Mysterious balaclava. History of the balaclava To Balaclava with an excursion

Balaklava is a compact but very picturesque settlement in the Sevastopol region. It is popular among tourists due to its luxurious nature, cozy beaches and opportunities for active recreation. This article contains all helpful information about Balaklava - how to get there, what to do, the sights of Balaklava with photos and descriptions, the history of the resort.

History of the resort

Homer first mentioned the beautiful harbor surrounded by rocks in the Odyssey. The ancient storyteller called the settlement located here Lamos and mentioned that the bay is completely hidden from the sea, and the water here is always calm.

The coast changed hands many times. Until the 1st century. n. e. Its main inhabitants were the Tauri, who founded a fishing village. Among the subsequent “masters” were the Romans, Greeks, and Byzantines, who founded the village. Yamboli, Italians who built the famous Cembalo fortress.

In the 14th century, during the uprising of the Greek population of the fortress, it passed to the Principality of Theodoro, and then became part of the Ottoman Empire. Probably, a toponym arose then: the Turks called the fortress “Balyk-yuv”, which means “fish nest”.

In 1624, the Cossacks captured the fortress, and then it came into the possession of Russian Empire. During the Crimean War, the town was captured by the British, who built a wooden embankment, a water supply system and the first on the peninsula railway.

After the British left the city, Balaklava was part of the Yalta district for some time, and then developed as a resort. Boarding houses and hotels opened at the beginning of the 20th century. The dacha of Count Apraskin and the hunting lodge of the Yusupovs, land fortifications that were used during the wars, were built.
Many military installations (including a secret base) appeared during the Soviet period, so the settlement was closed for some time. And in 1957, Balaklava officially lost its city status.

Sights of Balaklava - photos with descriptions

Most Crimeans perceive Balaklava as a separate city, although administratively it is a district of Sevastopol. There are many attractions here that are definitely worth visiting if you choose a vacation in Crimea.

First of all, the settlement is famous for Balaklava Bay, the most convenient Black Sea coast. There are never storms; the rocks completely hide the bay from prying eyes. Previously, submarines were based here, but now ships are located Black navy.

Stretches along the town beautiful embankment, named after the war hero I.A. Nazukina.

Not far from the Balaklava embankment stands the oldest church of the Twelve Apostles currently operating on the peninsula, built on the site of a Byzantine temple that stood here in the 6th century. The temple's roots go back to the Genoese period, and its temple architecture owes to the 18th century and is considered unique. During the reconstruction of the building, a stone was found with an inscription stating that the church was built in 1357.

During the Crimean War it was destroyed and completely restored only towards the end of the 19th century. It was decorated with porticoes and consecrated in honor of Nicholas the Wonderworker, the patron saint of sailors. After the victory in the Crimean War, the Greek Balaklava battalion kept its banners here.

The temple is famous not only for its centuries-old existence. Its architecture was recognized as unique, which has no analogues in the world, and is in the register of architectural monuments of the 18th century. The building was built in the shape of a cross with a dome located in the center, the walls are made of marble rubble limestone. At the entrance to the temple there are white stone columns, and the inside remains snow-white, untouched by frescoes for several centuries.

In the USSR, the church was closed and various organizations were located in its building. But in 1990, the architect Yuri Lositsky presented his project for the reconstruction of the building and by the summer of that year, a divine service was held there for the first time in many years.

Stepping onto the land of Balaklava, you will certainly hear the stories and legends of the famous Chembalo fortress. The remains of its towers located on Mount Castron are visible from afar. At one time, this citadel made Balaklava Bay an inaccessible harbor. According to chronicles, its construction began in the middle of the 14th century, and ended in the second half of the 15th century; evidence of this is the consular inscriptions preserved from those times. It is possible that the Genoese could have built a fortress on the ruins of foundations that remained from the times of the Romans and Greeks, the presence of which is confirmed by archaeological excavations.

A stone staircase leads to the first tower, which even children can climb, but to the next tower you will have to go along a mountain path. But from above there is an incredibly beautiful view of the settlement and the Black Sea.

The Chembalo representative office was located between the Kalamita citadel near the Black River and Cape Sarych. On the cliff, defensive cities were built above and below, which looked like a well-fortified palace.

The city above was named after the patron saint of sailors, Nicholas. The entire administrative body of the colony was located in it. At the Consular Castle ground floor There was a large container for storing drinking water. In the lower city were built defensive walls, which reliably defended the castle, it was named after St. George the Victorious.

The remains of Cembalo are clearly visible from the embankment; there are steps along which you can climb to the highest point of Kastron and, as you go up, imagine what the fortress was like during its formation. It originated from the old port and market that were in the bay, the first tower was the beginning of the walls of the fortress, in total Chembalo was surrounded by 16 towers.

At the top of the donjon tower, amazing beauty opens up, from a bird's eye view you can see the sea to the very horizon, on the right side of the mountain you can see Cape Fiolent, on the left - Aya, and turning back you can see the whole of Balaklava in all its glory.

Unfortunately, all the monuments of Crimea that date back to the Genoese period, Chembalo is no exception, have long since turned into ruins and continue to be destroyed. So far no one has found anyone willing to restore them.

Underground naval museum complex of Balaklava

Most vacationers in Crimea come to Balaklava to visit the Balaklava Naval Museum Complex, which became a museum in 2002. It was created on the basis of an underground plant intended for the repair and maintenance of submarines, located in adits.

This is a unique landmark of Balaklava, as a kind of monument to the Cold War, military history, technology of those years, that Balaklava, which was a secret nuclear submarine base (object GTSNo825).

The bay became a military base even before the war, and already in the 50s they began to build an anti-nuclear facility here. To create a secret base, Balaklava was chosen - a bay completely isolated from prying eyes, closed by a small strait. The unique defensive structures were made in the shortest possible time, in the most difficult conditions, underground in just 8 years and are a brilliant example of engineering work.

Here, at a sufficient depth, in the rocks, an artificial water source, dry docks, technical areas in which submarines were serviced and repaired, fuel warehouses, and a secret mine and torpedo unit were made. It was possible to leave Mount Tavros through two exits, one led to the bay, the other to the open sea, both exits were well camouflaged.

At the end of the last century, due to the rearmament of the fleet, the object ceased to be secret and lost its significance. Here, from the little that was preserved, exhibitions were organized dedicated to the historical significance of the Black Sea Fleet and the country's submarine forces. Some areas running next to the underground canal, rooms that used to be factory floors and an arsenal of torpedoes and nuclear warheads were opened for inspection. Also here you can see models of warships and some types of equipment and weapons of that time.

Also here, in one of the caves, there is an exhibition of rare exhibits related to the Crimean War, which were kindly provided by the Sheremetev family from Kyiv. Here you can see military ammunition, uniforms, awards, and some types of different weapons. Here on battle maps you can see the routes of that war, read letters from soldiers and much more.

Cape Fiolent and St. George's Monastery

To one of most beautiful places peninsula can be attributed to Cape Fiolent, which attracts with its picturesque landscape, clear sea, a white beach and rocks at the bottom of the sea, which are overgrown with marine vegetation. Here, when it is calm, it is especially pleasant to watch the sea; at this time the water in the sea is completely transparent.

It was formed as a result of an eruption that existed here in the prehistoric period, a volcano, as evidenced by frozen lava flows on its surface, on the slopes already covered with limestone, veins of semi-precious minerals.

The cape is overgrown with many legends and names, and everyone chooses a legend to suit their taste. Initially, it was called Parthennum and, according to legend, it personified Iphigenia, brought here by the goddess Artemis to sacrifice her to the gods, who later became the priestess of the temple of the Virgin. According to another legend, it began to be called Saint George after Saint George appeared to the shipwrecked sailors and helped them.

Having landed on a cliff, they discovered the face of George on it and after that, the surviving sailors, in gratitude for their salvation, erected a monastery here in his honor. But it began to be called Fiolent not very long ago, and to this day there are disputes about where this name came from, either from God’s country, or from the violent nature of the cape.

To understand what Cape Fiolent is, you need to imagine very high mountain with the sea at the foot and an old staircase of 800 steps, if you go down it, you can see steep cliffs above the beach, the sea and a rock in it, with a towering cross placed there in ancient times.

Cape Fiolent

On the Fiolent rocks above Jasper Beach there is St. George's Rock, here stands the one-of-a-kind St. George's Monastery, where a pagan temple previously stood. According to legend, it was built at the end of the 9th century by sailors who were helped to escape by St. George. Priests (chaplains) for the fleet came from this monastery, many Russian emperors visited there, and Pushkin, who visited this land, left full of impressions.

To commemorate the thousand-year anniversary of the monastery in 1891, on the rock where sailors saw the appearance of St. George, they installed a cross on which the saint slays the dragon and the date 891-1891. In the early 20s of the last century, the monastery was given over to a military unit of the Black Sea Fleet, and in the 90s they began to revive it again. Restoration work is still underway, but the monastery welcomes everyone who wishes to attend the service.

Merdven-Tobe waterfall in the vicinity of the village of Rodnoe (Balaklava district)

The supply of Crimean attractions is truly limitless. Here in the Baydar Valley there is complete abundance of them. One of these is the Merdven Tobe waterfall, which literally means an inverted staircase; it received this name due to its shape.

The shape of the rock, from which streams of water gracefully flow, falling with special grace into the green surface of the lake, in fact, is very similar to an inverted staircase. The green shore of the lake resembles a tropical landscape, there is something Hollywood about it.

Here, under the canopy, there is the Koba-Chair grotto, covered with ivy, where you can find coolness even on the hottest day. If you look at the waterfall from the grotto, you will see a stunning spectacle of the play of water with the sun. In very hot summers, the waterfall practically dries out, so it is better to admire all its beauty in March-April.

But, despite this, the lake remains at the disposal of vacationers. The place to relax here is very well equipped, there are tables, benches, changing rooms, i.e. everything you need for a good rest. The waterfall is located near the village of Rodnoe, which is why locals call it the Rodnovsky waterfall. Not far from it there is an ostrich farm, where you can hear a lot of interesting things about ostriches, go fishing and relax at the campsite.

A beautiful dilapidated building has stood on the Tavricheskaya embankment in Balaklava Bay for many years. They call it the Yusupovs' hunting lodge, although the word lodge does not suit this building well.

Back at the beginning of the 20th century, the Yusupov family, who loved Crimea very much, added one more to their collection of houses here. summer palace. Their dynasty was the wealthiest in Tsarist Russia. Unfortunately, not a single member of the Yusupov family lived in this house.

The only heir of this dynasty, Felix, was involved in organizing the murder of Grigory Rasputin and their entire family, like other representatives of the Romanov family, was taken to England. Later, the heir and his wife moved to the capital of France, where they remained until the end of their days.

Now this architectural monument is not suitable for visiting tourists, but still the majestic walls of the once beautiful palace remember those times of the great empire.

What else to do in Balaklava?

Balaclava is popular among tourists. First of all, they are attracted wonderful beaches, which can be reached by booking a boat trip. Several swimming spots are easily accessible on foot. For example, the City Beach is located in the center, and a little further, 4 km from central square, there are well-maintained Matrossky and Marble beaches.

Tourists are invited to go fishing, book an ATV excursion, horseback riding or paragliding. Yachting and diving are developed.

There are many canteens, cafes and restaurants in Balaklava, which specialize mainly in fish dishes. Balaklava fish soup is famous throughout the coast. After tasting local delicacies, you should take bus number 126 and go to Inkerman, where you can taste fine wines.

Helpful information

The season in Balaclava begins in late spring and lasts until September. There are direct flights from Simferopol. Buses leave from the bus station, but there are only four trips per day. Easier to get to from Sevastopol: from Sq. Nakhimov there are city buses No. 2a, 12, 14, 20a, 120. You should go to the stop. "5th km of Balaklava highway", then to minibus No. 9 – to the stop. "May 1st Square". It's very close to the bay.

Those that have survived to this day can be found in Homer’s poem “The Odyssey”, in which Homer describes the events of the 12th century BC:

"We entered a beautiful harbor there. It is surrounded
The rocks on both sides are a continuous wall.
Near the entrance they rise high against each other
There are two capes running out, and the entrance to this harbor is narrow.
There we met the bloodthirsty Lestrygonians"
As historians agree, it was the Taurus tribe that lived in these places at that time.

The second mention of Balaklava is also in the Greek epic, about two friends Arest and Pilate who arrived here 10 years after the landing of Odysseus. On the banks of Badaklava, where the bloodthirsty Listrigons live, they had to steal the statue of Artemis.
The first Greek name of Balaklava is Sumbolon Limen, which means “Bay of Omens”.
The next name that appears in history is the name by which we now know the city, Balaklava. The name Balaklava has two translations from Tatar - “Fish Nest” and “Fish Weather”.

The first historical mention of Balaclava dates back to the 1st century AD. Pliny the Elder. Traveling through Taurida (one of the first names of Crimea, which existed until the Middle Ages), he describes Balaklava as a fishing village and a gathering place for pirates.
At the end of the 1st century AD, a Roman army led by Plautius Silvanus defeated the Tauro-Scythians near Chersonese. After the victory, the Romans erected a temple to Jupiter in Balaklava and named the city Sumbolon.

In 145 AD. Emperor Antoninus Pius helps the rulers of Chersonesos in battles with the remnants of the Taurus and Scythians, the latter were thrown back to the northern and eastern part of Crimea. At this time, the fortress in Balaklava was strengthened and Roman rule was strengthened. All important positions are occupied by the Romans, the Greeks are mainly engaged in trade. The Romans live in Balaklava until 240, this year they leave the territory of Tavria and hand over the city to the Greeks.

In 1204, Byzantium fell and the Genoese seized trade routes to Crimea. In Balaklava they begin to build a fortress and defensive structures to protect merchant ships; the fortress has a strategic purpose and is the key to the capital, Chersonesos. In Balaklava Bay, warships are constantly on duty, ready at any moment to repel an enemy attack.

In 1475, the city, after a long siege, fell under the onslaught of the Ottoman Empire; chroniclers attribute to this period the appearance of the first mention of the name Balikaya. And for many years the Ottoman Empire gained a foothold there.

In 1624, Balaklava was captured by the Cossacks, the city was partially plundered, the Greek settlements in the city were practically undamaged, the Ottoman settlements were looted and burned. The Cossacks did not hold the fortress and the city for a long time; after the plunder, they returned with the loot to their capital, to the island of Khortitsa.

In 1773, on June 23, Turkish ships were attacked near Balaklava by 2 Russian ships “Crown” and “Taganrog”, and after 6 hours of battle, the Turkish ships, completely defeated, retreated. This was the first Russian-Turkish War and the first naval victory on the Black Sea; won in a minority, it brought great glory to the Russian navy. After the battle, Balaklava became the first ever port of the Russian fleet on the territory of Crimea.

In 1787, Empress Catherine II visited Balaklava; she wrote that Balaklava was the key to Crimea and ordered the construction of military fortifications.

In October 1854, a squadron of the English navy entered Balaklava; after fierce resistance, some of the defenders surrendered, and some, managing to escape from the encirclement, reached the Russian army's base in Yalta. Those who surrendered to the mercy of the victors were either killed or engaged in menial work to restore or improve the city.

In 1855 A bloody battle took place near Balaklava, although the Russian troops did not win in it, the morale of the British was suppressed, the British held Balaklava with huge losses, and the place of the battle was called “Death Valley”.
During the stay of the British in Balaklava, the first wooden embankment in the city was built; later it became known as the Nazukin embankment. Many shops and artisans appeared.
At the same time, the British began construction of the first railway in Crimea, it connected with Balaklava, the length was almost 13 km.
Throughout the entire period the British were in, the city was not calm all the time, there were constant murders, the gallows were not empty even for a day. The English sailors, one at a time, practically did not move around the city, and only went out into the surrounding area in groups; there was very strong resistance from the local residents.

Already in 1856, the British hastily abandoned the port, the city was almost plundered again, and the rebuilt railway was dismantled and sold to the Turks.
The restoration of the city was completely completed in 1871, the city became one of the popular resorts of the Russian aristocracy.

In 1887, the first hotel, the Grand Hotel, was opened in the city and a year later, Prince Yusupov built a hunting lodge on the opposite shore of the bay. Balaklava is gaining its popularity.

During the First World War, Balaklava was occupied by Germany, then came under French intervention and in the twenties came under the rule of the Bolsheviks. The population of the city was not large, with the outbreak of the First World War about 400 people. The city was practically deserted.

In 1931, the first diving school in the USSR was built, and the city was reborn again like a phoenix.
During the Second World War, the city was defended for almost a year; Russian troops left the city practically wiped off the face of the earth.

In 1945, the city was visited by English Prime Minister Winston Churchill on a short visit to honor the memory of the war dead in the “Valley of Death”.

In 1953 - 63 In Balaklava, a base for submarines was built under a rock, secret name - one of the monumental structures of the USSR. There were tactical submarines with nuclear weapons.

In 1957, due to the secrecy of the facility, Balaklava was transferred to the jurisdiction of the city.

In 1990, after the collapse of the USSR, Balaklava became part of Ukraine, the secret bunker was looted, and Russian ships were redeployed to other Russian bases.

In 2014, together with Crimea, it became part of the Russian Federation and received a new round of its history.

Balaclava on the map of Crimea

Greetings, friends!

If you are not yet so familiar with the geography of our peninsula, but the desire to visit the most interesting corners is great, I advise you to take a look at where Balaklava is located on the map of Crimea.

This place is amazing and very mysterious for the “discoverers”. But I hope you can figure out how to go out to sea for barbecue and fishing and not find the return entrance to Balaklava Bay from the sea. And you will also understand why here Venice and Genoa fought over markets for slaves.

Well, as per tradition, I invite you to a small but useful informational review of this place.

Let's start with the fact that Balaklava, a former city by status, now belongs to to one of the areas , and is considered simply a populated area.

Balaklava is located 15-17 km from Sevastopol, on the southwestern coast. The settlement is located along the edges of a unique, rather narrow Balaklava bay, which cuts into the land for 1.5 km.

The uniqueness of the bay is that the rocky shores and the winding strait completely hide the connection with the sea, creating the illusion of a limited expanse of water.

How to get there

You can get here from here easily and quickly by ordering a transfer, or rented own car . The drive is about 100 km, but the track is in excellent condition. I wrote about what, how much and how not to get into trouble with rent.
There are no direct flights to Balaklava from the airport, but you can go with a transfer in Sevastopol. There are quite a lot of flights to Sevastopol. The schedule and tickets can be viewed and purchased on e " Krymavtotrans «.
Aeroexpress also goes to Sevastopol Fly&Bus. Prices and schedule on their website .
At the entrance to Sevastopol there is a 5 km bus station. From here minibuses and buses run very often to Balaklava. There is no problem leaving.
You can get to Sevastopol by bus through Simferopol from the bus station " Resort". There are more flights here than from the airport. To search and purchase tickets, use the same website " Krymavtotrans «.
You can get to Simferopol from the airport by trolleybus 17 or bus 49. Drive 20-30 minutes.

About all the ways to leave Simferopol airport competently and cheaply in

General description of the resort

Balaklava is a combination of health, entertainment and cultural tourism.

Climatic conditions and sanatorium establishments will allow you to strengthen your body and maintain your health, and the natural landscapes and landscapes of the southern coast will give you delight and peace.

In addition, Balaclava - this is an ancient city , which preserved its history, perpetuating it in natural and man-made monuments.

Districts and structure

The population of Balaklava is about 20,000 people. The structure of this settlement simple - old district and new developments. Residential areas are located in steps, “due to the fault” of the mountainous landscape.

On both sides of Balaklava Bay there is a view of the historical part ancient city – Nazukin and Tavricheskaya embankments . Narrow streets leading upward have been preserved here, and as you walk through them you will come across architectural monuments, the best restaurants and cafes, and numerous hotels.

New areas built after the war are a continuation of Balaklava, and stretch towards Sevastopol and Yalta.

The sea off the coast of Balaklava

In a bay where there are practically no storms, sea water maintains ideal transparency and purity . The sea temperature in summer reaches a comfortable +24 + 26 degrees, and rarely drops below +20 until the end of September.

This area, with its surrounding cliffs, underwater reefs and the mysterious capes of Aya and Fiolent, attracts fans of scuba diving. The best diving center on the peninsula is also located here.

The calm waters of Balaklava Bay are most suitable for yachting. While relaxing here, you can become a spectator of a sailing regatta, or take a trip to the open sea on one of the snow-white yachts.

Beaches of Balaklava

In Balaklava there are beaches directly in the bay itself and beyond. All of them are pebble (except for the concrete city one), with not too wide, and in some places very narrow coastal strips. Equipped and crowded are the beaches on one and the other side of the bay:

Urban , Nazukina embankment. All infrastructure, amenities and entertainment are available;
Marble - at the end of the Tavricheskaya embankment. There are also beach equipment, catering establishments and various services;
Sailor - side by side with Mramorny, but with concrete structures, which reduces its attractiveness compared to its neighbor.
Vasily – an equipped, free beach, to which a path leads from Mramornye.

To visit the picturesque beaches outside the bay you will have to use a boat, skiff or yacht, which in itself gives a great mood, or walk along the paths and hills.

Best beaches

Jasper – Cape Fiolent. Considered one of the most attractive and clean beaches peninsula, 1 km long. It is landscaped, there is a cafe and sanitary areas. There are large stones on the shore and in the sea, but the beauty of the local landscapes and the blue sea will make you forget about everything in the world;

On the opposite side of Jasper Beach, moving towards Cape Aya, there are no less popular and equipped beaches:

Silver – located closest to Balaklava;
Gold – distant, but spacious, with attractions, cafes, paid sun loungers;

Wild and beautiful beaches

You won’t be able to completely retire here; vacationers get here by boat throughout the day. But you can put up a tent and stay overnight.

The Lost World - Cape Aya . The name is very descriptive - green hills, overhanging rocks, rocky shore, clear water. Don’t forget to negotiate with the owner of the boat or boat to pick you up, because there is no other way from here;
Figs – a small, rocky beach, accessible by a path from Golden Beach. There is wonderful and healing air here, thanks to the coniferous trees;
Shaitan – Dere (Shaitanka) – next to the entrance to the bay. Here rocks and huge boulders meet the sea and there is nowhere to hide from the sun. To go here, you have to be an extreme sports enthusiast, a good diver, or a nudist.

Not all beaches are listed here; there are smaller, less well-known and comfortable beaches that you can wander to during your walks.

Parks of Balaklava

There are no outstanding parks in Balaklava, but there are several green areas for cultural recreation– squares, with neat paths, benches and lanterns.

But Balaklava is surrounded by natural parks that you must visit:

Good to know

Starts in Balaclava Great Sevastopol Trail along the coast to Laspi is about 18 km. A great weekend itinerary for active tourists. It's a shame that this is one of the few prototypes "trekking in the mountains" , which is widely developed in

See all information on the website visitsevtrail.ru

Friends, we are not saying goodbye. We can talk about Balaklava for hours. We will continue our virtual journey through the resort and examine issues of history, attractions, as well as food and accommodation.

Don't switch. Subscribe to blog updates , actively participate in the comments and stay connected using social media buttons.

It's only begining!

The text of the work is posted without images and formulas.
The full version of the work is available in the "Work Files" tab in PDF format

Introduction

The entry of Crimea into Russia is assessed differently in the world. In many Western countries, this event is viewed as an act of occupation of the Crimean peninsula by Russia. The will of the majority of Crimeans who voted in the referendum for reunification with Russia is being ignored.

IN modern world the annexation of Crimea to Russia is the most pressing issue. On March 18, 2014, an interstate agreement was signed on the admission of Crimea and Sevastopol to Russia, according to which Russian Federation new entities are formed—the Republic of Crimea and the city federal significance Sevastopol.

Vladimir Pozner said in his interview that “Crimea does not represent any economic interest. The case is in the city of Sevastopol, where the Russian Black Sea Fleet is located. That's what makes a big difference." According to experts, the Black Sea Fleet cannot compete in power with the Pacific, much less the Northern. But in historical terms, the existence of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea, according to Doctor of Historical Sciences Andrei Soyustov, fully justifies itself and will continue to justify itself.

"Firstly, this is a means that could allow the power to take control of Black Sea straits and - an eternal dream - to get out of the bottle of the Black Sea pool into the Mediterranean Sea. The second is always the force that prevents the enemy from reaching our southern borders by the shortest route, by sea.” The author of this work completely agrees with the opinion of those scientists and publicists who believe that Crimea was and is Russia’s strategic base in the Black Sea region. There are many such facilities in Crimea that can strengthen the defense capability of our state. One of these objects is Balaklava.

In the summer of 2014, we visited a number of places on the Crimean Peninsula. The excursions made a huge impression on me. I was especially struck by the city of Balaklava, namely the secret object 825, the history of which I tried to display in this work.

After the distribution of ships and bases of the Black Sea Fleet, Balaklava, along with the plant, went to Ukraine. But today our country received the entire Crimea, and therefore Balaklava, into the Russian Federation.

We dedicate our scientific research to “Object 825 GTS”. Since many archival documents are still classified, we had to collect information bit by bit. In addition, in the summer my family and I went to Crimea to visit Balaklava and find out some details on the spot.

Goal of the work: determine the place of the secret “Object 825 GTS” in historical and modern aspects.

In accordance with the purpose of the work, we determined research objectives:

Trace the history of the village of Balaklava from antiquity to the present day.

Explore the history of the secret Balaclava facility from 1953 to 2014.

Compare the data obtained with the results of practical observations.

Characterize current state and prospects for the development of the Balaklava facility.

Research prospects.

In the process of conducting the research, we studied documentary materials, summarized and systematized information from personal observations, analysis of documentary literature, Internet resources, and the media.

The work material can be used as a supplement in history, social studies, and geography lessons.

Chapter 1. From the history of the town of Balaklava

Balaklava Bay is a unique creation of nature. It extends like a narrow ribbon into the depths of the land, separated from the sea by a narrow entrance. At the entrance to the bay, the rocky coast makes several turns. Therefore, the harbor is not visible from the open sea. Asian and European peoples continuously fought for the right to have a convenient Balaklava harbor.

The first historical people of Crimea, who left traces of their stay on ancient land Balaclavas are called brands. Ancient writers characterize the Taurians as a wild people making human sacrifices. One of the famous myths is associated with Balaklava ancient Greece- about Odysseus’s visit to the country of the Laestrygonians (as Homer called the Taurians).

At the end of the 1st century AD, a Roman army led by Plautius Silvanus defeated the Tauro-Scythians near Chersonesus. After the victory, the Romans erected a temple to Jupiter in Balaklava and named the city Sumbolon.

In 1787, Empress Catherine II visited Balaklava; she wrote that Balaklava was the key to Crimea and ordered the construction of military fortifications.

In 1854, in October, a squadron of the English Navy entered Balaklava, after fierce resistance, some of the defenders surrendered, some, having managed to get out of the encirclement, reached the base of the Russian army in Yalta. Those who surrendered to the mercy of the victors were either killed or engaged in menial work to restore or improve the city.

In 1931, the first diving school in the USSR was built, and the city was reborn again like a phoenix.

During the second defense of Sevastopol during the Great Patriotic War, Balaklava with its convenient harbor turned out to be as attractive to the Germans as it was to the British in 1854. The Germans sent the 72nd Infantry Division, supported by tanks, to capture it. The first enemy attack was taken by the NKVD battalion, which broke through to the city on November 4, 1941, as well as soldiers of the 514th Infantry Regiment of the Primorsky Army and marines. Having suffered heavy losses, the defenders of Balaklava were forced to retreat to the area of the Genoese fortress. The Chembalo fortress again, as in ancient times, becomes the last defensive line of Balaklava. The defenders of the Genoese fortress, having taken up the defense on November 20, repelled up to 70 fascist assaults over the course of several months, without losing a single person. The defense of Balaklava lasted from November 4, 1941 to June 29, 1942. And in 1944, on April 15-16, Soviet troops reached the enemy’s defensive lines, and on April 18 Balaklava was liberated.

In 1945, the city was visited by English Prime Minister Winston Churchill on a short visit to honor the memory of the soldiers who died in the “Valley of Death”.

After the war, life in Balaklava changed dramatically. A division of submarines was stationed in the bay, and Balaklava turned into one of the most secret military bases in the country. The submarines stationed in Balaklava were equipped with nuclear weapons in the 60s, and on the western shore of the bay an underground submarine repair plant was built in the rock. In 1953 - 63 In Balaklava, a base for submarines was built under a rock, the secret name is “Object 825 GTS”, one of the monumental structures of the USSR. There were tactical submarines with nuclear weapons.

In 1957, due to the secrecy of the facility, Balaklava was transferred to the jurisdiction of the city of Sevastopol.

In 1990, after the collapse of the USSR, Balaklava became part of Ukraine, the secret bunker was looted, and Russian ships were redeployed to other Russian bases. In March 1995 the last Russian submarine was withdrawn from Balaklava, and in 2003 the Zaporozhye submarine, owned by Navy Ukraine

In 2014, Balaklava, together with Crimea, became part of the Russian Federation and received a new round of its history.

It is impossible to describe all sides of the history of Balaklava. For this, we recommend you the book by Vladimir Georgievich Shavshin “Balaklava: Historical Sketches.” In it you can learn in more detail about all periods of the history of Balaklava, up to the beginning of the 90s of the twentieth century.

Chapter 2. History of Balaklava Bay and facility 825 GTS

Balaklava is a small town on the Black Sea coast. Balaklava Bay is a unique bay of the Black Sea, ideal for organizing a port and basing submarines. The width of the bay is 200-400 meters, and the depth is no more than 17 meters. The geographical uniqueness of the bay contributes to the absence of storms, which is an excellent condition for mooring. Due to the uniqueness of the entrance part of the bay - its tortuosity, it is absolutely invisible from the open sea, which is a huge strategic benefit (Appendix 1 ).

During the Soviet Union, this was a super secret place - a submarine base with a unique submarine repair plant, which was carved into the rock of Balaklava Bay. Now Balaklava is a base of the Black Sea Navy and a city where many interesting historical monuments have been preserved.

In the period after World War II, both superpowers, the USSR and the USA, increased their nuclear potential, threatening each other with preventive strikes and retaliatory strikes.

Shortly before his death, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin approved a comprehensive plan for protecting the country's main industrial and defense facilities from atomic weapons. It was then that Stalin gave Beria (who was in charge of the “nuclear project” at that time) a secret directive: to find a place where submarines could be based for launching a retaliatory nuclear strike. After several years of searching, the choice fell on quiet Balaklava: the city was immediately classified and its status changed—the city of Balaklava turned into a closed area of the city of Sevastopol[7].

Balaclava was not chosen for the construction of the underground complex by chance. A narrow winding strait, only 200-400m wide, protects the harbor not only from storms, but also from prying eyes - it is not visible from the open sea from any angle. The leader examined and endorsed the project of the Balaklava underground submarine repair plant personally. He had almost no time to think: according to Soviet intelligence, frantic underground construction had already begun in the United States. Command posts and ballistic missiles, hangars and military factories were hidden under chips and in mines: Entire cities went into the bowels of the earth, branching there like wormholes.

In the arms race, the Soviet Union could not lag behind the United States. In the summer of 1957, specialists from the Ministry of Special Installation appeared in Balaklava. In the same year, a special construction department No. 528 was created, which was directly involved in the construction of an underground structure. Everything was so secret that even the local residents did not suspect anything. It was the only underground complex of its kind in the world. In an extremely short time, underground shelters for “baby” submarines (Project 615) and the Metalist military plant for their repair were built.

Work in Mount Tavros was carried out around the clock, like miners, in four shifts. Step by step, cubic meter by cubic meter, day by day, year by year. The total production of rock exceeded 25 thousand cubic meters. In the thickness of the western cliff, man-made crevices and caves arose, which turned into underground roads, piers, lock chambers, workshops, arsenals, storage facilities, offices (Appendix 2 ).

In the event of a nuclear threat, this underground kingdom was designed to shelter 10 thousand people and an entire division of submarines. They could remain offline for 3 years!

The underground plant was built in anti-nuclear resistance category I with the penetration of rocky soil with a high degree of security and safety. It had large production areas, including a dry dock and an underwater channel for the simultaneous entry of seven submarines (both surfaced and submerged). The entire factory infrastructure was completely isolated from the outside world using closed underwater locks. War boats were repaired autonomously and exited through a special channel directly into the open sea. For purposes of secrecy, only one submarine at a time was allowed into and out of the underground complex and only at night.

The underground complex was built over 8 years, from 1953 to 1961. About 120 thousand tons of rock were removed during construction. To ensure secrecy, the removal was carried out at night on barges to the open sea. The object was built first by the military, and then by metro construction workers, which was due to the complexity of drilling the rock.

Chapter 3. Description, internal structure and purpose of the object

The facility is an anti-nuclear defense structure of the first category (protection against a direct hit from an atomic bomb with a power of 100 kt), which includes a combined underground water channel with a dry dock, repair shops, fuel and lubricants warehouses, and a mine and torpedo section. Located in Mount Tavros, on both sides of which there are two exits. From the bay side there is the entrance to the canal (adit). If necessary, it was covered with a bateauport, the weight of which reached 150 tons. To access the open sea, an exit was equipped on the northern side of the mountain, which was also blocked by a bathoport. Both holes in the rock were skillfully closed with camouflage devices and nets (Appendix 3).

Object 825 GTS was intended for shelter, repair and maintenance of submarines of the 613th and 633rd projects, as well as for storing ammunition intended for these submarines. The channel (length 602 meters) of the facility could accommodate 7 submarines of the specified projects. Loading equipment into Peaceful time was carried out at the pier, taking into account the movement of spy satellites of a potential enemy. In case of a nuclear threat, loading had to be carried out inside the base through a special adit. The complex also included a repair and technical base (object 820), intended for storing and servicing nuclear weapons. The temperature inside the base is about 15 degrees.

The submarines climbed into the rock adit under their own power through a channel more than 600 meters long and 8.5 meters deep. This unique structure is located both in the underwater part of Balaklava Bay and at the water level in a rock whose height reaches 130 meters. Nearby there was a production workshop and utility rooms with a total length of 300 meters. The largest diameter of the adit is 22 meters.

From the bay side, the entrance to the adit was blocked by a 150-ton floating boatport, which floated up after being inflated with air. This made it possible to completely “clog” the underground facility. The same boatport, but only smaller in size, was installed in an underground dry dock. When the boat entered in the surface position, the bowport was closed, water was pumped out of it and the boat was docked. The exit to the northern side was also blocked by a bathoport, which was moved to the side, releasing the submarines into the open sea. The entrance to the tunnel from the north side was so skillfully camouflaged that an uninitiated person would never discover the adit even at close range. Thus, the underground complex was completely isolated from the external environment. Its protection made it possible to withstand a direct hit from an atomic bomb with a power of up to 100 kilotons, which was equal to “five Hiroshimas.” To mitigate a nuclear strike, all underground structures, including the water canal, had a rounded shape.

According to the military “tops,” in a hypothetical nuclear explosion in the center of Balaklava, in addition to a firestorm of up to several thousand degrees, huge radiation levels of tens of thousands of roentgens, a column of water could rise tens of meters, sucking hundreds of millions of tons of water into the throat of the bay and flooding everything alive. The entire blow was to be taken by a mobile bathoport, which closed and opened the sea entrance to the underground complex. The maximum height of the internal cavity of the complex reached 10 meters, and highest point the rocky ground above it is 26 meters. In addition to loading ammunition, submarines could recharge their batteries at the plant and replenish water and fuel supplies. Having returned from combat service, the submarines could undergo all necessary types of maintenance and repairs, and then emerge fully equipped from the underground complex.

In the secret workshops there were from 170 to 230 people servicing the dock and other engineering systems of the underground facility. Another 50 people were part of the water guard units and carried out permanent service at three posts: at the entrance and exit of the tunnel and near the dock. total area of all underground structures exceeded 15 thousand square meters, and the channel through which the submarines passed was wider than Balaklava Bay itself. Some rooms reached the height of a three-story building (Appendix 4).

In 1961, Khrushchev set a course for reducing the Armed Forces of the USSR. When visiting Sevastopol and the Black Sea Fleet, Nikita Sergeevich appreciated in his own way the uniqueness of the underground structure in Balaklava. The scale and versatility of the underground complex impressed Khrushchev so much that he ordered it to be converted into... wine warehouses. And only thanks to persistent requests and repeated special reports to the CPSU Central Committee of the Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Navy, Admiral Kuznetsov, the underground submarine repair plant was able to be completed.

It is difficult to imagine how a 600-meter canal was dug inside a huge mountain consisting of solid marble rocks in just four years. After all, the canal level is 7 meters below sea level! What engineering technologies were used to create this artificial brainchild still remains a mystery. It is only known that the initial work was carried out by representatives of the USSR Black Sea Fleet. The military underground construction battalion provided the labor force, and then the main work was carried out by the Moscow Metro team.

A missile weapons warehouse and nuclear ammunition storage facilities were built next to the adit. An underground fuel warehouse, built in the form of underground vertical tanks, made it possible to store up to 4 thousand tons of petroleum products. Under the protection of many meters of rocky soil, torpedoes, missiles, artillery ammunition and other necessary cargo were transported from the storage facility along a narrow-gauge road to the underground pier. There is also a workshop for preventive inspection and repair of components and parts of ships. The western exit from the canal was closed with a special structure - prefabricated reinforced concrete slabs 2 meters thick, 10 meters long and 7 meters high.

The entire underground complex with a powerful sluice and life support system is, perhaps, the only one in the world historical monument engineering and technical art during the Cold War. For 30 years (from 1960 to 1990), none of the local residents even suspected the existence of a secret adit - "Object No. 825 GTS", which was officially called the city telephone exchange.

Many already guessed why Balaklava ceased to be a climatological resort, despite a very strict secrecy regime: even native Sevastopol residents could not enter the bay. They say that one onlooker, who accidentally passed his stop, was taken off the bus at the entrance to the bay and was almost killed in the dungeons of the KGB. And two former workers, who lived for years on the same landing, only after Gorbachev’s glasnost learned that they worked at the same plant, in the same place, but only in different teams.

Chapter 4. Balaklava facility in the 90s

The military ruled the bay until the collapse of the Soviet Union. The last Russian submarine left Balaklava in March 1995. The city, the port, and the entire harbor completely came under the jurisdiction of Ukraine. The underground complex was decommissioned and handed over to local authorities. All production facilities (expensive machines and equipment with precious metals) were removed to an unknown direction. When the massive anti-nuclear hermetic doors “hospitably” opened to everyone, “clever business executives” began to “demilitarize” the bay: they unscrewed, removed and took out everything they could. Crowds of scrap miners of non-ferrous and ferrous metals rushed into the underground mines. The first thing they did was steal all the cast iron covers that covered all kinds of communication wells, inspection hatches, technological shafts, tunnels, tunnels and other passages. It was possible to enter the once secret plant without any problems not only with a truck, but also with a small crane. From the former workshops, capable of returning the crippled submarine to operation in the shortest possible time, there was only one machine left, which will never work again: the power cables were cut down to the last meter, and all the parts were “sent” for scrap metal (Appendix 5).

Only the unique filter-ventilation chambers and toilets suffered relatively little damage: it was rare that the average person could use them for “economic” purposes. The plumbing in underground facilities, as in all bomb shelters, was durable and simple, but not at all prestigious and comfortable. They say that several hundred thousand tons of metal were removed from the underground city and more than one billion hryvnia were “pumped out.”

Today, only the shabby inscription “Happy sailing!”, located probably on the site of the former barracks, reminds us of its former underground power. Underground shelters have become dangerous paths with treacherous “wolf pits” at almost every turn. In numerous rooms there are metal parts lying around and sticking out, which are not of interest to the “treasure hunters”, but are quite capable of crippling an unlucky tourist. The only thing that does not threaten is electric current: only a memory remains of the many kilometers of cable routes. The abandoned southern bathoport, under the influence of some unknown forces, split into two parts, one of which fell into the canal, blocking the entrance. The rust-eaten fracture shows how much work was done during the assembly of this bateauport, how many steel sheets needed to be welded and stitched (Appendix 4).

Chapter 5. Current state of the secret object

On the blackened walls of the underground city you can still see traces of burning of stolen non-ferrous metal. The robbery of former factory floors would have continued to this day if the military had not decided to create a museum - “for the edification of posterity.” His few employees immediately turned into vigilant guardians of the surviving goods.

The news of the presence of a unique underground monument in Balaklava quickly spread across all embassies accredited in Russia and Ukraine. When foreign guests arrived in the bay, they were horrified and could not believe their own eyes: could a Soviet man really create such a thing? In 2001-2012, Chinese Ambassador Li Giobang, Italian Ambassador Brunetti Goetz, Israeli Ambassador Anna Azari visited the underground city of the bay... They say that the leading commentator of the American television company Michael Luftin, after reaching the surface, could not resist and scratched his name on the wall with a penknife concrete tunnel patern). The niece of the famous Winston Churchill, Countess Clarissa, could not resist the temptation to do the same.

In accordance with the plan of the international Trade Club, the underground complex was visited by trade attaches and business representatives from 43 countries. After reviewing the former underground factory, they proposed turning it into a Cold War museum. It costs about half a billion dollars to turn former closed military installations into an “open” tourism zone. This is exactly the figure that the supporters of the super-project “Balaklava - an international tourist and recreational center” call in the Sevastopol city administration.

Today, the areas around the artificial canal that runs right through the mountain, several workshops of the plant and the arsenal where torpedoes and nuclear warheads were stored are open for inspection. The museum exhibits include models of warships and samples of equipment and weapons from the Sevastopol Higher Naval Engineering School, which ceased to exist in 1993 as a result of the collapse of the USSR. The models were created by cadets and donated to the school museum (Appendix 6).

The ten-year anniversary of the museum was celebrated in June 2013 with the participation of veteran submariners, former workers of the underground plant, as well as representatives of the authorities, the armed forces and schoolchildren.

At the entrance to the main adit, they propose to erect a six-story building in the shape of the bow of a submarine: there will be space not only for displaying former military equipment (missiles and torpedoes), but also for entertainment venues - restaurants and discos. The architectural and artistic design of the museum complex is designed to preserve the mystery of Mount Tavros. Museum exhibits will be illuminated at an angle to create the appearance of underground space. But first we need to solve the problem of water purification of the bay. In many places, the bottom is covered with a multi-meter layer of silt, in which, in addition to all kinds of waste and slag, live shells and mines could be hidden.

In a recent interview, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government for Defense Industry Dmitry Rogozin expressed confidence that all defense facilities in Crimea will be restored and used for their intended purpose. The fate of Balaklava is unknown. To be honest, I would like this object to be left as a museum. Let there be peace. There is no need for war.

Conclusion

We dedicated this study to the secret “Object 825 GTS”, located in the city of Balaklava. We have analyzed and traced the history of this secret facility from 1953 to 2016. In order to obtain more accurate information, I visited the town of Balaklava and the secret object itself, studied the available documents, and recorded particularly important information using a camera and audio recording. All this made it possible to characterize the current state of the object and see its prospects.

development.

The secret facility in Balaklava is a unique building not only in the history of our state, but also of the whole world.

All tasks assigned to the work were largely completed

The history of Balaklava and its secret object was investigated, the current state of the object was characterized and the prospects for its further development were determined.

We believe that this work will be of interest not only to specialists, but also to ordinary people.

Many questions remained behind the pages of the study, but I hope to continue it in the given direction.

Bibliography

Andreev A.R., History of Crimea.-M., 1997.- 254 p.

Verkhoturov D.N., Crimea. Military history: From Ivan the Terrible to Putin.-M., 2014.-288s

Military Encyclopedic Dictionary.-M., 2012.-506 p.

Prokhorov D., Khrapunov N., Short story Crimea. - Simferopol., 2013. - 400 p.

Sukhorukov V., Do you know Crimea. - Simferopol., 2013.-324 p.

Cherkashin N.A. Underground submarine harbor. TOP SECRET No. 8/147 - 2001. An article about the famous object No. 825 in Balaklava.

Shavshin V.G., Balaklava: historical essays., 2004.- 264 p.

Echo of Moscow: New Black Sea Fleet bases may appear in Ukraine (radio information)

www.pomnivoinu.ru/home/reports/1259/

virtual-sevastopol.ru/balaklava-muzei.html

http://anastgal.livejournal.com/909772.html

http://fishki.net/30823-7-zabroshennyh-chudes.html

http://www.viza-yalta.com/country.php

http://ru.wikipedia.org

http://www.youtube.c

Annex 1

Geographical location of Balaklava (Crimea)

Appendix 2

History of the creation of the object (rare frames-photos of the author)

It was the only underground complex of its kind in the world. In an extremely short time, underground shelters for “baby” submarines (Project 615) and the Metalist military plant for their repair were built.

Appendix 3

From the bay side there is the entrance to the canal (adit). If necessary, it was covered with a bateauport, the weight of which reached 150 tons. To access the open sea, an exit was equipped on the northern side of the mountain, which was also blocked by a bathoport. Both holes in the rock were skillfully closed with camouflage devices and nets.

A huge underground bay could shelter a brigade of 14 Project 615 submarines and three thousand people - the population of the entire then Balaklava.

Appendix 4

It is quite cool underground, the temperature is about +12 degrees. You look at the water splashing in the canal and try to imagine how much human labor was once spent on building all this!

In the event of a threat of a direct nuclear strike, the plant was able to close hermetically using automatic doors and exist autonomously for 3 years.

Mine-torpedo part of the complex. Here they checked and serviced the submarines' ammunition, carried out routine maintenance, and then delivered mines and torpedoes to the arsenal.

The 505-meter tunnel is the largest part of the facility.

The exit, if necessary, was blocked by a batoport (floating gate of the navigation facility), the weight of which reached 150 tons.

When you walk along the main corridors, everything looks good, but if you turn a little to the side...

This is an abandoned dark corridor, preserved from the 50s.

The head of the torpedo.

Cross-sectional model of a Project 613 diesel submarine.

Current radio controlled model anti-submarine ship.

In one of the stands

Model of a modern ship

Submarine entrance

1-2.Entrance to a secret facility. You can go by boat, but we went on foot to see and feel better.

Torpedo and trolley for transporting torpedoes

Tunnels through which submarines sailed.

Map of Balaklava Bay with military symbols

The torpedoes lie on a cart, which stands on a special rotating intersection.

The control panel and workers are ready to load the torpedo

One of the submarines.

The sailors check whether everything has been done correctly.

A place where submarines sailed out to sea at night.

History of Balaklava - ancient Crimean city, which turned 2,500 years old in 2004, is amazing. The name “Balaklava” goes back to the Turkic “balyk-yuve”, which translated means “fish net, fish nest”. In the very center of the city is the famous Balaklava Bay. The surface of the water in it is so smooth that it seems to be “filled to the brim.” At the exit from the bay there is the Fortress rock with the ruins of the Chembalo fortress. On the opposite bank is Mount Tavros, inside of which there is a former underground factory for submarines, now a museum.

Taurus in Balaklava

The name of the mountain reminds ancient inhabitants these places - about the Taurian tribes. They chose the spurs of the Main Ridge Crimean mountains approximately in the 8th century. BC. "Tavros" translated from Greek means "highlander."

Balaklava is a closed city

During the Cold War, a unique secret facility appeared - an underground repair plant for submarines. That is why 2 decades ago, few of the guests of Crimea had heard the name Balaklava.

Entry here was prohibited, and the city itself was not depicted on maps. After the collapse of the USSR, the process of demilitarization of Balaklava began, and the city is rapidly developing as a tourist and recreational center. The population of Balaklava is 23 thousand people. The city is the center of the Balaklava municipal district of Sevastopol.

Balaclava today

Every year the number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting this corner of Crimea increases. In 2004, during the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the city, a major reconstruction of the embankment was carried out, a new monument to Lesya Ukrainka appeared on the square. 1st of May.

New hotels and restaurants have appeared in Balaklava. All catering establishments here specialize in preparing fish and seafood dishes. The most famous and popular among tourists: the restaurant “Fisherman’s Hut”, the restaurant “Balaklava”, whose guests of honor are different time there were B. Yeltsin, film artists G. Kutsenko, N. Karachentsev, director Alla Surikova, journalists Nikolai Svanidze and Leonid Parfenov. The tavern of the Golden Symbol yacht club is also popular.

Every summer, Balaklava becomes a huge film set (the films “Driver for Vera”, “Sapho”, “Tanker Tango”, “The Ninth Company”, “Chic”, many music videos were filmed here, including a video for Alexander Rybak’s song “Heaven of Europe”) . The town annually hosts the festival of bard songs “Balaklava Holidays”, the international youth music festival “Pearl Paradise”, etc. If you wish, you can always look at the Balaklava embankment.