Chufut-Kale, Cave fortress in Bakhchysarai, Crimea.
Chufut-Kale is a cave fortress near Bakhchysarai in Crimea, sitting on a rocky plateau 600 meters above a gorge. The compound spreads across several levels with stone walls, residential quarters, and chambers carved into limestone, protected by natural cliffs on three sides.
The settlement began in the early medieval period as a Byzantine outpost and later passed under the rule of the Greek principality of Theodoro. In the 15th century it became the residence of the Crimean khans before they moved to Bakhchysarai.
The name comes from the Turkish word for Jewish fortress, as a Karaite community lived here until the 19th century. Visitors today see remains of two prayer houses and the mausoleum of a Mongol khan's daughter from the 15th century.
The fortress sits about 3 kilometers (nearly 2 miles) from Bakhchysarai and can be reached via a walking path from the cave monastery or a dirt road. Sturdy footwear is recommended because parts of the terrain run over uneven rock.
In the 16th century the mint of the khanate produced coins here for the entire Mongol dominion. Archaeologists found metalworking workshops and storage chambers in the cave dwellings, used for centuries.
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