Who has not heard of the beauty of the Bakhchisaray Palace, the magnificent monastery of the ancient rulers? But it’s better to see him once than to hear about him a hundred times! But besides this attraction, the city still has a lot of interesting things.
Beautiful legend
It is difficult to imagine a modern city without the Bakhchisaray Palace. And there is a beautiful legend about its occurrence. Traditions say that once during a hunt the son of Mengli Giray saw a snake battle. Watching them, he noticed that the defeated half-dead reptile barely crawled to the river, and when it got out of it, it was healed. At that time, the young khan was thinking about the hard battle of his people with the Golden Horde. He thought that his family was doomed like this snake, but when he saw a miracle, he hastened to tell his father about a good sign.
And so it happened: the news of a grave victory over the enemy came to their castle. The lucky khan ordered the construction of a magnificent palace on the site of the snake battle, and the reptiles themselves were depicted on the coat of arms of the new city.
A bit of history
Beautiful Crimea! Bakhchisaray is his pearl, his pride. The name of the city is translated into Russian as "a palace in the gardens." According to researchers, it arose at the end of the sixteenth century. At that time, the Crimean Khanate waged a struggle for independence from the Horde and finally received it. The new city on the banks of the Churuk-Su River has become the capital. And at the gates of the palace you can still see the image of the battle of snakes.
The city itself is located on the slopes of the Crimean mountains in the valley of the Churuk-Su river, surrounded by a forest-steppe. It is only thirty kilometers from Simferopol. This is an area of amazing beauty and landscape, with a rich historical past and unique recreational opportunities.
Khan's Palace
Let's start a virtual trip with the most famous sights of the city. That is, from the Bakhchisaray Palace. Having passed the gate, which shows the family coat of arms of Gireyev, you will find yourself in a large courtyard. Here, in a territory surrounded by walls, once an army gathered before the campaign. To the left near the mosque are the Khan's cemetery and mausoleum, where many rulers of the Crimea found the last refuge.
The modern palace is the result of careful reconstruction and reconstruction, since the building itself was completely burned by Russian soldiers in 1736. Before the visit of Catherine II, the building was again repaired by order of the Governor-General de Ribas, one of the founders of Odessa. And at the end of the eighteenth century, the palace was declared a monument of oriental architecture.
A feature of the Bakhchisaray Palace is a very modest (in comparison with the residences of other eastern rulers) appearance. But all his wealth is within. Here you should definitely pay attention to:
- The Hall of the Council and the Court, where the fate of the region has been for many centuries.
- Pool garden of rare beauty.
- A small mosque where she prayed to know.
- The sofa, that is, the council of elders.
- A harem with four buildings of lawful wives and with many small rooms.
- Summer arbor and fountains.
- Selsebil, or the Fountain of Tears, dedicated to Dilara Bikech, the lawful wife of the khan, who died very early;
- Catherine’s mile, framed by columns.
Museum complex
The city that the Crimean peninsula is rightly proud of is Bakhchisaray. And the settlement itself carefully guards the palace in paradise gardens as a memory of the turbulent past. During World War II, many relics were saved - they were hidden in the caves of Chufut-Kale, but some of them were taken away by the Nazis and lost.
Today, the palace is included in the complex of the Bakhchisaray State Historical and Cultural Reserve and its fund has more than one hundred thousand archaeological finds and other valuable exhibits. Among them are clothes, household items, dishes, coins, carpets, books. The address of the Khan's palace is as follows: Bakhchisaray city, st. River, 133.
Other attractions and activities
If you are going on vacation to the Crimea, then be sure to visit Bakhchisaray. City tours include not only a visit to the famous Hansaray with the Fountain of Tears, described by Pushkin in verse. There are a lot of mosques, among which the largest is Takhtaly-Jami, there are also Christian shrines, the Holy Assumption Monastery. Of interest is Chufut-Kale - a medieval fortress, which is often called a cave city.
In addition to sightseeing, other activities are available in Bakhchisarai. Riding jeeps, a mountain bike, a cross-country motorcycle, an ATV, horses and donkeys on a dirt road network will give you an adrenaline rush and an unforgettable experience. In addition, green tourism, fishing and hunting are offered. From the city through Mount Ai-Petri you can go to the southern coast of Crimea. In a word, guests of Bakhchisarai will not be bored.
How can I get to?
So, it is decided, we are going to Bakhchisarai. How to get to this glorious city full of secrets and beauties, we will tell further.
It is closest to the city of Simferopol, which is 30 km distant. To Sevastopol about 60 km. From the capital of the peninsula to Bakhchisarai commuter trains and trains (40-60 min. Journeys), buses (about 30 min.). You can also get from the main port of Crimea to Bakhchisaray by rail (an hour and a half) or by bus.
It is easy to travel around the city by buses and fixed-route taxis. Most of them go to Old Bakhchisarai, where the main attractions are concentrated. You can also take a regular taxi and explore both Hansaray and the picturesque surroundings.
Have a nice trip and an unforgettable experience!