Cave city Chufut-Kale

 

Chufut-Kale - one of the most famous and most visited "cave cities" of the Crimea. It is located on a plateau 558 m high above sea level on the outskirts of Bakhchisaray. The total area is 46 hectares. Studies of recent years suggest that the fortress was erected at the end of the VI - VII centuries. And belonged to the pre-Alanians - federates of the Byzantine Empire. Some scholars are inclined to another version of the ancient settlement in a later time of the 9th-10th c. And X-XI in, and connect it with the settlement of Fulla.

Chufut-Kale. View of the Karaite kenases of the 16th-18th centuries.

The original name of the settlement is unknown. Written sources XIII-XVI call it Kirk-Er or Kyrk-Or, which in Turkish means "Forty Fortifications". Other sources of different times tell us other names - Gevher Kermen, Butmai, Topra-kala. The name of the city Chufut-Kale appeared then, only Karaites remained here.

Chufut-Kale. Karaite kenass of the XIV century.

Chufut-Kale. Karaite kenass of the XIV century.

Chufut-Kale. Karaite kenass of the XIV century.

In the 15th century, during the formation of the Crimean Khanate, Chufut-Kale became its first capital. Here, the first Crimean khans - Hadji-Gerai and Mengli-Gerai - arranged their residence. At the beginning of the XVI century Bakhchisaray is being built and the khan and his entourage are moving there, and behind him are almost all Muslims. After the departure of the Muslims, the fortress continues to be used for a long time by the khans as a weapon storage and shelter in case of civil strife. Here, mainly lived Karaite and until 1778 a small Armenian community.

Chufut-Kale

Chufut-Kale - "cave city" with the most well-preserved monuments of archeology and architecture. Usually the visitor begins acquaintance with the city from the South Gate. The road from them leads to Karaite kenasses.

Chufut-Kale. Mausoleum of Dzhanyke-khanum, the daughter of Tokhtamysh 

The internal structure of the kenas is in many respects similar to that of the synagogue and its roots go back to the biblical Jerusalem temple. It is believed that a large kenasa was built in the XIV century, and a small one - in the XVIII century. Elders of the Karaite society gathered here. All the men prayed in the big hall of Shulchan (a place for parishioners), women were allowed to pray on the second floor.

Chufut-Kale. Caves

Chufut-Kale. Caves

The most ancient architectural monument of the ancient settlement is the Average defensive wall. Given its architectural features, the defensive structure can presumably date from the sixth to seventh centuries. Near the middle wall is the mausoleum of Janik-khanim. An octagonal centric structure with a tiled roof.

Chufut-Kale. Homestead Abraham Samuilovich Firkovich - Karaite writer and archaeologist. XVIII century.

The inscription on the marble tombstone reads: "This tomb of the famous sovereign Dzhanike-khanym, the daughter of Tokhtamysh Khan" (1637). Near the mausoleum is a Muslim cemetery, which travelers mentioned back in the beginning of the XIX century.

Chufut-Kale. Residential premises carved into the rock

Not far from the gate of the Middle defensive wall is the mosque, which was built in 1346, during the reign of the Golden Horde Khan Janibek. And in 1455 it was thoroughly reconstructed by the first Crimean Khan Khadzhi-Gerai, making the cathedral one.

Chufut-Kale. Funerary chamber

Behind the Middle defensive wall was the New City, which ends with another wall - the Eastern defensive. The territory of the New, as well as the Old Town, in ancient times was densely built up. In the Old City there are three streets (from the south to the north) - Kenas, Middle and Burunkak. The streets were laid on the very surface of the rock. On their edges there are pavements made of stone for pedestrians. The courtyard was hidden from view by a high stone fence. The houses were stone, most of them two-storeyed. The second floor was wooden or adobe in combination with a wooden frame. The roofs were covered with tiles. An example of such a building is the manor of the famous Karaite enlightener and collector of ancient manuscripts - A.S. Firkovich.

View from Chufut-Calais

View from Chufut-Kale towards Svyato-Uspensky cave monastery