Overview of the sights of Balaklava in the Crimea and their description

Balaclava had the status of a city until 1957, then it became district center of Sevastopol. In Soviet times, Balaklava with underground military bases was considered a place closed to the public. On its territory there were traces of the presence of the imperial Russian army. Since the XIV century, there was a Genoese fortress, which took on the blows of enemies. Balaclava is located in a strategic place of Crimea, for many centuries military clashes between different peoples took place over it.

An amazingly beautiful place in the Crimea is the sea, mountain landscape, hidden bay, ponds and diverse vegetation. The first mention of this land is found in Homer in the Odyssey. Since that time, different peoples lived here - the Romans, Greeks, Turks, Tatars, the British and Germans fought for these open spaces. In 2004, the town celebrated its 2500th anniversary. Balaklava received the resort destination back in the 19th century, many Russians came here to improve their health.

Alexander Kuprin and Lesya Ukrainka visited these places. Balaklava is located five kilometers southwest of Sevastopol, until 1941 a tram ran between the cities. This place is rich in events and natural landscapes, even in the holiday season of Balaclava does not lose the charm of a quiet calm place.

Balaklava, as the resort of Crimea, few know, since a long stay in the status of a closed town made this place little known. But the settlement has something to be proud of and what to show. For those who want to visit, we provide descriptions of attractions.

A unique natural bay formed in the process of tectonic shift and fault. From the sea it goes deep into one and a half kilometers, then expanding, then narrowing to 50 meters wide. Because of this configuration, it is practically not visible from the Black Sea, therefore the bay is also called the "Secret". In the past, captains hid their ships in it from prying eyes.

On the Fortress Hill at the entrance to the bay in the XIV century, the Genoese fortified city of Cembalo was built. Over the course of seven centuries, the walls of the city survived a lot, their ruins can be seen today. The fortress was captured by the Mongols. In the XV century, the Turks took possession of it, they used the city to refer to objectionable khans. During the Crimean War, the Greeks were in Chembalo, they defended themselves from the soldiers of the English army.

Initially, wood was used to build the embankment. It was built by the British during the Russo-Turkish War. In the XIX century, the tree was replaced by stone. Today, on the embankment of them. Nazukin can be found in a cinema, museum, diving center, yacht club, restaurants, moorings from which all pleasure and sightseeing boats depart. From the embankment you can see the ruins of the Chembalo fortress and Balaklava bay, and along it are the buildings of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The museum is located on the famous Nazukin embankment, it contains historical documents relating to the life of the city of Balaklava in different periods of time. The building can accommodate a group of up to 50 people. Museums organize excursions that illuminate the history of the city, with a visit to the bay and the fortress of Chembalo, with a tasting of local dishes and access to the open sea.

The author of the monument is the sculptor S. A. Chizh. He installed a sculptural image of the writer in 2009. The place was chosen on the city embankment, not far from the Grand Hotel, where, according to documented information, Kuprin lived with his wife during a visit to Balaklava. Here he wrote his essay "In Memory of Chekhov." The life time in Balaclava (1904–1906) coincided with the events of the first Russian revolution.

It was put on a city square in 2004. It was originally planned to sculpt the bust, but the sculptor was carried away and completed the semi-figure. It was installed on a high pedestal-column. Leska Ukrainka visited Balaclava twice - with her parents in her youth and with her husband in more mature years.

The secret underground facility “100” was built in the fifties of the last century. It was called the Cliff complex. Soviet anti-ballistic systems were supposed to withstand NATO landing. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the facility was closed and dismantled. Today, lovers of stone labyrinths are happy to visit it. A message appeared about the possible restoration of the complex by the military.

Not in every city you will find a base for submarine parking; the 825GTS object was such. It stored ammunition and was engaged in the repair of nuclear submarines. They closed the base in 1993 and left for a long ten years. In the difficult nineties, local residents removed unnecessary non-ferrous metal from structures. In the 2000s, the city authorities on the territory of the former military base justified the underground museum complex of the naval history of Balaklava. Today it is one of the most visited places in the city.

The battery began to be built even under Nicholas II, in 1914, and finished already under the Soviet regime. From here, enemy ships were to be fired. Unfortunately, during the years of World War II, the battery failed to protect Sevastopol from the onslaught of the fascist army. This military facility ended in 1991.

Forts were built at an altitude of 300 m above sea level, with the participation of the British from the end of the 19th century until 1915. They were supposed to guard the approaches to Sevastopol. This is a whole engineering system of concrete structures, ammunition depots, roads and shelter ditches, designed for the military to stay. Before World War II, forts were reconstructed.

This object was built during the construction of the Southern Fort. It looked very unusual, in the form of an iron barrel held by a concrete base and hanging over an abyss. It was supposed to be a point of observation, since the sea was clearly visible from this place. Locals call it a barrel of death, because during the revolution they shot and dumped the Red Army in it, and during the Great Patriotic War the Germans did the same with our soldiers. The barrel still stores traces of bullets.

Very beautiful, unearthly sight. Previously, limestone was mined here, so the descent down is made stepwise. The quarry looks like a crater of an extinct volcano with an amazing blue lake at the bottom. It is located 14 meters below sea level. The vegetation has just begun to inhabit this place. The lake has become home to many birds - cormorants, gulls, wild ducks. You can go down to it along the road in the form of a serpentine, which is unsafe due to frequent collapses.

For the first time on this site the temple was built in 1357 by the Genoese. But he could not survive to this day. What we see today is a 1794 building. After the Crimean War, the temple underwent reconstruction in 1875. The structure is built of limestone and, if you look at it from above, you can see the shape of a cross.

The monastery was founded in 891 by Greek sailors. Legend has it that the ship fell into a storm and was on the verge of destruction. The sailors prayed to St. George for salvation. On the rock, they saw the image of the saint and thanks to his help they were able to get ashore. In gratitude for the saved lives, in sheer grief they knocked out the church and dedicated it to St. George. The sailors transferred to the temple the image of a saint that appeared on a rock. Over time, a monastery formed around the church. He survived many wars, but remained active until the Soviet era. It was reopened in 1994.

In the XIX century, a water supply system was built to supply Sevastopol with water. The aqueduct was part of it. It is built of Inkerman stone (limestone), which was used even in ancient Rome. The architecture of the bridge is made in antique style. Water and plenty of greenery make this place incredibly beautiful. The water supply system was destroyed during the Crimean War and did not begin to be restored. The Chorgunsky bridge has survived to this day as the best-preserved part of it.

Here is the St. George Monastery. Once it was a beautiful secluded place, now it has entered the city limits of Sevastopol, acquired chaotic buildings and has lost the feeling of wildlife. The cape was formed 150 million years ago during the eruption of a volcano. On both sides of the rock, today you can observe the places of layering of tuff lava.

This fabulous place is located in a wildlife reserve with red book plants and animals. The local climate repeats the Mediterranean.Only in this place you can meet a grand funnel with colorful boulders, as well as grottoes with azure ponds.

In the vicinity of Balaklava, more than 30 beaches are open for visitors, 3 of them are among the top twenty in Crimea. Almost all of them are pebble. Balaclava as a place of relaxation suits a wide range of people. It can provide a quiet and relaxing pastime for families with young children on beautiful resort beaches.

About what attractions are in Balaclava, see the next video.