Gaspra is one of the most beautiful corners of the Crimea. It has long been known as a great place to relax, so during the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th, several luxurious summer palaces were built in the resort and its environs. These and other attractions of Gaspra (Crimea) are of great interest, as evidenced by the numerous reviews of tourists.
"Swallow's Nest"
Photos of this unique structure, located on top of the Aurora Rock, are familiar to millions of people around the world. The Swallow’s Nest Palace is a visiting card not only of Gaspra, but also of Crimea, and is recognized as an object of culture of federal significance. Romantic legends are made up of him, and everyone who comes to the resort is sure to strive to enjoy the sea view from his balcony. Although you can get to the Swallow's Nest by public transport, many tourists prefer a boat trip on a boat, sailing off the pier from the Lenin Yalta embankment.
For several years now, a palace has been operating in the palace with a constantly changing exposure, and various cultural events are regularly held there (ticket prices are 100 rubles for children and 200 rubles for adults).
Countess Panin's Palace
Since the 1830s, Crimea has become a place where the entire highest Russian aristocracy sought to come for summer vacations. At the same time, many nobles were particularly attracted to Gaspra. Attractions of the resort, built during this period, were later turned into sanatoriums for workers. These include Yasnaya Polyana. Initially, the palace was called "Gaspra" and was built for Alexander Nikolayevich Golitsyn, who dreamed of spending the last years of his life in Crimea after his retirement. The architect Villamo Gunt was involved in the construction, who gave the construction the features inherent in European romanticism. He decorated the palace with towers with battlements twined with ivy, and later a magnificent park was set up around it. At the end of the 19th century, the estate of Gaspra was managed by Countess Sofya Panina, who began to take it for the summer. One of her famous guests was Leo Tolstoy, who spent almost a year in Gaspra working on Hadji Murad. Later, a sanatorium was opened in the palace, called “Yasnaya Polyana” (address: 52 Sevastopol highway).
Yusupov Palace
Those who are interested in the sights of Gaspra and the surrounding area should definitely visit the neighboring village of Koreiz. The Yusupov Palace is located there , which at the beginning of the last century belonged to the Governor-General of Moscow. The building in the form of a powerful fortress was built in Neo-Romanesque style with features of Italian Baroque. The palace is decorated with sculptures of heroes of Roman and ancient Greek myths, as well as lions installed at the entrances and on the stairs. The estate is also known for the fact that in 1945 a Soviet government delegation was placed there, headed by Stalin, who took part in the Yalta Conference.
Dulber Palace
Gaspra, whose attractions are known far beyond the borders of Crimea, is an excellent starting point for visiting interesting sites located on the southern coast of Crimea. For example, you should definitely visit the Dulber Palace, which is located in the neighboring village of Koreiz (19 Alupkinskoye Shosse). It is a luxurious complex consisting of several buildings in the Moorish style. It was built in the years 1895-1897 according to the sketches brought from travels along the Magrib by Prince Pyotr Nikolayevich Romanov. In the Soviet period, a sanatorium was opened in the palace and another building was completed in the same architectural style as the main buildings of Dyulber.
Roman fortress Haraks
No matter what events took place in antiquity in the territory occupied by Gaspra today! Attractions of the resort indicate that once this stretch of the coast of Crimea was of great interest to the Romans. In particular, during the reign of Emperor Vespasian, soldiers of the 9th Claudian Legion built on the territory of modern Gaspra the Haraks fortress with two rows of impregnable walls and several towers. According to historians, the permanent Roman garrison stationed there consisted of 500 soldiers. In addition, there was a lighthouse in the fortress, which served as a guide for military and merchant ships, thermae, the altar of Jupiter and nymphaeum - a sanctuary dedicated to water deities.
In 1865, a new one was built on the site of the Roman lighthouse, which exists to this day.
Haraks Park and Palace
Near the ruins of a Roman fortress at the beginning of the 20th century, Grand Duke G.M. Romanov built a cottage. So Gaspra, whose sights by that time had already attracted guests from St. Petersburg and Moscow, received another decoration. Dacha-palace Haraks suffered greatly during the war years, but was restored, however, with great changes. Fortunately, the park has been perfectly preserved, the decoration of which is a juniper grove and a gazebo consisting of twelve marble columns surrounding the fountain. It is believed that it was built in 1882 and was part of a not-preserved palace-copy of the atrium of a house excavated in Pompeii.
Sun trail
It has long been known that holidays in Gaspra, the attractions of which are described above, are especially indicated for people with pulmonary diseases. The fact is that at the beginning of the 19th century, on the orders of Nicholas II, a 7 km long track was laid and equipped, connecting the village with the Livadia Palace. It was intended for walks of members of the royal family and was decorated with sculptures and signs. Due to the lack of elevation, the Sun trail has therapeutic value, therefore, after the revolution, a sanatorium was opened next to it, where today various diseases, including respiratory diseases, are treated.
Livadia Palace
This significant attraction is located seven kilometers from the resort of Gaspra, in the village of the same name (address: 44a Baturina St.). The palace is known as the venue for the Yalta Conference, which determined the structure of post-war Europe. The Livadia estate became the summer residence of the Russian tsars in 1861. Half a century later, a magnificent palace was built there.
Today, in addition to him, in Livadia you can see the Svitsky building, the palace of the Exaltation of the Cross Exaltation, the residence of Baron Frederiks, as well as a picturesque park with arbors and fountains.
Taurus necropolises
Dolmens and ancient burials are in many parts of the Crimean peninsula. These include the Taurus necropolises near Gaspra. Researchers believe that they date back to the 5-1th centuries BC. They consist of 4 slabs dug in the ground and form the walls of a tomb with an earthen floor. From above, the crypts with an area of 1 x 1 m and a height of 1.5 m are covered with another slab. 3 burial grounds can be seen in the vicinity of the Royal (Solar) trail. Another necropolis is located on the territory of Gaspra itself.
Gaspra: attractions and activities on the beach
Everyone who comes to the resort, always strives to see the main natural monument of these places - the rock Parus. There is no exact information about when she appeared. However, it can be seen on one of the paintings of Carlo Bossoli, which belongs to the middle of the 19th century. The rock is located on Cape Ai-Todor, has a height of 20 meters and an outline resembling the sail of a huge ship.
In addition to sightseeing, on the coast of Gaspra, tourists can relax on the municipal beach and the beach of the Marat sanatorium. For a certain amount you can go to the fenced area of the sanatorium "Parus". In this case, the fee will include the use of sun loungers and toilets, as well as a special elevator.
Among the activities that Gaspra offers (attractions, photos and a description of the resort are already known to you), diving can be noted. Moreover, those who already dived off the coast, usually hoping to find artifacts from the Roman and late periods. Indeed, hundreds of military and merchant ships, including those loaded with weapons, utensils and household items, have wrecked at Cape Ai-Todor for many centuries.
Gaspra, attractions: reviews
As with any other resort, the opinions of tourists about holidays on the southern coast of Crimea can be heard very different. However, if we are talking about the sights of Gaspra, then negative reviews are practically absent. And this is not surprising, since in the village and its environs are the most beautiful country palaces of the imperial family and high-ranking nobles. True, some guests note that, for example, some parts of the Sun trail are fenced, and local residents violated the beauty of the scenery by trampling trails in the park. The garbage that is scattered close to many historical and cultural monuments also causes grievance.
As for the positive reviews, tourists are very pleased with the convenient location of most of the attractions of Gaspra, Koreiz, Semeiz and their environs.
Now that you know the sights of Gaspra with a description, you can draw up an interesting excursion program for yourself and make the rest in this resort even more pleasant and informative.