Description of the attraction
Chufut-Kale is the most extensive and interesting of the Crimean cave cities. Once there was a capital Crimean Khanate, then the representatives of the most mysterious people of Crimea lived - karaites … Here you can see the remains of a medieval fortress, Muslim and Karaite temples, city buildings and numerous cave structures carved into the rock.
Background
Fortified cities in these places began to arise in IV-V centuries … Those who came here in previous years tribes of Alans and Gothsmixed, formed their own culture. They preferred to live not on the coast, but in the mountains and built cave fortresses using the natural features of the Crimean limestone mountains.
The fortress, which is now called Chufut-Kale, was built by the Byzantines who came here on the site of the former Alanian … It became part of a large system of mountain fortifications that protected the northernmost borders of the Byzantine Empire. What was the name of the city then, we do not know. According to some versions, there was a mysterious Fully city - the residence of the Crimean bishop. There are numerous references to him, but no one knows where he was. There are 15 versions of the location in total. Some scientists call the northernmost Byzantine cave city located nearby - Baklu. But according to other versions, Fulla was exactly here. This fortress was larger and much more heavily defended from attack.
The first historical name of the fortress - Kyrk-Er - belongs to the Polovtsians. Polovtsy, or Kypchaks, came here in the XI century, and it is their language that underlies the modern Crimean Tatar. The fortress did not belong to the Polovtsians for long. In the middle of the XIII century came here Golden Horde … Lands now officially belonged Jochi Khan, the eldest son of Genghis Khan and his offspring. However, formally, the Crimean Khanate was independent, it was simply obliged to pay a considerable tribute to the Horde. The local population made attempts to free itself, rebelled, and the Horde made numerous devastating raids here. The worst of them happened in 1299 yearwhen the troops broke into Crimea khana nogaya … He sent his grandson to the Crimea to collect tribute, but the grandson was killed. In response, Nogai almost completely ravaged Crimea, and many cities and fortresses after that simply ceased to exist.
Khanate capital and prison
The Kyrk-Er fortress has not only been preserved. It was the strongest fortress of these places, and it was she who became the new capital of the Crimean Khanate. The flourishing of the fortress at this time is associated with the name Haji the First, founder of the dynasty Giraev (or Gireyev, as it was customary to call them in Russia). He was a distant descendant Genghis Khan, but was born in Lithuania - his father fled to there in the midst of another Crimean turmoil. Haji Girai enlisted the support of the Lithuanian prince Vitovta and in 1428 he seized power, establishing his own state, independent of the Horde. The struggle for power lasted almost 20 years: fearing to exacerbate relations with the Golden Horde, the Lithuanian princes either supported the Crimea or recalled it. Haji Girey even spent several years in Vilna (now Vilnius) as a guest of honor, and in fact - a hostage prisoner. But in 1441 the Lithuanian prince officially approved him as the Crimean khan. The Kyrk-Er fortress became the new capital. Here, almost immediately, they began to mint their own coins. Haji Giray was one of the most popular rulers among the people; he received the nickname Melek - "Angel".
Then in Kyrk-Er there were more 500 large estates, cave fortifications, mosques … But rather quickly the city ceased to be the capital - it was moved to Bakhchisarai. The fortress began to be used as a prison for keeping noble and important captives and hostages. For example, here in the 16th century was kept a close associate of Tsar Ivan the Terrible Vasily Gryaznoy … He was captured on the borders of the khanate and the Tatars demanded a huge ransom of ten thousand rubles for him. At the time, it was a tremendous amount. Correspondence with the tsar lasted for several years Ivan the Terribleuntil Vasily Gryaznoy was finally released - already for two thousand rubles. About a hundred years later, Russian prisoners were kept here. Vasily Sheremetev and Andrey Romodanovsky … Russia then waged a war against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Crimean Khanate traditionally supported the Polish-Lithuanian troops against Russia. The commander of the Russian troops, Vasily Sheremetev, was captured and spent twenty-one years in prison in the fortress. Andrei Romodanovsky, who was also captured after one of the battles in this war, spent more than ten years here. They were released only after the conclusion of a peace agreement in 1681.
Karaites
During these years, the fortress changed its name. Now they call her "Chufut-Kale" - "Jewish fortress" … Gradually, it becomes the center of a large community of Karaites.
The origin of the Karaites, a special people that speaks the Turkic language, but professes one of the variants of Judaism, still remains a mystery.… Some scholars consider them to be direct relatives of the Semites, while others insist that this people is a descendant of the Khazars, who once converted to Judaism. There is no unity among the Karaite leaders themselves, some sharply oppose themselves to the traditional Jews, while others, on the contrary, insist on rapprochement. One way or another, in the Crimea in the 15th-18th centuries there was a large Karaite diaspora, which in its customs and religion differed both from the local Muslim Tatars and from the Orthodox Greeks.
Karaites revere the Old Testament, Jesus and Mohammed are recognized as prophets. Their temple is called " kenasoy". Several such kenasas can now be seen on the territory of Chufut-Kale. Noble Karaites served in the khan's army and made up the main garrison of the fortress, they also controlled the mint. Not far from the city, a large Karaite cemetery - Balta-Tiimez … However, like other non-Muslims, the Karaites were subject to legal restrictions - for example, they could not settle in the capital of the khanate, Bakhchisarai, although they conducted their main trade there. Life in the city was not easy, primarily due to the fact that the growing population did not have enough fresh water from a few sources. Farming on the rocks was difficult. Mostly artisans lived here.
With the annexation of Crimea to Russia, restrictions on Karaites living in Bakhchisarai were canceled. And then the city began to rapidly empty: the Karaites moved to Bakhchisarai and to the seaside towns. In the XIX-XX centuries, their spiritual center was Evpatoria … In the 19th century, they were quite numerous and respected by the royal family.
Now this community still exists in Crimea, but it is on the verge of extinction. According to the last census, there are a little more than five hundred of them left.
Fortress now
The most interesting thing to see here is remains of a defensive wall … This is the oldest building in the city - it is about one and a half thousand years old. Other fortifications have also survived: later walls, gates, moat, dry wells. The gateway is completely intact. tower of the 17th century - Biyuk-Kapu … But the most interesting thing is, of course, cave fortifications in the rock … In total, there are more than one hundred and fifty caves of various shapes and purposes. Basically, there were either outbuildings or military fortifications in the caves, they still preferred to live in houses in the Middle Ages. The caves are connected by numerous passages and tunnels.
From the period of the Crimean Khanate preserved remains of a mosque … We know the exact year of its construction - 1346th. Its architecture has Byzantine elements, so many assume that it was once converted from a Christian temple. There is a Muslim cemetery not far from the mosque. The largest and most beautiful building here is octagonal mausoleum of Tokhtamysh's daughter Dzhanyke-khanym … In the gravestone inscription she is called “the great empress”. The mausoleum dates back to the 15th century. It stands on the very cliff and offers a beautiful view of the surroundings.
From the time of the Karaites preserved two kenases - the XIV century and the XVIII century, and the remains of the city buildings of the XVIII century … There is a distinct breading in the city: three large streets and numerous side streets. On some houses, the names of the owners have been preserved.
A famous Karaite scholar lived in one of the houses in Chufut-Kale Avraham Firkovich … At the end of the 19th century, he turned out to be almost the only inhabitant of the abandoned city - and tried to save it from destruction. Firkovich collected a large collection of Hebrew and Karaite manuscripts. It is now stored in St. Petersburg. After his death, the rangers of the city continued to live in this house. This is a typical Karaite house, from which one can judge how the whole city looked two or two hundred and fifty years ago. It was built in the 18th century, but remained residential until the beginning of the 20th, and was restored in the 60s. Now they are here Karaite cultural center and small museumdedicated to the culture and life of the Karaites.
Interesting Facts
In the 19th century, the Karaites took over the tobacco industry. For example, the famous Dukat factory was the property of the Karaite I. Pigit. And he also owned the house on Bolshaya Sadovaya, where the writer Mikhail Bulgakov lived in the 1920s. Now this house houses the famous museum dedicated to Bulgakov.
In Chufut-Kale, they filmed military episodes of the film "Pan Volodyevsky" in 1969, she appears in the frames of the film "Hearts of Three" 1992 and "Hard to be God" in 1989. In the classic fairy tale "Finist - the Clear Falcon", the villain's warriors are hiding in the caves of this city Kartausa.
On a note
- Location: Bakhchisarai, s. Staroselie.
- How to get there: bus. No. 2 from the railway. Art. "Bakhchisarai" to the stop. "Staroselie".
- Official website:
- Opening hours: daily 9: 00-20: 00.
- Ticket price: adults - 200 rubles, schoolchildren - 100 rubles.
