- a unique creation of nature. It juts out into the depths of the land like a narrow ribbon, separated from the sea by a narrow entrance. At the entrance to the bay, the rocky shore makes several turns. Therefore, from the side high seas the harbor is not visible.
The first historical people of the Crimea, who left traces of their stay on ancient land Balaclavas are called Taurus. Ancient writers characterize the Taurians as a wild people who make human sacrifices. One of the famous myths is associated with Balaklava ancient greece- about the visit of Odysseus to the country of the Laestrigons (as Homer called the Taurians).
Greek colonization began in the 6th century BC Crimean peninsula. In 528. BC. in the west of the Heracleian peninsula, the Greeks founded the city of Chersonesus. From the time of the founding of Chersonesos, it becomes famous Greek name Balaklava Bay - Syumbolon Limen ("Bay of Symbols" or "Bay of Omens"). In II BC, the Chersonesites, exhausted by constant wars with the Scythians, were forced to ask for protection from the lord of the Pontic state, Mithridates VI Eupator, whose life goal was the creation of the Pontic Empire. In 110g. BC. The Pontic army was sent to the Crimea under the command of the commander Diophantus, who defeated the Scythians during several campaigns. However, Mithridates had a very serious and strong rival - Rome, which at the same time was conquest in the Balkans and Asia Minor. Since 89 to 63 BC the "Roman-Pontic wars" continued, from which Rome emerged victorious.
At the beginning of a new era in the history of Balaklava, the Roman period began. Balaklava land in the Roman era was a prosperous and peaceful land, but this prosperous time lasted only a century. In the middle of the 3rd century, a great migration of peoples began, caused by global cooling. The Roman Empire fell into the deepest crisis, hordes of nomadic tribes poured into the Crimea (the most famous are the Goths and Huns). Crimea and Balaklava, in particular, needed a new ally and patron.
They became the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium), which from the beginning of the VI century until the XIII century determined the fate of the Balaklava land. Until the end of the 12th century, Black Sea trade was completely in the hands of the Byzantines, which did not suit their commercial competitors, the Venetians and Genoese, very much. They were just waiting for the right opportunity to eliminate the Byzantines. And this opportunity presented itself - it turned out to be the IV Crusade to the Holy Land. The Venetian fleet carrying the crusaders did not head for the Holy Land, but for Constantinople. After the capture and plunder of Constantinople (the capital of Byzantium) by the crusaders in 1204, Byzantine possessions in the Crimea came under the rule of Trebizond, and maritime trade passed into the hands of the Venetians. But their trade monopoly lasted only half a century. The Greek population of the Crimea, and in particular Balaklava, left the ancestral lands desecrated by the Catholics and moved under the rule of fellow emperors - to Trebizond and especially to Nicaea.
In 1261, the Genoese (the main trade rivals of the Venetians) entered into a military alliance with the emperor of Nicaea, who captured Constantinople, expelled the "Latins" from there and restored Byzantium. The Genoese received the monopoly right to trade on the Black Sea.
In 1357, the Genoese began to build a fortress near Balaklava Bay, which was called Cembalo (a distortion of the Greek word Syumbolon).
One of the first buildings erected by the Genoese near Cembalo is the Orthodox Church of the 12 Apostles, which has survived to this day.
Despite the fact that Chembalo was an important outpost of Genoa in the Crimea, her position was not strong. In 1433, the rebellion of the Greek population of Balaklava against the Genoese colonization was supported by the Principality of Theodoro. For almost a year, the rebels held the fortress and the city in their hands, and only in June 1434. The six thousandth army of the Genoese, who arrived on ships from Genoa, managed to suppress the uprising and return Cembalo.
Byzantium fell in 1453 under the blows of the Ottoman Empire. After 1453 the Genoese were forced to pay tribute to the Turks and the Crimean Khan. The management of the Genoese colonies in the Crimea passes to the Bank of St. George. In 1475, a Turkish armada of almost 500 ships arrived to the coast of Crimea, with an army of 30,000 soldiers. The Turks captured the fortress of Chembalo without a fight (its garrison, led by the consul, preferred to “run on the run”). From this moment in the history of Balaklava, the Turkish period begins. Balaklava receives a new name "Balyklagy", which means "fish place, nest."
For a short time in the summer of 1625. Zaporozhye and Don Cossacks captured Balaklava, but soon suffered defeat in battle with the Turkish fleet.
In 1771, Chembalo was surrendered without a fight to the army of Prince Dolgorukov.
In the 18th century, Balaklava Bay became the first refuge for Russian ships that moved to the Crimea even before its official annexation to Russia. The first Russian officer to take up the fortification of the Balaklava Bay was Fedor Fedorovich Ushakov (at that time the commander of the 16-gun ship Morea)
In 1774 By signing the Kyuchuk-Kaynarji peace treaty with Russia, Turkey recognized the independence of Crimea, and in April 1783, Catherine II signed a manifesto on the annexation of Crimea to Russia.
During the Crimean War of 1854-1855. British troops were stationed in Balaklava. The British built the first in the Crimea in Balaklava railway. Shops, hotels, entertainment establishments appeared in the town. Piers were built on both sides of the bay.
On October 13 (25), 1854, the famous battle took place in the Balaklava Valley, which was called Balaklava, during which the British lost most of the light cavalry, in which the offspring of the most noble families of Britain served.
On November 14, 1854, a storm of unprecedented strength broke out in the Black Sea, which sank at least 30 and inflicted severe damage on at least 40 Allied ships and became the cause of the legend of the "Black Prince's gold" and subsequently the foundation on December 17, 1923 of the Special Purpose Underwater Expedition ( EPRON).
The literary fame of the Balaklava land began with A.S. Pushkin. In September 1820, a trip to the ancient St. George's Monastery will leave vivid memories in the soul of the poet. A very popular legend about a visit to the Balaklava land in the autumn of 1840 by another Russian poet - M.Yu. In August 1907, the famous poetess Lesya Ukrainka visited Balaklava. She settled in the house of the actress Sokolova. Here she lived for a month and a half, continuing, despite her illness (tuberculosis), her literary activity.
Many famous writers, such as A.S. Griboedov, A.N. Ostrovsky, I.A. Bunin, A. Green, L.N. Tolstoy, A.P. Chekhov, Maxim Gorky visited Balaklava land, although not everyone dedicated their creations. The first writer who sang Balaklava was Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin, in his cycle of essays "Listrigons" and the story "Svetlana". He lived in Balaklava from September 1904. until December 1, 1905, until he was expelled from Balaklava for his essay "Events in Sevastopol".
During the second defense of Sevastopol during the Great Patriotic War Balaclava with its convenient harbor turns out to be just as attractive to the Germans as it was to the British in 1854. The Germans sent the 72nd Infantry Division, supported by tanks, to capture it. The first blow of the enemy was taken by the NKVD battalion, which broke through to the city on November 4, 1941, as well as soldiers of the 514th Infantry Regiment of the Primorsky Army and marines. Having suffered heavy losses, the defenders of Balaklava were forced to retreat to the area of the Genoese fortress. Cembalo Fortress again, as in ancient times, becomes the last defensive line of Balaklava. The defenders of the Genoese fortress, having taken up defense on November 20, repulsed up to 70 Nazi assaults in a few months, without losing a single person. The defense of Balaklava lasted from November 4, 1941 to June 29, 1942. And in 1944, on April 15-16, Soviet troops reached the enemy's defensive lines and on April 18 Balaklava was liberated.
After the war, life in Balaklava changed dramatically. A division of submarines was stationed in the bay, and Balaklava turned into one of the most secret military bases in the country. The submarines stationed in Balaklava were equipped with nuclear weapons in the 1960s, and an underground plant for the repair of submarines was built in the thickness of the rock on the western shore of the bay. March 1995 the last Russian submarine was withdrawn from Balaklava, and in 2003 the Zaporozhye submarine belonging to the Ukrainian Naval Forces left for Sevastopol.
Today Balaklava is becoming popular tourist place. Here you can take a tour of the picturesque bay, climb to the ruins of the Genoese fortress, admire the snow-white yachts of the Golden Symbol yacht club and go on a boat trip to Cape Aya, St. scuba diving into the depths of the sea and just swim and sunbathe.
Once visiting Balaklava, you will definitely want to come back here.
Not only the South Coast is famous for its resorts and health resorts, where hundreds of thousands of tourists come every year. Other parts of the peninsula have beautiful nature and great beaches. One of these places in west coast the city of Balaklava is considered, Crimea here appears to visitors as a very nice, charming place.
Where is the city in Crimea?
Balaklava, which had the status of a city even before 1957, is now one of the districts. It is spread on the shores of a cozy bay of the same name, which is completely inaccessible to storms. High mountains protect it from the wind. People have chosen these places since ancient times, and the first significant settlements appeared here in the 1st century. The settlement has a rich history. The most heroic episodes during the time are associated with him. Today it's prosperous tourist centre, where streams of holidaymakers from Russia and the CIS countries flock.
Balaklava on the map of Crimea
Where to stay for vacation?
You can plunge into a holiday filled with comfort by staying in guest house KuprInn. It is housed in a historic building with splendid balconies, surrounded by a garden. It has only seven apartments, but each of the rooms is furnished with chic furniture and has an individual interior. The whole family come here and take their pets with them. There is a sauna here, and a picnic is organized in the garden by renting barbecue equipment.
In the comfortable hotel "Fordewind" there is accommodation for vacationers with different levels of income. The decoration of the living quarters here is done in light colors. They are air-conditioned and equipped with everything you need. Without leaving, you can use the services of a beauty salon and a massage room.
The recreation center "Ash Grove" is located in beautiful garden. Here you can rent houses at affordable prices. Each of them is equipped with a shower room and a kitchenette, air conditioning is installed. Barbecue and barbecue facilities are available to residents. The terrace offers a beautiful view of the coast of the Crimean peninsula. In Balaklava, you can rent an apartment or a house in the private sector, having agreed with the owner directly - without intermediaries.
What to see in Balaklava?
Where can you eat in Balaklava?
You can have a great lunch, admiring the beauties, in the respectable restaurant "Egoist", which is on, 1. Excellent furniture is installed in a room with a classic interior. Table setting and quality of service correspond to the image of the establishment. The menu includes dishes of European cuisine, and the wine list is very diverse. You can book a place for the evening by calling +7-978-813-22-10.
In the cozy Greek restaurant "Kefalo Vrisi", decorated with national flavor, try culinary masterpieces prepared according to ancient recipes of the Hellenes. 
Traditional vegetable salads and dishes and seafood are very tasty here. Guests are treated very attentively, and the prices are not too high.
A true restaurant-museum is Drake's Tavern. It is located on 17 Mramornaya Street, and the table reservation phone number is +7-978-763-66-93. Visitor reviews are mixed. Some argue that the local chef is not qualified enough to cook delicacies, while others say that the dishes served here are very tasty.
For lovers of fish dishes in Balaklava is a real expanse. Small ones specializing in this culinary direction are everywhere. In the "Rybak's Hut" treat yourself to fried mullet, mullet or horse mackerel, or enjoy "fisherman's soup". For the preparation of dishes, the freshest, freshly caught fish is used here, and the prices will pleasantly surprise you. You can make inquiries by calling +7-978-703-86-67.
How to get from Sevastopol?
From the center of Sevastopol to get to Balaklava is easy and public transport, and on the personal. From "pl. Nakhimov "bus No. 94 goes here, from Omega Bay - No. 119, from the stop" 5th km "- minibuses No. 9, No. 33 and No. 99.
On your own or rented car, you can get to Balaklava in this way:
Sevastopol is the most beautiful region of the Crimean peninsula. Balaclava is definitely worth it to come here on vacation, preferably with the whole family. The abundance of architectural monuments, wonderful beaches and magnificent nature will give you great pleasure. In conclusion, watch a short video about this amazing area of the famous hero city.
Balaklava - compact, but very picturesque locality near Sevastopol. It is popular with tourists because of its luxurious nature, cozy beaches and the possibility active rest. This article is all helpful information about Balaklava - how to get there, what to do, the sights of Balaklava with photos and descriptions, the history of the resort.
History of the resort
The beautiful harbor surrounded by rocks was first mentioned by Homer in the Odyssey. An ancient storyteller called the settlement located here Lamos and mentioned that the bay is completely hidden from the sea, and the water here is always calm.
The coast changed hands many times. Until the 1st century n. e. its main inhabitants were the Taurians, who founded a fishing village. Among the subsequent "owners" were the Romans, Greeks, Byzantines, who founded the village. Yamboli, the Italians who built the famous Cembalo Fortress.
In the XIV century, during the uprising of the Greek population of the fortress, it passed to the Principality of Theodoro, and then became part of the Ottoman Empire. Probably, then a toponym arose: the Turks called the fortress “Balyk-yuv”, which means “fish nest”.
In 1624, the Cossacks took possession of the fortress, and then it passed into the possession of the Russian Empire. During the Crimean War, the town was captured by the British, who built a wooden embankment, water supply and the first railway on the peninsula.
After the British left the city, Balaklava was part of the Yalta district for some time, and then developed as a resort. Boarding houses, hotels were opened, at the beginning of the 20th century. the dacha of Count Apraskin and the hunting lodge of the Yusupovs, land fortifications, which were used during the wars, were built.
Many military facilities (including a secret base) appeared during the Soviet period, so for some time the settlement was closed. And in 1957 Balaklava officially lost the status of a city.
Attractions of Balaklava - photo with description
Most Crimeans perceive Balaklava as a separate city, although administratively it is a district of Sevastopol. There are many attractions that are definitely worth a visit if you have chosen a vacation in the Crimea.
First of all, the settlement is famous for Balaklava Bay, the most convenient Black Sea coast. There are never storms in it, the rocks completely hide the bay from prying eyes. Previously, submarines were based here, and now ships of the Black Sea Fleet are located.
A beautiful embankment stretches along the town, bearing the name of the war hero I.A. Nazukin.
Not far from the Balaklava embankment stands the oldest church of the Twelve Apostles on the peninsula, built on the site of a Byzantine church that stood here back in the 6th century. The temple has its roots in the Genoese period, and it owes its temple architecture to the 18th century and is considered unique. During the reconstruction of the building, a stone was found with an inscription saying that the church was built in 1357.
During the Crimean War, it was destroyed, and completely restored only by the end of the 19th century. It was decorated with porticos and consecrated in honor of Nicholas the Wonderworker, who is the patron saint of sailors. After the victory in the Crimean War, the Greek Balaklava battalion kept its banners here.
The temple is famous not only for its centuries-old existence. Its architecture has been recognized as unique, which has no analogues in the world, and is in the register of architectural monuments of the 18th century. The building was built in the form of a cross with a dome located in the center, the walls are made of marble rubble limestone. At the entrance to the temple there are white stone columns, and the inside remains snow-white, untouched by frescoes for several centuries.
In the USSR, the church was closed and various organizations were located in its building. But in 1990, the architect Yuri Lositsky presented his project for the reconstruction of the building, and by the summer of that year, for the first time in many years, a service was held there.
Stepping on the land of Balaklava, you will certainly hear the traditions and legends of the famous Cembalo fortress. The remains of its towers, located on Mount Kastron, are visible from afar. At one time, this citadel made Balaklava Bay an inaccessible harbor. According to the annals, its construction began in the middle of the 14th century, and ended in the second half of the 15th century, as evidenced by the consular inscriptions that have survived from those times. It is possible that the Genoese could build a fortress on the ruins of the foundations that remained from the time of the Romans and Greeks, the presence of which is confirmed by archaeological excavations.
A stone staircase leads to the first tower, which even children can climb, but the next ones will have to be reached along a mountain path. But from above, an incredibly beautiful view of the settlement and the Black Sea water area opens up.
The representative office of Cembalo was located between the citadel of Kalamita, near the Black River and Cape Sarych. On the cliff, defensive cities were built above and below, which were a well-fortified palace.
The city at the top bore the name of the patron saint of sailors Nicholas. It housed the entire administrative corps of the colony. In the Consular Castle on the lower floor there was a large container for storing drinking water. In the lower city were built defensive walls, who reliably defended the castle, it was named after George the Victorious.
The remains of Cembalo are perfectly visible from the embankment, there are steps, along them you can climb to the very highest point Castron and, rising to dream up what the fortress was like at the time of its formation. It took its beginning from the old port and the market that were in the bay, the first tower was the beginning of the walls of the fortress, in total Cembalo was surrounded by 16 towers.
At the top of the donjon tower, amazing beauty opens up, from a bird's eye view you can see the sea to the very horizon, on the right side of the mountain you can see Cape Fiolent, on the left - Aya, and turning back you can see all of Balaklava in all its glory.
Unfortunately, all the monuments of the Crimea, which belong to the Genoese period, are no exception, and Cembalo, have long turned into ruins and continue to collapse. So far, no one has been willing to restore them.
Underground Naval Museum Complex of Balaklava
Most vacationers in Crimea come to Balaklava to visit the Balaklava Naval Museum Complex, which became a museum in 2002. It was created on the basis of an underground plant designed for the repair and maintenance of submarines, located in adits.
This is a unique attraction of Balaklava, as a kind of monument to the Cold War, military history, the technique of those years, that Balaklava, which was a secret base of nuclear submarines (object GTS No825).
The bay became a military base even before the war, and already in the 50s they began to build an anti-nuclear facility here. To create a secret base, Balaklava was chosen - a bay completely isolated from prying eyes, closed by a small strait. The unique fortifications were made in the shortest possible time, in the most difficult conditions, underground in just 8 years and are a brilliant indicator of engineering work.
Here, at a sufficient depth, artificial water source, dry docks, technical areas in which submarines were serviced and repaired, fuel depots, a secret mine and torpedo unit. It was possible to get out of Mount Tavros through two exits, one led to the bay, the other to the open sea, both exits were well camouflaged.
At the end of the last century, in connection with the re-equipment of the fleet, the object ceased to be secret and lost its significance. Here, from the few that have survived, they organized exhibitions dedicated to historical significance Black Sea Fleet and the country's submarine forces. Some areas near the underground channel, rooms that used to be factory floors and an arsenal of torpedoes and nuclear warheads were opened for inspection. Also here you can see models of warships and some types of equipment and weapons of that time.
Even here, in one of the caves, there is an exposition of rare exhibits related to the Crimean War, which were kindly provided by the Sheremetev family from Kyiv. Here you can see military ammunition, uniforms, awards, some types of different weapons. Here on the battle maps you can see the routes of that war, read letters from soldiers and much more.
Cape Fiolent and St. George's Monastery
to one of the most beautiful places peninsulas can be attributed to Cape Fiolent, which beckons with a picturesque landscape, clear sea, white beach and stones at the bottom of the sea, which are overgrown with marine vegetation. Here, in calm, it is especially pleasant to watch the sea, at this time the water in the sea is completely transparent.
It was formed as a result of an eruption that existed here in the prehistoric period, a volcano, as evidenced by the frozen lava flows on its surface, on the slopes already covered with limestone, veinlets of semiprecious minerals.
The cape is overgrown with many legends and names, and everyone chooses a legend to their taste. Initially, it was called Partennum and, according to legend, personified Iphigenia, brought here by the goddess Artemis to be sacrificed to the gods, who later became the priestess of the temple of the Virgin. According to another legend, he began to be called St. George after St. George appeared to the sailors who were wrecked and helped them.
Having landed on the cliff, they found the face of George on it and after that, the surviving sailors, in gratitude for the salvation, erected a monastery here in his honor. But it began to be called Fiolent not very long ago, and to this day there are disputes about where this name came from, either from God's country, or from the violent nature of the cape.
To understand what Cape Fiolent is, you need to imagine a very high mountain with the sea at the foot and an old staircase of 800 steps, if you go down it, you can see sheer cliffs above the beach, the sea and a rock in it, with a towering cross placed there in ancient times.
Cape Fiolent On the rocks of Fiolent above Yashmovy Beach there is St. George's Rock, here stands the one-of-a-kind St. George's Monastery, where a pagan temple used to stand. According to legend, it was built at the end of the 9th century by sailors who were helped to escape by St. George. Priests (chaplains) for the fleet came out of this monastery, many emperors of Russia visited there, and Pushkin, who visited this land, left full of impressions.
In commemoration of the thousandth anniversary of the monastery in 1891, on the rock, where the navigators saw the appearance of St. George, a cross was erected on which the saint slays the dragon and the date 891-1891. Restoration work is still underway, but the monastery accepts everyone who wants to attend the service.
Waterfall Merdven-Tobe in the vicinity of the village of Rodnoe (Balaklava district)
Indeed, the reserves of Crimean sights are endless. So in the Baydarskaya Valley they are in full abundance. One of these is the Merdven Tobe waterfall, which literally means an inverted staircase, it got its name due to its shape.
The shape of the rock, from which streams of water flow gracefully, falling with special grace into the green expanse of the lake, in fact, is very similar to an inverted staircase. The green shore of the lake resembles a tropical landscape, there is something Hollywood about it.
Here, under the visor, there is a grotto covered with ivy, Koba-Chair, where you can find coolness even on the hottest day. If you look at the waterfall from the grotto, then a stunning spectacle of the play of water with the sun opens up. In very hot summers, the waterfall practically dries up, so it is better to admire all its beauty in March-April.
But, despite this, the lake remains at the disposal of vacationers. The resting place here is very well equipped, there are tables, benches, changing rooms, i.e. everything you need for a good rest. There is a waterfall near the village of Rodnoye, therefore locals it is called Rodnovsky waterfall. Not far from it is ostrich farm, where you can hear a lot of interesting things about ostriches, go fishing and relax at the campsite.
On the Tavricheskaya embankment in the Balaklava Bay, a beautiful dilapidated building has been standing for many years. They call it the hunting lodge of the Yusupovs, although the word house does not fit well with this building.
Back in the early 20th century, the Yusupov family, who loved Crimea very much, replenished their collection of houses here with one more summer palace. Their dynasty was the wealthiest in tsarist Russia. Unfortunately, not a single member of the Yusupov family lived in this house.
The only heir to this dynasty, Felix, was involved in organizing the murder of Grigory Rasputin, and their entire family, like other representatives of the Romanov family, was taken to England. Later, the heir and his wife moved to the capital of France, where they remained until the end of their days.
Now this architectural monument is not suitable for visiting tourists, but, nevertheless, the majestic walls of the once beautiful palace remember those times of the great empire.
What else to do in Balaklava?
Balaklava is popular among tourists. First of all, they are attracted by the wonderful beaches, which can be reached by ordering a boat trip. Several swimming spots are easily accessible on foot. For example, City Beach is located in the center, and a little further, 4 km from central square, there are well-maintained Matrossky and Marble beaches.
Tourists are encouraged to fishing, order an excursion on ATVs, ride horses or fly with a paraglider. Yachting and diving are developed.
There are many canteens, cafes and restaurants in Balaklava, which specialize mainly in fish dishes. Balaklava fish soup is famous all over the coast. After tasting local delicacies, you should take bus number 126 and go to Inkerman, where you can taste fine wines.
Helpful information
The season in Balaklava starts in late spring and lasts until September. There are direct flights from Simferopol. Buses leave from the bus station, but only four flights are made per day. It is easier to get from Sevastopol: from the square. Nakhimov city buses number 2a, 12, 14, 20a, 120 go. You should go to the stop. "5th km of Balaklava highway", then on fixed-route taxi No. 9 - to the stop. May 1st Square. It is very close to the bay from here.
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Subtitles
Origin of the word
According to one version, the name of the city comes from the Turkish language and is translated as "fish bag"; according to another version, the name comes from the Crimean Tatar language, in which the expression "balıqlı ava" literally means "fish weather". According to O. N. Trubachev, the toponym originates from the Indo-Aryan language of the ancient Taurians, where the name of the city Παλάκιον (it is believed that it was located on the site of the current Balaklava) sounded like *Palakia and meant "(City) belonging to King Palak".
The modern toponym takes its name from the Genoese fortress XIV-XVIII Chembalo. After the capture in 1475 by the Turks, the fortress was named Balyk-yuv (“Fish's Nest”), the Turkish garrison was stationed in it, and later the Crimean khans who had been guilty of the sultan served their sentences here.
Story
Antiquity
Probably for the first time Balaklava is mentioned by Homer as Lamos, the city of the Laestrigons (Odyssey, X, 80-132). Actually, the following lines allow you to make such an assumption:
We entered the beautiful harbor there. She is surrounded
The rocks are steep on both sides with a continuous wall.
Near the entrance rise high against each other
Two capes run out, and the entrance to this harbor is narrow.
<…> never been in the bay
The waves were neither high nor small, and the surface shone evenly.
File:Balaklava temple.gif
Computer reconstruction of the ancient Roman temple of Jupiter Dolichen in Balaklava
In the 60s of the 1st century A.D. e. (between 63 and 66) the Roman legions under the command of the legate of the province of Lower, Moesia Plautius Silvanus, defeated the Taurus-Scythian army that besieged Chersonese. Shortly thereafter, the Roman garrisons were brought into Chersonese, and the fortress of Kharaks was erected on Cape Ai-Todor, a military camp appeared in the bay Symbolon. It is from this time that the dating of the Chersonese and Roman coins found on the territory of Balaklava begins. Several Roman buildings were also found - a one-story nine-room building (the so-called "state house"), which was covered with tiles with the emblems of the legions, as well as a temple dedicated to Jupiter Dolichen.
After the Roman troops left the Crimea in the mid-240s, the city did not become empty, the Greek population remained there until the 370s, when the Northern Black Sea region was devastated by the invasion of the Huns. However, already at the beginning of the 7th century, a Byzantine settlement was recorded here. Yamboli. In 704, Emperor Justinian II, who fled from Chersonese, was hiding here. The name Yamboli is a corruption of the Latin Symbolum.
Genoese colony
After the plague of 1429 and the drought of 1428-1430, the Greek population of Cembalo in the autumn of 1433 raised an uprising against the Genoese rule, during which the Principality of Theodoro captured the city. The 16th-century Italian historian Umberto Folleta wrote of this event:
“This year, the Greek residents of Cembalo, the city of Tauride Chersonesos, plotted against the Genoese rulers of the city, suddenly taking up arms, and, having driven the Genoese, they handed over the city to some Greek Alexei, the ruler of Fedoro ...”
| This year, in 7134, about two thousand Don Cossacks went to the sea in autumn, and with them landed on the sea in 300 plows with 10,000 Zaporizhian Cherkasy. And those de, sovereign, the Don Cossacks and the Zaporizhian Cherkasy went by sea in the courts in the war under the cities of Tur and took the Turian 3 Pomeranian cities: Trabizon, and they will not mention the names of another city [Balaklava and Kafa]. And those de Don Cossacks on the sea, the Turkish people, having come on the Kathars, beat the best people with 500 people, and beat the Zaporizhian Cherkasy with 800 people. And from the sea de, sovereign, the Don Cossacks came to the Don to their towns. Yes, after de, sovereign, they soon came to the Don with a Cossack from the sea and Zaporizhian Cherkasy with 500 people and wintered with the Cossacks on the Don. |
Crimean War
On October 13 (25) in the valley north of Balaklava, the so-called Balaklava battle took place: the Russian army sought to capture the English camp and thereby cut off the supply of the British. The place of the battle was later named Death Valley, in 1856 the British installed there commemorative sign and there is an English cemetery, which in 1945 after the Yalta Conference was visited by Winston Churchill. (For more on Churchill's visit, see.)
Until the end of the war, the British army and navy were based in Balaklava. The British built a wooden embankment (now the Nazukin embankment is located on this site), a water pipe was also laid and highways were built. In the village of Kadykovka (now part of the city) there were shops, hotels and entertainment establishments. In addition, in February-March 1855, the British built the first Balaklava railway in the Crimea, 12.8 km long, it connected Balaklava Bay and a military depot in the Sapun Mountain area. After the war, the railway was dismantled and sold to the Turks.
First railroad
On February 8, 1855, at the initiative of the private English firm "Peto, Brassey and Company", the construction of the first railway in the Crimea for the delivery of guns and shells to the places of siege work began. On January 19, 1855, the first batch of workers arrived in Balaklava from England with the chief engineer James Batty, from there they delivered 1800 tons of rails, 6000 sleepers, 300 tons of boards and about 2000 tons of various cargo, including cranes, platform wagons, trolleys and even cars for driving piles. The construction was completed in seven weeks - by March 26, 1855.
The railway ran along the western shore of Balaklava Bay. Then the double track went to the village of Kady-Koy, turned left, skirting the French hill, went to the crossroads of dirt roads, where now the 10th kilometer of the Balaklava highway, passed by the farm of General Braker and reached the Vorontsovskoye highway (the old Yalta road). Traditionally, the length of the railway was considered to be seven miles, that is, 11 kilometers. But, according to the English engineer Brian Cook, together with the branches, the railway was twice as long - about 14 miles (22.5 km).
To speed up the transportation of goods from the UK, steam locomotives were delivered, each of them had the name: "Commonwealth", "Victory", "Swan" and "Black Diamond".
After the end of the Crimean War, the railway was dismantled and sold to a Turkish company. According to some sources, the British themselves did it, according to others, the Russians.
Crimean resort
In 1953-1963, an underground plant was built in Balaklava for the repair and equipment of submarines - the so-called "Object 825 GTS", as well as "Object 820" for the storage and preparation for combat use of six types of nuclear weapons. It is located inside a rock on the western shore of the bay and also has an exit from the sea. The plant would not have suffered even in the event of a direct atomic strike with a power of up to 100 Kt, it could accommodate up to three thousand people and had a deployed life support system. Up to seven submarines can enter the plant at the same time. The depth of the channel reaches 8 m, the width varies from 12 to 22 m. total area of all premises and passages of the plant 9600 m², the area of the underground water surface is 5200 m². In 1994, the last submarine left Balaklava, the plant ceased operations and was looted. Now part of the plant is a museum.
Since the plant was a secret facility, on May 10, 1957, Balaklava was included in Sevastopol and therefore lost the administrative status of the city and became a closed territory. Until the end of the Cold War, Balaklava remained a closed city.
Genoese fortress Cembalo
In Soviet times, the Pioneers' house was set up in the church, and then the Osoaviahima club. After the church was handed over to the Church in 1990, it was re-consecrated in the name of the Twelve Apostles.
Population
| Population | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1897 | 1926 | 1939 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
| 1215 | ↗ 2182 | ↗ 5148 | ↗ 18 649 | ↗ 18 955 | ↗ 19 978 | ↗ 21 073 |
| 2018 | ||||||
| ↗ 22 049 | ||||||
*In 1957-2014, the former city of Balaklava was not included in the statistics as a separate settlement.
The population of Balaklava according to the population census as of October 14, 2014 was 18,649 people; according to Sevastopolstat as of January 1, 2015 - 18,955 people, as of January 1, 2016 - 19,978 people
National composition population (2014 census):
| nationality | Total, people |
% of indicating- shih |
|---|---|---|
| indicated | 17637 | 100,00 % |
| Russians | 14554 | 82,52 % |
| Ukrainians | 2382 | 13,51 % |
| Belarusians | 152 | 0,86 % |
| Tatars | 121 | 0,69 % |
| Armenians | 53 | 0,30 % |
| Uzbeks | 44 | 0,25 % |
| Chuvash | 35 | 0,20 % |
| Moldovans | 30 | 0,17 % |
| Georgians | 26 | 0,15 % |
| Crimean Tatars | 25 | 0,14 % |
| Mordovians | 21 | 0,12 % |
| Bulgarians | 21 | 0,12 % |
| Ossetians | 20 | 0,11 % |
| other | 153 | 0,87 % |
| did not indicate | 1012 | |
| Total | 18649 |
In literature
- In A. I. Kuprin’s story “Listrigons”, the action takes place in Balaklava.
Notes
- According to Russia's position
- This settlement is located on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula, most of which is the object of territorial disputes between Russia, which controls the disputed territory, and Ukraine, within whose internationally recognized borders the disputed territory is located. According to the federal structure of Russia, on disputed territory Crimea are the subjects of the Russian Federation - the Republic of Crimea and the city of federal significance Sevastopol. According to the administrative division of Ukraine, on the disputed territory of Crimea there are regions of Ukraine - the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city with a special status Sevastopol.
- According to the position of Ukraine
- Population Russian Federation by municipal units on 1 January 2018 year (indefinite) . Retrieved 25 July 2018.
The history of Balaklava has about 3000 thousand years, it is difficult to name the exact date of the foundation of the city. It is known that the shores of the bay have been densely populated since ancient times.
According to Greek, Polish and Arabic chroniclers, the city was known far beyond the Crimean peninsula. Possibly in the area modern city was the port of the listrigons of Lamos (known from ancient Greek myths as the place of the cannibal giants that Odysseus fought during his travels).
In the VI century BC. Chersonesus was founded, around the Balaklava Bay there was also a village, which in Greek was called the "port of omens" - Syumbolon Limen.
A completely new period, the Roman, began in 63 BC. after the conquest of Asia Minor and the Balkan region by the Roman Empire. During this period, the city flourished and became a well-known center of trade. But the peace period did not last long. From III, the great migration of peoples to the Crimean peninsula began, where the fearless regiments of the Huns and Goths rushed. Since the VI century, Balaklava belonged to the Byzantine Empire.
In 1357, the magnificent fortress of Cembalo (from the name Syumbolon) was built in Balaklava by the Genoese. Also, a few years later, the Temple of the 12 Apostles was built near the fortress. Balaklava was an important strategic object of Genoa, but in 1433 the Greek population of Balaklava began to protest against the colonization of Genoa. The rebels were able to hold the fortress and the whole city for a whole year, but the next year the army of Genoa retook Cembalo to their possessions.
In 1453, the Ottoman Empire defeated the great Byzantium, and since 1457, the Turkish armada managed to capture the fortress. From that moment on, the Turkish period of rule began in the city. The name of the city was changed to "Balyklagy", which means a nest, a fishing place. At times, the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks managed to capture Balaklava, but they did not succeed in holding the defense for a long time.
In 1771, through diplomacy and the signing of treaties, Turkey handed over the city of Balaklava to the possession of Prince Dolgorukov. Since that time, the famous bay has become an important haven for the Russian navy. Three years later, the Turkish authorities recognized the independence of the Crimea, and in 1783 the entire Crimea was annexed to Russia (after the signing of the manifesto of Catherine II).
During the Crimean War, the city was captured by the British, who built the first railway in the city, shops, entertainment centers and hotels. In the autumn of 1854, the famous Battle of Balaklava took place, in which the British were defeated and lost a significant part of their cavalry. A few weeks later, a great storm arose that sank the ships of the invaders. This incident gave rise to the legend of the "gold of the Black Prince", for the study of which the Special Purpose Underwater Expedition was organized.
During the Great Patriotic War, Balaklava became an important target for the Nazi troops. To capture it, the 72nd infantry division was allocated, accompanied by heavy artillery. Domestic defenders were defeated and moved to the area of the Genoese fortress, which played the role of an important defensive shield. So in November 1941, the Soviet troops managed to repulse numerous German attacks without a single loss of life. The defense lasted until 1942, and in 1944 Balaklava was completely liberated from the Nazi invaders.
After the end of the war, the city became a secret military base, and a division of submarines was organized in Balaklava Bay, which contained nuclear weapons. Also, in the thickness of the rock, an underground plant for the repair of marine transport functioned. The entrance to the territory of this object was closed, and only since 1995 the last submarine of Russia was withdrawn.
Today, when all military secrets have been declassified and the city has acquired the status resort place more and more tourists want to see picturesque bay, walk along the ruins of the Genoese fortress, as well as just sunbathe and swim in the clean warm Black Sea.
