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BAKHCHISARAI

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George Page
Misha Jelisavcic
John Sloan

The capital of the Crimean Tatar Khanate. The village today is still a tourist attraction because of the Khan's palace, which is now a museum. Here we show scenes taken during our visit to Crimea in 1997.

History and description

The small town is on the Churyuk-Su river. Nearby, at Ashlam Dere are tombs dating back to the 8-9th centuries. The area has been inhabited by Taurs, Scythians, Sarmatians, Alans, Greeks, Khazars, and Tatars. Now the population is mostly Russian and Ukrainian, but the Crimean Tatars are returning as quickly as they are able. The village was first mentioned in chronicles for 1502. In the mountains a few miles south-east of town there are considerable caves occupied from prehistoric times and ruins of medieval monasteries and churches. On Tepe Kermen alone there are some 10,000 caves. In the Valley of Jehosaphat there is the ancient Karaite (Jewish) burial ground remaining from a colony that occupied Chufut Kale (Fortress of the Jews). The ruins remain on the ridge at 1640 ft above sea level and 650 ft above the valley. The Tatar (Kypchak) Horde established a village in the valley called Eski-Yurt. Initially the Crimean Tatar khans had their capital on nearby Chufut-Kale. They moved here in when Khan Abdul Sahel Girai built his palace here in 1518 and remained until the Russians deported the last khan, Shagin Girei, in 1783. The town and place were destroyed by the Russians during a war in 1736 but later restored. The mausoleum contains the tombs of Crimean Khans and their wives from 1592 on. Outside town on Chufut-Kale is the mausoleum of Nenkedzhan Khanim, favorite daughter of Tokhtamish. At one time there were 32 mosques and 3 medressas. The palace was built in 1532-51 by labor supervised by Turkish, Persian, and Italian architects. It was rebuilt in 1787 for a visit by Catherine II and in 1837 for a visit of Nicholas I. It was again renovated in 1900. The mosque dates from 1740. The famous 'fountain of tears' was built for Khan Krim Gerei in 1756.

Illustrations

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Description
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Entrance to khan's palace from outside

  
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Plan of the Khan's Bakhchisaiskogo palace

 
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Minaret in khan's palace

  
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View of upper floor of khan's palace from courtyard

  
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The fountain of tears

  
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Main courtyard of khan's palace

  
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Flower garden by the fountain of tears

  
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Inner court yard

 
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Porch
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Inside room
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Busy entrance courtyard
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Inner courtyard
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Upper story of palace
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Ceiling in audience room
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Gardens
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Ceiling
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Fountain in meeting room
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View through door into meeting room
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Tourists love to be photographed wearing Tatar costume

  
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Posing for tourists in Tatar dress

  
  {short description of image} Court yard garden in Khan's palace  
  {short description of image} Garden in Khan's palace with pool  
  {short description of image} Room inside the palace  
  {short description of image} Minaret in Khan's palace  

For information please contact Xenophon. To return to the Xenophon main page please click here. Here we have extensive material on other locations and history of Crimea.