Therefore, the male population of the city had to guard the fortress walls at night in turn. For evading this duty, the administration imposed fines on violators.
The space inside the fortress walls, currently empty, was built up with residential buildings and places of worship. Residential houses of Soldaya were located on terraces that descended the slopes of the fortress mountain. Five streets stretched from north to south, connected by narrow lanes that ran along the edges of the terraces. The houses were multi-storey. The lower floor - stone - was used for household purposes. The second, and sometimes the third floors were made of wood or mud brick (adobe).
It is known from written sources that there were several large Christian churches and many small chapels on the territory of the city. As evidenced archaeological research, outside the fortress walls (at a distance of one kilometer) there were buildings of the urban settlement with estates, where artisans lived and their workshops were located. According to the norms of medieval city law, any production related to fire (pottery, metalworking, etc.) was moved outside the city blocks. When placing craft workshops, even the prevailing wind direction was taken into account, in order to avoid sparks from falling on buildings.
On each structure, the Genoese installed a mortgage plate with information about the time of construction and the ownership of the building. The top of the slab usually contained several lines of Latin text. For example, the inscription on one of the slabs literally translates as follows: “This structure was ordered to be built by the noble husband and venerable consul of Soldaya Pasquale Giudice on the first day of August in 1392.” In the lower part of the plate there are three shields with coats of arms: on the central one - the coat of arms of Genoa, to the left of it - the coat of arms of the Genoese doge (the highest administrative person of the Republic of Genoa), on the right - the coat of arms of the family from which the consul came.
The reign of Genoa in Soldaia lasted from 1365 to 1475. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and the capture of the Black Sea straits by the Turkish sultans, the connection between the Genoese colonies and the mother country became more complicated, and the Black Sea gradually turned into an inland sea. Ottoman Empire. On May 31, 1475, a squadron of the Turkish commander Keduk Ahmed Pasha approached the Crimea. First, the Turkish army took Kaffa, the capital of the Genoese colonies on the Black Sea. Unlike Kaffa, Soldaya bravely defended herself. According to a well-known legend, its last defenders closed themselves in one of the largest churches and continued to resist even after the enemy captured the entire city.
Being under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, Sudak became the center of the judicial and administrative district - kadylyk. According to the 1542 census, 248 Greek, 27 Armenian and 24 Muslim families lived in the city. The fortress was defended by a Turkish garrison consisting of 10-30 soldiers. This number of soldiers was barely enough to defend the dilapidated walls of Sudak. In the first half of the 17th century, when the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks began campaigns against the Crimea, the inhabitants of the city, out of fear of military conflicts, fled to the surrounding villages, away from the coast. The Turkish traveler Evliya Celebi, visiting Sudak in the second half of the 17th century, did not find a single civilian here.
During the Turkish period, two great mosques. One of them was kept in the central part of the fortress and was called Aju-Bei-Jami. Its foundations were discovered by archaeologists in 1992.
In 1771, during the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774, a detachment of Russian troops occupied the city without a fight. A garrison consisting of a cavalry company of the Kirillovsky regiment lodged in the Sudak fortress. During the construction of the barracks for the Russian garrison, the buildings that until then had been preserved on the territory of the fortress were finally destroyed. The garrison stood in Sudak until 1816.
Currently, on the territory of the ancient city is the museum “Sudak fortress”.
Almost all architectural objects that have been preserved on the territory of the fortified city today were built during the presence of the Genoese (1365-1475). The buildings were built under control, so they often repeat the architectural motifs and techniques of fortification construction in Western Europe.
The territory of the museum is 29.5 hectares. From architectural structures X-XV centuries the defensive walls, the towers of the Watch (Maiden) and Astaguerra (Portovaya), the Consular Castle, the mosque, the temples of the Twelve Apostles and the Catholic Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, the remains of urban development, the seaside fortification of the 6th century have been preserved. etc.
October 17th, 2012
How many times have I heard about this fortress from my friends. Probably everyone stayed in Sudak and showed it to me in the photo-video. But to my regret, I haven’t got there yet, although I climbed a lot in Crimea. So I decided to make myself at least virtual tour. I invite you along...
Sudak was founded in the 3rd century by the ancestors of modern Ossetians - Alans. From the sixth century the city fell under the rule of the Byzantine Empire and Orthodoxy came here, Christian churches and monasteries began to be built. In the 13th century, the city was captured by the Tatar-Mongols, although in fact power passed to the Venetian Republic. After 150 years, Sudak is already captured by the Genoese, who turn the city into an independent colony under the protectorate of Consul Kafa.
Carlo Bossoli. Zander. Remains of the Genoese fortress, 1856
Sudak fortress is a unique historical monument.
The Genoese fortress is located on an ancient coral reef, which is a cone-shaped mountain (mountain Kyz-Kulle-Burun or Fortress), near the Sudak Bay of the Black Sea. The area of the fortress is almost 30 hectares.
In the second half of the XII century. envoys of the Byzantine state appear in Sudak - Venetians, Pisans and Genoese. They actively begin to trade with Russian, Polovtsian and Central Asian merchants. Gradually, it was the Genoese who captured the entire coast from the Bosporus (Kerch) to Chersonesos (the current region of Sevastopol). Kafa (Feodosia) became the capital of their colony in the Crimea, and Sudak became a military base. We began just with the construction of the Genoese fortress now famous all over the world.
On the site of the Sudak fortress that has come down to our time, there were more ancient defensive structures of the 6th century, which were completed and combined into a single fortress by the Genoese in the 14th-15th centuries.
The favorable location of the Genoese fortress and powerful fortifications made the fortress almost impregnable: from the west the fortress is difficult to access, from the south and east the fortress is protected by sheer mountain walls descending to the sea; a deep ditch was dug from the northeast.
The narrow path winds its way up a steep slope. The ascent is not easy - the midday sun burns. Soon it will be at its zenith.
Underfoot - dry, earth. Oasis-islands of plants shimmer with all shades of emerald. The grass is getting yellower and, like stubble, tickles your feet a little. Half an hour climb, and old fortress- as if in the palm of your hand. It turns out that the stronghold grows simply from the bowels of a cone-shaped mountain.
A little more - and the teeth of its silent gray walls will touch the sky, reach soft, milky-white clouds. But this is just a play of the imagination.
The fortress has two tiers of defense: lower and upper. The length of the walls is more than 800 m. From the east and half a day it is surrounded by a sheer, gray, like graphite, rock. Only from the north is a long but gentle descent.
However, this did not save the Genoese. In 1475 Soldaya was surrounded by Janissaries. Local desperately defended themselves, but the forces were too unequal. Eventually the city ran out of food. The defenders, of whom there were no more than a handful, hid in the main temple with the hope of salvation. But they expected sympathy in vain. The Turks burned everyone alive.
Passing the semi-oval main gate that connects the two towers, it is as if we are in the Middle Ages. Then the highest administrative and military power in Sugdey belonged to the consul. He was appointed from Genoa. Giovanni Marione, Pasquale Dzhediche, Corrado Chikalo, Flisco Lavane - there were already 90 of them! The last, Christoforo de Negro, died in battle with the Turks. They say that his soul did not find peace in the next world and, restless, still wanders the Citadel.
Forget about the clock and imagine that the count of time ends here, the guide asks a group of tourists. To do this is not difficult. It seems that now we will hear the sound of swords, the chime, the thunder of farriers, the neighing of horses. Here and there, monks will scurry about, encased in long cassocks, up to the heels. And behind them, whistling something, riders in heavy iron armor will leave. - Once upon a time, instead of a hole, there was a solid panel of wood, upholstered in iron. Heavy gates were raised and lowered with the help of special blocks.
Above the gate hangs a small slab. But the contents of the worn "stone stamp" cannot be read.
This is old Latin. Such inscriptions are familiar to the Middle Ages. They suggest the end time of construction and the name of the consul, during whose reign it was, - the guide explains.
From the top of the Fortress Mountain you can see the sea, "closed" by capes: Meganom - in the east and Ai-Foka - in the west. It can be seen and Sudaksk I will hear that it stretches for more than 8 km. Here, whether you like it or not, you become a pagan who idolizes southern sun and turquoise sea. "Ragged" rocks "fly up" down, in some places forming impregnable stone chaos. Gray-winged gulls fly low over the water. From here comes a different climate, a different nature, and ultimately a new account of time.
In a huge, stone-paved courtyard, fragments of stone lie here and there. Buildings are few. Although the territory is really huge, as much as 30 hectares. The closest to us are two semi-basement rooms made of gray stone.
These are tanks. The one closer to the gate was used to store water in case of drought or siege. Its capacity is 185 cubic meters. m, says the guide. - Water came there with ceramic pipes from springs on the slopes of Mount Perchom. It is located 3 km north of the fortress.
Clickable
Above the rocky part of the mountain rises the Citadel with the Consular Castle. The Genoese could find shelter there if the enemies broke through the outer belt of defense. The rapid cliff did not interfere with supporting the garrison from the sea - food was delivered on tight ropes.
On the eastern wall of the courtyard of the Citadel, the remains of a staircase have been preserved. They led to the battlefield, says the guide. - If you go upstairs, then on one of the performances you will see walled up doors. Behind them is a narrow, barely noticeable path that runs along the slope of a cliff. During the siege, it could be used to escape.
But before you get to the Citadel, you need to overcome more than one steep climb, climb a sheer cliff and pass a branched tree that grows over the tomb of an unknown saint. It, according to the guides, is magical. Or, rather, a godsend for local "businessmen". There's a kiosk selling colorful ribbons. Each color symbolizes something.
Blue deprives of disease, yellow promotes money, white - enlightenment and grace, pink and red promise love and happiness in marriage. Having connected, like the rest of the travelers, "fresh" ribbons on the "tree of desires", we move on. And after a hundred meters we come across his "double". But sloppy and... free. Instead of ribbons, various garbage hangs from branches - from plastic bags and socks to diapers.
Metu climbing - the Citadel is crowned by the oldest lone tower in the fortress. It is called Maiden, or Kiz-Kule. According to legend, during the Greek rule, the young daughter of the head of the city, the archon, lived there. And she was the beauty of beauties. The local guys did not dare to raise their eyes to her. In vain sought her favor and Diophantus - the best commander of King Mithridates. No one knew that the girl had already fallen in love. And not a nobleman, but a simple shepherd. Somehow they were seen together and reported to the archon. He exploded. He ordered to seize the shepherd and throw him into a stone well. But the beauty managed to free the prisoner. Then the archon decided to cheat: pretending to be resigned, get rid of the shepherd, and marry his daughter to Diophantus.
I will send your beloved on an errand to Miletus. In a year, - he once said to his daughter, - the ship will return. If he does not forget you, a white mark will hang on the mast.
On the way, the shepherd was killed. Therefore, a year later, a ship appeared on the horizon. The whole city went to the pier. But the ship's mast was empty. In desperation, the daughter of the archon ordered to bring a tunic and a valuable diadem. She approached the battlements of the wall, which is on top of the cliff, and rushed down into the sea. Since then, the romantic tower has been called Kiz-Kule...
Powdered with the dust of centuries, dilapidated walls and towers ancient fortress hide many secrets. One of them is about the beautiful warrior girl Theodora. More than one leader offered her a hand and a heart, and at the same time - wealth and fame obtained on the battlefield. However, she refused everyone, because she had already made a vow of celibacy to the gods.
The future ruler of Sugdea, Theodora, grew up with two twin boys, Heraclius and Konstantin, the guide says. - With age, childhood friendship grew into passionate love. But the proud, uncompromising Heraclius did not take the refusal for granted and held a grudge against the beauty.
If he wanted to take revenge, he secretly made his way to Kafa and convinced the Genoese to capture Sugdeya. But he demanded only a beautiful prisoner. At dawn, the fortress was surrounded by enemies. Despite the numerous advantage, the inhabitants courageously defended themselves. Then Heraclius took advantage of the resemblance to Constantine. He made his way under the shadow of the night into the city and opened the main gates to the Genoese. Enemies burst into the sleeping Sugdey, but they did not find Theodora. She managed to hide in Aluston Castle.
Two days later, the galleys of the Genoese moored there, - the guide leads further. - The exhausting siege resumed.
Constantine and Theodora ordered the inhabitants to leave the fortress and seek refuge on Mount Kastel. But the enemies "rescued" Heraclius. He went up there by underground passage. Mistaking the traitor for Konstantin, the watchman let him through to the gate this time as well. At the noise of the battle, Theodora ran out of the castle and killed the traitor with a sword.
From the southwestern side of Castel Gora, where there is no grass and trees, dark stripes are visible, the guide says. - These are traces of blood that flowed from the rocks in streams, a reminder of a fierce battle in which all the defenders lay down along with the warrior girl.
In the Genoese fortress there are two tiers of defense - lower and upper. The lower tier is protected by a wall 6-8 meters high and 1.5-2 meters thick. The wall is fortified with fourteen combat towers 15 meters high and the Main Gate complex. Each tower was named after the consul under whom it was built; this is evidenced by the slabs preserved on some towers with heraldic symbols and inscriptions in medieval Latin.
The upper tier of defense included towers and the Consular Castle, connected into one complex by a wall running along the very crest of the mountain, as well as the Watchtower complex. The watch tower stands on the very top of the mountain and offers a majestic panorama of the entire Sudak valley from it. And with good visibility, you can see the distant mountain Ayu-Dag and even - behind it - the silhouette of the teeth of Ai-Petri. This tower is very interesting in terms of engineering solutions. First - a rather narrow corridor about 5 meters long. Then - a high threshold and traces of several doorways.
Between the upper and lower tiers of defense was the city, which was always in the position of enhanced protection. The consul had no right to spend a single night outside the city. He simultaneously held the positions of commandant of the fortress, head of the garrison and financial manager.
Inspection of the fortress should start from the main gate and then go to the east. Inside - eyes run wide: picturesque ruins, exotic buildings. Everywhere you can clearly feel the breath of time. Attention, of course, is immediately attracted to the fortress towers. To the west of the gate is the tower of Jacobo Torsello. From the east, the tower of Beriabo di Franchi di Pagano adjoins the gate. Remarkable in terms of architecture and its unusual story ancient mosque. The building is sustained in noble proportions and creates a feeling of lightness and spaciousness inside.
Behind the ancient mosque you will see the consular castle. This is a whole complex of structures, the most interesting of those preserved in the fortress. main tower- donjon - occupies the entire transverse space up to the cliff. The second powerful battle tower is located in the northeast corner of the castle. Both towers are connected by thick walls, between them lies a courtyard. In one of the walls (western) there is a row of loopholes, along which there was a wooden platform for shooters.
Inside the donjon - the Consular Tower - you can get on a stone staircase built later. In the basement there are two rooms. The western one has a loophole at the top. The eastern room is skillfully lined with hewn stones from the inside; it is believed that this is a water cistern. A wall extends from the main (Consular) tower to the southwest, to which the Georgievskaya tower adjoins with a portico attached to it. Crosses carved into the walls can be seen in several places. On the ground floor there is a niche with a rounded top of the altar type. A small slab above it was once decorated with a bas-relief image of a rider on a horse. The bas-relief has been smoothed over by time, but according to tradition, it is believed that this is the image of St. George the Victorious, hence the name of the tower - Georgievskaya.
Currently, the Genoese fortress is under state protection; it is a branch of the Kyiv architectural and historical reserve "Sofia Museum". Research and restoration work is being carried out on its territory.
Time and wars did not spare the fortress itself. Many of its fortifications were destroyed during numerous assaults, or they fell into disrepair and collapsed on their own. Now in the fortress of Sudak you can see only a part of the buildings that speak of its former invincibility and greatness. These are the main gate, several towers (including the St. George Tower, the Corrado Chikalo Tower, the Torsello Tower), the temple-mosque, the Temple of the Twelve Apostles, a warehouse and the remains of the barracks.
In addition, the remains of two barracks of the Kirillovsky regiment, built in the 18th century by order of Potemkin, have been preserved in the fortress. In front of them are two old cannons.
Outside the fortress walls there is another tower - Frederico Astagvera (Port). During the time of the Genoese, it was connected by a wall, with the corner tower of the fortress and with the tower that stood on Mount Palvani-Oba. This defensive line protected the territory of the old port of Soldaya.
Today the central part of the museum is a cubic structure. The building is covered with a spherical dome resting on the so-called corrugated tromps.
A spherical dome without a drum passes into the walls of the mosque with the help of corrugated "sails". A similar structure of spherical domes is typical of the architecture of Ottoman Turkey, which was influenced by Byzantium.
The most important architectural units of the building - vaults, corners, columns and window casings - are made of solid blocks and decorated with carved ornaments. This ornament is most often defined in the literature as Seljuk.
The greatest controversy is caused by a fragment of a fresco on the western pilaster of the inner arcade of the building. A fragment of the painting was discovered in 1958, at the time of peeling off the plaster. A figure in a reddish robe with a covered head looms against a light gray background. O. Dombrovsky believes that this is a male figure depicting a saint with a halo. Other researchers believe that the fresco depicts a woman. For example, art critic I. F. Trotskaya states that this is a uniquely female image. Proof of this is a scarf or a kind of hood on the head of the depicted.
Nowadays, some traces of Soldaia found on the territory of the fortress - frescoes, pithoi, heraldic plates, etc. are exhibited in the museum.
From the 4th c. All Crimean coast included in the sphere of influence of the Byzantine Empire.
In the 7th century Crimea fell under the rule of the Khazars, which lasted until the 10th century. n. e. (- collection of tribute from the population through the governor of the Khazar Khakan (king). Since the end of the 8th century, there has been an archiepiscopal see in Sudak, subordinate to the Patriarch of Constantinople.
In the 10th century Kyiv prince Svyatoslav destroyed the Khazar state. But the place of the Khazars was taken by nomadic Pechenegs.
In the 11th century The Pechenegs were driven out by the Cumans. Sudak in the Polovtsian time becomes the richest of the Crimean cities.
From the second half of the 12th c. representatives of the Italian merchants appear in the Black Sea region - Venetians, Pisans, Genoese, traveling
trade with Russia, Polovtsians and Central Asia through Soldaya (Italian from the 13th century). The population of Sudak is Alans, Greeks, Armenians, Russians, remnants
Khazars. Russian "guests-surozhane" and the Venetians had their houses and trading warehouses here.
1221-1222 - attack of the Turkish Sultan Ala-ad-din Keykobad. The Polovtsian army and a detachment of 10,000 sent by the Russian prince
people were defeated near Feodosia. The Sudak fortress held out for a day with a select detachment of 1000 people.
In 1223 new robbers came - the Mongol-Tatars.
1239 - a new invasion of the Mongol-Tatars. After 9 years, for an unknown reason, they left Sudak, remaining in the Crimea.
1265 - Berke, the first of the Golden Horde khans who converted to Islam, gave Solkhat and Sudak to the former iconic sultan Iz-ad-din, who mastered
the divine from Byzantine captivity.
1299 - the city was completely destroyed by Khan Nogai, who came with a large army.
In 1308, 1322, 1323, 1327, Sudak again suffered pogroms.
In the second half of the 13th c. a dangerous trading competitor appears. From the 70s-80s of the 13th century. the Genoese settled in the Cafe, semi-
who received the permission of the Golden Horde governor to set up a trading post. At the beginning of the 14th century Genoese captured Kerch
(Reproduce, Cherkio), and in the 50s - Balaklava (Cembalo). In Sudak, the original competitors and enemies of the Genoese had the right to a trading post.
tsev - Venetians, where they traded from the beginning of the 13th century.
1365 - taking advantage of the turmoil in the Golden Horde, the Genoese attacked Sudak, captured the city and 18 villages included in its district.
the “captainship of Gothia” (the coast from Foros to Alushta) also received participation with the Tatars in the Battle of Kulikovo. By the end of the 14th century Genoese
established themselves along the entire coast from Balaklava to Kerch. The main goal is to capture the entire international slave trade, which Crimea
supplied Asia Minor, Egypt, Byzantium, Italy, Spain. After the capture by the Genoese of S. from the international trading port transform-
settles into an agricultural colony and a stronghold.
1475 - Turkish landing in Cafe, followed by the capture of other Genoese colonies. Under Turkish domination, Sudak finally came
into decline.
1771 - the expulsion of the Turks by Russian troops under the command of V.M. Dolgoruky.
1778 - Suvorov evicted the entire Christian population in the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov.
1783 - "taking under the power" by the rescript of Catherine II.
Until the 30s of the 19th century. - the center of noble culture in the Crimea (several estates).
From the 30s of the 19th century. - the largest wine-making center in Crimea.
(11-14 centuries - permanent trade relations of Surozh with Kievan Rus, and from the 13th century - with the northern Russian principalities. Especially widely
Mutual trade relations between Rus' and Surozh develop with the formation of the Grand Duchy of Moscow.
In the 15th century "Surozh" is called not only the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov, but also the Black Sea.)
The history of Balaklava has more than 3000 thousand years. During this period, the territory of the current Balaklava was owned by the Greeks, Tauris, Turks, Ottomans, Romans and Genoese. The very name of the place changed from Syumbolon Limen - from the ancient Greek bay of symbols, to the consonant with the Balaklava name - Balyk Yuve from the Turkic fish nest. The bay received its first name from the Greeks, who for a long time guarded and traded with various countries from Symbols Bay.
A bit of history
The construction of the Cembalo fortress began in the 14th century. The Genoese thoroughly strengthened their positions and took root in Balaklava bay. The historical inscription in Latin dating back to the beginning of construction in 1357 has been preserved for certain. At the head of Genoa, Khan Tokhtamysh creates a whole state and concludes a peace treaty.
Fortress device
The structure of the Cembalo fortress includes two parts: the upper city-fortress of St. Nicholas and the lower city-fortress under the protection of St. George.
The rulers lived in the upper city-fortress, it is called the citadel. All administrative issues were resolved here. Of the buildings, one can note: the town hall, the consular castle, a small church, small premises for guards and servants. The upper part of the city is separated by reliable means of protection: a retaining defensive wall, semi-towers, powerful chains and guards from forty crossbowmen are installed at the entrance. Also on our website you can see an article about the city located in the vicinity of the fortress.
The lower city-fortress is inhabited by ordinary citizens of different nations: Greeks, Tatars, Armenians. The main income was brought by the fish trade. In the middle of the 14th century, an uprising took place in the fortress, Cembalo passes under the Feodorov's rule. Then many civilians suffered, the city was almost completely looted. Since 1453, the fortress came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans began to equip the fortress, a new three-story citadel tower appeared - a donjon. During the Second World War in the Genoese Cembalo fortress, only a sign about the immortal battle against the Nazis remained from the tower. This can be seen in the photo in the article.
The end of the 14th century solidified the Turkish dominance, introducing its name - Balyk Yuve (fish nest). The Crimean Khan used Chembalo as a prison confinement. The middle of the 16th century, the Zaporozhye Cossacks captured the fortress with lightning speed, driving out the Turkish fleet. By the middle of the 18th century, Orthodox residents and Muslims left Balaklava, the city was in disrepair until the annexation of Crimea to Russia.
Fortress today
During the First and Second times, the fortress served defensive structure, the donjon tower was destroyed. The modern fortress of Chembalo is part of the Chersonese Tavrichesky nature reserve in Sevastopol. Every year, archaeologists carry out excavations and restoration work at the Cembalo fortress. The fortress is imbued with powerful energy, leaving an indelible imprint of history, it is considered a place of internal charge. It is here that knightly tournaments are held annually, which inspire modern youth to new victories.
There are many fortresses in the Crimea, even the name Genoese we met a couple of times in others settlements. But the fortress in Sudak, built on a 157-meter cone-shaped and impregnable grief with an area of 30 hectares - one. Yes, today we will visit the quite famous Genoese fortress in Sudak.
How to get to the Genoese fortress
Getting to the fortress is not difficult, because it is located in the city of Sudak itself. You can just walk along the embankment to the cape of the Fortress Mountain, where on the top, already in the middle of the path, the towers of the Genoese fortress will be visible.
Genoese fortress on the map.
This is exactly what we did, admiring the new views of the city of Sudak along the way.
Excursions
Group tour (from Alushta):– 11 hours, up to 30 people (possible with children)
Individual excursion (Sudak):– 1 day, up to 3 people
Opening hours of the Genoese fortress. Ticket price
The fortress is truly impregnable: on the one hand, its sheer rock and the sea, and on the other hand, the builders easily turned deep natural beams into a moat.
In general, do not go past the checkout. So let's find out how much the ticket costs.
The cost of self-examination of the Genoese fortress:
- adult - 150 rub
- children (up to 16 years old) — for free
- 75 rub
- entrance by invitation card - 1 rub
The last point amused me. I wonder where to get these same invitation cards and why, in this case, do they need my ruble?
Tour price:
- adult - 200 rub
- children (up to 16 years old) — 50 rub
- students, pensioners, locals(Sudaksky district) - 125 rub
Tour groups are formed every 30 min. Tour duration - 40 min.
Working hours:
- cash register - from 8 to 19 without days off
- museum-fortress from 8 to 20 without days off
We took tickets for self-examination and went to the main gate.
What to see in the Genoese fortress
The entire fortress can be divided into two tiers.
The upper one is the Consular Castle with the Watchtower. Here, as a rule, lived the ruler of the city or the consul, who was appointed by the Genoese government for a year of reign, and also served as a military commandant and managed finances. , various weapons and food stocks were stored.
In the event of an enemy breakthrough into the fortress, the upper tier became a refuge for the defenders. In those days, Soldaya lived according to the "charter of the Genoese colonies", here everything was subordinated to protection from enemies.
The lower one is presented in the form of a defensive wall of 14 towers and the Main Gate. With the advent of darkness, the gates of the fortress were locked, and the bridge over the moat was raised. Even in peacetime, the consul did not have the right to leave the fortress, the garrison of 37 soldiers had to be in constant combat readiness, and the inhabitants could not go outside after the bell rang. There were heavy fines for violating these strict rules.
From the lower tier we will begin our walk around the fortress.
1. The main gate of the Genoese fortress. At the entrance we see two towers of impressive size, next to which a knight in not at all old chain mail flaunts in front of everyone who comes in. Yes, you thought right - this is the very knight who wants money for a photo with him. For those who love loneliness in the frame, here you can pick up medieval clothes.
The place in front of the gate was the so-called customs house, where a duty was taken from visiting merchants for imported goods. So not much has changed since then.
2. City. Having passed a little forward, a huge, almost empty square opened up to our gaze. Previously, this place was a city with a population of 8,000, which is quite a lot for the Middle Ages.
3. Towers of the fortress. We moved along the eastern wall of the fortress, where every 200 meters one could see some tower up to 15 meters high.
The towers bear the names of the consuls during whose reign they were built. This is evidenced by plates with inscriptions in Latin, and for tourists - information plates. However, if initially there were 14 towers, then only 8 have survived to this day.
4. Mosque. So at least it is customary to call this building, because no one still knows exactly what it was originally.
But unlike other buildings, it has been perfectly preserved, and inside there is a small museum with frescoes, heraldic plates, dishes, etc.
By the way, in front of the museum there is a platform for viewing the city from the walls of the fortress. Admittedly, a great view of Sudak opens from here.
5. Consular Castle. Gradually, gradually, so we got to the upper tier with the Consular Castle and the Watchtower.
The castle consists of towers, interconnected by a fortress wall, between which there is a courtyard. This yard is small, only 9 by 15 meters.
In the Middle Ages, the Consular Castle was the military residence of the consul, so there are also living quarters here.
We looked into one of the towers. Somewhere on the 3rd floor, the window offers a great view of the fortress walls.
6. Watch (Maiden) tower. The watch tower is located next to the castle, we went there through the platform, and at the same time admired the excellent panorama of the Genoese fortress.
The tower is high enough, and not all tourists run the risk of climbing to it along a steep rock with ledges that are slippery even in dry weather. We climbed a little to the right, where it was more or less flat.
From here, another excellent view opens up now of the sea from Cape Meganom to Ayu-Dag.
Watchmen from the tower watched the approach of the enemy, and during bad weather a fire was built here, which played the role of a beacon for ships at sea. Hence the name Watcher, and the girlish one was nicknamed because, like any other tower, this one also has many legends, the heroine of which is a young girl.
You can’t climb into the tower itself, besides, it’s dangerous. Now only 3 walls remain from it, as the fourth collapsed into the sea.
7. Port tower. After wonderful views of the sea, we went down to the Western part of the fortress.
Here, in the distance, I noticed another tower with a small temple of the Twelve Apostles. This is the tower of Frederico Astagver, standing on the defense of the port, so she was given a second name - Port. In the Middle Ages, this tower was connected by a wall with the corner towers of the Genoese fortress. Now, in order to get to the tower, it was necessary to leave the main gate. We did not do this, capturing the Port Tower with the temple only in the photograph.
With this, dear friends, I want to end our trip to the Crimea. And as always, the next article is waiting for you. Don't miss it! See you next time!
