How to get to the white rock of Crimea. Ak-Kaya, Crimea (White Rock). Caves in White Rock

- April, 10th 2008

The White Rock, or Ak-Kaya, is the one and only in Crimea and not only... What can you see from it, as well as how to find the source of the Biyuk-Karasu River in the gorge.

This rock stands far from the main resort places peninsula and, probably, that’s why many of those who vacationed in Crimea never saw her, although they would probably recognize her as a “participant” in many famous Soviet feature films: “The Headless Horseman,” “Mirage,” “The Fifteen-Year-Old Captain,” “Business People”, “Lobo”, “General Lukacs”, “Mustang Pacer” and even “Cipollino”. And it’s a shame that we didn’t see it, because it deserves not only attention, but even a separate trip to it. So go ahead, go camping!

But in order to still meet the White Rock, first of all you need to go to the south-eastern Crimea, to the Belogorsk region (which was once called Karasubazar). Today it is a modest, small town and it’s almost hard to believe that its history dates back more than seven centuries! He has experienced and seen a lot: both times of prosperity and times of decline.

When the “wrath of Allah” in the form of an earthquake struck the capital of the Tatar Khanate (today it is Old Crimea), many survivors moved to the fertile plain of the Biyuk-Karasu River and founded the city of Karasubazar (“black water market”). The first mentions of it are found in the 13th century, when the Great Silk Road, a trade artery of world importance, lay here. Although today you will not find this Path on the map of Crimea, you will easily find the Simferopol - Feodosia route, almost in the middle of which you will meet present-day Belogorsk, and not far from it, White Rock. It will be difficult to miss: the majestic view, unusual color and special contours of a hundred-meter rock, surprisingly similar to impregnable fortress, will not allow her to go unnoticed even from afar. But this “fortress” was erected over the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu River (which originates here and then carries its waters all the way to Sivash) not by people, but by nature, and so long ago that, probably, it doesn’t even remember that when then sea waves splashed around it... Yes, yes, the fossilized remains of ancient mollusks and fish are still “stored” in the thickness of its white limestones. What fish! 27 years ago, in one of the mountain quarries, 50-million-year-old bones of a special amphibian whale were found! The Americans later found the same whale in Pakistan, there was so much noise... And our whale (by the way, the only one of its kind in all of Europe so far) entered the annals of world paleontology modestly and intelligently, although it was found six years earlier (!)

Then, when either the sea left or the land rose, our Ak-Kaya began to be blown by the winds, washed by the rains, dried by the sun, and over many centuries it formed these bizarre outlines with pillars-towers and caves, so similar to the loopholes of a fortress. Is on it interesting caves and for visiting – lower and upper. During their study, special images were discovered: these are not drawings or writings, but the so-called tamgas - the ancestral signs of the Sarmatians, indicating the “registration” of the tribe in these caves (the Sarmatians appeared in Crimea from the end of the 3rd century BC and according to testimony ancient authors were tall, fair-haired, beautiful people, but also formidable - able to stand up for themselves).

The Altyn-Teshik (Golden Nora) cave is called the upper one because it is located at an altitude of 52m. It is quite inaccessible and has become overgrown with a lot of legends, according to one of which it was once the lair of a weresnake and its secret hole stretches almost all the way to the river; according to another, a chest of gold was hidden here, which, please note, has not yet been found... In the 60s, a group of climbers found that this was not only a cave, but also a 20-meter-high grotto. Then archaeologists came and found in it many animal bones (most of all mammoths), as well as stone tools. In general, it turned out that people lived here for many thousands of years, both in the cave itself and along the banks of the river. IN last years Americans and Italians also got into the habit of participating in excavations. And just recently, perfectly preserved skeletons of a Neanderthal woman with a child were discovered, which turned out to be 150 thousand years old!

Mammoths, people, snakes, whales - so, as you can see, these places were once quite densely populated, not like they are now. But even now, by the summer, so many people with shovels are arriving in Belogorsk that it’s time to get a snake on them... They say that, among other things, it is in this area that largest cluster ancient Scythian burial mounds, and among them there are probably rich tombs of the Scythian kings (those would-be archaeologists haunt the kings). But it’s much better to just come with a backpack, climb, wander around, breathe fresh air, and climb to the top. And you can even ride a horse! At the foot of the White Rock there is a horse farm with the same name - “Ak-Kaya”. There you can drink kumiss and rent a horse. You will even be offered two ascent routes: fast - 1.5 hours, with a steep ascent and descent; and a 3-hour walk around the rock - completely safe (60-100 UAH). In addition, on the same farm there are also rest rooms (and even with amenities), so you can stay for a couple of days and not carry a tent with you.

You can easily climb the White Rock on your own along the trail. The road is clearly visible from below - it is to the right (east) of the corner ledge of the rock. Ak-Kaya rises 100m above the plain alone, and 325m above sea level, being part of the Inner Ridge Crimean mountains with characteristic steep southern and gentle northern slopes (the so-called cuestas). The difficulties of the climb will be more than rewarded by the stunning view that will open from above. The top of Belaya is a relatively flat surface. To the east there will be a chain of ancient mounds, and on the other side the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu River and Belogorsk, which will all be visible in full view. If the weather is clear enough, you can even see eastern part Simferopol. Further to the horizon in the haze are the ridges of the Main Ridge, and the high massif in the southwest is. White Rock is interesting at any time of the day: both at dawn and at sunset. Even at night (it looks especially impressive during the full moon) it stands out with its whiteness. But on a bright day, illuminated by the sun, it literally blinds the eyes. An interesting hypothesis in this regard was put forward in the middle of the 19th century. the author of one of the reference books on Crimea: they say that the cause of the heat in Karasubazar is Ak-Kaya, which additionally casts sunlight on the city...

In the Middle Ages, the White Rock had another name - Shirinskaya, named after the owners of these lands (and many others from Perekop to Kerch), the richest Tatar family Shirin, dating back to Genghis Khan himself. The Crimean rulers, the Gireys, traditionally gave their daughters in marriage to the Shirin Beys. The clan was really large - more than 300 Murzas, the eldest of whom was elected there, on the top of the White Rock. And if from the 16th century. was the political capital of the Crimean Khanate, then Karasubazar was undoubtedly its economic center. 8 stone citadels then stood inside this trading metropolis (this is how it was found back in 1667. famous traveler Evliya Celebi). Today, almost in the center of the city, only ruins remain, and then only one of the towers - the mighty Tash Khan with powerful walls, loopholes, vaulted dungeons, where caravans once stopped, goods were stored, trade deals were concluded (they say that to this day day there is also an underground passage leading to the river...).

WITH outside caravanserai, on market square they sold both numerous goods and people... The main source of income for the Khanate was the slave trade, and for many decades the surroundings of the White Rock were resounding with the ringing of shackles. In addition, the rock itself also became an ominous place of executions: those guilty of anything and those sentenced to death were pushed down from a 100-meter height. They also pushed those who were not guilty, namely prisoners, in order to intimidate others, who were richer, and force them to hurry up with the ransom. So Bogdan Khmelnitsky, captured in 1620, was twice brought to the White Rock to watch the torment of his fellow tribesmen, until he was finally bought by one of the Tatar Murzas. For all this, the Zaporozhye and Don Cossacks attacked Karasubazar more than once, freed prisoners, and exterminated the city itself as punishment. So he got everything...

During the Russian war for Crimea in 1777, A.V. Suvorov’s headquarters was located on White Rock. Then there were only 10 thousand with the legendary military leader. soldiers, and Kalgi-Sultan had 4 times more, but while the Tatars were gathering, on the orders of Suvorov, first their courtyards, which were clearly visible from the mountain, were “fired” with volleys from cannons, and then the cavalry carried them out from behind the rock and dispersed the army Shirinov in the mountains. That's right: don't compete with Suvorov - he didn't defeat the same people. And then it was on the White Rock that the Crimean Khan Sahib Giray signed an agreement with Prince Dolgoruky, according to which Crimea was declared a Khanate independent from Turkey.

And here, on June 10, 1783, the result of the entire 10-year war of Russia for Crimea was finally summed up: it was on the White Rock that His Serene Highness Prince G.A. Potemkin took the oath of allegiance to the Russian state from the Crimean Tatar nobility and all layers of the Crimean population. At the same time, the city of Karasubazar became the main administrative center of the peninsula. And only since 1785. the capital of Crimea was moved to Simferopol. Even Empress Catherine II herself visited here during her Crimean trip in 1786. For this purpose, a palace with a park, fountains, cascades and gazebos was specially built, in which, however, the empress stayed for only two days. Now it is the building of a local hospital, rebuilt many times over the years. It stands just outside the city, on a hill in front of the bridge over the river and can also be seen from above.

What a wonderful journey into the past you can take while standing on the majestic peak of Ak-Kai one summer day!

In addition, it would not hurt to take a walk in the upper reaches of the Biyuk-Karasu River - to its source in the Karasu-Bashi gorge. How many rivers have you seen the beginning of?! And isn’t it interesting to see the place where one of the most abundant tributaries of the Salgir, the main Crimean river, begins? It’s not for nothing that its Turkic name contains the word “biyuk” - big; the word “karasu” can be translated both as “black water” and as “water flowing out of the ground.” And the Karasu-Bashi gorge itself in the upper reaches is a very picturesque dark gray (almost black) real stone chaos: cliffs, fragments of rocks, piles of stones. The Karasu-Bashi cave also makes a strong impression (you can go through it through a narrow underground passage - 8-10 m). In dry times, the sources of the river are located at the foot of the cliff, in a clearing, where among the thickets many springs emerge to the surface, which already at 50 m combine into a real stream. And in the spring and during rains, water literally bursts out with a roar right from the opening of the cave (hence the second name of the cave - Su-Uchkhan-Khoba - “cave of flying water”). This is truly the most abundant source of water in Crimea (even in dry times it provides 200 liters per second of the purest, most delicious underground water). It is not without reason that two reservoirs were built on the river above Belogorsk: Taiganskoye and Belogorskoye. So there are no problems with water in the city, and there is also a beach on the shore of the reservoir - one of the favorite vacation spots of the locals. They say you can even catch fish there!

The Karasu-Bashi gorge is located approximately 8 km southwest of the city (near the village of Karasevka). Behind the village, after going up the river for a couple of kilometers, at the water-measuring point you need to go onto the path and walk a little further up the wall of the diversion canal. Now you will find yourself in the gorge. And even better - take one of the local guys as a guide (everyone will gladly want to earn 30-40 UAH, and they will probably tell you a lot of interesting things).

From Belogorsk you can then go down to the sea: to the southwest lies one of the most scenic roads Crimea - highway to the village of Privetnoye (34 km to it). Moreover, you can travel 15 km to Krasnoselovka by bus or hitchhike, but further you can walk and enjoy the Crimean forest, its coolness, birdsong and the murmur of another local river - Tanasu (“tana” is a heifer, and “su” is water; then there is “veal water”, which even a calf will wade through). This river is very small and flows into the already familiar Biyuk-Karasu. By the way, you can travel to its source and then continue your way to the sea.

This is the wonderful route I propose for the easy-going and curious. Bon Voyage! And, as always, a big request: please do not leave any traces of your presence behind you, and it will be absolutely great if you don’t consider it difficult to tidy up the clearings and paths for careless people, because, strange as it may seem at first glance, but from this kind mission your journey will be doubly enjoyable.

One of the most interesting natural attractions of Crimea is the White Rock near Belogorsk. It is clearly visible from the Kerch-Simferopol highway, but we advise everyone - take the time, turn towards it, admire it closer!

April-May is the best time for an excursion to the White Rock (Ak-Kaya, Turkic). In the spring, its rather modest vegetation has not yet withered in the sun, and most importantly, Voronets bloom in Krasnaya Balka - amazingly beautiful wild peonies.

White Rock - a miracle of Central Crimea

We arrived at Belogorsk at 8 o'clock, when the rock was still in a light morning haze, so we decided to start exploring the surrounding sights with a visit to the Suvorov Oak. The highway all the way from and partly to Belogorsk now resembles a huge construction site - the Tavrida highway, bridges across rivers, and a canal are being built:

Crimea has not seen anything like this for a long time.

Suvorov Oak and Biyuk-Karasu

The 800-year-old oak itself is simply amazing (diameter 4 m, circumference 10 m, crown 40 m), you feel like an ant next to it:

It is not only botanical, but also historical monument- under him is our famous commander A.V. Suvorov in 1777 accepted capitulation from the envoys of the Turkish Sultan. This happened after a 10,000-strong Russian army defeated a 40,000-strong Turkish army not far from this place.

From the oak tree we went to the rock, but crossing the bridge over the Biyuk-Karasu River, we decided to first drive up to it, it winds too beautifully in these places:

Then they turned to the rock itself, to the very place that resembles the bow of a ship. Its height above sea level is 325 meters, above the valley more than 100 meters. In Crimea there are many such cuestas - mountains, steep on one side and gentle on the other. We previously talked about an excursion to a similar one -. But White Rock is undoubtedly the most unusual.

Many probably recognized this landscape from Soviet and Russian films that were filmed here more than a dozen. That's why I was immediately indignant - I see Texas, but where are the cowboys on horses? Immediately, as if on my order, the horses appeared, but the unlucky “cowboy” ran screaming after.

At the foot of the White Rock, onosma bloomed - a plant listed in the Red Book with funny yellow bells:

Yellow flowers noticeably predominate in the area, especially on the arid yayla - a flat mountain top, but more on that later.

Having admired the white bulk hanging overhead, we decided to climb into the grotto. In fact, there are a lot of grottoes, caves and other depressions in the White Rock. It is not for nothing that about 40 ancient human sites were found in these places.

Grottoes Altyn Teshik, Uch-Koba and Krasnaya Balka

At the nose of the cliff large caves two. The first one, looking like a huge drop and inaccessible to the average tourist, is Altyn Teshik. Robbers allegedly hid a rich treasure here. Now the cave is inhabited by birds (or like in a bird market).

The second is called the Lower or Large Grotto. There is a steep but quite accessible path leading to it. At this time, her summer adonis (Adonis) and hybrid poppy were blooming (not the self-seeded one that makes the Crimean fields turn red in May, but its earlier and smaller brother).

Once upon a time, judging by the excavations, there was a sanctuary of the Sarmatians in the grotto. Now at the entrance to the grotto there is a huge hawthorn tree, just as it was blooming its first flowers.

Inside, unfortunately, everything is not so great. Too many "Neanderthals" visit it these days.

Near the grotto, mice were lying, dropped kestrels, several pairs of which were actively scurrying around, now flying away, now returning to the rock, where they were greeted by the sharp cries of the chicks.

We drove further along the mountain by car, admiring the bizarre outlines of rocks and grottoes (this group of grottoes is called Uch-Koba), and stopped at the foot of the Red Beam. It is named after the vorontsy (angustifolia peony), which covers it with a crimson-scarlet carpet for one or two weeks every spring:

We were a little late, so most of the peonies had faded and the beam looked rather modest:

But in the bushes at the foot of the yayla, spring adonis, also a rare protected plant, began to bloom.

On the plateau (yayla) of the White Rock

Another minute or two and we are on the yaila, from where the surrounding area has an extraordinary view beautiful view. That is why, although you can climb to the top by car, we advise you not to do this, but to walk along the cliff.

This walk will take an hour at most, but the impressions will last a lifetime.

The Ak-Kaya massif, composed of Paleogene and Cretaceous limestones, is part of the low but picturesque inner ridge of the Crimean Mountains, separating the Main Range.

The plant community of the plateau can be safely attributed to the type of asphodeline steppes, thanks to this plant, asphodeline, reminiscent of young pine trees:

They were just beginning to bloom, delighting the bumblebees, whose long proboscis can only reach the deeply hidden nectar:

Among the insects we also met, the Red Book Crimean swallowtail butterflies and a friendly company of large caterpillars of the ringed silkworm (or some of its relatives). Apparently they have already eaten everything where they hatched and have just marched to a new place:

We brought binoculars, so we had the opportunity to admire not only the life of insects, but also birds.

The most interesting (and beautiful) were the kestrels, which completely ignored us and flew along the rocks, from time to time teaming up with their neighbors to drive crows and crows away from their nests. There were also a lot of swifts there, but it was difficult to see the black lightning, but you could clearly hear the loud “swish” of their wings.

Here is the edge of the White Rock, resting on the sharp bow of the “ship”:

Once upon a time, the heads of the Tatar clans were elected here, here, in front of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, prisoners were thrown off a cliff in order to hasten his ransom, here in 1783, representatives of the Crimean Tatar nobility took an oath of allegiance to the Russian Empire before Prince Potemkin.

Now on the right hand you can see how the fields are turning green, the pine forest is darkening in the distance:

On the left, the following lunar landscape prevails:

By the way, it’s convenient to start excursion route along the wide path running between these hills and the White Rock, climb up it, then go through the plateau, go down the Red Beam and return to the beginning of the route along the road along the rock. We drew it on the map.

We went back not along the cliff, but approximately in the center of the plateau and almost immediately began to stumble upon local orchids:

In general, there are many orchids in Crimea and all are protected by law; you cannot pick them.

About a 7-10 minute leisurely walk from the edge of the cliff there is a quarry where stone was once cut for neighboring settlements:

Since Karasubazar (now Belogorsk) was the trading capital of the Crimean Khanate for a long time, it required a lot of stone.

Interesting fossils found nearby:

These are nummulites (because they resemble coins), shells of single-celled organisms of the order Foraminifera. Imagine, 100 million years ago, single-celled (!) organisms built houses that resembled spiral flying saucers, the size of a silver royal ruble! By the way, Egyptian pyramids built from such nummulitic limestone.

With our meager knowledge of paleontology, we, alas, were unable to determine the name of this fossil; perhaps it was part of a spirifera shell.

Finally, we admired how the rock crystal found right there shimmers in the sun:

At the edge of the plateau we got a little lost, looking at the caves covering the edge of the ravine from above, found a descent, and suddenly, from the dry and almost bare steppe we found ourselves in the “jungle” - dense thickets of trees and bushes, which are carefully entwined with ivy, along the way moving onto the rocks.

There are a lot of caves, or rather grottoes, here, they are dry, cozy, it is not surprising that ancient people settled in them. Moreover, the plateau served as a convenient hunting ground - he surrounded the animal and drove it to the cliff.

Finally, after admiring the amazingly bright peonies again, we got into the car and drove on.

Ak-Kaya settlement and Kok-Koba grotto

Soon after Krasnaya Balka the rocks move apart and the road turns right towards Vishennoye. There will be a rock on the left hand:

On it is the Scythian settlement of Ak-Kaya (3rd century BC, 3rd century AD). On the plateau itself, numerous round and square holes remind of this:

Some of the buildings have been excavated a little lower (opposite you can see the Kok-Koba grotto):

The size of this settlement was second only to Scythian Naples, excavated near Simferopol, and alternately belonged to the Scythians, Romans, and Khazars. total area the fortification is 10 hectares, that is, there is still digging and digging, and a lot awaits us interesting discoveries. It may be possible to prove that this medieval fortress Fulla, mentioned in the chronicles as standing at the “cave with a spring.”

Having examined the ancient settlement, we went to that very “cave with a source” - to the Kok-Koba grotto:

It is huge and extremely picturesque:

When we entered through a small side entrance, a herd of cows was resting there, then our company was joined by a herd of schoolchildren, much more playful and noisy:

The uniqueness of the grotto is that water oozes directly from the walls, drips from the ceiling in places, and in the center forms a waterfall of drops, collecting in a small bowl carved into the rock and flowing in a stream into a reservoir overgrown with reeds at the foot of the grotto.

All this is unusual and very beautiful.

The Kok-Koba Grotto was the last point of our journey. Through Vishennoye we went onto the highway, and after admiring the White Rock from it once again, we went home full of impressions.

Hi all! Today we will do virtual trip, or rather the climb to the White Rock. Many residents and guests of Crimea know and have seen our beauty, but not many know how to climb the White Rock (Ak-Kaya) by car and what to see in the surrounding area. Of course, you can climb like real tourists - on foot and with backpacks.

In order not to be limited to the views from the height of the observation deck, we covered a short distance by car, climbing the White Rock just outside the village of Vishenny (link to detailed route at the end of the article). It is there that there is a grotto with a source, parking primitive people and the beginning of the road leading to the southern slope.

We climbed the White Rock in October, but I would recommend postponing this idea until spring, when fruit trees bloom at the foot of the mountain range, and a fluffy carpet of wild peonies is spread on the slopes of the gully. An extraordinary spectacle!

I talked about the beginning of the route in the article, and now I will continue...

To enlarge, click on the photo.

The White Rock is quite long.

Ak-Kaya attracts filmmakers, curious tourists and...kamikazes with its appearance.

Forgive me for this characterization, but there are plenty of cases of unplanned suicide. According to stories local residents: one tourist climbed the plateau and decided to go down to the most mysterious grotto of the White Rock (on top photo she is on the right) Altyn-Teshik with the help of a cable attached to the car. The ending of this story turned out to be fatal.

I climbed into the cave to the left several years ago. As it turned out, the grotto with a high arch contained only a couple of trees and a thick limestone layer of earth. For people with athletic training, this climb is not difficult, although you need to descend very carefully.

Important!

The road to the plateau runs along the entire slope; you can drive any car, but after rain, there are ditches in some areas. Consider the capabilities of your transport - you can get stuck.

The plateau area is large; steppe expanses stretch for tens of kilometers. From the grotto with the source we drove unhindered 5-7 km to the observation deck at southern slope. A group of rope jumpers stood at the very cliff. The second group was based below; it controlled the cables, pulling them at a certain angle.

From Wikipedia:

Rope jumping - extreme view sport, rope jumping from a high object using a complex shock-absorbing system of climbing ropes and equipment. There are several types of jumps: with free fall and without free fall (pendulum). During the jump, experienced jumpers often perform spectacular acrobatic tricks and elements.

This kind of free performance at White Rock can be seen quite often. The athletes themselves claim that rope jumping is absolutely safe..... I am not afraid of heights, but after what I saw, a feeling of fear still crept into my subconscious. The height of the White Rock above sea level is 325 meters.

The jump itself lasts 4-5 seconds, the falling speed is about 80-90 km per hour. In general, you won’t have time to get scared before you’re already hanging above the ground. The depth of free fall reaches 80 meters.

We were unlucky with the weather - the sky was covered with thick clouds and only a few rays of sunlight fell on the endless expanses of the steppe Crimea. When you stand on the edge of a cliff, you experience incredible emotions.

As I already said: in the spring, the northern slopes are decorated with wild peonies, and in the fall, lovers of “silent hunting” climb onto the plateau.

There is a road in the opposite direction from the observation deck, to the south. It is along this route that you can descend from the White Rock. The descent is long, you won’t even notice how you return to the sinful earth... It’s better to drive straight all the time until you reach the highway.

At the foot of the White Rock there is a club that organizes horse rides all year round, lasting 1-3 hours.

Having reached the highway, we found ourselves surrounded by Crimean forests. In October, the main decoration of Crimea is the bright mackerel bushes.

It is in the fall that the mackerel delights with its rich colors of coral and tangerine shades.

Toward the end of our walk, we decided to go into the forest to once again make sure that there were no mushrooms. Yes, sorry, it was such a lousy summer; due to the drought, you can only find boletus in the lowlands.

Mount Ak-Kaya (White Rock) – this is a picturesque natural monument located far from sea ​​resorts Crimea (more than 60 km to the nearest one), not far from the city of Belogorsk, to which it also gave its name.

The height of Ak-Kai is 325 meters above sea level. Having a gentle northern slope, in the south the White Rock ends steep cliff height 100 meters . The composition of the rock is white limestone, which gives the mountain its unusual color.

Ak-Kaya is not only a natural, but also an archaeological monument. Many sites of ancient people, the remains of prehistoric animals were discovered here, and recently a large Scythian settlement was discovered near the mountain.

Thanks to its atypical and picturesque appearance, the White Rock appeared in the films: “The Man from Capuchin Boulevard”, “Escape to the End of the World”, “Leader of the Redskins”, “Apocalypse Code”, “Mustang Pacer”, “Headless Horseman” and in a number of other paintings.

What to see on Ak-Kaye

The first thing to see, of course, is the mountain itself. From a distance, Ak-Kaya appears to be a bright white monolith, but if you take the time to walk or drive along the mountain near it, you will see many separate ledges, grottoes, niches and caves. Some of them preserve Sarmatian signs.


If you find yourself at Ak-Kai, it’s worth climbing it. This can be done either on foot, climbing the path, or by car or other transport, along the road leading directly to the top. In any case, having overcome the climb, you will be rewarded beautiful views. Walking along the cliff along the flat top (just not too close to the edge!) in the east you can see ancient mounds arranged in a chain; looking in the other direction, you will see gardens and Belogorsk; mountain ranges are clearly visible in the southwestSouth Coast. If you're lucky with the weather, you can even see Simferopol in the distance.

Near Ak-Kai, on the outskirts of the village of Vishennaye, excavations of an ancient Scythian settlement are underway. The fortress occupied 10 hectares and had unusually powerful fortifications. It is suggested that there was a Scythian capital here, which later moved to Scythian Naples. If you are interested in history, you can already explore individual excavated areas of the fortress.

Tips for visiting Ak-Kai

If you are planning to visit Ak-Kaya, pay attention to the tips below:

1. There is no shade near the mountain, and especially on it, so it would be better to take hats with you to protect from the sun.

2. Take water with you. You will definitely want to drink, but there is nowhere to buy water on White Rock.

3. If you don’t initially plan hiking for at least a day, it is better to drive your own car, or use a UAZ, in which locals take tourists to the mountain. So you will look more and get less tired.

How to get to Ak-Kaya

The easiest way to get to the mountain is by car (although the roads, of course, are not very good). In this case, you need to get on the Simferopol - Feodosia,and turn onto Belogorsk (45-50 kilometers from Simferopol). Next you need to drive through Belogorsk and move towards the village of Belaya Skala, which is located at the foot of Ak-Kai. There is asphalt leading to the village, then a dirt road that will lead directly to the mountain plateau, almost to the cliff itself.

On public transport You can get to the mountain from Simferopol, from here buses go to Belogorsk every hour or two. In the city you need to take a minibus to the village of Belaya Skala, it runs about once every half hour. In the village, turn onto the first wide street, it should lead you to a river, which you can ford, or walk a little to the bridge.

If you decide to climb Ak-Kaya itself, go to the turn to the gorge, at the end of which there is a fairly convenient climb, or go around the main ledge and walk along the dirt road leading to the plateau.

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They have not yet become truly “promoted”, although they can offer quite a lot to an interested tourist. These include the White Rock of Ak-Kaya, Crimea in a concentrated form in some way. Everything is here - rich story, exciting legends, the beauty of nature, the tricks of geology.

Where is the facility located in Crimea?

This object has several names (Ak-Kaya means “white rock” in Tatar), including “Belogorskaya”. It is not difficult to understand its origin, since it is the nearest city and the landmark is located in its district. It rises on the shore.

Ak-Kaya on the map of Crimea

Origin of White: from the bottom of the sea

The White Rock in Crimea received its most famous name because of the rocks that compose it. The limestone and sandstone are light in color, and the entire formation actually appears white. Previously, it was a peak at the bottom of the ancient Tethys Sea, but with its disappearance it became a peak on the surface. Water and air erosion gave the steep walls a significant resemblance to the walls of a man-made structure, such as a castle or fortress. A significant amount was formed in the same way.

The rock itself and its surroundings have been inhabited since ancient times. In the 60-70s. 20th century archaeologists under the leadership of Yu.G. Kolosov discovered in its caves many bones of extinct animals and products of primitive man. The remains of the skeletons of a Neanderthal woman and a Neanderthal child were discovered. The age of these bones is estimated at 150 thousand years. Later, the Scythians lived here (there are many mounds on the surface of the rock plateau) and the Sarmatians (their tamgas, that is, family signs on the stones, were found).

In the Middle Ages, these lands were owned by a noble family of Tatars - Shirin. At the top of the cliff, the Murzas elected their leader. Sometimes it happened that medieval “revolutionaries”, noble Tatars, dissatisfied with one or another khan, held gatherings at this place. Also, the steep walls of Ak-Kai were used as comfortable spot for the execution of criminals or prisoners who do not want to pay the established ransom (it is separated from the valley by 100 m).

There is information that the then very young Bohdan Khmelnytsky, who was captured after the Battle of Tsetsora in 1620, was brought to watch this procedure, so that the future hetman could quickly collect money for ransom. In 1777, A.V. set up his headquarters here. Suvorov (there was a Russian-Turkish war) and defeated the detachments of the Shirin clan. And in 1783, Prince Potemkin-Tavrichesky arrived here to take the oath to the Motherland from the noble Tatars, since Crimea came under the rule of the Russian Empire.

Ak-Kaya often starred in Soviet films. She can be seen in such films as "Mustang Pacer" and "The Headless Horseman", and "Armed and Very Dangerous", "Dungeon of the Witches" and many others. The directors were attracted by the unusual appearance of this place. For the same reason, photographs of the White Rock are quite famous. Ak-Kaya has been considered a natural monument since 1981.

Fortress of Zmey-Gorynych

Like any remarkable place in Crimea, White Rock is extremely rich in legends and fairy tales. Most of them are about a cave called the Golden Hole - the same one where the bones of Neanderthals were found.

It is considered something like the lair of the local Serpent-Gorynych, who for a long time threatened the beauties of the mountains. The cave cavity is also considered a refuge for the Crimean forty robbers, who allegedly hid stolen gold there. No one has found this gold, but there are plenty of robbers around because of such stories - “black archaeologists” are constantly robbing Scythian burial mounds.

They say “in all seriousness” that the cave is very long and stretches underground not just anywhere, but all the way to the cave itself. True, the map argues against this version, demonstrating the distances separating the two objects.

What attracts tourists to White Rock?

A tourist who wishes to visit the Ak-Kaya rock in Crimea will definitely have a question:
how to get there because good highways at its highest point no. There is a well-established path, which some people manage to travel by car, but it should be taken into account that it is quite steep and requires satisfactory physical fitness to even walk along it. It's best to get help knowledgeable people and don’t look for this path on your own. Caution is also necessary for those who wish to visit the Golden Hole - the cave is difficult to access even without the machinations of the Serpent-Gorynych, so be careful.

Now in the village at the foot of the mountain there is a horse farm, so you can make the ascent on horseback, trying out the roles of the characters from “The Headless Horseman.” At the peak, even a non-specialist can see several mounds - there are many Scythian and Sarmatian burials there. It is not recommended for decent people to look for gold - “black archeology” is punishable. But the main thing that the reviews of conquerors note is the excellent views from the top. In addition to the surrounding valleys and mountain ranges The main ridge and, here you can see Belogorsk quite well, and in good weather- even part of it.

How to get to Ak-Kai?

By public transport you can get to White Rock in this way. First you need to get to Belogorsk - transport regularly departs here from Simferopol or Feodosia. Then, at the city bus station, find a minibus going to the village of Belaya Skala. After getting off at the indicated village, you will need to walk several kilometers in a northerly direction - be guided by the bridge over the river. A map with the coordinates of the attraction will also help in this case.

By car you can get to Ak-Kaya from Belogorsk in the following way:

Note to tourists

  • Address: Belaya Skala village, Belogorsky district, Crimea, Russia.
  • Coordinates: 45.104946, 34.624031.

Tourists who have a broad outlook and are interested in folklore, history and geology, and who are not opposed to an active lifestyle, will definitely be attracted to the White Rock in Crimea. This place is multifaceted enough to satisfy the widest needs of its guests! A video about him in conclusion is attached. Enjoy watching!

 

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