Кучук-Ламбатская бухта, Coastal cove in Alushta, Crimea.
Kuchuk-Lambat Cove is a sheltered bay along the southern shore of Crimea with towering cliffs and deep waters that create a natural harbor. The cove extends in front of Cape Plaka and features steep rocky formations that frame the water.
The cove served as an important anchorage for vessels across multiple centuries, which is evident from the archaeological remains of several shipwrecks discovered there. Among these are fragments of a vessel from the 7th century and another from the 10th to 11th centuries.
The cove and the surrounding area were called Kuchuk-Lambat (Little Lighthouse) until 1945. Ancient Greek sailing directions for the Pantikapaion–Chersonesos route mark a town called Lampadon, meaning lamp or lighthouse, in the bay. Archaeologists found no medieval lighthouse, but ceramic material from the 4th century BC to the 15th century AD shows a settlement on the shore.
The cove lies 12 km west of Alushta, with Cape Plaka marking its eastern edge. The surrounding shore is rocky, and the nearby Kuchuk-Lambat stone chaos and the Gagarina Palace are landmarks for orientation. Access is by paths from the coastal side; the water is deep enough for anchorage.
The name Kuchuk-Lambat means "Little Lighthouse", and Greek sailing directions for the Pantikapaion–Chersonesos route record a town called Lampadon here. Archaeologists found no medieval lighthouse, but a third light was probably raised on the stone chaos above Cape Plaka, which is better seen from the sea. Underwater work near the cape found wrecks: a 7th-century cargo east of it and a 10th–11th-century ship west.
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