Church of Elijah in Solnechnaya Dolina, Orthodox church in Solnechnaya Dolina, Crimea

The Church of Elijah stands at 14A Chernomorskaya Street in Solnechnaya Dolina, built in the style of ancient Armenian churches. Its low south door is topped by a large stone carved with five rosettes bearing Greek crosses, and light enters through just two small windows. The altar is formed of three stone slabs set tight against the east wall, so it cannot be walked around.

Dated to the 10th–12th centuries, the church is considered the oldest functioning temple in Crimea. In 1771, after Russian troops under Prince V. M. Dolgorukov took Kafa, Turks killed its Orthodox priest Peter. Greeks served here until their resettlement to the Azov region in 1778, after which residents of the village of Kozy cared for the church. It was repaired and painted in 1904, closed in 1936, and restoration began in the 2000s.

The village was called Kozy until 1944, and after the Greeks left for the Azov region in 1778, its residents kept the church. A local family guarded it in the late 19th century and let anyone look inside. The marble baptismal font, cut from a 4th–5th-century pagan column capital, is still used for baptisms.

The building can be reached by following the main road through Solnechnaya Dolina and is normally accessible to visitors. Visiting times are tied to the Orthodox calendar, so it helps to check ahead for any religious services or celebrations.

The marble baptismal font is a capital from a column of a pagan temple of the 4th–5th centuries, possibly carved from Proconnesian marble and brought to Crimea from Constantinople. It is still used for baptisms.