Crimea village Yurkino rest private sector telephone. Holidays in Yurkino, Crimea: how to get there, hotels, beaches

Last year I visited the cave city of Chufut-Kale. This year, in the heat of the day, we went to conquer the cave city of Eski-Kermen. If a visit to the first one last year was combined with an excursion to the Khan’s Palace in Bakhchisarai, this time the day was dedicated only to Eski-Kermen. Moreover, we traveled part of the way, about 6 km, on foot.

The route was standard - take a minibus to Artbukhta, take a sea ferry to the Northern side and from Nakhimov Square take a bus to the village of Krasny Poppy, from where you can walk to the cave city of Eski-Kermen.

As a result of the trip, I got quite a lot of photographs, and I included some of them in separate stories:

Eski-Kermen was founded on a remote plateau at the beginning of the 6th century; according to assumption, the Scythian-Sarmatians and existed until the end of the 14th century. Its name translated from Tatar means “Old Fortress” - it is one of the most picturesque cave cities. It is located in the southwestern part of the mountainous Crimea, 6 km south of the village of Krasny Mak, on a table mountain plateau, elongated along the axis.

The cave city of Eski-Kermen was a first-class fortress for its time. The steep cliffs were practically inaccessible, and in the upper reaches of the crevices along which one could climb to the city, battle walls rose. The defense system included well-defended gates and sally gates, ground towers and cave casemates.

Eski-Kermen was a major center of crafts and trade, but the basis of its economy was agriculture– viticulture, gardening, horticulture. In the vicinity of Eski-Kermen, the remains of an irrigation system and traces of terraced areas with wild vines were found. For a number of years, these vines have been studied by employees of the Crimean Agricultural Institute, trying to restore grape varieties that have lived for hundreds of years. Some of them are already used as breeding material for developing new grape varieties.

We get off the bus, our journey begins in the village of Krasny Mak. The village is surrounded by picturesque terrain: on the left is a valley with mountain outcrops. For example, Uzun-Tarla rises in the distance to the left of the road to Eski-Kermen.

On the right is a rock wall with the remains of Bash-Kai.

Then the road goes through the field. Although it has recently rained, the grass on the field begins to dry out, huge amount large grasshoppers jumping from under the feet and other living creatures.

The sun is mercilessly baking, and you want to find some shade, lie down and relax until the evening in the coolness under a light breeze. But this is only the beginning of the journey; a whole day ahead, filled with interesting adventures, awaits.

Interactive panorama of the field and road.

But here long road the heat is nearing its end, and we are approaching the goal of our journey. The slopes of Zangurma-Kobalar, the ridge adjacent to the cave city, are already visible.

With characteristic recesses-grottoes on the slopes.

And here Eski-Kermen appeared, or rather its northern tip. The main life on it still took place in the southern part.

I found such a diagram on the Internet. We approached the city from the north (above)

The Northern Watch Complex is located here. Hence the most nice view into the distance, as can be seen in the following photos.

Northern watch complex, VI - XIII centuries.

In the northern part of the Eski-Kermen plateau there is a gate fortified with combat platforms and casemates. Opposite it there is a small rock outcrop in which the Northern Watch Complex is located. At the foot of the outcrop, a staircase carved into the rock begins (2 flights, 33 steps), leading to the surface of the rock, surrounded by a wooden fence. Along the stairs there are two rooms carved into the rock: the lower one was used as a tomb, the upper one as a guard room.

From the upper platform of the complex one could see the northern approaches to the city and the entire area of ​​​​the foothills. In the Middle Ages, the Northern Watch Complex was connected to the main massif of Eski-Kermen by wooden walkways.

In this “stone with holes” there was always a guard who guarded the approaches from the north and, in case of danger, had to give a signal.

At the top of the Northern Watch Complex. View south, towards the city.

A piece of guard caves and Mount Kaya-Bash.

Our “lookouts” are waving their hands from the guardhouse.

Again, the view is to the south - a pine tree is perched on one of the rocks on the side. And it grows in a hanging position on a vertical rock.

Leftovers medieval tower with a gate - Kyz-Kule castle (Maiden Tower)

It seems that the tower is nearby and can be easily and quickly reached. In fact, the only way to get to Kyz-Kul is by an ancient footpath with steps carved into the rock from another gorge located to the west of the tower. To do this, you need to go down from the northern sentinel complex to the saddle and turn left, carefully descending along a stepped slope, in places with traces of artificial undercuts. Then go along the road to the former village of Krepkoye (now there are sheds here). From here you can climb from the gorge to the castle.

Panorama of how the northern side was seen from the top of the patrol complex. You can zoom in and move the image.

More view of the nearby mountain

And to the valley. We came along this road.

There is a deep chasm between the Northern Watch complex and the main part. And while I was photographing it, a strong wind took my cap and dragged it down, I didn’t even have time to pick it up. It was also useless to run after her - there was a multi-meter cliff ahead. Fortunately, Valerka also noticed how she fell, he was closer to the place of the fall, on the path under the sentinel complex and found her. Otherwise, I could easily get sunstroke.

But stop hanging around at the Northern Watch complex, the main part is still further away. Let's walk along the path near the rocky slope

And here is one of the first cave structures. This is what a cave made in a rock looks like from the inside. in place of the opening there was a door, and, probably, the window was covered with something. And the round hole in the ceiling is probably for the smoke from the fireplace to be drawn out.

The next object is what allowed the city to remain impregnable for a long time- siege well.

Siege well, VI - IX centuries.

The siege well is located in the northern part of the eastern cliff of the Eski-Kermen plateau. The structure is a staircase descent (6 flights, 84 steps), ending with a captage gallery that leads to the cave where natural spring water. The total water supply of the well was about 75 cubic meters. Water was delivered to the surface manually. Each march of descent ended with a platform where the water-carriers could disperse.

Apparently, the siege well was built simultaneously with the fortress in the 6th century. Researchers associate the cessation of the structure’s functioning with the deliberate destruction of the well by the Khazars. The siege well was used as a source of water for the population of Eski-Kermen in the event of a long siege. In peacetime, rainwater was used, as well as water supplied to the city through a ceramic water pipe from the Bilderan ravine.

I didn’t dare go down below the guard cell (it’s just one flight of stairs), after that the steps were worn out, broken and more and more resembled a children’s slide, which you can easily slide down on your butt, but it’s difficult to climb back up. The next photo is a view from one of the caves with steps.

Part of the city with multi-level caves and stairs between them

A few more photos of the city outside

And from within

Looking southeast again

A few more views of the city

View of the neighboring Chupak-Syrt rock through a telephoto lens.

And again stones dug by man-made caves.

This is where I decided to shine

An interesting cave, reminiscent of a hole - the home of a hobbit. With a round window and a round entrance. It’s a pity that the entrance was blocked by a tree that grew here.

A wooden bridge over the abyss once led to this stone. That hole on the right.

Large caves were reinforced from the inside with stone columns.

Along the walls there were special niches for arranging beds. In guard rooms, the window was usually located at the head of such a bed.

Not all caves have withstood the struggle of time. This one, for example, had a roof collapse.

View to the north from the southern part of Eski-Kermen. Somewhere there at the end of the ridge is the Northern Watch Complex.

Here we find ourselves in an interesting structure - cave temple. The frescoes in it have been chipped away by vandals, but some traces of them are still visible.

Temple of the Assumption, XIII century.

The Temple of the Assumption is located in the eastern cliff of the Eski-Kermen plateau. The complex has rectangular shape(5.7x3.25 m). To the right of the entrance is the altar part. A niche was carved into the northwestern wall in which a wine press (tarapan) was installed. There is a small water tank in the center. The remains of fresco paintings are preserved on the walls of the temple. In the altar there are images of the Annunciation scene, the baby Jesus with angels, and the Mother of God - Hodegetria. On the north-eastern wall there was a scene of the Presentation; the section of the wall opposite the altar was occupied by a large composition of the Assumption.

The construction of the church dates back to the 13th century; after the death of the city, the premises were apparently adapted for economic needs.

On the left side of the frame is the entrance to the temple, on the right is the mountain range.

Round hole-chimney.

The next part is the main protective and main inhabited structure of the city - the Main City Gate complex

Complex of the Main City Gate, VI - XIII centuries.

On the southern side, on the Eski-Kermen plateau, a wheeled road carved into the rock, winding in three marches, leads to the Main City Gate. The upper march of the road was fortified with a proteichism (advanced defensive wall), from which the rocky foundation has been preserved. The opening of the main gate was carved into the rock; above the gate there was a rectangular tower, from which rock cuttings have been preserved. Behind the gates the main street of the city began. In the area of ​​the wheel road and the Main City Gate there are a number of cave structures for various purposes: combat casemates, churches, tombs.

Behind the gate, in the eastern part of the passage, there is a cave temple “Judgement”. The complex has an asymmetrical layout (15x17.5x2 m). Three doorways lead into the temple, equipped with grooves for wooden door frames. The ceiling rests on 4 columns carved into the rock. The altar part was apparently painted with frescoes. The construction of the temple dates back to the 11th - 12th centuries, to the 13th century. the complex was connected to the chapel in the southeastern cliff of the Eski-Kermen plateau and acquired a modern appearance.

For many centuries, loaded carts walked along these ruts, delivering food up and the results of the labor of artisans down.

Temple "Judgement". Vitya imagines himself as either a supreme leader or a priest and is trying to resolve the situation - who to execute and who to pardon.

The time is already approaching evening, the last bus from Red Poppy is leaving soon, it’s time to go down. On the way you come across the Temple of the Three Horsemen, carved into a separate stone.

Temple of the Three Horsemen, XIII century.

The Temple of the Three Horsemen is located on the southeastern slope of the Eski-Kermen plateau. The church, carved into a free-standing rock block, has the shape of a trefoil (5.5 x 3.5 x 2.7 m). The altar part is separated from the rest of the room by the rocky base of the altar barrier, on which the wooden parts of the iconostasis were placed. A bench has been carved along the walls of the temple. There are 2 graves in the floor, an adult and a child. on the northern wall there is a fresco depicting three horsemen with halos, cuirasses and flowing cloaks. The middle one strikes the serpent with a spear. The one closest to the altar holds the figure of a boy on the horse’s croup. Above the image there is an inscription in Greek: “the holy martyrs of Christ were cut out and written for the salvation of the soul and the remission of sins...”.

Several interpretations of the saints depicted on the fresco are known: Theodore Stratelates, Theodore Tyrone and St. George the Victorious; George in different scenes; George and local warriors; George, Theodore Stratelates and Dmitry of Thessalonica. The construction of the temple of the “three horsemen” dates back to the 13th century.

One last look at the opposite part of the valley and we move to the starting point of the inspection.

We are seeing off a group of cyclists who arrived in the cave city almost simultaneously with us, took a guided tour and are now heading back.

We have to quickly, quickly, in some places even run, move towards the bus. Time is running out, we may not make it in time. And the sun burns only a little weaker than at noon.

But here are the already familiar Red Poppy Mountains. We made it. The bus didn’t show us its tail; we even had a couple of more minutes to sit and drink up our liquid reserves. By the way, each of us drank about 3 liters of water during this trip.

Crimea is a territory that is rich in natural and man-made attractions. Perhaps no other corner of the country has collected so many masterpieces of old and new times.

Therefore, if you are not tempted by trips to supermarkets, go to Eski Kermen - the most “cave” of all the cave cities of the peninsula. Here you will find such beauty and secrets, swimming and legends that will remain in your memory for a very long time.

Where is the cave city of Eski Kermen?

The medieval bastion city is located in the southwest of the peninsula; if you look for the cave city of Eski Kermen on the map, then count 14 km south from Bakhchisarai and then 5 km northwest from the no less interesting Mangup Kale. In general, the entire inner ridge of the Crimean forest-steppe is full of secrets, but the foothills are famous for just such rocky ghost towns, which have long since outlived their glory, but at the same time remain attractive to travelers.

When going to see Eski Kermen - a cave city that amazes the imagination, do not plan to do it quickly. Three long routes, cut into the rocks, will lead to the entrance in a serpentine way and will make it possible to walk around the entire settlement along the perimeter. And you definitely need to do this in order to enjoy not only the amazing natural views, but also to understand how great the skill of the ancient builders was, to see the secrets of the ghost town and to be convinced that not everything is subject to the human mind.

Representing a table mountain with steep edges, the Iski Kermen plateau stretches from north to south. The total length is just over a kilometer, the width reaches 170 meters, and the height of the cliffs is up to 30 meters! This is a real impregnable fortification that has maintained its integrity for a long time. Today Eski Kermen is a route that gives you the opportunity to see a lot. From the plateau there is a wonderful view of Mangup Kale, Tepe-Kermen, Chatyr-Dag. In good weather, the panoramas are such that it is painful and pathetic to leave here; you want to stay and settle in Eski Kermen - the cave bastion rarely lets travelers go without a feeling of sadness and regret about the past.

History of the emergence and development of the city

The old cave Eski Kermen or, as it is also called, Eksi Kermen, began its existence in the 6th century, when people came to the plateau to establish another pass on trade routes. In ancient times, the busiest trade routes leading to Tauride Chersonesus passed here. At first it was an ordinary overnight stop, then travelers needed fortifications in order to leave some goods in complete safety. This is how the development of Exi Kermen began, a city that survived destruction and was again restored from the dust, like a phoenix.

The first trouble came at the end of the 8th century, when there was an uprising against the Khazar Khaganate led by John of the Goths. Judging by the excavations, the nearby Doros fortress was destroyed to the ground, but Eski Kermen was a little more fortunate; it was possible to restore not only the defensive walls, but also preserve numerous internal rock caves: barns, barnyards, etc. A period of prosperity begins, when new guardhouses are built on the cliffs, shelters for guards at all approaches, and roads are improved.

The favorable period for Iska Kermen lasted a long time; in the 10th-12th centuries, a real city with regular neighborhoods, wide streets of 2 meters and a population of many thousands grew on the site of the fortification. Contemporary evidence suggests that Eski Kermen in Bakhchisarai could accommodate not only residents and guests, but also a huge number of livestock.

The presence of water sources, sufficient supplies of provisions - this city could resist all adversities for a long time, as actually happened at the beginning of the 13th century, when Nogai’s countless troops came here. The destroyers swept across the highlands in a devastating wave, sweeping away everything in their path, killing and destroying. The stone caves of Eski Kermen survived, but the people turned out to be weaker than the rocks - they left. After a while, life, of course, returned, but no one wanted to restore the walls, renovate the caves, and little by little the Bakhchisarai Eski Kermen began to fade away.

At the end of the 15th century, the ruins were almost completely overgrown with bushes, the stones collapsed, nature gradually returned the rocks to their original state, in the 16th century not even the real name of the city remained, it was nicknamed Circassian-Kermen, and then Eski Kermen, which literally means simply " Old fortress" The true name of the city can no longer be found, and even in the chronicles of 1578, the Lithuanian ambassador wrote to the khan that: “neither the Greeks, nor the Tatars, nor the Turks know what the remains of the fortification are located next to Cherkess-Kermen.”

Of course, the cave city of Eski Kermen is inferior in area to other settlements, but only here 332 caves, manually carved into the rocky base, have survived to this day almost intact! And it's worth seeing with your own eyes. Let someone praise temples lost in the jungle - we will not dispute their value, but our treasure is hidden in Crimea, which can only be reached on foot or by boat. good car, covering a distance of several kilometers. You will only be able to find shelter if it is an excursion to Eski Kermen, otherwise you can simply get lost in the foothills without finding the right road to the cave city of Eski Kermen.

Grottoes and tombs

Eski Kermen is an excursion famous not only for the skill of the ancient people who carved the city into the rocks. There are plenty of rooms here, built at a slightly later time, where people lived happily, enjoying the inaccessibility of the refuge. The two-story comfortable cave-apartments were spacious and comfortable. But after the fire raged, they turned into real tombs. Excavations by archaeologists have discovered in the basements of many houses the remains of people who did not survive the disaster.

In addition, the ruins of the basilica, which was once built in the city, today have turned into one of the attractions, albeit of a slightly sad kind - a cemetery for the residents of the village. For a long time, the basilica was beautiful, equipped with three semicircular apses, naves, and marble columns, but time has not been kind to such masterpieces.

Therefore, today all that remains is to imagine the beauty, paying tribute to the deceased and buried in ruins. One of the naves has survived; there is a chapel there, which is definitely worth a visit. And, of course, explore the siege well with a 20-meter tunnel, 84 steps and a water shaft. The steepness of the descent is great, so be patient - this well is unique for the peninsula, there is nothing like it in any siege bastion city. When descending, do not look at your feet; the grottoes and tombs located in the branches and recesses of the corridor are much more interesting. This is where there is room for imagination, legends and speculation. They say that from time to time, in particularly quiet moments, you can hear the clanking of weapons and the voices of people who defended the well and the entire city from nomadic tribes.

Altars and frescoes

The city's sanctuary is no less interesting to explore. The Church of the Three Horsemen has two entrances and a pair of windows that illuminate the entire space. The shrine, carved out of rock, is today a resting place. Two graves: one larger, the second small, are located right in the temple, and between them there is space left for candlesticks and a cross. It is assumed that the temple was named after the large grave; it depicts St. George the Victorious pacifying the serpent, flanked by two horsemen, one of whom is holding a child in his arms. It is possible that the fresco was painted in honor of a significant battle, of which there were plenty here. Most likely, the dead were canonized as Saints; the construction dates back to end of XII centuries, and the battle was with the Tatar hordes, which filled the plateau with countless troops.

A little closer to the main gate is the oldest church, which was once equipped with three entrances, a bishop’s chair and a baptismal font. There are also tombs in the floor of the temple, but the shape of the structure itself is asymmetrical, which has left scientists scratching their heads. It is assumed that this place is a kind of “trial court”, where they not only pardoned, but also punished. The frescoes have not survived, but the painting is still alive in the Church of the Assumption, located a little further and almost completely destroyed. This church is truly unique. At first it was an ordinary pit for pouring grain, then it was converted into a grape press, that is, a winery, and then a church was opened - apparently the time of troubles and the inhabitants of Iska Kermen decided that the salvation of souls was much more important than all other matters.

In addition to frescoes and altars, the bastion has quite a lot of interesting things: watch platforms, loopholes, embrasures - you can’t count it all, but there is another unique monument that deserves the attention of travelers.

Valley of the Givers

A little away from Iska Kermen there was a temple of Donators. Frescoes depicting the Holy Grail perplex scientists and force them to think over again and again all the details of the construction of the temple and the events that followed. The donor is the “giver”, plus such a sacred fresco - the result is almost the same lost burial place of the Grail!

The famous scientist N. Repnikov at one time put forward the version that once upon a time the valley and the Donator Temple were a single whole. He also described the rich and skillful frescoes that covered the walls and ceiling of the temple. It is interesting that the frescoes were painted with a skill available only to students of the Constantinople school, and this speaks volumes, for example, about the greatest significance of the Donator Temple for the inhabitants of the plateau. Today the frescoes have been completely lost, but it is possible to see the remains of the shrine and attend the liturgy, which are sometimes held here.

Lake Eski Kermen

When going on an excursion to Eski Kermen, don’t forget your swimsuit, because there is a real lake here! Some will say that there is nothing interesting in a small body of water if there is a huge sea nearby, but it is still worth a swim. Lake Eski Kermen is a masterpiece of nature. The water, heated from above by the sun, remains cool even in the hottest summer - the reservoir below is fed by the purest springs.

They say that not only the city of Eski Kermen, the lake is also sacred. If you are not afraid of the coolness and plunge into the waters headlong, failures will leave a person forever. And all lovers of extreme sports should definitely visit here: the opposite rocks are considered the most convenient place for jumping into the water, some reach a height of 10 meters, so there are plenty of daredevils here!

Well, those who like calm water are invited to splash in the cool streams, admire the surroundings and forget their sorrows forever, because this lake gives peace to the soul and relaxation to the body.

Tourist base Eski Kermen

Do you want to go to a cave with the Internet? Then a trip to Eski Kermen is a decided route. The tourist base is located at the base of the city and consists of a whole complex of comfortable premises. There is everything here for connoisseurs of extreme sports and comfort. A hotel with apartments of various classes, an ethnic cave preserved in the same ancient style.

Everything inside the ensemble is very decent: there is a large parking lot, so you can see the Eski Kermen route on a map for an individual trip, there is also a good cafe, there is a small wildlife corner where children come, a bathhouse, a tent camp for “savages” and a horse yard. The latter is worth mentioning separately: you can’t really drive a car through the mountains, but on horseback you can go to any secluded place, which all travelers do with pleasure. For fishing or a mountain walk, ride yourself and take the kids for a ride - the horses are calm, well-groomed and the price is affordable.

By the way, fishing in ponds will please everyone! Carp, silver carp, crucian carp - they ask to be grilled and are fried right there on the fresh air, eating flatbread and greens - tasty, healthy and very pleasant. And to go fishing for a day, you only need to pay about 1000 rubles, this is quite inexpensive for the great pleasure and enjoyment of fishing. If you don’t want to fish nearby, go on horseback to other lakes and ponds, there are plenty of them here and everywhere you can catch fish, big and small.

How to get there?

To see the whole miracle, you need to know how to get to Eski Kermen cave ghost town:

1. From Simferopol by regular bus along the route to Zalesnoye, get to the stop in the village of Krasny Mak;

Bus schedule from Simferopol to the Krasny Mak stop

Bus schedule Sevastopol-Krasny poppy

2. By train Simferopol-Sevastopol get to the village. Frontovoye (station 1509 km), there change to bus No. 45 and get to the village of Krasny Mak or to Kholmovka;

Train schedule Simferopol-Sevastopol

3. Take a regular bus to Kholmovka to the final station.

Bus schedule Sevastopol-Kholmovka

And now from Krasny Mak or Kholmovka, according to the signs, it’s about 6 km on foot. Hitch rides are frequent, so the question of how to get to Eski Kermen will not arise. But even if you choose a walk, you will not be disappointed - the places are so rich in beauty that the trip will be a pleasure!

By car, get to the village of Tankovoe, and then to Krasny Mak, before which there is a turn to Kholmovka - turn left and head to Eski Kermen. How to get there from the turn: drive to a large farm - its fence is immediately visible, turn left and that same protected valley will open, and above it Eski Kermen - a cave town on the map is indicated by coordinates: N 44.6087 E 33.7400.

How to get from Simferopol to Eski Kermen by car (map)

From Sevastopol

From Yalta

From Sevastopol there is a train Sevastopol-Simferopol, get to the village of Frontovoye, there is bus route 45. From Yalta take a regular bus to Bakhchisarai, then walk following the signs.

How to get to the cave city of Eski Kermen from Bakhchisaray:

1. By bus Bakhchisaray - Zalessnoe to Krasny Mak

2. By bus Bakhchisarai - Kholmovka to the final stop.

When traveling to Eski Kermen in your own car, do not worry about where to stay. There is no protected area here, so you can choose a place to spend the night according to your own taste. In addition to the tourist center, there are good campsites along the road, and the attraction is not so far from Simferopol that it is impossible to return at night. But what you can’t do is not see Eski Kermen, a cave city in which the secrets of eternity have not yet been solved.

Photo: Cave city Eski-Kermen

A significant part of the Crimean Mountains is composed of soft rocks. This contributed to the formation of a large number of karst caves. People who built artificial grottoes also contributed. This is how several cave cities appeared on the Crimean peninsula. One of the most interesting is called Eski-Kermen.

Old fortress

In the Crimean Tatar language, the word “eski” literally means “old”, and “kermen” means “fortress”. The cave metropolis is located in the southwest of Crimea, two dozen kilometers from Bakhchisarai. By the standards of antiquity, it really was a metropolis, since the urban area reached about eight hectares. With a width of 170 meters, the settlement was just over a kilometer long. The city was built on a plateau 30 meters high.

Photo: The ancient city is located on an impregnable rock

Currently, Eski-Kermen is a protected area. It is part of the exhibition of the Bakhchisarai Museum. The villages of Ternovka, Kholmovka, Zalesnoye and Krasny Mak are located nearby. From them begin walking routes to the protected plateau. Just five kilometers from Eski-Kermen there is another ancient cave city called Mangup-Kale.

From time immemorial

In the 6th century AD, the Byzantines firmly settled in these places. They built a fortification on the mountain. For almost three hundred years the settlement played a secondary role. Its population actually consisted only of garrison soldiers. And only in the 10th century there was a tendency towards growth. Over the next two hundred years, the number of residents grew to 2 thousand people. The development of the vast plateau was carried out systematically. A regular network of streets and neighborhoods appeared on the mountain.

Photo: The mountain range is riddled with caves and passages

The heyday of the city was caused by a change in its status. The fact is that in Eski-Kermen they opened cathedral, where the ruling bishop served. Proof of this is the pulpit that archaeologists discovered in the temple near the central gate. During this period, the ancient basilica was significantly expanded and rebuilt. Rare for medieval city there were relatively wide streets. They even drove carts along them. This is evidenced by wheel ruts and hoof marks carved into the stone over hundreds of years.

The Golden Horde ruler Nogai dealt a crushing blow to the well-being of Eski-Kermen. In 1299, his army captured the city, plundered and destroyed it. The former greatness could not be restored even many years after the departure of the invaders. In 1399, the defeat was completed by the Mongol army under the leadership of Temnik Edigei. Temnik in the Golden Horde commanded a detachment of 10 thousand soldiers. It turns out that the number of enemies was many times greater than the number of inhabitants.

Photo: Traces from carts

It was last battle cave citadel, after which they never tried to restore it. Only the satellite city of Cherkes-Kermen remained, located on the northern outskirts of Eski-Kermen, at the foot of the mountain. The small ancient settlement existed almost until the end of the 20th century. In the USSR it was known as the village of Krepkoe. This locality having ancient history, abolished in 1977.

Thriller scenery

Even today, Eski-Kermen makes a spectacular impression. Sometimes it seems that this is not an archaeological site, but a giant set for a science fiction film. Some cave complexes resemble huge skulls with black empty eye sockets, others look like medieval knight's helmets. Stairs leading to nowhere; roads with ruts, as if carved out of stone; mysterious tunnels leading to the dungeons are Eski-Kermen. No less impressive are the alien panoramas that open from the plateau.

Photo: Sometimes it seems that this is not a city, but the scenery for a science fiction film

In total, there are about 350 natural and artificial caves in the city. There are about fifty more in the surrounding area. This is truly a real cave metropolis. Some grottoes are located on several floors. Some of the caves were used as fortifications, others as temples, others - in residential and economic purposes, they stored food and kept livestock. All of them appeared between the 12th and 13th centuries.

The length of the plateau is more than a kilometer. The buildings occupy only part of the territory. A typical city dweller's house had two floors and was surrounded by a stone fence. The first floor was used for household needs, while the second floor was used for living. Crafts were developed in the city - they had their own blacksmiths, potters, jewelers, stonemasons, tanners. Winemaking flourished - niches with drains called tarpans were preserved. Wine fermented in them.

Man-made miracle

Acquaintance with Eski-Kermen begins with the Temple of the Three Horsemen. It is located on the road leading to the plateau. It's hard to imagine a more strange church. At first you might think that this is just a huge gray boulder with a diameter of about four meters. And it really is a piece of rock, but it’s hollow inside!

A small wooden door with a golden cross leads into the temple. Behind it is an oval room with a window covered with shutters. The wall is decorated with a long fresco depicting three horsemen - hence the name of the temple. One of them is easily identified by the spear with which he strikes the snake. There is no doubt that this is St. George the Victorious. Under the painting there is an inscription that says that the holy martyrs were depicted for the salvation of the soul and the remission of sins.

In the Middle Ages, life was full of dangers, so anyone ancient city It is impossible to imagine without fortress walls. Eski-Kermen is no exception. The main gate leading inside is cut right into the rock mass. Behind them was the first defensive wall. The sheer ledges of the plateau themselves served as an ideal defense, so walls were built only where there were loopholes for enemies. The defensive line included caves with loopholes. The fortifications, built more than a thousand years ago, have been preserved very well.

Photo: Great Cave Temple

In Eski-Kermen it is amazing large number religious buildings. On the main street, in the eastern wall, there is a spacious cave temple. Inside you can see benches, a font and tombs. Because of its size, it is called the “Big Cave Temple”. On the territory of the city you can see the ruins of a 6th-century basilica and a number of religious cave structures - the Temple at the City Gate, the Judgment Complex and the Assumption Church, decorated with frescoes.

The fortress has a siege well, which is a complex engineering structure. In fact, this is an inclined mine working with a stone staircase of 89 steps. It leads to a twenty-meter horizontal tunnel, through which you can get into the cave where there was drinking water. The well was in working order until the end of the 7th century. Walking around Eski-Kermen, you can’t help but realize how much time and work it took to turn the mountain into a thriving city.

How to get there

There are several options to get to Eski-Kermen. If you go by car, on the 37th km of the Simferopol – Sevastopol road, behind the village of Siren, you need to turn left. On the outskirts of the village of Tankovoe you need to turn right and go to the village of Krasny Poppy. The monument to the Sorrowful Mother will serve as a landmark here. Near it you need to turn right and drive another 5 kilometers along the dirt road.