Travel to Ukraine

Mountain Cat

2012-09-12T05:39:00.000-07:00

On which side and which way you would not be riding in Simeiz mountain cat will always be ahead of you. You can see it from all sides, but only from the west and the east, it really looks like a cat. Even without knowing what it looks like, do you recognize her at first sight - So characteristic of its features, like a giant cat got ready to jump. But if you climb to the top of Ai-Petri, the mountain cat is more like a mouse: passing near the track turns into a giant tail. If we go along this route further, by Katsiveli mountain cat starts to look like a giant rhino. But no matter how you played our imagination, a mountain cat in Simeiz.

Why is the mountain called "cat"? It would seem pretty obvious. But the modern name of "mountain cat" comes from the Crimean Tatar "Kosh-Kai." "Kai" means "rock", "Kosh" - "pair". After the annexation of Crimea to Russia, the name of the Russian population has been transformed into something more meaningful, "cat". But also in shape like a mountain cat, it is not surprising that the "Koch-Kaya" has become a "mountain cat".

Mountain Cat - one of the most colorful and interesting landscape monuments Crimean coast. By its nature it is xenoliths from the main ridge of the Crimean mountains and gradually moved down the slope to the sea. And as modern look acquired about a million years ago. Gore was one with the backbone Jajly and served as an insurmountable barrier separating the southern coast. After the construction of highway Yalta-Sevastopol in 1972, the mountain cat artificially divided into two parts. Height southern cat 255 meters above sea level, the North - 211 meters above sea level.
Gore was populated in the IV millennium BC. e. At the top of the remains of the Taurus Mountains and the largest settlement in Crimea Taurus burial (VI-II centuries BC), the so-called "Taurus dolmens" beyond the track. In the Middle Ages there were several fortresses in the X-XIII centuries. At the bottom - on the mountain panel, opposite the rock Divas - Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a monastery basilica XB. with a mosaic floor and a stone vault with thirty Byzantine burials relating to the VIII-X centuries. Genoese in the XIV-XV centuries. reconstructed building of the monastery in his fortress panel.
Cat on the mountain slopes and huge thickets of oak fluffy, juniper, pistachio tupolistnoy evergreen and deciduous tree strawberry tree. But most of all stored on the mountain air is saturated with fragrance of juniper. It is useless to describe, should be felt. The slopes of the mountain can be called a museum landforms. Giant stone chaos mixed with huge stone peaks and towers, heavy karst formations, in some places stretching out into the mountains to the depths of 80 meters.

Even if you have never been in Simeiz, but resting on the southern coast of Crimea, get in the car, bus and go to the mountain cat, and you will not regret! Climb better from the north, on which in a small observation platform on which to park the car. Hence, too, and begins the ascent to the very mountain cat. But even with the type of site is just great! But the cat on the mountain itself has a few places that offer a smart panorama: the Black Sea, the main ridge of the Crimean mountains, view of the Ai-Petri, well Simeiz clearly. Photos from the viewing platforms mountain cat can be stunning - see photo Simeiz. Unique landscape and climate attracts many years, artists, poets, writers, and tourists who want to relax in the "Little Italy."

Close to the mountain and the other cat is also a kind of natural attractions in form: standing in a sea of rock diva, rock fragments Monk (destroyed by the storm), the rock panel and Swan wing. On these rocks Legends of Rock Diva, Monk and The Cat in Simeiz.

Vorontsov Palace

2012-09-12T05:33:00.001-07:00

Vorontsov Palace, and now - Alupka Palace and Park State Museum-Reserve - one of the most visited monuments of the Crimea.

Vorontsov Palace was built as a summer residence of the governor-general of the Novorossiysk Territory Mikhail Vorontsov (1782-1856), designed by English architect Edward Blore (1789-1879). Externally, the building resembles the English castles, while maintaining the architectural elements of different eras: the farther from the gate, the style of the buildings later. It is easy to discern the silhouette Alupka Palace and Oriental motifs chimneys resembling minarets of mosques, registration Southern entrance with an inscription in Arabic reading: "There is no God but Allah."
An unforgettable experience for visitors of the Vorontsov Palace reserves walk through a magnificent park equipment and breakdown which led the German Carl Kebah. Park designed as an amphitheater of two parts: the upper and lower, separated by the coastal highway. A distinctive feature of the palace park is its natural, complementary landscapes, not distort them. Stone chaos, Trout, Mirror and Swan Lake, Moonstone and numerous fields with picturesque names are well remembered and remain in the memory of visitors. Are popular elements of the Lower Park, filled with the spirit of the Renaissance: the Fountain of Tears, the sources of "Cat's Eye", "Teahouse" and rock Aivazovsky. Special interest and attention is drawn to the statue of Carrara marble lions, coming out of the workshop of the famous Italian sculptor Giovanni Bonnani.

Family owned Vorontsov Palace in Alupka until the October Revolution, after which the building and the park was nationalized in 1921 to open a museum. During the Second World War, the museum's exhibits were not evacuated, and the building of the palace was almost destroyed. 537 works of art were taken to Germany and most of them have not returned to the museum. At present, the palace has collected more than 11 thousand items, and the most valuable of them are paintings by Russian artists of the XIX century. and Western European artists XVI - XIX centuries., collection of Russian XVIII century engravings., graphic works, performed in English engraver "black manner", sets of furniture, made by the Russian serfs and English masters, porcelain domestic production, clocks, chandeliers, decorative vases French bronze Thomire and Russian firms.

During the Yalta Conference of the heads of the three Allied powers - the USSR, the USA and the UK, from 4 to 11 February 1945, the Vorontsov Palace, is the British delegation, led by Winston Churchill.
In 1956, the government decided in the palace once again began working museum.
Like many other Crimean building, Vorontsov Palace has frequently been the site for the filming of the movie: "Heavenly Swallows", "Crazy Day or The Marriage of Figaro", "Sappho" - is not a complete list of well-known paintings of domestic production, the action of which takes place in the palace - park complex in Alupka.

Mount Ai-Petri

2012-09-12T05:23:00.001-07:00

What is the Ai-Petri? This question is difficult to answer in one or two sentences, even harder to describe the diversity of the mountain range, where each tract and surprises and delights. Talk with mountaineers and rock climbers, hikers and tourists, skiers and cave explorers, foresters and meteorologists, mushroom and berry lovers - each tells of his own, but even put together these fragments do not give ideas about Ai-Petri, yet never been to the top.

Ai-Petri - the pinnacle and the mountain area of 300 km2, is one of the dining rooms of arrays (also called yaylami) extending along the southern coast and up the main mountain range. Ai-Petri array stretches from east to west on the 25t km. The distance between the southern edge of the parapet and the northern foot of a 13ti km. Conditional eastern boundary runs along the meridian of Mount Doom, separated from the adjacent array Yalta plateau. In the west of Ai-Petri ends deep saddle Baidar gate.
But most tourists do not remember the array as a whole, and one of its vertices with a palisade of exotic stone pillars, known as teeth. This peak is far to the south ledge nominated array is actually Ai-Petri, gave name to the whole plateau and became a symbol of the South Coast.

The highest point of the entire body - Mount Doom with an altitude 1346 m above sea level, slightly less (1,320 meters) mountain quail (Beneden-Kir). The very same mountain Ai-Petri is much lower - its height of 1234 meters above sea level.

White balls on the mountain poor-Kir (Quail Hill) - a protective dome radar located here military unit. As a joke, the excursions say it is tracking station for aircraft, satellites, UFO ... Because, probably 15-20 years ago over the Ai-Petri almost weekly detected extraterrestrial objects. About them excitedly told the newspaper, but when the topic bored - stopped appearing themselves mysterious aliens.
Throughout the mountain looking to the south, towards the sea, menacing rock walls: where strictly steep, where step, but everywhere remote. Rare mountain passes, through which people in ancient times of cart paths and paved roads, and now serve as passages from the southern coast to the plateau.
The northern slopes of the array is not so steep, they completely cover deciduous forests.
To the north pushed small tracts Boyka and Sedam-Kaya. Share their river Kokkozka. Many other rivers and streams running down from the Ai-Petri. On its northern slopes of the tributaries flowing Kokkozki: Auzun Uzen and Sary-Uzen in the Grand Canyon of Crimea, with the west - the river, Baga, Urkusta, Uzundzha from which is born in the small Black River Canyon - the most abounding in the Crimea. In the upper left of one of the unnamed tributary is Uzundzha tract Karadag forest. The rivers of the southern slope - short and shallow in the summer - there are stormy and dangerous in high water. Hundreds of these springs feed the river and among the largest in Crimea - Skelskaya source.

In the south, from the coast to the mountains rise beautiful white houses Yalta. From the top of the array on a clear day are clearly visible settlements Gaspra, Oreanda, Foros, Koreiz Simeiz Blue Bay, the town of Alupka ... In the west, in the valley Baydarskaya lie village Eagles, Podgorny, spring, Rossoshanka, Novobobrovskoe, best ... at the foot of the northern slopes in dense orchards, interlocking with the forest, one can hardly make out the village of Polyana, Falcon, verbose, happy ... and just to the east, where the Ai-Petri borders with other mountain ranges - Yalta, no villages.

The southern cliffs of Ai-Petri array and its northern gentle slopes are very picturesque, but no prettier panorama of the Southern coast that opens from the top. Krymchanin hard to find that at least once in my life to watch the sun on the Ai-Petri. Right, for this one moment, when the fiery ball of the sun seemed to pop up out of the dark blue depths of the Black Sea, stands up to this height.

Today, on top of Ai-Petri can be reached in 15 minutes by cable car. It does not turn off even in the winter, and in the midst of the holiday season near the bottom of the station going long queues. An hour and a half, two, three, sometimes more, have to defend before boarding the van unorganized tourists. On tour you will pass almost always these "legendary" queue.

Mountain Crimea, as we see it today, was formed in a relatively short period of geological time - approximately 1.5 - 2 million years.

More or less accurately known geological history of the Crimean Mountains, including Ai-Petri, from the late Triassic period (about 200ot million years ago). At the time of the Crimean peninsula of what is now covered with water of the ancient Tethys Ocean, which existed for much of the history of the world (to the Neogene period). In the latitudinal ocean stretched across the southern edge of the Eurasian continent, the area of modern Mediterranean and the extreme north-west Africa.

Over the past 200 million years the land area on which the Ai-Petri, multiple output from the sea level, and then it is actively destroying exogenous force, and then he sank below sea level. Diving depth was different, depending on it on the bottom or postponed silts and sands, converted later into the clay and sandstone or limestone sludge, turns into limestone. Sometimes, with a significant picked to be close to the land and shallow waters of the basin, the land eroded and actively communicated to the pool huge masses of pebbles. Cemented marine sediments, they were transformed into conglomerates.

150 - 160 million years ago in the vicinity of the Ai-Petri were active volcanoes, the remains can be seen near the village of Foros and melas.

Much more complex geological processes occurred with the most popular mountain Crimea: varied terrain, more closer to modern. Only 1.5-2 million years, there is Ai-Petri in a way it is now.

In the mountainous Crimea for about one and a half million years and on the surface and deep within the mountains quietly proceed karstovaniya active processes leading to the formation of different size and shape of craters, hollows and caves. Overall, the Ai-Petri 302 underground caverns (caves, wells, mine), of which 12 natural monuments of local importance: Skelskaya, Crystal, Hanging, Honey, Pearl, Mishor, Kamnepadnaya, Friendship, Geophysical, Cascade and Danilcha-Koba .

About a hundred thousand years ago, the Ai-Petri went in pursuit of animals, Neanderthals. Then it was hunted - on the peninsula vodilos more than 110 species of mammals.

Crossing the Ai-Petri, from south to north or vice versa, even a layman notices a pattern in the distribution of vegetation slopes clothed with forests, on a plateau dominated by meadow-steppe vegetation. Yayla affects broad expanses of open space with a few clumps of trees and bushes. Unlike other Crimean jajl Ai-Petri has natural forests along the edge of the cliffs, in the Central Plateau and the karst erosion and karst valleys in the west, but most of the plateau is covered with meadow-steppe vegetation.

The vegetation in the mountains is truly rich and diverse. On the southern slopes of the growing beech forest with a mixture of pine. From the height of 1000 - 800 meters above sea level starts now Crimean pine, which grows in the first tier with oak, and in the second - with the prickly juniper. Below 400 meters begins now shrub communities of juniper, oriental hornbeam, derzhidereva and many other shrubs with a touch of oak. Here you can meet tupolistnuyu pistachio, strawberry tree with a distinctive smooth reddish bark, thin outer layer which changes annually, and with evergreen leaves, zheltotsvetny jasmine shrub species vyazelya, Puzyrnikov and more. Forests are fruit trees and bushes. On the slopes of Ai-Petri plateau grow almost all current rowans: pine, macrocarpa, Berek, Greek and others.

So what is the Ai-Petri? It is unlikely that this question can be heard complete answer ...

Castle in Kamenetz-Podolsk

2012-08-10T10:55:00.002-07:00

Kamenetz-Podolsk - it's actually an open air museum, is one of the oldest cities in Ukraine, numbering nearly thousand-year history. It was founded as a fortress, which has an important geopolitical position at the border of the Christian and Muslim cultures, the intersection of land and water routes. Located in the Khmelnitsky region, Ukraine, and is the administrative center of Kamenetz-Podolsk district.
Most major cities is a fortress, which consists of two parts - the Old and New Castles. The old castle was provided for the protection and maintenance of close combat. New - designed and built according to the new requirements when the bout was conducted has long-range guns, guns, guns. Trees and high walls of the Old Castle to protect all who were in the courtyard of the fortress from enemy arrows and spears, and the system of cellars with their food supplies and a deep well was provided in case of a long and exhausting siege. New Castle is larger in size, with curtains, a system of passages and casemates, polubastionami, ditches provided an opportunity to fight an artillery weapon, as well as the numerical presence of military garrisons.

Old Castle is a polygon elongated, surrounded by high walls with towers at each corner. To the right of the east gate is single storey pentahedral Black Tower with a well depth of 36 meters and a diameter of 6 meters. Next comes a circle 10 towers - Lyantskoronskaya, Commandant, Rozhanka, Water, New, dennaya, Lascaux, Tenchinskaya, cap and left of the east gate - Papal or Karmelyukova. This is the last name of the tower was in the XIX century. When it was planted Ustimov Karmelyuk - Ukrainian hero of Podolia. The castle was envisaged as a series of cellars to store weapons, gunpowder, foodstuffs and military barracks.

Fortress, Kamenetz-Podolsk, built of limestone rock, lying on a limestone mortar. In the fortress there are also built with brick fragments. Brick was used and the local production and imported, conventional masonry inherent in the art of construction of a historical art. Naturally also the fact that the owners of the fortress construction was carried out on your own. Thus, for example, the Turks were building gunpowder stores, mosques, minarets, the Russians - the military barracks, and basements.
The power of the fortifications Kamenetsky impressed not only travelers, but also enemies. For all its long history, the fortress city of Kamenets-Podolski managed to storm the enemies only twice: in 1393 the Lithuanian Grand Duke Vytautas in 1672 - the Turks.
In addition to the towers and walls, Kamenetz-Podolsk castle is also a complex system of gateways through which the defenders of the city to raise and lower the level of its rivers, thus making their impregnable fortress of truth. Thus, in the 16th century fortress, Kamenetz-Podolsk, is a construction of 11 towers, connected together by stone ramparts in a unique protective structure.
So far, it is not known when there was Kamenetz-Podolsk. Some historians believe that the city was built at the beginning of our era Dacians during the Roman Dacian Wars. It was called then Petridavoyu (from the Greek "petra" - a rock and Dacian "dava" - city). Over time, the city of Kamenetz-Podolsk grew lock. This is a unique defense structure being constructed in the XI-XVII century on a rocky promontory near the narrow neck through which the road led to the city center. First, the fortress was a typical old Russian wooden fortifications. The walls and towers were mostly wooden and stone only partially. In the XV century. Podolia was captured by the Polish gentry, power, and Kamenetz-Podolsk became the center of the province, an important point of the defense of the Commonwealth. In the middle of the XVI century. wood strengthen the fort under the supervision of Job Pretvicha were replaced by stone.

In the first quarter of the 17th century, when the Kamenetz-Podolsk was a member of the Commonwealth, Old Castle, complemented by a complex of buildings of New Castle. These additions have been caused by extensive use of firearms and artillery weapons. Poland was interested in creating such an outpost on its south-eastern borders, which could get in the way the Turks and Tatars. In the years 1672-1699 Fortress, Kamenetz-Podolsk, came under the jurisdiction of the Ottoman Empire, but the Turks support the status of the fortress. They have built up all the shattered towers and walls, brought new buildings. In 1793 the fortress, as a city, passes under the authority of the Russian Empire. Castle, Kamenetz-Podolsk, in this period the Russians are using as a military prison, and the fortress lost its military and defense implications.
With the lock Kamenetskii happened many historical adventure, its walls equally well remembered and Peter I, who praised the fortifications, and Ustimov Karmelyuk, imprisoned in one of the towers. In 1928 the fortress became a republican sanctuary, and in 1937 it was organized by the Museum, which is now included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Reserve "Kamenetz" on which the fortress, has a territory of 121 hectares!

Kiev Pechersk Lavra

2012-08-10T04:02:00.001-07:00

Kiev Pechersk Lavra- one of the first of the founding of monasteries in Rusia covering nearly 30 hectares. Its territory is about one hundred buildings, 42 of which are unique. Most of the buildings of the Monastery dates from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and are a perfect example of Ukrainian Baroque style in architecture. Pechersk monastery Orthodox world has given one hundred and fifty holy ascetics, preserving incorrupt remains of 119 of them in their caves as sacred in some caches!
The name "Cave" comes from the word "cave", which were found in this territory, and settled first in which the monks. The architectural complex of the monastery, and now makes a grand impression. On a sunny day, the reflections of numerous domes and bell towers dazzle the eye. Until the mid-twentieth century, the Great Lavra Bell Tower was the tallest building in Kiev.

On the territory of the monastery are many museums and exhibitions. For example, in the museum you can see the jewelry collection of priceless historical treasures the times of Kievan Rus. In the Near and Far Caves Monastery lie incorrupt relics of the saints of God, as the abbey is the burial and the laity (for example, the grave of Pyotr Stolypin).
Kiev Pechersk Lavra is divided into two parts: the upper and lower. Upper Lavra - a territory of the State Historical and Cultural Reserve. In this part of the monastery are four gates: Western (Holy Trinity to the gates of the church gate), Northern (Economic gates to the church of All Saints), East and South (or cave). In the Lower Lavra is a functioning monastery, located Near and Far Caves.
Directly adjacent to the gates of the Holy Trinity Gate (Trehsvyatitelskaya) Church. It is the oldest church in the monastery. It was founded in ancient times, the fortress wall, and served as a watchtower. Since then the church has never been destroyed, and not radically reorganized. The temple looks like a rectangle, and has a very modest size (10 m by 8.9 m). It was built in 1106-1108 years. the means of Chernigov prince Svyatoslav Davidovich, who took vows and became known as the monk Svyatosha.
Cathedral of the Assumption - The Great Cave Church - is the main church of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. Cathedral of the Assumption was the first stone structure built in the Caves Monastery, and he was also the most ancient temple of the monastery. Cathedral of Saints is located opposite the gates in the middle of the central square Upper Lavra. According to the Venerable Nestor the Chronicler, the stone church of the Assumption in the Caves Monastery was founded with the blessing of the holy St. Anthony Abbot Theodosius and Bishop Michael in 1072. Dormition Cathedral of Kyiv Lavra Pechesrkoy - veritable pantheon, where buried more than 300 famous people, mostly prominent state, public and cultural figures of the time. It also kept the rare value of the library of Peter Graves, archaeological finds.
On the move in the direction of the Assumption Cathedral, right, stands the Great Lavra Bell Tower - the tallest tower in Kiev. The height of the bell tower - 96.5 m thickness of the walls of the first tier up to 8m, the foundation lies 7 meters deep!
Next to the Cathedral of the Assumption, a little behind on the left side is a building housing Kovnirskogo - a monument of architecture of 17-18 centuries. The case is named after the famous Lavra builder Stepan Kovnir. Now, in the case Kovnirovskom the Museum of Historical Treasures of Ukraine - one of the most interesting museums in Kiev.
Going up the steep slope, which is located right behind the Cathedral of the Assumption, we fall into the territory of the Lower Lavra. The main attraction for tourists and shrine for the faithful people here are caves in which the relics of the monastery of saints. Log into the next cave covers Church of the Holy Cross, which has not be left to stand too long, and to this day preserved in its original form. North side it is adjacent to the hill, in which the caves are located. Cut out of the temple has three entrances in the Near Caves: From the porch, dining room and the sacristy.

For the first time the cave mentioned in chronicles in 1051. Dug their monks of the Kiev Caves Monastery. Near and Far Caves became a place of privacy zealots and the burial place of the dead. Among them, Nestor the Chronicler - author of The Tale of Bygone Years, Simon and Polycarp - authors Paterik Caves, painter Alypius, a doctor Agapit, Ilya of Murom, and others. The first burial in the Near Caves of St Anthony was buried in 1073, and in the future - Theodosius in 1074 therefore nearer the cave is now called Anthony, and Long - Feodosievymi. In the Far Caves are three myrrh-streaming head, emitting myrrh.
Today labyrinths of the Near and Far Caves are a complex system of underground corridors height of 2 - 2.5 m in width and 1.5 m, but many of the much narrower. Caves lie at depths of 5 to 15 m, and, far deeper caves. The length of the Near Caves -313 m, Far - 293 m
Kiev Pechersk Lavra began life in 1051 Frequent visitors to the cave monastery are Izyaslav, son of Yaroslav the Wise, Kiev, and know, donating funds for the construction of the temple ground and cells when the caves were too tight for the rapidly growing number of the brethren.
In 1240, during the invasion of Batu, the monastery was ruined. The monks of the Kiev Caves Monastery part were killed, and partly scattered. It is not known how long the continued neglect of the monastery, but in the XIV century. He had already been renewed, and the great church became the burial place of many princely and noble families.

September 29, 1926 VUTSIK and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR adopted a decree on the "Recognition of the former Kiev Pechersk Lavra Historical and Cultural Reserve and the public about turning it into Ukrainian museum town." In June 1988, in connection with the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of Christianity in Russia and the USSR Council of Ministers newly formed Caves monastic community was transferred to the territory of the Far Caves.
In 1990 the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The community is located in the jurisdiction of the Monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), part of the Russian Orthodox Church. More than 43 million tourists from all over the world visited its territory during its existence.

Sophia Park

2012-08-10T03:54:00.006-07:00

Sophia Park (Sofiyivka) - dendrology park in Uman-known far beyond Ukraine, for over 200 years is amazing its visitors a combination of gems of landscape architecture, engineering and technical ideas, embodied in the wonderful fountains, waterfalls, caves and underground rivers, which seems to have merged together with the stunning beauty of the natural landscape! Annually it is visited by about 500,000 people, the area of the park - 179.2 hectares.
As conceived by the architect L. Mettsel Park is a perfect illustration of the individual parts of the poems of Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey." "Sofiyivka" and is famous for the fact that based on a classical basis, because it is almost materialized in specific sites of the park Homer's "Odyssey." Any composition or a small architectural form is not only beautiful outwardly, but also contains a specific plan, the idea is a myth or an event, and everything is so well thought out and linked together, that in general, is discharged into a symphony of beauty.

Sophia Park starts at the main entrance to the street Gardening, followed by a central avenue.
The upper part of the roof konusopodobnoy entrance towers finishing decorations, which resemble a torch. In one version, the main entrance to the park resembles the entrance to the Athens market, and the details that complete the watch-tower, taken from the temple of the goddess Vesta in Tivoli (Italy). On the right, near the entrance to the park, behind a wall of arborvitae is a building of the Museum of the history of the park. In places where the museum is located, overlooking the granite rocks and a small lake of Geneva, which appeared in 1930.
The central alley of the park "Sofiyivka" ends the pavilion of Flora. Near the pavilion of Flora is sought, due to its precise architectural forms, high in the Doric style columns, bas-relief on the frieze, which depicts the leaves and grapes. In between the white columns of the panorama of Lower Lake.
Front of the pavilion of Flora, right, is the source - "Silver Springs". Making it holds in the classical style. This podkovopodobnoe building of granite, on the edges of which two vases with ornamental plants. In the middle of the vertical wall mounted decorated with bronze tube, from which spring water flows. To the right of the pavilion "Flora" is filled with granite stones klinopodobnyh arch set the so-called Venetian bridge. The bridge is decorated with granite piers, between which hang heavy wrought-iron chain.

In the middle of the Lower Lake of the widely open mouth of a snake wriggling on the stone hits the water column - a fountain "Snake." Water comes into the fountain on the underground water pipe, lined with hewn granite stone along the road that leads from the academy and conservatory to the pavilion of Flora. From the mouth of the snake cast-iron water jet hits to a height of 18 meters, and the fountain - the largest and most beautiful in the "Sofievka", famous for its brilliant simplicity of the design: no pumps, water pressure created by the difference in height between the upper and lower ponds.
Through the Lower Lake to the collecting area is a metal bridge, which overlooks the Grand Falls. Water enters here through the underground river Acheron from the Upper Lake. The area is decorated with a variety of charges architectural elements of the park track. The area is framed by wooden benches. It is situated on a peninsula oval in the center of the pool, which is placed in the middle of a large granite vase. The pool swim ornamental fish.
Living Above fees are granite steps along the large granite blocks up. To the left is the Western Grotto (Grotto Scylla). Mainsail is made of pink granite, there are granite benches and desks. Next, right, is a playground, carved into the rock at the edge of the cliff. Area called the Belvedere, because it was a while a statue of Apollo Belvedere. Plato. The park is also the busts of Plato, Aristotle, Homer and Sokrata.Chut above Belvedere rocks adjacent to the site it is called Caucasian mountain.
The next part of the park called Elysian Fields. Near the entrance to the Champs-Elysees is a form of natural granite boulder, and beside it hewn four-sided polishing granite column. Deep into the Champs Elysees, on the left side of the green meadow on a granite pedestal stands a granite vase. On the right side of the meadow is the site with a vase of stones of different sizes. The stones are covered with moss growing between the two lonely trees and shrubs, and without direction go the path. At the beginning of construction of the park this place called the Cretan labyrinth.
In the most north-eastern part of Lake Superior is Sophievka. It is an island on which stands a pavilion lined with exotic plants. This is Love Island (formerly known as the island of Anti-Circe). Anti-shore of the island of Circe, as the lake, lined with granite. Communication with the island, first performed with the help of a ferry or boat, and in 1853 between the northern coast and the island was built on stone piers wooden bridge for pedestrians.
On the shore of Lake Superior posted Amsterdam gateway. Gated equipment is installed in the first period of construction of the park and is intended for the passage of boats from Lake Superior to the underground river Acheron and back, as well as to drain water from the lake. The underground river Acheron was built in the first period of construction of the park, its length is underground - 211 m, and from Lake Superior - more than 223 m, width W m and a height of 3 m water depth in the channel reaches 1 m
English park, arboretum or the VV Pashkevich, is located in the northern part of Sophievka. It occupies a small area in the form of a triangle, an area of about 2 hectares. In areas Arboretum, grows the largest number of exotic trees and shrubs, and ornamental stock, and in the forest for their number in 1987 was more than 100 species and forms.
Fountain Semistruy built in the first period of construction of the park. The Fountain - a small round pool with an openwork bronze vase in the middle. From the center of the vase digging up seven powerful jets of water. The water in the fountain is fed by underground gravity water supply from Lake Aherontiyskogo. Due to the drop area, the height of the central fountain jets up to 5 m.
Sophia Park was founded in 1796 by Count Stanislaw Potocki, Felix Project Belgian military engineer Mettsel L., and presented to the birthday of his wife, the beautiful Greek woman, Sofia in 1802, the park operates a research institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. In 1985, a minor planet number 2259 was named "Sofiyivka" in honor of Uman park.

Khotyn fortress

2012-08-10T03:44:00.001-07:00

Khotyn Fortress is an outstanding monument of defensive architecture of the XIII-XIV centuries. and for a long time played an important strategic role in protecting the territory of Bukovina and the waterway along the Dniester. A place for Khotyn fortress was chosen on the steep slopes of the high right bank of the Dniester. The town's name probably derives from the verb "want", other versions explain the origin of the name from the Slavic name of Hawtin or on behalf of the leader of the Dacians Kotizona.
At first it was a small, built on the site of ancient settlement wooden fortress. Next to it, while it existed unfortified settlement. In its territory, archaeologists found the remains of furnaces poluzemlyanochnogo housing-stoves, which date back to IX-X centuries., And at a depth of 1.2-1.4 m was identified cultural layer VII-VIII centuries. Particularly large settlement Hawtin was in XI-XIII centuries. When he was part of the Kievan Rus. Then he held the territory of more than 20 hectares.
In 40-50s of XIII century. instead of the wooden building was built of stone. The first stone castle was small. It was located on the Cape, where the north tower now stands, and extended south to the current Commandant's palace. For centuries it was reconstructed and expanded several times, destroyed the invaders and then rebuilt. At the end of the XIV century. stone walls were built of width 5 and height of 40 meters and decorated the outside of the pattern of red brick. In the fortress had been dug deep cellars, which served as quarters for soldiers.

A wooden bridge, which was otrestavrivovan in 1969, leading to the castle courtyard, divided into two parts. First the court - yard Warriors - more on the area and built up with apartment houses, with a well in the center (depth - 65 meters in diameter - 2.5 m). Princely Court (or the Commandant) is located between the commandant of the palace and the north tower. Prince's court once graced the Arcade Gallery, which gave him the architectural features of the Renaissance.
In the second half of XV century palace was built by the commandant, is decorated with checkerboard patterns of red and white bricks. The inputs and equipment windows executed in the Gothic style. Under the palace - the space for storage of weapons and food. At one time housed a harem here, Turkish bath and swimming pool.
In addition to the palace to the castle ruins of a two-story house. In the basement was once a prison. On the ground floor you can look at the diorama of the Battle of Khotyn musical accompaniment, and buy souvenirs. On the second floor of the castle was a small church. It consisted of a rectangular room, and a semicircular apse on the inner walls of the church fragments of frescoes of the late XV - early XVI century. The windows of the church in troubled times were also loopholes. The western wall of the church features adorned with carved patterns portal.

If you go to the battle ground and the walls around the perimeter of the fortress can be found with the architectural features of the castle and defensive. The largest tower - north. It has a rectangular shape (12 by 18 m) and has three tiers of loopholes designed for heavy artillery. At the top of the tower be fighting area, closed canopy. The tower was designed for self-defense, and was calculated as the last stronghold, in the case of the capture of the fortress.

In addition to the north tower, the castle has four towers over the gates of the castle tower, east, and the commandant of the South-West. From the tower there is access to the combat area, which stretches the entire length of the wall thickness of five meters. The site is protected by stone battlements 3 meters high, through which the besieged threw stones and poured boiling water on the pitch and attacking the head.

At this point, all objects are Hotynskoy Fortress National Historical Park. Hotynskya castle is one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine. The plans Hotynskogo National Historical and Cultural Reserve - Restoration of the legendary Hanging Gardens, which was famous for the Turkish city of the time, was blown up in 1940 the minaret, the opening of rooms for tourists in the fort, to build a shooting range for the firing of medieval weapons.

In 1826 the town was granted Khotin coat of arms: a golden box silver trehbashennaya citadel on top followed by a silver cross ravnoramennym over two crossed swords - symbols of protection from the enemies of edge. On the front of the tower on the staff of the crescent, and on the staffs of the two extremes of towers - stuck horsetail.

Island Khortytsya

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Khortytsya - the largest island on the Dnieper, the unique natural and historical complex, located near the city of Zaporozhye. Stretches from northwest to southeast, the length of 12,5 km, average width of 2.5 km. In 2007 he was chosen as one of the "Seven Wonders of Ukraine." The name comes from the name of Khortytsya ancient deity of the Eastern Slavs Horsa, who represents the sun.
In the northern part of the island is a museum of the Zaporozhye Cossacks. Zaporizhzhya Cossacks History Museum on the island opened in 1983. Today, under the roof of the Museum has collected more than 30,000 objects that cover the historical period from the Paleolithic period to the nineteenth century, the current era. Originally decorated the room itself: granite plates, tight one to one, creating the impression that visitors move in a cave near the walls of which are silent relics.
There are exhibitions devoted to ancient times, the period of Kievan Rus, the Cossack era, the modern history of Zaporizhzhya region as well as four dioramas: "The Battle of Kiev prince Svyatoslav," "Military Council for Sich", "Exemption Zaporozhye October 14, 1943." In the museum of the history of Zaporizhzhya Cossacks The following exposition: Zaporozhian Cossacks in history and literature, the nature of the.
Khortytsya, orthodoxy in the Ukrainian lands, new archaeological finds of the National Reserve.
Astoyan Cossack village has recently grown by the native land of our ancestors. All construction and decorative elements are made in accordance with all Cossack traditions. Even now almost completed all of the tower, bell tower, the house ataman, Sich school pushkarnya, exposition hall.
In the southeastern part of the island in the flooded areas, is the folklore-ethnographic equestrian theater "Zaporozhian Cossacks", carefully keeping the ancient Cossack traditions. At the request of tourist groups are held horse shows and folk performances with a demonstration of traditional Cossack handicrafts. Nearby are stored in a hangar raised in 1999-2007. from the bottom of the river, and Gull Cossack brigantine 1736-39 years. with which archaeologists work, and performances may restavratory.Posle riding. On the territory of the cafe "Kozatska pledge."
Khortytsya - an extremely beautiful and picturesque island. On both sides lapped wide and mighty Dnieper, surrounded by high stone cliffs, sandy beaches, covered with green woods and decorated with colorful flowers. On the island there are a variety of natural areas: herb-feather grass steppes, oak and pine forests, meadows. In total there are about 960 Khortitsa plant species, 560 of them - representatives of the wild plants, 20 are endemic. Endemics are Dnieper groundsel, onions Savransky, sleep-grass, iris, cornflower Dnieper. In addition to endemic and relict plants are found - the water fern, chilim.
Total in the reserve of about 10 ancient trees and dozens of oak trees and a little more than a hundred years (the oldest of them - the 300-year-olds), there is a century-old wild pear. Basically, these trees grow in the ravines and plavnevoy part of the island. Zaporizhia famous oak tree (located on the outside. Khortytsya), according to historians and biologists - a little more than five hundred years. In Bayrak, but mostly - in plavnevom forest in the south of the island inhabited by more than 30 species of mammals, 120 species of birds, ten species of reptiles, five species of amphibians. The most numerous among the birds - waterfowl (kryzhni, teal, wrench flats).
According to archaeological research, this island is inhabited since the Paleolithic period. In particular, there are early Slavic and monuments: the remains of settlements, burial grounds chernyakhivska tribal culture and the Ants. In 1223 Khortytsya was a gathering place for Russian princes before the battle with the Tatars on the river Kalka. And in the late XV - early XVI centuries, this island - a reliable refuge fled from the feudal and national oppression - has become one of the centers of formation of Zaporizhzhya Cossacks, and then sechevikov foothold in the defense of the southern borders of the Turkish-Tatar aggression.
In 1648, hence the Cossack army acted in the war of liberation ukrainskoto people. During the Russian-Turkish war (1735 - 1739) arrived at the Khortytsya famous naval commander, Vice Admiral N. Senyavin. Under his leadership, the shipyard was laid on which the Cossacks and Russian craftsmen have built a whole fleet of rowing, which played in military actions in the Black Sea a significant role. Somewhere on the island have not yet found the tomb of Admiral Senyavin, who died here of the plague in 1738. After the destruction of the Sich by tsarist troops June 5, 1775 Khortytsya as a gift of Catherine II went to Prince Potemkin. In 1789, the Potemkin gave the island to the treasury, and a year later came into the possession of Khortitsa new owners - the Germans, Mennonites.
Sich colonizing space, the queen hoped to eliminate the freedom-loving spirit of Zaporozhye. Its calculations are justified: the colonists brutally destroyed ancient oaks, linden trees, thickets of wild pears. Timber trade has been one of the most profitable revenue sources. In December 1916 the Germans, who lived at Khortytsya, Alexander sold the island to the town council for the 772 000 350 rubles. Khortytsya frequented by famous people. On its slopes is the path of the great Kobzar, who visited here in August 1843. In 1878, here come the composer Nikolai Lysenko, in 1880 - Ilya Repin, Valentin Serov, with the young. In 1891, Khortytsya visited Maxim Gorky, a little later - Ivan Bunin...
National Bank of Ukraine issued two commemorative coins dedicated to the history of Zaporozhye. One of them was published under the title "Island on the Dnieper River Khortytsya - the cradle of the Ukrainian Cossacks," the second in a series of "Maritime History of Ukraine" with the image of a seagull, raised from the bottom of the Dnieper River near Khortitsa.

The castle "Swallow's Nest"

2012-08-10T03:19:00.003-07:00

One well-known and most popular monuments of the Crimean peninsula is "Swallow's Nest." The beautiful palace is situated on a height sorokametrovoy Avrorin cliffs at Cape Ai-Todor. To contemplate a work of art, you need to get to the village of Livadia near Yalta. The building looks like a castle of medieval times, and for some time now Swallow's Nest has become a visit card of the Southern coast of Crimea.

For the first time at this place was erected a wooden building as early as 1877-1878 years. Here was the house of a retired Russian army general, who represented such great seascapes as Aivazovsky, and Bogolyubov, Lagorio.

Further, the owner of "miracle-giving" is becoming court physician Tobin AK After his death the widow went to a house, which sold its merchant's daughter from Moscow Rachmaninov. This is the mistress ordered to demolish the old building and erected on Calvary wooden palace, which he soon became known as "Swallow's Nest." Many trips to the Crimea must include this unique object in its path.

In this form looks like now, "Swallow's Nest" was due to Baron Steinheil. By occupation, and he was engaged in oil baron often been in the Crimea. He bought land for Avrorin rock and built a castle.

The project served as a famous sculptor Leonid Sherwood. By the way, his father Vladimir Sherwood is the author of the Historical Museum on Red Square in Moscow Russia. Gothic structure appeared on the platform at sea as early as 1912. Since the site was small in size, the architect did the design speed, to save space. The building is twelve feet in height and located on the base dimensions of 10 x 12 meters, is located inside the building entrance, living room and two bedrooms, next to the castle was a garden, which at the time of the earthquake bultyhnulsya straight into the deep.

Merchant Shelaputin at the start of World War II bought the building and the Swallow's Nest opened a restaurant. After the death of the merchant restaurant has stopped working, and in the 30s of last century there was the reading room Holiday Homes, however, due to the accident room was closed.

In 1927, a historical monument considerably shaken. The crack that separated from the base of the cliff top to the middle ground, threatened at any moment to topple the building to the sea. The building itself is almost not affected - has broken a few spiers. In 1967-68 under the guidance of architect Tatieva conducted restoration work: the foundation of strengthened, changed the facade and interior of the castle. The author of the restoration project Timofeev offered to fix the building with reinforced concrete structures. In addition, construction of reinforced anti-seismic zones, and the tower was decorated with four spiers.

In the castle were filmed movies such as "Ten Little Indians" Mr. Govorukhin on the novel by Agatha Christie, "Mio, my Mio" and Grammatikov B. "Academy of Mr" K Gradovskii.

Swallow's nest for many decades, enchants the eye with their fragile beauty. Small architectural masterpiece, defied nature, standing literally on the edge of a precipice actually has much in common with Swallows Nest.