Caves of Crimea (Crimea, Russia) - detailed description, location, reviews, photos and videos.
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Crimea is so rich interesting caves that many consider it to be the birthplace of domestic speleology in its modern form. Peak research work in the Crimean caves fell on the 50s. 20th century, and at that time scientists discovered and studied at least a thousand large Crimean caves and a myriad of small ones. And there is no doubt that many more Crimean caves remain hidden from human eyes and unexplored.
I must say that those caves of the Crimea, which are the most accessible for visiting, alas, today are the most littered and spoiled by numerous crowds of tourists. And those that are not easy to get to, on the contrary, can be pristine and beautiful, but there is nothing for a person to do in them without special training and skills of a speleologist. In any case, do not neglect the services of a guide and do not forget to take warm clothes with you when heading to the caves.
Most of the Crimean caves are located in one of four areas: Chatyr-Dag, Ai-Petri, Dolgorukovsky massif and Karabi-Yaila. The most famous caves picturesque mountain Chatyr-Dag, one of the symbols of Crimea, is Marble, the entrance to which is located at an altitude of more than 900 m above sea level (according to some estimates, this cave is one of the five most beautiful equipped caves on the planet) and Emine-Bair-Khosar, which is in general complex Marble and is famous for the legend associated with it. Ai-Petri is famous for the Black flooded cave and Ayu-Teshik. The most famous caves of the Dolgorukovsky massif are the Red Cave (Kizil-Koba) and Yeni-Sala. In this massif there are generally leading caves in the sense of underground lakes and siphons. Karabi-Yayla is known for the Big Buzuluk ice cave.
The mountain caves of the Crimea often melt inside a lake or river. The largest water-filled gallery is located in the Yeni-Sala-3 cave, its length exceeds 110 m. And the largest of the completely flooded caves is Black, its length is 1300 m. Another option is when the cave is not filled with water, but with snow or ice , and the whole year. There are about forty such caves, and the most famous of them is Big Buzluk, where the oldest ice deposits can be preserved for half a century, and picturesque ice icicles hang from the arch. Also well known is the Watering Cave and the Three-Eyes on Ai-Petri.
Other caves are not so interesting purely outwardly, but they surprise with riddles and legends associated with them. For example, in the Kaplu-Kaya cave, they say, a cradle made of pure gold was once buried.
And in the Thousand-Headed Cave, a huge number of human remains period of the Middle Ages.
Cave Emine-Bair-Khosar.
Many people in Crimea are only interested in record-breaking caves. For example, the largest on the entire peninsula is the Red Cave, 16 km long, where you can also see the maximum number of tiers - six floors. It is also considered the most studied in the Crimea, because more than one and a half hundred scientific papers have been published about this cave. Or the deepest - the Soldier's mine, more than half a kilometer deep. The highest cave in the Crimea is Treshchinnaya, whose height above sea level is almost 1500 m. The largest rocky hall can be seen in the Marble Cave, its floor area is about five thousand square meters. m. This cave is also the most visited.
Those who are not looking for easy ways may be interested in the most difficult caves of the Crimea - such statistics are also available. The hardest thing to go through, not surprisingly, is the very famous Red, as well as the Soldier's. Routes through these caves are assigned category 4B. And the most dangerous cave in terms of accidents is Kaskadnaya on Ai-Petri: in 30 years, five tourists have suffered here, of whom two have died.
IN Lately Skelskaya takes the first place among the other caves of the Crimea.
Many travel agencies specially organize trips here and here's why: the speleological complex in Skelskaya was created relatively recently, and so far it is clean, beautiful and there are not many people at all compared to the same, for example, Marble. The Skelskaya cave is located near Sevastopol, and it is easy to get here. At the beginning of the 21st century, the cave was equipped for tourism purposes, and in 2011 the latest electrical equipment was installed here, creating the first precedent of this kind in the Crimea. With the help of colored illumination, the bizarre calcite outgrowths of Skelskaya look very beautiful, and you can guess different figures in them: there is definitely a knight and a monk, a monkey and a dolphin, a dragon and a phoenix, and also, which is especially curious, Crimean sights, such as the Foros Church .
Crimea is famous for its many interesting places. Among them, caves deserve special attention. In this area they a large number of each one is unique and has its own characteristics. Since ancient times, people settled in them and used them for their needs. In this article we will talk about the caves of the Crimea, open to the public.
Caves and cave monasteries of Crimea on the map:
Three-eyed or Vorontsovskaya cave
Mountain Crimea hides a large number of caves. But not all can be visited by non-specialists. The most accessible - Three-eyed.
Three-Eyed Cave inside
There are more than 3 million years old, the depth is -30 meters. Occupies over 600 sq. meters. You can get inside it through 3 shafts - failures resembling three eyes along the ladder. Through one of them, located almost vertically, sunlight enters the cave; during the cold period - snow flies. It's always cold inside. The snow does not completely melt, even in summer there is ice on the floor. Ancient hunters kept the meat of dead animals here. When they shot the film "The Prisoner of the Castle of If", they painted the eyes.
Important! Before you go on an excursion, you need to take warm clothes with you, inside the air temperature does not rise to 10 degrees. In winter, the Trekhglazka is closed.
Yalta cave on the Ai-Petri plateau
The smallest, but incredibly beautiful cave. Traces of the life of people of the Neolithic era were found here.
During the warm period, tourists can contemplate numerous long stalactites that hang from the arches, like pasta. On the floor great hall- many stalagmites of incredibly crazy shapes. Walls in swells. Light from small electric bulbs creates an unimaginable play of light and shadow.
It is famous for its vertical well, 40 meters long, through which you can go down to the lower hall. Not every tourist can do it: only daredevils, in the company of a climbing guide, dressed in special equipment, will go down.
marble cave
The most visited cave in Crimea is located on the Chadyr-Daga plateau, not far from the village of the same name. It was formed in marble-like limestones, which is why it got its name. It is located at a depth of 60 meters, the length is just over 2 km.
Red Cave Kizil-Koba
The largest one is 20 km long. Red, because iron impurities predominate in the rock. Ordinary tourists are only accessible half a kilometer. It will be convenient to get there fairytale train especially during rain.
There is the possibility of an extreme excursion: put on a scuba gear and see the flooded passages and halls with your own eyes. Underground passages located on six levels, with a drop of more than 250 meters.
Inside the cave are numerous lakes, wells, waterfalls, huge halls, as well as the largest stalactite in Europe, 8 thousand years old. Full information about the Red Cave (Kizil Koba) in Crimea can be found.
Cave monastery near Sudak
The ruins of the monastery lie near Mount Sokol. At the beginning of our millennium, Byzantine monks lived here - icon worshipers. Later the Turks ravaged it. But people have not forgotten about him.
In one of three caves there is a carved cross on the wall, and a shop nearby. In the other, only the front wall and a few cells have been preserved. You can get there along the path along the steep slope of the mountain. From above you can see the sea. The place is also notable for the fact that a healing spring was found nearby.
Holy Dormition Cave Monastery in Bakhchisarai
This monastery was also founded by Byzantine monks. It is carved into a sheer rock. This holy monastery has an interesting history.
When the Crimean Khanate gained independence, and Russia received the Crimean fortresses, local Christians, due to harassment by the Muslim population, leave these places. The Russian commander Alexander Suvorov took an active part in the event. But three years later the monastery began to hold services again.
During the revolution, the monastery was plundered, and the servants were shot. During the Great Patriotic War, a hospital was located within these walls. The monastery was revived again after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The parishioners restored the Holy Place by joint efforts. They did a titanic work: they restored the stone staircase, the Assumption Church, restored the rock painting, erected a bell tower and much more.
Tepe Kermen - cave city in Bakhchisarai
A purely strategic building, arose on a cone-shaped mountain, at an altitude of more than 500 meters. Casemates, quarters for guards, cisterns for collecting rainwater were built in the rock. The city has more than 200 rooms of various shapes and sizes, located on six levels.
At the top there were living quarters and water tanks, at the bottom - outbuildings. The northeastern slope of the rock is decorated with a rock church. On the stone stairs from it you can go to the very bottom of the cliff. On the sixth level there is a tomb covered stone slab, on the fifth - a sacristy and a refectory, on the fourth a crypt with a niche for an icon. There is also a chapel.
The second name - Emine Bair Khosar - is translated as a well on a mountain slope. At the bottom of the failure, a large karst cavity was discovered - now it is the main hall.
Location - Chadyr dag, lower plateau. The length is 1.5 kilometers, the depth is about 100. The halls and passages are illuminated, equipped with stairs with railings.
Here they found the bones of extinct animals, even a mammoth, after which the cave is named.
Stalactites form outlandish figures: the Cap of Monomakh, the Stone Flower, fairy-tale gods. Of particular interest is the two-level lake. The cave is deservedly considered one of the most unusual in Europe.
Shuldan Cave Monastery
Located near the village of Ternovka, it includes two churches and twenty rooms in two tiers. The main temple is made in the form of an elongated rectangular room. Altar in the shape of a horseshoe.
Shuldan cave monastery inside
In ancient times, the walls of the temples were decorated with frescoes, but they have not survived to our times. Recently, a chapel tower was erected, the dome of which is clearly visible from afar.
So observation deck The tower offers a wonderful view of the valley. The sight is told not only by tourists, but also by pilgrims. They are provided with cells for guests, where it is possible to spend the night.
Cave city Bakla
The northern city of Crimea is once an open medieval settlement. To date, almost not preserved.
In the sixth century, a castle was built here from large pieces of limestone, which was destroyed by the Tatar-Mongols. On the shore there are graves carved in stone, grape presses, waste pits, and artificial caves.
Cave city Inkerman
The ancient fortress of Kalamita, consisting of more than three hundred fortifications - business card cities.
Kalamita Fortress cave city Inkerman
The fortress itself did not last long, and the caves under it were preserved. Today, the largest wine-making enterprise of the Crimea is located here. Its underground cellars occupy 55 thousand square meters. Along with a local history tour, tourists are offered to visit wine tasting rooms. The city also has an operating monastery. We talk more about the cave city of Inkerman in.
Kalamita Fortress of the cave city of Inkerman in Crimea, a monastery at the foot of the Kalamita Fortress
We also invite you to watch a video about the most popular and beautiful cave of the Crimea Marble:
The caves beckon with their history and mystery, and the Crimean caves are an absolutely unforgettable sight. Crimea is a wonderful peninsula where they can find amazing tourist routes both lovers of the sea and lovers of the mountains. Both active and passive rest are pleasant here, but the mysterious caves in the Crimea are especially interesting. So, what are the caves of the Crimea, how to get to them, what are they called, photos, videos, which caves of the Crimea are open to the public, we will tell below.
weeping grotto
Danilcha-Koba (Crying Grotto) is a natural monument, alluring with its mystery and magnificence. Several centuries ago, the temple of St. Daniel was located in it, so researchers believe that the name comes from the name of this saint. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the walls of the temple were only 140 centimeters, and then it was completely destroyed. The fact that there was once a holy place here can only be guessed from some traces near the exit.
The Weeping Grotto is one hall, 12 meters long and 4 meters high. In the middle of the hall there is a reservoir, the depth of which in some places reaches two meters. The water here is crystal clear and cold (about 7 degrees Celsius). Also around the perimeter of the grotto there are small baths where tourists can find cave pearls.
Binbash-Koba
The Thousand-domed Cave - that's what the researchers called it in the process of studying. During the first reconnaissance, numerous skulls were found in the bosom of Binbash-Koba: these were the remains of both animals and people. According to the legend, which is retold by the local population, once the inhabitants hid here from the nomads. The barbarians, however, could not get inside and decided to set fire to the entrance. As a result of the arson, everyone who sought refuge in this cave died. But researchers have refuted this legend. According to the examinations, the people who owned the skulls were quite advanced in age, which makes it possible to assert that it was a burial ground.
The cave, located on Chatyrdag, has a very narrow entrance, and then a narrow tunnel that turns into a gallery leading to a small hall. From this hall, two corridors pass into a large semicircular hall. Binbash-Koba stretches for as many as 110 kilometers underground.
bottomless cave
On the Chatyr-Dag plateau there is a beautiful and mysterious cave - the Bottomless. It attracts mainly people who love adventure and danger, since not everyone can visit this miracle of nature. Only a person with specialized equipment can go down into the grotto, and even if this is not the first time, the company of a speleologist or a specially trained person (often athletes) is required here.
At an altitude of 1000 meters, there is an entrance in the very depths of the karst funnel. The entire cave is 410 meters long and 190 meters deep.
Diving into the mine begins with a ladder of 17 meters leading to a ledge. The width of the shaft differs in its size: if at the entrance it is 5 meters, then it increases to a maximum of 25. Due to the fact that the cave is vertical, in winter quite a lot of snow gets into it, which turns into a bewitching glacier in spring.
Kiik-Koba
Not far from the village of Zuya there is a grotto called Kiik-Koba. The area is 50 square meters. Its name is translated as "wild cave", since it was here that the remains of ancient people were found (Neanderthal site). The researchers found the remains of a woman and a child in the grotto, approximately 100,000 years old. Also in the cave there were primitive tools ancient man and bones of extinct animals.
The discoveries that were made in the grotto turned the whole scientific world upside down, so if you want to touch history, be sure to visit Kiik-Koba and other caves of Crimea. A photo:
Cave Iograph
Iograf Cave, located a little higher than Yalta, is very attractive for tourists. At the time when the local population was persecuted by the Turks for Christianity (8th-9th century), the church of the Christian martyr Evgraf was founded here. During the first studies of the cave, parts of lamps, various decorations (mainly made of copper and glass), an iron cross and fragments of an ancient marble icon were found here.
A visit to the cave will turn into a fascinating journey, where tourists will appreciate the beauty of fairly close passages and one, but large hall. Also, no matter how hot the season is, the purest drops of water drip from the stalactites directly onto the altar.
marble cave
Crimea is a storehouse of the most amazing places in the world. One of the most beautiful sights of Chatyrdag is the Marble Cave. The duration of all passages and halls is about two kilometers, and the depth is 50 meters. Marble Cave is one of the five most beautiful caves world and is popular with tourists from Europe.
The first plus of an excursion to this cave is that there is no need to be a rock climber or caver in order to move freely and safely along the route. The most important thing is comfortable clothes and shoes.
Diving deep into the cave, tourists get into fairy world: the beauty of stalactites and stalagmites, stone waterfalls, corallite flowers, openwork pools and small baths with water, sagging on the walls. And if you add magical music and lighting to all this beauty, then the impression will be indescribable, you will forever remember what marble cave in Crimea. The official website of the caves, where you can see their prices - onixtour.com.ua.
red cave
The longest cave in Europe, Kyzy-Koba, is located on the Crimean peninsula. Its length is 26 kilometers, and total area is 64 square kilometers. The length of the corridors is constantly growing, as a river flows through the lower "floors", which constantly washes out new and new corridors. It is difficult to follow them, but it is possible if you have a wetsuit (due to the low temperature of the water).
The cave is rich in various artifacts of the 7th-6th centuries BC - these are arrowheads made of bronze, and women's jewelry (beads, bracelets, rings), the remains of ceramic products.
The intricacies of labyrinths and tunnels form six floors. According to research, in front of the caves there was an ancient human settlement. Most likely they were Cimmerians who lived more than 2500 years ago.
Tourists visiting the cave can plunge into the world of pristine beauty and history. Tour guides conduct tours from 2 to 5 hours in time. The number of the group is from 2 to 25 people. There are ordinary routes or extreme ones, where tourists with equipment can visit the red caves in the Crimea, in which the river flows and penetrate into new halls and passages. The official site where you can find a description and what are the Red Caves of Crimea, prices for visits and schedules - kizilkoba.ru.
viking cave
This is sometimes called the famous Red Cave of Crimea. This is due to the organization of the Viking Cinema Park, which is necessary for the filming of the film. The life of the era of brave people of the 8th-11th centuries was clearly created in a place located next to the Kizil-Koba cave. It is as mysterious as the Red Cave itself, where in ancient times there was an ancient sanctuary where bloody sacrifices were made to cruel gods. The legend says that a tribe of terrible cyclops lived in an inaccessible dungeon. They guarded the wealth in the cave. According to Homer, Odysseus encountered them during his wanderings.
The specific red color of the cave is due to the high content of iron oxides. The length of the cave is 17 km. It is the longest underground cavity in Crimea. This is a 6-storey labyrinth, consisting of several caves. There are two routes for tourists. Basic, extreme. Choosing the first route, you must have a warm jacket. In the second case, the presence of a wetsuit is mandatory. At the bottom of the cave there is an interesting river included in the route. It can only be overcome by swimming. Groundwater forms on the surface famous waterfall Su-uchhan. Inside the cave there is a waterfall called the Pink Jet. Red Cave Viking (Crimea) is considered to be actively growing. New sinter formations are formed in it, new halls, galleries created by groundwater are formed. You can come here along the Yalta highway to the Red Caves sign.
Skelskaya
The Skelskaya cave is located in the Crimea, along the southern slope of the Ai-Petri mountain range. Not far from the village of Rodnikovoe, which is easy to come from Sevastopol. A marked path leading from a place formerly called Skelya points in the direction of the cave. It appeared in marble-type limestones during a tectonic fault under the influence of the destructive power of groundwater. Initially, it was a large hall, constantly decorated by nature with several separate galleries in the form of three levels, decorated with calcite formations. The structure of the cave resembles a staircase, which gives reason to believe the origin of its name from the Greek word "skele" or staircase.
The opening of the cave is considered to be 1904. Extreme lovers often penetrated into the bowels of different levels of the cave. Organized tourist routes appeared in 2004 after the development of safe excursion routes into the underworld, the age of which reaches several million years. The existing length of the excursion paths is about 270 m, with a total length of the cave of 670 m. All levels are connected by vertical wells. Access is possible with a guide. The lower level has deep underground lakes and rivers. The Skelskaya cave is considered to be the supplier of water to mountain streams, the Baidar reservoir.
In Crimea, the official website of the cave is speleotur.com, where you can find all the prices and conditions for excursions.
Now the footpaths, unusual bridges are equipped with modern equipment that creates optical illusions, emphasizing the mysterious beauty of calcite sinter formations. The fantastic realm of figures of outlandish animals is striking, ranging from the gopher to the sculptures of the Dolphin Hall, the lady in the Ghost Hall, the Phoenix bird, and numerous fairy-tale heroes. The outlines of the well-known sights of Crimea, the Swallow's Nest, the Foros Temple appear unexpectedly when illuminated, causing questions, delight, surprise. Looking at this beauty, you begin to believe in the living spirit of the dungeon, created by the outlines of a strange figure in the Fireplace Hall of the cave. Or freeze when looking at the 7-meter figure of the Knight, standing in the center of one of the halls of the Skelskaya cave. The unique speleofauna of the cave is listed on the pages of the Red Book. In summer, you can admire the amazing flowering Komperia orchid, which is found only in Turkey.
Emine Bair Khosar - cave in Crimea
The cave is one of the five most beautiful caves in the world. You can enter it through an artificial entrance located next to a natural vertical well. Cave Bair (Crimea) keeps numerous bones of animals that lived here in ancient times. Now a collection of the remains of a cave lion, mammoth, woolly rhinoceros can be seen in the cave museum. Since 1999, a route for tourists has been opened, going through the upper halls, next to the underground lake, through the halls of Idols, the hats of Monomakh, the Main, the Throne, Dublyansky. The length of the cave is 1460 m, the depth is 125 m, the area of known galleries is about 12,000 sq. m, located on five levels. The lower level, covered by a huge boulder, is considered a protected area in order to preserve the natural wonder.
The first description of the cave was made in 1927 after descending into the well, discovering the first large hall. For many years, the entrance to the cave was specially closed by speleologists to prevent an unregulated invasion of lovers of exotic dungeons. 700 m are equipped for excursions hiking trails. Cave Bair Khosar (Crimea) - this name comes from the Turkic words: Emi-oak, Khosar-well, Bair-slope. A well on a slope near an oak tree. You can go to the cave along the path leading from the trolleybus line through the village of Marble, a holiday village, a limestone quarry.
The main part of the cave is the halls of Nocturne, Red poppies, a huge dome. A film was made about the decorations of the cave from multi-colored crystals of various origins. Traveling through the interior halls takes place along a concrete, comfortable path. The walls are covered with cascades of streaks that look like buds of unknown flowers, burning with millions of bright stars in the beams of lanterns. Numerous legends still live about the underground lake of the cave. One of them tells about the fate of the girl Emine, who was thrown into the well by her father because of her love for a guy from an enemy family. Until now, the cave of Emine (Crimea) keeps its spirit, which is interesting to hear about under the arches of the cave.
Mammoth Cave (Crimea)
Another name for the underground kingdom of Emine Bair Khosar is Mammoth Cave. The finds of paleontologists in the form of a whole skeleton of a mammoth were made near the entrance. They are considered unique phenomenon requiring scientific research. So far, scientists different countries trying to determine the causes of the appearance of ancient animals in unusual conditions for their lives. Maybe he fell into a trap set by an ancient man we have yet to learn about. An invaluable asset in the form of preserved animal remains, stored in the cave museum, is a range of valuable exhibits for scientific work, using modern knowledge, special equipment. Their storage in cave conditions does not allow the rapid destruction of the remains in the air. One of them is taphonomic analysis, which will make it possible to determine exact time the death of a mammoth, for example, during the Mousterian era, the Paleolithic. In addition to interesting excursion routes, Mammoth Cave (Crimea) has become a real scientific center for the study of human history.
soldier's cave
In Crimea, it is considered the deepest, most difficult cave in Crimea. High, steep wells, halls completely flooded with water, are available only to experienced athletes. During a group visit, you must register with the local rescue service. Leave a list of all participants before entering the cave. Strictly observe the rules prohibiting kindling a fire in the cave halls. At the beginning of the descent, it is necessary to bring down weakly fortified stones, loose rock. Be sure to leave travel marks in the forks needed to return.
The cave is located at an altitude of about 980 m near the Egis-Tinas lakes on the Karabi-Yayla mountain range. The cave is named so, in honor of the soldiers who died in various wars. The path to it starts from the village of Krasnoselovka.
Three-eyed on Ai-Petri
The cave has three failures, through which the descent is organized. The cave has been known to the local population for a long time. Often it was used for long-term storage of products, prey of hunters, fishermen. Blocks of ice from their caves were supplied to the palaces of the Crimea in the role of refrigerators. Sometimes, therefore, it is called Icy, Vorontsovskaya. Inside the cave is a huge snowdrift. Coins are thrown into it as a keepsake, a repeated return here. The central entrance of the cave looks like an ice palace.
You can see the cave by climbing up cable car to the apple Or along the tourist trails Taraktashskaya, Korenzskaya. There are handy signs everywhere.
MAN on Demerdzhi
The cave, located on the slope of the Northern Demerdzhi, was discovered in 1963 by schoolchildren from the Small Academy of Sciences (MAN). The length of the cave is 30 m, the height is from 3.5 to 10 m. There were drawings on the walls, which are poorly preserved at the present time. Experts exploring the cave came to the conclusion that its appearance is associated with the bed of an underground river flowing in this place. A huge gorge between the mountains proves this assumption. At the end of the cave there is a vertical 30-meter well. A large number of bones of various animals were found at its bottom. Calcite deposited in faults, voids in caves under the rays of the setting sun shines in diffused light, creating fantastic pictures.
An altar stone, similar to an altar, was formed above the ancient stone collapse, creating a special atmosphere of the cave. In ancient times, there was a sanctuary of the Taurians here. MAN has no organized routes for tourists. You can get here along the path leading from the Angarsk pass. It is not allowed to visit the cave, located near Alushta, without a guide.
Emine-Bair-Koba - the ancient cave of Chatyr-Dag
Emine-Bair-Koba cave is located near the famous Crimean village of Marble. Sometimes you can hear the name Three-eyes, which arose due to three exits, 2 of which resemble a nostril in shape, which gave life to another name. The grotto became widely known in 1927, when a scientific article about it appeared in the journal Krym.
It is proved that the Emine-Bair-Koba cave was formed due to mountain river, which flowed through Chatyr-Dag more than 10 million years ago. Now only cavities remained from it, thoroughly washed out by powerful water flows.
For excursion groups and individual visitors, access is possible only 70 meters deep into the cave. Professionals can go further and see another 140 meters of underground beauty, but you will need special equipment. Apart from safety rods, rope handrails and low lighting, there is nothing there.
Usually tourists are shown 2 halls, which are located near the main entrance on 2 levels. Sinter formations are similar to corals. Somewhere you can see pebbles. Speleologists are still trying to figure out how she got there.
Below is a catalog where you can choose and book excursions to the caves of Crimea
Red Caves - Kizil-Koba
More than 27 kilometers of beauty offers to see the Kizil-Koba cave. It was formed about 2.5 million years ago. During this time, even an ancient man managed to settle there. Historians have proven that this happened 70 thousand years ago. You can also find the name "Red Caves". It appeared due to the reddish tint of the deposits and several entrances providing access to each of the 6 levels.
The Kizil-Koba cave is located near the village of Perevalnoye, Simferopol region. Inside you can see the mountain river Kizilkobinka, whose waters serve to fill the Su-Uchkhan waterfall. The miraculous sculptures-stalagmites are impressive: the Master, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Dwarf.
It never gets hot in the cave labyrinths: the temperature is +10 degrees all the time, so you need to dress warmly, because the tour usually lasts an hour. Tourists are guided along a route half a kilometer long. It is also possible to order an extreme tour, which will take about 6 hours. To overcome this path, you will need special suits and equipment.
Skelskaya - four-tiered cave
At the beginning of the last century, a grandiose discovery was made near the village of Skelya near Sevastopol: a local teacher accidentally discovered a huge underground cavity, which later received the name Skelskaya cave. Access to its bowels was not opened immediately, but only after half a century. During this time, smooth paths, steps and lighting appeared there, which was a prerequisite for accepting tourists.
The length of the passages is almost 700 meters, while the total area of the cave is 1500 square meters. m. Halls and galleries are located on 4 tiers. Their height is so great that it made it possible to make 3 viewing platforms. From there you can admire the overall picture, which is made up of sinter formations and huge stalagmites. Particularly impressive is the "Knight", whose height exceeds 7 meters. Watch an interesting video tour of the sights:
If you are going to visit the Skelskaya cave in the Crimea, you should prepare for the fact that it is very damp and cold inside. The temperature is kept at around 12 degrees all year round. Tours here last about 50 minutes, so you need to take warm clothes with you.
Geophysical - a cave with a luminescent glow
On the territory of the Yalta mountain forest nature reserve on Mount Ai-Petri is Geophysical Cave, which was opened to tourists only in 2009. It was here that the luminescence of the formations was first noted: due to the fact that they contain manganese and copper, when light from the flash hits, the growths and influxes begin to glow with shades of green, yellow and blue.
To get into the halls of the cave, you will have to overcome a 28-meter spiral staircase, which is located in a vertical shaft 60 meters deep. The grotto has a length of 140 meters. You need to be prepared for the fact that the temperature inside will be about 10 degrees.
Below, complex galleries and halls open up before the tourist. Zhemchuzhny surprises with numerous pointed formations on the walls and vault, which have a pleasant green color. A geophysical cave in the Crimea attracts travelers who want to look at a 6-meter stalactite. That's great rarity. Also in one of the halls there is a bizarre sinter formation, very similar to a multi-tiered wedding cake.
Many stalactites, united with stalagmites, turned into stalagnates. Due to the peculiarities of the breed, they acquired a yellow-mustard color. There is even a small lake with clear water at the bottom of the cave.
Yalta - cave with stone jellyfish
The Ai-Petri mountain range contains many cavities, but not every one of them has been fully explored. More recently, at the end of the 20th century, the Yalta cave was discovered. And the first tourist went there only in 2007, when the conditions for receiving visitors were created. There are 2 rooms inside. For ordinary people, there is only access to the main gallery. The second, which is at the lower level, requires special training and equipment.
The entrance to the dungeon is very convenient: the steps go very shallow. Usually the tour lasts 25 minutes: the area of the equipped area is only 180 meters, so this time is enough to take a close look at everything. The arch is decorated with pasta stalactites of different lengths and thicknesses, and stone jellyfish flaunt on the walls. Special lighting creates a sense of magic.
Three-Eyes - Ice Cave
There are many different grottoes and cavities on Mount Ai-Petri. Three-eyed cave is one of the most famous and visited. It is named so because of the presence of three cavities that resemble the eye sockets, however, empty. To get inside, you have to overcome a long staircase leading to the bottom.
You can also find the name Ice Cave. It was given because of the huge snowdrift that formed in the main hall. Over the years, the snow turned into ice, some of which was taken out to be used as a cold accumulator. With its help, food and wine were cooled, located in the cellars of Count Vorontsov.
The main hall of the Three-Eyed Cave occupies 150 sq. m. Walls and vaults consist of rock layers and sand-colored sinter formations. There are also ice stalactites that grow at high speed. The grotto is equipped for tourists. There is lighting and comfortable handrails. The only difference is that it is very cold there. Going on an excursion to ice cave You should bring warm clothes with you.
Iograph - cave-temple
The southern side of Mount Ai-Petri is known for the natural monument of Crimea located there. Iograph Cave has long been used for Christian worship. In a spacious hall measuring 18x10 meters, a temple was equipped with an altar, icons and lamps, where believers gathered.
Nearest locality- Yalta, so tourists heading to the Ai-Petrinsky plateau have the opportunity to visit this attraction. Not far from the entrance rises the Poklonny cross. There was a time when the grotto fell into disrepair - an accumulation of garbage appeared there and even cattle were brought in to wait out the midday heat. But in the 90s of the last century, a group of caring people put the cave in order - they took out the rubbish, icons appeared on the walls.
Cave Iograph in Crimea refers to karst formations. Initially, water accumulated in the cavity, but then the rock parted. So the entrance appeared, and the liquid left the tank. Inside there are recesses in which cave pearls were found. The walls are decorated with stalactites, and in one sinter formation, the outlines of a human face are clearly visible.
Bottomless well - Tupsuz-Khosar cave
Not far from the village of Marble, which is located between Simferopol and Alushta, there is an amazing underground cavity in the mountain Chatyr-Dag. It attracts those wishing to penetrate hard-to-reach places and discover something new in the Crimea. The Bottomless Well Cave is a real treasure trove with natural pearls and 10-meter icicles on the walls.
Grotto Tyupsyuz-Khosar (this is his middle name) is available only to people with special training and equipment. And although you can go down the stairs a little there, you won’t be able to reach the bottom without protective equipment. The lowest point of the cave is at a depth of 195 meters. From the main shaft there are 3 horizontal tunnels. At the end of the last century, a well with 2 halls was found there.
Cave bottomless well has the shape of a jug, expanding towards the bottom. Its "walls" are dotted with various cavities-pockets. All year round you can see snow drifts there. Snow, getting inside, is perfectly preserved. At the bottom point, a 15-meter snowdrift even formed.
The grotto is famous for its abundance of cave pearls. And although visually it looks like a sea one, it is formed with the help of ordinary calcite, which is layered on grains of sand. Its diameter can reach 3 cm. Once cavers managed to find more than 15 thousand of these pearls.
Snake - cave of sacrifices
Not far from Simferopol, near the village of Chistenkoe, there is an unusual karst formation - Snake Cave. Its name is rather symbolic, because there are no reptiles in these places. And they called it that because of the long, narrow and winding passages, which have some similarities with snake holes.
This is a three-story cave, over 300 meters long. The lower tier is rich in crystalline calcites, which in the light of lanterns begin to play with different colors. Unlike other caves, not a single sinter formation can be found here - stalactites and other growths cannot form here. Too dry and warm.
During the study of the cave, fragments of dishes and many animal bones were found. Thanks to this, it was concluded that the Serpent's Cave in the Crimea was used as a place where sacrificial rites were performed.
It's pretty quiet there now. And if you take a few powerful lanterns with you, you can admire the unusual tunnels and bends. You just need to be prepared for the fact that on the way you can meet a tiny bat with a big name - a big horseshoe. Fortunately, she does not pose a threat.
Big Buzluk - Ice Well
The east of Crimea is famous for its interesting and huge mountain range Karabi-Yayla. It is of interest due to the huge number of various karst formations. One of them is the Big Buzluk cave. The nearest settlement is the village of Generalskoye, from where excursions usually start.
The grotto is a vertical 20-meter funnel that descends 81 meters. You can't get there without equipment. Its length is not more than 160 meters. The second name of the cave is Ice well. Inside you can see ice growths, stalactites and columns. The temperature stays around 0 degrees.
A couple of centuries ago, the Big Buzluk cave in the Crimea was used as a cold store. Livestock breeders stored sheep carcasses there, destined for sale to Europe. Researchers have proven that the age of ice in certain places exceeds 50 years. For the Crimea, this is a rarity.
Despite the abundance of ice and snow, at the bottom of the cave, in a kind of well, you can see a small underground river. Due to the constant movement, the water in it never freezes.
Binbash-Koba - Thousand-Headed Cave
The Binbash-Koba cave is one of the least visited places in Crimea - 2 centuries ago, many human bones and skulls were found in it. This fact contributed to the emergence of another name - the Thousand-Headed. Now there is no trace left of the remains. They were barbarously plundered. People did not hesitate to take with them cave stalactites, which were cut down with a special hatchet. And for the heritage left "memorable" inscriptions on the walls.
The Binbash-Koba cave is located in the lower part of the Chatyrdag plateau, not far from the village of Marble. The entrance to this grotto is rather inconspicuous and resembles an ordinary crevice. But, after going a little inside, you can get into a huge hall 7 meters high. The total length of the passages is just over 100 meters. Everyone can go there - admission is free.
The peculiarity of this grotto is in a special shade of sinter formations. In appearance, it resembles soot, which is obtained after a fire. It is still not known whether the cave was really set on fire, according to the legend, or whether it was a special reaction of the rock to oxygen. Black stalactites and influxes look gloomy, but you should not be afraid - this is just a special, unlike other karst cavity.
Grotto Shaitan-Koba - the dwelling of an ancient man
Not far from the village of Skalistoye, Bakhchisaray district, the river Bodrak flows, on the right bank of which there is a mysterious cave Shaitan-Koba. In the Crimea, it is of particular value: in the 30s of the last century, an ancient human site was discovered there. Upon closer examination, it became clear that people lived there in the Paleolithic era.
The size of the cave is small. It goes into the rock for 4 meters, gradually narrowing. The height is only 2 meters, and the total area does not exceed 28 square meters. m. Archaeological excavations yielded colossal results: the cultural layer 30 cm deep contained tens of thousands of things valuable for science, which were once used by primitive people. These were flint tools (about 25 thousand) and bones of birds and animals that were hunted in those days - magpies, donkeys, mammoths, bison, arctic foxes and others.
The Shaitan-Koba cave is translated from the Crimean Tatar as “devilish”, but there is nothing frightening or mystical in it. The picturesque surroundings attract no less than the ancient grotto, so tourist groups accompanied by guides often come here.
What impressions will give excursions to the caves?
Acquainted with wonderful world, which is carefully kept in the caves of the Crimea, unforgettable pictures created by the forces of nature will remain in your memory. Stone flowers, jellyfish, stalagmites impress with their different shapes and sizes, unusual colors and age. Tourists return to some of the caves more than once to inspect every corner more carefully.
You can get into many caves of the Crimea throughout the year. According to statistics, in the off-season there is a slight decrease in tourist activity and you can walk through the underground labyrinths as part of a small excursion group. But there are also grottoes that are closed for the winter. Therefore, before visiting, it is advisable to clarify the work schedule of the ticket office and guides.
Fortunately, there is no need to pay for the opportunity to see many Crimean caves. The main thing is to try to keep natural resources and not leave traces of being in them, so as not to disturb the natural course of events.
