Mountain ak kaya. White rock ak-kaya

Caves and grottoes

Archeology

History

Excursions to the White Rock

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A vertical white rocky wall rises above the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu River and is visible long before approaching it at a distance of a kilometer. The height of the peak above sea level is 325 m, and the height difference between the valley and the top of the cliff reaches 100 m.

The bulk of the rock resembles an impregnable fortress and is better visible from its southern side. The rock is a symbol of Belogorsk.

For many millennia, the sun, water and wind have done their job, forming bizarre shapes that were formed in the process of weathering and destruction by water and temperature changes. Especially on the western wall of the rock, the so-called eolian grottoes, formed under the influence of winds, stand out.

Caves and grottoes

Of particular interest are the caves of Ak-Kaya - lower and upper. The lower cave is a grotto in the middle of the western wall - Bob. Signs belonging to the Sarmatians who lived here in the first centuries of our era were found on its walls. It is believed that once this cave was a sanctuary - ancient temple. The upper cave - which means "Golden Burrow" in translation - over the years has acquired legends and traditions. The cave is difficult to access: the entrance to it in the form of a round hole is located 52 meters from the sole and 49 meters from the edge of the cliff.

Archeology

The cave is especially curious for archaeologists, because they managed to establish that many thousands of years ago it was a habitat ancient man. Ak-Kaya served him both as a shelter from bad weather and as a corral during the hunt for animals (according to excavations in the 1960s).

In one of their expeditions, four sites of primitive man of the Mousterian era (100-40 thousand years ago) were partially excavated. Interested archaeologists will be interested in the book by Yu. Kolosov "White Rock", Ed. Tavria, 1977. The author describes in detail how cultural layers with a mass of materials were found, as for the first time in the territory former country found a Neanderthal skull and other rare and valuable finds for science, proving that civilization arose not only in Europe, but also on our territory.

History

It is believed that Ak-Kaya was a place of execution in the Middle Ages. There is a legend that the young Bogdan Khmelnitsky, who was captured in 1620, was twice brought to this rock, and the captives were thrown before his eyes in order to force Bogdan to hurry up with a ransom.

During the Russian-Turkish wars, the headquarters of A. V. Suvorov was located in these places. On the White Rock, the result of the centuries-old struggle of the Russian state for the Crimea was summed up. It was here that on June 10, 1783, Prince G. A. Potemkin ordered the Crimean beys and murzas to appear in order to take their oath of allegiance to the Russian state.

Excursions to the White Rock

And Ak-Kaya is also good because it offers an awesome view of the mountain range in the south and the endless steppe expanses with ridges of ancient barrows in the north. And how beautiful it is in May, when peonies bloom. It becomes clear why the beam located to the north of the rock is called Red. And how does the Kalliston pass look from here, which lies in the south between the two cone-shaped mountains Shuvri and Khrikol!

I recommend climbing the rock in the late afternoon. It’s not hot anymore, the lighting is soft, the distances open up for observation. For those who like to explore all the holes, I recommend walking along the path that runs under the very rocks on the western side of the cliff. This trail will take you to the lower grotto and take great pictures, especially at sunset. And you will also hear the cries of swifts and hawks, who built their nests on impregnable cliffs.

Near the city of Belogorsk between Simferopol and Feodosia is the so-called business card Belogorsky district - White Rock Ak-kaya. This beautiful array can be called simply an amazing creation of nature. A vertical white rocky wall rises above the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu River, called "Black Water".

White Rock is part of the Outer Ridge Crimean mountains, which stretches from the Mekenziev mountains to Mount Agarmysh. Mount Ak-Kaya got its name because the local villagers simply called it the White Rock because of its color: "Ak" in Tatar means white. From a distance, the White Rock can be mistaken for a white stone impregnable palace. Indeed, Ak-kaya has become a monument of the thousand-year stay of the Sarmatians.

During the Early Paleolithic, its slopes inhabited by ancient tribes. Krasnaya Balka is located on the northwestern edge of the massif. Numerous scarlet heads of the narrow-leaved peony cover its slopes like a scarlet carpet, which is why it got its name. The Red Beam can be called a real Neanderthal well. Archaeologists have found at least twenty sites of the Mousterian era (100,000-40,000 years ago) in this place. There are very interesting caves for tourists. Upon their detailed study, tamgas were found - special generic images, signs of the Sarmatians (III century BC), which indicates the habitation of these tribes in the caves of the White Rock.

Ak-Kaya has the features of a triangle, painted white. The western and southern slopes of the mountain are steep, sloping slightly to the north. The wedge-shaped peak is raised above the surrounding area by more than 150 m. And above sea level, the height of Ak-Kai reaches 325 meters. The two-tier structure of the mountain with cliffs and Paleogene fossils makes its appearance impregnable. The impression is especially strong on a sunny summer day. The eyes are simply blinded by the bright whiteness of marls and limestones that make up the White Rock. However, if you get closer, you will realize that the steep mountain wall is not white, but cream. At the foot of the mountain in the remains of rocks, amazing things can still be found today: shells of fossil nummulite mollusks, which can reach sizes of 5-7 cm in diameter, as well as other curiosities.

You can climb the White Rock along the path. The road is clearly visible from below - it goes a little to the right of the corner ledge of the White Rock.

Ak-Kaya has many grottoes and caves. Perhaps the most famous of the caves is the Altyn-Teshik cave. The Great Grotto is also very famous. Many legends have been associated with the Altyn-Teshik cave since ancient times. The entrance to it is clearly visible from afar, it is located in the middle of the cliff. It has a teardrop shape, which is why the cave is sometimes called the Tear. Since the cave is rather difficult to access for people, it has acquired many legends, according to one of them it was previously the lair of a dragon that kidnaps young girls, according to another, that treasures were hidden here (hence the name Altyn-Teshik - "Golden Burrow"). According to the third legend, the cave is a secret hole that stretches almost to Feodosia. You can get into the cave only by using special equipment, because you have to go down a steep slope. Altyn-Teshik is called the upper cave, as it is located 52 meters from the foot of the mountain and 42 meters from the very edge of the cliff. After climbers established in the 60s that it was not just a cave, but also a grotto with a height of 20 meters, archaeologists became interested in this. Taking up research, they found in it many animal bones (often mammoths), as well as many stone tools. Thus, it was found out that people lived in the cave itself and near the Black Water coast since ancient times. And more recently, the skeletons of a Neanderthal woman with a child were found there, surprisingly well preserved. Just think, they are 150 thousand years old.

A large grotto, located near Altyn-Teshik, closer to the lower edge of the cliff. When viewed from afar, it may seem that it has a small size. However, when you get inside, you immediately find yourself in an amazing rounded hall, unusually wide and spacious. Local history literature says that Sarmatian tamgas have been preserved on the walls to the left on the walls of the grotto. These ancient images of the III century. BC. could be of great interest to lovers of antiquity, but, unfortunately, today the surface of the rock is so furrowed with the autographs of the current visitors to the grotto that they can hardly be distinguished.

The landscape of the White Mountain is very unusual. If you climb up a small gorge along a ledge protruding into the valley, then you will feel as if you are in the desert. On the plateau there are several burial mounds built by the ancient Scythians, sheer white cliffs, white rubble rustling underfoot. Ak-Kaya is not just a geological landmark, it is a real ancient natural monument of the Crimean foothills.

The White Rock of Ak-Kaya is a monumental building made of white stones. Even at night, during moonless hours, the white slopes of the rock are visible from afar. The rock formation of the rock is so similar to the lunar rock, and the landscape is so reminiscent of the moon, that it is not surprising that almost all Soviet sci-fi films about flying to the moon were filmed here. Also here in the 2000s, Hollywood directors came twice to shoot films.
Rock Ak-Kaya simply exudes lunar energy. The oldest traditions of astrology say that the Moon gathers the light of the Sun and stars in order to again illuminate the Earth with this light. In other words, the Moon acts as a distributor of cosmic forces on the territory of our planet. Feeling himself in complete harmony with the energy of the Moon, an earthly person could receive good luck, happiness and material wealth.

HISTORY OF THE WHITE ROCKS

Excavations by archaeologists in Krasnaya Balka helped researchers to obtain abundant and simply unique material. Just imagine that scientists have discovered as many as twenty sites of Neanderthal tribes here. All the finds were multi-layered, which means that the tribes lived in this area for a long period. It is worth noting that if these were nomadic tribes, then they lived there for some time, then left and again returned to the foot of the White Rock. In the Crimea, more ancient tools than in Krasnaya Balka were not found anywhere else. In the parking lot, which was conditionally called "Zaskalnaya 5", in the fourth layer, about 700 flint tools were collected from just one square meter. In total, about 5,000 flint antiques were collected in Krasnaya Balka. And this is much more than at all the Crimean sites taken together: Volchem ​​grotto, Kiik-Kobe, Staroselskaya and others.

For one reason known to them, the surroundings of the White Rock attracted ancient people. Apparently, the fact that Krasnaya Balka itself is located very conveniently and is protected from the winds played a decisive role, because thanks to this, favorable conditions for habitation have always been preserved in the beam. Climatic conditions of that period were much more severe than modern ones, and there was a lot of game in the steppes. The inhabitants of the rock could hunt mammoths, antelopes, saiga, wild horses. Even the bones of these animals have been found in the sites. Neanderthals did not know the bow and arrows. The Neanderthals used flint-tipped spears as tools, as well as bolas - round stone balls on leather cords. They were used as throwing weapons. Several of these balls were found at the Zaskalnaya 6 parking lot.

HOW TO GET THERE

Mount Ak-Kaya or, as it is also called, White Rock is located in the Belogorsk region. If you drive along the Crimean highway M17 Kerch-Feodosia-Simferopol, then you can see the White Rock without leaving the highway. It is located next to the village of the same name, to get to it, in Belogorsk you need to turn south, along the road to Nizhnegorsky.

ABOUT PLACES OF POWER

Known since ancient times different places strength. These are special areas of the planet Earth with the presence of unusual energy, which has a very strong effect on a person. These may be a unique landscape, natural monuments, places that have a connection with the religious activities of people or important historical events and many other similar places. Basically, these places are of particular importance. Since ancient times, almost all peoples in the world have had places that had and still have the status of reserved or sacred. Such are architectural structures, for example, sanctuaries, graves, temples, pyramids, barrows. In addition, they can be considered mountains, groves, lakes, springs, caves. Even individual stones and trees can be considered a place of power.

Ak-Kaya or White Rock - not the most popular tourist place in Crimea. Meanwhile, its history is rich in significant events. From ancient times, the snow-white fortress served as a refuge for both the beast and man. The caves and grottoes of Ak-Kaya hide many secrets and archaeological discoveries, and the picturesque snow-white slopes of the mountain are a wonderful natural scenery, which is actively used by directors and artists.

hospitable mountain

In the southeastern part of Crimea, above the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu River, far from the popular resort places corner, stands the magical Ak-Kaya - a snow-white rock, the same age as mammoths and Neanderthals.

Once the mountain was under water, at the bottom of the boundless ancient ocean. In the thickness of its limestone, archaeologists have found confirmation of this - the fossilized remains of ancient mollusks and fish. The sensational discovery occurred more than 20 years ago. In one of the quarries of the mountain, the bones of an amphibious whale of 50 million years of storage were found!

When the waters of the mighty Tethys receded, the land rose, raising Ak-Kai above the Crimean steppes. Blown by the winds, washed by rains for hundreds of centuries, the rock changed its appearance, acquiring, in the end, bizarre outlines with pillars-towers and caves, similar to the loopholes of a fortress. Here, in harsh prehistoric times, all kinds of earthly creatures, including primitive man, found refuge. In the upper cave Altyn-Teshik (Golden Nora in translation), located at a height of 52 meters, many animal bones were found, among which the majority were the remains of mammoths, as well as stone tools. Not so long ago, another sensational discovery occurred: in the Golden Hole, during excavations, researchers discovered perfectly preserved skeletons of a Neanderthal woman with a child, who are 150 thousand years old!

Despite the inaccessibility of Altyn-Teshik, the flow of curious guests visiting the cave does not decrease. The Golden Burrow has acquired a lot of legends, according to one of which its 20-meter grotto was once the lair of a werewolf snake. In the cave, allegedly, there is a secret hole that stretches all the way to Feodosia. Another tale explains the "golden" nickname of the cave. According to it, a chest with gold is hidden in Altyn-Teshik. There are many who want to find treasures, however, so far no one has found the treasure ...

A fairy tale is a lie, but a hint to it. It is likely that the hidden bowels of the White Rock are indeed hidden precious caches. When exploring the upper and lower caves, tamgas were discovered - generic signs of the Sarmatians, indicating the presence of a warlike tribe in the caves of Ak-Kaya. Who knows, maybe one day, some lucky person will find a treasure with Sarmatian gold.

The foothills of Ak-Kaya are no less attractive place for treasure seekers. Closer to summer, various people with shovels flock to Karasubazar (as Belogorsk was called in ancient times), near which the rock is located. It is not surprising, because here is the largest concentration of ancient Scythian burial mounds, and among them, perhaps, there are rich tombs of Scythian kings.

By the way, once Karasubazar was a rich trading city through which the famous Silk Road passed. In 1666, the famous Turkish traveler Evliya Chelebi, who visited Crimea, wrote: “This city is located in the very center of Crimea. A river flows through it, and on it there are more than 100 rotating water mills. Throughout the city, springs gurgle and bathe gardens. In total there are 8 bridges made of wood... On both sides of the city, to the right and left of Karasu, countless orchards and vineyards are worthy of praise. In general, if we describe this city in detail, countless books will turn out, and this will become a hindrance to travel ... "

A significant segment of the Great Silk Road from Sudak and Kafa through Karasubazar and Solkhat to the north - to Veliky Novgorod, was controlled by the powerful Tatar clan Shirin. In honor of the owner of the surroundings of the rock, a descendant of Genghis Khan, she was given another name - Shirinskaya. The noble family consisted of more than 300 murzas, the eldest of whom was elected, on top of the White Rock. The Shirin Beys were so influential that the Gireys gave their daughters as wives to their sons.

During the reign of the Khanate in the Crimea, the slave trade became one of the main sources of income for the local population. The surroundings of the White Rock were filled with the ringing of shackles. Those sentenced to death were mercilessly pushed from a height of 100 meters. Often they killed innocent hostages, demanding a ransom by blackmail. Twice Bogdan Khmelnitsky, captured in 1620, was brought to the White Rock. In front of his eyes, captives were thrown from the mountain, forcing him to ask the hetman not to delay with the ransom.

During the Russian war for the Crimea in 1777, the White Rock became the headquarters of the famous Russian commander A.V. Suvorov. A talented military leader, managing a 10,000th army of soldiers, managed to snatch victory from Kalgi-Sultan, which has several times superior forces. The enemy was taken by surprise. First, the Tatar courtyards, which were clearly visible from the mountain, were hit with cannons, and then they swept the cavalry from behind the rock, dispersing the army of the Shirins through the surrounding mountains. Later, on the White Rock, the Crimean Khan Sahib Giray signed an agreement with Prince Dolgoruky, according to which the Crimea was declared independent of Turkey by the Khanate.

The result of Russia's 10-year war for the Crimea was also summed up on the White Rock. On June 10, 1783, Prince G.A. Potemkin took the oath of allegiance to the Russian state of the Crimean Tatar nobility. Then the city of Karasubazar became administrative center peninsulas.

At the top of the White Rock

A path leads to the White Rock along the eastern corner ledge. Being part of the Inner Ridge of the Crimean Mountains Ak-Kaya, from the side of the plain it has a height of 100 meters. In some places, the ascent makes travelers sweat a lot, but the efforts are rewarded with a stunning view. The top of the White Rock is a flat surface. In the east - a chain of ancient burial mounds. On the other hand - the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu River and, as if in the palm of your hand, Belogorsk. In clear weather you can see eastern part Simferopol, and in the distant haze, closer to the horizon, the ridges of the Main Ridge and the high massif of Karabi-Yaila stretch.

White Rock is beautiful at any time of the day. At night, especially during the full moon, the mountain looks mysterious and mystical, shining in the dark with the whiteness of its ledges. It is no coincidence that Ak-Kaya - favorite place shooting adventure films. Everyone's favorite Soviet feature films were filmed against the backdrop of the White Rock: "Headless Horseman", "Mirage", "Fifteen-year-old Captain", " Business people”, “Lobo”, “General Lukacs”, “Mustang pacer” and even “Cipollino” and many others.

There is no better place to film a western! By the way, those who want to feel like a cowboy can rent a horse. At the foot of the White Rock there is a horse farm. There, travelers will be offered to drink cool koumiss and ride a horse: In addition, there are rest rooms on the farm, so you can stop for a couple of days and try to find Sarmatian gold!

White Rock or Ak-Kaya Surprisingly, it is located 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 not crowded. Belogorsk is located quite far from the resort towns and far from the standard tourist routes. locals people come here mainly for the weekend, and visitors usually simply do not know about this place. Despite this, the village has a recreation center where you can book a horseback ride or a quad bike ride. You can stay here and if you want to visit the Taigan Park located 15 km away, unlike their hotel, the prices at the base are not too high.

You can walk along the rock itself and its surroundings for a couple of days, during which time it is quite possible to get around all the interesting things that are here. There are several small grottoes and caves in the rock, some of them can be approached, and some cannot be reached without special equipment. For example, at a height of about 50 meters from the ground, you can see the Altyn-Teshik cave (Golden Hole).

This is a rocky plateau, cut off by white rocks on one side, but rather gently sloping on the other side. There are quite a lot of paths and roads around the rock, along some of them you can climb to the top. The shortest path to the top is clearly visible on a 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 really, the best views here they open exactly from the bottom, and not from the top, because You can't really see anything from the top, only gently sloping green hills.

You can also drive 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 by any car. On many maps, a bypass road is drawn closer to the village of Vishennoye, but you can only drive along it on a quad bike or on a well-prepared off-road vehicle, 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 White Rock. The rock itself can be seen from afar, you definitely won’t be able to miss it. You can drive up to it either through the village, or turning right at the first turn after leaving locality. In the second case, it will be possible to drive along the entire rock mass, although the road there is a little worse.

Belogorsk can also be reached by buses, they go from Simferopol and Sudak. From Simferopol you can drive directly to Belaya Rock, buses depart approximately every hour from 8.00 to 19.30. From Sudak you can only get to Belogorsk on almost any bus in the direction of Simferopol. From Belogorsk to Belaya Skala about 5 km, if you wish, you can walk or take a taxi.

The White Rock (Ak-Kaya) is a well-known landmark of the Crimea, which is located between the steppe part of the peninsula and its main mountain range. This is also the name of the village, which until 1948 bore the name of Ak-Kaya, (“White Rock” in Tatar). Since 1981, Ak-Kaya has been a natural monument.

Geographic features

Ak-Kaya is a sheer cliff that rises above the valley of the river. Biyuk-Karasu at 100 m. The valley itself is 225 m above sea level. The geological rocks that make up the mountain are white limestones as well as sandstones, which provides a unique color. The peculiarities of these rocks allowed nature to create a real miracle by weathering: grottoes, niches, and pillars appeared closer to the top of the rock. In its lower part, blockages of boulders, picturesque screes and hollows formed. The rock is partially protected from erosion by wild rose bushes and hornbeam, which have actively grown at its foot.
The height of the cliffs reaches 107 meters.!

This is a treasure trove of information for geologists. in the rock layers, the remains of the ancient inhabitants of the sea, which was once here, are perfectly preserved.

History reference

Archaeological expeditions in 1960 - 70s. were able to unearth 20 sites of an ancient man (their age is 300 - 30 thousand years BC) at the foot of Ai-Kai. In addition, the remains of ancient animals were found:

• - mammoth,
• - cave bear
• - giant deer
• - onar, and a number of others, no less interesting.

The natural conditions of the mountain - caves, grottoes, a nearby river, the presence of a silicon deposit - made these places very comfortable for the primitive inhabitants of Crimea. In addition, it was convenient to drive prey to the sheer cliff during the hunt.

It was in this place that the remains of a Neanderthal were found for the first time on the peninsula.

At the beginning of a new era, the Sarmatians lived in this territory, scientists believe that the rock was a sanctuary for them.

In the Middle Ages, the Tatars already settled here. The noble family Shirin, descendants of Genghis Khan, controlled part of the Silk Road passing through the current Belogorsk. For them, Ak-Kaya played the role of a veche, where the Elder clan was elected, and the Murzas discussed their claims to the Crimean Khan.

But it was also comfortable spot executions. The owners of the area, who did not disdain the slave trade, threw off the cliff those whom they could not (or did not want to) ransom. Bogdan Khmelnitsky himself, who was captured by the Tatars in his youth, saw this. Then, before the eyes of the future hetman, the captives were executed in order to stimulate him to collect money more intensively for his own ransom.

Interesting:
The Shirin clan was so powerful that the khans of Crimea gave their daughters to them as wives. And the city of Karasubazar (now Belogorsk) was considered the economic capital of the khanate.

In 1777, the headquarters of A.V. Suvorov, who defeated the Tatar army. An oak tree has been preserved at the foot of Ai-Kaya, under which, according to legend, the great commander rested.

Good to know:
On the plateau of the White Rock in 1783, the elite of the defeated Crimean Khanate, through their representatives, swore allegiance to the Russian Empire.

Legends of Ak-Kai

Residents of Crimea are very fond of telling beautiful legends about his wonderful peninsula. And the White Rock is simply created for amazing events to take place here.

According to one version, once it was the dwelling of the Zmey Gorynych himself. As usual, the monster flew around the neighborhood, stealing livestock from people for food, and, according to the laws of the genre, fell in love with a young girl. The Serpent dragged his chosen one to the cliff.

Beauty found out how to kill the monster, and dropped the letter with information from the mountain. But in vain she waited for help, no one came. Time passed, she gave birth to a baby, for which a happy father made a golden cradle. And only when he heard the cry of the baby, a certain hero took out a magic sword and managed to defeat Gorynych. True, the end of the legend is sad - everyone died, including the beauty and the child, with whom she threw herself off the cliff. Only the golden cradle remains, and enthusiasts still hope to find it.

According to another legend, one of the most famous caves of Ai-Kai (Altyn-Teshik) served as a treasury for local robbers, hence the name, which in Russian sounds like “Golden Burrow”. And some are sure that from this cave begins underground passage all the way to Feodosia. There are other interesting stories connected with the rock.

Be that as it may, but Ai-Kaya is a real treasure for scientists. Lots of discoveries made here.
— geologists,
- biologists.
— ethnographers
archaeologists and historians.

Video review

Information for tourists

The legendary treasures of the Golden Hole and the Scythian mounds attract modern treasure hunters to the White Rock, but it is no less popular with ordinary tourists.

You can climb Ai-Kaya:

– by car, preferably by SUV and not in winter time;
– on a horse, at the foot of the cliff there is a horse farm, where a horse will be rented, and a route of choice will be offered - 1.5 hours up and down a steep path or a calm ascent and descent in 3 hours;
- on foot, which, of course, cannot be called an easy walk, but all difficulties will be rewarded with beauty that can only be appreciated from the top point.

Going to the White Rock, travelers see not only this miracle of nature itself and breathe the wonderful air, but also get acquainted with historical artifacts, excavations of the ancient Scythian settlement. And many more wonderful experiences await them along the way.

Important!
There is no shade on the plateau, you need to take hats, and there will be nowhere to get water on the mountain!

Active and extreme recreation they can try their hand at rope jumping (jumping off a cliff on a rope). And romantic natures stay at the campsite and spend the evening with a guitar by the fire

Interesting:
The unusual shape and beauty of the mountain attract filmmakers. Many famous films were filmed here, among them
- "The Man from the Boulevard des Capucines"
- "Headless horseman",
- "The Star and Death of Joaquin Murieta"
- "Business people".

How to get to Ai-Kai

From Simferopol to the village of Belaya Skala is only 47 km,
– by car you need to go along the highway to Feodosia, then turn to Belogorsk;
— by bus from the Vostochnaya bus station to Belogorsk, then go to fixed-route taxi to the village of Belaya Skala, then on foot;
- Possibility to travel by bus.

Address: Belogorsky district, Belaya Skala village

White Rock on the map of Crimea

GPS Coordinates: N 45 06.483 E 34 37.317 Latitude/Longitude