Location: Crimean peninsula Map
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Eski-Kermen is a medieval fortified city in the southwestern part
of the Crimean peninsula, 14 km south of the city of Bakhchisaray
and 5 km north-west of the ruins of the medieval city of
Mangup-Kale. The name is translated from Crimean Tatar as "old
fortress". Along with this oikonym, another name of the fortress is
known - “Kut” (“Kut-Eli”), which literally means “Gothic fortress”
(or “City of the Goths”). According to the researchers, the
etymological analysis of the oikonym (along with the results of
archaeological excavations) indicates that a certain part of the
Tauride Germans lived here, probably Gothic warriors and members of
their families.
The territory of the city occupied an area of
8.5 hectares, having a length of 1040 m and a width of 170 m. It is
built on a table-shaped mountain plateau, limited by cliffs up to 30
m high. It is one of the most visited cave cities of Crimea, after
Chufut-Kale. It is included in the Bakhchisarai Historical and
Cultural Reserve.
Routes to Eski-Kermen go from the villages
of Kholmovka, Zalesnoye, Ternovka, Red Poppy, which can be reached
by bus from Bakhchisaray.
The city was founded at the end of the 6th century AD
as a Byzantine fortification and existed until the end of the XIV
century. The history of the city before the 10th century is little
known, since the city was an insignificant fortification. Although at
the moment some researchers are inclined to the version that perhaps the
Doros fortress was located here, and not on the Leaky Cape of
Mangup-Kale. This is reflected in the name of the city by the Crimean
Tatars: "Old Fortress". Indirect confirmation of this hypothesis is the
presence of a siege well of the VI century, with a staircase of six
marches and eighty steps, with a twenty-meter corridor; this was not the
case in other known fortifications of the Byzantines during the
construction of a defensive line against nomad raids in the Middle Ridge
of Crimea.
From the 10th century, the gradual growth of the city
and the growth of its significance began, with the greatest flowering
falling on the 12th and 13th centuries, when the number of inhabitants
exceeded 2000 people. At that time, a full-fledged medieval city already
existed here, the plateau was built up with rectangular quarters,
separated from each other by fairly wide streets, along which a wagon
could pass. On the territory of the city was the ruling bishop of the
district, as evidenced by the remains of the pulpit in the temple at the
central gate. The basilica, presumably built in the period from the end
of the 4th century to the beginning of the 8th century, is being rebuilt
and expanded in the central part of the plateau.
In 1299, the
city was destroyed by the Mongols under the leadership of the Golden
Horde beklyarbek Nogay and was no longer able to fully restore its
former significance. In 1399, the Mongol army, led by the temnik of the
Golden Horde, Edigei, destroyed the rebuilt fortifications and
completely destroyed the city, which was no longer restored after that.
Only a small settlement remains in the vicinity: Cherkes-Kermen (village
Strong), located between the northern tip of Eski-Kermen and Kyz-Kule.
It existed from the period of late antiquity until the early 70s. XX
century.
Well-preserved fortifications of the 6th and 12th
centuries.
About 350 caves carved into the rocks in the city itself
and about 50 outside it. Most of them appeared in the XII-XIII centuries
as utility rooms, mainly as cattle pens, less often as warehouses. A
small part of the caves (15%) performed defensive or sacral functions.
The ruins of the basilica measuring 24×13 m from the end of the 6th
century, with later additions in the 11th century.
The complex of the
siege well of the VI century, with a staircase of six marches and eighty
steps, with a twenty-meter corridor leading to a cave where drinking
water accumulated. The well operated until the end of the 7th century.
Several cave temples carved into the rocks in XII-XIII with many
frescoes (heavily damaged by vandals).