Sevastopol grew up on the site of the ancient Greek city of Chersonesos, survived many wars and battles … And each historical epoch has acquired new legends. It is not surprising that so many have accumulated over the past centuries.
The curse of Cape Fiolent
There is a legend that once in the area of Cape Fiolent there was a temple of the priestess of the goddess Artemis Iphigenia, daughter of the Mycenaean king Agamemnon. Here she sacrificed pilgrims to Artemis, whose ships were brought here by the storm. The legend seems to be confirmed by the ancient Greek myths.
One way or another, the ruins of the temple have not yet been found, but there are rumors about some ominous ghost, which is seen from time to time in these parts. Or maybe these are different ghosts, since some eyewitnesses met a gigantic human figure with a brutal expression on his face, and others - a luminous column moving at great speed along the coast.
White monk
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On a hill near the ruins of the Chersonesos fortress, near the old monastery baths, according to legend, the ghost of the White Monk is sometimes observed, which until recently frightened couples in love and those who risked swimming at night. Now these places are declared the territory of the museum-reserve, and it is forbidden to swim there, and visits are allowed only until eight in the evening.
However, the White Monk can be found not only at night, but also during the day. But in the daytime, he appears to be exclusively in the form of a white rabbit. They say he can answer questions. If you are concerned about something, you can ask the rabbit a question. Only the answer should be yes or no. If the rabbit remains in place, the answer is yes. Escaped - negative …
Ghosts in Lazarevsky barracks
Lazarevsky barracks were built even before the Crimean War. After the first defensive battle, they were restored. And so, as he says in his book “Sevastopol. History. Legends. Traditions captain 1st rank, writer and journalist Vladimir Shigin, in the second half of the 19th century. the sailors living there began to see in the central corridors of the barracks some translucent figures of clearly otherworldly origin.
According to eyewitnesses, there were three ghosts. One of them wore a Turkish fez on his head and looked unhappy. The other had a kerchief tied around his neck, and he carried himself very arrogantly. The third had a mustache curled up and a wedge-shaped goatee beard. He was the most "sociable" and met the inhabitants of the barracks more often than others.
Subsequently, the sailors came to the conclusion that all three ghosts belonged to the representatives of the allied armies that besieged Sevastopol in 1854-1855. Judging by his appearance, the first, in a fez, was a Turk, the second, in a headscarf, was an Englishman, the third, with a mustache and beard, was French. In all likelihood, these soldiers found their death here, since they appeared in the form of phantoms.
After the invited naval priest read a prayer and sprinkled holy water on the barracks, ghosts began to be seen less often.
Secrets of Maximova dacha
One of the most legendary places in Sevastopol is the so-called Maksimova dacha. In fact, this is not a dacha, but a whole area of 30 hectares, which at the beginning of the last century was equipped by the then mayor Alexei Andreevich Maksimov, in the past a serf, and then a construction contractor who turned this place - Khomutov Balka, located near Sapun Mountain and the English Cemetery - into a European-style manor park with gazebos, walkways, Greek-style sculptures, cascading ponds, fountains, an arboretum and exotic animals.
Alas, the fate of Maksimov himself was tragic: in 1908 he shot himself. The reason for this was the rumors and gossip that arose around his name: for example, they said that when he was a contractor, poor-quality building materials were used in the construction of the Alexandrovsky dock. He was also called politically unreliable, since in previous years he maintained relations with the People's Will. As a result, Maksimov was removed from his post as the mayor, and the threat of expulsion and confiscation of property hung over him.
Over time, the park fell into disrepair. During the Civil War, after Wrangel's army left Sevastopol, White Guards and citizens sympathizing with them, including members of the family of the late Maximov, were shot here, and the estate was plundered. Subsequently, a colony for homeless children, an agricultural commune, a hospital and a sanatorium were located at Maksimova Dacha.
Nowadays Maksimova Dacha is a popular resting place for townspeople. However, walking in the park, people often notice a general deterioration in well-being and even the appearance of completely unreasonable and irrational fears. Some people have a strong desire to leave this place immediately.
According to one of the versions, altars were located here in ancient times. Remnants of structures that clearly had a cult purpose were even found. Hence, they say, and unfavorable energy.
Another version says that the architect Valentin Feldman, who designed the park, is to blame for the “curse of Maximova's dacha”. He allegedly encrypted secret Kabbalistic symbols in the local plant landscape and thereby attracted evil spirits or demons here.
Underground passage under the Sevastopol Bay
Legends about him have existed since the times of the Crimean War. Allegedly, during the events of 1854-55, numerous underground passages were dug under the city, including a tunnel under the Sevastopol Bay, connecting the northern and southern parts of the city.
According to legend, one military engineer with his little daughter was able to escape from the enemy in this way, hiding in the Constantine Ravelin.
But there is no official confirmation of the existence of the tunnel yet. According to local digger Andrey Voltov, even information about the location of the entrances and exits from it is very different. So, most likely, this is just an urban myth.
Author: Irina Shlionskaya