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RussiaWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
Attention! The mound is closed to the public due to partial collapse. It is expected that repairs will be carried out, but there is no information about the time of resumption of work.
It is believed that the Royal mound was built in the IV century BC for the burial of one of the Bosporan kings. But during the excavations after the discovery of the mound in the XIX century, researchers did not find any burial here. It was not possible to establish exactly whether the burial was looted, or simply did not take place.
Today this place is visited as an ancient architectural landmark, and the architecture here is truly unique. It all starts with the entrance corridor (dromos), which is designed specifically to create a visual illusion: if you look towards the mound, the entrance to it seems close, and if you look at the exit, it seems that it is further away than it actually is. It is assumed that this is done so that the soul would have to go a more complicated way to get out of the mound, and it would prefer to exit through the top of the chamber rather than through the dromos.
The burial chamber is lined with limestone blocks without the use of a connecting mortar, and the entire structure is maintained thanks to careful processing and precise fitting of the blocks. The vault of the chamber is formed in the form of a cone 9 meters high, tapering to the top. This was done so that the soul, when lifted up, would be purified and refined, and at the very top, completely refined, could seep through the wall into eternity.
It may not be possible to attribute the mound to a must-visit place, but in general it is a very interesting attraction, especially with excursion service, which is offered for an additional fee at the ticket office. The duration of the excursion is 1 hour. There is also a small museum pavilion next to the mound, where you can get acquainted with the history of the excavations and see the artifacts found during the excavations.
We recommend that you combine a visit to the mound with a visit to Ajimushkai quarries, which are located nearby.
🌐 Website: kerchmuseum.ru
🕐 Working hours
Attention! The mound is closed to the public due to partial collapse. It is expected that repairs will be carried out, but there is no information about the time of resumption of work.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price
100 rubles for adults / 50 rubles for children. Excursion service – 200 rubles.
🚶 How to get there
Tsarsky Kurgan is located three kilometers from the center of Kerch, near the entrance to the Adjumushkai quarries (mound on the map). You can get here by bus number4 from the bus station or Gorky Street for 35 rubles, go to the stop Malchenko Street (see the bus route on the map). Then you will have to walk about a kilometer, for which it is best to use the navigator or the help of local residents, because the entrance to the mound is very inconspicuous.
💥 We remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights of Crimea with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at online booking options on these proven search and price comparison sites: