SIGHTSEEING TOURS, EXCURSIONS IN SEVASTOPOL, UKRAINE. SEBASTOPOL TOURISM AND TRAVELS
Excellent performances with dolphins and other sea animals are given to your attention by the Sevastopol dolphinarium located in city centre on the quay Kornilova. The dolphinarium is the branch of the state oceanarium - one of the largest research centers engaged in problems of hydrobionics. Sevastopol, Epronovskaya str., 7 Tel.: +38 (0692) 24-01-87
In the center of Sevastopol, on the coast of the Artillery bay, the building of Institute of biology of the southern seas named after A.O.Kovalevskogo is located. In a ground floor of the Institute the Sevastopol sea aquarium - museum is placed. It is one of the oldest aquariums in the world and the unique sea aquarium in Ukraine. The special building for the Sevastopol biological station based in 1871 at the suggestion of the well-known Russian traveler and researcher N.N. Mikluho-Maklay, has been built in 1897. The same time the demonstration aquarium with sea animals the first in Russia was open for visitors. Later the building extended and reconstructed repeatedly. Now in the Aquarium more than 180 kinds of animals are: invertebrates, the Black Sea and tropical fishes and reptiles. In the Aquarium the extensive collection of tropical fishes living among coral reeves is collected. Also there is unique collection of the Black Sea fishes: beluga, sturgeon, slope, a sea cat, horse-mackerel, striped perch, a flounder, river eel and others. Sevastopol, Nahimova str., 2 Tel.: +38 (0692) 54-38-92
The Historical and archeological reserve Chersonese Taurian is known not only in Ukraine, but also abroad of it. In 1996 it is brought by the decision of UNESCO in the hundred of the most outstanding monuments of world culture. Excavations have opened to the world a city which during many centuries was the large political, economic and cultural center of Northern Black Sea Coast. Chersonese was the Greek colony founded in 422-421 B.C. by natives from Heraclea Pontica. It is located in a southwest part of Crimea, at the bay Karantinaya. In 1827, the officer of the Black Sea fleet Kruse has made the first excavation on a place of the lost Chersonese. The museum-reserve is very popular, annually it visit tens thousand of tourists. They are involved with collections of epigraphy monuments (including the world famous oath of citizens of Chersonese III century B.C.), works of art, craft products and instruments, subjects of life which inhabitants of Chersonese used. Tourists can familiarize with territory of ancient city: to pass on its main street, to wander on once brisk inhabited quarters and the areas, to examine ruins of an ancient theatre, white marble columns of medieval temples, the rests of majestic defensive buildings - walls and towers. From defensive towers the greatest interest is represented with tower Zenona which took the important place in system of city defense and consequently was constantly completed and improved by Chersonese inhabitants. It is the biggest tower of Chersonese. In it painted gravestones, architectural details which and today admire with the beauty have been found. Sevastopol, Drevnyaya str., 1 Tel.: +38 (0692) 24-14-15, 24-13-01
Russian panoramic art Frants Alekseevich Rubo (1856-1928), the professor of battle painting of the Petersburg Academy of arts, and then the full member of this academy. The panorama "Defense of Sevastopol 1854-1855" was open on May, 14, 1905, in commemoration of the 50-anniversary of the famous epopee. The original round building with a dome topped with a rotunda, has been erected according to the project of military engineer O.I.Enberg and architect V.A.Feldman. Diameter of a building is 36 m, height of it is also 36 m. The main avenue of Historical parkway leads to the world famous monument. It is a Panorama, it shoes one episodes of 349-day's of heroic defense of Sevastopol - repulse by defenders of the city of storm on June, 6, 1855. The author of a panorama is the founder of During Great Domestic war fascist bombs have destroyed a building of the Panorama; the unique picture has lit up. Soviet soldiers have taken out a part of a picturesque canvas from the burning building. After the war the panorama has been recreated by the Soviet painters. Sevastopol, Istoricheskiy bulvar Tel.: +38 (0692) 57-97-86, 57-97-38, 54-29-26
Sapun-mountain is a natural mountain barrier on approaches to the city. It became arena of fierce fights during heroic defense of Sevastopol in 1941-1942, and also during its liberation in 1944. At the top of the Sapun-mountain a memorial complex devoted to the soldiers released Sevastopol during Great Domestic war is. Heroic events of those days the diorama "Storm of the Sapun-mountain on May, 7, 1944" shows. Artists have reproduced the moment of the highest efforts of the fight. The diorama is in a semicircular building of a museum, on the second floor. The author of a diorama was P.T.Maltsev, the national painter of the USSR. It has been opened on November, 4, 1959. There are samples of the Soviet combat technique of the war: tanks, guns, self-propelled instruments, mines on a platform. On a slope of mountain a monument to soldiers of 77-th division is, they perished there during the storm of strengthening of the enemy. In the park the obelisk of Glory built in 1944 is. Sevastopol, the Sapun-gora Tel.: +38 (0692) 54-40-70, 54-45-93, 54-29-26
Military museum of Sevastopol Defense was in the central part of city. The museum has been based on April, 11, 1869. The initiative of creation of a museum belonged to participants of heroic defense of Sevastopol of 1854-1855. To the 25-anniversary of the museum, in 1895, for it the special building according to the project of architect A.M.Kochetov has been built. The architectural decision of a building is based on the form of antique Greece as the majority of museum constructions of that time. For 130 years of existence of the museum its collection has essentially increased. Today it is the museum not only of Sevastopol Defense, but also the military-historical museum of the Black Sea fleet. The museum exposition tells about a history of the Black Sea fleet from the date of its foundation up to now. In the museum the unique collection of the ancient and modern weapon, models of the ships, military regimentals, battle paintings, and ancient photos are collected. Seven halls of the museum are devoted to various stages of development and existence of the fleet. At the request of tourists excursions on working ship of the Black Sea fleet are organized also. In a court yard of the building the open exposition of military technical equipment is located. Sevastopol, Lenina str., 11 Tel.: +38 (0692) 54-22-89
Art museum in the name of Kroshitskiy has been opened on November, 6, 1927. Its collection is one of the most interesting in Crimea and in Ukraine. A building of a museum is an architectural sight of the city; it is one of few buildings of the city which have remained whole during war. Today there are more than 8 thousand paintings, sculptures, graphic arts and decorative arts. Original works of West-European, Russian, and Ukrainian artists XVI-XX centuries: I. Levitan, I. Shishkin, I.Repin, I.Ajvazovsky, V.Vereshchagin, V.Serov, I.Kramskoy, V.Polenov, J.Bassano, F.Snejder, G.Rober and others. Modern creativity is widely submitted also; take place exhibitions of modern artists. Sevastopol, Nahimova ave., 9 Tel.: +38 (0692) 54-46-36, 54-31-25
Sevastopol Waterpark has of 15 waterslides and 7 pools: For kids of waterslides "Rabbit", "Octopus", "Snake", "Elephant" are, children's pools are from 0,25 up to 0,4 meters deep; For teenagers waterslides "Rainbow", "Children's bodyslide", "Free falling" about 3 meters in high are; For adults waterslides "the Black hole", "Free falling", "Bodyslide", "Multislides", "Kamikaze" from 4 meters up to 13,6 meters in high are. The pizzeria, children's cafe and mangal 2 youth mixes under cozy shadow of "Shatri" will pleasantly surprise all visitors of the waterpark. It is possible to leave your car on paid parking, to choose souvenirs and the other goods from the big assortment of the shop. Sevastopol, Park Pobedi, Tel.: +38 (0692) 47-99-01.
A.S.Greyg asked of the highest sanction to establish a monument on ruins of Chersonese where the christening of Prince Vladimir was made. In 1829 competition on creation of a monument has been declared. Vladimir cathedral is a tomb of admirals; it is located on the Central city hill. The history of the cathedral began in 1825 when the main commander of the Black Sea fleet and ports admiral The project of architect K.A.Tone (1794 - 1881) - a five-dome cathedral in the Russian-Byzantium style has been authorized. In 1842, under the petition of admiral M.P.Lazareva concerned with insufficient number of orthodox temples in Sevastopol, the decision on construction of a cathedral in the city centre was accepted. Spadework has begun in 1848. In 1851 admiral M.P.Lazarev, the main commander of the Black Sea fleet has died, and in memory of his merits has been solved to bury him in specially built crypt on the place of the future cathedral. The laying of the cathedral has been made on July, 15, 1854. Sevastopol, Suvorova str., 3
Fortress Chemabalo in Sevastopol has been built by Genoeses. They have settled there in the middle of XIV century, in the bay of Symbols. Their fortress towers on a Fortification prevailing over an entrance in the Balaklava bay. In 1475 Chemabalo have been captured by Turks, they gave the new name to the fortress – Balak-Yuve. In translation it means “the fish nest". This fortress also is known because of dethroned Tatar khans from Bakhchisarai, they were exiled here.
Grafskaya (Earl) quay is located in the city centre, on the coast of the southern part of the Sevastopol bay. In June, 1783, according to evidence of D.P. Sinyavina: “it has been made during in a month” from hewn stone. In 1787 to arrival of Ekaterina the II, the quay was equipped and named Ekaterina’s officially. Regarding the name Grafskaya it was given because of Earl (Graf) M.I.Voinovich, the commander of the Sevastopol squadron having usage to sit down in the boat at this quay. In 1837 on the initiative of in M. Lazareva, D. Upton made the project of new quay which has been completely realized in 1846 (by the sculptor F.Pellichio). On both sides of the quay according to the project of the engineer-captain Rode the one-storied stone guard small houses have been constructed, they kept up to now.
In Balaklava for general review the super-confidential factory on repair of submarines is submitted. This strategic object is unique in the world on its sizes. It is the largest military object of the planet from that taken off the security list military objects - an underground complex for submarines. Because of it the ancient Crimean small town Balaklava near Sevastopol for long years has turned to one of the most closed and mysterious settlements of USSR.
Inkerman Saint Clement cave monastery was based presumably in VIII-IX centuries, and was completed in XIV-XV centuries. According to the church legend, separate crypts have been cut down in a rock in the first centuries of Christianity. In 98 there preached the follower of Apostle Peter Saint Hieromartyr Clement the Bishop of Rome. According to the church legend, by work of Clement and his followers in Crimea about 75 temples were made. The cave church in the name of Saint Andrew the Apostle, according to the legend, was made by Saint Clement. In 1991 by works of archimandrite Augustine, at bishop Simferopol and Crimean Vasily, the Inkerman monastery has been renewed. Restoration works have started. Now the temple of the Saint Trinity is restoring. In cave temple in the name of Saint Clement the part of relics of the head if Saint Clement.
Konstantinovsky ravelin closed the entrance in the Sevastopol bay to the enemy ships. This fortified battery was constructed in 1840 at entrance in the Sevastopol bay for strengthening of defense of Sevastopol and its port. The Stone casemated battery (94 guns) reflected attacks of enemy during the first defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855. The similar batteries (Mihaylovskaya and Alexanderovskaya) have been built also. In June, 1942 in area of the Konstantinovsky battery one of points of defense of Northern part of Sevastopol was created. Within three days 70 fighters reflected attacks of the enemy, providing withdrawal of last ships from the Sevastopol bay. So, the battery has served also during the Second World War. Now it has lost the military value. But every day in noon in the city the sound of the gun shot which is made from the Konstantinovsky ravelin is hearing.
Fortress Kalamita is located in Inkerman. Above a road, on a plateau of the Monastic rock, the rests of ancient fortifications and in the bottom part of a rock the rests of a Christian cave monastery are well visible. It is the branch Chersonese historical-archeological reserve "Fortress Kalamita". Kalamita is one of interesting monuments of the Crimean Middle Ages. From the south and the West the fortress is protected by breakages, from the north and the east - cut in a rock ditch and a wall. Kalamita has been founded in VI century. Probably, the fortress was erected for protection of trading ways which conducted from a steppe part of Crimea to Chersonese. Turks have renamed the fortress as Inkerman, which means “the cave fortress”. This name is not casual: the rock on which the fortress is constructed has a lot of caves. One of them had military value; others were used as economic, cult and even rooms.
In 988-989 Chersonese (Korsun) has been besieged and captured by the Kiev prince Vladimir. The result of this campaign was acceptance of Christianity by Russia. Vladimir was christened in Chersonese. In the territory of the Chersonese reserve the swimming bath in which, under the legend, christening of the prince took place.
On the Malakhov barrow more than 20 monuments and memorial designations are located: Defensive tower of the Malakhov barrow is one of the few fortification constructions of the middle of XIX century which have remained in Sevastopol. In 1963 the exposition telling about events which occurred on the Malakhov barrow within Crimean and Great Domestic wars has been opened. There is a communal grave in the beginning of the main avenue of the barrow. In it the Russian and French soldiers who have died in the last fight on Malakhov barrow on August, 27, 1855. Above the barrow the monument to admiral V.A.Kornilov is. On the barrow the guns stand they have been protecting fighting positions of the sea battery during two defenses. In memory of events of 1941-42 the monument to pilots of 8-th air army is established. Sevastopol, Malakhov Kurgan Tel.:+38 (0692) 36-67-51, 54-29-26
Cave cities: Mangup-Kale and Eski-Kermen are located in a mountain part of Crimea near to Sevastopol. These are the rests of cities, fortresses, monasteries. Except for ground constructions, there are many the artificial caves cut in rocks. Each city has its own history and destiny. Mangup-Kale is one of the most known "cave cities" of Crimea, it is the former capital of powerful Christian princedom Feodoro. The first fortifications have been built in VI-VII centuries. Eski-Kermen (the Old fortress) has been built at the end of VI century. It was the large center of trade and crafts and had the first class defensive buildings. However at the end of XIII century Eski-Kermen was destroyed by attacks of Tatar horde of Nogay.
Pokrovskiy temple was built in 1905 according to the project of architect V.A.Feldman. It was almost destroyed during the Great Domestic war, after it the cathedral has been in part restored and till 1962 in it divine services took place. Then in a cathedral the sports hall and city archive were placed. In 1992 northern part of the cathedral has been given to believers and consecrated on April, 8 in the name of over St. Pantelymon. In the beginning of 1994 the believers got the whole building: the top temple - Cover of the Blessed Virgin, below a temple in the name of St. Vera, Nadezhda, Lubov and their mother Sofia is located. Till now restoration works are made, southern part of the temple is restoring. Sevastopol, Bolshaya Morskaya, str., 36.
The Rock Cross is located on the rock where according to the legend the Greek seamen have been rescued. The Saint great martyr George saved them from inevitable death, in response for their asking for help. When the rescued seamen climbed up the rock at its top they get sacred George's icon, they brought it out of the sea and in rocky breakage made the cave church with the Rock Cross.
Skelskiy Mengir is something like the Sevastopol Stonehenge. Sevastopol mengirs are the boulders put vertically as obelisks, one of the most known monuments of the primitive human being. Two mengirs has been kept. The first one is 2,8 meters high. Cross-section is - 1õ0,7 meters. The second one is lower - 1.5 meters, cross-section is 1,2õ0,55 meters. The weight of the larger stone is more than 6 tons that is even more surprising, as nearby there are no stone quarries. It means that blocks are delivered from Crimean Mountains.
On the territory of the Chersoneses reserve, there is a bell which is remarkable not only because of its loftiness, but also because of its history. After the first defense from Sevastopol everything that could be considered as "trophy" has been taken out as well as 13 bells of the Sevastopol churches. In 1913 one of them has been found out hanging in the well-known cathedral Notre Dam de Paris. This fact the French consul in Sevastopol L.I.Ge knew. He suggested to return the bell. On November, 23 the "bell - captive" arrived to Sevastopol. Some years before in 1884 near to the cape Chersonese a steamship "Peter" was wrecked, running in a fog on coastal rocks. Since then this bell has been specially set to call during a fog.
Chersonese cathedral of St. Vladimir has been erected in memory of a christening in 988 in Chersonese in the honor of equal-to-apostles prince Vladimir and in commemoration of the beginning of a christening of Russia in the territory of the based in 1850 Chersonese Saint Vladimir monastery.
