Karadag

One of the main purposes of our travel was to visit the Nature Reserve Karadag. So, the most of the third day we spent on its territory.
In the morning we left our camp near Echki-Dag and went to the town Schebetovka, which is located at the western edge of Karadag and lies on the road from Feodosiya to Sudak. So, if you go to Karadag by car, you will cross this town.
We entered Karadag through the coast village Kurortne, to the south from Schebetovka.
Here some photos from our visiting Karadag.

The Golden Gate

High rocks over the sea

Stone face looks into the valley of Karadag

Ruins of the ancient volcano


Magnetic range

More photos from this day of our travel you can find in online-photoalbums. They show our way to Karadag, rocks of Karadag, Karadag with the sea and other places in Karadag.

To be continued

Kyzyltash

After visiting Surb-Khach, we have a night in the next forested valley after monastery. By the way, there we found ruins of another ancient monastery - Surb-Stepanos. But it was in worse condition than Surb-Khach. The next morning we went south. After some hours in mountain forest we suddenly got into garden of another live monastery - Kyzyltash. If you want to go by car from Surb-Khach to Kyzyltash, you should make a greate "circle". But, going by foot we could went from one to another in rather shorter way.

Like many others, Kyzyltash monastery didn't act in Soviet times. But, what is most interesting, Soviet government had made military object in this walley, where nuclear weapon was storaged. Now here are no nuclear weapon, but army unit still acts and occupies a large part of valley just near the monastery.

We looked interesting places in Kyzyltash, especially sacred spring and new wooden church. Then we walked accros willage and saw army unit. After that we went into forested mountains again. To the evening we reached eastern corner of Echki-Dag. There we made a camp with a beautiful view of Kara-Dag and Black Sea in the south.

Links in the text lead to online-photoalbums. Some photos from there you can see below.

Ruins of Surb-Stepanos

New church in Kyzyltash

View of Kyzyltash monastery

Former nuclear object


Morining in Echki-Dag

to be continued

Staryi Krym

Last spring we traveled to the southeastern part of Crimean peninsula. This is a region of old Crimean capital (Staryi Krym), several ancient monasteries (Surb-Khach, Surb-Stepanos, Kyzyl-Tash), one of the most enigmatic Natural Preserve (Kara-Dag) and medieval Genoas fortress of Sudak. That all we visited for a week.
Our travel started in Staryi Krym. It is one of the oldest cities of Crimea. It was founded in the X-th century and till XV-th century it played the main role of Crimean government. Then it was called Solhat. Once Bakhchysaray became the capital of the peninsula, Stary Krym lost its strategic importance. Since that time it received nowadays name which means "Old Crimea".
We begun our travel with a visit to the ancient mosque - Uzbek's. It was built in 1314 and now part of building is ruined. But even in this condition it looks very interesting.
Another interesting historical sites in Staryi Krym is an ancient Armenian monastery Surb-Khach. It was founded in 1358 and still acts. Only in 1778-1790 and 1925-2002 years its religious life were interrupted. So, we were able to see ancient buildings, rows of khachkars (Armenian icons) and different interesting things inside.
You can see photos from that places in my photoalbums: Staryi Krym, our first steps, Surb-Khach and its interiors. Here are some of them.

Ruins of Uzbek's mosque in Staryi Krym

First climbing. In the background - Staryi Krym


Church of Surb-Khach's monastery


Entrance of Surb-Khach


Khachkars - Armenian analog of icon

to be continued

On Tarasova Gora

After visiting Kaniv we went to its' southern edge, where Kaniv Natural Preserve is located. It lies on the wooded hills on the right bank of river Dnipro. The highest hill is called Tarasova Gora (Taras' Hill), because the famous Ukrainian poet and artist Taras Shevchenko was buried there. Now on the top of this hill his memorial complex (Museum, Monument and Park with few memorials) is located.
We came from the river side. From foot of hill to upper territory leads interesting stairs. We coped with them and then got fantastic view on the top of hill.
While walking there I made many photos about Tarasova Gora, alley of characters from Shevchenko poems and just about golden autumn. Here are some of them.

Stairs to the top of Tarasova Gora


Museum and Monument of Taras Shevchenko


Interior of traditional Ukrainian house


Alley of characters from the poems by Shevchenko


A view from Tarasova Gora in autumn