Khan's palace in Bakhchisarai (Crimea): description, history and location

The Khan's Palace in Bakhchisarai is rightfully considered one of the most significant historical and cultural sites of Crimea. The complex of magnificent buildings allows guests of the republic to lift the veil of secrecy over the history and traditions of the Crimean Tatar Khanate.

In fact, the palace itself is the first building from which Bakhchisarai began. And later, with the change of rulers, the beauty of its territory only increased, new objects appeared that made up the glory of the Gerai dynasty. The architectural traditions of the Arab East were closely intertwined here with the Constantinople motives that appeared in the palace in later years. Of course, not all the magnificent buildings located outside its walls have survived to this day.

Let's consider what the description of the attraction is silent about, and what objects on its territory deserve special attention.

The history of the emergence of the Bakhchisarai Palace in the Crimea is interesting. For many years, the dynasty of the Crimean Tatar khans was content with a residence in the small valley of Ashlama-Dere, but over time this place ceased to correspond to the ambitions of the rulers. For the construction of a new capital, vacant territories were chosen, located on the Churuk-Su River, on its left bank. By order of Khan Sahib I Geray, the construction of a palace began here, embodying the idea of ​​a garden in paradise, created on the land of Crimea.

The residence began its existence in the XIV century.Moreover, its oldest building, the Demir-Kapy portal, was not erected on the spot - it was brought here and installed. The Bakhchisarai residence received its own architectural objects only in 1532. It was to this time that the Sary-Guzel baths and the sacred relic - the Great Mosque - are attributed.

Later, Bakhchisarai was built around the palace territory - a picturesque city famous for its green streets and picturesque landscapes. And on the square outside the walls of the palace, new architectural masterpieces were erected. So, here tyurbe - khan's tombs, in which the rulers of the Gerai dynasty found their rest. Meeting rooms and rooms set aside for receiving important guests have appeared. The adjacent territory was built up and improved.

Deserve special attention fountains, for the construction of which the Crimean khans did not spare money... The first of them - Golden - appeared thanks to Kaplan I Giray. The second - at the end of the dynasty's reign received the name Fountain of tears, according to legend, it was erected by Kyrym Geray in memory of the death of his beloved concubine in a harem. The grieving spouse built a mournful composition, and in our days "weeping" for his loss.

The Russian-Turkish war, in which representatives of the Crimean Tatars fought on the side of the Ottoman Empire against the Russian Empire, led to the fact that in 1736 Bakhchisarai passed to new owners. By order of the commander of the troops, Minich, the palace and the city itself were burnt. A description of that time, compiled by the military, has survived, according to which restoration work was carried out in the future.

The blazing fire failed to harm the capital stone buildings — Among the surviving objects of the XIV century were the Portal of Aleviz, the Hall of the Council and the Court, both palace mosques. Subsequently, Bakhchisarai again passed into the possession of the ruling Crimean Tatar dynasty. Several generations of khans were engaged in restoring the former splendor.

However, the new palace interiors turned out to be even more impressive in their design and execution. In many ways, the reason for this was the materials and workers sent from Constantinople to help the Crimean Tatar dynasty. They tried to repeat the architecture and interiors of the main residence of the Ottoman Khanate, reducing its size.

Since April 19, 1783, during the reign of Catherine II and by her highest decree, Crimea became part of the Russian Empire. The Bakhchisarai Palace was included in the list of cultural heritage sites and came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In the future, the decoration of its interiors changed every now and then. So, for the visit of the Empress in 1787, a large-scale reconstruction was carried out here, during which some of the authentic interiors were replaced with more familiar to Europeans.

It should be noted that It is to the period of this "repair" that the most serious work carried out in the adjacent territory can be attributed. Originally located near the tomb of Dilara-bikech, the Fountain of Tears was moved to the formed fountain courtyard, where it can be seen today. In addition, a memorial sign called the Catherine Mile was erected at the bridge over the local river.

Joining the Russian Empire did not bring any special preferences to the Bakhchisarai Palace. By 1820, serious signs of decline and desolation appeared here.Remained dissatisfied with his visit here, and Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, in letters to friends, mentioned the discrepancy between his expectations and the real state of the khan's residence. Shortly before that, in order to hide the real state of affairs, before the visit of Emperor Alexander I, the buildings of the harem, already dilapidated and dilapidated, were wiped off the face of the earth.

Subsequent renovations only worsened the situation. The non-commissioned officer in charge of the artistic part of the work simply painted over Omer's magnificent painting, made in the original version of the wall decoration. And also the buildings of the Winter Palace, baths and many other buildings were destroyed.

The Bakhchisarai Palace was in a rather deplorable state until 1908, when a museum was established here. Further, the building has repeatedly changed its status. Until 1955, there was a museum of Crimean Tatar history and culture here. In the 1930s, another restoration attempt was made, which finally changed the historical appearance of the architectural heritage site.

But after the formation of the Bakhchisarai Historical and Archaeological Museum in 1955, everything changed. A three-year restoration from 1961 to 1964, carried out with the participation of true professionals - representatives of the State Construction Committee, made it possible to almost completely reveal to the world the pristine splendor of the Khan's palace. Removing numerous layers of paint made it possible to open the original design of the Demir-Kapa portal. The murals in the Great Mosque, the Summer Gazebo, ceiling frescoes in the Divan Hall were recreated.

Since 1979, the museum has acquired a historical and architectural status... Today it is part of a historical and cultural reserve. There is a functioning mosque on the territory of the palace, permanent exhibitions are open.

The museum, into which the premises of the Bakhchisarai Palace have been transformed today, is a complex of buildings with the surrounding territory. According to current information, the area occupied by the palace is 4.3 hectares, while at the time of its heyday it was located on 17 hectares. The complex of preserved objects includes:

• gates on the south and north side;
• Svitsky building;
• Ekaterininskaya mile - mile mark on the bridge over Churuk-Su;
• burials of khans from the Geray family and their wives;
• the square in front of the palace;
• bath complex;
• embankment and three bridges on it;
• park and garden;
• the main building of the palace;
• large and small khan's mosques and many other buildings.

The ongoing restoration allows us to hope that the splendor of the Bakhchisarai Palace will be preserved for posterity. This masterpiece of architecture demonstrates the best traditions of the Ottoman Empire of the 15th-17th centuries. Muslim traditions here are closely intertwined with the national Crimean Tatar flavor, but typical Arab motives are also visible. So, the openwork lattices on the windows, the spiers of the towers directed upwards, the low number of storeys of buildings allow us to speak about the object's belonging to this particular architectural trend.

Outwardly, the Bakhchisarai Palace really looks like a part of an exquisite oriental fairy tale. Delicate white and pink pastel shades in the wall decoration give it a special splendor. In the rays of the setting sun, it transforms, like the legendary Taj Mahal. The main square, which once had a sandy surface, and today is paved with cobblestones, deserves no less attention. The bath complex was built of stone with a yellowish sheen, the interior decoration was also created from natural minerals, but already of more noble rocks.

There is a legend that in the vicinity of the Bakhchisarai Palace treasures that belonged to the last of the Geraev dynasty, Shagin Khan, are hidden. The never-found treasure still attracts the attention of archaeologists and adventure seekers. But so far all efforts have not been crowned with success. Perhaps the reason is that the khan's treasury could well have been transported to Kafa, where the former ruler of Bakhchisarai fled.

The Khan's Palace in Crimea amazes tourists with its splendor even today. Inside the building, there are expositions dedicated to the daily life of the rulers from the Gerai dynasty. There is also a rich collection of small arms and cold weapons, carefully preserved by the staff of the museum complex. But the greatest value, of course, are the objects themselves, located on the territory of the Bakhchisarai Palace.

From the Northern Gate - the main preserved entrance - visitors enter the vastness of the Palace Square, which is surrounded by the Svitsky buildings. They were intended for the residence of the retinue and the protection of the khan's palace. The watchtower is decorated with stained glass in the same style. There are no excursions inside it, but outside this building can also be admired.

To get an audience with the khan, visitors had to pass the gates of the Palace Square and stop to wait in the Ambassadorial courtyard. There is a splendid garden, where you can see thickets of boxwood and poplar, keeping the memory of the past of the residence. There are also two fountains, a true decoration of the palace grounds. The southern side of the palace from the side of the Ambassadorial courtyard was the front door, and from the north there were private chambers.

Considered the most ancient object of the palace, the "iron door" (this is how the name of the portal of Demir-Kapa is translated) is a portal entrance to the territory of the palace. The portal, installed between the Ambassadorial courtyard and the fountain courtyard, looks very impressive. A massive door with iron upholstery is surrounded by original Italian-style fittings.

The luxurious small mosque in the Bakhchisarai Palace was built directly for the personal needs of the family of the Crimean Tatar rulers. It is housed in the inner chambers and dates from the 16th century. But luxurious paintings on the surface of the walls appeared here one and a half to two centuries later. The painting used animal and plant motifs, carefully restored after restoration.

The south wall of the mosque is decorated with a mihrab, complemented by original decoration, which recreates the symbolic appearance of the seven heavens. The surviving stained glass window bears the imprint of Suleiman's seal. And the surface of other walls contains traces of drawings scratched by its visitors. The dome of the mosque has a sail structure and is covered with original painting.

The fountain courtyard is a place where visitors who were admitted to the threshold of the main entrance to the khan's residence fell. Having passed the portal of Demir-Kapa, ​​it is worth exploring the inner part of the courtyard. There is a fountain called Mage-Tooth (Golden). It got its name thanks to the gilding that covers its ornaments. The marble bowl is located at the entrance to the mosque and is intended for the ablution rituals traditionally performed by Muslims in front of the entrance to the shrine.

It should be said right away that it is not worth waiting for the usual riot of a flowing stream of water from the palace fountains. In Arab countries, they are especially sensitive to the use of water, they are ready to admire it even in the form of thin streams running down the surface of a natural stone. It is these types of fountains that are located on the territory of the Bakhchisarai Palace.

Not without beautiful legends. So, the Fountain of Tears arose in memory of the wife of Khan Kyrym Giray named Dilyara, who never resigned herself to her status as a prisoner in the khan's camp. Her sudden death plunged her husband, who owned an extensive harem, into despondency and melancholy. To perpetuate his grief, he ordered to create a unique fountain near her tomb.

The prototype of the Fountain of Tears is the selsebil - a heavenly source mentioned in the Surah of the Koran carved into the lower part of the fountain 76. The upper portal is crowned with a poem dedicated to Khan Giray himself. According to legend, it is from such a spring that the souls of righteous people who defended their faith will get drunk. The selsebil type of fountain was quite popular in Arab countries.

The buildings of the khan's harem during the reign of the Geraev dynasty occupied 4 buildings and were rooms of 73 luxuriously decorated rooms. Unfortunately, most of the objects were demolished in the 19th century due to dilapidation. Today, only a three-room wing building and a gazebo are accessible for inspection. The interiors of the living room, pantry, living room have been preserved and restored here.

A high 8-meter fence was erected around the building, but the khan's wives could still glimpse beyond their chambers from the Falcon Tower, a special observation room installed in the Persian Garden.

Today, the Togan-Kulesi observation deck is also open to the public. Once this facility was built to keep hunting birds. Today its inner space is empty, but the steep spiral staircase allows you to climb up and immerse yourself in the peaceful contemplation of the surrounding beauties. From the observation deck, the city is clearly visible, as well as the palace square and a promenade called the Persian courtyard (a special gate was made here from the harem).

The pool courtyard of the Khan's palace is crowned with a magnificent Summer pavilion. It was originally completely open and had a one-story structure. The object acquired its modern appearance in the first half of the 19th century. Plank floors and multi-colored stained-glass windows appeared here. On the ground floor, a marble pool with a carved fountain has been preserved. The second floor superstructure has been converted into the Golden Study.

The work on the design of the new premises was carried out by the architect Omer. His hands created panoramic stained-glass windows, alabaster stucco moldings, a fireplace portal. Today, the decoration of the Golden Cabinet has been carefully preserved and is available for inspection.

The room where the khan's council met - the Divan Hall - belongs to the front part of the palace. During the restoration after the fire, only a part of its former splendor was preserved. Here is the khan's throne, fragments of stained-glass windows, but the paintings on the walls date back to the 19th century.

The Khan's palace located in Bakhchisarai is located only 30 km from the capital of Crimea and occupies about 4 hectares of land in the valley of the Churuk-Su river. Geographically, this area belongs to the Old City, and to get here, you first need to get to the bus station or railway station. From here it is quite easy to get to the “Palace Museum” stop by shuttle bus # 2.

By car or on foot, you will have to go to st. Rechnaya, 133 - it is he who corresponds to the data of the museum complex. You can focus on the nearby highway - Lenin Street. Moving along it, you can easily find the main city attraction.

All about the Khan's Palace in Bakhchisarai, see the next video.