14 June 2026
(Ai-Petri. PHOTO: travels.in.ua)
Ai-Petri is a famous peak in the Crimean Mountains, part of the Ai-Petri Plateau. The mountain is located within the Greater Yalta area, above the town of Alupka and the village of Koreiz. It is one of the symbols of Crimea and one of the peninsula’s most famous natural landmarks. It is the subject of the next story inthe “Amazing South” series.
The plateau-like massif of the Main Range of the Crimean Mountains, of which Ai-Petri is a part, is called the Ai-Petri Plateau. It stretches 25 km from the Baidarskiye Vorota Pass in the west to the Yalta Plateau in the east.
<picture>
Ai-Petri. PHOTO: o-go-go.com
The formation of the yayla began about 230 million years ago, when the waves of the ancient Tethys Ocean lapped at the site of the modern massif. Over millions of years, tectonic processes and erosion did their work, resulting in the formation of a distinctive mountainous landscape.
The highest point of the Ai-Petri Yaila is Mount Roka, standing at 1,346 meters. Another peak of the yayla, Bedene-Kyr (1,334 m), has a dome-like shape with two humps, which is how it got its name, which translates from the Crimean Tatar language as “Quail Mountain.”
The Ai-Petri Plateau is part of the Yalta Mountain-Forest Nature Reserve. Here, tall-trunked pine, beech, and oak forests are protected. The reserve’s flora includes 1,363 plant species, 115 of which are endemic. The fauna consists of 113 species of birds, 37 species of mammals, 11 species of reptiles, and 4 species of amphibians.
The Uchan-Su River flows down from the mountains of the Ai-Petri Plateau and, at an altitude of 390 meters, plunges down the 98-meter-high waterfall of the same name. Other waterfalls in this mountainous region—Upper and Lower Yauzlar—are located nearby. They have already been discussed in another article in the "Amazing South" section.
According to one of the most common theories, the name Ai-Petri comes from Greek and translates to “Saint Peter.” It is associated with the medieval Monastery of St. Peter, which existed during the period of Byzantine influence in Crimea. Ai-Petri is one of the most famous natural landmarks of the Crimean Mountains and also holds historical and cultural significance.
There were no major cities on the Ai-Petri massif either in antiquity or in the Middle Ages. Due to the harsh climate, the plateau was used in ancient times primarily as seasonal pastureland for livestock. However, archaeological excavations have uncovered important religious sites, ancient storage facilities, and settlements here.
During archaeological research on the summit of Ai-Petri, fragments of pottery dating from the 1st century BCE to the 1st century CE and iron-forged crosses were discovered. This indicates the existence of a religious complex here in ancient times.
Small mountain settlements existed on the edge of the yayla and its slopes during the Middle Ages. The local inhabitants of these villages were primarily engaged in transhumance, harvesting timber and hay, as well as gardening in the adjacent valleys. The settlements were abandoned after the Ottoman army’s invasion in the 15th century. Most of the fortifications in the mountainous Crimea were destroyed, and some fortresses were rebuilt by the Turks in the 16th–18th centuries.
In the Ay-Petri and Yalta highlands, archaeologists have discovered a network of ancient stone livestock pens and seasonal encampments that were used by nomadic tribes for many centuries. At the foot of the mountain range, settlements of the ancient Tauri (Kyzyl-Kobin culture, 8th–3rd centuries BCE) have been discovered, although their main stone burial grounds and encampments were located closer to the sea coast and in the gorges.
The hallmark of the Southern Coast of Crimea is the Ai-Petri Crenellations—picturesque rocky outcrops on the ridge of the mountain of the same name. They form a stone wall consisting of four large and several smaller vertical cliffs up to 15 meters high. The outcrops are composed mainly of limestone that formed on the site of ancient sea reefs. They acquired their current appearance as a result of prolonged weathering and erosion processes. In shape, the rocks resemble a jagged crown or the back of a fairy-tale dragon. Today, the Ai-Petri Teeth are one of the most famous natural symbols of the Crimean Mountains and a popular tourist attraction.
<picture>
The Teeth of Ai-Petri. PHOTO: www.karpaty.net.ua
For hundreds of thousands of years, karst processes—the dissolution of rock by natural waters—have been ongoing in the Crimean Mountains. These processes occur both on the surface and deep within the mountains, contributing to the formation of caves, shafts, wells, and karst sinkholes of various sizes and shapes. Over 1,800 karst sinkholes and about 500 caves and shafts have formed within the limestone strata of the Ai-Petri Plateau. Among these caves, Triglazka, Geophysical, and Yalta are particularly noteworthy.
Triglazka got its name from the three sinkholes that form its entrances. The cave is also notable for its snow and ice formations, which remain in the lower part of the cave even during the warm season.
The Geophysical Cave is located nearby; it is about 28–30 meters deep. It is equipped with convenient stairs, and the descent passes through picturesque underground halls with numerous stalactites and stalagmites.
<picture>
Geophysical Cave. PHOTO: i.lb.ua
The Yalta Cave is small but very striking. It features paved paths and beautiful artificial lighting.
This is a flat-topped hill on the Ai-Petri Plateau, 1,182 meters high, with a steep rocky cliff to the southeast. It features an observation deck, next to which stands a monument to the partisans. The rock is located near the exit of the Yalta–Bakhchisaray road onto the Ai-Petri Plateau.
The observation deck on Shishko Rock is a place that commemorates the sappers who spent many years building the road. Their tools were a pickaxe, a crowbar, and a shovel. The rocks were blasted with gunpowder. The project was led by Colonel Shishko, an engineer, after whom the rock was named by order of Tsar Alexander II.
The observation deck offers a magnificent coastal panorama of the Yalta Amphitheater, the only place on the Southern Coast of Crimea where the mountains recede 2–3 km from the sea.
The weather station on Ai-Petri is one of the oldest high-altitude stations in Crimea; its history began in the late 19th century due to the need to study the unique and harsh climate of the Crimean Mountains. It is located on a plateau near Shishko Rock, the famous “teeth,” and the cable car, where, in the harsh, windy climate, staff record readings eight times a day. The weather station stands 1,180 meters above sea level.
The station records all extreme weather events in the region (storm winds exceeding 40 m/s, fog, snowfall, heat, and cold). The weather station has a rich history of measurements. Entire generations of meteorologists have worked there for decades.
During the Soviet era, a Radio Technical Center for Long-Range Reconnaissance and Air Defense Guidance was established on one of the peaks of the Ai-Petri Plateau—Beden-Kir. A distinctive feature of this military facility, codenamed “Observatory,” was the large, spherical domes of the radar shelters, which attracted the attention of tourists. Radar systems are located beneath these domes. A military town has also been built on this territory for those who maintain these facilities.
<picture>
Russian Air Defense military base on Ai-Petri. PHOTO: www.mv.org.ua
The occupiers have established a unit of the 3rd Radio Frequency Regiment of the Russian Air Force here. On May 13, 2024, Ukrainian forces launched powerful strikes against this carefully camouflaged dome-shaped station, destroying the personnel, command center, and radar equipment.
The “Miskhor–Ai-Petri” cable car is one of Crimea’s most famous landmarks, stretching from the village of Miskhor near Yalta to the Ai-Petri plateau. It is famous for having one of the longest unsupported spans, measuring over 1.5 km. This is one of the longest such spans in Europe.
<picture>
Cable car. PHOTO: navsi100.travel
The total length of the cable car is 2,980 meters. Passengers cover this distance in 13–15 minutes. The route climbs nearly 1,150 meters above sea level, where the terminal station is located. Each passenger cabin can hold about 30–35 people. Unlike other cable cars, the cabins have no seats, so passengers have to ride standing up.
The Ai-Petri massif is one of the most popular locations in Crimea. Thanks to its picturesque mountain serpentines, steep ridges, and otherworldly landscapes, the plateau has become the perfect natural backdrop for legendary fairy tales and comedies.
A number of famous films were shot on Ai-Petri.
"Ten Little Niggers" (1987). The rocky coastline of Devon Island was portrayed by the landscapes of Ai-Petri.
"The Caucasian Captive, or Shurik’s New Adventures" (1966). The car chase scenes in the film were shot in the Ai-Petri area.
"The Purple Ball" (1987) – a science fiction film about Alisa Selezneva, where the lunar karst landscapes of the Ai-Petri Plateau were ideal for depicting an "alien planet" dotted with craters.
Soviet director Alexander Row frequently featured the slopes of Ai-Petri in his fairy-tale films. The fairy tales "Finist the Falcon" (1975) and "Varvara the Beauty with the Long Braid" (1970) were filmed here.
Interesting Facts
Юлія Сичова
June 13, 2026
Three people and a child were injured in a drone attack on Mykolaiv and surrounding communitiesJune 12, 2026
The judge in the Roshchina case and Kremlin propaganda outlets have been hit with sanctions