Chelter-Koba

This is the cave monastery of St. Theodore in the Crimea. The name translates from Crimean Tatar as "lattice-cave", and when you see more than 50 caves in four tiers - you will understand why.

The monastery is hidden in the valley of the Belbek River, in the Bakhchysaray district, about a kilometer from the village of Velike Sadov. You get to the village, and then on foot, because the cells are connected by paths cut straight into the rock.

The monastery was founded in the 13th-14th centuries on the northern borders of the Feodoro principality. It was destroyed in the 15th century, so the monastery stood empty for most of its history.

The main church is dedicated to the Great Martyr Theodore Stratilatus - this is where the services are held again. And on the lower level, a large cave awaits with five columns and a giant tarapan, an ancient stone platform.

Yes, since the beginning of the 2000s, the monastery has been restored little by little: the church is functioning, part of the cells and the bell tower have already been restored. That is, it is not just ruins, but a living place.