Кульчукское городище

Kulchukskoje hillfort is an archaeological site on a cliff along the Black Sea coast, covering about 1.5 hectares and protected by deep ravines on three sides. The headland rises roughly 11 meters above the water and reveals the remains of different settlements spanning several thousand years.

Greek settlers founded this coastal settlement between the 5th and 4th centuries BCE, which later fell under the control of Chersonesus. The site then hosted different cultures and rulers over many centuries.

The site reveals layers of different cultures stacked upon each other: Greek dwellings, Scythian fortifications, and early medieval Saltovo-Mayaki settlements. Visitors can still see traces of these different peoples today when walking across the ground.

The site is most easily reached by the cliff path leading up from the nearby road. The best time to visit is during the warmer months when archaeologists conduct their yearly excavations.

The site contains an arched doorway that researchers consider the oldest example of this architectural form in the entire Black Sea coastal region. This element shows an early use of advanced building techniques at this remote location.