Cities of Crimea: the largest, oldest, beautiful and popular

The Republic of Crimea has many cities, large and small. The creation of some settlements is lost in the mists of time, others are relatively young. They are all different, each unique in its own way, and each of them has a separate story.

There are no cities with a million people in Crimea, but there are several rather large centers that attract everyone's attention. We list the largest of them.

A city of federal significance, known throughout the world. The base of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia, an international trading port. It is also an important economic center of the region.. This is the largest area of ​​Crimea in terms of area and number of inhabitants - Currently, a little more than 400 thousand people live in it.

The city was founded in 1783, when the Russian Empire created a new naval unit on the Black Sea - the Black Sea Fleet.

The main administrative center, the second largest city, the capital of the Republic of Crimea. The population is about 335 thousand people. Located in the southwestern part of the peninsula, has no access to the sea. There is an international airport in Simferopol, with all other cities it is connected by rail and road.

The city also has a rich history. Numerous exhibits are presented at the Central Museum of Tauris, Crimean Ethnographic and Simferopol Art Museums.

Takes third place in terms of population - 150 thousand people.

Over its long history, the city in different years belonged to various state entities, for example, such as the Byzantine Empire, the Khazar Kaganate, the Genoese Republic, the Ottoman Empire. Since 1774 attached to Russia.

This resort city on the western coast of Crimea is famous for its magnificent beaches and mild, pleasant climate. During the tourist season the number of visitors is 2-3 times higher than the number of local residents, the number of which is slightly more than 106 thousand people.

Quiet provincial life in a small town changed dramatically in the second half of the 19th century. Since 1860, the royal family has come to Livadia, a neighborhood of Yalta, for the summer. Holidays in these places are in fashion among high society and Russian aristocrats, the construction of beautiful palaces, estates, summer houses and mansions in a variety of architectural styles begins.

And also very popular among vacationers beautiful promenade, where there are many cafes, restaurants and various attractions. Here is the famous hotel (and formerly a hotel) "Tavrida". If you count along with the suburbs, About 79,000 people live here permanently.

Relatively small city with a population of about 70,000.

The famous artist lived in Feodosia I.K. Aivazovsky. His name is called the art gallery of the city. The famous romantic writer Alexander Green also lived here; he is described in the exposition of the literary and memorial museum.

Just like in Yalta, by the end of the 19th century, cottages and mansions began to be built in these places, Alushta became attractive for recreation.

In the 50s of the XX century, after the city was rebuilt after the war, a large number of sanatoriums and rest houses were opened in it. To this day, many tourists come to Alushta to this day. There are few permanent residents in it, about 30,000 people.

In Crimea there are many monuments with a rich history. Among the most ancient settlements that have come down to us are several famous ancient Greek cities.

• Panticapaeum, Kerch. Located on the eastern tip of the Crimean peninsula, Kerch can be proud of its very respectable age. The Greek policy appeared on this place more than 2.5 thousand years ago. The historical center is Mount Mithridates. Around 479 BC, the city becomes the capital of the kingdom of Bospor. There are also the ruins of several other ancient fortifications. During archaeological excavations, a large number of household items, jewelry, coins, fragments of ceramics, dishes and many other evidence of history were found. All this is on display at the Kerch Museum of Antiquities.

• Evpatoria. On the site of modern Evpatoria, several cities alternately replaced. First, from the V century BC. e. here was the Greek port city of Kerkinitida. At the very end of the 2nd century of a new time, it was ruined by the Scythian tribes who came to the peninsula. For a long period no one lived in this place. And only in the Middle Ages after the formation of the Crimean Khanate appeared the city of Kezlev. It was called Evpatoria when Crimea was annexed to the Russian Empire. On the picturesque narrow streets of the Old Town there are many old buildings, architectural monuments.

• Theodosius. The name of the city was given by Greek settlers in the VI century BC. e., and it has survived to the present time, which means - "given by God." However, there are almost no buildings of the times of antiquity. A significant part of the buildings dates back to the Middle Ages - these are Christian churches and temples, a mosque and some other structures.

• Yalta. Around the 5th-6th centuries BC, ships of Greek sailors landed on the southern coast of Crimea.On the site of the present Yalta, they founded the settlement of Yialos (translated from Greek means "coast"). Like the rest of the peninsula, it has repeatedly changed owners: Greeks, Venetians, Genoese, Byzantines, Ottoman Turks. After the Russo-Turkish war, it became part of the Russian Empire.

• Aluston, Alushta. This fortified coastal city was built by the Byzantines during the reign of Emperor Justinian the First in the VI century. After the fall of Byzantium, the fortress belonged to the Khazar Kaganate, was part of the Principality of Theodoro, and then was destroyed by the Turks. A small fishing village remains on the site of the city. And only in the second half of the XIX century does revival begin.

• Tauric Chersonesos (in the territory of modern Sevastopol). The open-air museum, located in the northwestern part of the Quarantine Bay, is an antique policy built in 422-421 BC. e. After a thousand years, the big city fell under the rule of the Byzantines, and from the middle of the XIV century the Genoese became masters in it. In 1399, hordes of nomads completely destroyed the settlement and fortress. Since the 80s of the XX century, excavations of the ancient settlement have been ongoing.

• Simferopol. It is also built on the site of one of the ancient fortresses of the Crimean peninsula. Here was Naples Scythian, the capital of the Scythian Kingdom. Its ruins can be seen near the city.

The nature of these places can be admired all year round. Beautiful landscapes - the sea with sandy beaches, caves and grottoes, forests, steppes - fascinate with its beauty:

• the picturesque waterfall Dzhur-Dzhur near the city of Alushta is the largest on the peninsula, its height is 15 meters;
• Cape Chameleon in Koktebel, changing its color during the day;
• The ghost valley in the vicinity of Alushta, where the outlines of weathered rocks resemble the figures of people and animals;
• the famous peak of Ai-Petri - the pearl of the mountain Crimea;
• Balaklava Bay - decoration of Sevastopol.

And many more other natural beauties.

In addition to natural landscapes, in Crimea there are also many man-made monuments.

• In 1912, German baron P. Steingel, a wealthy oil industrialist, built the Swallow's Nest castle on the very edge of the steep cliff of Aurora Rock. To this day, it amazes the imagination of tourists.
• On the territory of the city of Simferopol there are many beautiful ancient parks that were founded in the XVIII-XIX centuries. Of these, Vorontsov Park is especially famous.
• Nikitsky Botanical Garden, which contains the best plants from around the world.
• Karadag natural reserve.
• Luxurious palaces and cottages built on the sea coast in the XVIII-XIX and early XX centuries.

During the Great Patriotic War, Crimea survived a heavy occupation, fierce battles fought for its ports. For the courage, heroism and unparalleled feats of the defenders, the honorary title of a hero city was awarded to several settlements.

• The heroic Sevastopol rightfully bears this title. The expositions of museums tell about this - the Defense of Sevastopol, the Assault on the Sapun Mountains, the Mikhailovsky Battery, the Balaklava Naval Complex, Malakhov Kurgan, and the 35th Coastal Battery.
• Kerch. The front line passed through the city four times. In memory of these events, a memorial was built on Mount Mithridates, to which 423 steps lead - the Obelisk of Glory to the Immortal Heroes and the Eternal Flame burns.
• Theodosius. He deservedly bears the title of the City of Military Glory. More information about the experiences during the war can be found in the local museum.

The tourist route must be chosen depending on the purpose of the trip. For example, beach lovers should consider the list of cities and towns located near the sea.

For those who want to study the history of the peninsula, there are interesting places of excavation of ancient settlements, ruins of fortresses, as well as museum exhibits.

Fans of the kingdom of nature can find the most visited parks, gardens and nature reserves.

About which cities of Crimea are the most beautiful, see the next video.