Inkerman is rightly considered the “gateway” to the Crimean Tatar Crimea. Along the road passing through this city you get from Sevastopol and (in the 2nd case, getting off at the railway station) to the capital of the former Crimean Khanate. However, in the 15th century, this nascent state had to put up with the power of the Genoese colonists. The closest outpost of Italian power is the Kalamita fortress. Inkerman, in fact, began with its construction - but back in the days of Byzantine rule.
Where is the ancient settlement in Inkerman?
The ruins of the Kalamita fortress can be found on Monastic Hill, overlooking the residential sector of Inkerman from the east. It is located very close to the fortification.
Kalamita on the map of Crimea
From the history of fortification
The first name of the bastion (it was built by the ancient population for defense against Avars) remains unknown. The Genoese were informed that the remains of the fort were named Gazaria, which is understandable - the fortifications on the local hill had already been used by temporary rulers, the Khazars (the first Karaites).
The construction was also used for state purposes by Prince Theodoro Alexy - the only Theodorian port of Avlita had to resist enemies. He called Gazaria "Kalamita" ("good haven"). A few years later, the Italians made the remains the basis for their own fortress. But on their sea map It was the Theodorian designation of several military towers that appeared - Kalamita. A conflict arose between the Genoese and Gothic-Byzantine traders, which the Crimean Tatars soon took advantage of, forcing the Italians to cooperate.
The fate of the citadel was decided by the Crimeans in their favor. Having become full-fledged masters of the Tauride Mountains and the western coast of the peninsula, they, in alliance with the Genoese, tried for several years to defend themselves from the powerful Ottoman Empire. Nevertheless, having “overturned” the last bastion of Byzantium - Constantinople, the Turks in 1475 unleashed their force on Crimea. Taurida became Ottoman, but the Porte officially allowed the Tatars to trade slaves on the piers of In Kerman (thus the Turks renamed Avlita), receiving a percentage of the slave trade.
At the end of the 18th century, the Turks themselves had to defend themselves. However, Kalamita had already turned into ruins - the Ottomans did not even defend it, having previously evacuated numerous artillery crews to another place.
Legends of the Inkerman fortress
Many claimed that among the ruins of the Kalamita fortress one could hear the groans of slaves beaten to death who could not be sold. It was also rumored that the ghosts of the trapped soldiers of the English garrison, who defended the bridgehead on Monastyrskaya Hill during the war, lived here. At that time, so many soldiers of the British Empire had never died anywhere, because the Anglo-Boer and First World War haven't started yet.
What is interesting about visiting the fortress in Inkerman?
The Kalamita fortress, Inkerman - all this can be called a complex of amazingly combined creations of nature, pierced by foothills, and human masterpieces, located on the monastic hill of bastions and temples.
It is not for nothing that the fortification was called by Muslims In Kerman - “cave fortress”. From below we see only towers and walls erected on the surface of the mountain, however, gradually reaching the top, 
we notice passages into rock cavities, where Christian underground churches existed even before the formation and even before Justinian came to power.
It is no coincidence that even now near Kalamita itself there is one of these - Panteleimonovskaya, in the area of the most ancient cells. On the territory of the temple building there is also the Inkerman Clement Monastery, and even lower (closer to the Simferopol highway) - the Demetrius Church. The path to the ancient towers passes through all these objects.
The fort area is always open to the public. You just have to be careful on some paths. In some places, mountain trekking takes on an extreme character - you will even have to climb. On the lower section of the slope (leveled) there is a fragment railway, disappearing into some bizarre half-tunnel. All in all, there is a great setting for stunning selfies.
What can we say about the top, from which you can see the entire bed of the Chernaya River, which is, in fact, Inkerman. It is here that all five towers stand, and some are even reached by a road cut into the rock.
How to get to Kalamita?
You will never forget the Kalamita fortress. How to get here - any tourist resource will indicate where you can also find many photos, ours is no exception. The easiest route is to get to Inkerman and find the Vtormet stop. The next landmark is a gas station, the next one is the temple complexes, and the ascent begins from there.
By car from the center it is also easy to get to the Kalamita fortress; on the map the route looks like this:
Note to tourists
- Address: Kariernaya street, Inkerman, Sevastopol, Crimea, Russia.
- Coordinates: 44°36′11″N (44.602954), 33°36′32″E (33.609006).
Every time tourists are more and more surprised by Crimea. The Kalamita fortress is a must-see for everyone who decides to see Inkerman. For many of them, the goal is an excursion to the ancient pillars of Orthodoxy. In conclusion, we offer a short video about this attraction. Enjoy watching!
The Kalamita fortress is located in the city of Inkerman, near the city of Sevastopol, on the plateau of the monastery rock. A visit to the Kalamita fortress is often combined with a visit to the St. Clement Monastery.
Geographic coordinates of the Kalamita fortress on the map of Crimea GPS N 44.603475, E 33.608926.
Official date of foundation of the Kalamita fortress They consider the year 1427, but many excavations carried out in these places indicate that the fortress was built on earlier structures dating back to the 6-7th century AD. Archaeologists have not reached the earlier layers, so we can assume that new finds and historical facts are still waiting for us.In 1427, Prince Alexei, the ruler of the Principality of Theodoro, decided to strengthen the Inkerman area and the entrance to Inkerman Bay from the land side with the construction of fortifications. The city built in these places, like the port, was called Avlita, and was marked on Greek, and later on Tatar, maps. The name Kalamita is literally translated from Greek as “Good Bay”. Later, the Tatars changed the name Kalamita to Inkerman, which in Turkic is translated as “Cave”.
The port of Avlita, with a convenient bay and good trade interchange, began to provide great competition to the possessions of the Genoese, namely the port of the city of Feodosia. Most merchants preferred to unload some of their goods in Avlita and transport their goods to the mainland by land, under the auspices of the Principality of Theodoria and the Crimean Tatars. Another advantage was the cheaper cost of the port and services and security in transporting goods to the mainland, which the Genoese could not guarantee not to offer.
Due to the weakening of business, Genoese merchants decided in 1433 to attack Avlit and the Kalamitsky fortress, and later make a campaign against the Crimean khans. The Kalamit fortress fell after a month of battles and was partially destroyed.
The campaign of the Genoese against the Crimean Tatars culminated in a major defeat of the Genoese, who were again thrown back to the shores of Feodosius.
Avlit and the Kalamitsky fortress return again to the control of the Feodorian principality until 1475. In 1475, the Tatars attacked their ally, the Principality of Theodoria, and ceased its existence.
In the 16th century Kalamitskaya fortress was completely restored by the Turks and significantly fortified.
The fortress was relevant and had its own garrison until the end of the eighteenth century. After Crimea became part of Russian Empire The need for the fortress practically disappeared and it gradually began to collapse and crumble.
In the middle of the last century, the fortress was included in the list of monuments of cultural and historical significance and taken under state protection.
Get to the Kalamita fortress The easiest way is from the territory of the Inkerman St. Klimentyevsky Monastery, following the signs and climbing the mountain along a small path. Having reached the Kalamita fortress, you will discover new, incomparable views of the mountains and the sea. The climb to the fortress takes about 20-30 minutes. Visiting the Kalamita fortress is free. Visiting time is not limited. During sunset, being at the fortress is simply a heavenly pleasure. A visit to the Kalamita fortress will not only be educational, but also interesting as a hike in the mountains and as another exciting journey through the historical places of the Crimean Peninsula.
Kalamita fortress on the map of Crimea.Previous photo Next photo
Kalamita is one of the most famous and popular archaeological sites Crimea peninsula. It is located in Inkerman, in the lower reaches of the Black River valley. Ancient fortress in the 6th century it was founded by the Byzantines, in the 14th century it belonged to the princes Theodoro, after which there was a Turkish garrison on this territory.
From the Greek “kalamita” is translated as “reed”. Although there are other meanings. In Latin, for example, this word means “misfortune.”
On the Monastyrskaya Rock plateau, ruins of fortifications have been preserved. At the bottom of the cliff is the famous Inkerman Monastery, or rather, what remains of it: fragments of cave Christian churches and monastic cells. Today, unique historical sites are being restored, albeit slowly.
Inkerman Monastery
The monastery was founded by the Roman Bishop Clement, who was sent here into exile for preaching Christian religion in Rome. The cave complex appeared in the 8th-9th centuries and was always protected by the Kalamita fortress. The main monastery premises were carved out from the western side of the rock. The temples were built inside caves, the cells were carved into 3 tiers, and all the interior rooms were connected by stone stairs. After 1475, when the Crimea was conquered by the Turks, the monastery itself and the entire temple complex fell into disrepair; the revival of historical buildings began only after the official annexation of the peninsula to the Russian Empire.
The main monastery premises were carved out from the western side of the rock. The temples were built in quarry caves, the cells were carved into 3 tiers, and all rooms were connected by stone stairs.
In the mid-19th century, the Inkerman Film Church opened here and the reconstruction of churches began almost from scratch. The first restored temple was named after its founder Clement, who, by the way, was executed in Chersonense for preaching Christianity. According to legend, the Roman bishop personally cut down this church in the Monastery Rock. The temple was built in the form of a basilica, columns installed in 2 rows divided it into 3 parts. Several columns, benches and a niche for the image have been preserved. At the end of 1860, another object of the temple complex was restored - the Church of St. Marinian. In 1895, a temple was opened in the name of the Great Martyr Panteleimon. In 1905, several more restored churches appeared in the monastery complex. Most of the churches operated until 1926, the last remaining one - St. Nicholas - was destroyed in the 1930s.
Shortly before the Great Patriotic War in the premises of the monastery hidden from prying eyes, a reserve radio communication station for the commander was organized Black Sea Fleet. During World War II, fierce battles took place in this territory, and the headquarters of the 25th Infantry Division was located in the underground temples. Only in 1991 did restoration work begin again in Inkerman.
Surviving structures
Throughout its existence, the Kalamita fortress was rebuilt at least 5 times. The main construction periods: early medieval, Alekseevsky (15th century) and Turkish. In the rocks of Inkerman there were military fortifications, temple complexes, cells, and residential areas. Only round tower No. 4 has survived to this day relatively intact. Its height is about 10 m, diameter - 9 m. The remaining structures have been preserved only in fragments. The walls of the cells, for example, have almost completely collapsed, and the rooms hang over the abyss. But even in this form, Kalamita and the Inkerman Monastery retained their scale and amazing energy.
Practical information
A regular boat runs from Sevastopol from the Grafskaya pier every day. Your stop is “Maly Inkerman”. The walls of Kalamita are already visible from the pier.
In addition, you can get to “Maly Inkerman” from the city center by minibus No. 104.
Another option is 20 minutes by train Sevastopol-Simferopol. You need to get off at the Post 1501 km station and walk for about 15 minutes along the railway tracks in the direction of the train.
How many historical places are left in the world? Some of them are protected by the whole world and try with all their might to preserve their appearance, while others were destroyed, and only ruins remained from them. These include the Kalamita fortress in Crimea, which is located near the village of Inkerman.
Description
The fortress, built in the 6th century as a defense against enemies, consisted of six towers, which were connected by curtains, i.e. some structures that connected the two bastions. They were built from rubble stone and limestone mortar, the thickness of the walls ranged from one meter to four, and the height was twelve meters. The Kalamita fortress was very large, its area was 1500 m2, and its length was 234 meters.
The location of the fortress was not chosen by chance: on one side there is a cliff, where the bay goes deep into the land, reaching a width of one kilometer, and on the other side there is the fortress itself. In those days, all movements that took place near the fortress were visible.
Kalamita Fortress in Sevastopol: history
If you go by bus, then you should start the journey from Sevastopol, get to the “Vtormet” stop and, focusing on the gas station, begin your ascent to the temple complexes.
It is easy to get to your destination by car along or M 18. Next, at the Black River there will be the first turn towards the monastery, at the foot of which there is a fortress, to which you need to go through a tunnel, through an ancient cemetery, which abuts the gate tower.
The Kalamita fortress is part of the Chersonesos Nature Reserve. When restoration of one of the towers was carried out in 1968, drawings were found on limestone blocks, which depicted ships with very detailed drawings. Scientists believe that these drawings date back to the 14th-15th centuries.
No one knows exactly when the fortress was built. However, scientists believe that construction began in the 6th century. The fortress was built as a defense trade routes from attack.
In the 15th century, the fortress was rebuilt to protect the developing port of Avlita. A little later, the territory was conquered by the Turks, they built new fortresses and rebuilt old ones, which also happened with Kalamita. It was the Turks who adapted it for firearms and gave it the new name Inkerman, which means “cave fortress”.
- April, 13th 2008Not far from Sevastopol, next to the white-stone village of Inkerman, on the right bank of the Chernaya River on the Monastyrskaya Rock, the defensive towers of the Kalamita fortress rise. You can go there with a guide, but you can visit it yourself. Leaving the bridge and the railway track behind you, you need to follow the path to the left, along the rock with caves carved into it. Starts from a large natural cave ancient road, carved in stone - it will lead to the plateau, straight to the gate in the tower.
The fortress on Monastyrskaya Hill appeared in the 6th century, but what it was called then and what it looked like is now unknown. It is only known that it began to be called Kalamita from the 15th century, when the significantly strengthened principality of Theodorites began to look for exits to the Black Sea coast and, having built in 1427. port at the mouth of the Chernaya River (Severnaya Bay), restored an ancient destroyed fortress to protect it.
Occupying an area of about 2 hectares, it was surrounded by an eight-meter defensive wall with battle towers and a fortress moat - everything as it should be. Through the Kalamitsky port, the principality conducted brisk overseas trade, competing with its neighbors - the Genoese (Cembalo-Balaklava). The same port was used by the Tatars, who did not have access to the sea, according to the peace agreements of Prince Alexei with. The Kalamita fortress not only protected the port, but was actually an outpost of the Principality of Theodoro in the southwest. However, this was not enough for Prince Alexei, and he decided to take control of the Genoese fortress of Chembalo.
In 1433, circumstances developed in such a way that the Greek inhabitants of this colony, dissatisfied with the economic policy, formed a conspiracy and, with arms in hand, expelled their Genoese government and, as recorded in the chronicles, “handed over the city to the Greek Alexei, ruler of Theodoro...” It is possible that Prince Alexei helped the townspeople prepare this uprising. But it would be better if he didn't do this. A year later, Genoa, wanting to return its fortress, sent an army on 20 ships and took away its trading post from the Theodorites, and the Genoese captured and burned their port with the fortress of Kalamita.
After some time, the Principality of Theodoro restores its fortress and continues to trade for almost 40 more years, until the Turks capture all the Genoese colonies along the coast and unite with Crimean Tatars and declare war on the Theodorites. The strength is on the Turkish side: they have firearms and cannons taken from ships. The Turks call the captured fortress of Kalamita in their own way: “Inkerman” (“cave fortress”). During their rule it was a major port.
The fortress is being rebuilt - the walls and towers are doubled, an earthen rampart is also poured in front of the moat, and a powerful round tower with two embrasures and loopholes is erected in front of the defensive wall. Inkerman becomes a stronghold of the Turks in this part of Crimea until late XVIII century.
When you rise to the fortress, do not go into it, but go along the ramparts, to the second tower, the one in front of the moat. It has been preserved better than others. From this tower they walked into the fortress itself along the top of a thick wall built across the moat. On the territory of the fortress, along the southern cliff, you can see several tiers of caves that were once of military importance. The lower caves - for economic and religious purposes - are the remains of a medieval monastery. They can be viewed by going down the stairs near the first tower. This monastery (the rock is therefore called Monastyrskaya) was founded at the end of the 8th - beginning of the 9th century. and lasted about a thousand years. Its emergence is associated with the iconoclastic movement in Byzantium and the penetration of Christianity into Crimea. The monastery complex included both cave and above-ground structures. Cave temples were carved with great care; their walls were covered with frescoes depicting saints or scenes from the Holy Scriptures.
In 1299, when the Mongol-Tatar hordes of Nogai marched through the Crimea with fire and sword, the Inkerman Monastery miraculously escaped defeat. It fell into decay and desolation later, in connection with the resettlement of Christians from Crimea in 1778, and only in 1850. was restored by the synod and named the Inkerman monastery of St. Clement and St. Martina. At this time, a church, hotel and residential buildings were built. On the territory of the fortress itself there was a refectory and the Church of St. Nicholas, erected in 1907. in memory of Crimean War. The monastery was closed in 1926. During the war, almost all above-ground buildings were destroyed. Since the 90s, the monastery has been restored and today is a functioning monastery of St. Clement's Monastery, in the church of which services are held (vol. 72-22-65).
We have already briefly mentioned the Chembalo fortress, the remains of which tower today above Balaklava, south of Sevastopol. What is remarkable about this fortress? Excavations of the 90s of the XX century. showed that in these places in the I-II centuries. AD housed a fairly large Roman garrison ( military base) with a number of residential buildings and the Temple of Jupiter. The Romans built on already inhabited places and used slabs previously made by the Sarmatians. Historians believe that the fortress was founded here by the Scythian kings, in particular, by the son of King Skilur, Palak.
Fortification built to combat Pontic king Mithridates VI Eupator around 110. BC, was called Palakion (Plakia). In the 8th century BC. Here, on the shores of Balaklava Bay, the Taurians lived. What, I wonder, was it called then? For example, ancient Greek historians called it Syumbolon-Limena - Harbor of Symbols, omens. By the time the Genoese began to own these blessed places, the local population began to call these places Yamboli, Tsembalo, Chembalo (“yamboli” - “health” in Greek).
The cunning Genoese had already owned them for 60 years, when the Crimean Khan officially confirmed this fact (in 1380). During these years, the Upper City, or the city of St. Nicholas, appeared on the top of the cliff. There is a consular castle (a tower about 15m high), a town hall and a small church. The water came through a pipeline from a spring from the neighboring Mount Spilia. The lower city, or the fortress of St. George, was surrounded by a fortress wall with three towers. It was inhabited by people (mostly of Greek origin) who were engaged in fishing, crafts, trade, agriculture. It is believed that the colony had a shipyard for repairing military and fishing vessels.
In the XIII century. Cembalo fortress is an important outpost of Genoa in Crimea. In the 15th century The fortress was briefly captured by Theodorites from neighboring territories, but Genoa returned Cembalo, sending a military squadron to Balaklava Bay, whose cannons destroyed one of the towers and part of the wall, and defeated the besieged (only the son of Prince Alexei survived). I had to rebuild. But after 40 years, the Genoese were destined to leave the Chembalo fortress and the shores of Taurida in general forever. The year 1475 was marked by the final rule of Turkey in Crimea. The Turks gave the Chembalo fortress a new name - Balyk-kaya - fish rock - and placed their military garrison in it, which existed until the conquest and annexation of Crimea to Russia. One of the travelers (Greek Arkas) in the 19th century. described the surroundings of Balaklava and, in particular, mentioned the 8 surviving towers of the Chembalo fortress. But today you can only see four towers and the remains of defensive walls.
How to get to the fortress? From the port you walk along the embankment up to the steps leading up to the fortress (the climb is quite steep). Before the climb there is a spring. After visiting the fortress, you can go down to the sea to a fairly large beach and swim if you go a little to the left, along the tourist trail. Balaklava is easily accessible by minibus or bus from Sevastopol. The excursion route to Balaklava from any city in Crimea also includes a visit to the Chembalo fortress and a story about it.