Those who have ever set foot on the generously endowed Crimean land, know that aching feeling of nostalgia, covering when remembering this unique place. And no matter how luxurious Turkish and Egyptian resorts are, Crimea deeply penetrates the soul and remains in it forever.
Amazing place
Crimea is famous not only for its warm, but sometimes unpredictable sea, gentle sun, mild climate and incredible natural beauty. A thousand years of history and many historical monuments from different eras and cultures make it a very special place to stay.
On the peninsula, you can not only enjoy measured days on the beach. Numerous excursions will diversify your stay in Crimea, giving you the opportunity to touch the bygone moments of history, take a walk around the Khan's palace, climb high into the mountains or, like in a fairy tale, descend into the underground or underwater kingdom.
Massandra
One of the most outstanding sights isMassandra Park in Y alta, or to be more precise, three kilometers from it. Now it is almost impossible to determine where the city ends and where Massandra begins.
Originated in ancient times, it stopped in time for a long time, and now its population does not exceed nine thousand people, allowing the rapidly growing Y alta to inexorably approach. However, it is this small village that has earned worldwide fame for its excellent wines, fraught with the tart taste of grapes, a hint of bitterness of mountain herbs and the freshness of the sea breeze.
The magnificent estate in Massandra Park is much less famous. Its classical beauty and complex history attract more and more tourists like a magnet.
History milestones
Crimean lands for thousands of years were a tasty morsel for the Greeks and Genoese, the rulers of the Ottoman Empire and the Crimean Khanate. After the annexation of the peninsula to Russia in 1783, among the royal nobles and successful military leaders, there were immediately many who wanted to get the beautiful lands.
The first owner of Massandra, oddly enough, was a Frenchman - Marshal of Nassau-Siegen. Impressed by the beauty of this mountainous area, he dreamed of staying here forever, but fate decreed otherwise. The marshal left for his homeland, and Sofya Pototskaya acquired his Crimean estate. The Countess made grandiose plans to found a new city in Massandra and had already come up with a name for it - Sofiepol. But her plans were not destined to come true either.
The next owner of the estate was Olga Naryshkina, daughter of the late Countess Potocka. It was during her time that the oak-hornbeam forest was transformed into the Massandra Park, which later became famous. The well-known gardener Karl Kebach, invited to work, laid even paths in the Lower part of the forest, laid out shady alleys, arranged flower beds filled with fragrant plants everywhere. His successful attempts to combine plants from different climatic zones in a single complex still delight tourists visiting Massandra Park. Crimean juniper, dogwood, yew, Mediterranean pines and cypresses, Asian bamboo grow nearby.
In 1828, the Crimean lands of Naryshkina passed to the family of Count Vorontsov, who personally continued to improve the park. Upper Massandra has undergone only minor cultivation, retaining all its inherent natural characteristics.
Real parka
Today, Massandra Park is spread over an area of 49.1 hectares, where more than 250 species of various plants grow. What cannot be seen in the wild is successfully combined in this well-kept reserve. Crimean pines, fluffy oaks, arbutus, juniper friendly side by side with exotic sequoia, dendrons, laurel, bamboo and magnolia.
White locust planted by Kebach, to which Count Vorontsov had a special inclination, has perfectly taken root in the territory of Massandra Park and for almost 200 yearsis one of the most popular plants on the southern coast of Crimea.
Special meadows, covered with a flower carpet, are arranged in such a way that each of them offers a magnificent view of the sea, and evergreens will be the perfect frame for this picture.
Vorontsov's Castle
Count Vorontsov could not resist the beauty of nature - gray rocks covered with moss, picturesque heaps of stones, a centuries-old pine forest that fills the air with special phytoncides, all that Crimea is so famous for. Massandra Park seemed to him a great place to live in the hottest months. For the construction of a magnificent palace, the count invited the popular architect of that time, Bouchard.
According to the architect's plan, in the dense shade of the age-old trees of Upper Massandra, against the background of gray cliffs, a romantic castle of the Renaissance was to appear. The towers were supposed to give special expressiveness to the structure - two round and square, sloping roofs, graceful attics. But due to the sudden death, first of the architect, and then of Count Vorontsov himself, the construction process stopped for a long ten years.
Emperor's Palace
Only in 1889, when the Massandra Park, together with the unfinished castle, were purchased for Emperor Alexander III, the construction of the palace continued. M. E. Mesmacher, the new architect, added a touch of sophistication to the building, adding numerous balconies, terraces, galleries and yellow tiled facades.
Gilded double-headed eagles,forged lattices, painted vases emphasized that the palace belonged to the imperial family.
Massandra Park, whose photos do not give a complete picture of its beauty, has also been improved. On the balconies and terraces of the palace, as well as in park alleys, Messmacher installed decorative vases, columns, sculptures of sphinxes, ancient gods and chimeras.
An additional wall was erected on the eastern side of the palace to protect against landslides and mudflows. Decorated with columns, statues and fountains, it blends seamlessly into the palace and park complex.
Interior decoration
What first strikes the visitors of the palace complex is the small size of all interior spaces. After all, this residence was designed for the rest of the royal family, and not for lavish receptions and balls.
The rooms lack the luxury typical of imperial palaces. In Massandra, everything is arranged quite simply - wooden wall panels, marble fireplaces, stained-glass windows, stucco molding serve as the main decoration of the premises. Unfortunately, the royal family did not have to spend their holidays in the Crimean palace. Alexander II died without finishing the decoration, and his son Nicholas II never managed to visit his southern residence.
How to get there
During the high season, hundreds of tourists tend to get into Massandra Park. Getting to it from Y alta is extremely simple. Regular buses depart from the lower platform of the Y alta bus station toGurzuf. And the stop "Turn to the Massandra Palace" will not be missed by any driver.
From the central market in the direction of Massandra, a fixed-route taxi No. 29 runs. Having reached the Chernomorets stop, you can walk to the palace in a few minutes. A walk in the shadow of centuries-old alleys will give tourists a lot of positive emotions. A visit to the Massandra Palace will give you an idea of the way of life of the imperial family and will allow you to feel like a Russian aristocrat for at least a short time.
