The castle "Swallow's Nest"

Swallow's Nest - a castle known all over the world, which is the visiting card of the Crimea and its main attraction. A small palace, miraculously clings to a rock cliff and looks very colorful not only from within, but also from afar.

The castle was a "suite" in 1912 for the oilman Steingel, the author of the project was a talented architect A.V. Sherwood and eventually the palace, standing on the very edge of the cliff hanging over the sea, became a symbol of the Crimea.

 The building of the palace suffered twice: in 1927 with the earthquake and during the Second World War. The long period of the nest was in an emergency condition, and only by the seventies was restored, and the rock was fortified with concrete.

The palace "Swallow's Nest" by today's standards is quite small at a length of twenty meters, and its width is only ten. In the main hall there is a fireplace, and on the walls of the front there are eleven medieval arms.

The ceiling decorated with dragons, bronze sconces, incrustation and woodcarving brings us back to the past, in times of great kings and battles. The atmosphere creates a fabulous and romantic atmosphere.

Currently, the architectural symbol of the Crimea Swallow's Nest needs a serious examination by specialists. One of the elements of the structure is in an emergency condition: the rock under the balcony "Swallows" is crumbling, which causes great concern to the experts.

Today, the place over which the balcony hangs is closed for visits. Scientists still can not find the optimal solution to the problem: strengthening the rock with the help of a large number of materials heavies the design, and the use of light means does not give a positive result. According to the minister, for the period of restoration work on the second floor, tourists will only be able to see the observation deck "Swallows". In autumn 2013, in connection with the formation of new cracks, the architectural object was closed to visit, and specialists began to develop a project to strengthen the rock.

Another interesting fact is that under the rock there is an underwater cave with the same name. A small cave with a depth of no more than 10 m consists of several picturesque grottoes, which are connected by narrow aisles. Especially attracted by the hall, where the surface of walls and ceiling is covered with black soot. Most scientists agree that in ancient times people could stop here.

Finding a hole for entering the cave is not difficult: if you turn your face to the rock, the entrance can be found on the left side of the Swallow, at a depth of 8 m. You can also get to the cave from the rock, but this is a more difficult method. It is better to dive only prepared divers with more experience, be sure to take a flashlight. Good visibility at first glance is rapidly deteriorating because of the turbidity rising from the depth. In addition, in this underwater realm there are many narrow sections that melt danger.