Yevpatoria is located on the eastern coast of Crimea. There are no palaces and mountains, as well as subtropical forests, as on the Southern coast of Crimea, however, in the 19th century Yevpatoria became one of the most famous balneological resorts of the Russian Empire. People are not only resting here, but also being treated.
Therapeutic procedures in numerous health resorts of Yevpatoria are made with therapeutic mud, which is cultivate and extract in local lakes. Previously, mud was extracted in Moynaki Lake, and in recent years it has been done on Saki Lake, as well as Lake Sasyk-Sivash. In summer, these lakes have a fantastically beautiful pink color. All lovers of photo shoots come here.
In addition to therapeutic mud and mineral water (brine) from local lakes, Yevpatoria is famous for its wide sandy beaches. The width of the beaches in the city center averages about 50 meters. There are not only sun loungers and umbrellas, but also summer gazebos with white fabrics traditional for the beaches of Yevpatoria. The further away from the port, the wider the beaches become. The widest beaches are located on the Belyaus Spit, 40 kilometers from Yevpatoria. These places are often called "Crimean Maldives".
History of Yevpatoria
The settlement on the site of Yevpatoria appeared in the 5th century BC, when Greek colonists settled on the coast of Crimea. The largest Greek poleis in the Crimea were Chersonesos on the site of modern Sevastopol and Bosporus on the site of Kerch. The settlement on the site of Yevpatoria was called Kerkinitida, and its inhabitants were engaged in farming. The dwellings of grain growers from Kerkinitida were very modest, and only two small fragments of stone walls from local shell rock have survived to this day. One can be seen on the Gorky Embankment near the port of Yevpatoria, and the other near the Museum of Local History.
In the 3rd century, the inhabitants of Kerkinitida were forced to accept vassalage from Chersonesos in exchange for military protection from the Scythians, however, in the 3rd century BC, the Scythians still captured Kerkinitida. Its inhabitants, having taken refuge in Chersonesos, turned to the king of the Bosporus, Mithridates VI Eupator. He sent an army that completely defeated the Scythians and destroyed their settlements.
In the 3rd century, the Goths destroyed almost all the Greek colonies in the Crimea, including Kerkinitida. Life in this place was revived only in the era of Turkish rule. The Turks seized Crimea in 1475 and founded the city of Gezlev in the convenient Kalamitskaya Bay. It became a powerful fortress on the east coast and the main port of the Crimean Khanate. The capital of the khanate was the city of Bakhchisarai.
In 1552, the Crimean khan Devlet-Giray received the right to the khanate in Istanbul and ordered the construction of a large mosque in Gezlev, which was called the Juma-Jami Mosque. After that, all the Crimean khans took the oath of allegiance to the sultan in this mosque. In 1784, Crimea became part of the Russian Empire. By decree of Empress Catherine II, the city of Gezlev was renamed Yevpatoria, in honor of the Bosporan tsar Mithridates Eupator.
Sights of Yevpatoria
The sights of the Crimea are diverse. Despite the steppe landscape and arid climate of the environs of Yevpatoria, the sights of this city attract many tourists. You can see interesting sights in the Old Town of Yevpatoria. Nothing has been preserved from the Ancient Kerkinitida, and a quarter with narrow winding streets has been preserved from the medieval Turkish Gezlev. Houses and pavements have been restored so that tourists can feel the atmosphere of the old eastern city.
The route "Little Jerusalem" has been laid through the Old City of Yevpatoria. It is so named because temples of many religions are located in close proximity to each other. There is a Muslim mosque, a Christian church, a Jewish synagogue, Karaite kenassas, a tekie of dervishes, an Armenian temple. Such a concentration of temples of different religions in close proximity to each other is only in Jerusalem. The tour can start near the Juma Jami Mosque or near the Gezlev Gate.
Be sure to visit Karaite Kenassas. This is the prayer house of the Karaites. There are several versions regarding the appearance of the Karaite ethnos. According to one version, they are descendants of the Khazars who converted to Judaism, that means, the Karaites belong to the Turkic group. According to another version, Karaites are Jews who profess Karaite Judaism. Nowadays, there are no more than 2,000 Karaites living in the world, and about 1,500 Karaites live in Yevpatoria.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the mayor of Yevpatoria, Semyon Duvan, built new quarters near the old town of Yevpatoria, which he sold to entrepreneurs for the construction of villas and sanatoriums. Thus, the infrastructure appeared in Yevpatoria, which allowed the city to become one of the most famous balneological resorts of the Russian Empire. Many houses in Yevpatoria are built in the fashionable Art Nouveau style.
