Assumption Monastery.
the time allotted for inspection tourist site 30 minutes
How to get from Bakhchisarai
- From Bakhchisarai bus leaves city bus (taxi), the next in the direction of the Old City. Should come out at the last stop "Staroselie." From the bus stop go on foot in a southeasterly direction, opening the gorge Maryam-Dere. Gradually rising road running along a steep rock wall, will lead to the Assumption monastery. Distance - 0.7 miles.
- If you are traveling by car, then you need to turn Bakhchisarai in the forecourt on Lenin Street. Next, move down the street I. Gasprinsky. Leave your car near the bus terminus in the parking lot. From the car park go on foot in a southeasterly direction, opening the gorge Maryam-Dere. Gradually rising road running along a steep rock wall, will lead to the Assumption monastery.
Monastery of the Assumption of Mary is, and gorge-Dere (translation from the Tatar and "beam of Mary") in the vicinity of Bakhchisarai. In the monastery there are three tiers of buildings: in the valley are refectory building, outbuildings, situated in the middle tier deanery, a fountain in the form of a chapel, a few cells of the cave, located in the upper tier of the entrance to the cave church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, cave church of St. brand, as well as ground cream Saints Constantine and Helen.
After moving into the North Sea of Azov natives of the valley-Dere Mariam founded on the shores of the Sea of Azov large settlement, has evolved into a city of Mariupol, which is reflected in navanii memory of the homeland of its founders.
Most probably, the monastery was founded in the XII-XIV centuries. After graduating from the Russian-Turkish Christian population of the Crimea voymy and monks living in the monastery, moved into the North Sea of Azov and the monastery was abandoned.
In 1850 the monastery was revived. During the Crimean War, the monastery housed the officers 'hospital, and at the end of the XIX century the monastery was built three new churches, new rock cut for the monks' cells and re-equipped old. After the Civil War Uspensky monastery was closed.
During the battle of Sevastopol during the Great Patriotic War, the surviving monastery buildings housed the hospital again. Returned to the believers and the monastery rebuilt in 1992.
On the road running along the western flank of the valley, to climb to the platform, on which the background-chapel. Here on the wall lined with a mosaic icon of Saint Ignatius of Mariupol, Metropolitan Gotfiyskogo and Kafiyskogo. Of the site begins a wide stone staircase that connects the middle tier to the upper structures. On it you can climb to the entrance of the Assumption Church.
The staircase guides are usually called "ladder of Hamlet," because it was here in 1964 filming an episode of the Soviet hudozhestvennago film "Hamlet" with Innocent Smoktunovsky in the title role.
The church that crowns the monastery complex to have originated in VIII-IX centuries. On three sides of the church is surrounded by a vaulted cave, and the fourth - is blocked by a stone wall. Near the temple of the Assumption are cave church of St. Mark, was consecrated in 1859, and over a dozen caves cells for various purposes. At one level with them in 1857 a church was built of Saints Constantine and Helen, are not extant. In recent years, is the restoration of the temple.
From the church go down the stairs and walk to the house of the monastery. A single-storey rectangular building built of hewn limestone. On the east facade has a decorative ledge - Corner, the completed shaped pediment.
There are several legends about the origin of the Assumption Convent. One of them tells of a terrible serpent, devouring in these places people and animals. Local residents prayed for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And once they saw a niche in the rock a burning candle, cut down to the site level and found there the image of the Virgin. Not far from him lay a dead snake.
Another legend tells that once the shepherd of the local prince saw a niche in the rock icon of the Virgin Mary. He told this to his master, and he wanted to get an image. However, no amount of trying to move the icon of the prince of a niche in the rock in their chambers, every time she happened to be on the same location. Then the prince built a temple on the site. A phenomenon of the icon because the first was held in celebration of the Assumption, then the church was consecrated in his honor.
