Castle of Tears at Cape Plaka. Crimea. Cape Plaka is a vivid example of natural beauty in the Crimean village of Utes

To the west of Alushta, on the coast of the Kuchuk-Lambat Bay, at some distance from the mountain Ayu-Dag (Bear Mountain), there is a low cape Plaka. Its height is only about 35 meters. The top of the cape is flat, and the slopes, over the many millions of years that have passed, have been perfectly polished by the waves. The name Plaka comes precisely because of the large flat top, and in Greek means “plate”, “plate”, “flat stone”. The cape protrudes into the sea and stretches along the coast for 300 meters. Utyos village is located near the cape. The cape is of igneous origin, on its surface, forming bizarre patterns, like ribbons of clay rocks protruding from cracks, in which inclusions of various minerals are located. Due to the location of the cape and its flat surface, in the Middle Ages a lighthouse and fortifications were built here, information about which can be found in the writings of ancient Greek geographers.

Architecture and nature nearby

A steep staircase goes up from the very foot, which leads to the palace of Princess Gagarina, erected at the beginning of the 20th century on the top of the cape - it was built in the Byzantine-Georgian style. The facade of the palace, finished with golden ceramic tiles brought from Italy, has retained its beautiful original appearance. "Venetian" glass, brought especially for this building from France, and tiles from Germany emphasize the beauty of this architectural creation.

Spread out here beautiful park, with unique vegetation growing in it from South America, Japan, Mediterranean. Ten minutes walk from the cape, former estate General Raevsky, there is another beautiful park with a cypress alley and exotic plants. Both of these parks are a single garden and park complex. From the top of the cape, a gorgeous panorama of Ayu-Dag Mountain, Kuchuklambat Bay and Partenit opens up. In front of the cape, in the sea, you can see the interesting Bird Rocks, which are quite strange names: Neptune's trident, Soldier's bread, Bed.

How to get there

Get to it beautiful cape Plaka can be either by sea on a scheduled boat (to the Utes pier), or by road along the Yalta-Alushta highway (up to bus stop Kiparisnoye), turning from which you should get to Utes.

Cape Plaka on the Utes map

Cape Plaka - one of the most beautiful and amazing capes South Shore Crimean peninsula, located opposite the Bear Mountains (Ayu-Dag).

Geographic coordinates of Cape Plaka on the map of Crimea GPS N 44.591679, E 34.368146

Today, almost the entire territory of Cape Plaka located on the territory of the sanatorium Utes. The main attraction of the Cape is the Palace of Princess Gagarina. Cape Plaka offers stunning views of the Bear Mountain, Aivazovsky Park and the village of Partenit. The territory of Cape Plaka is quite small, its height is about 45 meters, its length is about 325 meters. The marine part of the cape is completely polished by waves, but mainland, densely overgrown with mixed forest and juniper.

History of Cape Plaka

Name Plaka, from Greek, is translated as smooth or flat, in many translations, as a flat stone. Cape Plaka was formed about 150 million years ago and is the same age as Crimean mountains. Under the influence of the sea and wind, part of the cape was destroyed by erosion and broken by storms. To this day, it continues to collapse, but it will take several more million years before it completely disappears. The first settlements on the cape date back to the time of the ancient Greeks, during the colonization of Crimea in the 5th-3rd centuries BC.

In the Middle Ages, there was a small guard camp on the territory of the cape, with a lighthouse - Lambos (from the Greek torch, lamp). In the 19th century, the governor of the Crimean peninsula (Tavrida), Andrei Borozdin, dismantled the old buildings and built his residence in their place. Then the residence was resold and rebuilt several times, until 1907. It was in 1907 that the Palace of Princess Gagarina was put into operation, which we can admire to this day. In addition to the palace, a beautiful park and well-equipped stone beaches appeared.

How to get to Cape Plaka

It is located in the village of Utes, not far from Partenit, between the villages of Maly Mayak and Kiparisnoye. The easiest way to get here is along the South Coast Highway. Between these villages there will be a sign - the village of Utes and the exit towards the sea - 2.5 km or 5 minutes and you are at the goal. Today, a visit to Cape Plaka is directly related to a visit to the Palace of Princess Gagarina. The entrance is located at the main checkpoint of the sanatorium Utes. Best Views on Cape Plaka open from, on the observation deck. If you decide to visit Cape Plaka, be sure to check out the history as well. We also recommend visiting one of the best landscape parks of the Crimean Peninsula - Aivazovsky Park.

Cape Plaka on the map of Crimea

Cape Plaka in Crimea is certainly a popular place among tourists. However, its popularity somehow fades against the backdrop of Crimean mastondon sights. After all, the average tourist from countries post-Soviet space O notable places Crimea owns approximately the following set of knowledge: Sevastopol - Swallow - Ai-Petri - Massandra - Livadia - Ayu-Dag - Artek. In short, something like this...

As it turned out, almost no one knows anything about Cape Plaka and does not even know where it is located. But why hide it, the author of this site, in principle, for the time being, did not really imagine himself. Until one day, on a hot summer day, he had the idea of walking from Partenit to Utes. The seemingly large distance between these two settlements actually turned out to be not so significant.

Coming out on a hot August afternoon from Partenit along this path ...

... after a couple of hours, wet and sticky with sweat, you will already be able to blissfully contemplate the magnificent Crimean landscapes from Cape Plaka.

The first impression of Cape Plaka is that it is magnificent! However, this impression does not disappear, even many years later, after visiting Cape Plaka. Fantastic a nice place! I strongly recommend visiting here.

A chic bay, an exceptional view of the Ayu-Dag, a breathtaking mountain-cypress-vine panorama from the rear! In general, less words, more photos.

It is hard to believe that a fierce war of annihilation was once waged on these blessed shores. But such testimonies we meet along the way remind us that the history of Crimea was written in blood.

In addition to Cape Plaka itself and gorgeous panoramas, there are still some attractions. Palace of Princess Gagarina, for example.

Oh, and it’s not for nothing that all of our pre-revolutionary nobility built palaces for themselves on the South Coast. Guba was not a fool, the places were noble! Here, take the same Princess Gagarina. On the right is Ayu-Dag, on the left is Castel, straight ahead - Bird Rocks, behind - main ridge Crimean mountains, at the foot - a bay of rare beauty. Plus, in those days, as you understand, there were no concrete embankments, noisy beaches and smoking shawls here. Yes, it was just heaven on earth!

In general, friends: if you have not been to such wonderful place, like Cape Plaka in the Crimea - be sure to come and visit. Your landmark is the village of Utes, from which you can reach the cape you are looking for.

That's all, relax in the Crimea, it's interesting there!

Castle of Tears at Cape Plaka. Prince Alexander Gagarin and Anastasia

This "Haunted House" has gathered around itself a lot of legends. Before us is one of the most mysterious Crimean capes called Plaka. Below is an inviting water surface. And around - landscapes worthy of an artist's brush. We are standing on almost polished rocks. In ancient times, at Cape Plaka, about two hundred feet high, stood a quadrangular tower.

From the shores of the Kuchuklampadskaya Bay, Cape Plaka looks like a massive green Pekingese, poking its muzzle into the expanse of the Black Sea

Translated from the Crimean Tatar "plak" - a flat stone, the name corresponds to appearance dome-shaped ledge, covered from above, like a pan with a lid, by a stone hulk. In circumference, the cape reaches 330 m, in height - almost 50 m.

Scientists believe that geological structure The cliff is associated with a splash of magma on the surface of the earth's crust about one and a half hundred million years ago. A failed volcano, or laccolith, is covered with frozen stains that have layered on the dome like a shell. The main component of the stone "body" is porphyrite interspersed with feldspar.

In the Middle Ages, the Greek village of Lampas (lamp) arose on the top of the cape. Its inhabitants built a small lighthouse and fortification walls, which they could not save from the oncoming Turks, who renamed the settlement Kuchuk-Lambat.

This area was called Kuchuk-Lambat, and nearby was Biyuk-Lambat, which in translation meant “small and large lamp” or torch. There were probably lighthouses here. On stone blocks - autographs of modern tourists. Having studied the rock "painting", you learn that Zoya, Petya, Vasya from Donbass, Krivoy Rog, Moscow and other glorious cities rested on the cape. These are the messages to contemporaries and descendants. From the tip of the cape, a fairy-tale castle is clearly visible.

The same castle of the beautiful Princess Gagarina. Its construction was completed exactly 100 years ago. The possessions of the princess are compared with the palace of Emperor Alexander III in Massandra. In the Gagarin castle, elongated gables of towers are combined with battlements. Bright tiles on the roof, openwork parapets of balconies. All this gives the palace a unique charm. Vestibule doors, mosaics on the floor, and diorite steps have been preserved.
Internal layout The palace does not disappoint. Main staircase- made of snow-white marble, beautiful stucco decoration adorns the walls and ceiling. And in the niches there were icons, and not paintings at all, as some researchers suggest. Eyewitnesses claim that the faces of saints have repeatedly appeared in the niches.

The Gagarin Palace attracts not only with its beauty. Tourists come here to listen to stories about its mistress - the beautiful and clever princess Anastasia Gagarina. Local experts say that there is one secret door here. She goes to the roof, which the peasants who worked for Princess Gagarina called the “mint”. Because people came there for wages. The manager gave the money. And Princess Anastasia went out through a secret door to the roof and made sure that no one was offended. There are legends about Princess Gagarina and it is even said that her ghost appears in the palace from time to time.

Its walls can tell a lot. Here, in the valley, was the estate of the lieutenant-general, Tauride civil governor Andrei Mikhailovich Borozdin, where he regaled Pushkin. The general's daughters Masha and Ekaterina grew up here, given by a prudent father as heroes. Patriotic War 1812. But the heroes, Lieutenant Colonel Poggio and Lieutenant Likharev, will turn out to be Decembrists and will be condemned. And the first - for 12 years of hard labor, eight of which in solitary confinement Shlisselburg fortress. All these years, Maria Borozdina has been waiting for him, writing to all the centrals. Each time I received the answer: "Here such does not appear."
And all these years, her father tried to persuade Mary to remarry. The last argument will be the father's lie:
- Calm down, my soul, the villain died a long time ago! Don't torture yourself anymore. It's time to think about yourself.
Maria agreed to marry Prince Alexander Ivanovich Gagarin, but fate did not give her tormented soul long years of happiness and peace. Maria was often ill, withered, in 1849 she left for another world. The inconsolable prince - he loved her sincerely and tenderly - wanted to forget himself in the service, he had already become the governor-general of Kutaisi.

And then a young Georgian princess Anastasia entered his life ...

She was from a very ancient Georgian family of Orbeliani, who, according to legend, moved to Georgia from China in 600 BC. Her mother was considered one of the most beautiful women in Tbilisi, and contemporaries claimed that Anastasia was very similar to her mother. Charm, mind, upbringing made her irresistible. She easily converged with people, but she opened her soul only to those closest to her. Such was Masha Borozdina for her. Her death was genuine grief for Anastasia. In the vast human sea, two yearning souls found and supported each other.

They married in 1853, four years after Mary's death. And only four years of female happiness fate measured Anastasia. In 1857, Alexander Gagarin was assassinated by the prince of Svaneti.

And relatives settled on the heartbroken Anastasia:

You are young, beautiful, rich! Look how many worthy young people are around. You have your whole life ahead of you! You must get married!

And then she decisively breaks off all relations with her family, leaves her native places and leaves forever for the Crimea. In the husband's estate, where they dreamed of building a cozy one for themselves - but just like a real one! - knight's castle.

All that is said above is just the preamble to our Love story...

50 years of solitude

Anastasia Davidovna Gagarina will never marry again. In the name of her only love, she will selflessly help people all her life. Someone with advice, someone with money, someone with a job ... How many times, having learned that one of her wards was in trouble, she dropped everything and rushed to the rescue in Yalta, Alushta, Simferopol. Only drunkards knew for sure that they would not receive any help from the princess. She couldn't stand them!

With her own money, she builds a small hospital, maintains medical staff, buys medicines, treats patients from the surrounding villages. And he also improves the estate, and also leases land ...

This is how 45 years pass. Forty five! And all these years, her husband's dream lives in her - to build a real knight's castle for her beautiful wife. Their common dream. For almost half a century, she warmed her soul, returning her to her youth, to her beloved ...

In 1902, realizing that life was already running out, the 77-year-old princess began the construction of the castle. It was carried out according to the project and under the supervision of the famous Crimean architect N.P. Krasnov. Many materials were imported from abroad (marble, tiles, tiles). In 1907, construction was completely completed. A handsome three-storied palace has risen above Cape Plaka, from which admiring eyes cannot be taken even today.

And in the same year, Anastasia Gagarina died.

The family crypt of the Borozdins and Gagarins at Cape Plaka. But the grave of Princess Anastasia is lost...

Come to the castle, touch its warm wall, look at the knights hidden under the grapes, holding the coat of arms of the princes Gagarin. Climb from here to the top of the cape, stand in silence at the Borozdin family crypt. And then take a walk along the alleys of the old park, where the foliage rustling under your feet, perhaps, will tell you about the age-old female sadness.

Until the end of her days, she remembered the gentle touch of her beloved's hands. Sometimes, on lonely moonlit nights, Anastasia felt on her lips the taste of kisses from the one whose love she carried through all the years of her long life. Go down to the sea. Listen to the gently rolling waves on the shore. Sometimes the waves sigh like a woman yearning for her beloved.

The monument to Princess Anastasia Gagarina (sculptor V. Gordeev) was installed in 2007 next to the one she built knight's castle. And it doesn't matter that today it houses the administrative services of the sanatorium "Utes". A hundred years ago, it became the only monument of female love and fidelity on earth.

Attractions of Cape Plaka

Palace of Princess Gagarina erected within 5 years from 1902 to 1907 according to the project famous architect N. P. Krasnova near Cape Plaka. The building in the Romanesque style with turrets and loopholes resembled medieval castle. On the facade is the coat of arms of the Gagarins with a quote in Latin: "In ancient times - strength." Building materials were brought from all over Europe - France, Italy, Germany, and experienced workers - from many regions of Russia.

The castle became a sad embodiment unfulfilled dream a gray-haired general who did not have time to build it for his last love - a beautiful wife from the ancient Georgian family of Orbeliani, who lived alone all her life and only at sunset realized her husband's idea. Eyewitnesses claim that the ghost of the princess still wanders along the marble stairs of the palace. By the centenary of the construction, the sculpture "Memory of Love" was installed.

Domovaya Alexander Nevsky Church of the Gagarins built at the same time as the palace. The temple has an octagonal perimeter with cut corners and three-arched windows. A bell tower rises above the building, crowned with a dome with a cross. Mosaic icons were created by Academician Shokarev. Divine services, which stopped during the Soviet era, have now been resumed.

bird rocks it is not clear for what reason they were awarded their “feathered” name, only the most distant one is Cormorant, the rest of the boulders sticking out of the water sometimes have both prosaic and mythical names: closer to the shore - Soldier's bread, a little further away - Bed, the largest - Monk , next to it - the Trident of Neptune. Bird rocks often flash in episodes of many films, in particular, in The Diamond Arm.

Kuchuk-Lambatsky chaos - a pile of limestone blocks formed on the shore as a result of a giant landslide. Some of the stones have rolled into the sea, only the tops peep out on the surface of the water, chosen by gulls and cormorants. IN stone labyrinth there is a rare vegetation even for the southern coast of Crimea - derzhitree, fluffy oak, tupolis pistachio and some others.

Lost among the rocks spring Suuk-su popular with "savage" tourists resting on a narrow strip pebble beach overlooking Cape Plaka.

Where to stay

At the foot of Cape Plaka there are buildings of the Utyos sanatorium with price offers of 1300-1900 rubles per day with three meals a day.

There are several options for accommodation on the territory of the Utyos village: the Atlantic and Golden Fish hotels, the Santa Barbara hotel, and the Dolphin boathouse hotel. Holiday prices - from 65 to 130 USD. per day.

How to get to Cape Plaka

Russia, Crimea, Big Alushta, pos. Cliff, st. Gagarina, 5. The territory of the sanatorium "Cliff"
The Utyos pier, at which a regular boat moored, is located between Alushta and the resort Partenit. By land they get along the Alushta-Yalta highway from Simferopol or Kerch to the Kiparisnoye stop, then - by mountain serpentine to the top of the cape.

A regular minibus departs from the Alushta bus station to the Utyos sanatorium, the journey takes 17 minutes, the fare is about 10 rubles, further to Simferopol - almost 30 rubles.

Alushta from Anapa or Krasnodar is reached by bus through Kerch crossing, the ticket price is slightly less than 350 or 750 rubles, respectively. From the Simferopol bus station, a transfer to Alushta costs about 30 rubles by trolleybus and 50 rubles by bus, a little more than an hour and a half on the way.

From the shores of the Kuchuklampadskaya Bay, Cape Plaka looks like a massive green Pekingese, poking its muzzle into the expanse of the Black Sea

Translated from the Crimean Tatar "plak" - a flat stone, the name corresponds to the appearance of a domed ledge, covered from above, like a pan with a lid, by a stone hulk. In circumference, the cape reaches 330 m, in height - almost 50 m.

Scientists believe that the geological structure of the cliff is associated with a splash of magma on the surface of the earth's crust about one and a half hundred million years ago. A failed volcano, or laccolith, is covered with frozen stains that have layered on the dome like a shell. The main component of the stone "body" is porphyrite interspersed with feldspar.

In the middle of the 19th century, the land on Cape Plaka, along with the ruins of the estate of the Tauride governor A. M. Borozdin, was taken over by Princess Anastasia Gagarina, who turned the surroundings of the cliff into a paradise wonder park with a palace surrounded by unprecedented trees and flowers. After the revolution, the peninsula passed into the status of the health-improving zone of the Utyos sanatorium, since 1947 it has been a natural monument.

Attractions of Cape Plaka

It was erected within 5 years from 1902 to 1907 according to the project of the famous architect N.P. Krasnov near Cape Plaka. The building in the Romanesque style with turrets and loophole windows resembled a medieval castle. On the facade there is the coat of arms of the Gagarins with a quote in Latin: "In ancient times - strength." Building materials were brought from all over Europe - France, Italy, Germany, and experienced workers - from many regions of Russia.

The castle became a sad embodiment of the unfulfilled dream of the gray-haired general, who did not have time to build it for his last love - the beautiful wife from the ancient Georgian family of Orbeliani, who lived alone all her life and only at sunset realized her husband's idea. Eyewitnesses claim that the ghost of the princess still wanders along the marble stairs of the palace. By the centenary of the construction, the sculpture "Memory of Love" was installed.

bird rocks it is not clear for what reason, they were awarded their “feathered” name, only the most distant one is Cormorant, the rest of the boulders sticking out of the water sometimes have both prosaic and mythical names: closer to the shore - Soldier's bread, a little further away - Bed, the largest - Monk , next to it is the Trident of Neptune. Bird rocks often flash in episodes of many films, in particular, in The Diamond Hand.

Kuchuk-Lambat Chaos- a pile of limestone blocks formed on the coast as a result of a giant landslide. Some of the stones have rolled into the sea, only the tops peep out on the surface of the water, chosen by gulls and cormorants. In the stone labyrinth, there is a rare vegetation even for the southern coast of the Crimea - derzhitree, fluffy oak, tupolis pistachio and some others.

Lost among the rocks spring Suuk-su is popular with "savage" tourists who rest on a narrow strip of pebble beach overlooking Cape Plaka.

Where to stay

At the foot of Cape Plaka there are buildings of the Utyos sanatorium with price offers of 1300-1900 rubles per day with three meals a day.

How to get to Cape Plaka

Russia, Crimea, Big Alushta, pos. Cliff, st. Gagarina, 5. The territory of the sanatorium "Cliff"

The Utyos pier, at which a regular boat moored, is located between Alushta and the resort Partenit. By land, they get along the Alushta-Yalta highway from Simferopol or Kerch to the Kiparisnoye stop, then by mountain serpentine to the top of the cape.

A regular minibus departs from the Alushta bus station to the Utyos sanatorium, the journey takes 17 minutes, the fare is about 10 rubles, further to Simferopol - almost 30 rubles.

Alushta from Anapa or Krasnodar is reached by bus through the Kerch ferry, the ticket price is a little less than 350 or 750 rubles, respectively. From the Simferopol bus station, a transfer to Alushta costs about 30 rubles by trolleybus and 50 rubles by bus, a little more than an hour and a half on the way.