Chufut-Kale is the most extensive and interesting of the Crimean cave towns. Once it was the capital of the Crimean Khanate, then lived representatives of the most mysterious people of Crimea - Karaites. Here you can see the remains of a medieval fortress, Muslim and Karaite temples, urban development and numerous cave structures cut into the rock.
Background
Fortified towns in these places began to appear in the 4-5th centuries. The tribes of Alans and Goths, who had come here in the previous years, mixed together to form their own culture. They preferred to live not on the coast but in the mountains and built cave fortresses using the natural features of the Crimean limestone mountains.
The fortress, now called Chufut-Kale, was built by the Byzantines who came here on the site of the former Alanian. It became part of a large system of mountain fortifications that protected the northernmost borders of the Byzantine Empire. What the name of the city was then, we do not know. According to some versions, there was a mysterious city of Fulla - the residence of the Crimean bishop. There are numerous references to it, but no one knows where it was located. There are a total of 15 versions of the location. Some scientists call the nearby northernmost Byzantine cave city - Baklu. But according to other versions Fulla was located here. This fortress was larger and much more seriously protected from attack.
The first historical name of the fortress - Kyrk-Er - belongs to the Kipchaks.
Khanate capital and prison
The fortress of Kyrk-Er was not just preserved. It was the strongest fortress of these places, and it became the new capital of the Crimean Khanate. The flourishing of the fortress at this time is associated with the name of Hadji the First, the founder of the dynasty of Girays (or Gireys, as it was customary to call them in Russia). He was a distant descendant of Genghis Khan, but was born in Lithuania - his father fled there in the midst of another Crimean turmoil. Hadji Giray gained the support of Lithuanian prince Vitovt and in 1428 seized power, founding his own state, independent of the Horde. The struggle for power lasted almost 20 years: fearing to aggravate relations with the Golden Horde, Lithuanian princes supported Crimea or withdrew it. Haji Girei even spent several years in Vilna (now Vilnius) as a guest of honour, and in fact as a hostage prisoner. But in 1441 the Lithuanian prince officially approved him as the Crimean khan. The fortress of Kyrk-Er became the new capital. Here almost immediately began to mint their own coinage. Hadji Gerai was one of the most popular rulers among the people, he was nicknamed Melek - "Angel".
At that time, there were more than 500 large estates, cave fortifications, mosques in Kyrk-Er. But rather quickly the city ceased to be the capital - it was moved to Bakhchisarai. The fortress began to be used as a prison to hold noble and important prisoners and hostages. For example, here in the 16th century was held a crony of Tsar Ivan the Terrible Vasily Gryaznoy. He was captured on the borders of the Khanate and the Tatars demanded for him a huge ransom of ten thousand roubles. For those times it was a grandiose sum. Several years lasted correspondence with Tsar Ivan the Terrible, until finally Vasily Gryaznoy was released - for two thousand rubles. About a hundred years after that, Russian prisoners Vasily Sheremetev and Andrei Romodanovsky were held here. Russia was then waging war against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Crimean Khanate traditionally supported Polish-Lithuanian troops against Russia. Vasily Sheremetev, commander of Russian troops, was captured and spent twenty-one years imprisoned in the fortress. Andrei Romodanovsky, also captured after one of the battles of the war, spent more than ten years here. They were released only after the peace agreement in 1681.
Karaims
In these years the fortress changes its name. Now it is called "Chufut-Kale" - "Jewish fortress". Gradually it becomes the centre of a large community of Karaites.
The origin of the Karaites, a special people who speak a Turkic language but profess one of the variants of Judaism, is still a mystery. Some scholars consider them direct relatives of Semites, others insist that this people is a descendant of the Khazars, who once adopted Judaism. Among the Karaite leaders themselves there is no unity, some sharply oppose themselves to traditional Jews, others insist on rapprochement. Either way, in the Crimea in the 15-18th centuries there was a large Karaite diaspora, which by its customs and religion differed from both local Tatars-Muslims and Orthodox Greeks.
The Karaites revere the Old Testament, recognising Jesus and Mohammed as prophets. Their temple is called a "kenasa". Several such kenas can now be seen on the territory of Chufut-Kale. Noble Karaites served in the Khan's army and made up the main garrison of the fortress, they also controlled the mint. Not far from the city grew a large Karaite cemetery - Balta-Tiimez. However, like other non-Muslims, the Karaites were subject to legal restrictions - for example, they were not allowed to settle in the capital of the khanate, Bakhchisarai, although the main trade they conducted there. Life in the city was not easy, first of all, because the growing population lacked fresh water from the few springs. Farming on the cliffs was difficult. Here lived mainly craftsmen.
With the annexation of Crimea to Russia, restrictions for Karaites to live in Bakhchisarai were cancelled. And then the city began to rapidly become empty: the Karaites moved to Bakhchisarai and to seaside towns. In the 19-20th centuries their spiritual centre was Evpatoria. In the 19th century they were quite numerous and enjoyed the respect of the royal family.
Now this community still exists in Crimea, but it is on the verge of extinction. According to the latest census, there are just over five hundred people left.
The fortress now
The most interesting thing to see here is the remains of the defensive wall. This is the oldest construction of the city - it is about one and a half thousand years old. Other fortifications have been preserved: later walls, gates, moat, dried up wells. The gate tower of the 17th century - Biyuk-Kapu - is fully preserved. But the most interesting is, of course, cave fortifications in the rock. In total, there are more than one hundred and fifty caves of different shapes and purposes. Most of the caves were either farm buildings or military fortifications, while in the Middle Ages people preferred to live in houses. The caves are connected by numerous passages and tunnels.
From the period of the Crimean Khanate there are remains of a mosque. We know the exact year of its construction - 1346. Its architecture traces Byzantine elements, so many assume that it was once converted from a Christian temple. Not far from the mosque there is a Muslim cemetery. The largest and most beautiful structure here is the octagonal mausoleum of Dzhanyke-khanim, daughter of Tokhtamysh. In the tomb inscription she is called "the great sovereign". The mausoleum dates back to the 15th century. It stands on the cliff itself, offering a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside.
From the time of the Karaites there are two kenassas - 14th century and 18th century, and the remains of urban development of the 18th century. In the city is clearly traced panicle: three large streets and numerous alleys. On some houses the names of the owners have been preserved.
In one of the houses in Chufut-Kale lived a famous scholar Karaite Avraham Firkovich. At the end of the 19th century, he was almost the only resident of the abandoned town - and tried to preserve it from destruction. Firkovich collected a large collection of Jewish and Karaite manuscripts. Now it is kept in St. Petersburg. After his death, the caretakers of the town continued to live in this house. It is a typical Karaite house, and one can judge from it how the whole town looked two hundred or two hundred and fifty years ago. It was built in the 18th century, but remained residential until the beginning of the 20th century, and in the 60's was restored. Now there are Karaite cultural centre and a small museum dedicated to the culture and life of the Karaites.
Interesting facts
In the 19th century, the Karaites took over the tobacco industry. For example, the famous factory "Dukat" was the property of the Karaim I. Pigit. And he also owned a house on Bolshaya Sadovaya Street, where in the 20s lived the writer Mikhail Bulgakov. Now in this house is a famous museum dedicated to Bulgakov.
In Chufut-Kale filmed military episodes of the film "Pan Volodyevsky" 1969, it appears in the film "Hearts of Three" 1992 and "Hard to be a God" 1989. In the classic fairy tale "Finist the Clear Falcon" in the caves of this city are hiding warriors of the villain Kartaus.
On a side note
- Location: Bakhchisarai, s. Staroselye. Staroselye.
- How to get there: bus № 2 from the railway station.
- Official website: http://handvorec.ru/pamyatniki/pamyatniki-arxeologii/chufut-kale/
- Opening hours: daily 9:00-20:00.
- Ticket price: adults - 200 rubles, schoolchildren - 100 rubles.
