Attractions of Nazarivka

The "Stone Graves" Reserve is located near the village of Nazarivka in the Donetsk region. It was founded in 1927 as a special nature reserve and is part of the Ukrainian State Steppe Nature Reserve, which is located on the territory of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. It is a unique geological, historical and cultural object. The area of ​​the "Stone Graves" Reserve is about 400 hectares.

The "Stone Graves" tract is a small mountainous country among the steppes of the Azov region. Volcanic rocks about 2 billion years old formed a series of peaks here, which as a result of weathering turned into many expressive natural sculptures.

The rocky island was a cult place of ancient peoples and gave rise to many interesting legends. The ancient name of the area "Beshtash" is translated from the Turkic "five mountains". Today, these peaks are called Panorama, Vityaz, Hostra, Zhaba and Pivdenna. Their height is 200 and a little meters, in the past they rose up to 3 kilometers.

The picturesque landscapes of the "Stone Graves" Reserve, the combination of steppe and alpine vegetation, and the historical events of these places have inspired many artists and poets.

The Karatysh River – the left tributary of Berda – washes the ridge of rocks on the eastern side. According to Academician Kudryashov's version, during the battle of Kalka, the fortified camp of Prince Mstyslav of Kyiv was located near the Stone Graves (a chapel and a large stone cross were built).

RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR

During the full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, Russian occupation forces set up camps on the territory of the "Stone Graves" nature reserve, turning it into a military training ground. As a result of Russian military activity in this area, the unique nature reserve was virtually destroyed.