Overview of the cave city Bakla in Crimea

Bakla translated from the Crimean Tatar language means "beans", and at first glance it seems strange, because we are talking about a tract located in the Crimea in the Bakhchisarai region. But all travelers who have been there note that the grottoes and caves resemble large beans in shape.

Bakla is located on one of the steep southern slopes of the Crimean Mountains at an altitude of 300 meters and is considered the northernmost cave city of Crimea. The nearest settlement is the village of Skalistoye, which is located 2.5 km from Bakla.

This historical monument was discovered in 1929. Scientists have found that around the second half of the 3rd century, people founded the first fortified settlement here. In subsequent centuries, it grew more and more, and in the VI century a castle was erected here from large limestone blocks. It had communicating battle caves and a protective moat. The rural settlement around the castle did not have defensive walls, which was typical of the Middle Ages.

Sarmatian-Alans and Goths lived on the territory of Bakly. They were successfully engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. The warm climate favored the cultivation of vineyards and the production of wine. In the 5th century, when Byzantium converted these and other peoples to Christianity, a special Byzantine military garrison arose here. The city fell under the blows of the troops of the Golden Horde led by Beklarbek Nogai in 1299.

Today the cave city of Bakla is represented by the remains of a fortress wall and a tower, a temple built into a complex of living quarters, rock graves, and artificial caves of economic and defensive significance. The total area is 20 hectares, and the length is 12 kilometers. In the western part of Bakla are the remains of a large church, probably a monastery. This is evidenced by the cells carved into the rocks with niches hollowed out in the walls for lamps.

In 1970, a necropolis was discovered near the church near the Cuba River, presumably from the 5th-9th centuries. More than 800 burial structures were investigated. The things discovered in the burials can now be seen in the Bakhchisarai Museum. These are Byzantine jewelry, rings, crosses, ceramic and glassware. In the valley near the cave city, the remains of temples were also discovered, which were built on the same site in the period from the 8th to the 13th century.

The so-called grain pits, of which there are about 200, are also of constant interest among tourists. These recesses for storing grain from above are similar to the windows of underground ships, their diameter is about 40 centimeters, below the pits expand to one meter and have a depth of about two meters. How exactly such granaries were made remains a mystery. Previously, these pits were covered with stone lids, and the joints were covered with clay.

You can get to Buckla by bus, which runs between Simferopol and the village of Nauchny. After about 20 minutes, you should get off in the village of Skalistoye at the second stop near the store. Then walk 2.5 kilometers southeast to a beautiful lake (a flooded quarry up to 20 meters deep) with turquoise water, which the locals call the Martian lake. Further, a well-trodden path will be visible at the barrier.

Another bus route option is drive from Bakhchisarai to Novopavlovka, then 2 kilometers by bus or walk to the village of Skalistoye.

The journey by car will take about 46 minutes if you go from Bakhchisarai, and about an hour if you leave Simferopol. On the road you need to turn at the place where there is a sign "Scientific", then drive along the asphalt for 2.5 kilometers to the Martian lake. Before him, turn left onto the dirt road to the monastery of St. Lazarus.

There is also a more difficult way to get to the Bakla cave city by electric train. To do this, you need to take it in Simferopol and get to the Pochtovaya station. Then walk 2 kilometers to Novopavlovka and get by bus to the village of Nauchny. Then move as mentioned earlier in the description of the first bus route.

In order to take a leisurely look at this amazing place, you can stay overnight not far from the cave city. But remember that it is strictly forbidden to make fires and settle down for the night on the territory of this cultural heritage site. Therefore, it is worth choosing in advance the place outside of Buckla that is right for you.

There are the following accommodation options:

• private houses in the village of Skalistoye;
• hotel in the village of Nauchny;
• mini-hotel "Skif", located in the village of Novopavlovka;
• tourist base in the village Trudolyubovka;
• by car, you can return to the nearest cities of Bakhchisarai or Simferopol.

This route is ideal for traveling with children. Indeed, it is so rare in our dynamic age that both adults and children manage, in the literal sense of the word, to touch the ancient history and culture.

Next, you will find an overview of the Bakla cave city in the Crimea.