In-& outside a 3-floor-cavelandscape

Chufut-Kale is one of 3 cavetowns in the area of 10kms around Bahkchsysaray, one of the last remaining settlements of Crimean Tatars, the local muslim minority. The history of the cavetowns goes back into the 6th century, Byzanthine time, but no definite history is agreed on, even wikipedia the information on site diverge. It seems certain, that fron the 10th century on, the place was mainly populated by Alans, the most powerful Sarmantian tribes of Iranian decent, that adopted Christianity. The Tatar horde of Emir Nogai took over Bakhchsysaray in 1299, and at the turn of the 15th century Tatars settled Karaite (a Jewish Sekte) craftsmen in front of the eastern line of fortifications. The significance of Kyrk-Or, the original name, as a stronghold declined, and the Crimean Khan, Menglis-Girei, moved his capital to Bakhchsysaray. The old town remained a citadel of Bakhchsysaray and a place of incarceration for aristocratic prisoners. In the mid-17th century Tatars left Kyrk-Or. Only Karaites and several Krymchak families remained living there due to anti-Jewish restrictions on stays in other towns of the Crimean Khanate, hence the town gradually acquired the name of Chufut-Kale, which in Turkic meant “Jewish fortress” with negative and scornful meaning. After the Crimea’s conquest and its inclusion into the Russian empire, the fortress inhabitants were permitted to live anywhere in the Crimea. From that time on, Chufut-Kale was deserted. The christian-jewish-muslim and even buddhist overlapping past is noticeable on the few remaining stone buildings on top of the impressive cliffs above the gorge, but inside the caves one can just about feel the age of the massive town, while climbing down into natural, deeper down hammered and finally drilled caves. The area around is occupied and agricultured by monks of a huge orthodox monastery, protected against potential 'enemies' by the self-empowered garde of Kosaks, supported by the christian minority on Bakhchsysaray. You hear us walking, tourists talking, the swallows sing, insects hum and the herds of the monks feast in the valley.