Sights Alushta - Gurzuf, Ukraine

This land keeps the traces of ancient cultures of different peoples. Rising to the east of Gurzuf Ayu-Dag, like the rest of his district, protects the remnants of prehistoric sites, co-pany for more than 30 thousand years, ancient shrines, Gothic temples, Byzantine castles, genuez-tion and Turkish constructions. Even in our days on the pass Gurzufskoe saddle openly unique sanctuary, almost two thousand years, serve many people, inhabited the coast and mountains of Crimea.

At the tiny promontory at the foot of the cliff Dzhenevez nestles a little cottage, where in 1900 he lived and worked A. Chekhov. In one of the "Crimean Sonnets" sung Gurzuf A. Mickiewicz. Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky during his stay here created pieces for piano "Gurzuf from Ayu-Dag".

The inspiration of many artists, musicians and writers nurtured this small village. Gurzuf picturesque valley, surrounded by an amphitheater of mountains, with green hills, forests and vineyards, with its pebble beaches and an ass-introductory sun, always remains in the hearts of all who come here. The city-resort Gurzuf - one of the most favorite holiday destinations in the Crimea.

Especially a lot in Gurzuf associated with the name of Alexander Pushkin. Pushkin is remarkable grotto among seaside rocks. But connoisseurs of creativity waiting Pushkin Museum (36-38-76) in the former house of the Duke of Richelieu. In 1820 the family rented a house general NN Rajewski, in the friendly circle of which the great poet, by his own admission, had "the happiest moment" of his life. In the parks you can see the busts of Adam Mickiewicz, Lesia Ukrainka, Fyodor Chaliapin, Anton Chekhov, Maxim Gorky, Vladimir Mayakovsky. These people at different times been in Gurzuf. Includes a well-known of his education and charitable AI Sultan Krym Giray in his estate Suuksu. Nephew of the last of the Crimean Khan Shahin Giray spent his teenage years in England, married there, and return to the Crimea with his wife worked in the Anglican Christian Mission. Thanks to them, opened the first shelters and schools for orphans. At the beginning of XX century millionaire Berezin buys property and builds a modern resort with several villas, luxurious hotels and casinos. We loved Gurzuf (and admired the beautiful widow of Berezina - milionershey Solovevoj) also artists Repin and Surikov, writers and Kuprin Mamin-Siberian.

Artek
The remnants of the Genoese fortress XI-XV centuries and an impressive tunnel in the cliff, shattered to monitor the sea in the Middle Ages. But the first fortress was built at this place even earlier - in the VI century by the Byzantines. Now this area Artek - International Children's Center.

In 1925, at the foot of Ayu-Dag appeared first tents pioneer camp Artek. The decisive factor in choosing a site camp was an extremely healthy climate, rich nature and picturesque countryside. Before the revolution, there appeared a few aristocratic villas surrounded by evergreen gardens. They are carefully preserved, supplemented by contemporary sleeping buildings and sports facilities. In 1925, June 16 at the foot of Ayu-Dag appeared first 4 tents pionerskogolagerya Artek. If the first line at the opening ceremony attended by 30 pioneers of the camp, now a summer capacity of the center about 4,5 thousand people. Territory Artek is 345 hectares. She stretched out along the shore of the sea from the rocks of the Genoese fortress to Bear Mountain for 8 kilometers.

In it the children's Palace Suuksu (formerly "Casino") with a large auditorium, library and museum space to them. Gagarin. Several camps, Artek is designed to work throughout the year. Since 1959, the best camp of Artek - "Sea" - became international. There were guests from 36 countries.

On the territory of Artek many beautiful and remarkable places. Some of these - Cape Suuksu (cold water). The most far-serving in the sea cliff of the cape is named after Chaliapin. On this rock, he wanted to build a palace for the study of talented youth. The owner of the resort Suuksu Ms. Solovieva refused to sell it. But one evening after the picnic Chaliapin complete admiration of the surrounding air singing. And inflexible millionaire just gave this land. Unfortunately, events of the Revolution and the Civil War prevented fulfill the dream of the great singer.

Artek - a favorite place of the filmmakers. Here are removed permanently adventure films, and international children's film festivals. Yacht Club Artek - mooring space explorers of all nations.

Corps military resort - a wonderful legacy of Russia's businessman PI Gubonin successfully Bakhchissaray Palace style first emerged, connecting it with the traditions of Russian wooden architecture and antique motifs. In 1882-89, shortly after construction of the railway Lozova-Sevastopol, which Gubonin managed to earn big money, he invested his fortune in the construction of 8 hotel buildings, the Kursaal, churches and restaurants - a surprising yet its beauty and engineering solutions.
Park resort is not only interesting exotic plants, and fountains, among which is the fountain "night" - a copy of a German professor of sculpture Berger. Gubonin purchased it at the Vienna exhibition in 1898.
In the Soviet years, the church was destroyed, but the other buildings and parks are maintained in good condition, were added and many fountains and sculptures. Between the center Gurzuf and the sea is the former summer residence-workshop of the outstanding Russian artist Konstantin Korovin (now house the work of artists) now accepts all comers.

Ayu-Dag (Bear Mountain)
The shape of the mountain is typical for all laccoliths - the so-called "failed volcanoes. The dome-shaped peak was formed by cooling magma deep in the earth's crust. At the volcano as it did not have enough energy to eject molten substances from the bowels of the earth, and, exhausted, he stopped at the surface of the stone mushroom. Height Bear Mountain small - 577 m above sea level, but its area is impressive - 5.4 sq.km. Ayu-Dag is a state preserve. From a distance it seems that the mountain is overgrown with bushes, in fact, the gigantic stone wool bear - a real dense and shady woods. It is the old roads, trails, vast green fields, and at the same - the stone cliffs, scree, rocks, on which the bottom of the breaking waves.

Ayu-known as one of the natural mineralogical museums of the South Coast. From the Crimean diabase made tribune on Red Square in Moscow. Recently, there was found a previously unknown mineral in the Crimea - vesuvianite. Total number found on the Ayu-Dag minerals reached 18. Interesting and relict vegetation covering the slopes and summit of the mountain: here live evergreen strawberry tree, shrubs, butcher's broom, ladannik Crimea. This is the only habitat in the Crimea, a special type of forest cabbage and only in Ukraine habitat of a rare fern - kraekuchnika pterisovidnogo. In general, the species richness of trees and shrubs is the number of species of an entire region in central Russia - about 600.

Even in ancient times the mountain caused a feeling of awe and worship of the powerful forces of nature. It is believed that the name of Ayu (Bear in Tatar) could be descended from the Greek Aya - Holy. Archaeologists discovered here the pagan sanctuary of different tribes, as well as the ruins of Christian churches, built at the dawn of the era of Christ. Powerful silhouette of the mountains from Gurzuf romantic escorted islets Adalars and bizarre cliffs, among which is hidden a small villa of the writer Anton Chekhov. With rocks and their underwater inhabitants, the water is remarkably clean and transparent.

Red Stone
Kizil-Tash (Red Stone) near the village of Krasnokamenka Gurzuf drew the attention of all passers-by yuzhnobrezhnomu highway. Built of marble-like limestone, similar to what is faced with the station "Komsomolskaya" the Moscow subway. Here, in the Red Stone, the only place in the Crimea, where grows the grapes from which the world's best dessert drink - White Muscat Red Stone. Gore-ottorzhenets towers over the slope (about 500 m), forming a natural bulwark, offering a broad overview. This is used in antiquity: on top of red stone ruins of a medieval observatory.

In with. Danilovka (formerly Ah-Daniel) of interest the powerful built from marble-like limestone Gaspra - wine cellars of Count Vorontsov, here was his first attempt of the industrial production of wine and champagne, even long before Prince Lev Golitsyn, as well as the homestead of the founder of Nikita Botanical Gardens H. Steven.