On the territory of Russia you can find a huge number of fortresses of completely different eras. Many of them are preserved today in excellent condition, but there are also those that, unfortunately, have turned into ruins, and one can only guess how they really looked.
And on the coast of the Sea of Azov there are similar structures that are of interest to tourists and travelers who are fond of ancient history.
The article provides information about the most popular holiday destinations on the coast of this sea, each of which has its own interesting history. Also, after reading the article, you can learn about two interesting historical sites on the Sea of Azov - the fortresses of Azov and Arabat.
Vanitsa Dolzhanskaya
Cossack village Dolzhanskaya is a popular resort stretching at the very base of the Dolgaya Spit (the coast of the Sea of Azov). This appliesa settlement to the Yeysk district, from Krasnodar it is 236 km away.
The village was founded in the middle of the 19th century by Cossack settlers who came from the Dnieper and live here to this day. The current population is just over 7,000.
Dolzhanskaya attracts vacationers with a wonderful steppe climate, magnificent healing mud and mineral springs. Shallow depths and constant winds attract kitesurfers and windsurfers here. And the service sector in the village of Dolzhanskaya is much cheaper than in the larger resorts of the Krasnodar Territory.
A relatively good budget place for a beach holiday is the Sea of Azov. "Dolzhanskaya Fortress" is one of the good private hotels located in this village on the coast of the Sea of Azov. This remarkable place is located on the picturesque Long Spit, which closes the spacious Taganrog Bay. This area today has the status of a protected landscape monument.
Dolzhanskaya has been popular among young people in recent years. Every year, since 2001, the A-ZOV festival has been held here, gathering a huge number of fans of electronic music and extreme sports on the spit.
Azov
Before we move on to the description of the historical monument (Azov fortress), we will present a little information about the city of Azov.
On the site of the modern city, the first settlement was founded before our era by the Greeks. It was the city of Tanais. For thousands of years, various peoples have sought to conquer it, sinceIt was located in a very advantageous place: the intersection of the main trade routes of Asia and Europe. The Huns, Sarmatians, Pechenegs and Khazars lived here.
The city ended up in the hands of Prince Vladimir in the 10th century, and in 1067 it was conquered by the Polovtsians, and since then it has had its current name - Azov (translated from the Turkic "Azak" means "river mouth").
From the earliest times, Azov has been a bone of contention between the Ottoman and Russian empires. The ramparts, the remains of which are still preserved, were built by the Don Cossacks in 1641-1642, during the period of the Azov sitting. Azov became Russian after the bloody Russian-Turkish wars that took place in 1768-1774.
Now the fortress of the XIV century, or rather its fragments, is one of the most attractive sights not only for local residents, but also for tourists.
Azov fortress: description
Now there is practically nothing left of that ancient Azov fortress, only Alekseevsky gates and a rampart. The former have been recently restored and attract many tourists. The place is very quiet and picturesque. The ramparts stretched for hundreds of meters. Their width is from 5 to 30 meters. The remains of the brick walls are preserved on the crests of the ramparts, and at their base are the Alekseevsky Gates. A reminder of the formidable historical events that took place in these places centuries ago are the barrels of ancient cannons protruding menacingly from the loopholes. The Azov fortress, together with the Alekseevsky gates, is located near the old fish factory on the streetGenoese.
The very first thorough study of this historic building took place during the excavations conducted in 1935.
Fortress on the Azov coast of Crimea
There is another interesting object on the coast of the Sea of Azov (Crimea) - the Tatar-Turkish fortress, which is the only one on the peninsula. It is located two kilometers northwest of the village of Ak-Monai (the modern name is Kamenskoye). This defensive structure, together with the Yeni-Kale and Perekop fortresses, protected the Crimea from attacks from enemies from the east and north.
An octagonal-shaped fortress surrounded by a deep moat around its perimeter, possibly connected to the Sea of Azov through an underground passage.
Description
Compared to the Azov fortress and others, Arabatskaya is one of the most interesting and mysterious. Of particular note is the design of the building. The main fundamental point in the construction of fortifications in the Middle Ages was the moat in front of the fortress and the earthen rampart following it. In this case, the moat was filled with water from the Sea of Azov and Lake Sivash through specially laid channels. The entrance to the Arabat fortress, located on the side of the Kerch Peninsula, was blocked by powerful gates. The remaining directions were protected by walls with several rows of loopholes and guns installed in them. All this made it possible to hold a circular defense for a long time.
The mystery of the fortress lies in the fact that almost nothing has been preserved about itdocumentary information, and detailed scientific studies of the structure were also not carried out.
The fortress, which was a silent witness to the tragic and turbulent events, keeps many more secrets.
Conclusion
The most picturesque views of the Don river delta from the ramparts of the Azov fortress. Construction address: Rostov region, city of Azov, st. Genoese.
Every year, the All-Russian Festival of Military Historical Clubs is held on its territory. It is dedicated to the Azov siege seat of the Don Cossacks in 1641. More than 10,000 spectators come to this venue to participate in costumed military dramatizations or simply to admire this colorful spectacle.
