Description and history of the Genoese fortress located in Feodosia

Crimea is famous not so much for its sea and beaches. On the peninsula, a huge number of attractions and ancient monuments. One of them is the Genoese fortress or, as it is also called, Kafa fortress. It is located on the territory of one of the oldest settlements of Crimea - in the city of Feodosia. It's hard to believe, but this city was created in the VI century BC. That is why Theodosius is so rich in historical monuments and ancient legends.

Unfortunately, most of the buildings have not survived to this day. Even from the famous and majestic Genoese fortress there is very little left. Therefore, our duty is to tell you about this unique architectural heritage, so that as many people as possible get to know him, while there is still such an opportunity.

Until the XIII century, the coast of Crimea from Kerch to Sevastopol was under the rule of the Byzantines. But then these lands were captured by the Genoese, who held them in their hands until the 15th century. In an effort to increase its influence, to identify interests and protect possessions from attacks by hostile principalities, the Genoese people erected several fortresses on its territory.

All fortifications created during that period are called Genoese. However, the fortresses in Sudak and Feodosia were the largest and best preserved to this day. Now these structures have the status of a historical and architectural reserve.

Historical note: the Genoese built not only a fortress, but also restored the ancient Theodosiussince it was almost completely destroyed after the invasion of the Huns. The Genoese made Theodosius the center of their possessions on the Black Sea coast with extensive trade ties and their own coin. Trade was carried out not only by fish and other goods, but also by slaves. This port was the main market for prisoners throughout the peninsula.

The Genoese fortress consisted of a citadel and an external defense part. The citadel was erected on the territory of Quarantine Hill in about 1340-1343. At the same time, the construction turned out to be so large-scale that it had to be completed for another decade.

The citadel was 718 meters long, had a wall height of 11 meters, and a thickness of 2 meters. The construction was intended not only for defense, but also for the placement of ships, retail shops, and storage facilities. And also for the treasury, the residence of the bishop and the palace of the consul. Currently, only half of the structure has been preserved, everything else is destroyed.

The citadel was surrounded by a strong wall, on which 30 towers were located. The length of the wall was 5.5 kilometers. Also, a moat was laid around the structure, which served as a storm drain and additionally protected the citadel.

After the construction was completed, the Genoese fortress turned out to be the most powerful and second largest fortress in all of Europe. In many sources, the Genoese fortress is called Kafa fortress. Both the first and second names will be true. This happened due to the fact that even before the final restoration of Feodosia, there was a commercial port of Kaffa instead of the city. This port subsequently became the main center of all colonies of the Genoese people on the Black Sea coast.

It is generally accepted that the 1347 plague epidemic in Europe began precisely with the Genoese fortress. And these are not just rumors. There are official papers that confirm this. The documents belonged to a notary named Gabriel de Mussi. The infection occurred during the siege of the fortress by Janibek, the khan of the Golden Horde.

By order of the khan, "shelling" of the city with corpses was carried out using catapults. According to the documents, it was from this that the outbreak of the plague occurred in Cafe. In Europe, the infection spread to rats, who arrived there on ships together with the Genoese who escaped from the city.

The Genoese people held in their hands a fortress until the second half of the 15th century. Then the Ottomans seized both the Kafa fortress and the whole Crimea, including other seemingly impregnable fortifications. Then the building was captured by the Turks. And at the beginning of the XVII century - by the Cossacks of the chieftain Sagaidachny. Further, the peninsula fell under the rule of the Russian Empire. And just then, the Genoese fortress began to rapidly collapse. This was due to the fact that the construction was dismantled for material for the construction of dwellings.

Unfortunately, at present, from the once majestic fortress there are only ruins. On the south side, the wall is best preserved. It left the towers of St. Clement and Crisco.

Crisco is nothing more than the name of Christ distorted by foreigners. The construction consisted of two tiers and three walls with wide battlements. This is an open tower, it offers a magnificent view and beautiful large-scale photographs are obtained. According to ancient legends, it was on this tower that the first mechanical clock in Europe was installed, which the Genoese themselves installed.

From the first tier, a no less interesting view opens up - sea waves and a relatively new monument to Athanasius Nikitin. The monument was erected here in memory of the fact that in Feodosia the navigator stopped during his trip to India.

This tower already consisted of 3 tiers and slightly hung over the line of the fortification walls. It is connected with the walls of the fortress and the tower of Crisco. Near the tower of Clement were the great gates of the city.

There are also the towers of Thomas, Giovanni di Scaffa. And also the Dokovaya and Konstantin towers.

The tower of Constantine was torn off from the main part of the fortress. Now it is located in the center of Feodosia - in the Jubilee Park near the railway station. But not only this remarkable tower of Constantine. It has a slightly different design: two tiers on a rectangular base with mounted mashikuli loopholes.

Such structures made it possible to shell the enemy vertically, thereby eliminating the so-called blind zones of the Genoese fortress. This significantly increased the defensive power of the fortification. The tower of Constantine became one of the symbols of Theodosius. Therefore, the image of this design can often be found on souvenirs from the Crimea.

Genoese fortress is located in the oldest southern part of Feodosia - on Quarantine Hill near the bay. The main surviving part of the structure is located in the Portovaya Street area. You can get to this place by public transport to the stop "Bridge" or "City Hospital №1".

In the first case, you will need to walk up Starokarantina Street, and then you can easily find the monument by signs and signs. In the second case, you need to take a walk along Ship Street to the sea through the "Holy Valley". By car, getting to the fortress will be even easier and faster. You will need no more than 10 minutes to do this. From the center of Feodosia you can drive along Lenin Street, Krasnoarmeyskaya, Zemsky or Ukrainian. It is better to leave the car near a bus stop or the sea.

Interesting Facts:

• for four centuries, the largest slave market in Europe operated near the walls of the fortress;
• according to some reports, the name of the city and the fortress of Kafa appeared due to the fact that black people here were often called the word "kafa";
• the remains of an ancient fortress can be found throughout the territory of modern Feodosia, as ancient foundations and so on are “hidden” everywhere.

Description and history of the Genoese fortress, see the next video.