Sudak fortress. Genoese fortresses - the history of Crimea in ancient sights

Address: Russia, Republic of Crimea, city of Sudak
Start of construction: 1371
Completion of construction: 1469
Coordinates: 44°50"30.0"N 34°57"30.0"E

Genoese fortress, located in the Crimean city of Sudak, is a unique complex of buildings reflecting romantic style Middle Ages. It is located on Fortress Mountain, which in ancient times was a coral reef and extends into Sudak Bay.

All the structures of the fortress occupied a total of 30 hectares, and they were erected by the Genoese, who considered it necessary for defensive purposes to build a majestic fortress and make it a military base. The 14 crenellated towers that make up the Genoese fortress in Crimea later became the symbol of Sudak.

The construction of the fortress took almost a century - work was carried out from 1371 to 1469. However, the result of the painstaking work of ancient engineers was a powerful, long-term structure, made in accordance with all the rules of Western European fortification. The entire complex, represented by more than a dozen towers, was connected by massive walls and had an entrance to the territory in the form of the Main Gate. The builders named each of the 14 towers differently - in honor of the consuls who ruled Sugdea (the ancient Greek name for Sudak) during the years of construction of this or that structure. Historical evidence of this is the foundation slabs of the towers, on which the corresponding inscriptions and heraldic symbols are applied.

Defensive fortifications of the Genoese fortress

The defensive fortifications of the fortification system are represented by two tiers, or defense belts, independent of each other - upper and lower. The name of the tiers was determined by their position in relation to the Main Gate.

Tower of Corrado Chigalo

The upper zone of this landmark of Crimea is represented by the Consular Castle and defensive walls with towers: Watch, Bezymyannaya, Georgievskaya and Verkhnyaya. On the lower tier, on the north-eastern and north-western sides, there were 2 fortification zones, between which there was a gate structure with a bridgehead. On both sides of the gate are the towers of Jacobo Torsello and Bernabo di Franchi di Pagano. All components of the fortress were assembled into a full-fledged complex by connecting them with a powerful wall.

As in ancient times, now above the Main Gate hangs a slab with an inscription confirming the construction of the structure in 1389. In addition to the towers mentioned above, the northeastern section of the fortification contains on its territory three Nameless towers and a Semicircular tower, the towers of Luchini de Flisco Lavane, Corrado Cicalo, and Pasquale Giudice. On the northwestern side of the fortification, when moving towards the Main Gate, there are the remaining towers: Cornerstone, Gvarko Rumbaldo, Giovanni Marione and Ruined.

Consular Castle

As the events of 1475, significant with the capture of the fortress by the Turks, ended, the fortification structure underwent repairs. The transfer of the Genoese fortress into the ownership of the Russian Empire, dating back to 1783, did not have the best effect on the fortress - it began to deteriorate. However, restoration work carried out in the 70s of the last century made it possible to preserve some of the towers intact and partially restore the damaged walls, while the Consular Castle preserved its original shape better than anyone else. Its design is represented by a quadrangular donjon tower, a corner tower and walls running between them and forming a closed courtyard. The first tier of the Consular Castle was used for economic purposes. It also contained an impressively sized container designed to store water. The second and third tiers housed ordinary rooms. The entire structure of the Consular Tower in Crimea is completed with battlements located on the arcature belt. And its side passage provides a connection with another tower - St. George's, which even today has its primitive shape.

Padishah-Jami Mosque

It looks like a 2-tier, 3-walled structure with battlements, in the walls of which there are slit-like loopholes in 2 tiers.

The highest point of the upper fortification is considered to be the Watchtower, the construction of which took place from the 10th to the 13th centuries. Castle of St. Elijah is its second name. The tower, shaped like a quadrangle, was previously intended for a watchman, and today it is an observation deck. When examining the lower defensive belt, it is not difficult to notice the restored Main Gate complex, represented by such parts as:

barbican;
arch bridge;
deep ditch;
tower of Bernabo di Franchi di Pagano;
tower of Jacobo Torsello;
Battisto di Zoaglio is the name of the portal, i.e. wall separating the towers.

Tower of Pasquale Giudice

The open three-tier tower of Jacobo Torsello looks like a quadrangle building, the beauty of which is emphasized by a double arcature belt. According to the inscription on the heraldic plate, the appearance of this tower in the fortification system dates back to 1385. A similar design is inherent in another tower - Bernabo di Franchi di Pagano, but it was erected much later - already in 1414.

Considering the towers located in the northwestern section of the lower defense belt, special attention It is worth paying attention to two, named Giovanni Marione and Gvarko Rumbaldo. The construction of the first, by Giovanni Marione, dates back to 1388. Its quadrangular structure was eventually supplemented with a fourth tier, on which the battle passage and parapet were located. Next to it stands the Gvarko Rumbaldo Tower, decorated with a heraldic slab as a reminder that the tower owes its construction to the consul Gvarko Rumbaldo, who ordered its construction in 1394. A square-shaped structure built according to open type, has 3 tiers. The towers are separated from each other by a curtain.

View of the main gate from the fortress

In the north-eastern area, which belongs to the lower defensive zone, the Pasquale Giudice tower has been preserved better than others to this day. A multi-layered open structure with three tiers complemented the creation of the Genoese in 1392. No less interesting in terms of architecture are the Semicircular Tower, which stands out against the background of the entire fortress system with its shape, and the tower with the name Corrado Cicalo, which complemented the entire complex in 1404. All that remains of the port fortification is square tower Frederico Astagvera, or Portovaya. This three-tiered building decorated the fortress in 1386. In general, the Genoese fortress in Sudak is a significant historical and cultural value and is considered one of the most unique attractions of Crimea and a feature of the defensive architecture of ancient Tavria, reflecting the traditions of the 10th – 18th centuries.

Temple on the territory of the Genoese fortress

However, it is not the towers alone that make the Genoese fortress attractive - on its territory there is a Temple with an arcade. It was built by the Turks, who wanted to have a mosque, but later other owners of the fortress rebuilt the mosque, first in orthodox cathedral, and then to the Catholic.

Main Gate

At the end of the 18th century, the building changed its subordination again and again. Despite the fact that the design has not been changed, the building has been Orthodox Church, and a German church, and an Armenian church intended for meetings of Catholics. Today there is a historical and archaeological museum here, rich in many interesting exhibits.

The Genoese fortress itself, which has preserved the atmosphere of the Middle Ages, has since 2001 turned into a venue for annual festivals that gather the best masters knightly art. And these are not just holidays - these are real tournaments, breaking the silence with the ringing of swords, clanging blacksmith anvils and surprising visitors to the fortress with battles of warriors clad in armor. Such festivals are usually held in August, and they are called the “Genoese Helmet”.

The Genoese fortress is the main attraction of Sudak, located on the Crimean peninsula on Fortress Mountain. It is a fortification built in the 7th century. In ancient times, it was a defensive line for a number of tribes and states, and in the 19th century it became a museum. Thanks to the unique preserved architecture, a large number of films were filmed here, for example, “Othello” (1955), “Pirates of the 20th Century” (1979), “The Master and Margarita” (2005). Today, hundreds of guests come to Sudak to enjoy the beauty of this structure.

Genoese fortress: history and interesting facts

According to some sources, it appeared in 212; it was built by the warlike Alan tribes. However, most scientists still date the construction of the structure to the 7th century and assume that it was done by the Byzantines or Khazars. In different centuries it was owned by various peoples: Polovtsians, Turks and, of course, residents of the city of Genoa - the fortress is named in their honor.

Outside, the structure has two lines of defense - internal and external. The outer one has 14 towers and the main gate. The towers are about 15 meters high, each of them bears the name of a consul from Genoa. The key building of this line is the castle of St. Cross.

The height of the walls of the first line is 6-8 meters, thickness - 2 meters. The structure was considered one of the most protected in Eastern Europe. Extension line has four towers and two castles - Consular and St. Ilya. Behind the line was the city of Soldaya, built in the best traditions of medieval cities.

The Genoese did not stay here long. In 1475, five years later, the Turks took the Genoese fortress, the population left the city, and life here virtually came to a standstill. With the annexation of Crimea to Russian Empire, the authorities decided not to restore the building. Only under Alexander II the fortress was transferred to the Odessa Society of History and Antiquities, after which the building was turned into a museum.

Inside the Genoese fortress

Besides its massive appearance The Genoese fortress is also of great interest due to its internal structures. The entrance to the museum grounds is through the main gate. An interesting attraction here is the barbican - a platform in front of the gate, which is shaped like a horseshoe. Also interesting is the drawbridge leading to the entrance.

On an area of more than 30 hectares, outbuildings, warehouses, tanks, a mosque, and temples have been preserved. However, the main attraction of the fortress are its towers. Inside, guests will be shown various buildings, the oldest of which is the Maiden Tower, located at the highest point of the Genoese fortress (160 meters).

Its second name is Watch (reveals its purpose). In addition, interesting to visit are the eastern and western towers, named after the consuls from Genoa. It is also worth looking at the arched portal with an arrow-shaped opening, which is named after the consul.

It is impossible not to mention the castles that are located in the Genoese fortress. The largest is the Consular Castle - the head of the city was in this building in case of danger. This is the tallest tower in the city, otherwise called the donjon, and is surrounded on all sides by small towers.

You can view the building either independently or as part of a tour. For those who want to not only walk around the impressive territory, the guides provide an entertaining story about the history of the building. The ticket price for the excursion is small - 50 rubles, the group is formed every half hour, the average duration is 40 minutes. It includes not only a visit to the ruins, but also a small museum inside the well-preserved buildings. The “Temple with an Arcade” houses an exhibition telling the history of the Genoese fortress, as well as an exhibition about the history of the war with the Nazis.

During the excursion or during a free inspection, you should definitely visit the observation deck located next to the mosque. From here you can enjoy a panoramic view of the picturesque surroundings of the tower and Sudak. There is an opportunity to take amazing photos here.

Festival "Knight's Helmet"

Since 2001, knightly tournaments have been reconstructed in the very heart of the Genoese fortress. For the most part, they are small in number and are made for the amusement of museum guests. However, every year the international festival “Knight's Helmet” is held here, which is a costume performance during which historical reconstructions of medieval tournaments take place. Every year tourists come to Sudak to attend this festival.

It is worth noting separately that during the “Knight’s Helmet” prices for excursions, tickets to museums, and souvenirs increase several times. In 2017, the festival was held at the end of July every weekend until the end of August. In addition to the tournament itself, these days an exhibition-fair “City of Craftsmen” is held, where you can buy homemade products of modern artisans - products from various materials, starting from wood and ending with cast iron.

In addition to the Knight's Helmet, a large number of tournaments, historical reconstructions and other events are held. The schedule of festivals can be found on the official website of the museum.

General information

In the final part of the article, it is worth saying a few general words, answering key questions regarding visiting the Genoese fortress.

Where is it located? The main Sudak attraction is located at st. Genoese Fortress, no. 1 on the western outskirts of the city. Coordinates: 44°50′30″N (44.84176), 34°57′30″E (34.95835).

How to get there? You can arrive by public transport from the center of Sudak - to do this you need to take route No. 1 or No. 5, get off at the “Uyutnoye” stop, and then walk a few minutes. The road will run through narrow streets, allowing you to feel the atmosphere of a medieval city. By private car you need to drive along the Tourist Highway, which ends at the Genoese fortress. There is convenient parking next to the museum.

Opening hours and cost of visiting. The museum has different opening hours and entrance prices depending on the season. During the high season (May-September), the building welcomes guests from 8:00 to 20:00; from October to April, the museum is open from 9:00 to 17:00. Entrance ticket – 150 rubles for adults, 75 rubles for beneficiaries, children under 16 years old enter free of charge. The price includes only a tour of the Genoese fortress. The excursion, museum exhibitions and other entertainment are paid separately, but additional services are inexpensive.

Where to stay? For those who will be attracted by the fortress so much that they will want to look at it for several days, the question of choosing a hotel will definitely arise. There are various hotels in the immediate vicinity, guest houses, hotels and mini-hotels for every taste and budget. Finding a room will not be difficult, but in high season, especially during the festival, you need to take care of the room in advance, and we recommend doing this using this site, where you will find a comfortable hotel at an affordable price.

The Genoese fortress is located in the city of Sudak, in the southeastern part of the Crimean peninsula. The fortress is located just 2 km away. from the embankment. It occupies an area of about 30 hectares. Is business card, and one of the main attractions not only of Sudak, but also of Crimea. The fortress rises on a 157-meter high fortress mountain called Genevez Kaya, which was once a coral reef. The Genoese erected many fortifications on the Crimean coast. There are fortresses of the same name in Feodosia, Balaklava, and many other places. Therefore, recently you can often hear the name - Sudak Fortress

Story:

To truly experience the atmosphere of the romantic Middle Ages, you need to visit the Sudak fortress. The location of the fortress is such that it is visible from almost every corner of Sudak and the surrounding area. The medieval fortress, which has survived to this day in excellent condition, attracts a huge number of tourists who have long had a tradition of taking a photo against the backdrop of the majestic fortress with battlements, towers and cannons. There are a total of 14 towers, each of which was named after the consul who ruled Sugdea (another name for Sudak).

The fortress was practically impregnable, thanks to powerful fortifications from the west, from southeast it was protected by steep cliffs descending into the sea; most likely, there was an artificial ditch in the northeast. The Genoese fortress had two lines of defense. All architectural ensemble is represented by three complexes - Lower, Upper and Internal buildings.

The lower fortress is represented by the Main Gate, a battlemented fortification wall 2 meters wide and 8 meters high, and 14 towers, some of which are fully preserved and have a height of 15 meters. The area in front of the main gate is called the Barbican. This is an almost circular space, once in which the enemy would be trapped.

The upper fortress is the last line of defense. This is a citadel where the consul took refuge in case of danger. The castle is surrounded by powerful walls forming a courtyard with 4 towers.
The Genoese fortress in Sudak also attracts local residents and tourists with the Genoese Helmet festival, which opened in 2001, which annually attracts many participants and spectators. This battle-costume event is, in fact, a real knightly tournament. Residential, religious buildings, and observation platforms have been preserved on the territory of the fortification.

Video (click to play)

Opening hours, prices:

Now the Sudak fortress has the status of a museum-reserve and is available for inspection by everyone. There are at least 200,000 visitors a year, and demand for the ancient historical monument is only growing.

Excursion groups are formed every 20 minutes.

The average duration of the excursion is 40 minutes.

Opening hours, price for 2018:

Sudak fortress - a museum under open air receives visitors all year round without breaks or weekends, but the duration of work depends on daylight hours and varies by season.

Tour of the fortress on your own:

- Adult - 150 rub.

- children under 16 years old - for free.

The fee for excursion services for all categories of citizens is 50 rubles.

Exhibition in the "Temple with an Arcade" until 17-30

Tour groups are formed every 30 minutes.

Opening hours historical museum"Funk's Dacha"

SR, Thu, SB, Sun- from 9-00 to 18-00

PT- from 11-00 to 20-00, Mon- Day off, VT- sanitary day

On festival days and other events, ticket prices and excursion schedules may vary.

Address: Republic of Crimea, Sudak,
st. Genoese fortress 1

Official website of the state budgetary institution Republic of Crimea “Museum-reserve “Sudak Fortress”: http://sudak-museum.ru/

How to get there:

By car from Sudak, go along Lenin Street towards the village of Novy Svet. Closer to the fortress, the street turns into the Tourist Highway. Soon we pass to the right of the cliff sugar loaf, and the fortress is already visible. There is paid parking near the bus stop.

By public transport. From Sudak bus station minibus №1 , №5 , №6 to the stop "The village is cozy."

Walking distance to the fortress is 20 minutes.

You can visit the Genoese fortress in Sudak on many excursions. For convenience, you can go directly from the page of this attraction to view offers. The excursion to the Genoese Fortress is conducted by both private guides and excursion companies. The price depends on the excursion program, transport and guide experience. Choose proven excursions in Sudak, for this there are ratings and reviews on the site. The “excursion” will help you make an informed choice.

How many medieval fortresses do you know built on a coral reef? I think not.
Genoese fortress in Sudak. It rises on an ancient fossilized coral reef, which today is a cone-shaped mountain. The mountain has several names, the oldest mention is Kyz-Kulle-Burun, the most frequent mention is Mount Fortress, there is also a Tatar name - Dzhenevez-Kaya.
This is a former military base of the Genoese colony of Soldaya, considered almost impregnable. The fortress was built for almost 100 years - from 1371 to 1469. And in 1475 it was taken by the Turks...

2. The first defensive structures on the site of the modern fortress appeared in the 6th century. The Allans, Khazars, Polovtsians, Byzantines, and Golden Horde ruled here alternately. In XII, envoys of the Byzantine state appeared on the shores of the Black Sea - Venetians, Pisans and Genoese. They actively begin to trade with Russian, Polovtsian and Central Asian merchants. Gradually, it was the Genoese who captured the entire coast from the Bosporus (Kerch) to Chersonesus (the present-day region of Sevastopol). Kafa (Feodosia) became the capital of their colony in Crimea, and Sudak became a military base.

3. The Genoese united all the separate defensive structures available here at that time into one complex. Thus began the construction of the now world-famous Genoese fortress.
The fortress occupied an area of about 30 hectares, and had two tiers of defense - lower and upper. The lower tier was protected by a wall approximately 6-8 meters high and 1.5-2 meters thick. The fortress wall was fortified with fourteen battle towers up to 15 meters high and the Main Gate complex.

4. At the foot of one of the battle towers.

5. Each of the towers bore the name of one of the consuls under whom this tower was built, as evidenced by the slabs with heraldic symbols and inscriptions in medieval Latin preserved on the towers. Unfortunately, these slabs have not been preserved on all towers, nor have the towers themselves. Some of the surviving towers: Giovanni Marione, Pasquale Gedice, Corrado Cicalo, Frederico Astagvera...

6. Heraldic plate on one of the towers

7. Main gate complex. It consists of two gate towers - the western Jacobo Torsello and the eastern Bernabo di Franchi di Pagano. The bottom of the western tower is reinforced by a gentle slope, a buttress, which served both the engineering function of strengthening the base of the tower and the combat one. The combat function of the buttress was that the stones thrown down by the defenders of the Sudak fortress bounced off it, and this increased the area and the possibility of hitting the enemy.
Loopholes are cut into the combat tier of the tower; on the tier above there are rectangular embrasures that expand outward. Inside the tower there are niches where bombards or ballistas were installed.
The eastern tower appeared somewhat later than the western one. The tower has loopholes and four embrasure windows, the same as in the Jacobo Torsello tower. There are crosses carved on the wall on the side of the gate. WITH south side At the base of the tower, the remains of steps of a staircase are visible, along which, apparently, the guards climbed the tower and walls. Both towers are connected by a stone bridge with a loophole window.

8. There was a city inside the fortress. At the main gate of Soldaya there was a small trading area, where the main city institutions were concentrated. Greek cathedral Hagia Sophia, the Catholic Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, the market, the building of the loggia of the commune (town hall) and customs.

10. The entire space inside the fortress, which is empty today, in ancient times was built up with religious buildings and residential buildings. On the territory of the city, no more than 20 hectares in size, plus the suburbs adjacent to the fortress walls from the northeast and north, about 8 thousand people lived. This is known for sure, because The census of 1249 has been preserved. For the Middle Ages this is a large figure.

11. The houses of the inhabitants of medieval Sudak were built on terraces. From south to north, the city had five streets with narrow alleys.

12. Remains of the western wall. Today, no more than a meter remains from the former height of several meters

13. Loophole closed with shutter

14. View of the upper tier with the Consular Castle and the Maiden Tower, considered the most ancient.

15. Not all visitors decide to climb to the highest point of the fortress - the Maiden Tower. This is prevented by the gentle, smooth slope of the rock on which the tower is located.
But it's worth climbing it. From here you have simply incredible views in all directions. It’s not for nothing that this tower has a second name - Watchtower.
One of the local legends is associated with the name of the Maiden Tower. In ancient times, the archon (local mayor) had a beautiful daughter, the most beautiful of whom was not in all of Taurida. The best commander of the Pontic king Mithridates, Diophantus, sought the girl’s hand, but she preferred the poor shepherd. The Archon did not even want to think about such a choice for his daughter, because... I would be glad to have influential relatives.
The ruler was informed about the secret meetings between the shepherd and the princess, and the angry father ordered the shepherd to be thrown into the well.
Having bribed the guards, the girl freed her lover and hid him in her room. The Archon found out about this and decided to act more cunningly - he pretended to send the young man to Miletus, but ordered his servants to kill him.
The archon said to his daughter: “In a year the ship will return back, and if your lover does not cheat on you, then you will see white sign. I won't resist your happiness. But if he is not worthy of you, there will be no sign on the ship, and you will marry Diophantus." When the ship appeared a year later, there was no sign on it. The girl threw herself into the sea from the tower and crashed. Since then, the tower has been called the Maiden Tower.

16. View from the Maiden Tower to the territory of the fortress and present-day Sudak

17. West Bank

18. Eastern coast, where Sudak and its beaches are now located.
The wall of the second tier and the Consular Castle are also visible.

19. Consular Castle

20. Inner courtyard of the Consular Castle.
The castle itself consisted of three towers connected by fortress walls. In the Middle Ages, it also served as the home and residence of the Genoese consul - the head of the Genoese administration of Soldai.
The structure of the consular castle consists of a donjon and a courtyard, which is joined from the north-west by a portico and a corner tower added later. The courtyard is enclosed within thick walls with loopholes. The width of the courtyard is 8.6 m, the length is 15.5 m. To this day, on the eastern side of the courtyard, the remains of a staircase can be seen, along which one could go out to a fighting platform with a ledge, where secret doors are still walled up. Where a barely noticeable path goes down the rock. This exit was used when there was a siege of the fortress for escape or communication with the outside world. The only way to enter the castle courtyard was through a gate protected by a rectangular barbican.
The consular tower served not only as a headquarters, but also as an arsenal, and could be isolated from the rest of the fortress.
Water tanks with a total volume of about 40 cubic meters were installed in the tower in case of a siege. This is evidenced by traces of waterproof plaster and two ceramic pipes.

21. As mentioned above, in the Middle Ages the consular castle served as the home and residence of the Genoese consul - the head of the Genoese administration of Soldai. Usually the consul was elected for a term of one year and received a very high salary for the performance of his office.
The position of consul, as a rule, was occupied by representatives of the nobility from the Genoese families. Before taking office, the consul was not supposed to be in Soldaya. This rule was considered important to ensure that the ruler could not use his official position for personal gain. The consul did not have his own housing in the city, which is why his military residence was the consular castle.

22. The room where the consuls of Soldai lived - a throne, a fireplace, skins... Maybachs of that time

24. The building of the mosque, which is now a museum, and in official documents referred to as the Arcade Building. This is the only perfectly preserved building on the territory of the fortress.
There are several theories about the purpose of this building. One of them says that initially it was a Christian temple and after the capture of Sudak by the Tatars it was converted into a mosque. According to another version, the building was built by the Genoese in 1365 and later converted into a mosque. There is also a version that this domed building was built by the Tatars or Seljuk Turks as a mosque, and the Genoese converted it into a Catholic church.
Excavations carried out in 1962 outside and inside the domed building indicate that it was originally built as a mosque. Firstly, no traces of previous Christian temple and no accompanying burials. Secondly, this is confirmed by the fact that the foundations of the previously existing galleries and minaret are folded into a band with the foundation of the building.

25. Arched and domed entrance to the mosque building.

26. Today, the central part of the museum is a cubic structure. The building is covered with a spherical dome resting on the so-called corrugated tromps.
The spherical dome without a drum goes into the walls of the mosque with the help of corrugated “sails”. A similar structure of spherical domes is typical of the architecture of Ottoman Turkey, which was influenced by Byzantium.

27. The most important architectural components of the building - vaults, corners, columns and window casings - are made of solid blocks and decorated with carved ornaments. This ornament is most often defined in the literature as Seljuk.

28. The greatest controversy is caused by a fragment of a fresco on the western pilaster of the internal arcade of the building. A fragment of the painting was discovered in 1958, when the plaster was peeling off. A figure in a reddish robe with a covered head appears against a light gray background. O. Dombrovsky believes that this is a male figure depicting a saint with a halo. Other researchers believe that the fresco depicts a woman. For example, art critic I. F. Trotskaya states that this is definitely female image. Proof of this is a scarf or a kind of hood on the head of the person depicted.

29. Nowadays, some traces of Soldaya found on the territory of the fortress are exhibited in the museum premises - frescoes, pithos, heraldic plates, etc.

30.

31. Tiled ceiling of the tank room and view of the Consular Castle

32. Stylized "medieval retro" dry closets. True, they do not work at the height of the tourist season in mid-summer. Which, however, is not surprising.

33. In conclusion, the story about the Genoese fortress - views from different parts of it.
Sokol and Cape Kapchik in the distance

34. Sudak, Alchak-Kaya and Meganom. View from the Maiden Tower

35. Sudak, Karagach and Karadzha

36. Tree of wishes

The history of the Genoese fortress is short. After that, it was captured by the Turks in 1475. The towers and defensive walls were not repaired. In 1783, the fortifications became the property of the Russian Empire and the fortress began to decline.
In our time, due to its picturesqueness, good preservation of ancient buildings and easy accessibility, the Sudak fortress was often used as a colorful setting in historical, adventure and fairy-tale films.
More than forty films were filmed here, such as “Amphibian Man”, “Othello”, “The Rings of Almanzor”, “Solo Voyage”, “Pirates of the Twentieth Century”, “Chief of Chukotka”, “Umbrella for the Bridal”, “Primordial Rus'”, “The Odyssey of Captain Blood”, “The Master and Margarita”, “Socrates”, “Hamlet”, “Marco Polo” and others.
In addition, a historical festival dedicated to the art of chivalry is held annually on the territory of the fortress.

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There are many fortresses in Crimea, we even came across the name Genoese a couple of times in other populated areas. But there is only one fortress in Sudak, built on a 157-meter high cone-shaped and impregnable mountain with an area of 30 hectares. Yes, today we will visit the quite famous Genoese fortress in Sudak.

How to get to the Genoese fortress

Getting to the fortress will not be difficult, because it is located in the city of Sudak itself. You can simply walk along the embankment to the cape of Fortress Mountain, where at the top, already halfway along the way, the towers of the Genoese fortress will be visible.

Genoese fortress on the map.

That’s exactly what we did, while admiring new views of the city of Sudak.

Excursions

Group excursion (from Alushta):— 11 hours, up to 30 people (children allowed)

Individual excursion (Sudak):— 1 day, up to 3 people

Opening hours of the Genoese fortress. Ticket prices

The fortress is truly impregnable: on one side there is a sheer cliff and the sea, and on the other, the builders easily turned deep natural beams into a moat.

In general, you can't pass by the cash register. So let's find out how much a ticket costs.

Cost of independent inspection of the Genoese fortress:

adult - 150 rub.
children (up to 16 years old) - for free
75 RUR
entrance by invitation card – 1 rub

The last point amused me. I wonder where to get these same invitation cards and why do they need my ruble in this case?

Cost with excursion:

adult - 200 rub
children (up to 16 years old) - 50 rub
students, pensioners, local residents(Sudak district) – 125 rub.

Excursion groups are formed every 30 min. Duration of the excursion - 40 min.

Opening hours:

cash register - from 8 to 19 seven days a week
museum-fortress – from 8 to 20 seven days a week

We grabbed our self-guided tour tickets and headed to the main gate.

What to see in the Genoese fortress

The entire fortress can be divided into two tiers.

The top one is the Consular Castle with the Watchtower. Here, as a rule, lived the city ruler or consul, who was appointed by the Genoese government for a year of reign, and also served as a military commandant and managed finances. , various weapons and food supplies were stored.

In the event of an enemy breakthrough into the fortress, the upper tier became a refuge for the defenders. In those days, Soldaya lived according to the “statutory of the Genoese colonies”; everything here was subject to protection from enemies.

The lower one is presented in the form of a defensive wall of 14 towers and the Main Gate. When darkness came, the gates of the fortress were locked and the bridge across the moat was raised. Even in peacetime, the consul had no right to leave the fortress, the garrison of 37 soldiers had to be in constant combat readiness, and the residents could not go outside after the bell rang. Violation of these strict rules resulted in heavy fines.

We will begin our walk around the fortress from the lower tier.

1. The main gate of the Genoese fortress. At the entrance we see two impressively sized towers, next to which a knight in a not at all old chain mail flaunts in front of everyone who comes in. Yes, you thought correctly - this is the same knight who wants money for a photo with him. For those who like to be alone in the frame, you can also pick up medieval clothes here.

The place in front of the gate was the so-called customs house, where visiting traders were charged a duty for imported goods. So almost nothing has changed since then.

2. City. Having walked a little forward, a huge, almost empty square opened up to our eyes. Previously, on this site there was a city with a population of 8 thousand, which is quite a lot for the Middle Ages.

3. Fortress towers. We moved along the eastern wall of the fortress, where every 200 meters we could see some tower up to 15 meters high.

The towers bear the names of the consuls during whose reign they were built. This is evidenced by slabs with inscriptions in Latin, and for tourists - information signs. However, if initially there were 14 towers, only 8 have survived to this day.

4. Mosque. That’s at least what this building is called, because no one still knows exactly what it was originally.

But unlike other buildings, it is perfectly preserved, and inside there is a small museum with frescoes, heraldic plates, dishes, etc.

By the way, in front of the museum there is a platform for viewing the city from the walls of the fortress. I must admit great view from here it opens onto Sudak.

5. Consular Castle. Gradually, gradually, we reached the upper tier with the Consular Castle and the Watchtower.

The castle consists of towers connected by a fortress wall, between which there is a courtyard. This yard is small, only 9 by 15 meters.

In the Middle Ages, the Consular Castle was the military residence of the consul, so there are also living quarters here.

We looked into one of the towers. Somewhere on the 3rd floor the window offers an excellent view of the fortress walls.

6. Watch (Maiden) tower. The watchtower is located next to the castle, we walked there through the platform, and at the same time admired the excellent panorama of the Genoese fortress.

The tower is located quite high, and not all tourists risk climbing to it along a steep rock with ledges that are slippery even in dry weather. We went up a little to the right, where it was more or less flat.

From here, another excellent view opens up, now of the sea from Cape Meganom to Ayu-Dag.

Watchmen from the tower monitored the approach of the enemy, and during bad weather they lit a fire here, acting as a beacon for ships at sea. Hence the name Watch, and it was nicknamed the maiden tower because, like any other tower, this one also has many legends, the heroine of which is a young girl.

You can't climb into the tower itself, and it's dangerous. Now only 3 walls remain of it, since the fourth collapsed into the sea.

7. Port Tower. After wonderful views of the sea, we descended to the Western part of the fortress.

Here, in the distance, I noticed another tower with a small temple of the Twelve Apostles. This is the tower of Frederico Astagver, standing on the defense of the port, so it was given a second name - Port. In the Middle Ages, this tower was connected by a wall to the corner towers of the Genoese fortress. Now, to get to the tower, you had to leave the main gate. We did not do this, capturing the Port Tower with the temple only in photographs.