Attractions of Krym AR region

Skelsky Menhirs of the Baydary Valley are ancient (III-II millennium BC) megalithic structures of cult (astronomical) purpose.

They are stone blocks of marble limestone placed vertically in the form of obelisks. The height of the largest of them is 2.8 meters, the other is 1.2 meters. The third was excavated in the 1950s during the construction of an aqueduct. In 1989, another fallen menhir with a height of about 2.4 meters was discovered.

The Tatars called this place Tekli-Tash ("placed stone"). The mass of Menhir reaches 6 tons. It is interesting that there are no quarries nearby, and the nearest rocks are located several kilometers from here.

Menhirs are attributed magical healing properties, calling them "the place of Power".

Mountain "Sokil" (Kush-Kaya - "bird rock") rises 474 meters above sea level between Sudak and Novyi Svit.

It is an ancient coral reef, which is considered the largest in the Crimea and even in all of Europe. It was formed 140-165 million years ago at the bottom of the ancient Tethys ocean from colonies of corals and sponges.

Many archaeological monuments of the ancient and Byzantine periods have been preserved in the area of ​​Mount Sokil (Falcon). A breathtaking panorama of the Southern coast of Crimea opens from the top. Climbing the mountain is quite difficult, fans are recommended to be accompanied by professional climbers.

The natural sphinxes of the Karalez Valley are unusual stone figures, the result of weathering of limestone on the ridge of the wooded Uzun-Tarla hill.

Some of the stone figures rise above the ridge by 8-15 meters and bear their own names: the southernmost figure of Yukle-Kai (Pregnant), further Suyuryu-Kaya (Pointed), Chuyun-Kaya, two similar flat-topped Sandik-Kaya (Chest ) and Shapka-Kaya (Hat).

The valley of the Sotera River is a protected tract on the eastern South Bank.

Here, in the process of weathering and water erosion, amazing stone mushrooms up to 7 meters high were formed. The caps of the "mushrooms" are formed by dense slabs of conglomerate, and the "legs" are looser sediments, which were destroyed faster than the "caps", mainly by water flowing from the slopes. There are large mushrooms with a diameter of "caps" up to 2 meters, and smaller mushrooms - about 1 meter high. Over time, mushrooms are destroyed under the influence of erosion, but new ones appear.

At the end of 1893, Professor Mykola Holovkinsky found a complete skeleton of a mammoth here.

Not far from the pond, the remains of the "Shostak" estate of the Borozdiny noble family have been preserved.

The Swan Islands in Portove are a group of 6 islands stretching 8 kilometers along the coast of the Karkinit Bay, where a huge number of migratory birds gather in spring and summer.

The name of the islands was given by the German scientist Brauler, who visited here at the end of the 19th century, saw a huge number of white whooper swans and came to the conclusion that they nest here. In fact, this is the most important part of the migratory path of birds to Africa, Europe, and Asia. At the same time, there are up to 75-100 thousand of them in clusters, and during the day at the height of the flight - up to a million!

An ornithological reserve of international importance "Swan Islands" - a branch of the Crimean state reserve - was created here. Visitation is strictly limited.

The Syuren Caves-Grottoes are located near the road near the village of Tankove.

A Late Paleolithic settlement was found in one of them, and a Mesolithic site in the other.

Grottoes are classic forms of weathering and water erosion of the steep limestone slopes of the transverse Cuesta Valley.

The Syuren tower is part of the medieval fortification of Syuren in the southeastern part of the Kule-Burun mountain on the left bank of the Belbek river near the village of Male Sadove.

From the 8th century there was a Byzantine fortress here, which from the 13th century began to take on the features of a small town. The Syuren fortress was one of the outposts of the ancient principality of Feodoro with its capital in Mangup.

The Syuren Tower has preserved its domed ceiling with traces of fresco painting.

From the top of the plateau there are breathtaking views of the surrounding area.

The Tarkhankut (Karadzhyn) Hillfort in Olenivka is located on the northern shore of the Tarkhankut estuary and is washed by water.

Presumably, in this place, in the 3rd century BC - 2nd century AD, there was a rich ancient settlement of Tamiraka, which in later times lost its polis self-government and later turned into an ordinary coastal fortification.

The area of the Tarkhankut Hillfort is 5 hectares.

The Tarkhankut lighthouse is a well-preserved 200-year-old lighthouse that is still functioning and is located on the western edge of the Crimean peninsula, Cape Tarkhankut.

Presumably, the lighthouse at this dangerous place from the point of view of navigation existed even in ancient times. The current 42-meter-high tower was built of white Inkerman limestone in 1816. Due to the excellent quality of the construction, the building required only cosmetic repairs until now.

In 1851, the Tarkhankut lighthouse had 13 lamps with reflectors, in 1862 the lighting was improved and spread over 12.4 miles. During the fog, the sound of a pneumatic siren was heard or the bell was struck.

All buildings have been preserved. With the permission of the administration, you can climb the tower by climbing 142 steps of a cast iron spiral staircase.

The Hillfort of Tarpanchi is located on a promontory slightly protruding into the sea, on the eastern outskirts of the village of Okunivka (former Tarpanchi), bounded on two sides by beams.

These are the remains of an ancient manor, covered by a late Scythian fortification. In the 4th century BC, colonists founded a settlement here, which was part of the sphere of influence of Chersonesus. In the 2nd century BC, the settlement was captured by the Scythians and a fortress with four towers was built on the site of the manor. The defensive ditch was veneered with stone. Villages adjoined the fortress on two sides: East Tarpanchi and West Tarpanchi.

You can see the remains of primitive stone walls up to 2.8 meters thick, as well as the foundations of towers, residential and commercial buildings.

The ruins of the huge fortified Tash-Khan (Stone Yard) caravanserai, built in the center of Bilohirsk in the 15th century.

Only the gate and a part of the wall adjacent to it have survived.

In ancient times, powerful walls with loopholes surrounded a spacious courtyard, merchants were housed in wooden buildings along the northern and eastern walls. On the outside, there was a slave market, from where slaves were sent to different countries of the world: Turkey, Genoa, Venice, Egypt.

The fortified cave settlement of Tepe-Kermen ("mountain fortress") is located on a mountain plateau above the Kacha River near the Kiz-Kermen plateau near the village of Mashyne.

Probably founded in the early Middle Ages. In the 8th-14th centuries, icon worshipers expelled from Byzantium during the era of iconoclasm lived here. The cave church with columns is located in the northeastern part of the plateau. 250 caves were explored: temples, casemates, granaries, cattle sheds, etc.

Turkish Shaft is the name of one of the oldest defensive structures on the territory of Ukraine.

According to the legend described by Herodotus, the earthen Shaft crossing the entire eastern edge of the Crimea was built by Scythian slaves who went on a long military campaign, fearing retribution for cohabiting with Scythian wives. The rampart was probably built by the Cimmerians, which is why experts call it the Cimmerian rampart (also Akkosiv or Uzunlarsky).

The length of the Turkish wall reached 32 kilometers, at the base was a stone embankment. It runs from the northwestern edge of the village of Novovidradne past the Kerch Reservoir, crosses the E-97 highway 3 kilometers from the village of Hornostaivka, descends past Lake Marfivske to Lake Uzunlarske.

From the northern edge of the Turkish Wall, a wonderful view of the village of Novovidradne and the coast of the Sea of Azov opens up.

The Uchan-Su waterfall is the highest (98.5 meters) and the most spectacular waterfall in Ukraine.

It is located in the mountains 10 kilometers from Yalta. The name is translated from Tatar as "flying water".

The Uchan-Su River originates in limestone under the Yayla cliff at an altitude of 1,233 meters above sea level and has a very steep drop in its upper reaches. Below the river, at a height of 295, 280 and 270 meters, the waters of three smaller waterfalls pour down from the steep cliffs.

Uchang-su is especially beautiful in the spring during the melting snow, as well as during the autumn rains, when huge masses of foamy water fall down with force, sometimes capturing large stone blocks. A cloud of water dust hangs over the waterfall, and the sound of the stream can be heard a kilometer away. In the summer, the stream weakens a lot, running down the rocks in small streams.

On one of the cascades of the Uchan-Su waterfall - Eagle's Bay rock - there is a viewing platform from where the surrounding mountains can be clearly seen. During the season, the entrance is paid, the souvenir market is open.

The late antique Ust-Alma Necropolis is located one kilometer from the village of Pishchane, in the lower reaches of the Alma River (a special self-colored pebble is found in the sediments of the mouth).

Here passed the sea route from Chersonesos (Sevastopol) to Kerkinitida (Yevpatoriia) and further - to Olbia (Dnipro-Buh estuary).

The remains of an earthen rampart and a ditch on the high seashore have been preserved, several residential buildings and a burial ground have been investigated.

Visiting is free.