Crimea. White rock. White Rock (Ak-Kaya). Central Crimea Ak kaya crimea
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One of the most interesting natural attractions of Crimea is White Rock near Belogorsk. It is clearly visible from the Kerch-Simferopol highway, but we advise everyone - take the time, turn towards it, admire it closer!
White Rock on the map of Crimea:
April-May is the best time for an excursion to the White Rock (Ak-Kaya, Turkic). In the spring, its rather modest vegetation has not yet withered in the sun, and most importantly, Voronets bloom in Krasnaya Balka - amazingly beautiful wild peonies.
White Rock - a miracle of Central Crimea
We arrived at Belogorsk at 8 o'clock, when the rock was still in a light morning haze, so we decided to start exploring the surrounding sights with a visit to the Suvorov Oak. The highway all the way from and partly to Belogorsk now resembles a huge construction site - the Tavrida highway, bridges across rivers, and a canal are being built:
Crimea has not seen anything like this for a long time.
Suvorov Oak and Biyuk-Karasu
The 800-year-old oak itself is simply amazing (diameter 4 m, circumference 10 m, crown 40 m), you feel like an ant next to it:
It is not only botanical, but also historical monument- under him is our famous commander A.V. Suvorov in 1777 accepted capitulation from the envoys of the Turkish Sultan. This happened after a 10,000-strong Russian army defeated a 40,000-strong Turkish army not far from this place.
From the oak tree we went to the rock, but crossing the bridge over the Biyuk-Karasu River, we decided to first drive up to it, it winds too beautifully in these places:
Then they turned to the rock itself, to the very place that resembles the bow of a ship. Its height above sea level is 325 meters, above the valley more than 100 meters. In Crimea there are many such cuestas - mountains, steep on one side and gentle on the other. We previously talked about an excursion to a similar one -. But White Rock is undoubtedly the most unusual.
Many probably recognized this landscape from Soviet and Russian films, of which more than a dozen were filmed here. That's why I was immediately indignant - I see Texas, but where are the cowboys on horses? Immediately, as if on my order, the horses appeared, but the unlucky “cowboy” ran screaming after.
At the foot of the White Rock, onosma bloomed - a plant listed in the Red Book with funny yellow bells:
Yellow flowers noticeably predominate in the area, especially on the dry land - flat top mountains, but more about that later.
Having admired the white bulk hanging overhead, we decided to climb into the grotto. In fact, there are a lot of grottoes, caves and other depressions in the White Rock. It is not for nothing that about 40 ancient human sites were found in these places.
Grottoes Altyn Teshik, Uch-Koba and Krasnaya Balka
There are two large caves at the nose of the cliff. The first one, looking like a huge drop and inaccessible to the average tourist, is Altyn Teshik. Robbers allegedly hid a rich treasure here. Now the cave is inhabited by birds (or like in a bird market).
The second is called the Lower or Large Grotto. There is a steep, but quite accessible path to it. At this time, her summer adonis (Adonis) and hybrid poppy were blooming (not the same self-seeding one that makes you turn red in May Crimean fields, but its earlier and smaller brother).
Once upon a time, judging by the excavations, there was a sanctuary of the Sarmatians in the grotto. Now at the entrance to the grotto there is a huge hawthorn tree, just as it was blooming its first flowers.
Inside, unfortunately, everything is not so great. Too many "Neanderthals" visit it these days.
Near the grotto, mice were lying, dropped kestrels, several pairs of which were actively scurrying around, now flying away, now returning to the rock, where they were greeted by the sharp cries of the chicks.
We drove further along the mountain by car, admiring the bizarre outlines of rocks and grottoes (this group of grottoes is called Uch-Koba), and stopped at the foot of the Red Beam. It is named after the vorontsy (angustifolia peony), which covers it with a crimson-scarlet carpet for one or two weeks every spring:
We're a little late, so most of The peonies had faded and the beam looked rather modest:
But in the bushes at the foot of the yayla, spring adonis, also a rare protected plant, began to bloom.
On the plateau (yayla) of the White Rock
Another minute or two and we are on the yaila, from where the surrounding area has an extraordinary view beautiful view. That is why, although you can climb to the top by car, we advise you not to do this, but to walk along the cliff.
This walk will take an hour at most, but the impressions will last a lifetime.
Ak-Kaya massif, composed of Paleogene and Cretaceous limestones, part of a low but picturesque internal ridge Crimean mountains, separating the Main Ridge.
The plant community of the plateau can be safely attributed to the type of asphodeline steppes, thanks to this plant, asphodeline, reminiscent of young pine trees:
They were just beginning to bloom, delighting the bumblebees, whose long proboscis can only reach the deeply hidden nectar:
Among the insects we also met, the Red Book Crimean swallowtail butterflies and a friendly company of large caterpillars of the ringed silkworm (or some of its relatives). Apparently they have already eaten everything where they hatched and have just marched to a new place:
We brought binoculars, so we had the opportunity to admire not only the life of insects, but also birds.
The most interesting (and beautiful) were the kestrels, which completely ignored us and flew along the rocks, from time to time teaming up with their neighbors to drive crows and crows away from their nests. There were also a lot of swifts there, but it was difficult to see the black lightning, but you could clearly hear the loud “swish” of their wings.
Here is the edge of the White Rock, resting on the sharp bow of the “ship”:
Once upon a time, the heads of the Tatar clans were elected here, here, in front of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, prisoners were thrown off a cliff in order to hurry him up with a ransom, here in 1783, representatives of the Crimean Tatar nobility took the oath of allegiance before Prince Potemkin Russian Empire.
Now on the right hand you can see how the fields are turning green, the pine forest is darkening in the distance:
On the left, the following lunar landscape predominates:
By the way, it’s convenient to start excursion route along the wide path running between these hills and the White Rock, climb up it, then go through the plateau, go down the Red Beam and return to the beginning of the route along the road along the rock. We drew it on the map.
We went back not along the cliff, but approximately in the center of the plateau and almost immediately began to stumble upon local orchids:
In general, there are many orchids in Crimea and all are protected by law; you cannot pick them.
About a 7-10 minute leisurely walk from the edge of the cliff there is a quarry where stone was once cut for neighboring settlements:
Since Karasubazar (now Belogorsk) was the trading capital of the Crimean Khanate for a long time, it required a lot of stone.
Interesting fossils found nearby:
These are nummulites (because they resemble coins), shells of single-celled organisms of the order Foraminifera. Imagine, 100 million years ago, single-celled (!) organisms built houses that resembled spiral flying saucers, the size of a silver royal ruble! By the way, Egyptian pyramids built from such nummulitic limestone.
With our meager knowledge of paleontology, we, alas, were unable to determine the name of this fossil; perhaps it was part of a spirifera shell.
Finally, we admired how the rock crystal found right there shimmers in the sun:
At the edge of the plateau we got a little lost, looking at the caves covering the edge of the ravine from above, found a descent, and suddenly, from the dry and almost bare steppe we found ourselves in the “jungle” - dense thickets of trees and bushes, which are carefully entwined with ivy, along the way moving onto the rocks.
There are a lot of caves, or rather grottoes, here, they are dry, cozy, it is not surprising that ancient people settled in them. Moreover, the plateau served as a convenient hunting ground - he surrounded the animal and drove it to the cliff.
Finally, after admiring the amazingly bright peonies again, we got into the car and drove on.
Ak-Kaya settlement and Kok-Koba grotto
Soon after Krasnaya Balka the rocks move apart and the road turns right towards Vishennoye. There will be a rock on the left hand:
On it is the Scythian settlement of Ak-Kaya (3rd century BC, 3rd century AD). On the plateau itself, numerous round and square holes remind of this:
Some of the buildings have been excavated a little lower (opposite you can see the Kok-Koba grotto):
The size of this settlement was second only to Scythian Naples, excavated near Simferopol, and alternately belonged to the Scythians, Romans, and Khazars. total area The settlement is 10 hectares in size, which means we still have to dig and dig, and many interesting discoveries await us. It may be possible to prove that this is the medieval fortress of Fulla, mentioned in the chronicles as standing near a “cave with a spring.”
Having examined the ancient settlement, we went to that very “cave with a source” - to the Kok-Koba grotto:
It is huge and extremely picturesque:
When we entered through a small side entrance, a herd of cows was resting there, then our company was joined by a herd of schoolchildren, much more playful and noisy:
The uniqueness of the grotto is that water oozes directly from the walls, drips from the ceiling in places, and in the center forms a waterfall of drops, collecting in a small bowl carved into the rock and flowing in a stream into a reservoir overgrown with reeds at the foot of the grotto.
All this is unusual and very beautiful.
The Kok-Koba Grotto was the last point of our journey. Through Vishennoye we went onto the highway, and after admiring the White Rock from it once again, we went home full of impressions.
As much as I traveled around Crimea, I always had the feeling that on this island of land someone had collected geological and landscape beauties from almost all over the world - such different reliefs and views can be found here.
One of such places can be called White Rock, which we will talk about today.
Almost in the middle of Crimea, between the Main mountain range and the endless steppes, an extremely unusual cue formation rises more than 300 meters, reminiscent of the world-famous landscapes of Arizona (albeit, with the exception of the color scheme) - the vertical wall of Ak-Kaya, or White Rock.
It's hard to imagine, but this rock was once the seabed, as evidenced by great amount fossilized shells and mollusks that come across here just under your feet.
Since Soviet times, this place has been chosen by directors making films about the American West, Indians and more - in different time“The Man from Capuchin Boulevard”, “Mustang Pacer”, “Leader of the Redskins”, “Mirage”, “Cipollino”, “Armed and Very Dangerous”, “Kings and Cabbage”, “Lobo”, “Moneychangers” were filmed on White Rock , “Wonderful Valley”, “The Headless Horseman”, “The plane flies to Russia”, “Dungeon of the Witches”, “Escape to the End of the World”, “Code of the Apocalypse”, etc.
2. White Rock is located in the Belogorsk region of Crimea above the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu River. If you get to it from the north, you will not immediately understand that you are heading towards an incredible cliff - you are driving along steppe roads, rolling over hills, and suddenly... there is a sheer wall below you.
From the south, the rock looks exactly as in the photo - Ak-Kaya itself is on the left, Mount Adjilar is on the right. Between them there is a crumbling winding road, along which we used to climb to the plateau. Now there is an asphalt road to the right of Adjilar, from which a dirt road branches off at the top, running almost along the edge of Adjilar and Ak-Kaya. 
3. White Rock was formed by erosion and weathering of Cretaceous limestones and sandstones over many thousands of years. If you stand under the rock itself, at the foot you can clearly see the mounds of what were once rock walls 
4. Plateau on Mount Acilar. Here, at the foot of Ajilar and further, in the depression between it and Ak-Kaya, the very films that I said at the very beginning were filmed 
5. Views from the plateau of Mount Acilar 
6. Geometry of fields 
7. And in the distance you can already see the White Rock 
8. This is where the same giant repeater is located, which I mentioned earlier 
9. At the foot of the White Rock, more than one city was built with scenery for filming. Everything that you saw, for example, in “The Man from the Boulevard des Capuchins” was located in this place under the rock. 
10. Views from White Rock 
11. The end of the rock wall. It feels like someone just cut off all the excess with a knife 
12. The altitude here is about 325 meters above sea level 
13. The old road that led to the rock. Today you can climb it only with a well-prepared SUV. 
14. Faults in the upper part of the plateau. There are generally a lot of faults, natural grottoes and caves here. 
15. Rock wall of White Rock. The scree created by the wind is clearly visible below. 
16. One day these “small” pieces will fall off and fly down with a roar. 
17. At the foot of the White Rock in the 70s, about 20 sites of primitive man of the Mousterian era were excavated.
And near the ancient hearths, a large number of bone remains of the extinct fauna of Crimea were found: mammoth, cave bear, giant and red deer, saiga, primitive bull, wild horse, onager, etc. 
18. One of the faults on the rock wall 
19. But once upon a time this was the seabed. Yes, it's hard to believe, but it's true. Here and there under your feet you come across such boulders of stone, which consist entirely of fossilized shells 
20. Clam frozen in stone 
21. In some places it’s just part of a rock 
22. Some mollusks themselves became pebbles 
23. White Rock, view from the highway. This is exactly how most people passing by see it. 
24. Layer cake created by wind and time... 
Caves and grottoes
Archeology
Story
Excursions to the White Rock
If you notice an inaccuracy or the data is out of date, please make corrections, we will be grateful. Let's create the best encyclopedia about Crimea together!
A white vertical rocky wall rises above the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu River and is visible long before approaching it at a distance of a kilometer. The height of the peak above sea level is 325 m, and the height difference between the valley and the top of the rock reaches 100 m.
The bulk of the rock resembles impregnable fortress and better visible from her south side. The rock is a symbol of Belogorsk.
Over many millennia, the sun, water and wind have done their job, creating bizarre shapes formed through the process of weathering and destruction by water and temperature changes. Especially on the western wall of the rock, the so-called aeolian grottoes, formed under the influence of winds, stand out.
Caves and grottoes
Of particular interest are the Ak-Kaya caves - lower and upper. The lower cave is a grotto in the middle of the western wall - Bob. Signs belonging to the Sarmatians, who lived here in the first centuries of our era, were discovered on its walls. It is believed that this cave was once a sanctuary - ancient temple. The Upper Cave - which means “Golden Burrow” in translation - has become overgrown with legends and traditions over many years. The cave is difficult to access: the entrance to it in the form of a round hole is located 52 meters from the base and 49 meters from the edge of the cliff.
Archeology
The cave is especially interesting for archaeologists, because it was possible to establish that many thousands of years ago it was the habitat of an ancient man. Ak-Kaya served him both as a shelter from bad weather and as a corral while hunting animals (according to excavations in the 1960s).
In one of their expeditions, four sites of primitive man of the Mousterian era (100-40 thousand years ago) were partially excavated. Interested archaeologists will be interested in the book by Yu. Kolosov “White Rock”, Ed. Tavria, 1977. The author describes in detail how cultural layers with a mass of materials were found, how for the first time on the territory of the former country a Neanderthal skull was found and other rare and valuable finds for science, which proved that civilization arose not only in Europe, but also on our territory.
Story
It is believed that in the Middle Ages Ak-Kaya was a place of execution. There is a legend that young Bogdan Khmelnytsky, captured in 1620, was twice brought to this rock and the prisoners were dumped before his eyes in order to force Bogdan to hurry up with the ransom.
During the Russian-Turkish wars, the headquarters of A.V. Suvorov was located in these places. On the White Rock, the result of the centuries-old struggle of the Russian state for Crimea was summed up. It was here on June 10, 1783 that Prince G. A. Potemkin ordered the Crimean beys and murzas to appear in order to take an oath of allegiance to the Russian state from them.
Excursions to the White Rock
Ak-Kaya is also good because it offers an amazing view of the mountain range in the south and the endless steppe expanses with ridges of ancient mounds in the north. And how beautiful it is here in May, when the peonies bloom. It becomes clear why the beam located north of the rock is called Red. And what does the Kalliston pass look like from here, which lies in the south between the two cone-shaped mountains Shuvri and Hrikol!
I recommend climbing the rock in the late afternoon. It’s not hot anymore, the lighting is soft, the distances open up for observation. For those who like to explore all the holes, I recommend taking the path that runs under the very rocks on the western side of the cliff. Along this path you can go to the lower grotto and take great photos, especially at sunset. You will also hear the cries of swifts and hawks who have built nests on inaccessible cliffs.
(Crimea) for modern people is like the Wild West. It is full of mysteries of ancient times, secrets and is one of the extraordinary, mysterious and attractive places on the peninsula. It is located near the city of Belogorsk. There are almost no crowds of tourists here, so this area retains its charm; it has not yet been spoiled by the benefits of civilization. Besides, White Rock is for lovers beach holiday is of no interest.
First impression of the mountain
This is good, because the beauty provided to us by nature can be quickly destroyed. This is rare in the world, and this is a real miracle of Crimea. If you find yourself in these places, you need to admire them, only then will it be clear that the peninsula is not only beaches and the sea. Its typical landscapes, reminiscent of the Wild West, were very popular with cinematographers and many Soviet-era films were shot here, such as “The Man from the Boulevard des Capuchins”, “The Headless Horseman” and others.
The action of all the paintings took place among the wonderful landscapes surrounding this place. They call this amazing miracle of nature Ak-Kaya, which translates as “white rock”. Crimea is very decorated with this beauty, which actually has this color, especially when viewed from afar. Although there is nothing strange here, since the rock is made of limestone. When the sun shines on it, we see a truly mesmerizing sight.
Stunning views - a reason for hiking and more
It is advisable to walk throughout the entire territory of Ak-Kae and visit inside one of the caves dating back to the Paleolithic period. You will not regret it, because it offers stunning views of the surrounding area. By the way, walking is not the only way to travel and get to know this unique miracle. You can also go exploring these places on horseback.
In this case, the impressions will be noticeably greater, since you will feel like a hero of Soviet films filmed here. (Crimea) is definitely worth visiting these places. It is quite remote from noisy and crowded cities, and will give you the opportunity to visit the backdrop of the Crimean unique nature, see amazing landscapes, enjoy its charm with your own eyes.
White Rock (Crimea), how to get to this wonderful place
It's time to tell you how you can visit these places. It is advisable to first get to Simferopol. There are several ways here: both from Russia and from Ukraine. We will not consider this. We believe that you are already in If the path is not planned for own car, then from Simferopol we go by any minibus heading towards the city of Belogorsk.
The best landmark for you will be the village of Vishenny. When you come out to its outskirts, you will immediately find yourself close to the snow-white, wonderful rocks. Now you know how to get to White Rock (Crimea). Address: Belogorsky district, village of the same name. It is, of course, low, only 325 meters, but it’s worth a look at the neighbor of the village of the same name. For the information of history buffs: until 1948 it was called Ak-Kaya.
More detailed location of the rock
There are people who are not satisfied with this wording of the address. They are not local, and this means nothing to them. For them there is a special explanation for where the White Rock is located in Crimea. Its location is 50 kilometers from Simferopol and five from the highway from the capital of the republic to Feodosia. You need to drive through the city of Belogorsk about one kilometer to the northeast, and then four kilometers to the village of Belaya Skala. He is located at its very foot. Now, probably, everyone will understand where the local celebrity is located. All that remains is to point out that it rises directly above the valley of the local river Biyuk-Karasu. The altitude difference between the top of the rock and the valley is one hundred meters.
Origin of the rock
A very interesting question - where did it come from and how did such unusual beauty come about? It was formed as a result of weathering and erosion of Paleogene and Cretaceous sandstones and limestones. This process is an example of the well-known cuesta relief. The weathering of the mountain in the upper part created oval niches, grottoes, and pillars.
Below, weathering products constantly accumulate - erosion hollows, piles of blocks, screes. Some plants control erosion in places. These are thickets of hornbeam and rosehip. All this contributes to the beauty of the White Rock monument (Crimea). The photos posted here convey only part of this splendor.
History of this cultural monument, excavations
In the sixties and seventies of the last century, at the foot of the cliff, on its northern side, the Crimean paleontology expedition excavated twenty sites of primitive man of the Mousterian era. We found many flint points, scrapers, and knives. A sufficient number of various bone remains of the disappeared fauna of the peninsula were discovered near them: onager, wild horse, primitive bull, saiga, giant red deer, mammoth and others. During excavations, a fragment of the skull of a Neanderthal adult was found here for the first time, and later the remains of a child of the same time.
The reason is that the territory of the White Rock (Crimea) object is favorable for housing: river water, many canopies and grottoes, deposits of the necessary flint. Even the high cliff was beneficial - it was ideal for hunting many animals. Already in our era, in the first centuries, Sarmatians lived here in a cave. According to some assumptions, it then served as a sanctuary, a kind of temple. Tamgas were found - signs belonging to the clans of that time, which were carved in stone and this confirmed the ownership of these territories.
Scythian burial mounds, caves and execution site
Many mounds are located on the plateau. At the foot of the cliff in the Middle Ages lived Shirin, the leader of one of the rich Tatar families. Access to the upper cave is very difficult, since the entrance to it is located from the base at a distance of 52 meters in the form of a circle-shaped hole and from the edge of the cliff at 49 meters. There are three legends dedicated to Altyn-Teshik:
- This cave is the lair of a serpent who was a werewolf. He kidnapped the handsome ones in the area and brought them here.
- This cave stretches very far - to Feodosia.
- Here the robbers hid a chest of gold.
The elder clan was elected on the rock; the Murzas, dissatisfied with the Khan of Crimea, gathered here. In the Middle Ages Ak-Kaya was famous place executions. In front of the eyes of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, who sometimes visited here, prisoners were thrown off the cliff in order for the hetman to pay the ransom on time. Suvorov's headquarters was located here in 1777. In 1783, the Crimean nobility here took an oath of allegiance to Russia.
What are these places like now?
If you are a lover of ancient sights, come to Belogorsk (Crimea). The White Rock will enchant you with its beauty. Although, if you get close enough, you will see that the wall of this giant is not white, but has a creamy tint. You can immediately notice a large number of caves and grottoes. In their darkness one can imagine many dark tunnels that go into the darkness of the dungeons. But in reality, most often they turn out to be small cavities. The white rock has a slightly overhanging “cornice”, under which relief patterns stretch.
They look like honeycombs, kind of strange. They are sometimes called weathering honeycombs, formed as a result of the bombardment of rocks by rock particles - sand, which are carried by the wind. The wind that blows here from the west not only formed small cellular forms, it also created round windows, grottoes, various niches, as well as columns, and these have been supporting the upper tier for many years. The “roof”, the entire kilometer of the rock, is outlined by a weathering belt - horizontal, about a meter wide. The bottom of the rock is covered by scree cones made of rubble, which are well cut by erosion grooves and potholes. In some places there are huge blocks of limestone. It is recommended to climb the rock in the late afternoon: soft lighting, not hot, distances open up for observation. If you want to explore all the holes, follow the path located to the west of the rock. And don’t forget to shoot and shoot and shoot all the time. Numerous photographs will remind you of this excursion.
Entertainment for outdoor enthusiasts
If you are tired of a relaxing holiday and want to invigorate yourself well, then for brave tourists there are organized jumps from the White Rock (Crimea), carried out from a height of 120 meters. Since only 20 jumps are possible per day, advance registration is required: the event is run by the club active rest"Adrenalin". Jumps are performed with a rope, the first one costs 1200 rubles, the subsequent ones cost 900. If you wish, you can climb the rock for 180 rubles on horseback.
The program is very active, including camping and gatherings around a friendly fire. Its price includes a video and photo report as a keepsake, everything is then posted on VKontakte. Those who dare to jump are awarded a certificate. Safety is guaranteed, and the experience of 80 meters of free fall is very impressive.
Fishing at White Rock
As we have already reported, the local river Biyuk-Karasu flows not far from the rock. One of the best fishing in Crimea. White Rock is a great landmark for this. The area of the reservoir is 4.8 hectares. The pond is equipped in the Belogorsky district, the village of Ukrainka. To get to it, you need to drive along the Feodosia highway from Simferopol to the village of Zuya, this is approximately 18 kilometers, then turn left to the desired settlement(another eight kilometers). There is a special reservoir for carp fishing; fishing is carried out according to the “catch and release” rule.
You can catch carp, silver carp, carp - Hungarian, mirror and scaly. You can stay in equipped houses. That is, those who did not set out to swim at sea will be satisfied with how they spent their vacation.
White Rock, or in Crimean Tatar, Mount Ak-Kaya is one of the most beautiful places Crimea. And for my taste, this may be the most beautiful thing! At the same time, it is not as well-known as the attractions of the tourist South Coast, but the views that open up here will delight even those travelers who have been to many places in the world. White Rock is located in the vicinity of the city of Belogorsk, just four kilometers from the main Crimean highway connecting Simferopol and Kerch. This massif is a sheer wall formed as a result of the erosion of Paleogene limestones and sandstones, formed in that distant, distant time when modern Crimea was the bottom of an ancient ocean. The height of the rock from the foot to the top is 100 meters, and it looks unusually picturesque at any time of the day. During the day it is white, and if you arrive early in the morning or at sunset, then, illuminated by the soft sunlight, the mountain shimmers with gold.
The bizarre topography of these places is somewhat reminiscent of the famous landscapes of the Western United States, and thanks to this similarity, White Rock became the filming location for many famous Soviet “westerns”. The films “The Headless Horseman”, “Mustang Pacer”, “Armed and Very Dangerous”, “The Man from Boulevard des Capuchins”, the detective “Mirage” of the Riga Film Studio and many other Soviet and Russian films, the action of which, according to the script, take place on " Wild West." The White Rock is an incredibly interesting place, so I went there twice: first, just by car to photograph the general views, and then I drove to the very top of the rock in a UAZ, examining the caves, grottoes and admiring the views from the very top point of the rock massif.
1. On the road to the White Rock there is another unique natural and historical monument - the Suvorov Oak. This tree is about 800 years old! And it was under it that more than 300 years ago Suvorov’s headquarters was located during the battles with the Turkish Sultan Shagin-Girey in 1777. Here the commander received envoys of the Turkish army during negotiations. Despite the fourfold numerical superiority of the Turks, the battle ended in victory for the Russian army and became an important stage in the events that culminated in the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Empire.
3. White Rock. The landscapes are incredibly beautiful. Let's just admire it!
4. A mighty vertical wall of whitish color seems to hang over, dominates surrounding area.
5. On the opposite side of the ridge there is a rock resembling a sphinx.
8. The steep slope of the White Rock is dotted with caves and grottoes formed as a result of weathering of rocks. Some of these caves can only be accessed with climbing equipment.
17. Perhaps the most famous “postcard” photograph of the White Rock.
18. Now let’s climb to the top of the White Rock from a gentle slope, examining several interesting places. The first of them is the ancient Scythian fortress Ak-Kaya, dating back to the 3rd century BC - 3rd century AD.
22. In addition to the remains of fortifications, some interesting adaptations of the daily life of the Scythians have been preserved. Here, for example, is a hole in the rock where food was placed so that it would not spoil. A kind of ancient “refrigerator”.
24. From here the rock begins to rise smoothly - right up to that very high and steep cliff on three sides, which is photographed in all its glory in photo 17. From above, magnificent landscapes of Central Crimea open up.
25. Those distant mountains beyond the steppes are already South coast. Behind them is the Black Sea. 25 kilometers in a straight line.
27. Rocks make up a mountain in layers. Each layer is its own era. In some places, the underlying rocks are looser than the upper ones. This is how caves, grottoes or rocky vaults hanging overhead, like this one, are formed.
28. Millions of years ago, Crimea was the bottom of an ancient ocean, then a gradual uplift of the rocks occurred. But the memory of those distant times is alive. The slopes of the White Rock are made of ancient shell rock.
30. Let's examine another grotto in the rock.
31. In plan it is almost circular in shape. It’s cool here even in the heat, and water drips down the walls of the cave.
34. Another cave in an inconspicuous ravine between neighboring hills. Archaeological research claim that it served as a refuge for ancient Neanderthals.