Mangup-Kale is an ancient cave city, which is located twenty kilometers from Sevastopol. From the 6th to the 15th century he was the capital of the Principality of Theodoro. The latter controlled the southwestern territories of Crimea. In earlier times, Mangup-Kale was the largest medieval city in this part of the peninsula.
Location
The ruins, once owned by the largest ancient city in size, are located on the very top of Mangup Mountain. This massif, two hundred meters high, majestically rises above the three valleys (Djan-Dere, as well as Ai-Todor and Karalez) just like an island.
The Mangup plateau on three sides ends with rocky cliffs. The height at some of their points reaches 70 m. The northern slope of the mountain massif is cut by three deep ravines. Among them are Kapu Dere, Gama Dere and Tabana Dere. From this side, the plateau can be reached on foot or by car. Deciduous as well as coniferous trees grow in ravines. There are bushes here.
In between gullies there are four capes (ledges). They resemble giant fingers, stretched towards the north. The eastern cape is called Tekshli-Burun (Leaky). It is completely ruined by caves. Next to it is Cape Elli-Burun (Windy). Then is Chufut-Choargan-Burun. His other name is the Cape of the Calling Jew. The westernmost ledge is Chamly-Burun (Pine).
Early story
Researchers do not know exactly when the city of Mangup-Kale (Crimea) was founded. According to excavations, at its location, a settlement of people was founded in the first centuries of our era. It was a major political and military center of Christianization. On the Mangup plateau was a Pontic city called Priscian.
The people who inhabited this area in the 3rd century maintained close ties with Chersonesos. This fact is confirmed by some found objects of that time. So, amphoras dating back to the late Roman period and
copper coins minted under the emperor Arcadia were discovered here.
Concrete data on the earliest period in the history of this principality are practically absent. The names of his first rulers are also unknown. There is an assumption that the princes ruling Theodoro belonged to the Armenian noble family of Gavrasov.
Medieval period
From the beginning of the 15th century and until 1434, the head of the Principality of Theodoro was the smart and energetic Prince Alexei. He provided access to the commercial sea routes, restoring the port of Kalamita.
In the summer of 1475, the Turks, with the Tatars adjoining them, began the siege of Mangup-Kale. Enemies possessed firearms, which at that time were advanced. There were in the arsenal of Turkish troops and cannons removed from the ships. As for the residents of the city, they hoped only for their own courage and inaccessibility of the walls of the fortress. However, after a long siege, the defenders of the Mangup fortress were forced to surrender. The Turks ravaged the captured city, destroying almost all of its inhabitants. Mangup-Kale became part of the Turkish district. Up to the 18th century within the walls of his fortress was a military garrison of new owners. It was then that the Turks added Kale to the name Mangup, which means "fortress."
In 1783, Crimea was annexed to Russia. During this period, the last inhabitants left the plateau. And since then, the center of the once powerful princedom and the big city ceased to exist forever.
During the Great Patriotic War, the Germans sent an archaeological expedition to Mangup. Its purpose was to establish traces of the Aryan origin of the German people. On the walls of Mangup-Kale that have been preserved to this day, you can still find autographs left by Wehrmacht soldiers.
Road
The cave city of Mangup-Kale is located in the northeast of the village of Krasny Mayak. From this settlement to him five kilometers.
The final destination of your trip is Mangup Kale? How to get to this cave city? To do this, drive to the village of Krasny Mayak or Zalesnoye. This can be done from the Bakhchisaray bus station or from Simferopol Zapadnaya. Next, you will need to follow the road running south. From it, a little before reaching the artificial lake, it will be necessary to turn left towards the village of Hadji Sala. A country road will lead you to this village. From Hadji Sala the ascent to the Mangup plateau will begin on its northern side. It should be borne in mind that the path from the village is paid.
There is another option. From the station "5th kilometer", located in Sevastopol, you can get to the village of Terovka. The route should be continued along the T-0105 highway in the east direction. At the foot of Mangup, the track turns north. Here it is necessary to get off it, and, having passed a large clearing, begin climbing Mangup from the southern slope.
Plateau ascents
Mangup-Kale can be seen by going to the top along the beams of Tabana-Dere or Gamam-Dere. More gentle is the ascent on the road, which is located on the southern slope. At the entrance to the plateau you can admire the artificial caves located in rocky cliffs, which served for defensive purposes.
Already 40 minutes after the start of climbing the Gama-Dere beam, the trail will lead to the tower, which has been preserved quite well. From it, the path rises steeply to the right slope of the ravine and runs along the defensive walls. The city can be accessed through a breach. In the old days, in this place, most likely, there was a gate.
View from the plateau
So, you have reached the goal of your journey and entered the territory of ancient Mangup-Kale. A map that you should take with you will help you navigate the terrain. To the west of the plateau, a small area of the northern bay of Sevastopol with the river Chernaya flowing into it is visible. Here are the ruins of the fortress of Kalamita.
To the left of it you can see the silhouette of the Chembalo tower that once belonged to the principality. Eski-Kermen cliffs rise north of the plateau, behind which hills with villages located on them go into the distance.
Facing the southeast, you can see the majestic silhouette of Chatyr-Dag. This peak belongs to the main ridge of the Crimean mountains.
Plateau Tour
The territory on which the city used to be located has a shape stretched from east to west. The plateau is clearly visible, revealing gazes carved into the rock and the ruins of the once high walls with towers.
Mangup in the 5-6 centuries. was in the upper city. It was located on Tekshli-Burun. A little later the city was expanded. Houses were built on the remaining headlands. This territory was the lower city. Even later, the upper reaches of Tabana-Dere were settled. They were craft areas. Until the end of the city's existence, only the Pine Cape remained uninhabited. He served for Mangup-Kale as reserve territory.
The ruins of the ancient city
Mangup-Kale (see photo below) greets tourists at Cape Tekshli-Burun with the ruins of the citadel. It was a very high defensive wall, erected from the eastern part of the hill to the western. At the very gates are the ruins of the building. The construction was being repaired for the last time in the 15th century. Today it is badly damaged. From the inside of this building you can admire the wide door and window openings, which are decorated with unique stone carvings. Here, the structure is more like a palace than a fortress. It is believed that this was the residence of the Mangup princes.
Not far from the gate are the remains of an octagonal church built in the 8th century. And in the eastern wall of the Cape Leaky are casemates. Of these, the road leading to the main city gate is clearly visible. There are similar caves from the western cliff. They were necessary in order to hit the enemy from above, if he moves to the city gates. In peaceful times, caves were used for household purposes.
Among the military casemates in the middle of the eastern cliff was a cave church, which was visited by the defenders of the citadel. The approaches to the plateau from the side of the Belbek Valley were controlled from the watch tower. She was at the very end of the cape. A barracks was built near the tower, the lower part of which was cut down in the rock. The upper one, made of stone, has not been preserved to this day. At the base of the tower is a doorway, beyond which is a staircase leading to a large artificial cave. From it you can go down below, going, as expected, into an underground prison.
In the southern part of the plateau there are a large number of caves. Some of them served as Christian temples. To the west of the Gamam Dere beam you can see the remains of the palace of the last rulers of Theodoro. A little further away are the ruins of a Christian church, erected in honor of two saints - Elena and Constantine.
Rest in the mountains of Crimea
Admiring and exploring the ruins of a cave city located on the Mangup plateau is not a single day's business. For those who have a desire to stay at the historical treasury of entire civilizations and enjoy plenty of nature of extraordinary beauty, a hotel is open at the foot of the mountain. She receives visitors year-round.
A magnificent vacation "Mangup-Kale" (this is the name of the hotel) will provide you without fail. An optimal combination of services and prices is provided here. In addition, there is the opportunity to stay away from everyday problems and city bustle.