White rock in Crimea: where is it located and what is famous for?
Some of the sights of the Crimean peninsula cannot yet be called "promoted", nevertheless, they are of great interest to tourists who prefer active rest to the usual "lying" on the beach. It is to such places that the White Rock of Ak-Kaya can be attributed, which is considered a small Crimea in a concentrated form.
Here you can find everything your heart desires - the mysteries of geology, and the beauty of nature, and amazing legends, and, of course, a rich history.
Description
In 1981 Ak-Kaya was recognized as a natural monument of republican significance. Besides, Belaya Rock is considered a federal historical heritage site, so everyone who comes to Crimea can safely recommend this amazing place to visit.... For millions of years, snow, rain, temperature changes, the action of winds and tectonic processes have formed the most bizarre and intricate forms of slopes and outlines of the cliff, in the western part even numerous aeolian grottoes have formed. White Rock is a monument not made by hands, a piece of Crimea that has not been touched by the destructive power of man. The highest point of Ak-Kai rises at an altitude of 325 m above sea level, as if it hangs over the small river Biyuk-Karasu.
The difference in height between the valley of this river and the mountain peaks reaches 100 meters.
The mountain has a pleasant unique shade that can be seen from afar - due to the combination of light sandstone and white limestone, the rock can be called a real miracle of nature. At the top of Ak-Kai there are stone pillars, grottoes and spacious niches, and in the lower part, due to the weathering of limestone rocks, colorful talus appeared. The length of the White Rock cliffs reaches 107 meters.Scientists believe that this mountain was once a peak at the bottom of the ancient Tethys Sea, but after it disappeared, it turned into a peak on the land surface.
For many millennia, under the influence of water and air erosion, the sheer cliffs of Ak-Kai have taken the form of a man-made structure, reminiscent of a castle or an old fortress.
History and legends
It has been established that the rock itself, like its surroundings, has been inhabited by living creatures since ancient times. During archaeological excavations, many fossilized remains of underwater inhabitants were found. Many animals found their refuge here.
So, in the second half of the last century, on one of the slopes of the mountain, the remains of a cave bear, a mammoth, a primitive deer and even a wild bull were discovered, horses and saigas lived here.
Found about 20 sites of ancient people, it is assumed that in fact there were many more - burials of children and adults were found in the rock. Together with this, they unearthed many of the most ancient tools that the Neanderthals used for everyday life, hunting and defense. The age of the finds is estimated at about 150 thousand years.
At a later time, the Scythians and Sarmatians lived here - their ancestral signs - tamgas - were found on the stones.
In the Middle Ages, the lands fell under the dominion of the noble Tatar clan Shirin. At the top of Ak-Kai, elections for the head were held, here the most noble Tatars organized gatherings, and disgruntled "revolutionaries" gathered people to express their displeasure with this or that ruler. The steep slopes of the White Rock were often used to execute prisoners and criminals. By the way, in 1620, Bohdan Khmelnitsky also visited here in the role of a prisoner. It is known that they asked for a huge ransom for him, threatening death in case of refusal.
In the same period, part of the Great Silk Road passed here.
In 1777, during the Russian-Turkish war, the great Russian commander A.V.Suvorov set up his headquarters on Ak-Kaya. - it was he who defeated the detachments of the Shirin Tatars. At this place, an agreement was signed between Yuri Dolgoruky and the Turkish khan Sahib Giray, which confirmed the independence of the Crimean Khanate from Turkey. Six years later, Prince Potemkin-Tavrichesky arrived here - then Crimea officially came under the rule of the Russian Empire, and the prince took the oath of allegiance to the new homeland to the local nobility. White Rock was a popular filming location for Soviet films. In this picturesque place, such pictures as "The Headless Horseman", "Armed and Very Dangerous", "The Man from the Boulevard of the Capuchins", as well as "The Witches' Dungeon", "The Mustang Pacing" and some other films were created.
The creators of the picture were attracted by this place for its unusual and extremely epic appearance.
Like any other place, on the Crimean peninsula Ak-Kaya is rich in secrets and legends. Most of them are about the Golden Mountain - the very cave where the remains of the Neanderthal burial were found. According to legend, this place is something like the lair of the Serpent Gorynych, which for hundreds of years kept the local beauties in fear.
One of the legends says that the monster stole cattle from people, but once fell in love with a beautiful young girl and stole her.
The beauty cried for a long time, but then she managed to find out a secret about how to kill a snake and threw a letter with information into the village, hoping for an ambulance. But no one answered her call, and a year later she gave birth to a child for whom Gorynych built a golden cradle. Once a hero was passing by, who heard a child's cry and managed to kill a monstrous beast.
The fairy tale has an unfortunate end - a distraught beauty threw herself from a cliff with a child, and only a golden cradle remained in the cave, which many treasure hunters are still looking for.
According to another version, it was here that the looted treasures were hidden by those same 40 robbers from the famous fairy tale. However, no one found gold. But there are more than enough "black archaeologists" robbing the Scythian burial mounds.Local old-timers tell a legend that the cave is actually very long and stretches as far as Feodosia itself.
However, this version can be easily verified by looking at the map, which clearly shows two objects separated by a distance.
Where is?
Getting to the top of the mountain is easy. Near the eastern ledge, a path leads to the very top of the cliff. From the flat side, the height of the White Rock in Belogorsk is about 100 m. In some areas, the ascent is rather difficult, but all the difficulties are undoubtedly worth it.
Moving along this trail, tourists find themselves in the lower grotto, along the way, the most picturesque panoramas open up.
The very top of the mountain is a flat flat surface, but if you turn to the east, you can see the most ancient Scythian burial mounds. In the west, the Biyuk-Karasu river and the city of Belogorsk are located, closer to the horizon, a series of mountains of the Crimean ridge is clearly visible. On the way to the top, you can see a large boulder. It will become a guideline indicating that the direction is correct.
It is best to climb to Ak-Kaya in the evening - the heat subsides at this time, and the rays of the setting sun color everything around, giving the area a fantastically beautiful and unforgettable view.
How to get there?
Usually excursions to the mountain start from Belogorsk. The distance from this town from Simferopol is 47 km. You can overcome this path by public transport - first by a bus following the Simferopol-Belogorsk flight, then by a local minibus to the Belaya Skala station, and from there you can move to the mountain exclusively on foot.
You need to walk along a wide street to the river, then cross a small wooden bridge and get to the foot of the mountain past apple orchards.
If you plan to drive your own car, then you need to get to Belogorsk, then turn in the direction of the mountain and move about 5 km more. It is best to choose an SUV for trips and travel in the summer. By the way, it is not at all necessary to climb to the very top on foot. There is a horse farm near the foot of Ak-Kai, where you can always rent a horse.
Tourists are offered two options for horseback riding - an hour and a half climb up a steep path and then a descent down or a three-hour walk along a calm path.
Tourists going to Ak-Kai can not only see the stone wonders of nature, but also enjoy the wonderful air, get acquainted with fascinating facts of ancient history, see with their own eyes the settlements of the ancient Scythians, excavations and artifacts. Believe me, you will find many wonderful and unforgettable impressions along the way. If you decide to climb to the peaks of the White Rock, first of all, you should take care of the convenience of movement. The main thing is to choose the right shoes, sneakers will cope with the task best of all, but sandals, sandals, and even more so, slates are completely unsuitable here. Remember that there is no shade anywhere on the plateau, so both adults and children will need a hat.
It is better to use multi-layered clothes.
As a rule, the trip requires certain strength, so it will not be superfluous to bring drinking water and a small snack with you. And, of course, any climb in the mountains is fraught with injury, so it is advisable to take with you a first-aid kit with disinfectant solutions, cotton wool and bandages, as well as drugs that alleviate the condition in case of sun or heat stroke. From the difference in altitude, some tourists experience sensations similar to those that arise on an airplane - their ears are filled up, their head is spinning.
You can eliminate all unpleasant symptoms with the help of ordinary mint lozenges.
Fans of extreme sports should definitely bring everything they need for rope jumping, and the most romantic ones can always pitch a tent and spend the night with a guitar near the fire under the star-studded sky. The best time to visit is April and May. At the time necessary for rope jumping, and at that time it is already warm, but there is no sweltering heat, so the vegetation has not yet withered in the sun. Surprisingly beautiful wild peonies can be seen not far from the cliff.
Onosma blooms at the very foot - a plant with funny yellow bells; in general, yellow flowers prevail in the area, especially on the yayla - an arid flat top.
See the video below about the white rock in Crimea.