Sights of Kerch

Yeni-Kale Fortress (Yenikale)

It is an Ottoman fortress built in the early 18th century. From Turkish, the name translates as "New Fortress". The fortress was built by the Italian architect Goloppo, who converted to Islam, so the structure has such an unusual appearance. It occupied an area of about 2.5 hectares, and contained residential buildings, a mosque, a powder magazine, an armory, a water storage. To provide the fortress with water, an underground water supply was built.

For the Turks, the fortress was supposed to be very important, namely, to prevent the passage of Russian ships from the Azov to the Black Sea. But it served this purpose for less than sixty years, and was taken by Russian troops from the land without a fight in 1771 during the Russian-Turkish War.

Today the fortress is a historical monument. Unfortunately, only ruins remain of the main part of the fortress, and what remains continues to crumble. The lack of control over access to attractions only worsens the situation.

A visit to Yenikale is convenient to combine with a trip to the ostrich farm, the lighthouse and the Lighthouse Beach.

Fortress "Kerch" and Fort Totleben

If the Yeni-Kale fortress was built by the Turks for defense against the Russians, then the Kerch fortress was already built by the Russians in the 19th century to protect their southern shores, and primarily from the Turks. Interestingly, at first the question of restoring and strengthening the Yeni-Kale fortress was considered, but as a result, in 1856, the construction of a new fortress on Cape AI-Burun (Cape Pavlov) was begun. It was designed by the military architect Eduard Ivanovich Totleben. In military operations, the fortress almost did not participate, with the exception of the Great Patriotic War. Just like Yeni-kale during the Russian-Turkish war, then the fortress was almost without a fight taken by the Germans from the land. The building served military purposes until 2003, when it was transferred to the Kerch state historical and Cultural Reserve.

Today, the fortress is an architectural monument, and it can be visited for a fee with excursion service. Most of the fortress is actually underground, so it was conceived during construction. The underground passages are so vast and intricate that it is easy to get lost in them. In addition, it is believed that it is still not completely cleared, so a visit is possible only with excursion service, although you can easily get into it through gaps in the fence, bypassing the paid entrance. A cursory visit with an excursion will take about two hours, and to see everything here, you need at least one full day.

There is no infrastructure here, so water and drinks should be taken with you. The visit takes place on different routes, each of which covers only a certain part of the fortress. And yet, visiting children under 7 years is prohibited.

Adzhimushkai quarries

Although the history of the Adzhimushkai quarries begins several centuries ago, today's attraction is dedicated to the heroic events of the Great Patriotic War. Then this place became the site of a fierce struggle between the Germans and about 13 thousand people who took refuge in the quarry passages stretching for many kilometers, including many military men. As a result of the confrontation, which lasted from May to October 1924, almost all 13 thousand were killed, only 48 people were taken prisoner.

Today it houses the "Museum of the history of Defense Of The Adzhimushkai quarries", and this is definitely one of the must-visit places during your vacation in Kerch. Visiting the museum consists of a tour of the quarries, during which they talk in detail about the bloody confrontation, inspect the preserved weapons and household items used for survival. Visiting is possible only with a group that either form at a certain time at the entrance to the museum, or come here directly from the city. Unfortunately, photos and videos are prohibited. To visit it is better to have a lantern with you. Children under 6 years are not allowed.

Mount Mithridates

Mount Mithridates is located in the center of Kerch, its height is 91.4 meters. It is the geographical and cultural center of the city. From the top of the mountain offers a wonderful view of the surrounding area, in addition, there are several historical monuments.

It is believed that the ancient city of Panticapaeum was located on the mountain, and it is named after the Pontic King Mithridates VI Eupator. Since the 19th century, archaeological excavations have been conducted here, and amazing finds and discoveries are still being made. Archaeologists believe that numerous passages under the mountain hide more than 3.5 thousand ancient crypts, of which scientists have studied only a few hundred.

Another important event is connected with this place. In 1943, after a stubborn siege, Soviet troops broke through the defense of the Nazis and were able to raise the red banner on top of the mountain, and a few days later Kerch was completely liberated from the invaders. This is dedicated to The Obelisk of Glory, installed in 1944, as well as the eternal flame.

A staircase leads to the top, which any tourist can overcome, but a little endurance will be needed to overcome 436 steps. You can also go upstairs by car.

Panticapaeus

The ruins of the ancient city of Panticapaeum are located on the slope of Mount Mithridates, and their visit must be combined. The Greeks laid the foundation of the city of Kerch by building on this site one of the oldest cities in the world - Panticapaeum, in the seventh century BC. Today, there are very few tourists to see, only one arch and a few remnants of columns, but this place is significant and must-visit.

The Royal mound

It is believed that the Royal mound was built in the 4th century BC for the burial of one of the Bosporan Kings. But during excavations after the discovery of the mound in the 19th 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 in the direction of the mound, the entrance to it seems close, and if you look at the exit, it seems that it is further than it really is. It is assumed that this is done so that the soul would have to take a more difficult path to exit 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 bonding mortar, and the entire structure is held together by 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 is done so that when the soul rises up, it is purified and refined, and at the very top, completely refined, it can seep through the wall into eternity.

It is possible and impossible to attribute the mound to a place that must be visited, but in general it is a very interesting attraction, especially with excursion service, which is offered for an additional fee at the box office. Duration of the Tour-1 hour. It is recommended to combine a visit to the mound with a visit to the Ajimushkai quarries, which are located nearby.

Melek-Chesma mound

The mound was built in the 4th century BC, and is the most technically and artistically Perfect among the Bosporan crypts. It was explored and opened to the public as a tourist attraction in the 19th century, and then for a long time was looted and destroyed by the efforts of local residents. In 1994, the reconstruction of the mound was carried out.

The inspection of the burial mound and burial premises together with the tour will take no more than 15 minutes. There is not much to see, but with the story of the guide, whose services are offered when buying tickets, it is really interesting here. Which is very convenient, there is a landmark in the heart of the city. Unfortunately, despite the schedule, the mound is often closed.

Historical and Archaeological Museum

This is the place from which it is best to begin acquaintance with the city and the surrounding area. The museum is located in an old mansion, the collection is located on two floors. The main part of the exhibits is formed from archaeological finds made in the vicinity of the city, and includes antique plastics, ceramics and sculpture. However, keep in mind that this is not a typical Local History Museum, and it mainly presents the ancient period. In total, the museum has more than 130 thousand exhibits.

There is also a pottery workshop where you can learn craft and creativity in master classes held by appointment.

Picture gallery

In the art gallery of Kerch there is an art exhibition "Adzhimushkai.1942". It is dedicated to the defense of Kerch during the Great Patriotic War. The works were written by the Honored Artist of the RSFSR Nikolai Yakovlevich bout and the artist of the military studio named after M. B. Grekov (Moscow). There are 29 paintings in the main exhibition. Also here you can see the diorama "Church of John the Baptist" (X-XI centuries) and a copy of the mosaic from the Vatican Cathedral of St. Peter "Christ the Pantocrator" (XII century). in addition, thematic exhibitions dedicated to the city of Kerch are held.

Church Of John The Baptist

This is one of the oldest churches in Crimea. According to various estimates, its construction began in the eighth or tenth centuries. The temple is distinguished from the rest by its unique architecture, classifying it as a cross-domed temple in the traditions of the Eastern Christian School of architecture. Moreover, to this day it has been preserved almost in the same form as many centuries ago. During its existence, it even managed to visit a mosque. Today the temple is active.

Mud volcano valley

Mud volcanoes (mud geysers) are a very rare geological phenomenon. There are even fewer of them on our planet than lava. One of their clusters is located six kilometers from Kerch. A whole series of large (the largest volcano is Andrusova) and many small volcanoes constantly throw out mud, which is considered curative. You can not see the "eruption" at any time, and sometimes you have to wait. And sometimes tourists leave without seeing mud lava flows at all. But still the place is worth a visit, especially if you find yourself here on your transport.

When examining, you should be careful, and it is better to put on rubber boots, or vice versa, completely take off your shoes. The fact is that you can go knee-deep into the mud, which is hidden under a thin dried crust on top.