Kerch is a city with a long history, located on the east coast of Crimea. Historians say that the city has existed for more than one thousand years, but to be more precise, it is already more than three thousand years old. Even before our era the Greeks lived here. Archaeologists have found the remains of the city of Panticapaeum, which was the capital. The whole history of Kerch is completely shrouded in secrets that have not yet been disclosed, and the numerous mounds found on its territory have not been fully studied. But more detailed studies could shed light on many things. If you plan to visit the ancient city, we recommend paying attention to its sights. In Kerch there are many interesting places that tourists should see.
Mithridates
One of the main attractions of Kerch and its visiting card is Mithridates. There is a mountain in the historical center of the city. The whole history of the region is connected with it. Unfortunately, all its secrets have not yet been explored. But 26 centuries ago the city of Panticapaeum flourished on this very spot. On the observation deck of the mountain you can now admire the panoramic view of modern Kerch.
At one time, Mount Mithridates was named after the Pontic Kingdom of Mithridates. And in honor of the highest place was named mineral, which was found at its foot - mitridatitis.
In the seventh century BC e. ancient Greek Panticapaeum was founded on the mountain. And the Strait of Kerch in those days was called the Cimmerian Bosporus. At the top of the mountain was an acropolis surrounded by powerful walls and towers. Here stood beautiful temples built in honor of the gods, and beautiful palaces of the nobility.
To this day, numerous legends about the treasures of Tsar Mithridates, which were stored in the castle's dungeon, haunt historians to this day. Whether they really existed or not is unknown. The items found during excavations at the foot of the mountain are now stored in museums. Most of the finds are exhibited at the Hermitage.
Mithridates staircase
At present, everyone can visit Mount Mithridates, but they will have to climb it, having overcome 400 steps. This is the famous Mithridates staircase, which is an architectural monument of the nineteenth century. It is decorated with statues of mythical creatures - griffins, which have the bodies of lions and wings of birds. It is these animals that are the symbol of the city, their images are present on the coat of arms of Kerch.
The Mithridates staircase consists of 432 steps, which are not so easy to overcome. But at the end of the ascent, you will enjoy the beautiful viewing platforms.
Top of the mountain objects
At the top of the mountain is the Obelisk of Glory to the Immortal Heroes. You can also see guns installed in memory of the dead soldiers who liberated Kerch from the Germans. From the top of Mithridates, a surprisingly beautiful view of the city, the Kerch Bay, suburban areas, a trading and fishing port opens. On one of the slopes, the results of excavations by archaeologists are visible. Some monuments are open for visiting: the ruins of an ancient temple, the walls of ancient houses, a colonnade.
But the underground acropolis in the bowels of the mountain is not accessible to visitors. It represents a whole system of crypts of Panticapaeum. At present, only a couple of hundred of them have been studied, but scientists suggest that in total there are about 4 thousand of them.
Fortress Kerch
Due to the preserved architectural and historical sights of Kerch, we can roughly understand how the city lived during the past centuries. It is the ancient buildings that are silent witnesses of bygone times. One of such monuments is the Kerch fortress. Historians call it a masterpiece of fortification art. Over its entire period of existence (more than 150 years), the fortress saw many events and played an important role in the history of the country.
The need to build fortifications arose due to the ban of Russia to have fortresses and a fleet on the Black Sea coast. But the shores of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait formally did not fall under the ban. Therefore, in 1857 the construction of the Kerch fortress began. And it lasted more than twenty years.
The fortifications were completed only at the beginning of the Russo-Turkish war. But throughout the nineteenth century, the fortress never took part in hostilities. And at the beginning of the twentieth century they began to use it as a warehouse. After the revolution, political prisoners were kept in it. Real tests awaited the fortress during the Great Patriotic War. She was repeatedly bombarded, and not the territory was fought. Repeated attempts to blow up fortifications were unsuccessful. After the war, warehouses were again placed in it.
Underground galleries
The main pride of the fortress itself is a network of underground passages, of which many stories and legends have been preserved. Almost all structures on its territory are connected by crossings. The largest is a tunnel with a length of 600 meters. It connects Totleben Fort with erected coastal batteries. Even now it is not known about all the moves of the fortress.
The buildings preserved here have great cultural and historical value. Currently, the Kerch fortress is open to tourists, everyone can walk along its territory and plunge into the era of past centuries.
Royal Mound
From a height of Mithridates, on a clear day, you can clearly see two hills overgrown with greenery. These are the legendary mounds that served as the tombs of the Bosporus rulers - Tsarsky and Melek-Chesmensky. The first is of most interest, since it is evidence of the former glory of Panticapaeum. This is the most famous mound in the east of the peninsula. In addition, it is available for viewing by guests. According to tourists, the place is very creepy and mystical, but interesting.
It is believed that the royal mound was erected in the second half of the fourth century BC. e. The construction has impressive dimensions (height - 18 meters, pancake perimeter - 250 m). In the mound there is a long corridor, a funerary room and an embankment consisting of three layers - clay, stone and earthen mixture. Such a complex structure protected the mound from rains and landslides. An interesting fact is that the walls are built of limestone blocks, between which a joint solution was not used.
Picture gallery
Another attraction of Kerch is the art gallery. Despite the fact that it was discovered in 1985, its history began long before that. The basis was the cycle of work of one of the founders of the gallery N. Ya. Bout. 29 of his paintings, drawings and sketches roamed the exhibitions of different cities. And about a year later they settled in the Historical and Archaeological Museum. It was these works in 1985 that served as the basis for the formation of the Kerch Art Gallery. In the future, funds were regularly replenished with new creations of local artists and archaeological finds that are directly related to art. Currently, the gallery stores about two thousand paintings. It presents objects of culture and art from ancient times to the modern period. Exhibits allow you to get acquainted with the history of the city and the life of its inhabitants at different periods of history.
The center of the entire exposition is still works from the Adzhimushkay cycle. The paintings illustrate the tragic military events. Also in the gallery you can see the diorama "Church of St. John the Baptist." Since 1987, modern exhibitions have been regularly held here.
It is worth noting that the gallery building itself is of great cultural value. A beautiful two-story mansion built in the 19th century in the style of neoclassicism. It is included in a single ensemble with the Mithridates staircase. The building has the status of an architectural monument.
Lapidarium
Lapidarium in Kerch is an amazing museum, which contains an amazing collection of the rarest monuments. She is the second largest after Athens. In the museum you can see stone sculptures, religious objects collected in different periods.
In the old days, our ancestors tried to elegantly and beautifully convey information to future generations in the form of engravings. Therefore, images of the nobility and beautiful drawings have survived to this day.
Initially, the main material, which depicted paintings and inscriptions, was marble and bronze. In the museum you can see many such works. The museum exposition consists of 116 monuments, but the entire collection is 2500 items. Kerch lapidary is known all over the world.
Many historians, art historians and archaeologists dream of visiting it and working surrounded by rare exhibits. For a long time, access to amazing items was completely closed. Lapidary exhibits are monitored by workers who are engaged in their storage and restoration. After all, these unique objects can tell a lot about the life of distant times.
Jau Tepe
Mud volcanoes are another attraction in the region. There are such travelers who seek to get to the Crimea to see with their own eyes an amazing phenomenon. On the peninsula, there are about 60 mud volcanoes. The largest - Jau-Tepe is located near Kerch, near the village of Vulkanovka. It is a natural monument. There is a legend that long ago, its mud flows destroyed an entire village at the foot.
The last awakening of the volcano was recorded in 1982. Since then, the volcano has been sleeping. And a little south of it a hydrogen sulfide spring breaks out of the ground. Geologists say that during the 20th century the volcano erupted six times. We managed to study his behavior well, describing all the signs of "awakening." It is known that during periods of activity the volcano is able to push mud streams up to 10 meters high. They say that Maykop clay, which under the influence of gases push out tons of mud masses, is the cause of the phenomenon.
Kerch in one day
It often happens that the vacation is very small or you want to see more new places. And in Crimea there is something to see. In this case, the question arises of what to see in Kerch in 1 day. The city has a rich history, so the number of attractions is impressive. A tour of the city of Kerch should start from the main street of Leninsky. Through it lies the path to the foot of Mithridates. To the top of the mountain you need to climb the Metridat stairs. Tourists have a tradition - rising, to count all the steps. At the top of the mountain you can admire the panoramic view of the entire city. Here is the eternal flame and the Obelisk of Glory. And on the western slope you can see the ruins of Panticapaeum. Having walked through the excavations of the capital of the Bosporan kingdom, you can go down the same stairs down.
Next, you should see the Church of St. John the Baptist, consisting of two parts: the ancient one was built in the sixth century, and the front building was erected in the nineteenth century.
To get acquainted with the history of the city, you should visit the historical and archaeological museum. Walking on it takes at least two hours. Then you can visit the Adzhimushkaysky quarries, which became a monument to the dramatic events of the Great Patriotic War.
Adzhimushkaysky quarries
Adzhimushkaysky quarries located under the city. Now they have a memorial museum. In 1942, 13 thousand people left the Germans in the quarry, among whom were soldiers and residents of the city. For 170 days they held the defense in conditions of lack of water, medicines and food.
The Germans, meanwhile, blew up the quarries, blocking the passages, and launching poisonous substances into the dungeons. Despite all the horrors, people periodically made sorties and tried to attack. When the Nazis nevertheless captured the quarries, out of thirteen thousand only 48 people survived. And a year later, the Soviet army liberated the Kerch region. The atmosphere of the museum is very difficult, but still it is worth a visit to remember the feat that people once performed.
Beach vacation
Kerch city beach is located on the Artsinshevskaya Spit. It has a sand cover and a very shallow entry into the sea. The beach stretches along the entire length of the spit. Its central part was reconstructed in 2011, after which it was fenced and equipped inside. With the advent of beach infrastructure, much has changed. A new place on the coast was called “Sandals”.
The beach is equipped with cafes, sunbeds, awnings, sports fields and other amenities. Entrance to it is completely free. Resting in the summer in Kerch, be sure to visit one of the beaches of the city and appreciate the beauty of the sea.
Reviews of tourists about Kerch
According to many tourists, Kerch is interesting not only as a seaside resort. In the summer, the city is crowded with guests from different parts of the country. At this time, most tourists seek to soak up the sea. Nevertheless, it is worth paying attention to the historical sights of the city. As you can see, there are an incredible amount. And at the same time, each monument has a long history. According to tourists, guests should definitely see Mount Mithridates and the stairs leading to it. The ancient ruins of Panticapaeum are also noteworthy. No less interesting are the fortress and the Royal Mound.