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Church of the Twelve Apostles is an old Orthodox church in Sudak, a monument of Byzantine architecture. Its history is inextricably linked with the existence of the Sudak fortress. Researchers believe that it was built by Armenian architects for the Greek community of Sudak in the XIII—XV centuries, but the exact date is unknown. The original name of the church is unknown, and it got its current name due to the fact that until the second half of the XIX century, the remains of an ancient fresco of the Last Supper with the twelve Apostles were visible on one of the walls of the church, but this fresco has not survived to this day.
The temple today is not located on the territory of the Sudak fortress, but outside it at the foot of Mount Polvani-Oba, on which the fortress is located. However, it is believed that the church used to be located within the fortress walls, which is indirectly confirmed by the ancient defensive tower of Frederico Astagvera or Port, located next to the church, dating from 1386, as well as old maps.
During its existence, the church was destroyed more than once and fell into desolation. In the XVII century it was destroyed and restored twice, but after that it lost its original appearance. During the Soviet period, the temple was closed and abandoned, and returned to the church only in 2009. Today it is an attractive historical landmark that anyone can visit, but at the same time a functioning temple. Therefore, when visiting, one should adhere to the accepted rules in clothing and behavior: do not visit in a drunken state; do not behave provocatively; men should take off their headgear at the entrance, and women should cover their heads.
🕐 Working hours: you can inspect the outside around the clock, entering inside during the daytime.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: free of charge.
🚶 How to get there: The Church of the Twelve Apostles and the tower are located on the western outskirts of the city behind the Sudak fortress (church and tower on the map). You can walk here bypassing the fortress on the street. Primorskaya, you can't walk along the shore. You will have to walk about 2.5 kilometers from the Cypress Alley. By bus number 5 (in Novy Svet) you can get almost to the tower itself, you need to ask the driver to drop you off near the Sokol sanatorium.
💥 We remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights of Sudak with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at online booking options on these proven search and price comparison sites: