Eski kermen cave city on the map of Crimea. Eski-Kermen is a mysterious "dead" city in the Crimean mountains. From the depths of centuries

Hi all! I want to tell you about the mountain route, which is very popular with tourists when visiting the Bakhchisarai region in Crimea. - an amazing natural and man-made monument, which can be visited by the whole family. The main thing is to keep safe!

From the article you will learn about the route itself, how to get to Eski-Kermen and a little about the history of the settlement. My review will be large, so I bring to your attention its first part.

This article is intended primarily for those holidaymakers who, apart from the South Coast and the Black Sea, have not seen anything in Crimea. Thanks to our directors. After watching the movie "9th Company", the settlement of Eski-Kermen became more popular. Filming took place at 18 objects of the peninsula, one of which we will visit with you.

Our trip took place in mid-November. There were few tourists, for which I appreciate this time of year. In the Eski-Kermen season, you definitely can’t call it dead.

Settlement Eski-Kermen on the map.

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Near the plateau there is free parking and horseback riding. A booking tour has been created. groups on jeeps along the routes: Eski-Kermen, Tepe-Kerien, Chufut-Kale. Without leaving the cash desk, you can order a guide. Climb to the cave city with an excursion group or on your own.

Here is a picture from a helicopter, I borrowed it from the site sergeydolya.livejournal. This is what Eski-Kermen looks like in summer. On the one hand, it is certainly more beautiful in summer, but in November, thanks to bare trees, all the surroundings are clearly visible.

Northern part of the plateau. The length is a little over 1 km. See the path leading deep into the forest? This is where our ascent began.

When you go on a self-guided tour, carefully study the route! We met a group that got lost and didn't know how to get down the mountain. We had friends with us who were our guides. As you can see, you can go up or down from the north side and from the south.

Northern Sentinel Complex

Signs are placed along the entire excursion route, there are short descriptions objects. Our hike began along the rather steep northern slope of the mountain. Turning back, I noticed the first casemates of the cave city.

We climbed to the plateau where the Northern sentinel complex is located. View of the neighboring mountain and grottoes of Zangurma-Kobalar.

A boulder at the foot of the mountain caught my attention.

It was as if a giant took a knife and cut off one part of the common pie. :)

After looking around, we continued our way to the cave city. The path led through dense thickets.

A little history of the emergence of the city of Eski-Kermen

Presumably, the city of Eski-Kermen began its existence as a rock fortress in the sixth century, at the time Byzantine Empire. In the southwestern part of the peninsula, nature has created rocks of amazing shapes, which served as protection for people from the enemy. The mountain itself, because of the steep slopes and plateaus on the surface, is called a table mountain. There are beams on both sides of Eski-Kermen.

Despite the rather large settlement, very little is known about the history of the rock fortress. In the ancient chronicles of references ancient city No. The local population called the cave city " old fortress» in Crimean Tatar Eski-Kermen.

As it is written on the sign, the city has about 500 caves and grottoes, some of which are natural, and some are carved out of limestone. In almost every cave, the results of physical labor are visible: niches, windows, doorways and entire halls with columns. Thanks to the soft rock, a fortress city was built from the rocky walls, with multi-storey caves, streets, casemates and temples.

Food, weapons, and livestock were kept in numerous caves. The outer caves served as watch posts. Combat casemates covered the approaches to the city and the most vulnerable areas of defense.

The population built their houses on the upper flat part of the rock. The impregnable sheer walls served as a good defense for the population of the cave city.

Most of the cave structures of Eski-Kermen were built already in the XII-XIII centuries.

As for ethnicity, versions are different. It would be more accurate to say that the population consisted of mixed Crimean peoples: Taurians, Scythians and Goths.

siege well

The siege well is one of the main attractions of Eski-Kermen, which has become overgrown with legends. Many claim that it was because of him that the fortress fell. The building is quite interesting. well with drinking water helped the inhabitants of the cave city to withstand the siege.

My son and a friend tried to go down one flight below. The descent is very steep and difficult. It remains to guess how the water was raised up such steps.

According to the information on the signs, there are six such spans, and 84 steps lead down. Without a flashlight, there is no point in descending into the well. At the very bottom there was a cave with water from a spring. Some water remains to this day. If you want to go down into the siege well, take a flashlight and a rope with you.

The excursion trail passes at the very edge of the mountain, there is another one in the depths of the thickets, but the first one is much more interesting.

Caves of Eski-Kermen

The closer we were to the South Gate of Eski-Kermen, the more interesting were the "facades" of the caves.

Here is a two-story house, stone steps lead to it, carved into the rock by hand.

The photographs came out unimportant, but in general the “design” of the cave is understandable.

Transition between the first and second floors.

As I mentioned, the main dwellings of the townspeople were destroyed long ago. The caves that you see served as utility and guard rooms.

A long and narrow cave city can be compared to a liner and cabins of different classes. That's just instead of the sea, the vast expanses and mountains of Crimea.

Each cave has ventilation holes, and upon closer inspection, prehistoric clam shells can be seen in the walls.

View from the window on the Zangurma-Bair plateau, pay attention to the thickness of the walls.

The multi-level housing of the Flintstones' neighbors. :)

Jump from cliff to cliff, and here we are new cave with a preserved column.

Stone figures of the cave city

It is difficult to say whether a person natural phenomena left behind intricate figures in stone.

You can dream up and see different images ...

But the big-nosed uncle in profile ... see? :)

Through the labyrinths of passages we get to the surface and head to the place, thanks to which even more tourists learned about the ancient settlement.

In the footsteps of the film expedition

In front of you is the set of the film "9th Company". According to the scenario, the Mujahideen jumped into the wells, but in reality they are granaries with an excellent ventilation system. Under such conditions, grain could be stored for 10-15 years. If necessary, cut holes were covered with stone covers.

The inhabitants were engaged in winemaking, cattle breeding, and thanks to the numerous fields and agriculture.

Tour groups love to take pictures here.

And here, in fact, are shots from the film "9th Company"

Be very careful and watch your children! By the way, my “baby” really made me worry….. And at that moment…. “My heart stopped soooo...then it caught my breath a little...and started again”, the son realized that it was better to go back.

Next time, the most beautiful part of the cave city Eski-Kermen is waiting for you. .

Official information
Medieval walled city in the southwest. parts of the Crimean peninsula,

14 km from the city of Bakhchisaray and 5 km north-west

Ruins of the medieval city of Mangup-Kale

General information about Eski-Kermen (according to published sources)

The name Eski-Kermen is translated from the Crimean Tatar as "the old fortress".

The territory of the city occupied an area of ​​8.5 hectares, having a length of 1040 m and a width of 170 m. It is built on a table-shaped mountain plateau, limited by cliffs up to 30 m high. Eski-Kermen is included in the Bakhchisaray historical and cultural reserve.

The city of Eski-Kermen was founded at the end of the 6th century AD. e. as a Byzantine fortification and existed until the end of the XIV century. The history of the city before the 10th century is little known, since the city was an insignificant fortification. Although on this moment some researchers are inclined to the version that, perhaps, the Doros fortress was located here, and not on the Leaky Cape of Mangup-Kale. This is reflected in the name of the city by the Crimean Tatars: "Old Fortress". Indirect confirmation of this hypothesis is the presence of a siege well of the VI century, with a staircase of six marches and eighty steps, with a twenty-meter corridor; this was not the case in other known fortifications of the Byzantines during the construction of a defensive line against nomad raids in the Middle Ridge of Crimea.

From the 10th century, the gradual expansion of the city and the growth of its significance began, with the greatest flowering falling on the 12th and 13th centuries, when the number of inhabitants exceeded 2000 people. At that time, a full-fledged medieval city already existed here, the plateau was built up with rectangular quarters, separated by fairly wide streets along which a wagon could pass, the ruling bishop of the district was located on the territory of the city, as evidenced by the remains of the pulpit in the temple at the central gate. The Basilica, presumably built in the period from the end of the 4th century to the beginning of the 8th century, is being rebuilt and expanded, in the central part of the plateau.

In 1299, the city was destroyed by the Mongols under the leadership of the Golden Horde. beklarbek Nogay and was no longer able to fully restore its former significance. In 1399, the Mongol army, led by the temnik of the Golden Horde, Edigei, destroyed the rebuilt fortifications and completely destroyed the city, which was no longer restored after that. Only a small settlement remains in the vicinity: Cherkes-Kermen (village Strong) located between the northern tip of Eski-Kermen and Kyz-Kule. It existed from the period of late antiquity until the early 70s. XX century.

Not far from the village of Kholmovka is the cave city of Eski-Kermen. The fortress was built by the Byzantines at the end of the 6th century to defend Chersonese. In the 8th century, the Khazars destroyed the city, but locals did not leave their seats. The cave city of Eski-Kermen was finally destroyed in 1299 as a result of a raid by the Golden Horde Emir Nogai, who took revenge on everyone and everything for the death of his beloved grandson, whom he sent to the Crimea for tribute.

The original name of the city was forgotten, becauseEski-Kermen or Old Fortress- the name given by the Tatars, although no one lived in the city under their rule

The city is located 18 kilometers southwest of Bakhchisaray on a free-standing flat peak with steep slopes and impregnable cliffs. The height of the mountain is about 300 meters and it is elongated from north to south. The surface of the mountain is similar to the wing of an airplane and has a length of 1040 meters and a maximum width of 200 meters. The top of the mountain is located on the southern tip of the plateau.

From the north, the plateau is somewhat elongated and decreases slightly closer to the north, ending with a pointed rocky cliff. In the west and east, the cave city of Eski-Kermen is limited by rocky cliffs, having a height of about 30 meters. WITH south side, where the steep rocks have a small height, along a gentle slope, meandering, the road rises, which is carved right into the rock in front of the top. This part of the plateau in ancient times was protected by powerful defensive walls.

There are places in Crimea that amaze and impress the imagination. Undoubtedly, the cave city of Eski-Kermen belongs to such places. It is located in the Bakhchisarai region, on a flat mountain peak, not far from the old city of the medieval period Mangup-Kale.

Geographical coordinates of Eski-Kermen on the map of Crimea GPS N 44.608782 E 33.740054

Eski-Kermen today works as an open-air museum and is open to tourists and guests of Crimea. The ticket price for visiting Eski-Kermen is 100 rubles. children 50 rub. A walk along Eski-Kermen takes an average of 2-3 hours. A tourist route marked and almost all sights have an information board.

History of Eski-Kermen

Eski-Kermen from the Turkic language translated as - Old Fortress. But this name appeared much later after the emergence of the city itself. In the 16th century, these caves were called Cherkes-Kermen, and only in the 18th century did their modern name appear. How Eski-Kermen was called until the 16th century is unknown to historians, the name has been lost for centuries. The Old Fort was built in the 6th century, presumably by the Byzantines. Initially, its purpose was to prevent raids on Chersonese.

Eski-Kermen was unique for its time fortification. From two sides it is protected by thirty-meter rocky cliffs, and all internal buildings are made exclusively in the mountain bowels. cave city was very well equipped: the houses were built on two floors (unfortunately, none of these houses survived to today), the streets reached a width of about two meters, which formed blocks correct forms. The length of Eski-Kermen was more than one kilometer, and its width was about two hundred meters. Inside the city there were more than 500 grottoes in which its inhabitants lived. And the total area of ​​Eski-Kermen exceeded 8 hectares. In general, the Old Fortress was a powerful building, quite suitable for life.

But at the end of the 8th century Eski-Kermen suffered great destruction. The Khazars attacked the city and destroyed everything they could. However, people did not leave their city, but began the process of its restoration. By the 13th century, Eski-Kermen became even better than it was before. The heyday of the Old Fort did not last long. Around 1300, the city was attacked by the Tatar horde of Emir Nogai. He wanted to kill all the inhabitants of Eski-Kermen, only a few managed to escape from his wrath. They say that it was a way to avenge the grandson of the Emir, who was sent here to collect tribute, who was killed in the Crimea. After this attack, life in Eski-Kermen died out significantly, and until the 15th century the streets of the city were practically empty. At present, only ruins remain of the Old Fortress. The best preserved temple, in which you can see the image of three horsemen, whose names are not known for certain.

Another attraction of Eski-Kermen- This is a siege well with a depth of about 50 meters. A staircase consisting of 84 steps leads down. At the bottom of the well is a large hall in which water was stored. Tour of Eski-Kermen is very interesting and entertaining. All its halls are imbued with a peculiar mystery. Getting here is also not easy, since the final part of the path must be overcome only on foot. But the impressions of what you see will certainly cover all the inconveniences associated with the difficulties of the path.

How to get to Eski-Kermen

Get to Eski-Kermen the easiest way is from Bakhchisaray or Sevastopol, with central station. You should take a bus that goes to the village of Zalesnoye (the village of Zalesnoye, Bakhchisaray district). From the village of Zalesnoye, following the signs, you can move onto the tourist route. The tourist route is fully marked with colored markers and signs. It is very difficult to get off the route, especially in summer time. On the route you will meet many tourists. The tourist trail is relatively gentle, it can be walked even with children over 5 years old. The distance from the beginning of the trail to the cave city is 3.8 km. The most difficult section of 700 meters is located at the very beginning of the ascent to Eski-Kermen. Walking time is on average 2-3 hours.

Useful information before going to Eski-Kermen

To climb Eski-Kermen You should choose comfortable and non-slip shoes. The climb will alternate several surfaces: earth, stones and small gravel. Also with you, especially in the summer, you should take a hat and a backpack with water and sandwiches. At the top of the mountain, almost always, a slight wind blows, and the temperature is on average 5-10 C lower than on the southern coast of Crimea.

At the very ascent to Eski-Kermen, there is an open-air cafe, here you can rent a gazebo and fry meat on a fire. You can also order ethnic cuisine, a variety of oriental sweets or go fishing locally. It is also possible to climb the mountain in an off-road vehicle or on horseback. The cost of a jeep is from 2000 thousand rubles, horseback riding by agreement. On the rise, guides quite often offer their excursions, most of them are amateurs or local residents, so the history of the city will sometimes differ quite a lot.

Rest in the Crimea is an extraordinary beauty of views, majestic mountain ranges, restive but gentle sea, as well as a lot of mysterious and fascinating sights. The cave city of Eski-Kermen, in this perspective, is one of those places that attract visitors with amazing curiosities, legendary antiquities and magnificent landscapes.

One of the premises of the cave city

Course to the cave city of Eski-Kermen - how to get there?

The "Lost Settlement" got its nickname for a reason. It takes some effort to get here, but it's worth it. The ancient settlement is spread over 18 km. from Bakhchisaray (southwest direction). It lies on a stand-alone plateau-like peak, surrounded by bizarre and impregnable rocks. Needless to say, the contemplation of this place is breathtaking and causes unique emotions.

The surface of the table mountain that has taken over the old fortress resembles the wing of a huge aircraft. The array stretches from north to south. Its length is more than 1000 m., its width is 200 m., and its height is about 300 m. You will have to get to the foot of the plateau on foot, but visitors are offered several routes to choose from:

1. With. Kholmovka. There is a regular bus from Bakhchisaray. The road distance is about 7 km. This path is the longest and not too exciting.
2. With. Zalesnoe. You can get to the village by car both from Bakhchisaray and from Sevastopol, Simferopol, Yalta. There is a hiking trail no more than 4 km long, which leads travelers to the southern part of the plateau. The road is marked on the maps of the mountainous Crimea and is easy to find.
3. With. Ternovka. From here, the course runs through the cave monasteries of Chelter-Marmara and Shuldan. The northern direction will lead to a picturesque and well-maintained stitch from Zalesnoye, which will soon lead travelers to the settlement of Eski-Kermen.

View of the surroundings from Eski-Kermen

What to see in the cave city of Eski-Kermen?

The plateau only at first glance seems impregnable. 4 hiking trails lead to its top, plus those used by the local population. Three of the four ascents lead to the gates (holes in the rocks through which the "Eski-Kermen serpentine" runs)

• eastern;
• northern;
• western.

The fourth road is the most comfortable, the so-called wheeled. It leads straight to the main entrance to Eski-Kermen.
No fantasy is enough to imagine the grandeur and beauty of the ancient settlement.
Over 10 hectares. once threatening, but invariably beautiful because of the complete merging with nature, defensive structures were located, occupying most of the plateau (8.16 hectares.). The city impresses with the splendor and skill of its creators. It is a pity that not much has survived, but do not forget that the fortress has survived the centuries, and time is the most destructive weapon.

It is best to see Eski-Kermen in May, when everything here is full of greenery, poppies are blooming and there is still no heat, or in October, when the surrounding mountains are painted with yellow-red-bronze colors of autumn foliage, picturesquely interspersed with dark green spots of pines and junipers.

One of the most interesting structures of the settlement is the "Temple of the Three Horsemen", carved into a huge boulder. The names of those immortalized on the fresco have not survived to our time, as well as the true name of the fortress. Presumably, these are the saints Theodore Stratilat, George the Victorious, Dmitry Salunsky. Next to them is a teenager holding on to the pommel of a saddle. Medium knight strikes a snake with a spear, the rest hold their weapons with their points up. The exit from the sanctuary is shaded by dogwood trees, as if inviting you to rest and continue your fascinating journey into the past. The temple path leads to the "Judgment" complex and the "beds" of the fortress walls.

Tiered caves

The “siege well”, skillfully carved into the rock, deserves no less attention from visitors. The water in the reservoir, which is about 50 m deep, is still there today. You can verify this by going down to the gallery by 77 steps.
Do not forget that Eski-Kermen had not only military purpose. People lived and worked here. Their life is no less interesting than the main attractions. Today, the old fortress is about 350 artificial caves, the ruins of a basilica from the end of the 6th century, frescoes and two well-preserved churches.

This is a photo from Eski Kermen, but it is not a siege well, as you might think, but a grain storage room.

Granary

The central street of the city is perfectly visible, where cart wheels have worn deep ruts over the centuries, and many rooms hollowed out in stone, casemates, grottoes, as well as the largest protective wall. Inspection of the gorge is more convenient to start from the southern part, without missing the magnificent views of the Foothills.

History of Eski-Kermen

All buildings in the city belong to two periods of its existence:

• defense: VI–VIII centuries;
• settlement: IX–XIII centuries (after being captured by the Khazars).

Locals pose for tourists

During its heyday, the fortified city was beautiful and impressive in its power. He was not afraid of either shots of battering rams or mobile towers. The impregnability of the walls was ensured not only by the labor of people, but also by nature itself.
How the Khazars managed to capture such a protected structure is a mystery. The reason was the rebellion of the inhabitants of the Crimea against the invaders. It was then that almost all the fortresses of Taurida were destroyed, except.

A strong fire incinerated Eski-Kermen, but over time it was revived. Prosperity lasted until the 13th century. The stone vaults received more than 3 thousand inhabitants, most of whom were outstanding artisans and enterprising merchants. The fortress turned into a rich and prosperous city.

The peaceful life of the settlement ended in 1299. A new trouble came to Eski-Kermen - the Mongols. The army of the ruler of Nagai knew no obstacles and knew no pity. People fled from him, not even a stone could resist. After the invasion, the area was deserted and lost its former significance. The great city was finally finished off by another raid of the Golden Horde led by Edigey.

Tourist base and tent camp for the May holidays

In the photo, the camp site at the foot of Eski-Kermen is a great place or with friends. Here you can stay for a few days or just relax and eat barbecue.

A trip to the Crimea will not be complete if it does not bring the guests of the peninsula to at least one of the cave cities. A visit to Eski-Kermen is not discussed!