Crimea is known for a large number of interesting sights. A special place among them is occupied by caves, which today conceal many mysteries and attract with their uniqueness. Cave monasteries have become the hallmark of Crimea, as tourists have the opportunity to appreciate their unusual appearance and feel the special atmosphere inside.
Kachi-Kalion
This medieval cave monastery is located in the rocks of the inner mountain range above the Bakhchisarai-Sinapnoe road, between the villages of Preduschelny and Bashtanovka. The monastery has five grottoes. You can enter only four of them, since the fifth grotto is filled up. Scientists suggest that Kachi-Kalion was founded in the 7th century. Because of the conquests of the Crimea by the Golden Horde, and then by the Turks, Christians left this land.
After the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Empire, the landowner Khvitsky decided to restore the monastery, and during the USSR the caves were turned into quarries. Now the monastery is in the possession of the Assumption Monastery. Many monks began to live in the old monastery and restore its splendor. Therefore, any tourist can look at the cave monastery with his own eyes and admire it.
Inkerman monastery
It is considered one of the oldest cave monasteries in Crimea. This is a monastery located in Inkerman, a suburb of Sevastopol. Historians cannot say for sure when the monastery was founded. Presumably this happened in the period from VII-IX.
Inkerman Cave Monastery is not only one of the most ancient monastic cloisters, but also an amazing architectural monument of different eras. This monastery has seen a lot in its lifetime and has preserved within its walls almost 1500 years of history. Tourists go to see the attraction in order to:
- see the beautiful nature, which adds peace and tranquility to this place;
- walk through caves that go deep into the mountains and create incredible landscapes;
- visit cave temples that are completely immersed in rocks;
- visit churches that attract with their unique architecture.
Assumption monastery
This monastery is considered the main cave abode of Crimea, and the reason for this is the miraculous appearance of the icon of the Mother of God in the place where the monastery is now located. The attraction is located in the southern part of the peninsula, on the slope of the Crimean mountains, in the picturesque Mariam-Dere gorge. One of the main Orthodox shrines of the peninsula is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year.
People who are far from religion will not be left indifferent by this place either, since the territory of the monastery has a unique atmosphere. The monastery has an interesting and rich history. The monastery was robbed, destroyed, rebuilt and used as a hospital, but this made it even more majestic. Deep caves, snow-white churches, stone facades and figures carved into the walls create an incredible view.
Shuldan monastery
The Shuldan Cave Monastery is the main decoration of the Shul Valley. It is located in the northeastern corner of the Sevastopol region, above the village of Ternovka. The locals called the mountain on which Shuldan stands, "echoing", because here you can often hear the sound of the bell. The monastery was founded by icon-worshiping monks, refugees from Byzantium in the 7th century. Presumably, the monks were from Athos and had experience in building cave monasteries, on the territory of which they were engaged in viticulture and winemaking.
In the 16th century, Shuldan was captured by the Ottoman Empire and the premises of the mountain monastery were used by the Turks as defensive structures. On the territory of the monastery there are two cave temples, as well as twenty rooms of a religious and economic nature. Now monks are living there again and restoration work is underway.
Monastery near Sudak
The monastery attracts not only tourists, but also many scientists who have been conducting scientific research here for almost a hundred years. At the time of its opening, the attraction was in ruins, but tourists came here from different countries. Some parts of the monastery have survived: a cross carved into the wall, several cells and walls, benches.
The monastery was founded by monks who fled from Byzantium. They quickly settled in this remote place and lived as recluses. But at the end of the 15th century, the churches and monasteries of the Crimea were subjected to barbaric destruction by the Ottoman Turks. The monastery near Sudak did not escape this fate. Further, the history of the monastery is lost. It is known that the cultural site was rebuilt again in the 19th century. The subsequent destruction of the shrine is associated with the unreliability of the material from which it was built.
