Alushta, Black Sea coastal resort city in southern Crimea, Ukraine.
Alushta is a coastal city along the Black Sea in the southern part of Crimea, Ukraine, sitting in a bay with open water views. Mountains rise behind the buildings and provide a natural frame for the streets and the waterfront promenade.
In the sixth century Byzantine builders erected the fortress of Aluston as a defense post along the coast of the peninsula. Later Genoese merchants took control and reinforced the fortifications during the medieval period.
The name comes from the Greek Alouston and has been adapted through the centuries in the languages of the region. Today's cityscape reflects the architectural mix of Soviet-era resorts with older Crimean structures.
The city sits by the sea and can be windy, especially during spring and autumn when the temperature may change quickly. Visitors find accommodation in numerous sanatoriums and guesthouses spread across the urban area.
Stones from the original Byzantine fortress were incorporated into the later Genoese walls that stand in the center today. This reuse of building material shows how each new power built on the foundations of the previous one.
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