Rest in Sevastopol, Crimea: in the halo of battle romance

Perhaps there is no more legendary city in the Crimea than Sevastopol. First, in the ancient Chersonese, which is included within its borders, was baptized by Prince Vladimir. On the spot where he received this sacrament, there is now a small chapel. But the nearby St. Vladimir's Cathedral, which was restored at the expense of Kuchma, is striking in its luxury and splendor. All this is in the middle of the discovered by archeologists Chersonesos, where the remains of an amphitheater, early Christian basilicas, and private estates of ancient Greeks are preserved. The discoveries continue, because a large part of Chersonesos is still unexplored.

After the Russian Empire seized the Crimea and founded the city of Sevastopol, turning it into a powerful naval base, the political situation in the Black Sea and even in the Mediterranean Sea changed fundamentally, which eventually led to the Crimean War. Today its events, especially in the West, seem rather romanticized, since French and, especially, British aristocrats took part in the campaign. In reality, the war cost all sides many human casualties. Sevastopol held the defense for over a year. During this time, it killed about 100,000 people, and the city itself lay in ruins. Several museums and monuments now tell about those events. In particular, the panorama, created in 1904, the temple, the burial vault of Russian admirals, as well as a monument to the sunken ships. Last year, the historical Mikhailovskaya Battery building was restored with private funds. There is a modern museum, several expositions of which are devoted to the Crimean War, opened within its walls.

The hostilities of 1854-1856 were conducted not only in Sevastopol, but also on the outskirts of it. The Battle of Balaklava, in which the attack of the Light Brigade, celebrated in literature, music and painting, took place, is well known. This elite British unit, in which served several lords, following the thoughtless order of the command, almost all died under the fire of Russian guns. On the field of that battle and still today are found antique cannonballs. From there it is very close to Balaklava, in the bay where the British fleet was based during the war.

Этот город всегда служил надежным пристанищем для кораблей, ведь местная бухта наиболее глубоко на полуострове врезалась в береговую линию. Якобы еще в гомеровские времена здесь жили рыбаки-Листригоны, которых позже заменили купцы-генуэзцы. Итальянцы построили над входом в бухту мощную цитадель, башни которой в первую очередь обращают на себя внимание, когда попадаешь сюда. Впрочем, гостей раньше было немного – до падения Союза Балаклава считалась закрытым городом, поскольку здесь находился сверхсекретный завод для ремонта атомных подводных лодок. Его выстроили в толще горы во времена “холодной войны” с таким расчетом, чтобы завод мог выдержать прямое попадание атомной бомбы. Недавно здесь открыли музей, который уже стал одним из самых интересных в Украине. Хотя субмарин в нем уже нет, однако гигантские коридоры, плавучие подземные доки и помещения для персонала производят большое впечатление.

Собственно, в Балаклаве удобнее всего снять одну из моторных лодок, которая может увезти вас на Яшмовый пляж, или еще дальше – в Затерянный Мир под мысом Айя – любимые места дикого и нудистского отдыха. Главное – под впечатлением тех красот не забыть договориться, чтобы вас вечером забрали. Кстати, по легенде на Яшмовом пляже купалась Екатерина II, которая и положила начало царскому отдыху в Крыму.