Natural monuments of Crimea.
Litvinova M.Yu. teacher of geography, biology, Municipal Budgetary Educational Institution Secondary School No. 6, Sukhoi Log, Sverdlovsk Region.
- The high snow-white cliff of Ak-Kaya, rising more than 150 meters above the valley of the mountain river Biyuk Kara-Su (“Black Water”). This amazing natural attraction is part of the Crimean Mountains. They say that in ancient times, sacred rites were held in the local caves, and in the Middle Ages the rock was used as a place of execution: unwanted people were thrown from the top.
- Mount Kara-Dag is, in fact, the remains of a huge volcano about 7 kilometers high, which was active 150 million years ago. Now the maximum height of the mountain range is only 577 meters. Gradually, under the influence of wind and water, it “smoothes out” and the height decreases.
- The picturesque rock is a fragment of the extinct Kara-Dag volcano, which hangs over the sea like a powerful wall. From a distance, the arch seems very tiny, but up close, if you swim up to it on a boat, it becomes obvious that this is a huge rock formation.
- This unique bay is the decoration of the city. It bends between rocky mountains, protecting it from storms and winds. From the outside open sea The harbor is not visible at all due to several rocky bends. The bay has been inhabited since the time of Homer. It is deep - up to 17 meters, and as much as 38 at the entrance. And wide - from 128 to 425 meters.
Cape Fiolent, Sevastopol
This is a place with the most fantastic “Martian” landscapes on the southern coast of Crimea, of course - after all, these are the remains of a volcano.
- The grotto is huge, it was knocked out of the rocks by sea waves. The height inside is 25-30 meters. In the middle of the grotto there is a well preserved with the purest spring water
- While there was no lighthouse on the cape, ships were regularly lost here in bad weather. Once the Rukavishnikov family brought their son Kolya to Feodosia to be treated for tuberculosis. The young man recovered, and the family, in gratitude, built a lighthouse on this site. The captains, passing by the cape, took off their caps in gratitude to Evdokia Rukavishnikova, who knitted money bags to raise money for a bell for the lighthouse.
Pushkin Rock, Gurzuf
The hill itself is located in the Artek camp and once bore the name of Cape Suuk-Su, along which I liked to go boating great poet Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, admiring these places. Now the rock deservedly bears his name.
Near the rock there are quiet coves, and under the cliff there is a grotto where boats and yachts enter. Of course, you can get there on foot, but you’ll be waist-deep in water. And it’s worth going - for the gloomy atmosphere, high arches and echo of the sea surf.
Bulganak mud volcanoes
In Crimea, this is the only place like this, with the earth swaying under your feet and an abundance of mud volcanoes. Some look like lakes, others look like human-sized models of real volcanoes
Waterfall Dzhur-Dzhur, Alushta
The “murmuring” name of these inspired sparkling streams means “water-water” in Armenian.
this is the most powerful waterfall in Crimea. Unlike many of its fellows, it practically does not dry out in hot weather. Its height is about 500 meters above sea level.
Bath of youth, ice lake Karagol.
You should definitely dive into the icy Karagol Lake at the foot of the Grand Canyon waterfalls to tone up and instantly rejuvenate. its temperature does not exceed 9-11 degrees even on the hottest summer day.
There are actually several baths of youth: the river flowing in the canyon has been moving huge boulders for many years; the stones spun and knocked out deep, edge-cut holes at the bottom of the river.
- This park in the vicinity of Alupka is the most beautiful and well-groomed in Crimea. A happy combination of English architectural innovation and German gardening genius: the design of the park and the Vorontsov Palace was created by the English architect Edward Blore, and the German gardener Karl Kebach brought his idea (in terms of landscaping) into reality for a quarter of a century.
Nikitsky Botanical Garden, Yalta
Shady bushes, grottoes, ponds with goldfish, bamboo thickets and a million, million scarlet and non-scarlet roses. The garden is always fragrant with something; the natural display changes from season to season.
Sailor's Park (Morsad), Feodosia
Sailor's Park is located in a very specific place. Namely, on the site of the once largest slave market Ottoman Empire. Nowadays it is a very quiet place for pleasant walks. fresh air. The park is dedicated to sailors of all times who lived in Feodosia and fought for it.
Royal Path
Along its entire length - which is almost seven kilometers - there are ancient benches under the closing crowns of hornbeams and oaks.
Chufut-Kale
2.5 kilometers from Bakhchisarai there is one of the most famous “cave cities” of the Crimean Peninsula. It is located on a 600-meter steep cliff, which is very difficult to reach. People really lived here, though not in caves, as previously thought, but in ordinary houses, inexplicably built on steep cliffs. All that remains of the dwellings are ruins, but there are a lot of interesting things here even without them: you can go down into a secret well that goes deep down and is located right in the rock, wander through the ancient streets, look at the remains of a destroyed palace for royal family, to utility rooms carved out of the mountains, to kenassas - temples and meeting places.
This is the city of the dead, only one family lives here - the descendants of Abram Firkovich, an educator and researcher who studied the culture and religion of the local residents - the Karaites. He bought many houses to preserve for posterity. His estate now houses a historical museum.
Marble Caves
- One of the most beautiful caves in the world is Mramornaya. It is located on the lower plateau, at an altitude of 920 meters above sea level, and this is not one, but a whole complex of four caves, however, only one is equipped for excursions: paths, bridges, lighting.
Inside there is a fabulous kingdom of stalagmites and stalactites of bizarre shape and rather cool weather: about +9 Celsius. There are several routes for exploring the cave; the shortest one, the Gallery of Fairy Tales, takes half an hour at a leisurely pace. Here you can see the Frog Princess, Mammoth, Santa Claus and even a dragon's head.
Cave Emine-Bair-Khosar
Inside the mountainous bulk of Chatyr-Dag there are many caves, more than 150, and one of the most famous is Emine-Bair-Khosar, whose name translates as “Well on the slope near the oak tree.” Its length is 2 kilometers, and its age is 10 million years!
Valley of Ghosts, Alushta
On the slope of Mount Demerdzhi there are rocks of bizarre shape - they remind many of people running: they say that these were enemy warriors fleeing persecution and turned to stone. Some people see in them the faces of emperors, presidents, and artists. Mostly those who are no longer alive. Hence the name – Valley of Ghosts.
Kachi-Kalyon
This limestone massif in the Kacha region of Crimea, with its outlines, resembles a ship sailing along the local Kacha River. On the bow of the “vessel” a cross was “carved” by the hand of Mother Nature. There are five grottoes with caves in the rock, and in them there is a monastery: monks who built cave churches once lived here. Most main temple– Hagia Sophia with niches carved into the rock for icons and the remains of burials.
Memorial complex "Sapun Mountain", Sevastopol
It was here, on Sapun Mountain, that throughout June 1942 there were fierce battles for Sevastopol, and in May 1944 - for the entire Crimean region. The Germans dreamed of breaking through to Crimea in order to place their air bases here and penetrate further into the Caucasus, to oil resources. And each time they met fierce resistance from Soviet troops at Sapun Mountain, a natural barrier on the approaches to the city and one of the most fortified places in the world: there were many guns, forts, and minefields.
Adzhimushkay quarries, Kerch
During the Great Patriotic War, part of the troops of the Crimean Front was stationed in these gloomy catacombs with a oppressive, tense atmosphere, defending Kerch from the Nazis. Moreover, in the quarries (limestone was mined in them centuries ago) not only soldiers of the Red Army took refuge, but also civilians who fled from villages and cities during the offensive of the Nazi troops. The partisans thoroughly studied the system of underground labyrinths and, in small detachments, made daring forays behind enemy lines.
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Spectacular caves of Crimea
Every resident of our vast homeland of Russia knows that Crimea is a resort of the gods. This corner of paradise is also very popular abroad.
Valley of Ghosts
Demerdzhi appears to be an unusually beautiful mountain among others located in Crimea. How many hours there are in a day, the color of the mountain changes so many times. On a sunny day, just at sunset, the rock turns from yellow to deep orange, gradually becomes red, and before sunset only its top glows with crimson light.
Crimea lays claim to the laurels of a world resort
As you know, Ukraine and Crimea have been cherishing a plan to create a world-class resort in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea for the second year. Is there a place for Ukrainians to relax?
Valley of Ghosts
The mountain, unique in composition, displays ancient layers. For example, centuries-old limestone - as a porous rock, it quickly undergoes destruction. Water, heat, cold, and wind quickly turn the mountain layer into sand. As a result of the natural process, bizarre rocks appear. They are called “weathering rocks.”
Kerch Strait
The Kerch Strait is a strait that lies directly in the waters of the Azov Sea and the Black Sea connected to it. The western coast is the Kerch Peninsula (Crimea), the eastern coast is the Taman Peninsula.
Marble Cave
The Marble Cave was opened in 1987. It is one of the five most beautiful caves in existence.
Dangerous insects of Crimea
If you are grabbed by an encephalitis tick in the forest, you should go to the nearest medical center or sanitary epidemiological station as quickly as possible. Only there can they determine whether a given insect is a carrier of encephalitis and take the necessary measures.
Dangerous animals and plants of Crimea
Among large animals, encounters with wild boars and foxes with rabies can pose a danger. But there are no poisonous snakes in Crimea. However, in Crimea there are animals that are more dangerous.
Reserves of Crimea
The Crimean reserves began to exist on July 30, 1923, although back in 1917 the royal hunting grounds were declared a national reserve. The reserve fund of the peninsula consists of four state reserves: Yalta, Karadag, Crimean and Cape Matyan, occupying 43.8% of the protected area of Crimea.
Crimea therapy, or the medicinal properties of Crimea
Crimea has long been known for the healing properties of its unique nature. Long before our era, the ancient Greek historian Herodotus left evidence of the use of mud here in medicinal purposes. The annexation of the peninsula to Russia allowed the first domestic researchers of Crimea to become interested in medicinal factors. At first, only Saki and Evpatoria muds were used. Modern history The peninsula can be considered a resort since the sixties of the 19th century, after the visit of Emperor Alexander II.
Cape Fiolent as a little-known natural monument
Cape Fiolent, as well as the St. George Monastery, are little known, but are interesting monuments of the history and geology of Crimea. They are located on the Black Sea coast between Balaklava and Sevastopol. The huge stone pyramid of the cape above the expanses of the sea plain, the smooth outline of picturesque bays delighting with magnificent beaches, inexplicably attract you. Here are also the romantic ruins of the famous St. George Monastery, which fits into the edge of a two-hundred-meter cliff from the Heracles plateau. During the Soviet years, the surrounding places were a closed area, so guidebooks and the press did not disseminate information about them. Only since the nineties the monastery and the cape have been open to inspection. The parking lot near the monastery quickly filled with cars and tourist buses...
Time for active rest
The time has passed when the price was for a moderate life, filled with gatherings in a cafe or bar over a glass of beer. And more and more people today are striving to join a more active lifestyle. A good example is a sport such as parkour. Late in the evening or on weekends on the streets in big city you can see people climbing somewhere, jumping, doing it all so beautifully that you want to learn how to do the same. But if you want to achieve real success, you need to look for a specific sport that you will like. This could be parkour, kayaking on the river, or walking around the places of your homeland. All this will add color to life and add new emotions to a measured life. Of course, not everyone is able to climb a steep wall or jump with a parachute, but everyone will be able to carry out hiking trips. If you are going on a hike with friends or family, this will allow you to get the most out of new experiences.
Dangerous fauna of Crimea
People who are going to relax in a parking lot, on a deserted seashore, are sometimes afraid of biting wild creatures of various kinds. Some children of the modern concrete jungle are also afraid of foxes. Although I am not a biologist, I was, however, interested in the problem; for several years I monitored the Internet regarding vacations in Crimea, as well as everything related to this vacation. Therefore, I will share my modest thoughts.
Mosaic of the Black Sea
Tens of millions of years from where Southern Europe and North Africa are now located, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, the Tethys Ocean spilled over the planet. About 8 million years ago, its huge mirror began to fragment, and the Balkans, Carpathians, Crimea, and Caucasus rose from the bottom in the form of growing mountains. Scientists believe that during the development of the earth, this water basin merged twice with the Mediterranean Sea and three times with the Caspian Sea. Only 6-7 thousand years passed when the Black Sea acquired its modern appearance.
What to see in Crimea? Five best canyons in Crimea
Perhaps everyone who goes on vacation to Crimea wants to see the most interesting things. Fortunately, the entire nature of the small peninsula is quite rich in attractions. And the Crimean canyons are capable of producing an indelibly vivid impression, along with mountain peaks, the sea and caves - these are entire kingdoms of the real wildlife. It is the five canyons of Crimea that we will consider now. The Grand Canyon differs from the others in its great depth (about 250-300 m) and small width (in some places only 2-3 m); it is popular among tourists and vacationers. The canyon is beautiful, but it has its drawbacks - there is a large influx of people wanting to see it, which means you have to pay at the entrance.
How to relax in Crimea?
There are active and mattress “Wild” recreation. The essence of a mattress holiday is to sunbathe and lie down on some picturesque seashore of Crimea. There are many campsites and “mattress camp” sites in Crimea. However, resting on a mattress is a rather dull activity and suitable for incurious and lazy people. It differs from holidays in boarding houses only in the low level of comfort and cheapness. But everyone has their own preferences, and maybe this is exactly what someone needs.
What is Mount Cat famous for?
The Crimean peninsula is replete with many unique landscape monuments. One of the most picturesque and interesting tourists is Mount Cat. It extends directly to the Black Sea coast, its height is 255 meters. Mount Cat is one of the interesting historical and archaeological monuments of the ancient period and the Middle Ages. The massif in some places contains the ruins of fortress masonry. Archaeologists discovered here a solid Crimean burial ground of the sixth – second centuries BC: burials in the form of stone boxes.
Ayazma tract. Natural landmark of Crimea
The Ayazma tract, located in the Crimean Balaklava, is considered one of the most beautiful corners of the Crimean peninsula. The tract is located between Cape Aya and Balaklava Bay. Chaotic piles of rocks and boulders here give way to marvelous landscapes and steep slopes, the azure sea with its rich colors mixes with the lush crowns of trees. Rare shrubs and trees such as small-fruited strawberry, wild pistachio, bush jasmine, Stankevich pine, etc. grow here. Some of them grew on the planet in the pre-glacial period.
Modern Fauna of Crimea
The fauna of Crimea consists of representatives of the animal world of Mediterranean origin (mountainous part), aliens from the flat part of Ukraine. Many endemics. In general, the species composition is slightly poorer than in neighboring territories, this is explained by the position of Crimea - rather isolated. In total, there are approximately 10 thousand species of invertebrate animals, about 400 species of vertebrates.
Koktebel
Crimean beaches have become popular in recent years. The village of Koktebel is considered one of the most beautiful and beautiful places on the Crimean peninsula. There is the extinct Kara-Dag volcano and the mysterious Cape Chameleon, constantly changing its color. It is here that you can see beautiful beaches and numerous olive trees. Active young people and lovers of glamorous parties will find everything their heart desires in Koktebel. Here you can play volleyball, lie on the gentle sand and dance on the numerous open-air dance floors. There is a great opportunity to take a ride on a sea yacht or ship and go in search of real carnelians and onyxes, rolled by the sea in natural conditions. You will want to return to this hospitable coast again and again - with friends or in the hope of making new acquaintances. Your holiday in Koktebel will undoubtedly be remembered for a long time.
Black and Azov seas
The Crimean peninsula is washed by the Azov Sea from the east, and the Black Sea from the south and west. The Black Sea is one of the deepest seas in Europe (2245 m) with an area of 423,000 km?. The Sea of Azov is shallow, with a greatest depth of 13.5 m. The Black Sea is the easternmost branch of the Atlantic Ocean. The huge bowl-shaped basin of the Black Sea contains 547,000 km2, which significantly influences the climate of the coasts. For 6.5 months, the sea water here is warmer than the air, which is a successful component of the fruitful functioning of the resorts. The average annual water temperature off the Alushta coast is +14.2°, and the swimming season here lasts 130 days.
Medical and climatic features of resorts
Crimea has long been recognized as a unique recreational complex. Here visitors are greeted with all the necessary conditions for a memorable holiday and recovery. This is largely due to the favorable climate. Vacationers can enjoy healing air, gentle sun, gentle sea, beautiful beaches, treatment with mineral thermal waters and healing mud. It’s dry and warm in Crimea already in May, and you can rest until October. Then Crimea is visited by the maximum number of vacationers, trying to recharge with vivacity, vitality and energy. In May it is already quite warm in all resort areas of Crimea, but the warmest cities are Feodosia, Kerch and Yalta, the coldest are Sevastopol, Evpatoria and Chernomorskoe. Storms often visit Sevastopol, about three days a month. They are seen least in Yalta, Sudak, Alushta and Feodosia.
CRIMEA COGNITIVE
CRIMEA is a unique combination of historical, architectural and landscape complexes in a small area.
KIL IN KACHI VALLEY
Kil is a special Crimean clay that has long been used for degreasing wool, cleaning fabrics and carpets, washing in sea water, treating intestinal diseases and wounds. Translated from Turkic “kil” means “wool” or “hair”. The scientific name for clubroot is bentonite clay. Its cleaning properties are due to both its microscopic size and the special structure of montmorillonite crystals, its main component. The keel formation runs from Simferopol to Sevastopol, as well as near the village of Prolom near Belogorsk.
Tepe-Kerman
Tepe-Kermen - translated from Tatar Fortress on the top. This is the most little-studied “cave city”. Archaeological research that was carried out here in the middle of the 20th century revealed that the settlement was founded in the 6th century and existed until the middle of the 14th century. Tepe-Kermen is located not far from Bakhchisarai on a mountain outcrop (sugar loaf). The mountain is a regular cone that rises 540 meters above sea level, and 250 meters above the adjacent plains. The cliffs of the mountain reach 12 meters. On a plateau with an area of about one hectare, there are more than three hundred artificial caves in several tiers. Each cave is a complex of two to four rooms.
Alushta and its nature
Alushta is attractive for horseback riding, automobile, hiking and cycling tourism. The local climate is favorable for treating the cardiovascular, nervous and respiratory systems. Near the city there is the Crimean Nature Reserve with a dendrozoo, where animals and living plants live in natural conditions. The mountain amphitheater encourages romantic hikes and walks. Here you can see almost the entire Crimean peninsula, walk through pine and beech forests, fish in the purest mountain lakes, climb Tent Mountain or the top of Chatyrdag, visit the healing spring of the monastery of Cosmas and Damian.
Geological structure of Karadag
On the Black Sea coast between the Koktebel Basin and the Otuz Valley there is a separate mountain range called Karadag, stretching along the coast from west to east, and inland - the dome-shaped massif of the Holy Mountain. The coastal ridge is represented by Kok-Kayu, Khoba-Tepe, Karagach and Magnitny ridge, and on the northwestern slope of the Holy Mountain is the Maly Karadag peak. The Holy Mountain with Maly Karadag and the Coast Range consist of many volcanic rocks. The ridges west of Karadag and the depressions between the Holy Mountain and the Coast Range are composed of sedimentary rocks. In volcanic rocks, layered strata are distinguished, consisting of lava flows and layers of tuff of volcanic origin, and secant bodies. Volcanic rocks formed when lava hardens have a varied mineral composition and appearance, and also differ in the composition of silicon (silica).
Belbek River
Belbek is a river flowing in the southwest of Crimea. Its length is 63 km, and the basin area is 505 km?. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers, Managotra and Ozenbash, flowing from the slopes of the Main Ridge of Crimea. The river flows into the Black Sea not far from the Sevastopol Bay near the village of Lyubimovka. Belbek is the deepest river in Crimea. In the upper reaches, the river and its tributaries are turbulent, never-drying streams, with a fast current, a narrow channel and high steep banks.
Black Sea. Geology.
The depression between Asia Minor and Southeast Europe, formed during the Miocene era, is filled by the Black Sea. One hypothesis states that the Black Sea arose 7,500 years ago after the end of the Ice Age. It was the deepest freshwater lake. The Black Sea depression is represented by two parts: western and eastern, separated by a rise - a natural continuation of the Crimean peninsula. The northwestern part of the sea has a relatively wide shelf strip of up to 190 km. The eastern and southern coasts are characterized by a shelf strip of no more than 20 km, indented by a number of depressions and canyons. Off the coast of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and Crimea, the depths increase very quickly, reaching elevations above 500 m a few kilometers from the coast. In the central part south of Yalta, the maximum sea depth is 2210 m.
Volcanic massif Karadag
The ancient volcanic massif Karadag is located in the mountainous region of Eastern Crimea, between Feodosia and Sudak. Karadag occupies a small area on the coast between the Koktebel Basin and the Sudak Valley. Its main ridge stretches from Feodosia to Balaklava. Karadag is translated from Tatar as “black mountain”, and this is not an accidental name, since the entire Karadag massif is made up of dark gray volcanic rocks, which contrast sharply with the limestone light gray hills. Many consider Karadag the most beautiful place Crimea, but it is a very special, miraculous beauty with its own and rather harsh character. Some places are completely inaccessible to humans, and can only be admired from the sea. Karadag is an area where there are practically no smooth lines, but there are more dips and cliffs than on the rest of the coast.
Jur-Jur waterfall
The Dzhur-Dzhur waterfall is one of the most beautiful and powerful waterfalls on the Crimean peninsula, which does not dry out even in the driest years. However, the most best time The best time to visit this beautiful waterfall is after the May rains, when the rivers fill with water and the waterfall becomes incredibly powerful. The waterfall is located on the Ulu-Uzen River, which carries its waters through three-cascade rapids into the gorge, where it falls from a 100-meter height. The waterfall is named after a cave located nearby (750 m long), but the Greeks, who ruled the peninsula thousands of years ago, called this waterfall Cremasto - Nero, which means “hanging water”. Unlike many other waterfalls - the waters of Jura - the Jura do not fall with tremendous force, do not rumble, and do not make noise, falling from a height into a deep pit - they gently murmur, creating unique sounds of nature. Near the waterfall there are beautiful and incredibly picturesque cascade rapids...
Nikitsky Botanical Garden
The modern Nikitsky Botanical Garden near Yalta was founded as the Imperial Tauride State Botanical Garden in 1812...
Wuchang-Su Waterfall
The Uchan-Su waterfall (which means “Flying Water”) was well described in his “Essays on Crimea” by the famous local historian and scientist E. Markov...
Ai-Yori Source
The water passes through a log chute, rising to a decent height, and then falls from there in the form of an artificially created waterfall...
Yeni-sala cave.
Mysterious and still not properly studied caves called Yeni Sala are located on the site of a Tatar village...
Suuchkhan waterfall.
This beautiful waterfall is located on the Suuchkhan River in the amazingly beautiful Kizil-Koba tract.
Aluston Fortress
The ruins of the Aluston fortress, located in the center of Alushta, are one of the main attractions of the city.
Mangup-Kale is located 20 km south of Bakhchisarai.
In early medieval times, so-called “cave cities” appeared in Crimea, located in hard-to-reach places protected by nature itself in the Inner Ridge of the Crimean Mountains.
Grand Canyon of Crimea
The Grand Canyon of Crimea is a huge crack formed millions of years ago by the collision of two tectonic plates
Golitsyn's path. New World.
This unique natural monument is decorated with a masterpiece of architectural and construction art with observation decks and stone stairs allowing you to admire the unique landscape of the sea, bay and mountains.
Bear Mountain
Bear Mountain (Ayu-Dag), which is located on the border of Big Yalta and Big Alushta on the coast of Crimea on the southern side. Its height above sea level reaches 577 meters, the mountain range cuts into the sea in the northwest at a distance of 2-2.5 km, and has an elongated shape. The total area is approximately 4 km2. Since 1947, Ayu-Dag has been declared a natural monument and began to include Bear Mountain in its complex.
Wolf Grotto
Wolf Grotto is one of the natural attractions of Crimea...
Karadag
It is simply impossible to explain to anyone what Karadag is like...It is simply impossible to explain to anyone what Karadag is like. This is approximately the same as telling what fire is to a person who has never seen it. Karadag can be felt, understood and dissolved in it only by seeing it with your own eyes. These mountains amaze with their grandeur, sometimes unimaginable outlines, and overwhelm with an abundance of secrets. You fall in love with Karadag at first sight and forever. Everything here is expressive, harsh, wild and chaotic. Multi-hundred-meter cliffs hang sternly over the azure coves, the walls of gloomy, crack-like gorges are directed in giant steps towards the sky.
Mountain-Cat
Cat Mountain is one of the most picturesque monuments of the Crimean Peninsula, extended to the very shore of the Black Sea. Why a cat? Looking closely at the outlines of this mountain, you will be able to see a cat’s head, as it were, fallen to the shore, and looking higher up the slope – its curved back, and then its tail. Near the cat mountain there are other bizarre stone deposits scattered - the Diva who stepped into the sea, the Swan Wing, Panea, the Monk destroyed during a storm.
Mount Ai-Petri
Mount Ai-Petri (from the Greek Saint Peter) is one of the symbols of Crimea. Its height is 1234 meters. The mountain, with its silhouette, completes the most beautiful line of the amphitheater from the famous white battlements to Cape Ai-Todor with the Swallow's Nest located there.
Sights of the mountainous Crimea.
The Crimean Mountains divide the entire peninsula into two parts; they stretch across the entire southern part of Eurasia. The southern part of Crimea belongs to the subtropical climate zone, the northern part – to the temperate climate zone.
Balaclava
The small town of Balaklava contains a large number of legends and secrets. If you translate this Turkish word into Russian, it will sound like “Fish Nest”. The balaclava can be called the eighth wonder of the world. It is impossible to convey in words the beauty of this nature. Hidden from human eyes in the rocky hills is a calm harbor that contains monuments produced by Mother Nature herself. Sharp capes Aya and Fiolent, which are covered with a blanket of Pitsunda pine, various small-fruited plants and also the beauty of the marine world. Balaklava beaches are the most romantic and quiet places that are especially suitable for those who prefer a relaxing holiday. Its coastline is made of golden sand or covered with small pebbles. If we look into the water, then without any problems we can follow the life of the underwater world.
Bakhchisarai
Bakhchisaray is located 32 km from the city of Simferopol. He found his place in the valley of the Churuksu River. The city of Bakhchisarai is perhaps the most interesting area in all of Crimea. It is famous for its exotic nature, climate, historical monuments, rare flora and mountains. Mountain valleys will provide great interest to tourists. They are not difficult to overcome, but they are intriguing with their picturesque views, clear springs and mountain villages. At the very top you can see restaurants where oriental cuisine predominates. Now tourism has become fashionable, which is dedicated to the history of religion, the construction of Christian cathedrals and the restoration of Muslim mosques.
Sights of Bakhchisarai
Many tourists are attracted to Bakhchisarai by its wealth of cultural and historical monuments. The most popular attractions of this city are: the fortified city of Chufut-Kale, the medieval Assumption Monastery, a unique architectural monument - the Khan's palace, the creation of which dates back to the 16-18th century. The Khan's palace was originally located in the Atlama-Dere valley. After some time, they decided to move the ruler’s residence to the bank of the Churuk-Su River, since the valley became a tate for the khan’s court, servants and troops. Khan Adil-Sahib-Girey was the first to mention Bakhchisarai as the place of residence of the ruler. In those days, the construction of a new palace began, which was completed in 1551.
Sevastopol Marine Aquarium Museum
In the very center of the Crimean capital there is a building in which the Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas named after A. O. Kovalevsky has existed for many years. For many years now, the Sevastopol Aquarium Museum has been welcoming you on the ground floor of this establishment. It should be noted that it is the only marine aquarium in all of Ukraine, as well as one of the oldest aquariums in the world. The first visitors crossed the threshold of the museum back in 1897, after in 1871, at the direction of the famous Russian traveler Miklouho-Maclay, a building was built on the Artillery pier. Thus, residents and guests of the city were able to get acquainted with many marine animals. Of course, since then the building has been expanded and reconstructed more than once. The Sevastopol Aquarium-Museum of the Kovalevsky Institute of Southern Seas Biology is the largest aquarium on the Crimean Peninsula and throughout Ukraine. The diameter of the largest pool here is more than 9 meters. Its depth is 1.5 meters, and the height of the walls is 1.1 m.
Cape Karadag
Between the mouth of the Otuz Valley in the southwest and the Koktebel Valley in the northeast, Cape Karadag is located on a promontory of the coastline. His total area exceeds 2.8 thousand hectares. This cape was formed 150-160 million years ago due to a volcanic eruption. Now it is a fragment of a huge volcanic massif in coastal waters. The modern Karadag landscape is the result of a medieval volcano, mountain-building processes during the Pliocene and rock weathering processes.
Red Cave
The first discoveries by scientists in the Red Cave of the Crimean Peninsula were made back in 1914. More precisely, they were made by the outstanding Crimean local historian, an expert on Crimean antiquities from Simferopol S.I. Zybin. It was this man who carried out excavations in front of the entrance to the Lower Cave. Thus, in the upper layer of soil, in a small area in front of the entrance to the cave, the remains of various household items were discovered, as well as hearths, later dated to the 3rd - 5th centuries AD. In the same place, a carefully polished hammer with a round hole intended for a handle was discovered. This hammer was made of diorite.
Crimean mountains
The Crimean Mountains stretch for 180 kilometers from Feodosia to Sevastopol. The southern coast of Crimea, which is very popular, stretches in the west from Cape Aya to Kara-Dag in the east along the Main Ridge. Despite the fact that the highest peak is Roman-Kosh (about 1500 meters), these mountains are very picturesque. The mountains of the Main Range are Babugan, Chatyr-Dag and Demerdzhi. The peculiarity of this ridge is that instead of pointed peaks it has wavy plateaus, which in Crimea are called yayla, which means “summer pasture”.
Mount Cat
One of the most beautiful landscape monuments of Crimea is Mount Koshka, which is located on the very shore of the Black Sea. Above sea level, the height of the massif reaches 255 meters. This mountain is a very interesting historical and archaeological monument of ancient and medieval times. Here archaeologists discovered several burials and ruins of fortifications. The burial ground in the form of stone boxes is the largest in Crimea and dates back to the 6th-2nd centuries BC. The mountain received this name due to its shape: if you look closely, you can recognize a “cat’s head” near the shore, then a 260-meter curved “back” and its “tail.” Near this mountain there are other limestone rocks interesting in their shape: Swan Wing, Diva Who Stepped into the Sea, Panea, Ruined Monk. Some of them influenced the emergence of legends and mythical tales.
Karabi-Yayla
The most extensive Crimean yayla is Karabi-Yayla, the area of which reaches up to 120 sq. km. Karabi-Yayla is located on the territory of the Main Range of the Crimean Mountains. It is separated from adjacent massifs from the west by the valleys of the Burulcha and Suat rivers, and from the east by Biyuk-Karasu and Tanasu. Above sea level, the height of the plateau is on average about 1,000 meters. Karabi-Yayla consists of two parts: the lower Karabi-Yayla and the upper, which is called Kara-Tau. The slopes of the Kara-Tau ridge are covered with beech forest, as well as artificial plantations of Scots and Crimean pine. The eastern and central parts of Karabi are characterized by a lack of forest plantations.
Grand Canyon of Crimea
The Grand Canyon of Crimea is one of the most beautiful natural wonders of the peninsula. Nature created this place - a mountain gorge cutting into the Ai-Petri mountain range for more than 3000 meters. The beauty of the canyon is harsh and varied; it amazes with the uniqueness and unusualness of its landscape. From the entrance to the Crimean Canyon, which begins at the Kokkoz Valley, you can observe a beautiful panorama of a simply giant gorge. Stone cliffs hang menacingly overhead, and tall cliffs strictly watch you to the left and right. The further you move along the gorge, the steeper and higher the mountain slopes will become, the closer they will move to each other, leaving less and less space for you to pass. The narrowest parts of the canyon do not exceed three, maximum five meters in width.
Cape Aya
The Crimean Peninsula amazingly combines different climatic zones. It's like they different worlds, so different and dissimilar from each other. Traveling through the steppe Crimea, one gets one impression of the peninsula, but as soon as you cross the Baydar Pass, you find yourself in a completely different world - seas and mountains. Here the sea is limitless, the rocks in some places have simply fantastic shapes, and the number of evergreen plants is simply impossible to count. Local landscapes cause great delight - trees, sky, sea, mountains, grass and flowers. Going, for example, to Cape Aya, you never cease to be amazed at how talented an artist and sculptor nature is. Literally translated from Greek, “aya” means holy. The beauty of the corners of this cape was described by Herodotus himself. Once here, you get the impression that you are not on a peninsula long inhabited by people, but somewhere in another world, lost from human civilization.
Chatyrdag - the mighty khan of Yayla
The Crimean mountains are majestic and unique in their diversity. They stretch in three parallel ridges for 180 kilometers from Feodosia to Sevastopol. The Crimean mountains have a number of distinctive features, which give them a unique look. One of these features is a mountain range called Chatyrdag. Chatyrdag is one of the most famous and visited attractions of the Crimean peninsula. Chatyrdag is an unusual and special mountain with a trapezoidal silhouette. In the past, the image of Chatyrdag adorned the coat of arms of Simferopol. The appearance of Chatyrdag is never the same. The appearance of the mountain changes not only depending on the season of the year, but also every hour.
Tarkhankut Peninsula
The Tarkhankut Peninsula is located in the north-west of the Crimean Peninsula. It is famous throughout Ukraine for the beauty of its landscapes. Cape Tarkhankut, located on the peninsula, is the westernmost point of Crimea. The average annual temperature on Tarkhankut is eleven degrees Celsius. The average temperature in the winter is about 0, and in the summer months - about 20 degrees. Tarkhankut has a unique climate. The peninsula miraculously combines steppe climate with sea climate, creating the largest number of sunny days of the year. Tourists are attracted to these places by the abundance of sandy beaches, warm sea water, the breath of history...
Mount Ak-Kaya
Ak-Kaya is not only a geological landmark of Crimea, but also one of the most beautiful and interesting natural monuments of Ukraine. It is located between Feodosia and Simferopol. When leaving Simferopol, you can see the undulating plain of Mount Ak-Kaya, then the road runs between the Main and Inner ridges. To the right of Ak-Kai you can see the plowed slope of the Inner Ridge, as well as the wooded spurs of the Main Ridge. This mountainous area consists of fairly durable Paleogene limestones. At the eleventh kilometer of the Feodosia highway there is a branch leading to the village of Mazanka. This village is located in the valley of the Beshterek River. On the right slope of the valley, a dark grotto hid from prying eyes - the Wolf Grotto - one of the most famous archaeological monuments in Ukraine.
Kerch Peninsula
Its territory occupies the eastern region of Crimea, stretching 80-90 km from the Akmonai Isthmus to the Kerch Strait. In the middle of the peninsula rises the Parpachsky ridge with a height of 100-185 m. In the south-eastern, northern and north-eastern directions stretch low ridges and ridges composed of Neogene limestones, which, when destroyed, appear in the form of basins and depressions surrounded by ring-shaped ridges of Maeotic bryozoan limestone. One of the remnants of bryozoan limestone atolls is Cape Kazantip, rising above the level of the Azov Sea by more than 100 m. Some relief forms are formed as a result of the activity of mud volcanoes, which have craters filled with mud up to 15-20 m in diameter, occasionally ejecting from the crater powerful up to 10- 20 m high mud fountain.
Stone mushrooms
Another extraordinary natural monument is the valley of the Sotera River at its confluence with the Biyuk-Dere gully.
Waterfalls
Diana's Font is a beautiful waterfall in the Temiar gorge. According to legend, the ancient goddess of the forests, Diana the Huntress, bathed in this font.
The Chatyr-Dag mountain range is a natural wonder of Crimea
The Chatyr-Dag mountain range, which is translated from Turkic as tent-mountain, is one of the interesting and amazing places in Crimea
The most complete role of landscape standards of nature is fulfilled by the Crimean Game Reserve, 9 reserves and natural monuments of republican significance, as well as 40 small reserves and natural monuments of local importance, scattered sporadically along the Main Ridge.
On the northern slopes of the Main Ridge of the river, deep gorges and valleys were cut through; many of them are huge natural amphitheaters with terraces on the slopes. Such, for example, are the Varnutskaya, Uzundzhinskaya and the huge Baydarskaya valleys - basins.
One of the deepest rivers in Crimea, the Chernaya, originates in the Baydarskaya Valley. Its upper reaches are fed mainly by a powerful spring flowing near the village of Rodnikovsky. On the slope of the Baydarskaya valley there is Skelskaya stalactite cave (a natural monument since 1947) It was opened and first passed in 1904. local teacher F.A. Kirillov. Skelskaya Cave is distinguished by its significant size, beauty and relatively good preservation of calcite sinter formations. It has several halls connected by passages, of which the second is the largest and most beautiful. The length of this hall, stretching from north to south, is 80 m, the average width is 10-18 m, the height of the Gothic vault reaches 25 m. The walls are decorated with numerous drip curtains and ribs, and original niches - baths. The biggest attraction of the second hall, and indeed the entire Skelskaya cave, is a seven-meter stalagmite. Several vertical wells 25-45 meters deep connect the upper halls of the cave with the young emerging floors that lie deeper. Underground lakes and rivers formed in the lower galleries. The total length of all galleries in the cave reaches 570 meters.
The waters collected by the Chernaya River in the Baydar Valley rush to the north. In some places, the gorges carved out of limestone are so deep, and the slopes are so steep and precipitous, that they are rightly called canyons.
That's how Chernorechensky Canyon , in 1947 declared a natural monument in 1974. - state reserve. This deep and narrow gorge was formed as a result of erosion of the Upper Mountain limestones. For more than 12 km, starting from the Kizil-Kaya rock on the border of the Baydarskaya valley, the Chernaya River flows in a winding gorge, squeezed on both sides by rocks several tens of meters high. In some places this canyon-like gorge is difficult to pass: the river bed is replete with extensive riffles and cascades, and heaps of stone blocks. The Black River Canyon is sometimes called a miniature Crimean Daryal.
Near the canyon, on the territory of the Orlinovsky forestry, in 1979. organized Orlinovsky reserve wild medicinal plants.
Having become familiar with the western edge of the Main Ridge, let us turn to the karst surface of its yayl. On Ai-Petrinskaya Yaila, natural monuments (since 1968) include the Kristalnaya mine, the Hanging and Medovaya caves.
Crystal Mine (110/113m), named after the famous karstologist G.A. Maksimovich, is located on a fault, has a picturesque sinter decoration, and in the depths is a huge blocky hall. Bones of a cave lion were found in the mine.
Hanging Cave (401/15m) is a two-story cavity with beautiful sagging, broken by gravitational-tectonic movements of limestone, and Honey Cave (205/60m) – the preserved part of the ancient karst system; its walls at the entrance are covered with interesting thermo-gravitational deposits.
In 1972 In addition, the karst caves located on the Ai-Petrinskaya Yayla have been declared natural monuments: Pearl (35m) – ancient cave – spring in a cliff; Miskhorskaya (100/40m) – an ancient cave – a source with an abundance of minerals alien to the host rocks; Kamepadnaya (25), Syundurlyu (175/35), the origin of which has not yet been solved; mines: Friendship (40/45m), associated with the Medovaya cave; Geophysical (140/60m) – an ancient cavity with several internal wells and sagging, unfortunately, severely damaged; Cascade (195/400m), in which in 1975-1979. Speleologists have found extensions leading to an ancient karst system with large halls. On the Yalta Yaila, caves are natural monuments Stavrikayskaya (100/10m) with gypsum crystal decorations; Basman -3 (27m), Basman-5 (62/25m) and Basman-7 (52m), which housed ancient ancient sanctuaries.
Back in 1947 declared a natural monument Yograf Cave with the adjacent area of the Yalta Yayla. This is a small cave (the length of the main hall is 18 m, the width is 10 m) located under the southern edge of the yayla cliff. Sintered wall hangings, stalactites and stalagmites are complemented by baths in which cave pearls were once found. In this karst cavity in the 7th-9th centuries there was a cave church.
Directly on the plateau, near the teeth of Ai-Petri, there is a protected area beech grove with an adjacent area of karst yayla (a natural monument since 1947) like the teeth of a giant dragon, rising above the yayla of the Ai-Petri rock. There are many of them here, big and small. Four of them reach 7-19m in height; there are much more small peaks. These original weathering forms are formed by limestones that in the very distant past were reefs of the Upper Jurassic Sea. Tens of millions of years have passed since then; under the influence of mountain-building forces, limestones rose high from the depths of the sea and, gradually collapsing, formed the famous peaks of Ai-Petri. From the south coast, they resemble a fortress tower guarding the approaches to the horizon of the plateau.
Of exceptional interest are several very old specimens of yew, growing on the edge of the forest to the northeast of the Ai-Petri teeth. The oldest of these giants is more than 1000 years old. This yew tree is older than Moscow, a contemporary of the Tmurakan principality! The monument tree is about 12m high, its crown is fairly battered by the winds, its centuries-old trunk is overgrown with lichens. But the dark green yew needles still shine like “in their youth.” Yew-quaternary coniferous relict of Crimea - in the distant past it was widespread in mountain forests.
Now let’s turn to the northern edge of the plateau, where patches of forest are scattered in small islands, reminiscent of unattended parks and gardens. At the edge of the yayla, facing the foothills, there are rocks shaped like the outstretched wings of a giant bird. It is no coincidence that they are called Eagle Flight. Nearby is Mount Syyuryu-Kaya - a limestone massif that separated from the main ridge and slid into the Kokkoz valley. From the open clearings, the whitish and pinkish cliffs of the mountains, furrowed with numerous cracks, are clearly visible. The trail branches near the top of Eagle's Flight. The closest thing from here is the stalactite cave - Danilcha grotto (declared a natural monument in 1947). It was formed during a long process of dissolution of the limestone strata by water. The cave is small (14x12m), in the depths there is a lake with good drinking water. The walls and domed vault are decorated with sinter formations.
On the eastern side of the Kokkoz Valley is the well-known Grand Canyon of Crimea (a state reserve since 1974). This wild, majestic gorge is called a miracle of nature, located in the depths of the northern slope of the Ai-Petrinskaya yayla, 4 km southeast of the village of Sokolinoe, from the entrance to the canyon from the Kokkoz valley a majestic panorama of the giant gorge opens. To the right and left, cliffs rise steeply for tens and hundreds of meters, and menacing cliffs hang overhead. As you move deeper into the canyon, the slopes of the giant chasm become higher and steeper, and they come closer and closer to each other. In the narrowest places, the width of the canyon does not exceed 2-3 meters; it is dangerous to even talk loudly here - rockfalls are possible. The depth of the gorge reaches 250-320 meters.
How did nature manage to create this phenomenon? The main sculptor here is water. The stormy Auzun-Uzen River flows along the bottom of the canyon. Using an ancient fault, fracturing and karsting of limestones, water over the course of thousands of years sawed through the rock mass and, with a deep gorge, separated the table-shaped Boyku massif from the northern outskirts of the Ai-Petrinskaya Yayla. The grandiose work of the river can be judged by the abundance of rapids, waterfalls, piles of blocks and boulders of marble-like limestone found at the bottom of the canyon. Moved by water for centuries, these natural millstones drill out peculiar cauldrons and baths into the bed of the gorge. There are more than 150 similar formations in the canyon.
The clean, azure-colored water in the boilers and baths, as well as in the river itself, has almost the same temperature in winter and summer - about 11 degrees. Running water is home to valuable fish – brook trout.
On the slopes of the canyon, composed of light gray and pinkish limestone, the greenery of small groups of Crimean gray-trunk pines, perched like birds on inaccessible rocks, clearly stands out. Only in the lower part of the gorge do trees form almost continuous thickets. Hornbeam, beech, ash, maple, rowan - bereka, linden grow here. The undergrowth is formed by shrubs: hazel, dogwood, barberry, buckthorn, mackerel, and hornbeam.
In the central part of the mountainous Crimea, at the foot of Babugan, there are lands Crimean State Game Reserve . As already mentioned, its history dates back to 1923, when the Crimean Nature Reserve was created by decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR. Now it is the largest protected natural area on the peninsula (33,397 hectares). The area of the protected hunting area is divided into two approximately equal parts: protected forests and forest hunting grounds. The protected forests are dominated by beech and pine plantations, which have best preserved their original character; the remaining territory is occupied primarily by coppice broadleaf forests of oak, maple and ash.
In 1964 The Chatyrdag mountain range was declared a natural monument in 1980. - a protected area. Already ancient travelers drew attention to the original shape of this mountain. To them it resembled a table, and on ancient maps Chatyrdag is called Trapezus.
When you approach Simferopol from the north, from the Crimean plains, or approach Alushta along the Black Sea, it seems as if a gigantic tent has spread out among the respectfully parted mountains. This explains the name of the massif - Chatyrdag, or Tent Mountain. The upper (1527m) and lower plateaus of the mountain are composed of Upper Jurassic limestones.
Karst sinkholes in Chatyrdag in some places reach 250m in diameter and 50-60m in depth. And inside the limestone strata, caves, mines, and deep wells formed. There are 135 known underground cavities on Chatyrdag. Among them are caves declared natural monuments: Ayanskaya (550/20m), located 10m from the large captured source of the same name; famous Binbash-Koba (Thousand-headed, 110m), in which human bones were found, which served as the basis for ancient legends; Emine-Bair (800/150 m) with folded extensions of underground passages; Suuk-Koba (cold, 210/43m), which has an underground bath, where back in 1893. the first analysis of karst waters in Crimea was carried out; mines – Obvalnaya (110860m), in which remains of the fauna of the Ice-Wongo period were discovered, Gugerdzhin (60/20m) with beautiful ice crystals on the walls, etc. One of the mines is named after the academician O.S. Vyalova (200/81m), a major geologist, researcher of Chatyrdag. In 1978-1979 Simferopol speleologists found a siphon continuation of this shaft, which led to a new room (Azimutnaya cave), from where the water flow “flows” into Obvalnaya, thus forming a single cave system (Vyalova - Azimuthnaya - Obvalnaya). In the underground labyrinths of the caves and mines of Chatyrdag, stalactites, stalagmites, beautiful wall hangings and other forms of sinter formations have formed over many millennia.
At the northern edge of the Chatyrdag massif, on the border with Mount Taz-Tau, the Small Canyon of Crimea stretches like a stone snake; near the village of Mramornye there is a large quarry of marble-like pink limestone. And on the slope leading to the Angara Pass, there is the Yew Gorge with thickets of pre-Quaternary coniferous relics.
On the western slope of the neighboring Dolgorukovsky massif, 3.5 km from the village. Perevalnogo, are tract and cave Kizil-Koba (Red), since 1963 - a natural monument of republican significance. A circus-shaped gorge cut into the thickness of the Upper Jurassic limestone leads to the cave. It was created by the waters of the small mountain river Kizilkobinka, which, carrying dissolved lime from the depths of the Dolgorukovsky massif, deposited it in the form of limestone tuffs. Gradually, not far from the entrance to the cave, a vast tuff platform formed, the high ledge of which, like a dam, blocks the gorge. The volume of tuffs here reaches 400 thousand cubic meters! The waters of the river, rushing down, form a waterfall on the steep slope of the site - a cascade with the height of more respectfully parted ones approaching the Altalnaya territory occupied by 50 m.
Forest grows in the lower part of the slopes, especially in the riverbed part of the gorge. Here you can find a variety of trees and shrubs: hornbeam, field maple, pear (common and lochafolia), oak, hazel, dogwood, redwood, blackthorn, rose hip, etc. The upper parts of the slopes of the gorge are almost vertical. They are composed of limestones of a pinkish-reddish hue (hence the name of the gorge and the Red Cave located in it).
Through many years of research by karst scientists working under the leadership of B.N. Ivanov and V.N. Dublyansky, it was established that the total length of all known passages of Kizil-Koba reaches 13,100 m. This is the largest limestone cave in the country.
Almost next to Kizil-Koba there are the Yeni-Sala II (75m) and Yeni-Sala III (410m) caves, a natural monument since 1968.
They are interesting, first of all, as sanctuaries of the cattle-breeding cult of the people of the Iron Age. There are beautiful sinter formations.
Having climbed to the top of the mountain range, one can visually establish that the Dolgorukovskaya yayla is, as it were, a lower plateau in relation to Demerdzhi - the yayla, which forms the southern, high level of the unified Yayla system. In the depths of these yayls there are 42 karst cavities. In addition to those mentioned, it was declared a natural monument (in 1972) MAN cave (168/37m), in which wall sagging is abundant. On the opposite, eastern edge of these villages there are two interesting botanical and geographical monuments: yew grove on Mount Tyrka , in which there are about 800 relict coniferous trees (since 1980 a local reserve), and forest in the river valley Burulchi with undergrowth of Crimean wolfberry bush (natural monument since 1968)
In 1979 a large reserve of wild medicinal plants was organized - Tyrke tract . Here, in the upper reaches of the Burulchi valley and on the plateau of Mount Tyrke, on an area of 1550 hectares, the habitats of folded snowdrop, St. John's wort, St. John's wort, lily of the valley, common oregano, greater celandine, brilliant valerian, spring adonis, coltsfoot are taken under protection. , horsetail, and mountain ash.
Continuing the review of protected areas, let us turn to the largest area, Karabi-yayla (113 sq. km), where karst relief forms are extremely pronounced. There are up to 3,500 sinkholes, 235 wells, shafts and caves.
The entire visible area of the plateau is dotted with craters different sizes and shapes, piles of stone blocks and elongated sizes and shapes, piles of stone blocks and elongated low ridges. A real stone sea!
Along the slope of the ridge Kara-Tau (1000-1200m), leading from the upper plateau to the lower terrace, spreads old beech forest (a natural monument of republican significance since 1981) It is dominated by old powerful beeches aged 100-200 years. Their average height is about 15-18 m, the diameter of the trunk reaches 1.5 m. In addition to beech, the forest contains hornbeam, Stephen's maple, mountain ash and common rowan, ash and isolated yew trees.
The most numerous natural monuments of Karabi are the Yayls, which are underground karst labyrinths. Many of them are difficult to access; they contain well-preserved sinter formations. In some caves, bone remains of the ancient fauna of Crimea (saiga, wild cat, cave lion, hyena, wolf) were found. Among the karst cavities, the following caves were declared natural monuments at different times: Mom's (75/27m), Tuakskaya (110m), Aji-Koba (78m), shafts: named after N.A. Gvozdetsky (25/191m), named after the largest Soviet karst geographer) with collapse halls at the bottom and finds of Icelandic spar crystals; named after A.A. Kruber (280/62m), named after the first explorer of the karst of the Crimean yayls) with a beautiful sinter decoration; name Norbera Castere (120/67m), named after the famous French karstologist); Monastery – Chokrak (207/151m) with beautiful sagging; Egiz-Tinah – I, II, III (255,170,145m) – a complex, periodically watered system of underground labyrinths; Mira (240/135m) Youth (261m) and Yew (47m). Declared natural monuments of republican significance mine and tract Karasu-Bashi (20m) with a powerful spring, as well as the deepest karst mine in Crimea Soldatskaya (1800/500m). The latter was discovered by Feodosia speleologists and named after the victorious Soviet soldier. At the bottom of the mine there is a constant watercourse.
Among the remarkable creations of nature, a prominent place is occupied by caves, in which, due to temperature conditions (the temperature stays around 0 degrees all year round), ice stalactites, stalagmites, columns (pillars), and often cover ice are constantly formed and preserved. Such caves are usually called ice caves; there are more than 40 of them in Crimea. One of them is Buzluk-Koba (Bolshoy Buzluk or Ledyanaya, a natural monument since 1947) - is located in the middle part of Karabi-yayla at an altitude of about 1000m above sea level.
On the eastern outskirts of Karabi-yayla, in one of the vast basins, there are cushion thickets of Bieberstein's warren. Since 1975 it is a natural monument of republican significance.
In 1978, an extensive state reserve of medicinal plants (491 hectares) was declared Karabi-Yayly tract , the flora of which includes over 500 species, including more than 50 species of medicinal plants.
To the east of Karabi-yayla, near the city of Old Crimea, lies a small Yaylinsky massif Agarmysh . Only five karst cavities are known in its depths. Beech forest on its slopes, playing an important soil and water conservation role, was declared a natural monument of republican significance in 1978. Finally, within the eastern chain of the Main Ridge there is another landscape attraction - Mount Frog (natural monument since 1968). Along the road leading up the mountain, a peculiar weathering shape has formed, resembling a giant frog.
Of the 182 protected areas in Crimea, 82 are located on the Southern Coast. Their total area is about 15% of its territory. In 1973 The Yalta Mountain Forest Reserve, which occupies a large area from Foros to Ayudag, and the Cape Martyan Nature Reserve, located on the cape of the same name in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, were formed here. On the basis of local natural monuments, three state reserves of republican significance have been created - Ayudagsky, Khapkhalsky and Novosvetsky and two natural monuments of republican significance - Demerdzhi and Karaul-Oba. Scientists have recommended for conservation protection Mount Nishan-Kaya, Strawberry and Ivy limestone ridges, some coastal-aquatic complexes and other standards of nature, which are centers of conservation and sources of settlement of valuable relict and endemic species of plants, animals, peculiar relict and endemic species of plants, animals, unique biological communities (biocenuses), outcrops of rare rocks and minerals, interesting water manifestations, etc.
In the extreme west of the coast, where its strip narrows significantly and ends in the sea in the south of the Heraclean Peninsula, there is Cape Fiolent (a natural monument since 1969) Harsh, wild, almost hundred-meter-high cliffs are piled here above the sea. For two kilometers, the coast is composed of igneous volcanic rocks (Jurkian quartz keratophyres), forming a gentle dome with a ledge of light Sarmatian limestones overlying it in the upper part. Numerous niches, stone chaos, miniature islands, and embrasure arches formed in the coastal tracts. The peaked cliff of Cape Fiolent itself and the huge grotto of Diana are especially impressive. The beauty of inanimate nature is complemented by thickets of juniper, dwarf tree, clematis, ivy and other plants.
To the southeast, on Cape Aya, there is a grove of Stankevich pine and tall juniper (since 1947 a natural monument, since 1980 a protected tract) Rocky Cape Aya (557m above sea level), like a petrified sentinel, rises on the shore, closing the arc of the Aya amphitheater -Laspino landscape. The cliffs of the cape, composed of pinkish Upper Jurassic limestones, fall steeply straight into the abyss of the Black Sea. On the slopes and at the foot there are huge rock slides and chaos. This area is notable, first of all, for the thickets (more precisely, open forests) of relict Stankevich pine, or pike perch. In Crimea, it grows wild only here, in the area of Cape Aya, and near Sudak, near the New World.
In the same miniature mountain amphitheater, bordering Batiliman Bay, there is another interesting object - Laspi rocks (a natural monument since 1969, a protected area since 1980) Due to the abundance of sun, heat and xerophytic (drought-resistant) nature of the vegetation, these places acquired the unofficial name of “Crimean Africa”. Laspi Rocks (669m) are an example of active modern development of the relief. In this natural refuge of Crimean orchids; There are about 20 species of them found here (out of 39 species known in Crimea). Particularly rare and interesting is the orchid comperia campera.
East of Cape Sarych up to Mount Ayudag, mainly above the Sevastopol-Yalta highway, is located Yalta State Mountain Forest Reserve . It was created with the aim of preserving the forests of the southern slope of the Main Ridge and the Yaila natural complexes located above them. Original forms of relief are observed here: moderately gentle, clay-shale slopes alternate with extensive stone chaos, outcropping mountains, and outcrops of igneous rocks. The Yalta mountain forest reserve is relatively small in area - 14,176 hectares, which is only 0.5% of the peninsula's territory. But the flora of this reserve includes 1363 species of higher plants, i.e. more than 55% of all species living in Crimea. Plants from the Caucasus, the Balkan Peninsula, and Asia Minor are quite widely represented here; more than half of the flora of the Yalta Reserve (55%) is of Mediterranean origin. This allows botanists to determine the origin and routes of formation. flora South Coast and, based on the research, give practical recommendations for the conservation and further development of forests and parks of the surrounding natural environment. It should be especially emphasized the abundance of endermic plant species - there are 115 of them.
Three quarters of the territory of the Yalta Nature Reserve is occupied by forests of the Mediterranean and Central European type. On the mountain slopes there are tall forests of Crimean pine, as well as beech and oak.
Within the reserve there are many independent natural monuments of great scientific and educational interest. On the section between 76 and 79 kilometers of the old Sevastopol - Yalta highway, on the slopes Baydaro-Kastropol wall , is one of the highest (up to 500-700m above sea level) refuges of small-fruited strawberry. In 1969 this refuge was declared a natural monument. Sparse thickets of up to 10-12m high trees of this valuable relic occupy about 200 hectares.
Below the highway, near the Kastropol boarding house, there is an interesting monument of inanimate nature - rock Iphigenia . It rises almost 100m above the sea, forming a rocky cape. Its poetic name is associated with the name of the daughter of the Homeric hero Agamemnon, a participant in the Trojan War. As the ancient legend tells, Iphigenia was carried away to Tauris, where she served as a priestess in a temple on a rocky cape. The rock is composed of a thickness of interlayered tuffs, spilitic and keratospilitic porphyrites with inclusions of fragments of igneous rocks. In 1972 declared a natural monument and tract adjacent to the Iphigenia rock with relict plant communities of representatives of the Mediterranean flora.
To the northeast of Iphigenia, above the old highway, at the base of the Yailin wall rises Mount Pilyaki (a natural monument since 1964) This mountain range is covered with forest, but from individual outcrops of rocks of volcanic origin (they reach a thickness of 350 m here), you can learn a lot about the geological history of the peninsula. Here you can see volcanic tuffs and spilitic breccias, flows of spilite and keratophyre lavas that solidified millions of years ago. Pilyaki is an interesting monument of Middle Jurassic volcanism in Crimea.
A complex natural monument (since 1947) is Mount Cat - one of the largest Yaylin outcasts on the South Coast. It rises right next to the sea, in close proximity to Simeiz. The bizarre shape justifies its name: looking closely, you can actually guess the “head” that has fallen to the shore, higher up the slope – the curved “back” (up to 260m above sea level), and then the “tail” of a giant cat. Scattered nearby are other limestone rocks with original shapes: the Diva that stepped into the sea, the fragments of the Monk destroyed by the storm, Panea, and the Swan's Wing. The wild rocks of the western slope of Koshka, like wrinkles, are cut with deep cracks. In summer these are sources of cool air, and in the cold season it happens that clouds of steam escape from the cracks, and then it seems as if you are walking on a cooled volcano. This effect is explained by the condensation of vapor from warm air saturated with moisture, rising from the depths of the massif to its surface. To the east of Koshka, as if fulfilling the role of a stone sentry on the border of the Yalta amphitheater, rises another original outlier - the cape Ai-Todor (natural monument since 1964). Ai-Todor is projected into the sea by Neptune's trident. Its southernmost tooth is the Ai-Todor spur itself - the highest part of the cape. Since ancient times, it has served as a landmark on the path of sailors. There is now a lighthouse at the top of the spur; Its blinking eye is visible at sea more than 50 miles away. Not far from the lighthouse, the remains of a century-old south-coast forest have been preserved: thickets of tall juniper, keva tree, downy oak, etc.
In the upper part of the Yalta mountain amphitheater there are interesting natural attractions. On the mountainside near the highway leading from Yalta to Ai-Petri, you can see a centuries-old forest. From Crimean pine, disturbed by a landslide. This "drunk" pine grove , declared a natural monument in 1964. Crimean pine forms tall plantations that play an important anti-erosion and water conservation role. By the age of 100 years, pines of this species reach a height of 20-25 m with a trunk thickness of 30-50 cm.
And nearby is the famous complex natural monument - Uchan-Su and Yauzlar waterfalls with adjacent mountain areas . The Uchan-Su River originates in limestones under the cliff of the yayla; at an altitude of 390m above sea level it forms a waterfall with the same name. Its water falls from a height of 98 m. Downstream of the river, the waters of three smaller waterfalls fall from steep cliffs. Wuchang-Su is a particularly impressive sight in the spring and late autumn when a large mass of foaming water falls down with force, sometimes dragging limestone blocks with it. A cloud of water dust hangs over the waterfall, and the sound of the stream can be heard a kilometer away. In summer, only weak streams run down the gray surface of the rocks.
Concluding our review of the protected areas of the Crimean South Coast, we will tell you about one more of the natural wonders of the peninsula - Karadag mountain range (since 1947 a natural monument, since 1979 a nature reserve). This is the only volcano Jurassic period, retaining the external features of its origin. Lava flowed here at the bottom of the sea. Over the course of thousands of years, volcanic rocks have been subject to movement and faulting, which is reflected in the modern relief. Karadag is essentially a mountain group that includes several ridges and independent peaks. In this unique museum, created by nature itself, you can read the chronicle of the Earth for almost one and a half hundred million years, not from drawings and diagrams, but as if in real life.
Literature:
1. Ena V.G. Protected landscapes of Crimea, - Simferopol "Tavria" - 1989.
2. Mishnev V.G. Reserved Crimea. - Simferopol "Tavria" - 1974.
3. Morzhenkov R. Meet: Crimea, - Simferopol “Svit” - 2005.
4. Sukhorukov V. Do you know Crimea, - Simferopol “Tavria” - 1983.
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Text content of presentation slides: Geological monuments of Crimea Prepared by Alexey Serafimov, 8th grade student at the Krasnoznamenskaya School. Natural monuments Natural monuments include rare or remarkable objects of animate and inanimate nature, valuable in scientific, cultural-aesthetic, historical-memorial and educational terms. Geological natural monuments include natural objects of the lithosphere, created as a result of the complex interaction of internal and external forces of the Earth. These can be unique caves, rocks, grottoes, Mountain peaks , rock outcrops, etc. Simeiz, like no other village in Crimea, is richly decorated with bizarre mountains and rocks. Rock Diva, Mount Cat and Panea form the recognizable silhouette of Simeiz. However, there is another remarkable rock here - the Swan Wing. The Swan Wing, or Kausha-Kaya, is located just at the foot of Mount Cat, thereby creating the feeling that the Cat is holding the Swan Wing in its teeth. Grand Canyon of CrimeaOne of the most beautiful and accessible canyons for unprepared tourists in Crimea is the Grand Canyon of Crimea. It is a huge crack formed as a result of active tectonic movements of giant earth blocks. More details: http://www.nice-places.com/articles/ukraine/krym/411.htm Grand Canyon of Crimea One of the most beautiful and accessible canyons for unprepared tourists in Crimea is the Grand Canyon of Crimea. It is a huge crack formed as a result of active tectonic movements of giant earth blocks. More details: http://www.nice-places.com/articles/ukraine/krym/411.htmOne of the most beautiful and accessible canyons for unprepared tourists in Crimea is the Grand Canyon of Crimea. It is a huge crack formed as a result of active tectonic movements of giant earth blocks. Mount Ai-Petri is one of the most important and popular symbols of the Crimean Peninsula among tourists, belonging to the Yalta mountain forest reserve. The Valley of Ghosts is a mysterious place near Alushta. Coral mountain ranges near the New World. The relief of eastern Crimea from Sudak to the village of New World is strikingly different from the southern coastal one. There is no trace of the grandiose cliff of the Main Ridge above the seaside slope. The highlands are divided into isolated picturesque mountains, rising above the sea and the coastal hilly plain with vineyards and rose plantations. . The Golden Gate is a symbol of the Karadag volcano. One of the most amazing places in the world. Located near Koktebel. Marble Cave is one of the most beautiful caves in the world. Located on the lower plateau of Chatyr-Dag. In the colossal underground halls, stone blocks of ancient landslides are piled up. The formation of the mountain and Cape Alchak began many millions of years ago, when the territory of Crimea was under water. Cape Alchak began its formation as a coral reef consisting of gray marble-like limestone. Karadag is a mountain-volcanic massif on the Black Sea coast. The maximum height is 577 m. The name Kara-Dag is translated from Turkish and Crimean Tatar languages into Russian as “black mountain”. The Sarych-Kekeneiz mountain landscape on the western South Coast includes the Iphigenia rock. The height above sea level is one hundred and twenty meters. This is a unique massif on the Crimean peninsula.
Attached files
Ai-Petri (St. Peter, Greek) is a mountain that has become one of the generally accepted and beloved symbols of Crimea. Its height is 1234 meters, far from the highest, but the silhouette of the mountain completes the most beautiful line 
Karst caves of the Yalta Yayla - natural monuments of the Stavrikayskaya, Basman-3, Basman-5, Basman-7, Yograf caves. Stavrikayskaya Cave (100/10 m) Karst cave is decorated with gypsum crystals; 
Uchan-Su is the highest waterfall in Ukraine. Translated from the southern coastal dialect of the Crimean Tatar language, the name of the waterfall means “flying water.” Located at an altitude of 390 meters above sea level 
The Alupka park-monument is an unsurpassed masterpiece of landscape art of the 19th century. It stretches from coastal sea screes along the slope to the very foot of the picturesque cliffs 
The karst caves of Ai-Petrinskaya Yaila are protected natural monuments. Mine-cave Kristalnaya (110/113 m). Named after the famous karstologist Maksimovich. At 22 meters depth 
Beech grove, with an adjacent area of karst yayla. Natural monument near the Ai-Petri battlements. On the plateau, as if clinging to picturesque rocks, lies the largest Crimean yayla 
The twin rocks of Adalary are a romantic symbol of Gurzuf. They are located in a picturesque location opposite Artek at a distance of 200 - 300 meters from the shore. Near rock and
