Sightseeing in Kerch - what to see. Complete travel guide

Kerch is considered the most ancient city of Ukraine. It is in the east of the Crimean peninsula, right on the slopes of the ancient Greek Bosporus Cimmeria, which now bears the modern name of the Kerch Strait. The history of the city totals more than 2.5 thousand years and probably, because of this, Kerch is considered one of the most multinational cities of the Crimea. The history of the city began with the founding of an ordinary Greek colony, which was called Panticapaeum. The city developed rapidly, and a lot of different settlements and necropolises arose around it, which are still important sights of Kerch.

More than a thousand burial mounds were preserved here, the most famous of which are: Golden, Royal, Yuz-Oba and Melek-Chesmensky. Literally, through several centuries the powerful Panticapaeum and several other cities united in the Bosporan kingdom, the capital of which became Panticapaeum. The kingdom lasted almost a thousand years. Many times these lands fell under the authority of the Roman Empire, but it also happened that the state became independent for several centuries.

Already in the 5th century the tribes of the barbarians finally established their dominion in these territories. The cities were destroyed, the local people were taken into slavery and chaos and devastation reigned in the once-fertile lands. The era of rebirth began after these lands fell under the rule of Byzantium, which restored the ancient city. True, the peaceful existence did not last long. After the emergence of Kievan Rus, the Slavic tribes were interested in these areas, and called it the ancient city of Korchev. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

After bloody battles Korchev became one of the key cities of the Tmutarakan principality, which is part of Russia. In the XIV century Genoese came to these lands, and they built a large seaport with shore fortifications. The rule of the Genoese lasted only a hundred years, after which the city was captured by the Turks. Cherzeti, as Kerch was called in those days, became one of the most important cities for the Ottoman Empire. After the end of the Russian-Turkish war, Kerch went under the authority of the Russian Empire. Since then, the city has undergone various stages of development, collapsing, rebuilding and again collapsing. Now it is one of the most popular resort towns of the Crimean coast, where you can have a good rest and get acquainted with the culture of locals.

In Kerch, there are a lot of preserved monuments of different epochs. The Yenikale Fortress reminds of the reign of the Ottoman Empire. It was built in the 18th century to protect the strait between the Azov and Black Sea. At the end of the 19th century, the fortress lost its strategic status and was in disrepair. For the years of its existence, the defense constructions have never been reconstructed, so the fortress is partially destroyed now.

Near it, there is the historic monument of the later period, the Kerch Fortress. It was built in the 19th century to protect the borders of the Russian Empire. The fortress is located on Cape Ak-Burun. In the first half of the 20th century, the fortress served as an arsenal. This historical monument had been used for the local military units until 2003. Then, the fortress was declared a tourist attraction. Now, it is located in the open-air museum.

The most remarkable religious monument of Kerch is the Temple of St. John Prodromos. It was built in the 6th century. The church was reconstructed for the first time in the 8th century. Some of its architectural elements are the preserved remains of the first buildings. The temple gained its present design when it was rebuilt in the 10th century. It is still working today. In the temple, you can see interesting old church utensils and the collection of old icons.

In the surroundings of the city, there are several unique archeological districts that are available for tours. Those who are interested in ancient history should see the ruins of the ancient Greek city Panticapaeum. It was formed in the 7th century BC. During its heyday, the city was incredibly wealthy. On its territory, there were luxurious temples and palaces. This big city had existed until the 4th century AD. Now, on the territory of the archeological complex, you can see only some fragments of the magnificent constructions.

In the city, there is the Historical and Archaeological Museum founded in 1926. The museum lost the significant part of its collection during the Crimean War. Today, you can see here archeological artifacts that were found when the city and its surroundings were explored. The museum stores the collections of old weapons, rite tools, accessories, and household items. In total, the museum houses almost 240 000 exhibits, some of which are aged over 2 000 years.