Sightseeing in Yevpatoriya - what to see. Complete travel guide

Not everyone knows that Yevpatoria is one of the oldest cities in the world. Every street of the charming city is saturated with the incredible spirit of past centuries. For those who wish to fully appreciate the historical heritage of the city, it is worth paying attention to the popular hiking route, which is called Little Jerusalem. If you walk along this route, you can see six unique religious sights, as well as a host of other historical sites. The route includes several ancient Turkish baths and handicraft workshops, where even now handmade craftsmen make a variety of handicrafts.

The history of Yevpatoria is incredibly interesting. Originally the settlement based on its place was called Kerkenitida, subsequently Gezlev, and afterwards Yevpatoria. The settlement was founded by the Greeks, and soon it became part of a powerful colony - Chersonesos. The city was perfectly fortified and a fortress was built here with twelve powerful towers. Seven centuries of successful existence of the beautiful Greek city ended suddenly - all residents left the city after learning about the threat of the Sarmatian invasion.

The surviving part of the towers and fortress walls, located on Duvanovskaya Street, today reminds of one of the most important periods in the history of the city. The next historical period concerns Turkish rule. At that time the city was called Gezlev. It had an important strategic importance and was an impeccably fortified settlement with a powerful garrison, where a significant part of the Turkish army was based. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

When the Russian-Turkish war ended, and Crimea officially came under the rule of the Russian Empire, the city was renamed Yevpatoria. It was named after the famous Pontus king Mitridat Yevpator, who repeatedly saved the ancient Kerkinitid from the formidable Scythian tribes. In 1907, between Yevpatoria and Simferopol, the first telephone line was connected, and seven years later the first and the only tramway started to run here on the Crimean coast. The popularity of the resort over time only grew, and so in 1915 passenger trains began to come here. In Soviet times, Yevpatoria was a recognized children's health resort. Many sanatoriums were built here, which were oriented, first of all, to children's recreation and health improvement. Now Yevpatoria is one of the most popular cities in Crimea, which is famous for its developed infrastructure and rich historical heritage.

Among architectural monuments of the Middle Ages, the Gyozlyovsky Gate is worth being mentioned. It was built in the 15th century and was included in the system of city fortifications. The old gate is one of the few fortifications that have been preserved to this day. Over the last hundred years, little attention has been paid to this historical monument, so the gate was destroyed almost completely in the 50s of the last century. After a few years, the city government decided to restore this monument and finished it in 2004.

Unique Muslim monuments, including the Dervish Tekke, have been preserved too. This architectural complex is a very unique place in Crimea. It includes the building of the old mosque, tekke, madrasah, and some other constructions built in the period between the 15th and 18th centuries. In the 30s of the last century, all the religious constructions lost their original status and were used for the fleet’s needs. In 2000, the architectural complex started to be reconstructed for the first time.

The most beautiful Muslim monument in Yevpatoria is the Juma-Jami Mosque. It was built in the 16th century and reconstructed for many times. Despite the fact that the mosque has almost lost its original appearance, it is still a vivid representation of historical traditions. In the Soviet period, the mosque served as a museum. It gained its religious status back only in the 90s of the last centuries.

The unique architectural monument in Greek style is the Temple of St. Elijah built at the beginning of the 20th century. The temple is distinguished by its very beautiful facade, on which you can see a lot of arches and elements in Greek and Byzantium style. The main values of the temple’s interior are fascinating stained glass windows that look very interesting in the sun. Several years ago, this temple was reconstructed too and then was presented in all its glory. The temple is surrounded by a small garden and you can walk through it after taking an excursion.