The cave cities of Crimea are the most interesting archaeological monuments of the peninsula, which attract tourists with the specifics of their location, amazing nature, "savagery" and the spirit of mystery. In Crimea, there are fourteen such unique objects of antiquity, of which Kachi-Kalion stands out for its specific fantastic landscapes.
About 8 km from Bakhchisarai, there is a giant rock massif. The majestic rock in its appearance resembles a giant ship sailing along the valley along the Kacha river. In the upper part of this rock mass, which can be conventionally taken for the "bow" of the ship, in the natural cracks of the rock, you can see the image of a large cross, created by nature itself. This is where the unusual name of this massif originated, because it is translated as "cruciform ship".
Limestone rock ridges, which include Kachi-Kalion, are subject to the action of the forces of nature, which made it easy to create artificial holes in them, a kind of caves that were used for economic needs by the ancient inhabitants of these places. There are many remnants of residential and religious ancient buildings on the rocks, which causes disagreement over the settlement of these places.
Perhaps, initially there was a fortified ancient settlement here, and much later a rock monastery arose, as evidenced by the numerous images of various crosses on the walls of the inner caves and grottoes. The vigorous activity of the ancient settlement on Kachi-Kalion is evidenced by the numerous depressions intended for processing grapes. The valley, sheltered by the rocks, favored the cultivation of vineyards in these places and the practice of winemaking.
On the territory of the "cross ship" there are five natural grottoes with caves. The most interesting is the fourth grotto, often called the temple of nature itself, where the source of St. Anastasia flows. Many people believe that its water has healing powers. This led to the giving to this source of sacred power and its popularity among pilgrims.
Although the source of the fourth grotto is considered sacred, in the Middle Ages terrible legends circulated about it. Supposedly it was a haven of vile monsters that crawled out of the caves at night and caught lost travelers. Once a local girl Anastasia fell into their clutches. But the rocks, which were very fond of the songs of this girl, took pity and filled up these monsters with stones, and a stream flowed from under the rubble, pure as a girl's tear.
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It is from the fourth grotto that a narrow cornice with a dangerous path over the abyss begins, called Kyl-Kopyr, which means "hair bridge". This name also speaks of the unusualness of this place, since in ancient times the bridge between this world and the sacred world was represented as a hair. Since the bridge of transition between the worlds was not conceived without the monsters guarding it, it is quite understandable where the legends about the monsters of the fourth grotto came from. The view from this trail is simply incredible, which justifies giving this section of Kachi-Kalion a mystical halo.
The feeling of the touch of the rocks and the sky on Kachi-Kalion is especially strong, and perhaps it is not for nothing that this place has been chosen since ancient times as sacred, as if bringing closer to communion with God. The mind-blowing height, from which it is simply breathtaking, and the incredibly beautiful surrounding landscapes are unlikely to leave anyone indifferent.
