Crimean Legend - The origin of Yalta

Long ago Konstantinopol, the capital of the Byzantian Empire sent several ships in search for the new fertile lands. The voyage was not easy, as Pont Aksinsky - the Black Sea met the sailors by the storms and tempests. But when the tempest died away peoples' fate was not relieved. The thick fog covered the waves, it covered horizon and the sea. Many days the sailors roamed in uncertainty. There was neither fresh water nor food. Weakened and tired, people lost courage and waited for death...

Once early in the morning the slight saving wind blew up. The milky shroud of the fog was vibrating and started spreading slowly away. Sparkling sun beams set in eyes of people and they saw green-violet mountains not far away.

- Yalos! Yalos! The shore! - cried the patrol.

It was a wonderful Taurida, the fabulous land, where there is no winter, where the air, saturated with sea moisture and the odour of herbes, is slight and healing, where wonderful grapes is ripening and where is the fragrance of roses.

The tired travellers cheered up, applied themselves to oars and sent their ships to the attracted shore.

They settled here, on the blessed land, neighbouring the inhabitants; they called their settlement "Yalos", the name, which was so darling to them, which in Greek means - the shore.

It is said, that it is the name of the town is Yalta since that time.