Swallow's Nest

"Swallow's Nest" is a wonderful castle that is located on a sheer cliff, right above the Black Sea in Crimea, which belongs to Ukraine. This structure always attracts many tourists, because it has an unusual appearance, which really resembles a bird's nest, stuck at a height of 40 meters. The Swallow's Nest is a vivid symbol of the entire southern coast of Crimea.

There are many legends about the appearance of the castle in the Gothic style, which local guides are happy to tell. The real story of the Swallow's Nest is no less fascinating. The first memories of it date back to 1895, in the story of Grigory Moskvich, and the building itself already existed by that time. The idea of such an unusual building hanging over the sea belongs to the general, whose name has not been preserved. All that is known is that he was seriously wounded in the fighting in the war between Russia and Turkey. At the time of its construction, the Swallow's Nest had a completely different shape and was called the Castle of Love, which the romantic general himself named. In drawings by famous artists dating back to 1901, the castle is depicted as a simple wooden structure.

The next owner of the "Swallow's Nest" (at that time a simple cottage), was A.K. Tobin, who was a court doctor. After that, in 1903, Tobin's wife sold the cottage, which her husband gave her. It was at this time that the wooden building above the sea acquired its glorious name – "Swallow's Nest".

But all the beauty and grandeur of the building on the rock is given by the next owner, Baron Rudolf von Stengel. In 1912, a small castle with a wonderful tower in three tiers was built here, which is an addition to the stone cliff of Aurora above the sea. The swallow's nest fits so harmoniously into the rock that it is not immediately possible to guess its small size. Its height is 12 meters, and the castle itself has 200 ^m2.

Later, a restaurant was set up on the territory of the Swallow's Nest, and after a while the new government nationalized it. As for the interior design of the castle, it cannot boast of luxury. The only decoration of the halls is a fireplace and wooden beams with projections in the form of frogs.

The observation deck and the entrance to the castle itself were closed for a long time, as the structure was damaged by earthquakes. In 1968, it was decided to restore the former beauty of the Swallow's Nest. After much risky work at a bird's-eye view, the castle was presented to the public.

From the observation deck of the charming castle above the sea, you can enjoy an excellent view of Yalta itself, along with the bay called Ayu-Dag. There are many different souvenirs for sale near the entrance to the castle, which depict the symbol of the southern coast – the Swallow's Nest.

When traveling in the Crimea, it is not difficult to get to the Swallow's Nest fortress, because tourist routes often lead here. To get to the village of Gaspra, where the castle is located, you can also use minibuses from local bus stations or go by sea by boat from Yalta.