Fortress Calamita

is located close to Sebastopol, Inkerman . High above the road on the plateau Monastic rock , clearly visible remains of ancient fortifications , and the bottom of the cliff - Christian cave monastery. Calamita fortress - one of the most interesting monuments of the Crimean Middle Ages.From the south and west of the fortress is protected by cliffs, the north and east - carved into the rock by a moat and a wall consisting of three curtains with a two-story rectangular pyatdo polubashnyami and a round tower with gates for passage . The area is 1,500 square meters. m and it is all enclosed by walls .

.

The appearance of a fortress Kalamita refers to the VI.Most likely, the fortress was erected to protect the trade routes leading from the steppes of the Crimea in the Chersonese.

Later, with the rise in south-western feudal principality of Theodoro Tavrika ( in XV . In Russian and Western sources, it was called Mangup ) , at the mouth of the river began to develop Black Avlita trading port .To protect Mangup Prince Alexei in 1427, rebuilt the castle.

In 1475 the principality of Theodoro fell under the blows of the Turks. In an effort to strengthen its position on the Black and Azov Seas , the Turkish conquerors erected a fortress here new and old ones rebuilt .They rebuilt and Kalamita and adapt it to the use of firearms. The Turks owned the castle until the conclusion Kalamita Kuchuk Kainarji peace treaty ( 1774). The Turks renamed the fort , calling it Inkerman , which means cave fortress .The title is no accident: the rock upon which was built to strengthen , indented with numerous caves. Some of them had military significance , while others were used as economic , religious , and even residential areas.

at the bottom Chisti Monastic rock and beside it the remains of buildings. It is believed that in VIII-IX centuries .there arose a Christian monastery . On breaks , he survived for more than a thousand years. The appearance of the monastery in this area associated with the so -called iconoclastic movement in Byzantium, where the Byzantine emperors wanted to break the economic power of the church. Pursued by the authorities, ikonopochitateli fled to remote areas of the empire.They founded the cave monasteries . At the end of the XVIII century. Inkerman Monastery was abandoned , but in the middle of the XIX century. has been restored as a monastery Inkerman Saints Clement and Martin. During this period in its territory had been built several churches. In 1867 the church was restored . Its floor and walls are preserved tombs.Steep stairs led from the rock monastery on the territory of the fortress.

During the Second World War here in the ancient land , were fierce battles with the Nazis. In the premises of the monastery 's headquarters of the 25th Order of Lenin Red Banner of them . VIChapaev Infantry Division. The memorial plaque and monument at the mass grave of soldiers celebrated the division.

.