Taraktash Rocks

Taraktash is a rocky ridge north of Sudak, stretching from the village of Dachne to the northeast. The name from Crimean Tatar translates simply and aptly: fireplace ridge. The rocks here rise with sharp teeth, so the guides fondly call the ridge a dragon.

Looking closely at the weathered rocks, visitors can see fortress walls and towers, then human figures, then some fantastic creatures. The imagination has a place to roam, and the photographer has something to catch in different light.

The place also has an ancient past: in the Middle Ages, a fortified settlement stood in the valley between Taraktash and the nearby Baka-Tash rock. The most convenient start to the ridge is from the village of Dachne, which lies precisely between these two rocks.