Kafa fortress in Feodosia: a journey to the Middle Ages. Kafa Fortress Feodosia educational excursion How the city of Kaffa flourished in the Middle Ages

KAFA (city) KAFA (city)

KAFA (Kaffa), the name of the city of Feodosia in Crimea from the 2nd half. 13th century, renamed in 1783.

Encyclopedic Dictionary. 2009 .

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Kafa (Kefe) is a province of the Ottoman Empire that existed in the Northern Black Sea region in 1475-1774. The administrative center is the city of Kefe (medieval Kafa, modern Feodosia). The province included the southwest of Crimea (south of the Kacha River), the entire ... ... Wikipedia

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- (1722 1782), prince, general in chief (1762). During the Russian-Turkish War of 1768 74, the commander-in-chief of the army, which in 771 captured the Perekop fortifications (14.6), defeated the Turkish Tatar army in the battle of Kafa (29.6) and occupied Crimea. Since 1780... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary

City region subordination of the Crimean region. Ukrainian SSR. Located on the shores of the Feodosia Bay of the Black Sea. Railway station, seaport. As of 1 Jan. 1973 69 t. (in 1887 11.5 tons, in 1959 47 tons, in 1970 65 tons). Basic in mid. 6th century BC e. coming from... ... Soviet historical encyclopedia

Feodosia- city, Crimean region, Ukraine. Founded in the 6th century. BC e. like Greek The colony of Feodosia was given by God. In the 13th century in its place the Genoese village of Kafa was founded, captured by the Turks in 1475. In 1783, Kafa was annexed to Russia under the restored... ... Toponymic dictionary

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Although Feodosia itself is incomparably ancient, the Genoese fortress, located on its outskirts, is the oldest historical structure that has survived to this day. Outwardly, it is quite similar to, but they cannot be called twin sisters: the similarity is rather a tribute to the fortification traditions that were dominant at that time, largely progressive in the 14th century, when they were built.

The scale of the Feodosian fort was disproportionately large; it was assigned a much larger role in protecting the borders of the Genoese possessions in the Crimea, which it confidently coped with before the conquest of the peninsula by the Ottoman Turks. And yet it is known to others - it was from here, from Kafa, that in 1347, a plague epidemic called the Black Death entered Europe on Genoese ships and wiped out more than a third of the population on the continent in 4 years.

Where is the Cafe located in Feodosia?

The main buildings are located on a hill, on the outskirts in the southern part of the resort city, along Portovaya Street. They rise some distance from the sea, above the coast of the Feodosia Gulf.

Fortress on the map of Crimea

History of origin

In the middle of the 13th century, the merchants of Genoa bought a small Greek town from Berke, khan of the Golden Horde - this was their first possession in Crimea, from where influence soon spread to the entire south-eastern part of the peninsula.

On the site of the polis, which was in complete decline, a colony founded by the Genoese grew, which soon turned into the richest and most prosperous city in the northern part of the Black Sea. This was facilitated by beneficial geographical location, thanks to which Kafa became a kind of bridge between Europe and Asia, where all the wealth of the Caucasus, Horde, Rus' and the Northern Black Sea region flocked.

Along with trade volumes, the locality, which in 1320 became a kind of capital of the Crimean possessions of Genoa. Its population during this period was approximately 70 thousand people, the same number living in London at that time. The influence and power of Kafa was so great that starting from the 14th century, they began to mint their own coins, which circulated far beyond the borders of Taurida.

Naturally, having such wealth, Kafa needed reliable protection, and in 1340 the construction of fortifications began on the shore of the bay, capable of securing the approaches from the sea and land. The construction of the fortification took only 3 years, but it became the largest and most powerful in Europe - the total length of its walls exceeded 5.5 km, and their height reached 11 m with a thickness of 2 m, it had more than 30 towers and about 10 gates.

The tragic fate of the bastion

It’s strange, but throughout its entire existence, some kind of fate seemed to hover over the Genoese fortress in Feodosia. Already two years after its construction, in 1345, the Horde khan Janibek tried to capture Kafa, but he could not take it right away, the new phot became an insurmountable obstacle, and a long, grueling siege began. As a result, both the townspeople and the defenders of the fortress suffered incredible hardships, but the besiegers themselves suffered no less - in the summer of 1346, a plague broke out in their camp.

To force the garrison to surrender, the Tatars began to throw the bodies of dead soldiers behind the fortress walls - the pestilence spread among the besieged. Without waiting for capitulation, the Horde left, but the terrible infection grew into an epidemic, the victims of which were more than half of the inhabitants of Kafa, and soon a significant part of Europe.

In 1475, like Feodosia itself, the Genoese fortress fell under the blows of the Ottoman Empire, the majority of the population was either killed or sold into slavery, and the city itself was destroyed to the ground. During the time of Turkish rule, the largest slave market in Crimea was located here.

The fate of the bastion also affected the Turks, when in 1616 the Cossacks, under the leadership of Hetman Peter Sagaidachny, captured the fortifications and completely destroyed the numerous Ottoman garrison. When Crimea became part of Russian Empire, the Kafa fortress lost its defensive and strategic significance; it was abandoned, gradually destroyed and stolen for building materials by the residents of the growing Feodosia.

Tour of the Genoese fortress

Now the preservation of the medieval fortress in Feodosia leaves much to be desired; by and large, little remains of it. However, she is one of the most interesting places at the resort for visiting, as evidenced by the numerous rave reviews from those who visited it. Romantic ruins have an amazing attractive force that acts on tourists like a magnet.

It's all about the unique spirit of antiquity, like an invisible aura, hovering over the ancient, dilapidated walls of the once powerful Genoese stronghold.
It may seem strange, but it is the current state of the fort that attracts travelers here, fascinated primarily by the fact that during all this time not a single stone has been touched by the tools of restorers. Until today, virtually nothing remains of the outer ring of fortifications, except for individual elements in the form of small sections of the fortress wall and the remains of towers scattered throughout the city limits quite far from each other.

The citadel is much better preserved, especially its southwestern section, represented by a 470 m long wall with completely intact towers of St. Clement and Crisco. This area often appears in numerous photos dedicated to. The bridge leading to the fortification, as well as impressive fragments of the fortress moat, Turkish baths and five 14th-century churches next to it, are well preserved.

How to get to the fortress?

Don’t know how to get to the Genoese fortress of Feodosia? The easiest way is by minibus No. 1, departing from Goncharova Street. You should get off at the stop “Gor. Hospital”, from here to the attraction is about 500 m, a map will not hurt.

By car from the center of Feodosia you can get to the fortress in this way:

Note to tourists

• Address: Portovaya street, Feodosia, Crimea, Russia.
• Coordinates: 45.023089, 35.400766.

In the city of Feodosia, the Genoese fortress of Kafa presents an unforgettable sight: you should not trust the comments where it is called a “sad place.” There are also such, but not many - they are left by people with no best taste, devoid of an adventurous spirit and romantic trends. The most eloquent evidence of the opposite is the status of the fortification, and it, by the way, is a historical reserve! Below is a video about this monument of the past in Feodosia. Enjoy watching!

Genoese fortress in Feodosia (Kafa)

– a medieval defensive fortification built by the Genoese Republic in the 14th century for defense largest city in Crimea - Cafes. Located in the southern part of the city of Feodosia and is historical monument and a landmark of this city.

History of the Genoese fortress in Feodosia (Kafa)

Feodosia – oldest city, which was founded 2500 years ago by colonies of the ancient Greeks. They gave the city its name, which translates as “given by God.” In the 13th century, the Genoese founded their city on the territory of Feodosia and named it Kafa. And in the 14th century the Genoese fortress was built.

The fortress was built to protect the city of Kafa, and it consisted of two lines of defense:

1. Citadels

2. External fortifications

Citadel built in 1340-1343 around Quarantine Hill. The citadel was located on the slopes of the mountains, which created serious obstacles for enemies. It took another 10 years for the fortress to be completed.

Building materials for the construction of the citadel were extracted from the rocks of the mountains that were located around the city, and building material was also found at the bottom of the sea.

The walls of the citadel were 718 meters long (469 meters have survived). The height of the walls was 11 meters and the thickness was 2 meters.

Length external fortifications reached almost 5.5 kilometers and had about 30 towers. Each tower was assigned its own unique name, usually the names of the consuls under whom it was built or the name of one of the Popes. To increase protection, a deep ditch was dug under the walls; it also served as a channel for draining stormwater into the sea. The plan of the city fortress resembled an amphitheater, the center of which was the Feodosia Bay.

The citadel housed all strategically important objects, including: the treasury, the consul's palace, the courthouse, warehouses and stores with valuable goods (precious metals, expensive fabrics). The second line of walls surrounded the city itself with shops, a market and the houses of ordinary city residents.

In the 19th century, when the city was already part of the Russian Empire, the main part of the structures of the Genoese fortress of Kafa was dismantled. Locals used fortress materials to build their houses, fences, and sheds. A part of the southern wall of the citadel with two towers (the Crisco Tower and the Tower of St. Clement) has survived to this day. The best preserved tower is Clement's Tower; next to the tower you can see the fortress gate, which used to be at a height of 2 meters from the surface. The gate was entered and exited using ladders.

In addition, part of the western wall, gate pylons and several towers in different places of the city (Dock, Constantine, Thomas, Consul Giovanni di Scaffa) have been preserved. Several churches, a bridge and Turkish baths have also been preserved on the territory of the citadel.

History of Kafa

In 1226, merchants from Genoa bought the ruins of Feodosia from the Tatar Khan Oran-Timur and built their city there under the name Kafa.

Already in 1316, Kafa became the main center of the Black Sea region. In the early stages of its existence, the city was subject to raids and needed serious protection. Therefore, in 1340 they began to build a stone, impregnable fortress. The Genoese created the fortress using the advanced technologies of European engineers of that time, based on the experience of fighting both on land and on water. The perimeter of the fortress covered an area of ​​17 hectares. The walls reached a height of 11 meters and a thickness of 2 meters. In especially vulnerable places militarily, areas were fortified most carefully. As a result, the Genoese fortress became one of the best defensive structures of that era.

Thanks to the fortress, Kafa became largest center international trade, the most beautiful city Europe, striking the imagination with the splendor of temples and luxury of palaces.

A huge amount of goods were transported to Europe through Kafa: wheat, gold, jewelry, fabrics, salt, oriental spices and much more.

The city became prosperous and rich. There were hundreds of merchant ships in the ports. Sometimes there were not enough piers for newly arriving ships.

At its peak, Kafa surpassed many in beauty and size. European cities. The population of the city was 70 thousand people. There were more than 20 thousand houses, more than 100 churches, a whole system of wells, pools and grottoes in Café. The city was decorated with monumental palaces and temples built by the best Italian craftsmen.

People of different nationalities lived here: Italians, Greeks, Armenians, Russians, Tatars, Karaites. Kafa, as a multinational city, had a number of religious denominations living in peace and harmony. The townspeople were extremely religious. Kafa was famous for its huge number of Turkish and Tatar mosques, Greek, Orthodox and Armenian churches. Only 9 medieval temples have survived to this day.

It should be noted that the Cafe was home to a large colony of Russian people with Russian Orthodox churches.

The most expensive commodity that this city traded were slaves. Kafa was the center of the slave trade in the Black Sea basin. Here the slave market was famous under the Genoese and, later, under the Turks.

In 1345, Khan Janibek besieged the city with a large army. It is unknown how long the city would have been able to hold out under the siege if the Tatar army had not been struck by the plague. Danibek used throwing weapons to throw the corpses of the infected beyond the walls of the fortress into the city. A terrible disease broke out in the Cafe. The plague forced many residents to leave the city and go home to Genoa. And where they stopped, there were pockets of disease. As a result, the Black Death infected the whole of Europe and claimed the lives of 80 million people, a quarter of the population of Europe at that time.

But after such a disaster, Kafa quickly recovered. She captured the Venetian port of Sugdea and the Genoese began to own the Black and Azov Seas.

In 1475, Kafa again came under siege. This time the Turks, with the support of the Tatars, besieged Kafa and after a few weeks the city surrendered. Having captured the city, the Turks first destroyed it, and then quickly rebuilt it and renamed it Kefe.

* - Apartments in Feodosia for daily rent

Genoese fortress in Feodosia, video:

Where is the Genoese fortress in Feodosia? Here, you can look at it on the map.

It will be most convenient to start getting acquainted with railway station. Here, in the nearest park, you will come across the Tower of Constantine, which is not poorly preserved. Then you will need to walk along Gorky Street and after half an hour turn left, this road will just lead to the ruins of the Genoese fortress in Feodosia.

How many Genoese fortresses are there in Crimea?

By the way In total, there are three Genoese fortresses in Crimea: in Feodosia, Sudak and Balaklava. The best preserved one is in Sudak.

Photo of the Genoese fortress in Feodosia:

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Kafa: Kafa is the name of the city of Feodosia in the 12th-15th centuries, in Russian sources until the 18th century. see Genoese fortress in Feodosia. Kafa people in Ethiopia Kafa is an ancient Kabardian folk mass dance ... Wikipedia

Name of the city of Feodosia in Crimea, other Russian. Cafe, Skaz. Mom. 49, Afan. Nikit., as well as Shambinago, PM 72 et seq.; Wed Greek Καφᾶς (Const. Bagr., De adm. imp. 53), it. Caffa (XIV century; see Vasmer, Iranier 72). Wed. Arab. tour. kafa skull (Radlov 2, 459) ... Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language by Max Vasmer

- (Kaffa) the name of the city of Feodosia in Crimea from the 2nd half. 13th century, renamed in 1783 ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

KAFA (Kaffa), the name of the city of Feodosia in Crimea from the 2nd half. 13th century, renamed in 1783 ... Encyclopedic Dictionary

I Kafa is an ancient Kabardian folk mass dance. The pace is moderate. Musical time signature is 6/8 or 3/4. Performed in pairs. The dancers are accompanied by a woman on the harmonica. Without interrupting the game, she also joins in the dance. K. begins and... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Cafe- Kefe from the ancient Italian “skull”, the medieval name of Feodosia... Toponymic Dictionary of Crimea

"Kaffa" request is redirected here; see also other meanings. This article should be Wikified. Please format it according to the rules for formatting articles... Wikipedia

Landscapes of the city of Feodosia. Legend: Delta-marine plain ... Wikipedia

In the section on the question What city is this?? photo given by the author Abyrvalg the best answer is Feodosia (Crimea)
Feodosia is one of the most ancient cities on the territory of the Russian Empire - USSR - CIS. Moreover, it is one of the most ancient cities in the world.
The city stands in the same place where it was founded by immigrants from Greek Miletus in the 6th century BC.
The name of the city has changed more than once.
Theodosius: The most widely accepted version of the literal translation from the Greek is “given by God.”
The new name of the city Kaffa (or Kafa, in Latin transcription most often Caffa) appears in the works of Byzantine authors. The exact origin of the term is not known.
Beginning in the 1450s, the Black Sea Genoese colonies began to rapidly weaken, which was caused by the rise of the Ottoman Empire and the corresponding restrictions on shipping through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits. June 6, 1475 Kaffa fell. The Ottoman Turks became its new owners. Kaffa was renamed Kefe.
The Turks called the city both Kuchuk-Istanbul (“little Istanbul”) and Yarym-Istanbul (“Half-Istanbul”), but these names did not really take root.
Kefe again turned into Feodosia only in 1787, on the eve of Catherine II's trip to Crimea.
Konstantin Fedorovich Bogaevsky
Kaffa (Old Feodosia)