Ak kaya on the map. Mountain ak-kaya. The Legend of White Rock

White Rock(Crimea) for ordinary people is something completely unusual and mysterious. This place attracts many tourists every year who want to get unforgettable experience. Getting to the natural attraction is not difficult, because Ak-Kaya is located near Belogorsk, that is, almost in the very center of the peninsula. White Rock - Crimea in its almost original form, preserving its natural splendor and permeated with the spirit of history.

The content of the article:

• First acquaintance with White Rock
• How to get there
• Historical information
• Active recreation and entertainment

What does the Ak-Kaya mountain range look like at first glance?

Unfortunately, it often happens that masterpieces created by nature are destroyed by man for some pressing purpose. While a destroyed building can be restored, the situation is different with a mountain. Fortunately, now guests and residents of the peninsula can admire the preserved Ak-Kaya rock. Crimea is not only wonderful beaches, warm sea, parks, palaces and fortresses, but also picturesque mountains formed over millions of years of tectonic processes. The white rock is one of the most unusual places which you should definitely see with your own eyes.

Ak-Kaya translated from Crimean Tatar means White Rock. Crimea was repeatedly visited by film crews who were creating films in these amazing beautiful places. Interestingly, the mountain looks mesmerizing even from afar thanks to the color of the limestone rock. In bright sunlight, observing the massif is a particular pleasure: it seems that there is a glow coming from the White Rock. Crimea is definitely worth a visit if you haven’t seen this magical place yet.

Hiking to enjoy stunning views of the White Rock

A pleasant and useful way to spend time is walking to the White Rock (Crimea) with a visit to very ancient caves that were formed in the Paleolithic. In addition to the benefits of walking, you will enjoy the stunning views that open over the surrounding area from Ak-Kaya. It is interesting that it is possible to get to the mountain range and directly to it by horseback riding.

If you decide to ride a horse, there will be even more positive emotions. People with a developed imagination can feel like a character in one of the Soviet films that were filmed in these places. White Rock (Crimea) will fully meet all your expectations and even exceed them. The mountain is located far from crowded and dusty cities, it is easy to breathe on it - you can feel the wonderful aromas of sun-warmed herbs. There are no heavy industries or endless streams of cars with suffocating exhausts nearby, so if you want to breathe the cleanest air, then be sure to visit the White Rock. Crimea is ready to give you many of the most positive impressions and help you restore your health.

the views at the top of Ak Kaya are so different

White Rock, Crimea - how to get to an amazing attraction

You can find it five kilometers from the city of Belogorsk. If you like to spend active holidays, you should definitely visit these scenic spots. You will be captivated by the grandeur of the steep white cliffs, from the tops of which a stunning view of the endless expanses opens.

You can get to Mount Ak-Kaya, Crimea, in different ways.

• If you are driving your own car, you need to get to Belogorsk first, and then drive another 5 kilometers towards the mountain.
• You can also enter the coordinates of the mountain into the navigator: 45° 5" 55.45" N 34° 37" 53.92" E.
• For those who travel to public transport, first you need to take the Simferopol - Belogorsk bus. From there you need to take a minibus that goes towards the village of Belaya Skala, Crimea. There you need to walk along a wide street leading to the river. You can also walk along the river valley, cross it over a small bridge, and then pass Apple orchard. if you don’t have water with you, then it’s better for you to get it from this river, since there are no sources of fresh water on the White Rock itself.

We are on the map:

If you have any difficulties on the way to Mount Belaya Skala, Crimea, you can find out how to get to it from the residents of Belogorsk or the village of Belaya Skala, who will be happy to tell you which road and where you need to go to get to this amazing place.

The height of the White Rock is 325 meters above sea level. White steep cliffs proudly rise above the picturesque river valley with amazing name- Biyuk-Karasu.

Clarification of where the rock is located

Some tourists who decide to go to this place for the first time require more detailed information. From White Rock (Crimea) to the capital of the peninsula is about 50 km and about 7 kilometers to the road connecting Feodosia and Simferopol. You should cross Belogorsk and drive about 4 kilometers to settlement, called the White Rock, which is located next to the mountain range of the same name, which rises above the Biyuk-Karasu river valley. From the surface of the valley to the top of the mountain is about a hundred meters.

History of origin

It is interesting to learn about exactly how the masterpiece created by nature was formed. In addition to internal tectonic processes, the cuesta relief was influenced by weathering. Due to the external influence of atmospheric phenomena, all kinds of niches were formed.

At the bottom mountain range As a result of erosion, residual materials accumulate, such as:

• limestone blocks;
• scree of small stones;
• ravines and beams.

Vegetation partly inhibited the weathering process, which influenced the unusual appearance mountains. Having rented housing for daily rent in Belogorsk, you can go see the amazing beauty of this place. No photographs or videos can convey the stunning view of the rock.

Historical information about the attraction

In the 20th century, in the 60-70s, on the northern slope of the massif, a paleontological expedition excavated sites of primitive people, the total number of which was about 20 places. Then they found numerous household items, as well as skeletons of animals that do not exist in Crimea today:

• wild horse;
• giant deer;
• cave bear;
• mammoth.

At the same time, the remains of Neanderthals were discovered.

Ancient people settled in this region because it was optimal for subsistence. Nearby one could find water, shelter in caves, and flint necessary for everyday life. In these places, primitive man hunted, which brought great success, because there was a lot of game.

Much later, Sarmatian tribes built their dwellings on the territory next to the rock. They created ritual places in rock cavities, left signs in caves, carving them on stone. Tourists love to engage in interesting entertainment in Crimea - looking for symbols of ancient people on the rock.

Traces of history

On the hill there are numerous mounds left by people who lived next to the rock. It is interesting that in the Middle Ages the head of a rich Tatar family, Shirin, lived near it.

It is difficult to enter the Altyn-Teshik cave located at the top, since it is 50 meters away from the base of the mountain. There are several legends about this place:

1. the grotto cave was the haven of a werewolf snake who stole beautiful girls and carried it to his lair;
2. there are rumors that secret passages stretched all the way to Feodosia;
3. The cave was once inhabited by a gang of bandits who hid treasures somewhere.

In the old days, various political meetings were held on the mountain, when it was necessary to choose a clan head or discuss a khan who was causing discontent. Executions were also carried out in this place. Bohdan Khmelnytsky was present on the mountain when captured soldiers were thrown off it to speed up the process of payment of money by the hetman.

Even on the White Rock in the 70s of the 18th century, a headquarters was located in which Suvorov was engaged in military affairs. In the 80s of the same century, local noble people became loyal subjects Russian Empire, taking the appropriate oath.

Attraction in our time

To get acquainted with ancient sights, you should go on weekend tours in Crimea - the amazing beauty of the White Rock will definitely not leave you indifferent. When approaching the mountain range on close quarters It will become clear that its color appears absolutely snow-white only from afar. In reality, the slopes of the mountain are beige with a yellowish tint.

In the caves located on the rock, you can feel like a real speleologist. You should definitely stock up on a flashlight, because sunlight penetrates only to the beginning of the caves, and beyond there is absolute darkness.

Numerous patterns can be found on the rock. It seems that only people could create them, but in fact, nature did their best. As a result of the activity of the winds, all kinds of cavities were formed, as well as supports on which the upper part of the massif rests.

The top of the mountain is marked by numerous signs of erosion. At the bottom of the rocky massif, crushed stone embankments cut into hollows are visible. Among them, large fragments of limestone are noticeable, having great weight and impressive appearance.

Guides and seasoned tourists It is advised to go to the mountain in the evening, because it is not so hot and visibility is better. If you want to look into the caves and recesses, then it is better to climb the western path. Armed with a camera, you will take many wonderful pictures as a keepsake.

Active recreation and entertainment

White Rock (Crimea) is perfect place For active rest. Extreme enthusiasts will definitely appreciate the opportunity jump off a mountain range , tied with a rope. You need to register in advance, because only 2 dozen jumps from a height of more than 100 meters are carried out per day. The cost for the first time is 1200 rubles, then jumps are done for 900 rubles. Free fall length - 80 m.

If you have never jumped with a rope before and are worried, then there is no need to worry - professional equipment provides a 100% safety guarantee.

Great on the rock spend time camping , sit with a guitar by the fire.

Horseback riding

If you want to climb the White Rock on horseback, then there are all possibilities for this. You should use the services provided by the Cowboy equestrian club. Available:

• many horses;
• car parking for which you don’t have to pay anything;
• area for picnics open air;
• refrigerators;
• dishes;
• barbecues.

Riding horses that are calm in nature will give you a pleasant experience. In addition, for the convenience of tourists, various routes have been developed to the White Rock - a place that is definitely worth visiting.

Come and enjoy the wonderful Crimean nature!

The Cowboy equestrian club offers its services to everyone who wants to have fun. With us you can:

It’s not for nothing that Crimea is called the Earth in miniature; it has everything: subtropics and steppes, deciduous forests and relict pine trees, sea and lakes, lowland rivers and turbulent mountain streams, waterfalls and mountains of indescribable beauty. And many of these beauties are covered in legends.

The White Rock or Ak-Kaya in Crimea is one of these wonders. It is located near Belogorsk, in the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu river, in the east of Crimea. This place is little known to tourists, although it has a very rich history.

The giant White Rock in Crimea, 120 meters high, was once the bottom of an ancient ocean. When the water receded, the rock rose above the Crimean steppes. And since then, for thousands of years, the winds blew and washed the rains, turning it, the same age as the mammoths, into a kind of impregnable fortress with caves and bizarre towers, grottoes and niches, relief patterns, columns and “honeycombs”, which for thousands of years knocked out particles of rock carried by the western winds.

The age of the White Rock in Crimea is judged by the fossilized remains of ancient animals and fish. Not so long ago, in one of the Ak-Kaya quarries, the remains of an ancient whale were found, which had lain in the limestone for more than 50 million years, while the numerous remains of mammoths, a primitive bull, a saiga antelope, and a cave bear are innumerable.

Historical past of Ak-Kai

People have always lived on the White Rock in Crimea. Fresh water, many caves and grottoes, a lot of flint - all this was favorable for people, even a steep cliff cliff helped during hunting. The very first inhabitants of the rock caves were Neanderthals - not so long ago, archaeologists found the perfectly preserved remains of a mother and child, and the age of the bones is 150 thousand years.

Later the Scythians came here, this is proven by the many Scythian burials on the White Rock plateau in Crimea. Then the Sarmatians lived here, and their family signs - tamgas - were found on the stones. In the Middle Ages, Tatars lived here, and in 1783, on the Ak-Kaya plateau, Prince Potemkin took the oath of Russia from the Tatars.

The White Rock in Crimea is overgrown with all sorts of legends about treasures, ancient dragons and tunnels that stretch for many kilometers. The most famous legend tells about the treasures of the Golden Nora. On the sheer wall of the White Rock in Crimea, at an altitude of 52 meters, there is a cave that is almost impossible to climb into without climbing equipment. They say that robbers hid a treasure in this cave, which has not yet been found. The second popular legend says that a tunnel leads from the Golden Nora to Feodosia; this is also, of course, fiction. But anyone who sees the White Rock in Crimea, especially at sunset, will doubt - what if it’s true?

How to get there

Getting to Ak-Kai will have to take place in several stages:

• There are buses from any city in Crimea to Belogorsk;
• at the Belogorsk bus station you need to get into minibus, going to the village of Belaya Skala;
• Once in the village, you need to walk several kilometers north, towards the bridge over the river;
• There is a path leading to the White Rock plateau; it is better not to look for it yourself, but to find a guide, since the path is quite steep.

Excursions and hikes are a journey from your life to someone else’s. It’s as if you were torn out of monotonous everyday life, transported to the south, and placed on the sidelines to teach you how to properly relate to life and everything that happens in it. And you know, the place of these lessons was not chosen by chance: man appeared in Crimea a very long time ago, and the “aura” of the peninsula is thoroughly saturated with billions of lives lived. One of the first places in which our civilization began to exist was the surroundings of the mountain range Ak-Kaya in Crimea. Today, also known as White Rock, is popular natural object, to which numerous tourist routes stretch. The excursion to it is memorable for its unusualness, the special atmosphere of touching something that has long sunk into oblivion, and the beauty of the surrounding landscapes. Interesting? Welcome to virtual tour To !

Geography of Crimea: White Rock of Ak-Kaya

The rock is located near the village White Rock 42 kilometers from the capital of Crimea - the city of Simferopol. Geographically located in Belogorsky district. It is a rocky wall of white (with a slight cream tint) color, towering over the spacious valley of the Biyuk-Karasu River. It has an altitude of 325 meters above sea level and relative height(above the surrounding area) about 100 meters. translated from the Crimean Tatar language as “White Rock”.

, is the result of erosion and weathering of sandstones, Paleogene and Cretaceous limestones, a classic example of cuesta relief. The wind is an original sculptor. If on Mount Demerdzhi he created bizarre stone idols and “populated” the Valley of Ghosts with them, then in the upper part he “drilled” oval niches, grottoes, and placed pillars. Screes, erosion hollows, chaotic piles of blocks are weathering products found in large quantities in the lower part of the rock. Erosion, held back in places by hornbeam and rosehip thickets, continues today.

Of the many voids that have eaten into the cliffs of Ak-Kai, about fifty have been examined by geologists. Large caves on White Rock only three. They are located at the base of a rock ledge and are called and. Archaeological research carried out in the mid-1940s discovered on their walls Sarmatian petroglyphs, applied in different eras - from the 3rd century BC to the beginning of our era.

The third grotto, the most mysterious and inaccessible, is called Altyn-Teshik. The back entrance to it is visible from afar, and the name, translated as “Golden Hole,” reveals the “special” attitude towards it that developed in ancient times. Dozens of legends in different forms tell about treasures hidden in the cave, about a dragon that once lived in it, and about a secret underground passage stretching all the way to Feodosia. The research of speleologists dispelled these legends and revealed the truth: Altyn-Teshik is a large grotto, the arches of which go steeply upward, and the only dragons living in its darkness are bats. Since 1981 it has been declared a natural monument and is under state protection.

History of the Ak-Kaya rock

As mentioned at the beginning, an excursion to is an opportunity to get in touch with the past, tens of thousands of years distant from the present. Archaeologists have discovered 17 sites and entire settlements in and around the area dating back to the Mousterian era (about 100 - 40 thousand years ago) - a real Mousterian city. Its inhabitants were the predecessors of the Cro-Magnons - the Neanderthals, a fossil species of man. Such a high population density is easily explained by the exceptional convenience of the area for living. ancient man: many grottoes on the warm southern side of the mountain range, rich deposits of flint (the main raw material for weapons and tools), proximity to the river. About 5 thousand flint scrapers, knives, and points were found around. The variety of their forms is amazing: eight types of knives were discovered on the White Rock itself.

Recently, a large Scythian fortress was excavated on the plateau, the study of which is currently ongoing by the branch Information Agency of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The appearance of this fortress dates back to the 4th-3rd centuries BC. On the territory of the northern Black Sea coast this is the only fortress of this period. The explored area of ​​the fortress is about 10 hectares. There is an assumption that this is one of the forgotten Scythian capitals (for comparison: Scythian Naples, which appeared two hundred years later, occupied an area of ​​14 hectares). The life of the fortress was not calm: during the first century and a half of its existence, there were at least six fires in which everything was burned to the ground. A large number of The burials of crippled soldiers indicate that battles took place here frequently. The fortress and the settlement inside it were abandoned by people in the Middle Ages, when a city was formed nearby Karasubazar. There are suggestions that it was at his slave market that young Bogdan Khmelnitsky was sold into slavery to Murza Yurus.

In 1777, the headquarters of Alexander Suvorov was not located, and in June 1783, the Crimean nobility swore allegiance to Russia on the top of the cliff. Prince Potemkin, a star of Soviet cinema, took the oath. It became the location for the filming of such wonderful films as " The leader of the Redskins», « Mustang pacer", "Chipolino", " The Man from the Boulevard des Capucines», « Headless horseman», « Kings and cabbage», « Armed and very dangerous", "Lobo". Some of the locals like to talk about how they starred in episodes of these films as boys.

How to get to Ak-Kai

The excursion falls into the category of easily accessible ones - the road leads straight to its top. You can get to this road along the Feodosia - Simferopol highway (to the city of Belogorsk). The White Rock is already visible from the highway.

You can get from Simferopol to Belogorsk by regular bus. On central square Belogorsk, take a taxi and ask to take you to the foot of : this is where you will see grottoes and former sites of ancient people. You can climb it later – the rise will be about 90 meters.

White Rock or Ak-Kaya is located, surprisingly, near the village of Belaya Skala, not far from Belogorsk. It stands out noticeably against the background of the gentle and low hills surrounding it.

This place is not very popular with tourists, so it is usually clean and uncrowded. Belogorsk is located quite far from resort towns and far from standard tourist routes. Locals people come here mainly on weekends, and visitors usually simply don’t know about this place. Despite this, the village has a recreation center where you can book horseback riding or quad bike rides. You can stay here and if you want to go to Taigan Park, located 15 km away, unlike their hotel, the prices at the base are not too high.

You can walk around the rock itself and its surroundings for a couple of days, during which time you can easily get around everything interesting that is there. There are several small grottoes and caves in the rock, some of them can be approached, and some can be reached without special equipment will not work. For example, at an altitude of about 50 meters from the ground you can see the Altyn-Teshik (Golden Hole) cave.

This is a rocky plateau, with white cliffs on one side, but quite flat on the other side. There are quite a few paths and roads around the rock, some of which can be used to climb to the top. The shortest path to the top is clearly visible on the snow-white hill at the foot of the cliff; it is not too steep and the climb will take a maximum of half an hour. But actually, best views here they open from the bottom, and not from the top, because You can't see much from the top, just gentle green hills.

You can go to the White Rock by car, but you need to go along the road that goes perpendicular to the cliff line, about a hundred meters from the rock itself. IN good weather You can drive here in any car. On many maps it is depicted bypass route closer to the village of Vishenny, but you can only drive through it on an ATV or a well-prepared SUV; the climb is very steep and rocky.

How to get to White Rock?

By car:

First you need to get to Belogorsk and turn north, towards the village of Belaya Skala. The rock itself can be seen from afar; you definitely won’t be able to miss it. You can approach it either through the village, or by turning right at the first turn after leaving the village. In the second case, you will be able to drive along the entire rock massif, although the road there is a little worse.

You can also get to Belogorsk by buses, they go from Simferopol and Sudak. From Simferopol you can get directly to Belaya Skala; buses depart approximately every hour from 8.00 to 19.30. From Sudak you can only get to Belogorsk by almost any bus towards Simferopol. From Belogorsk to Belaya Skala is about 5 km; if you wish, you can walk or take a taxi.

The White Rock, or Ak-Kaya, is the one and only in Crimea and not only... What can you see from it, as well as how to find the source of the Biyuk-Karasu River in the gorge.

This rock stands far from the main resort areas of the peninsula and, probably, that’s why many of those who vacationed in Crimea never saw it, although they would probably recognize it as a “participant” in many famous Soviet feature films: “The Headless Horseman”, "Mirage", "Fifteen-Year-Old Captain", " Business people", "Lobo", "General Lukacs", "Mustang the Pacer" and even "Cipollino". And it’s a shame that we didn’t see it, because it deserves not only attention, but even a separate trip to it. So go ahead, go camping!

But in order to still meet the White Rock, first of all you need to go to the south-eastern Crimea, to the Belogorsk region (which was once called Karasubazar). Today it is a modest, small town and it’s almost hard to believe that its history dates back more than seven centuries! He has experienced and seen a lot: both times of prosperity and times of decline.

When the “wrath of Allah” in the form of an earthquake struck the capital of the Tatar Khanate (today it is Old Crimea), many survivors moved to the fertile plain of the Biyuk-Karasu River and founded the city of Karasubazar (“black water market”). The first mentions of it are found in the 13th century, when the Great Silk Road, a trade artery of world importance, lay here. Although today you will not find this Path on the map of Crimea, you will easily find the Simferopol - Feodosia route, almost in the middle of which you will meet present-day Belogorsk, and not far from it, White Rock. It will be difficult to miss: the majestic view, unusual color and special contours of a hundred-meter rock, surprisingly similar to impregnable fortress, will not allow her to go unnoticed even from afar. But this “fortress” was erected over the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu River (which originates here and then carries its waters all the way to Sivash) not by people, but by nature, and so long ago that, probably, it doesn’t even remember that when then sea waves splashed around it... Yes, yes, in the thickness of its white limestones the fossilized remains of ancient mollusks and fish are still “stored”. What fish! 27 years ago, in one of the mountain quarries, 50-million-year-old bones of a special amphibian whale were found! The Americans later found the same whale in Pakistan, there was so much noise... And our whale (by the way, the only one of its kind in all of Europe so far) entered the annals of world paleontology modestly and intelligently, although it was found six years earlier (!)

Then, when either the sea left or the land rose, our Ak-Kaya began to be blown by the winds, washed by the rains, dried by the sun, and over many centuries it formed these bizarre outlines with pillars-towers and caves, so similar to the loopholes of a fortress. There are interesting caves on it that are worth visiting – lower and upper. During their study, special images were discovered: these are not drawings or writings, but the so-called tamgas - the ancestral signs of the Sarmatians, indicating the “registration” of the tribe in these caves (the Sarmatians appeared in Crimea from the end of the 3rd century BC and according to testimony ancient authors were tall, fair-haired, beautiful people, but also formidable - able to stand up for themselves).

The Altyn-Teshik (Golden Nora) cave is called the upper one because it is located at an altitude of 52m. It is quite inaccessible and has become overgrown with a lot of legends, according to one of which it was once the lair of a weresnake and its secret hole stretches almost all the way to the river; according to another, a chest of gold was hidden here, which, please note, has not yet been found... In the 60s, a group of climbers found that this was not only a cave, but also a 20-meter-high grotto. Then archaeologists came and found in it many animal bones (most of all mammoths), as well as stone tools. In general, it turned out that people lived here for many thousands of years, both in the cave itself and along the banks of the river. In recent years, Americans and Italians have also begun to participate in excavations. And just recently, perfectly preserved skeletons of a Neanderthal woman with a child were discovered, which turned out to be 150 thousand years old!

Mammoths, people, snakes, whales - so, as you can see, these places were once quite densely populated, not like they are now. But even now, by the summer, so many people with shovels are arriving in Belogorsk that it’s time to get a snake on them... They say that, among other things, it is in this area that the largest concentration of ancient Scythian burial mounds is located, and among them there are probably rich tombs of the Scythian kings (that’s why these would-be archaeologists haunt the kings). But it’s much better to just come with a backpack, climb, wander around, breathe fresh air, and climb to the top. And you can even ride a horse! At the foot of the White Rock there is a horse farm with the same name - “Ak-Kaya”. There you can drink kumiss and rent a horse. You will even be offered two ascent routes: fast - 1.5 hours, with a steep ascent and descent; and a 3-hour walk around the rock - completely safe (60-100 UAH). In addition, on the same farm there are also rest rooms (and even with amenities), so you can stay for a couple of days and not carry a tent with you.

You can easily climb the White Rock on your own along the trail. The road is clearly visible from below - it is to the right (east) of the corner ledge of the rock. Ak-Kaya rises 100m above the plain alone, and 325m above sea level, being part of the Inner Ridge Crimean mountains with characteristic steep southern and gentle northern slopes(so-called cuestas). The difficulties of the climb will be more than rewarded by the stunning view that will open from above. The top of Belaya is a relatively flat surface. To the east there will be a chain of ancient mounds, and on the other side the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu River and Belogorsk, which will all be visible in full view. If the weather is clear enough, you can even see eastern part Simferopol. Further to the horizon in the haze are the ridges of the Main Ridge, and the high massif in the southwest is. White Rock is interesting at any time of the day: both at dawn and at sunset. Even at night (it looks especially impressive during the full moon) it stands out with its whiteness. But on a bright day, illuminated by the sun, it literally blinds the eyes. An interesting hypothesis in this regard was put forward in the middle of the 19th century. the author of one of the reference books on Crimea: they say that the cause of the heat in Karasubazar is Ak-Kaya, which additionally casts sunlight on the city...

In the Middle Ages, the White Rock had another name - Shirinskaya, named after the owners of these lands (and many others from Perekop to Kerch), the richest Tatar family Shirin, dating back to Genghis Khan himself. The Crimean rulers, the Gireys, traditionally gave their daughters in marriage to the Shirin Beys. The clan was really large - more than 300 Murzas, the eldest of whom was elected there, on the top of the White Rock. And if from the 16th century. was the political capital of the Crimean Khanate, then Karasubazar was undoubtedly its economic center. 8 stone citadels then stood inside this trading metropolis (this is how it was found back in 1667. famous traveler Evliya Celebi). Today, almost in the center of the city, only ruins remain, and then only one of the towers - the mighty Tash Khan with powerful walls, loopholes, vaulted dungeons, where caravans once stopped, goods were stored, trade deals were concluded (they say that to this day day there is also an underground passage leading to the river...).

From the outside of the caravanserai, on market square they sold both numerous goods and people... The main source of income for the Khanate was the slave trade, and for many decades the surroundings of the White Rock were resounding with the ringing of shackles. In addition, the rock itself also became an ominous place of executions: those guilty of anything and those sentenced to death were pushed down from a 100-meter height. They also pushed those who were not guilty, namely prisoners, in order to intimidate others, who were richer, and force them to hurry up with the ransom. So Bogdan Khmelnitsky, captured in 1620, was twice brought to the White Rock to watch the torment of his fellow tribesmen, until he was finally bought by one of the Tatar Murzas. For all this, the Zaporozhye and Don Cossacks attacked Karasubazar more than once, freed prisoners, and exterminated the city itself as punishment. So he got everything...

During the Russian war for Crimea in 1777, A.V. Suvorov’s headquarters was located on White Rock. Then there were only 10 thousand with the legendary military leader. soldiers, and Kalgi-Sultan had 4 times more, but while the Tatars were gathering, on the orders of Suvorov, first their courtyards, which were clearly visible from the mountain, were “fired” with volleys from cannons, and then the cavalry carried them out from behind the rock and dispersed the army Shirinov in the mountains. That's right: don't compete with Suvorov - he didn't defeat the same people. And then it was on the White Rock that the Crimean Khan Sahib Giray signed an agreement with Prince Dolgoruky, according to which Crimea was declared a Khanate independent from Turkey.

And here, on June 10, 1783, the result of the entire 10-year war of Russia for Crimea was finally summed up: it was on the White Rock that His Serene Highness Prince G.A. Potemkin took the oath of allegiance to the Russian state from the Crimean Tatar nobility and all layers of the Crimean population. Then the city of Karasubazar became the main one - administrative center peninsula. And only since 1785. the capital of Crimea was moved to Simferopol. Even Empress Catherine II herself visited here during her Crimean trip in 1786. For this purpose, a palace with a park, fountains, cascades and gazebos was specially built, in which, however, the empress stayed for only two days. Now it is the building of a local hospital, rebuilt many times over the years. It stands just outside the city, on a hill in front of the bridge over the river and can also be seen from above.

What a wonderful journey into the past you can take while standing on the majestic peak of Ak-Kai one summer day!

In addition, it would not hurt to take a walk in the upper reaches of the Biyuk-Karasu River - to its source in the Karasu-Bashi gorge. How many rivers have you seen the beginning of?! And isn’t it interesting to see the place where one of the most abundant tributaries of the Salgir, the main Crimean river, begins? It’s not for nothing that its Turkic name contains the word “biyuk” - big; the word “karasu” can be translated both as “black water” and as “water flowing out of the ground.” And the Karasu-Bashi gorge itself in the upper reaches is a very picturesque dark gray (almost black) real stone chaos: cliffs, fragments of rocks, piles of stones. The Karasu-Bashi cave also makes a strong impression (you can go through it through a narrow underground passage - 8-10 m). In dry times, the sources of the river are located at the foot of the cliff, in a clearing, where among the thickets many springs emerge to the surface, which already at 50 m combine into a real stream. And in the spring and during rains, water literally bursts out with a roar right from the opening of the cave (hence the second name of the cave - Su-Uchkhan-Khoba - “cave of flying water”). This is truly the most abundant source of water in Crimea (even in dry times it provides 200 liters per second of the purest, most delicious underground water). It is not without reason that two reservoirs were built on the river above Belogorsk: Taiganskoye and Belogorskoye. So there are no problems with water in the city, and there is also a beach on the shore of the reservoir - one of the favorite vacation spots of the locals. They say you can even catch fish there!

The Karasu-Bashi gorge is located approximately 8 km southwest of the city (near the village of Karasevka). Behind the village, after going up the river for a couple of kilometers, at the water-measuring point you need to go onto the path and walk a little further up the wall of the diversion canal. Now you will find yourself in the gorge. And even better - take one of the local guys as a guide (everyone will gladly want to earn 30-40 UAH, and they will probably tell you a lot of interesting things).

From Belogorsk you can then go down to the sea: to the southwest lies one of the most scenic roads Crimea - highway to the village of Privetnoye (34 km to it). Moreover, you can travel 15 km to Krasnoselovka by bus or hitchhike, but further you can walk and enjoy the Crimean forest, its coolness, birdsong and the murmur of another local river - Tanasu (“tana” is a heifer, and “su” is water; then there is “veal water”, which even a calf will wade through). This river is very small and flows into the already familiar Biyuk-Karasu. By the way, you can travel to its source and then continue your way to the sea.

This is the wonderful route I propose for the easy-going and curious. Bon Voyage! And, as always, a big request: please do not leave any traces of your presence behind you, and it will be absolutely great if you don’t consider it difficult to tidy up the clearings and paths for careless people, because, strange as it may seem at first glance, but from this kind mission your journey will be doubly enjoyable.