Information about the ancient city in Crimea. Ancient cities of Crimea

CITIES OF CRIMEA Successes in the economy contributed to the growth of Crimean cities. By the end of the century, Simferopol was rightfully the administrative, cultural and economic center of the province. All provincial institutions and organizations were located in the city. Simferopol is the first of all

Ancient cities of the Northern Black Sea region

ABOUT THE CAPTURE OF THE CITY OF THESSALONIKI BY THE LATINS. REPORT BY EUSTATHIUS, ARCHBISHOP OF THESSALONIA, ON THE LAST, AS WE HOPE, CONQUERATION OF THIS CITY

ABOUT THE CAPTURE OF THE CITY OF THESSALONIKI BY THE LATINS. REPORT BY EUSTATHIUS, ARCHBISHOP OF THESSALONIA, ON THE LAST, AS WE HOPE, CONQUERATION OF THIS CITY During the ill-fated reign of Emperor Andronicus Komnenos, Thessalonica became weak and exhausted, which

The history of Kerch has more than 2.5 thousand years. In this city there are a large number of Byzantine villages, monuments Bosporan and Scythian kingdoms, Tmutarakan. In Kerch, even a gravity water pipeline, built back in the days of the Byzantine Empire, has been preserved.

There is an Orthodox Church in Kerch - ancient active temple, built by the Byzantines about 1400 years ago. There is even such a version (it was put forward by the German historian Theodor Mommsen back in the 19th century) that the famous leader of the slaves Spartak, who raised an uprising in the Roman Empire, was born in Kerch.

The Scientific Council of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) recognized Kerch as the most ancient city in Russia. This was announced by the director of the East Crimean Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve Tatiana Umrikhina.

“After the report of the head of the Panticapaeum expedition, Vladimir Tolstikov, the scientific council recognized that the city of Panticapaeum (modern Kerch) was founded in 610-590. BC e. The corresponding paper was received by the East Crimean Nature Reserve, and now we are preparing documents for the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Government of Russia so that this date is officially fixed,”- said T. Umrikhina and added: by their decision, scientists confirmed the status of Kerch as the most ancient city in the country.

Tatyana Viktorovna clarified: Kerch is also the capital of the first state in the country.

“Pantikapeum was the center of the Bosporus kingdom. Therefore, we can talk about the most ancient statehood on the territory of Russia”, -
she emphasized.

Before the reunification of Crimea with Russia, Dagestan Derbent was considered the most ancient city in the country: in September 2015, it solemnly celebrated its 2000th anniversary.

Ancient cities of Crimea

In ancient times, sea routes connected the Black Sea coast with the Mediterranean, where at the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 1st millennium BC. the great civilization of Greece arose. From the coast of Hellas, brave sailors set off in search of new lands.

Where now there are large seaports, industrial and resort centers of Crimea - Evpatoria, Sevastopol, Feodosia and Kerch, in the VI-V centuries. BC. the ancient Greeks founded the cities of Kerkinitida, Chersonesus, Theodosia, Panticapaeum, respectively, and near them - Mirmekiy, Tiritaka, Nymphaeum, Kimmerik and others. Each of them was the center of an agricultural region where wheat was grown, grapes were cultivated, and cattle were bred. The cities housed temples, public and administrative buildings, markets, craftsmen's workshops.

The convenient geographical location contributed to the development of trade. Merchants exported to the Mediterranean slaves and agricultural products purchased from local tribes - Scythians, Meots, Sinds. In exchange, olive oil, wine, art and crafts were brought from the cities of the Balkan Peninsula and Asia Minor.

Chersonese was founded in 421 BC. on the shore of the bay, which is now called Karantinnaya. Later, the city significantly expanded its holdings. During its heyday, Kerkinitida, the Beautiful Harbor (on the site of the modern Chernomorsky settlement) and other settlements of the northwestern Crimea were subordinate to him.

The Chersonese state was a slave-owning democratic republic. The supreme body of power was the people's assembly and council, which decided all issues of foreign and domestic policy. The leading role in the management belonged to the largest slave owners, whose names were conveyed by Chersonesos inscriptions and coins.

Archaeological excavations, begun in 1827, showed that the city was well fortified. The remains of defensive structures - massive towers, fortresses, parts of stone walls - have also been preserved throughout the state. This speaks of the constant military danger to which the inhabitants were exposed. The famous Chersonese oath tells about their patriotism. The people of Chersonesus swore that they would not betray either the city or its possessions to the enemies, that they would protect the democratic system and would not divulge state secrets.

As confirmed by archaeological research, the city had a correct layout. Residential buildings were combined into quarters, the streets intersected at right angles. They were paved with small stones. Stone gutters ran along the streets. Temples were erected in the squares. Public buildings and houses of wealthy citizens were decorated with colonnades and mosaic floors.

Only the foundations of the walls and basements have survived from ancient buildings to the present day. Particularly interesting are the mint, baths, the ruins of a theater that existed from the 3rd century BC. BC. according to the IV century. AD Only stairways and stone benches for spectators have been partially preserved from it. Judging by their size, the theater could seat up to 3,000 spectators.

Near the city walls was the artisans' district. There, archaeologists discovered the remains of ceramic production: kilns for firing pottery, stamps for ornaments, molds for making terracotta reliefs. Other crafts also flourished in Chersonese - metalworking, jewelry, weaving.

The largest ancient state of the Black Sea region was the Bosporan kingdom. It was formed as a result of the unification of originally independent Greek cities, such as Panticapaeum, Mirmekiy, Tiritaka, Phanagoria and others, located along the banks of the Cimmerian Bosporus - the modern Kerch Strait. Panticapaeum became the capital of the state. From 438 BC for more than three hundred years it was ruled by the Spartokid dynasty.

At the end of the 5th - beginning of the 4th centuries. BC. Nymphaeum and Theodosia, as well as lands inhabited by other tribes, were annexed to the possessions of the Bosporus. In the 1st century BC. The Bosporus captured most of the territory of the Crimea, subjugated Chersonese.

Excavations on Mount Mithridates, carried out in Kerch since the end of the 19th century, made it possible to restore the size and plan of Panticapaeum. At the top was the acropolis - the central fortification of the city with powerful defensive walls and towers. Inside it housed the most important temples and public buildings. Quarters of one- or two-story stone buildings descended in terraces down the slopes. The whole city and its environs were surrounded by numerous lines of fortifications. A deep and comfortable harbor reliably sheltered merchant and military ships.

Found fragments of marble statues, pieces of painted plaster and architectural details allow us to talk about the rich decoration of the city's squares and buildings, about the skill of ancient architects and builders.

On the site of Myrmekia and Tiritaki, not far from Kerch, in addition to the city walls, residential buildings and sanctuaries, archaeologists discovered several wineries and baths for salting fish. In Nymphea, near the modern village of Geroevka, there are temples of Demeter, Aphrodite and Kabir; in Ilurat, near the modern village of Ivanovka, - a Bosporan military settlement of the first centuries AD, guarding the approaches to the capital.

Next to each ancient city was its necropolis - the city of the dead. Usually they were buried in simple earthen graves, sometimes lined with tiles or stone slabs. The rich and noble were placed in wooden or stone sarcophagi. For their burial, crypts were built, made of stones or carved into the rocks. The walls of crypts and sarcophagi were decorated with paintings, reliefs, and inlays. Ornaments were applied to them, mythological plots, scenes of real life were depicted. Together with the deceased, they put things that belonged to him: jewelry, dishes, weapons, vessels with incense, terracotta figurines and other items. In one of the Panticapaeum burials of the 3rd c. AD, possibly the Bosporan king Riskuporides, a unique golden mask was found that reproduced the facial features of the deceased.

Researchers have long been interested in large burial mounds located in the vicinity of Kerch. They found burials of Bosporan kings and nobility with outstanding works of Greek art: gold and silver jewelry, bronze and glass items, painted and figured vases.

Golden temporal pendants of the 4th century BC are rightfully considered a masterpiece of world art. BC. from the Kul-Oba kurgan. They are made in the form of disks, to which are attached numerous woven crossed chains connected by plates and rosettes. On a disk 7 cm in diameter there is a relief of the head of Athena in a helmet with clearly distinguishable figures of griffins, an owl and a snake. The thinnest filigree plates, rosettes, as well as the circumference of the disk are covered with granulation and blue enamel.

The most valuable finds from the excavations of the ancient cities of Crimea are presented in the collections of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the State Historical Museum and the State Museum of Fine Arts. A.S. Pushkin in Moscow, as well as others.

Now on the territory of Chersonese in Sevastopol and on Mount Mithridates in Kerch, reserves are organized. Every year, thousands of people come there to walk through the streets and squares of ancient cities, to get acquainted with the greatest cultural monuments.

When the Romans established themselves on the southern coast, they created fortified points on the coast to protect Chersonese. Of the Roman fortifications, the largest was Charax on Cape Ai-Todor (now there is a lighthouse on it next to the Swallow's Nest). The fortification of Charax (in Greek “pillar”, “stake”, that is, “enclosed place”) was founded in the 70s. 1st century under the Roman emperor Vespasian. At the end of the century there was a garrison here, in the II century. soldiers of the 1st Italian Legion were stationed. The last Roman garrison of the fort consisted of the soldiers of the XI Claudian legion (late II - first half of the III century). Marks on bricks and tiles testify to these three periods of the history of Charax.

N.I. Sheiko

Photos of beautiful places in Crimea

Attractions

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Crimea has been known as a tourist center since the second half of the 19th century. The special popularity of the peninsula among the imperial persons and the highest foreign guests is evidenced by a large number of summer residences - palaces and villas, which to this day make up the architectural appearance of the Crimean cities. Time passes, and the Crimea becomes not just a privileged vacation spot, but a health resort on an all-Union scale. However, having retained its mass character, this tradition has also undergone transformations. Wild recreation has triumphed over organized sanatorium treatment.

Today, Crimea is perceived by many as the focus of seaside resorts that popularize beach and outdoor activities. At the same time, the rich and deep history of the peninsula is not unknown, traces of which are kept by numerous monuments covering the widest temporal and thematic range. The seven diverse cities presented in our review can rightly be called museums that introduced their guests to the heritage of the ancient, multinational and generous land called Crimea.

A hero city, one of the three cities of federal significance in Russia, the largest city in Crimea in terms of population, one of the key naval facilities of the country, a large non-freezing commercial seaport - all these are the definitions of the legendary Sevastopol. The city acquired special significance from the moment of its foundation, when in 1783 it became the main base of the newly formed fleet of the Russian Empire - the Black Sea Fleet. Sevastopol valiantly withstood two defenses - during the Crimean War and during the Great Patriotic War, securing the unofficial status of the city of Russian glory.

Numerous sights tell about the military-historical heritage of Sevastopol, among which are the world-famous panorama "Defense of Sevastopol 1854-1855", large-scale memorial complexes on Malakhov Hill and Sapun-mountain, the Military History Museum of the Black Sea Fleet, the museum complexes "Mikhailovskaya Battery" , "35th coastal battery", "Balaklava" (underground submarine base). Near Primorsky Boulevard, on a granite cliff washed by the sea, rises the main symbol of Sevastopol - the Monument to the Scuttled Ships.

On the Central (City) hill is the majestic Vladimir Cathedral, which became the burial place of the famous Russian admirals - Lazarev, Nakhimov, Kornilov, Istomin. Another significant place located in the historical center of Sevastopol is the Aquarium Museum - the first in Russia and one of the oldest public marine aquariums in the world, founded in 1897 on the initiative of N.N. Miklouho-Maclay. Sevastopol squares and boulevards are beautiful, their appearance is made up of interesting historical and architectural objects. The city has an art museum, four professional theaters, two of which have academic status.

The ancient history of the southwestern part of the Crimean peninsula is told by unique monuments located in the suburbs of Sevastopol: the ancient settlement of Khersones, the Genoese fortress of Chembalo in Balaklava, the ancient Klimentovsky cave monastery in Inkerman. Not just a background for them, but an independent original attraction is an unusually beautiful nature. Numerous picturesque bays of the city are especially attractive.

Sevastopol, surrounded by the sea on three sides, is not inferior to other Crimean resorts in terms of beach recreation, striking not only in the number, but also in the variety of beaches - from wild rocky to well-maintained golden sandy ones.

Sight

Ancient, 1, Sevastopol

In ancient times, the central part of the Crimean peninsula was occupied by the fortress city of Naples-Scythian - the capital of the Scythian kingdom. Now here is the capital of the Republic of Crimea - the glorious city of Simferopol. It has no access to the sea. The Salgir River, the longest river in Crimea, flows here.

Being the main transport hub of the peninsula, the city lives up to its name, which is translated from ancient Greek as "city of benefit", "gatherer city". However, Simferopol gathers not only casual guests who perceive the city as an intermediate point on the way to the Black Sea coast, but also connoisseurs of history. Indeed, entire epochs were imprinted in the appearance of the city. The memory of the Late Kythian state is kept by the Scythian Neapolis settlement, located on the Petrovsky rocks. A kind of symbol of the Crimean Tatar city of Akmesdzhit, the predecessor of Simferopol, is the Kebir-Jami mosque - the oldest building in the city, known since the beginning of the 16th century. And, finally, the beginning of the Russian period in the life of the Crimean city is marked by Orthodox churches of the late 18th - 19th centuries. Practically the same age as Simferopol is the Constantino-Eleninskaya Church - the first Christian church in the city. Ancient cathedrals - Peter and Paul, Holy Trinity - admire with their grandeur. An interesting religious building of the Karaites - Kenassa, erected at the end of the 19th century. During the Great Patriotic War, Simferopol took on a powerful enemy blow, having survived the German occupation. The feat of the defenders of the city was immortalized by monuments placed in its parks and squares.

The most complete picture of the nature, history and culture of not only Simferopol, but the entire Republic of Crimea is given by the main museums of the city - the Central Museum of Taurida, the Crimean Ethnographic and Simferopol Art Museums. The city has the oldest theater of the Crimea - the Russian Drama Theater. M. Gorky, as well as the Musical Theater of the Republic of Crimea, the Puppet Theater and the only theater of the Crimean Tatars in the world.

Simferopol is famous for its unique green areas. It is impossible to ignore the ancient parks founded in the XVIII-XIX centuries. A special place among them is occupied by the Botanical Garden of the Tauride National University (Park "Salgirka" or Vorontsovsky Park) - one of the largest and most beautiful parks in Simferopol. The young squares of the city are picturesque and cozy.

The easternmost and most ancient city of Crimea is the city of Kerch, whose age has exceeded a colossal figure - twenty-six centuries! One of the heights of the city - Mount Mithridates - is its historical and geographical center, the place where at the end of the 7th century BC. e. the future Kerch was born, and then - the ancient Greek policy of Panticapaeum, which became in 479 BC. the capital of the Bosporus kingdom. The ruins of his Acropolis are now a unique monument of the Antiquity era and one of the main attractions of Kerch.

In addition to Panticapaeum, there are other ancient settlements on the territory of Kerch - Nymphaeum, Tiritaka, Mirmekiy. Many artifacts found during the excavations of the settlements are presented in the famous Kerch Museum of Antiquities. Until our time, monuments of funerary architecture of the 4th century BC have also been preserved. BC. - Tsarsky and Melek-Chesme barrows.

Until 1774, that is, before the annexation of Kerch to Russia, the city was part of many states: the Byzantine Empire, the Khazar Khaganate, the Republic of Genoa, the Ottoman Empire. The Church of St. John the Baptist, the oldest Orthodox church on the Crimean peninsula, has witnessed many historical events. Its construction dates back to the period between the 8th and 9th centuries.

Kerch bears the honorary title of Hero City. During the Great Patriotic War, the front line passed through Kerch four times; in 1941-1944, the most severe occupation regime was established here. Soon after the liberation of the city, a memorial complex was created on the top of Mount Mithridates - the Obelisk of Glory to the Immortal Heroes and the Eternal Flame.

423 steps of the Great Mithridates Stairs lead to the top of the mountain, which is an outstanding architectural monument of the first half of the 19th century. A magnificent panorama of the city and the Kerch Strait opens from the top observation deck of the stairs.

Evpatoria, stretching along the Kalamitsky Bay off the western coast of the Crimean peninsula, is known primarily as a resort city. Each summer season, the number of tourists is several times greater than its population. The huge popularity of the small town, of course, is due to the presence of beautiful beaches with golden sand and shallow seabed, favorable climate (at the height of summer, the air temperature, as a rule, is + 26–28 ° C). However, limited to coastal areas, it is impossible to form a holistic view of the city, whose history goes back centuries.

On the site of Evpatoria from the 5th century. BC e. to the end of the 2nd century n. e. there was one of the ancient Greek colonies - Kerkinitida. The settlement of the ancient polis is the most valuable archaeological complex, and the ruins of the city wall of Kerkinitida today are one of the main historical relics of Evpatoria. The Greek settlement was destroyed by the Scythians. The city reappeared here already during the time of the Crimean Khanate. It was called Kezlev (tur. Gozleve). The sonorous name Evpatoria, which is translated from Greek as "Noble", the city received after the Crimea became part of the Russian Empire.

A typical eastern city of the Middle Ages is the eastern part of modern Evpatoria, the so-called Old City. The area is distinguished by narrow crooked streets and ancient buildings. The age of some buildings of the historical part exceeds 500 years, among them is the Khan-Jami Cathedral Mosque, founded in 1552.

A unique historical, architectural and religious monument in Yevpatoria - Tekie dervishes - the only Muslim monastery in Crimea, founded at the end of the 15th - 16th centuries. Of no less interest is the complex of religious buildings of the early 19th century - the Keraim kenasses. Outstanding monuments of Russian temple architecture are pre-revolutionary Orthodox churches - St. Nicholas Cathedral, the Church of St. Elijah.

The resort history of the city began at the end of the 19th century, when the first mud bath was built, where the healing mud of Lake Moinaki was used. Subsequently, the healing properties of mud and waters of other lakes of Evpatoria were discovered. There are several mineral springs on the territory of the resort, which, together with numerous other natural factors, makes rest in Evpatoria incredibly useful.

On the southern coast of the Crimean peninsula, a magnificent pearl shines - the beauty of Yalta. This is one of the sunniest resorts in Crimea, a city with luxurious nature and rich cultural heritage. Interestingly, Yalta acquired the status of a city and the fame of a fashionable resort only in the 19th century, although its history began much earlier ...

Once upon a time, on the site of the future city, on the picturesque coast of the Black Sea, there was a small village of Yialos (from Greek - “shore”), founded in the 6th-5th centuries BC. Greek sailors. Like other cities of Crimea, the settlement changed hands more than once: from the Tauride Greeks to the Venetians, then to the Genoese, Byzantines; later included in the possession of the Principality of Theodoro, the Ottoman Empire, and, finally, Russia. Cardinal changes took place in the middle of the 19th century, when the highest state officials paid attention to a small town, in the recent past - a fishing village. In the 1860s, the nearest Yalta suburb - Livadia - became the summer residence of the royal family. And by the end of the 19th century, Yalta was turning into a prestigious vacation spot for the Russian aristocracy. It was to this time that the creation of fabulous palaces (Livadia, Massandra, Vorontsovsky), noble estates and mansions, organically inscribed in the mountain landscape, belong. In pre-revolutionary times, Yalta also attracted distinguished foreign guests. So, for example, the German oilman Baron P. Steingel, who loved to relax in the Crimea, in 1912 built a Gothic castle on the edge of the Aurora Rock - the famous "Swallow's Nest".

Without belittling the value and beauty of the palace and park ensembles, we will give priority in the ranking of the region's attractions to the Yalta nature. Enclosed in the stone embrace of the Crimean mountains, Yalta is open only to the sea and the sun. The terrain is extremely varied. There are mountain ranges here, one of which includes the famous Ai-Petri peak; hills covered with dense pine and beech forests; deep gorges with waterfalls; valleys of mountain rivers, on one of which the largest waterfall in the Crimea is formed - the Uchan-Su waterfall with a height of 98 meters. Yalta, immersed in greenery, boasts an abundance of exotic plants: palm trees, cypresses, magnolias, wisteria grow here ...

One of the most beautiful places in the city and the most visited street in Crimea is Yalta Embankment. Today it is a developed resort area with numerous restaurants, cafes, attractions. On the embankment is the President-Hotel "Tavrida", formerly the hotel of the same name, where Rimsky-Korsakov, Nekrasov, Chekhov, Bunin, Mayakovsky, Stanislavsky, Chaliapin stayed at different times. Not far from the hotel building is the entrance to the Yalta-Gorka cable car, which makes it possible to enjoy the views of the city from a bird's eye view.

Outstanding figures of art and literature lived in Feodosia at different times - the world-famous marine painter I.K. Aivazovsky, whose name today is the Feodosia Art Gallery; an outstanding writer, the brightest representative of neo-romanticism A. Green, to whom the Literary and Memorial Museum in Feodosia is dedicated. The Feodosia Museum of Local Lore, which is the oldest provincial museum institution in Russia, tells about the history, culture, and natural wealth of the southeastern Crimea.

During the Great Patriotic War, the city survived the German occupation. Fierce battles were fought here, leading to significant destruction. For courage, steadfastness and mass heroism, Feodosia was awarded the honorary title - City of Military Glory.

The fortress city of Aluston has been known since the 6th century. The fortification, built by order of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, retained the role of an important coastal defensive point for all the states that owned it in the Middle Ages: the Byzantine Empire, the Khazar Khaganate, the Principality of Theodoro. The fortress lost its strategic importance after the conquest of the Crimea by the Turks. The ruins of an ancient structure that have survived to this day are one of the main attractions of the peninsula.

Like Yalta, by the end of the 19th century, Alushta had turned from a quiet seaside village into a popular resort. Among the curious pre-revolutionary buildings are the mansion of General Golubov, known as the dacha "Dove"; mansion of merchant N.D. Stakheev Palace of Princess Gagarina. In 1941–1944 The city was under German occupation. A number of monuments of Alushta are dedicated to military-historical events.

Shortly after the end of the war, in the middle of the last century, a real tourist boom began in Alushta, when dozens of sanatoriums and boarding houses opened here. Today, the city still attracts tourists. On its territory there are a large number of beaches, attractions, an aquarium with a large collection of freshwater and marine fish, a dolphinarium, and interesting museums.

Alushta, located in a vast valley on the southern coast of Crimea, is surrounded by an amphitheatre, the Crimean mountains. From the west, the high massif of Babugan-Yayla rises above the city, in the north-west - Mount Chatyr-Dag, in the north - Demerdzhi. The slopes of the mountains are covered with dense beech and pine forests. In the picturesque surroundings of Alushta, the shooting of the famous Soviet films "Prisoner of the Caucasus", "Hearts of Three", "Ships Storm the Bastions" and others took place.

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