Syuyren fortress: which of the legends is close to the truth?

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

On the Crimean peninsula, in the Bakhchisarai region, there is an amazing place - Cape Kulle-Burun with a fast river Belbek at the foot. It is located just over a kilometer from the village of Maloye Sadovoye. The name of the cape is translated as "Tower Cape", and not in vain. There is an amazing fortress Syuyren on it. To this day, it is one of the most little-studied, mysterious and enigmatic buildings of the ancient Crimea.

Mysterious story

Until now, scientists do not know in what year or at least century the Syuyren fortress was built. Most historians adhere to the time period between the VI-XII centuries, namely the X century. It is believed that it was built by the Byzantines, who at that time owned the Crimean land.

The main task of the fortress was to protect the center of the Crimean Gothia and parallel control of the road leading to the South Bank. The beam through which the road to the tower lies was named by the Turks Altyn-Isar-Bogaz. Translationreveals the secret of the name of the fortress itself. In Russian, it sounds like “passage to the Golden Fortress.”

Signs of an urban settlement

By the 13th century, the Syuyren fortress (Crimea) becomes like a small town. At this time, the castle of the feudal lord, who owns rural settlements at the foot of the cape, is located here. By the end of the XIV century, the fortification passed into the hands of the Theodorites. Now it is the northern outpost of the principality. During the entire time these lands were part of the state of Theodoro, historians and archaeologists note a significant flourishing of the city and an increase in the well-being of its population.

Oblivion

Historians claim that Turkish troops defeated the Syuyren fortress in 1475. Since then, there has been virtually no mention of her. There are only some assumptions about living in these places of the Crimean Goths Scivarin. It may have been the 18th century.

Although there is a not very popular version about the defeat of the fortress in 1299 by the Tatar-Mongol conquerors.

Architectural features

Syuyren fortress was erected in the form of two curtain walls. They converged at the foot of the round tower. Walls over 4.5 meters high formed an angle (about 130o). They were only 110 meters long, but had a significant width - 2.5 meters. It was impossible to approach the settlement from other sides - it was surrounded by steep cliffs.

It is believed that the tower was two-story, and its height was about 12 meters (including the parapet and merlons). Today it is a little over ten. The site completed the round structure. She wassurrounded by a 1.5-meter double-shell wall and was ready to withstand even the most terrible battle.

All the walls of the building are lined with limestone blocks. They were fastened with a solution based on the same limestone. Interfloor floors are lined with wooden beams.

Each level had three loopholes. A tunnel was organized to the southwest of the tower. He made it possible to move unnoticed by the enemy between parts of the defensive structure. On the other side were high and strong gates. The dwellings of ordinary citizens are built of stone.

There was a secret passage leading to one of the cliffs, which was prepared in case of a forced emergency flight from the city.

Syuyren fortress had about 1.7 hectares in its possessions. And it was very densely populated. The northeastern part of the settlement was occupied by vineyards.

At the turn of the XIII-XIV centuries, 300 meters from the tower, a wall 145 m long and 1.2 m high was erected. Archaeologists are still arguing about its purpose. Most stick to the corral version.

There are suggestions that the Syuyren fortress (photo of the tower confirms these guesses) was the home of a feudal lord. The tower structure with a diameter of eight meters was later converted into a chapel. Instead of a platform, a dome appeared. And on the pictures of the inner surfaces of the walls, images of the faces of saints are clearly visible.

Our days

The famous Crimean earthquake severely damaged the remains of the fortress. By the end of the 40s of the last century, attempts were made to restore the maintower. But by the beginning of the 90s of the XX century, all the attached and fortified parts collapsed for no reason, and the tower again appeared in its original form.

To this day, in addition to the tower structure, a defensive wall with the remains of dwellings, pottery and cockroaches have survived.

There have always been many tourists in these places. The Syuyren fortress is very attractive. How to get here, every local resident will tell you. Immediately after the stop in the village of Maloye Sadovoye there is a path leading across the bridge of the Belbek River. Further, without turning, you should go to the southern outskirts of the settlement and go to the reservoir. Behind it begins a dirt road. After walking a kilometer and a half, you need to turn left and go carefully following the red markers. They will lead past the Chelter-Koba monastery, located right in the cave, gradually narrowing the path to the Kizilnik gorge. To the left of it begins a plateau, which leads to a straight road through the forest. And here it is, the Syuyren fortress in all its glory!