Cave Monastery of Chelter-Marmara

Under the steep walls of Cape Ai-Todor, the ancient Christian abode of Saint Theodore was sheltered. Like many monasteries of Tauris, it was founded by Orthodox icon-worshipers from Byzantium in the Ush-TX centuries. Ai-Todor is the rocky Cape Ai-Todor between Yalta and Miskhor. At the top of its lighthouse, on the eastern spur - Swallow's Nest.

In all the Middle Ages, the year 1475 was more terrible for the Crimean peninsula, when the Turkish army captured the Eastern and Southern Crimea. Another group of Turks went to Mangup-Calais to conquer the inhabitants of the capital of the principality Theodoro. On the way was this defenseless and harmless monastery, and the Ottomans playfully ruined him. Since then, the monastery has not been rebuilt and rebuilt, so these underground medieval ruins can serve as another small museum of Byzantine Orthodoxy.

The caves of Cheltera are hollowed out in the rock, at the very foot. If you walk along the Belbek river, you will first see a cell - a very small cave, you can only enter into it by bending over. Let's go further, even past several rooms in the rock, including the economic ones. They will open similar cells to each other. You can only sigh and sympathize with their souls to the former inhabitants.

Here and the main hall - is no longer an artificial, but by nature nature created karstic cavity. Its area is 150 square meters. This is the largest cave temple in Crimea with all the attributes of the Orthodox faith: traces of the altar, graves, fonts.

If we move along the rock, then constantly we will see traces of cells in the form of artificial caves, then a long grotto to the spring. And all this - one monastery Chelter? Let's say more: we have only the remnants of the monastery, mostly rock walls and cell skeletons.

Gorge appears before visitors in different ways. Many consider it gloomy, frightening. Even the rock that hangs with all its might over the monastery, the locals nicknamed the Coffin-rock, and the gorge, through which the water runs, called the Tatars a strange name - Hor-Khor ("Bad-Bad"). Pure water from the gorge is enjoyed by monks and residents of the nearby village of Malye Sadovoe; Before the monastery she is going to the font.

To the novices of the monastery this area inspires a state of peace of mind and brings up lofty thoughts. This is understandable, because Orthodox architects were very attentive to the choice of the places where monasteries were founded. To help builders and abbots encouraged people who are given the opportunity to feel underground power, determine its useful or harmful effect.