Overview of the fortresses of Crimea

The unique climatic conditions and the favorable location of the Crimean peninsula have always attracted the attention of numerous peoples. At different periods of development, the Scythians, Romans, Greeks, Sarmatians and many other nations lived on its territory. All of them left traces of their influence on the culture of Crimea.

But of particular interest are the fortresses, which previously performed protective functions on the peninsula, and today surprise with their beauty, power and skill. The list of ancient fortifications is long; each site has its own characteristics.

Sudak is known not only as a resort, but also as a city with a lot of attractions. Most of all tourists are attracted by the Genoese fortress, which has risen on Mount Fortress, even taking into account the fact that time has left little of it. Today you can observe only parts of this huge and majestic structure: the main gate and 12 towers, the ruins of the barracks, a mosque and a Christian temple, storage facilities.

The authorship of this structure is attributed to Italian colonists due to the presence of inscriptions in Latin. On the walls are the dates of the construction and the description of the ambassadors, the ambassadors who ruled at that time.

On the shores of the Feodosia Gulf, you can see a powerful structure that at one time defended the huge possessions of the Genoese - Kafu.For its construction, rocks were used, which were mined on the territory of the peninsula. The place was fully adapted to living.

In the Middle Ages, the peninsula became a colony of Genoa. This people during their "reign" builds fortifications to protect themselves from the raids of nomadic peoples.

On the territory of Sevastopol, scientists constantly find evidence of the residence of ancient Taurica. One of the main "exhibits" is a medieval fortress, which is located on the top and slopes of the mountains.

This architectural structure arose as a result of the struggle between the Genoese and the Theodorites. To protect important trade routes and residents from attacks by enemies, the Genoese constantly fortified the fortress.

In the Alushta region in the center of the city, there is the Funa fortress, which occupies only half a hectare. The building was practically destroyed due to wars, constant attacks by the Ottoman Empire and earthquakes. Another collapse left only the ruins of the church and a pile of boulders. The inhabitants left its walls, because they could no longer put up with the constant onslaught of enemies and cruel cataclysms.

This building belongs to the Byzantine buildings of the 6th century. Today it is "represented" by the remains of towers and the ruins of some walls. The constant attacks of enemies destroyed her building. Initially, trade transactions were carried out in this fortress. But after trade dried up, rains and winds continued to destroy it. Of particular interest is cave monastery, which a huge number of tourists and students studying in the archaeological direction want to look at.

On the Kerch Peninsula, not far from a narrow sea passage, there is a fortress created by the Ottoman Empire. It was built to resist the passage of Russian ships across the Black and Azov Seas.

For a long time this Crimean fortress protected the inhabitants with its powerful walls. Not every tourist can get to this beauty, since the road to it is dilapidated. But those who overcome this path will be able to see the remains of the medieval city. You can inspect the fortress only in good weather, since there are no excursions during the non-flying period. The rock on which the structure is located is practically inaccessible.

Medieval fortress, which is located in the Crimea. The tower with a domed ceiling and the remains of fresco painting has survived. There are suggestions that a chapel was built on the top floor. It functions as an open-air museum.

Located 4 km from the village of Veseloe. It is the ruins of an ancient monument. Most of the monument has been opened, as a result of which the restoration work of the fortress is being carried out. It is a 5-sided structure. A beautiful view of the sea opens up from the height of the fortress.

The only Tatar-Turkish fortress on the Azov coast of Crimea. It is characterized by an octagonal shape around the perimeter, surrounded by a deep moat. There is a legend about the existence of an underground passage to the Sea of ​​Azov. However, scientists have not found any dungeons. It is believed that this structure was supposed to protect from uninvited visits of the Cossacks and Kalmyks.

Ak-Kaya or White Rock is located near the village of the same name. It is a vertical white rock wall. In the lower part, weathering products are formed - talus, piles of blocks. The rock has always attracted attention. And she repeatedly "appeared" in films.

The fortress, which was raised by the Byzantine masters.It has the shape of an irregular rectangle with three towers. It has thick walls of 2-3 meters. After the Byzantines left the fortress, it constantly changed owners. After the attack of the Turks, it was destroyed by fire. No restoration work was carried out.

Roman military camp located at Cape Ai-Todor. It is quite possible that the name "Kharax" - this is not the name of the fortress itself, but only a "description" of the specifics of the settlement. The structure is located on a hill and consists of two rows of walls from the north and a natural fortification in the form of a cliff from the south. Research is still ongoing.

All presented fortifications are historical monuments that are protected by international organizations. Therefore, they are given a lot of attention: they carry out restoration work, protect them from the negative manifestations of the environment, as well as from vandals.

Archaeologists always have the opportunity to carry out excavations to reveal the ancient settlements of Taurica. They are available for inspection by tourists. Many of them are “points” of excursion routes.

See below for an overview of the Sudak Fortress.