Greetings, friends!
Do you know that when you come to Crimea, you get the opportunity to travel back many centuries and feel like a real resident of an ancient settlement?
No, this is not participation in the crowd for a historical film, not cheap decorations with mummers extorting payment for photos, this is a real, albeit long-abandoned Chufut-Kale cave city.
As our journey progresses, I will answer many questions, including who advised the inhabitants of the fortified city to dig caves instead of building with stone, what could be What Karaites have in common with Jews , and when they left the deserted city.
Well, let's start with the most important thing - how, when, why and for whom entire cities were created in such inaccessible places and how people lived there.
It is not known for certain when the first cave settlement appeared high above the green valley. According to scientists and researchers, people have inhabited these places since the 5th century. The found burial grounds belonging to the Alan tribes seem to confirm this theory, but this is not certain - the debate about this is still ongoing.
We can say with confidence that the ancient people did not just climb onto the rocks and equip their home there. The time was turbulent; endless bloody conquests of neighboring lands were a traditional thing.
The steppe nomads especially loved this event - to snatch a good piece from the peaceful and hard-working population, kill and take the inhabitants into slavery.
But there is another version, according to which, the advantageous location and relief of the stone plateau was used as a defensive object by the Byzantines, who built their structures here approximately in the years 500-600.
Maybe this is where he stood the mysterious city of Fulla , which our scientists cannot find in any way, and the chronicles do not say where exactly it was located.
History and fate of the settlement
But no matter how the tribes defended their city, it periodically passed from one people to another. Life, politics and names changed.
So, during the possession of this area by the Mongol-Tatars, the city was called Kyrk-Er. In 1299, the Horde, under the leadership of Emir Nogai, entered this land, having previously plundered the previous settlement.
Then the cave city developed and became the center of the principality, although under the subordination of the Crimean yurt Golden Horde . After the collapse of the latter and the formation of the Crimean Khanate, Kyrk-Er became the residence of Haji 1 Giray.
Mengli 1 Giray moved the capital of the khanate to another place - Salachik, in modern times the village of Staroselye. Most of the inhabitants left the cave city and went to the new capital. Only the unwanted Karaites and Krymchaks remained in the impregnable settlement.
Judean city on the rock
There was no special love for the Karaites, as representatives of another religion. When the Khan's people moved to the valley, the Karaites were forbidden to leave the cave city for free settlement.
It was then that the current name was born - Chufut-Kale, as "Jewish fortress" Although the Karaites, according to some theories, came from the Khazar and Polovtsian tribes, they at one time adopted the “religion of the Jews”, had an ancient Hebrew dialect, but at the same time did not consider themselves to be part of this nation.
After the annexation of Crimea to Russia, Karaites were allowed to live outside their city. But only at the end of the 19th century. Chufut-Kale was abandoned by the last inhabitants.
What's happening there now
It must be said that until recently, the caretaker’s family lived in the abandoned city. And it’s amazing how well Chufut-Kale has survived to this day. Now this area is a nature reserve and a cultural heritage site.
You can visit the cave city all year round, which is what numerous curious tourists and Crimeans do.
Where is Chufut-Kale
Why is the cave city interesting?
As you already understand, Chufut-Kale is a very ancient city, with a complete (you will even be surprised how much) structure. It is difficult to imagine how and under what conditions the builders and craftsmen of that time carried out their work.
Buildings on the ground appeared later. Initially, all rooms were carved out of the rocks.
Each people living here made their own adjustments. Their own temples were created - Christian, Muslim, Karaite, fortress walls were rebuilt, roads were laid, the city grew and was replenished with new buildings.
Under the Khan's rule, for example, casemates appeared here, where prisoners were kept in the most terrible and harsh conditions.
And many noble people were captured - Prince Romodanovsky, Lithuanian Ambassador Lez, Russian Ambassador V. Gryaznoy, Hetman Pototsky, governor and favorite of the Tsar Sheremetev spent more than 20 years in this dungeon.
They demanded ransom for them, sometimes with such impossible conditions as give up Astrakhan and Kazan.
There are a lot of ruins in Chufut-Kale, and ancient above-ground structures can only be seen from the outside.
Walk through the streets of a “dead” city
So, you go on your own or with an excursion to the Southern (main) gate of Chufut-Kale. The impregnable wall, behind which a view of the city opens, has withstood more than one brutal siege.
The city itself is divided by a defensive wall with an arch into old and new. In the old city you will come to a square, on the sides of which there are various structures - a stone well, the ruins of a Christian temple and mosque, and other buildings.
The Karaites lived, so to speak, in a separate quarter. They were engaged in crafts and farming.
The large stone house of the famous Karaite chronicler, scientist and traveler Firkovich is well preserved.
The city had its own mint, printing house, and various craft shops. Many cave rooms are outbuildings where supplies were stored, some work was done, livestock was kept, but in dangerous moments, stone labyrinths became shelter for city residents.
What to pay attention to
Among the many ruins there are also well-preserved structures.
- Mausoleum of Janike-Khanym, where Takhtamysh’s beloved daughter was buried. But the story of her death or natural death is interpreted differently. The guide can tell you three versions!
- Big and Small Kenassa . Karaite houses of worship;
- Siege well Tik-Kuyu - an amazingly well-thought-out underground structure designed to collect, settle and store water. You can read about it in detail in my article
Despite the bustling life in the cave city, the streets are perfectly preserved. By the way, when it rains, all the water flows down the road, and you can safely walk along the stone sidewalk, which is slightly elevated.
You can wander through the streets of the city, look into cells, and think about the meaning of life on observation platforms all day long, if you are not tied to a guide and a group.
What else to see in Chufut-Kale
On the side of the Eastern Gate, which leads to the Karaite part of the city, there is Jehosophat Valley.
And across the road, deep into the forest, you can come across an ancient Karaite cemetery – the place is extremely atmospheric. In the darkness of dense thickets, without any paths or paths, one can see rickety, intact and dilapidated tombstones, overgrown with soft emerald moss.
There were windmills and bathhouse complexes in the city, but, unfortunately, they have not survived. But the pools carved out of stone to collect rainwater, combat and living cave rooms with cut-out staircases will remind us for many centuries of the once-existing city of Chufut-Kale.
A word to visitors: reviews
Imagine, there is not a single negative review! An amazing place where the history and fate of many peoples are intertwined, leaving no one indifferent.
A dead, dilapidated city on a high plateau, with magnificent views, attracts not only tourists, but also scientists, archaeologists, as well as lovers of mysticism and esotericism.
Among the disadvantages, it was noted: the peculiarity of the landscape is a difficult walk along the mountain slopes, broken roads, and a cooler weather atmosphere, wind is possible.
And, if you don’t want to be limited in time, then choose an independent excursion or a hike with experienced guide, and I’ll tell you how to get there and return below.
Information for visitors
The official website says that visit carried out from 9.00 to 18.00. The ticket office closes 1 hour earlier. And it is written in red and white that without hats and a supply of drinking water, entry into Chufut-Kale is strictly prohibited!
So at the checkout, please present your hat and bottle. Well, not with beer, of course!
There is an entrance fee and tickets can be purchased at the South and East Gates.
Price adult and child tickets: 200/100 rubles.
They took pity on pensioners, but not as much as on students - 150 rubles. They could have let them in for free. I don't think many of our pensioners will climb this hill.
Official site: handvorec.ru(one for two with ).
How to get there yourself
On foot
If you get there on your own, then first you need to purchase a ticket to Bakhchisarai. Then from the bus station take bus number 2 to the stop "Staroselye" .
But you can use any other route transport, having previously found out whether it will reach this stop. It's at least an hour's walk from the stop.
Further signs will guide you, and there is only one road to Chufut-Kale. As I already said, on the way is located cave monastery – a place that captivates even non-religious visitors. You can plan a visit to it before or after the excursion to Chufut-Kale.
From the monastery it’s another half hour uphill. It is better to have a mobile device with maps.me maps.
Where can I get them? — Download from the Play Market application. How to use them correctly? - Look Here.
By transport
By car from Bakhchisarai to Chufut-Kale it takes 10-15 minutes.
You need to move along the following streets: Zhdanova, Lenina, Skalistaya. Either have a map at hand or use the coordinates for the navigator.
You leave the car before entering the territory of the Assumption Monastery for 100 rubles before the evening and walk for another 30-40 minutes, depending on your performance characteristics.
You can, of course, use the services of a taxi or local auto guides, who clearly lie in wait for tourists in Bakhchisarai at every corner.
Or immediately ask to be on the crew of one of professional jeepers. They will take you on a more scenic route through the valley.
Good to know
Chufut-Kale is not an embankment, be sure to wear closed and comfortable shoes and comfortable clothes. There is no place to buy water there, stock up in advance.
It is better not to go there with small children, there are still dangerous slopes, climbs, cliffs, and holes. Although schoolchildren are ahead of everyone and you are unlikely to catch up with them.
I'll wrap it up here, I think you'll soon see everything for yourself. If you want to prepare for the hike visually, here is help cavetowns.crimea.com
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If you are vacationing in the Bakhchisarai area, be sure to visit the cave city of Chufut Kale: you will not only take stunning photos, but also expand your horizons. You will learn which peoples lived on the territory of the peninsula long before your birth, become imbued with the culture of ancient tribes, and plunge into the era of great battles, siege of fortresses and searches for treasures. This place is an important historical monument and one of the most popular tourist locations.
History of the cave city Chufut-Kale in Crimea
It would be more correct to call it a complex. In addition to the main historical site, tourists will see an ancient fortress. Artificial caves appeared during the early Middle Ages. At first they bore the name Kirk-Er. In 1299 they were captured by Nogai, a prisoner of the Golden Horde. A small feudal principality gradually grew up around the fortress. In the 6th-5th centuries it expanded to the east of the defensive medieval wall. New settlements were left without protection. To correct the situation, the city residents erected another wall - an external one.
The famous Arab historian and geographer Abu Al-Fida spoke about city VII as a refuge for the Alans, an Iranian-speaking nomadic people of Scythian-Sarmatian origin. The Crimean rulers gave the Jews permission to live in the fortress. At this time, the modern name appears. From Karaite it is translated as “Jewish fortress.” Different peoples lived together in the city: Karaites, Greeks, Armenians, Crimean Tatars. The surrounding lands were not suitable for farming, so the main occupation of the population was trade. Local artisans exchanged their products for necessary goods. By the middle of the 9th century the city was deserted.
Excursion to Chufut Kale: route description, photos and videos
From the Assumption Monastery the road goes uphill. Once you have completed the climb, you will find yourself in front of the outer walls. This is not a gate. Once upon a time, archers hid in the outer defensive caves. On the right you will see a structure that resembles an open greenhouse.
Well "Tik Kuyu"
This is an ancient hydraulic structure. Its depth is 45 m. Archaeologists searched for this place for 10 years. Luck came in 1998. It took 3 years to complete the clearing: during this time, 2,500 tons of earth and stone were removed. The earthen mass preserved the historical monument in the form it was originally. By 2001 it was open to the public.
During the excavations, a treasure of the 8th-7th centuries was found. Researchers dug up a pot filled with gold and silver coins. This is the most expensive find in the entire history of Europe. The cost of some elements reached tens of thousands of dollars. Lovers of antiquity were especially pleased with the golden Egyptian dinar. It was found for the first time in the post-Soviet space. At the same time, the one who found the treasure did not receive 25% from the state. Archaeologists cannot lay claim to them: they are considered to be doing their job. The treasure has only been partially studied: part of the coins is in the Simferopol Museum.
The entrance to the siege well is blocked by a heavy iron door; you will not be able to get inside without a guide.
There are 12 cave cities on the territory of Crimea. They all had similar wells. They provided people with water during the siege. Guides say that cave cities were once almost perfect military fortifications. They delayed any invader for a long time, but they also had a weak point. The most cunning raiders blocked the access of moisture to the dungeons, and the inhabitants gave up because of the thirst that tormented them.
“Tiu Kuyu” is the basement of the tower. The approximate time of its construction is VI-VII centuries. This is Byzantine masonry. The age of the well is counted from the beginning of our era. The recesses located on the wall in a semicircle indicate that there was once a massive shield or gate here.
Anyone can go down to the bottom via a one hundred and twenty-meter spiral staircase. It is called Altyn-Merdven. The word is translated as “golden”. Perhaps the ancient peoples called it that because in difficult times every drop of water is valued more than gold. Byzantine signs carved on the walls tell us that the well was used for a very long time.
Once you go down, you will see the reservoir itself. It is filled with rainwater. It was slightly modernized: to prevent the flow from washing away the steps, a pipe was installed. The imprint of a fish is preserved on the vault. Its age is about 75 million years. The water treatment room is located below.
Southern Small Secret Gate
If you want to find the entrance to Chufut Kale, look at the wall, which is located opposite the outer defensive caves. Especially for tourists, they hung a hint on it - a yellow sign board. The entrance cannot be seen from afar. You will only realize that it is there when you get close. This is another method of medieval defense. At that time, the only way to knock down the gate was with a battering ram. To do this, a good running start was needed.
Entrance inside is paid: each person is given a personal card. He shows it to the guide, but does not give it back. To get to the city, you need to overcome a significant section of road. You will come to a narrow stone corridor. Steep climb and turn.
At a time when Chufut Kale needed protection, this place helped hold back the onslaught of the enemy. It was almost impossible to ram the gate in a narrow area. Four yards of caves: in each of them archers waited in the wings. As soon as the invaders came close to the walls, pre-prepared logs, cobblestones, bull bladders filled with sand, and boiling liquid poured down on them from above. Panic arose: the survivors had no escape routes, other wars were pressing from behind. Those who managed to get out were shot by archers.
Southern defensive wall
It divides the cave complex into two parts. Rock cuttings say that it was once 20 cm higher and ran along the edge of the cliff. Scientists suggest that 32 underground rooms served as a refuge for the monks. The monastery arose in the 12th century and existed until the formation of the Crimean Khanate. Then it was given over to utility rooms.
On the lower tier you will notice recesses and niches. These are marks from table supports. The refectory was located here. Later, cattle were driven there.
People lived in two-story stone houses, not in caves. They assembled and disassembled them themselves. The old stones served as building materials for new buildings, so the living quarters were not preserved. But there remains a place that has never been sorted out.
Kenas courtyard
This is an ancient shrine - a house of prayer for the Karaites. Two churches of the 14th and 18th centuries have been preserved on the territory. Once upon a time, no woman had the right to enter here. They carried water and left it in front of the entrance. The men performed ablution, took off their shoes and entered the temple barefoot. Near the entrance there was a place of honor. Old people, widowers, respected people prayed here. All other residents turned to God for a barrier, but only males. A separate area was allocated for women - a women's courtyard.
There is a road to the east. Traffic still moves along it. Once upon a time, Catherine the Great entered the fortress along this path during her famous journey through the Crimea. After her, all the rulers visited the cave city.
Chufut Kale on the map of Crimea: where it is, how to get to Bakhchisarai by car
The cultural monument belongs to the Bakhchisarai State Historical and Cultural Reserve. In the city center, take bus No. 2 and ask to stop at Staroselye. From here you have to walk. We recommend taking a map of the area or a navigator with you, but if this is not possible, you can manage without them. There are many signs around, you will constantly meet them along the way. By following them, you can easily get to the place.
By car you will cover this section of the road from Bakhchisarai to the artificial caves in 10 minutes. If you come from Sevastopol, you will spend about an hour. The attraction is located 55 km from the city.
We can talk for a long time about the merits of Chufut Kale, but photographs and videos will do it better. You have already appreciated our photo selection, and now it’s time to watch the video:
