BALAKLAVA

Area in a southeast of Sevastopol which name in Turkish means the Fish Jack (Balyks - lavas). It is located on coast of the bent picturesque bay reminding a fjord. In opinion of some scientists the bay corresponds the description of port lestrigonswhere has ostensibly got during the wanderings Ancient Greek hero Odissej. Balaklava is the unique nature sanctuaries capes Ajja, Fiolent, and romantic ruins of Genoa fortress Chembalo(in 2002 arrange knightly tournaments were started to arrange there, the small museum was opened) and the mysterious ancient temples covered with poetic legends. Not less legends, of the sunk “Black prince” spread about the hugest treasures of an English frigate during the Crimean war, in 1854. Then in Balaklava battle the offsprings of the most aristocratic sorts of the Great Britain were lost.

In Balaklava the Top secret factory on repair of submarines is available for public view. This strategic object is unique in the world in the scale. It is the largest military object of a planet from declassified military objects on Earth - an underground complex for submarines. Because of it, the ancient Crimean small town Balaklava near Sevastopol for long years has turned into one of the most closed and mysterious settlements in the USSR.

The strict granite and noble marble of numerous monuments remind of the events that happened in city during the Crimean war and in terrible years of Great Domestic War. Balaklava is the place, anthemed by  A.Pushkin, A.Mitskevich, V.Brjusov and A.Kuprin. In Balaklava it is possible to see the temple of 12 Apostles, M.A.Vrangel's private residence, summer residences of XIX century on coast of a bay, base of submarines in Grigorievgrotto. Picturesque places amaze imagination. Balaklava attracts annually many Yacht men from all around the world. To the south from Balaklavathe rocky cape Ajja (Sacred mountain, Greek), Southern coast of Crimea limiting from the West, with its special, close to the Mediterranean, features of nature. Other climate, other plants suddenly appear here. The most contemporary person understands that it is  possible to worship stones and trees, artists and photographers aspire here.

Cape AJJA

A steep western extremity of Southern coast of Crimea, remote from the basic roads and the blazed tracks of tourists. To the southwest from cape Ajja the territory state landscape forest reservation "Cape Ajja" lays. That is why here the protogenand pristine environment of the surprising nature is obvious. The civilized person has not reached yet to reserved silence of these places, has not had time to saw on souvenirs resinous trunks of thousand-year junipers. Word Ajja is translated from the Greek language as - Sacred, so cape Ajja - Sacred Cape! Improbable beauty of this piece of naturedescribed Gerodot- father of history. Staying near the cape makes an impression, that you have got in the world lost by the time. By the way, places in the vicinity of cape are called - « the Lost world » …

The cave city of MANGUP-KALE

After destruction Escki-Kermen as fortresses, the center southwest Tavrica became Mangul - the biggest on the area medieval city in this part of peninsula. It is settled down on a plateau of the same mountain towering more than on 200of meters above surrounding district. On its northern part there are four capes: the Chamnu-breaker (Pine cape), Chufut-Chergan-Burun(cape of the Call of Jews), the Elli-breaker (cape of Winds) and the Teshkli-breaker (Holey cape). Between capes ravines lay: Tabana-Dere(the Tanning ravine), to Dins - Dere (Bathravine) and Capu-Dere(a ravine of the Gate).

Majestic Mangulis fine at all times of the year: in spring when the trees are in color, and slopes become covered by young grass and field colors; in winter when its tops and slopes are covered with snow; in autumn when gay colours of a deciduous wood in combination to green needles form magnificent color scale, and in the hot Crimean summer.

Researchers of Manguldo not have common opinion about the time of its occurrence. Some consider, that the city with defensive works has arisen in VI century then it became the center of southwest Tavrica, its main fortress. Others think that the occurrence of city refer to X - XI centuries and connect this event with destruction of strengthenings Эски-Керменаby the Hazars.

Excavation have shown, that already in the first centuries of our era on plateau Mangul in area of cape Chufut-Cheargan-Burun there was a settlement. In V-VI there was a small fortress on cape Teshkli-Burun. In X century began construction of the big city which occupied subsequently almost all territory of a plateau.

TH FOROS CHURCH

Above FOROS, on a lonely steep Red rock, the graceful church of Revival of Christ is seen. The temple was built in 1892 under the project of the architect academician N.M.Chagin.

There are some legends about occurrence of church. It has been erected by the former owner Foros manors merchant Kuznetsov in memory of rescue of emperor Alexander III and his familiy at wreck of a train in which tsar came back to Petersburg. In 192г. the church has been closed, crosses were dumped, the painting painted over, the prior of the temple was sent to Siberia. In a temple have opened restaurant, then it was an ownerless warehouse, and after a fire in a warehouse the church in general has been deserted. Several years ago the renovationworks were held, and the service now has again renewed.

The literature: Crimea. Architecture, monuments: V.I.Timofeenko

The Foroschurch is constructed in the Byzantian style of the cross-dome temple. The basic building material is the the burnt brick - plinfa, - low, almost flat rectangulars. The laying was conducted on a limy solution with addition of a brick crumb, lines of red brick and a yellow stone alternated. In the Byzantian temples the internal interior was rich, even magnificent, creating a corresponding religious atmosphere. The majesty of te temple was based on the multi-содщкmarble covering, mosaics on gold background, fresco lists, decorative stone motives promoted. The best experts have been involved in its furnish, mosaic works carried out the the master of the Italian workshop Antonio Salvati, an interior decorated by a well known artists K.E.Makovsky who has created the picture "Christmas", A.I.Korzuhin, the author «with the Secret vecheri », academician N.E.Sverikov painted with others. The Foros church as the monument of architecture was restored. In 30th years of XX century. the museum - panorama of Southern coast of Crimea was placed there. From Foros church, from the Red rock, the delightful panorama of resort Foros stretched below at the sea between capes of Chekhov and Nikolay at a picturesque bay Silent, where the six-kilometer descent goes down.

The Chernorechensky CANYON

The Chernorechensky Canyon of Crimea is the longest in Crimea, its extent makes more than 16 km. The canyon begins at mountain Kizil-Kaja and comes to an end at. Chrnorechensky village, where river. Black enters in Inkermanvalley which lower reaches during far geological time has been flooded with the sea. The mouth of the Black river is in the beginning of the Sevastopol bay at mountain Inkerman.

At the  extent of more than 12 km starting from rock Kizil-Kay on border of Baydarvalley the river Black proceeds in twisting and  squeezing on both sides with rocks in height of some ten meters. The river at first fast seems silent, but if you go deep in a canyon further, the more it starts to be even very loud because of overfalls. In some places it is narrow and deep and seems almost impassable: the channel of the river abounds extensive overfalls and cascades, boulders, on slopes it is possible to see the enormous ledges reminding under the form serf bastions, columns, pyramids, covered by oak and a juniper. And between slopes, on distance from 50 up to 300 meters, during a high water rages, the river stream roars. It much more surpasses in sizes the well-known « Grand Canyon of Crimea », and in beauty does not concede to any of known canyons of Ukraine.

Approximately in the middle of a canyon, on the right coast, there is a cave the Shaitan - Koba where signs of the primitive person have been observed. The small river Black was included in the global history due to the Black Sea battle which has occurred on August, 4, 1855 on the right to coast of this river, to the east Fedkhingate. As a result the Russian army lost 260 generals and officers and more than 8 thousand soldiers in this battle.

Th hernorechenskycanyon since 1947 is declared a nature sanctuary, and since 1974 - state geological forest reservation «Black small river».

ESKI-KERMEN

Near the village Strong, on a plateau of the Stolovaya mountain extended from the north on the south and protected by steep rocks, there are ruins early medieval  cities of Eski-Kermen (the Old fortress), founded in the beginning VI century. The first class fortress for time could resist any opponent. Steep rocks are practically unapproachable, and there where in rocks there were holes, fighting walls with towers towered. The system of defense included well protected gate and opening gates, and also cave casemates - the premises cut down in rocks with loopholes and embrasures. Behind walls some thousand inhabitants of neighboring villages with cattle and personal property could be covered.

Simultaneously with construction of the fortress at east breakage of a plateau has been arranged obsidional well. In a body of the rock the narrow corridor - tunnel with an abrupt six-mid-flight ladder of 95 steps has been cut down. At the end of each march - platforms, on one of which the through aperture for illumination of a ladder has been made. The tunnel came to an end ten-meter gallery with a natural spring. On the course of the first march there was a special premise for the guards, protecting this important strategic object.

 Except for well, water in city appeared from the neighboring sources at the height of four kilometers through the ceramic waterpipe. For economic reasons rain water was also collected which was stored cin pifos and the caves cut down in rocks.

If you turn your back to wall Eski-Kermen in the area of the destroyed well  the sight will be rested against a wall of an opposite rocky file. In it there is a set of caves. One of them completely unusual. The entrance in the cave low, therefore there reigns twilight. The t tone bear lays inside, all overgrown with a green moss in the middle lays. Paws of it are extended aside the entrance. On the back through all ridge it is hollowed with a hollow, it lasts through the neck, head and a nose of the bear. Drops falling from a ceiling, running on a ridge and head, drip from the opened mouth on the ground. Drops fall seldom, but at all times, even in the most droughty months.