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RussiaWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
Genoese fortress of Cembalo is the only ancient landmark of Balaklava and the main historical site of the resort. It was originally built in the middle of the 14th century by the Genoese on the top and slopes of the Fortress Rock overhanging the right bank of Balaklava Bay. The place for the construction was chosen very well, because from the mountain the waters of the bay and the sea were perfectly visible at the same time. It was believed that it would be impregnable, since its walls were made of Crimean marble limestone, known for its durability. However, this did not help, and already at the first serious assault of the Horde troops it was completely destroyed. After the conclusion of the peace treaty, the territory was returned to the Genoese, and after three years it was restored, trying to make it more impregnable. After that, the fortress changed hands several times, was partially destroyed and restored, and remained in good condition until the 20th century. It received the most serious damage during the Great Patriotic War, having suffered mainly from bombing.
Today, the ruins of the Chembalo fortress can be viewed by every tourist, although for this you will have to climb a steep slope, which, however, will not be difficult, since there are paths and stairs. Some of the ruins are periodically under restoration, and at this time access to them is limited, but the rest are available for inspection. You can even climb the ruins, but it's better not to do this, so as not to destroy the monument. From the nearest ruins there is a wonderful view of the entire Balaklava Bay.
🕐 Working hours
around the clock.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price
free of charge.
🚶 How to get there
the ruins are scattered on the hills surrounding the bay on the left bank (fortress on the map). You can only get to them on foot by climbing the hill along a simple path that starts at the end of the embankment, or by walking to it along the street. Historical. To get here from Sevastopol, you will first have to get to the Balaklava district by city buses or taxis, and then walk about 1 kilometer from May 1 Square (see details, how to get to Balaklava from Sevastopol).
We remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights of Balaklava with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at online booking options on these proven search and price comparison sites:
- 📷 Search for excursions in Balaclava on Sputnik8.com
- 📷 Search for excursions in Balaclava on Tripster.ru