Bakhchisaray

Bakhchisaray – “castle-garden”, “castle, surrounded by garden”.

One comes here, because attracts by the castle which was made famous by poets (today is historical architectural museum), other – not less famous “cave cities”, third – picturesque nature of landscape.

Bakhchisaray is remarkable by its location. The author of one of old guide writes about it: in a deep and shady ravine on coasts of river Churuk-Su, right feeder of Kacha, is situated this Oriental town with narrow alleys, blind alleys and mosques. According to the words of the author of guide, you can go near and even do not know that Bakhchisaray is so close to the railway station.
Bakhchisaray is a town of contrasts. Medieval monuments are next to the provincial architecture of Russia XIX century, south constructions are stay with modern one.

In the Middle Ages before Bakhchisaray was established, on this place was big settlement Eski-Urt (“old settlement”). It appeared here not occasionally: here was old caravan track – from Chersonese to north to the Perekopsk vent, - Tartars, who lived here, led active trade with passing caravans and took big custom.

Establishment of Bakhchisaray was at the end of XV century, some of the researches named earlier date - end of XIV century. However, first mentioning about town is in a document dated in 1502. Late khan castle, which is now the main place of interest of town, is built as it thought in the beginning of XVI century, but later it had a lot of reconstructions and in its present view it does not give the presentation about the castle of that time.

Uspenskiy monastery is situated on the south-east suburb of town. Cave church with layers of artificial caves - monastic cell. Monastery is appeared in VIII-IX centuries and worked with stops more than thousand years.

Cave town” Chufut-Kale (“Judaic fortress”, as here lived Karaims – Turkomen, professed the faith close to Judaic) is to south-east from Uspenskiy monastery. Medieval town is situated on table-like mountain, is a complex of different constructions – fortress walls and towers, residential buildings, temples, and also artificial caves of defensive and household use. Town was established approximately in VI century. The last citizens left it in the middle of XIX century.