The Ilyinsky lighthouse in Feodosia is one of the attractions of the city, which tourists have come to see for many years. Its light has been pointing the way of ships for more than a century. Since the appearance of the signal tower in local waters, not a single vessel has sunk. Access to the Ilyinsky lighthouse is closed today, but you can admire it from the outside at any time.
Location
We find out where the Ilyinsky lighthouse is located. It was built on the cape of St. Elijah, located on the southern coast of Crimea near Feodosia, in the southeast of the city. The facility is located at an altitude of 65 meters above sea level and is the hallmark of the resort.
Ilyinsky lighthouse: how to get
The distance from Feodosia to the cape is 4.5 kilometers. You can overcome this path by private car, taxi or public transport.
We will figure out how to get to Ilyinsky Lighthouse from Feodosia by bus. There is no direct route in this direction. You will have to walk some distance. To do this, at the stop "City Hospital" you need to take a bus or minibus under the numbers 1, 1A, 14 or 15 and get off at Korabelny lane, reaching the end of which you can see the Mayak complex. From there it is necessary to walk about a mile and a half on a dirt road.
The address of the Ilyinsky lighthouse: Crimea, Cape Ilya.
History
The Ilyinsky lighthouse acquired its name in honor of the cape on which it is located, and he, in turn, inherited the name from the church located here in the fifteenth to sixteenth centuries. It was built by the Greeks in honor of the prophet Elijah. Tatars destroyed the church during one of their raids.
Thanks to research, it is known that the first signal device was built here in the fourth century BC. It was established by the inhabitants of the Bosporus Kingdom after the loss of several of their ships in this area. In all likelihood, it was destroyed in antiquity, as in the Middle Ages and until the nineteenth century ships continued to die here. Not only the ships needed the lighthouse, but also the cities of Crimea themselves.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, the Russian fleet was transferred from the city of Nikolaev to Sevastopol. Merchant ships were left without a port, Theodosius was elected for this purpose. Obstacles were frequent shipwrecks in these waters.
To prevent tragedy, a lighthouse was built with the money of the Feodosia Yacht Club. It was first lit in the seventies of the nineteenth century. He was too primitive and was a simple goat booth. In addition, the lighthouse did not have sufficient power and illuminated the way for ships only at a distance of 3.5 kilometers. Not far from it was a bell that rang in foggy weather.
In 1894, the hydrographic vessel Ingul explored in detail the seabed in the vicinity of the city of Feodosia. Based on the data received, new maps were compiled. But the measures taken were not enough. A better lighthouse was needed. There was no money for its construction.
In 1897, Yevdokia Nikolaevna Rukavishnikova, the wife of a state adviser, was resting in Feodosia. Her son was sick with tuberculosis and was taking a course of rehabilitation in the Crimea. A woman with a child lived on Cape Ilya. The boy recovered completely, although he was brought to Crimea in a hopeless state, and his mother, in gratitude to the place, offered her help and acted as a sponsor.
Thus, in 1899 a new lighthouse was erected in Feodosia. The wooden structure was equipped with equipment specially purchased in Finland.
In 1912, the Ilyinsky lighthouse was modernized. Lighting fixtures were replaced with new ones, and some wooden parts were reinforced with steel sheets.
In 1941, Cape Ilya and the lighthouse fell into the hands of the Nazis. During the next battle, the structure was destroyed. In 1944, a temporary hut was established here, which lasted until 1956. Then, in its place, a large stone tower with a lighting device was built. To serve it, a small town was erected nearby, where a group of specialists lived.
Today, the Ilyinsky lighthouse has not changed. Only light optics has been replaced. They put a more powerful one - LED, to save electricity.
Description
Ilyinsky lighthouse in Crimea is a white tower. Its height reaches 15 meters. Larger size is not required, as the cape itself is quite high. The lighthouse can be seen from anywhere in the Theodosian Gulf. The tower is built of stone and has three-tier light openings.
The lighthouse looks very beautiful, but only from the outside. Inside, the floor is tiled, and the walls are whitewashed. A vertical iron staircase leads upstairs.
The lighthouse produces a white glow through a quartz oscillator. Its charge provides several days of battery life. Every three seconds a glimpse appears. Then follows a six-second pause. After it, a glimpse appears half as often. The whole process is controlled by a mini-computer. The signal range is thirty-seven kilometers.
Not far from the lighthouse is a commemorative plaque with the name of Evdokia Rukavishnikova.
In 2013, director Dmitry Moiseev shot an episode of the film "Such Beautiful People" on the territory of the signal facility.
Service
During the Soviet Union, this object belonged to the military. He was strictly guarded. Six families lived here who served the lighthouse. They worked in three shifts, each of which lasted eight hours. The staff had four small houses.
There was also its own power station.
Turning the lighthouse on and off was carried out strictly according to an ultra-precise clock. People who were free from duty were engaged in farming. In the eighties of the last century, automation replaced human labor. People parted.
Today, only two people are required to manage this facility. These are the rangers of the fire and the lighthouse itself. Both employees live in Feodosia and come to the place of work only during their shift.
Maintenance of the Ilyinsky lighthouse is easy. All processes are fully automated. The staff just needs to monitor the health of the equipment and the cleanliness of the glass.
Excursions
Mass walks along the lighthouse are not allowed, but, having received permission from the guard, you can visit the control room. This oak-paneled room offers great views of the surroundings, including the Kyik Atlam Peninsula and Cape Chauda.
Reviews
According to tourists, a visit to the Ilyinsky lighthouse brings a certain variety to the course of travel across the Crimea. Here you can get wonderful photos both from the sea and from the coast. A negative factor is the poor quality of the road leading to the lighthouse. It is rather difficult to drive through it in rainy weather. Otherwise, the reviews of tourists are exceptionally positive.