Bakhchisarai is located in the central part of the Crimean Peninsula at a considerable distance from all beach resorts. However, the sights of Bakhchisarai in the city center and its surroundings are one of the most interesting goals of sightseeing tourism. Thousands of tourists come here every day to see the Crimea of the Crimean Khanate era.
The majority of the city`s population is still Crimean Tatars, so there is an atmosphere of the eastern city that you can see and feel. Most tourists go to Bakhchisarai to see the Khan`s Palace, founded in 1532. It occupies an area of 4 hectares. If you go further along the gorge of the Churuk-Su River, then 2.5 kilometers away is the cave Assumption Monastery, and even further is the cave settlement of Chufut-Kale.
Bakhchisarai is located in the southwestern part of the Crimean Peninsula between Sevastopol and Simferopol. The mountain range of the Crimean Mountains is located 40 kilometers to the east, and its foothills are located in the area of Bakhchisarai. The mountains here have a layered structure with flat plateaus. They consist of limestone, where it is easy to hollow out caves. Mountain plateaus became like natural fortresses. In the 5th century, Byzantine settlers came to the Crimea, and they began to create cave settlements in these mountains. By the 16th century there were more than 15 cave settlements.
The history of Bakhchisarai
The history of the foundation of Bakhchisarai dates back to the 16th century, when the power of the Crimean Khanate was established throughout the Crimea. Over the previous centuries, the lands of the Crimea were owned by different countries. Since the 14th century, all coastal cities from Feodosia to Balaklava were owned by the Genoese. Numerous cave settlements in the south-west of Crimea were part of the Byzantine Principality of Feodoro.
The steppe Crimea was owned by tribes: Scythians, Polovtsians, Khazars, but they led a nomadic lifestyle, so they did not build cities. In the 13th century, the steppe Crimea became part of the Golden Horde. By the 15th century, the Golden Horde was no longer a single state, but was breaking up into various khanates. After the death of Khan Yedigei in 1420, the Golden Horde lost control of the Crimea. The Crimean Khanate was formed here.
The first Crimean khan independent of the Golden Horde was Haji Giray. He ruled in 1443-1466. At first, its capital was located in the cave settlement of Chufut-Kale, and then in the small village of Salachik. A century later, in 1532, his descendant Khan Sahib-Giray decided to found a new capital, which he called Bakhchisarai (Garden City). It is located 2 kilometers from the settlement of Salachik.
Sights of Bakhchisarai
The old town of Bakhchisarai is located in a narrow mountain gorge of the Churuk-Suu River. In 1532, Khan Sahib Giray laid the Great Khan Mosque (Biyuk Khan Jami), which became the first building of the Khan`s Palace. Over the next two centuries, the territory of the Khan Palace reached 4 hectares. In the center there is a large Palace Square, buildings and courtyards are located around it: a Divan Hall, a Harem, a Summer Pavilion, an Entourage building, an Embassy courtyard, a Fountain courtyard, a Kitchen courtyard and many others. Nearby is the Khan`s Cemetery. Not far from the Khan Palace, is located the Park Crimea in Miniature. It was opened in 2004. There you can see models of the most interesting sights of the Crimea.
After visiting the Khan Palace, go further along the gorge of the Churuk-Suu River to the Assumption Monastery. This is the oldest cave monastery in Crimea, which is sometimes called the Crimean Athos or the Crimean Lavra. The monastery was founded in the 7th century and many of its churches were hollowed out in the caves of the mountain slope. On the way to the monastery, pay attention to the beautiful weathering rocks on the left side of the gorge. They are called Bakhchisarai Sphinxes.
If you go even further from the Assumption Monastery, then the cave settlement of Chufut-Kale is 2 kilometers away. Chufut-Kale is one of the most famous Byzantine cave cities, which in the 13th century became the capital of the Crimean Khanate. There are preserved buildings of the Islamic era.
The largest settlement, 20 kilometers south of Bakhchisarai, is Mangup-Kale. In the Middle Ages, it became the capital of the Byzantine principality of Feodoro. Nearby there are several other small cave settlements of the Crimea. On the southern slope of Mangup-Kale is located the Mangup Annunciation Monastery.
