Kachi-Kalyon
FAQFrequently asked questions
What is Kachi Kalyon?
The medieval cave monastery in the Crimea is a complex of churches, cells and wine presses, carved out of rock grottoes. There are five grottoes here, and each once had its own life.
Where is it located and how to get there?
In the valley of the Kacha River in the Bakhchysaray district, between the villages of Pereduschelne and Bashtanivka, above the Bakhchysaray-Sinapne road. The rock itself, along which this road passes, serves as a landmark.
What can be seen there?
The Church of St. Sophia with a wine press in the first grotto, monastic cells, the monastery of St. Anastasia in the fourth grotto and the half-ruined fifth grotto. Carved Greek crosses from the times of iconoclasm have been preserved in the rocks.
How old is this place?
The monastery is believed to have been founded in the 8th century, when monks fled to Taurika from iconoclasm. He was active even during the Crimean Khanate, until in 1778 Christians were deported to the Azov region.
Why is little left of the monastery?
It was restored in 1850 by Archbishop Innokenty, and in 1932 the Soviet authorities liquidated the monastery, and the buildings were subsequently blown up and dismantled almost to the foundations. The mountain spring, one of the main attractions, also almost dried up by the beginning of the 21st century.
