The ancient settlement of Kyz-Kermen, which belongs to a group of historical sites called "cave cities of Crimea", is not visited by tourists very often. We will indicate three reasons why it is still worth doing this.
is located in the region of Bakhchisarai (Crimea), on Cape Kyz-Kule Burun, towering over the valley of the Kacha River. By its layout, Kyz-Kule is similar to Chufut-Kale. The plateau is about a kilometer long and about 200 meters wide. At its narrowest point, the plateau was partitioned off by a fortress wall. The inner territory was divided into two parts: built up with estates and free from buildings, where in case of danger the population could hide. From the west, the settlement is bounded by the Kaya-Arasy gorge, from the east - by a gully that separates Kyz-Kermen from the eminent neighbor - the cave city of Tepe-Kermen.
Only three artificial caves have survived in the settlement - a sentinel cave, a hermit's dwelling and an economic cave. Also here you can see several tarapans (grape crushed) and the foundation of a residential estate.
Like other cave cities of Crimea, Kyz-Kermen leaves us with more questions than answers, assumptions instead of reliable data, legends instead of facts.
Riddles begin with the name of this place. Kyz-Kermen - from the Crimean Tatar "Maiden Fortress". However, there is an opinion that the name of the fortress is translated as "Sentinel Fortress". Due to its geographical position at the intersection of roads connecting Chersonesos and the southern coast of Crimea, Kyz-Kermen could become a large trade and craft center of its time, but in the 9th century it was destroyed by the Khazars and abandoned by the population.
Despite the proximity of the settlement of Kyz-Kermen to their "star" brothers - the cave cities of Tepe-Kermen, Kachi-Kalion and Chufut-Kale, they rarely visit it. However, it is definitely worth coming here. There are at least three reasons for this:
1. Relatively easy accessibility. If you enter from the eastern side, from the Beshik-Tau mountain, the elevation differences are minimal. There is no need to storm the climbs, as in the case of other cave cities.
2. Stunning view from the plateau. To the east - changing angles as you move in the western direction to the cave city Tepe-Kermen, which appears either in the form of a cone, or in the form of a ship, as well as views of the Kachinskaya valley, Chatyr-Dag and the main ridge of the Crimean mountains. To the west - views of the surrounding mountains. In clear weather, you can even see the sea in the distance.
3. Like other cave cities, Kyz-Kermen is undoubtedly a place with an ancient history. An inquisitive traveler will be interested in examining the historical sites of the settlement, which are not only on the plateau, but also at its foot (for example, the "Turtle" grotto, where in ancient times there was a pool cut into the rock).
