Yevpatoria

Evpatoria is one of the Eastern Europe's most ancient towns, the heiress of the ancient Greek Kerkenitida and Tatar-Turkish Gezlev. The city is located in the western part of the Crimean peninsula. Nowadays it is a climatic resort town boasting numerous monuments belonging to various epochs. Each stage of its development left traces on its architectural image.

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The main tourist attractions here are 3 religious temples located close to each other as the symbols of religious tolerance:

Dzuma-Dzhami Mosque built by the fabulous Turkish architect Khodzha Sinan in the 16th century. He was the creator of Shakh-Zade and Suleimanije Mosques in Istanbul. Dzuma-Dzhami Mosque in Evpatoria was the first to "greet" a new Crimean Tatar ruler of the Crimea approved by the Turkish Sultan.

Karaite Kenassa, a cultural and spiritual centre of the Crimean Karaites. Through the iron openwork gates one can get to a patio with 100-year-old grape vines twining round arches ;

Dzhuma-Dzhami Mosque

Dzhuma-Dzhami Mosque

Karaite Kenassa

St. Nicholas' the Miracle Worker Cathedral consecrated in 1898 to commemorate the liberation of Evpatoria during the Crimean War. This acting church which can accommodate up to 2,000 parishioners contribute to the inimitable image of the city.

St. Nicholas' the Miracle Worker Cathedral

St. George's Church

St. George's Church

Dervishes' Tekije (Moslem Monastery) in Evpatoria is the only one on the territory of the former Soviet Union. Built in the 15-16th centuries, it can by right be considered one of the most mysterious Crimean monuments. A dervish, according to the encyclopedia definition, is a "Mohammedan mystic, a Sufi follower". Literary translated from Persian, the word means "beggar". Dervises-Sufis wore rough woolen clothes, led austere life and sought direct communication with God. Interesting to visit local ethnographical center there. Even a small piece of the ancient tiling of the tekije's central dome-shaped structure is believed to possess mystic power and bring good luck.

Karaite Kenessa

Dervishes' Tekije (Moslem Monastery)

Dervishes' Tekije (Moslem Monastery)

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