12 July 2026
(The Fort of Yeni-Kale. PHOTO: cdn.create.vista.com)
Kerch holds a special place among the oldest cities of the Black Sea region. The city is situated in the eastern part of the Crimean Peninsula on the coast of the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The city’s history spans more than two and a half millennia.
Thanks to its geographical location, the city has remained a major center of trade, seafaring, and intercultural exchange for centuries. With this story about this ancient city—a witness to various historical eras— Intent continues its “Amazing South” series.
The founding of Kerch is linked to the ancient period and the ancient Greek colonization of the Northern Black Sea region. In ancient times, specifically in the late 7th to early 6th centuries BCE, settlers from Miletus founded the city of Panticapaeum here, which soon became the capital of the Bosporan Kingdom—a topic we’ll discuss in more detail later.
Archaeological research attests to the high level of development of this ancient polis: defensive walls, temples, residential quarters, artisan workshops, and marketplaces were built. The city’s economic prosperity was based on its advantageous location along maritime trade routes. Thanks to the region’s fertile lands, exports of grain, wine, fish, and ceramics flourished.
However, Kerch’s history is not limited to the ancient period. After the decline of the Bosporan Kingdom, the territory repeatedly came under the rule of various states and peoples. The Byzantines, Khazars, Genoese, Ottomans, and the Russian Empire all left their mark here. Each era made a new cultural contribution, which can be traced in the architecture, archaeological sites, and historical sources. This cultural diversity makes Kerch one of the most fascinating subjects of historical research in Eastern Europe.
The city took on particular significance during World War II. Due to its strategic location, Kerch became the scene of fierce battles. The front line passed through the city on multiple occasions, leading to widespread destruction and significant human casualties. The memory of these tragic events is reflected in numerous memorials and museums, and in 1973, Kerch was awarded the title of “Hero City.”
In addition to Kerch’s rich history, scientific interest in the city has been fueled by its unique archaeological heritage. Excavations continue to this day, allowing scientists to uncover new information about the lives of the ancient inhabitants of the Northern Black Sea region.
Ancient necropolises, burial mounds, fragments of defensive structures, household items, works of art, written records, and natural monuments from various historical periods have been discovered within the city and its surroundings…
Mithridates is a mountain over 90 meters high that rises in the center of Kerch. In the 7th century B.C., the ancient Greek settlement of Panticapaeum—the future capital of the Bosporan Kingdom—was founded here. In the 20th century, the mountain became the site of battles during World War II, and today it preserves the memory of significant events in the city’s history. It is a unique historical and cultural complex where, within a relatively small area, landmarks of ancient civilization, military history, 19th-century architecture, and modern memorial culture are concentrated. For more than two and a half thousand years, this hill remained the center of the city’s political, economic, and spiritual life.
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Panticapaeum on Mount Mithridates. PHOTO: ukrainaincognita.com
In the early 19th century, Mount Mithridates underwent a new architectural transformation. Designed by architect Alexander Digby, the mountain slopes were adorned with the Great Mithridates Staircase. This structure combines 432 steps, terraces, observation decks, and decorative elements (statues of mythical griffins and stone vases), providing a harmonious path from the city square to the top of the hill.
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The Great Mithridates Staircase. PHOTO: upload.wikimedia.org
In the mid-19th century, the staircase was partially destroyed during the Crimean War and also suffered damage in the 1940s, when Kerch once again became the site of fierce battles. In the 1960s, the structure underwent a major restoration, and for many years it delighted the residents and visitors of Kerch.
However, in the 21st century, the Great Mithridates Staircase was damaged once again—this time as a result of the construction of the Kerch Bridge. This view was expressed by Kerch-based journalist Olena Lysenko in an interview on Radio Krym.Realii. She believes this is due to vibrations caused during the construction of the Kerch Bridge.
At present, the architectural site is once again in urgent need of restoration. Due to the poor quality of the previous repairs, numerous cracks and potholes have already appeared on the stairs. Large fragments have begun to fall off the stone cladding. This poses a major threat to the continued preservation of one of the main symbols of the Crimean Peninsula.
The Adzhimushkay Quarries (catacombs) were formed over many centuries, from ancient times through the end of the 19th century. They were created as a result of the extraction of shell rock, which was used in the construction of Kerch. The catacombs were named after Adzhi-Mushkay—a neighborhood in Kerch located in the northern part of the city, which was a separate village until the 1960s.
This vast underground labyrinth consists of the Large and Small Quarries. It was formed gradually. Stone quarrying reached its peak in the 19th century. In 1942, Soviet troops defended this area, an event that made these catacombs famous.
The Demeter Crypt is a 1st–2nd-century CE burial site discovered by chance in Kerch in the late 19th century during excavation work. The crypt is an underground burial chamber decorated with frescoes depicting scenes from ancient Greek mythology. The central figure in the composition is Demeter, the goddess of fertility, mourning her daughter Persephone, who was abducted by Hades, the ruler of the underworld.
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Demeter’s Crypt. PHOTO: travels.in.ua
Wooden sarcophagi, jewelry, and household items were found inside the tomb. According to researchers, the crypt served as a burial site for priestesses of Demeter.
After the crypt was opened, the ancient wall paintings were damaged due to external factors. The paint began to flake off, and some fragments of the paintings were completely lost. Access to the original crypt was restricted to preserve the site for future generations. At the end of the 20th century, an exact replica was created, which is now on display for visitors in the museum building at the foot of Mithridates. This allows anyone interested to explore this unique monument without jeopardizing its preservation.
Yeni-Kale is one of Kerch’s most famous historical landmarks, located in the northeastern part of the city on the shore of the Kerch Strait. This fortress was built by the Ottomans in the late 17th–early 18th centuries. Its name translates from Turkish as “New Fortress.” The fortress was built to control shipping between the Azov and Black Seas. Thanks to its advantageous location, the fortress held significant strategic importance and was considered one of the region’s key defensive structures.
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Yeni-Kale Fortress. PHOTO: vsviti.com.ua
The fortification covered an area of over 7 hectares and was pentagonal in shape. It consisted of five bastions, massive walls, battle galleries, three gates, barracks, underground passages, powder magazines, a well, and a deep moat. The fortress has survived to the present day, albeit in a partially ruined state.
Another defensive structure on the outskirts of the city is the Kerch Fortress, also known by its historical name, the “Kerch” Fortress. Its main fortification is Fort “Totleben,” named after the military engineer Eduard Totleben. The fortress is located on Cape Ak-Burun, at the narrowest point of the Kerch Strait. It was built in the second half of the 19th century during the Russian Empire.
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Kerch Fortress. PHOTO: upload.wikimedia.org
This complex featured a sophisticated system of above-ground and underground fortifications, which have survived to this day. The fortress covers an area of more than 400 hectares. Thanks to its size, it is considered one of the largest historical and architectural sites in both Ukraine and all of Europe.
For some time, the fortress served as a warehouse and military garrison. However, during World War II, fierce battles took place here—the fortifications were partially destroyed. Today, the Kerch Fortress is a museum site that can be visited as part of an organized tour.
The oldest Christian church in Kerch is the Church of St. John the Baptist, which is an important part of the world’s architectural heritage. The church was built on the site of a 6th–8th-century basilica, partially incorporating its architectural structures. Based on stylistic features, the church is dated to the 13th–14th centuries—the exact date of its construction is not specified in historical sources.
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Church of St. John the Baptist. PHOTO: encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com
During the rule of the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century, the walls of the building were thickened by 1 meter and its proportions were slightly altered. There is speculation that during that period, the Church of John the Baptist was converted into a mosque, but this fact is a matter of debate.
It is known that by the end of the 18th century, the church was Orthodox, and in the 1930s, it was closed. During World War II, the building suffered severe damage from a fire but was later reconstructed.
In the southwestern part of the Kerch Peninsula, near the village of Vulkanivka, lies Crimea’s largest mud volcano —Dzhau-Tepe (which translates to “hostile mountain”). It is a 119-meter-high cone.
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Jau-Tepe Mud Volcano. PHOTO: trips.com.ua
This unique geological natural monument of national significance is known for its periodic activity. During eruptions, it spews columns of fire as well as tons of liquid mud, which eventually solidifies and forms a distinctive cone-shaped landscape with ravines. An underground hydrogen sulfide spring flows near the volcano. There were six eruptions in the 20th century, the last of which was recorded in 1982.
Lake Chokratskoye is a saltwater body on the Kerch Peninsula, separated from the Sea of Azov by a wide sandbar. The lake has been designated a hydrological reserve of local significance. It covers an area of 8.5 km². It is 3.5 km long and 2.5 km wide.
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Lake Chokratske. PHOTO: upload.wikimedia.org
The silt at the bottom of Chokratske Lake has therapeutic properties. The lake’s brine and mud are beneficial for treating disorders of the musculoskeletal system, the nervous system, and the ENT organs, as well as in gynecology and urology.
The first written references to the therapeutic use of the mud from Lake Metaka (the Greek name for Lake Chokratske) date back to the 1st century B.C.
Cape Zyuk is the northernmost point of the Kerch Peninsula in the Sea of Azov, located approximately 20 km from Kerch near the village of Kurortne and the saline Chokratsky Lake.
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Cape Zyuk. PHOTO: trips.com.ua
The rocky cape was formed from an ancient coral reef. It separates Reef Bay and Marine Corps Bay. At the end of the 20th century, traces of an ancient settlement were discovered on the cape. According to researchers, these are the remains of Zenon’s Chersonesos (4th–5th centuries BCE), which was mentioned by Claudius Ptolemy. However, most of the ruins were destroyed during an earthquake in the 2000s. Before Russia’s occupation of Crimea, a Ukrainian border guard observation post was located here.
One of the most interesting places in Crimea, offering unique opportunities for a secluded, peaceful vacation, is the “Generals’ Beaches,” which are part of a nature reserve. They are part of the “Kalararsky” Regional Landscape Park. These legendary beaches stretch for 30 kilometers along the coast of the Sea of Azov, east of Cape Kazantip—from the village of Zolote to the village of Kurortne and Lake Chokratske.
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Generals’ Beaches. PHOTO: travels.in.ua
The coastline throughout the entire natural complex is indented with rocky and stony cliffs and outcrops, forming picturesque coves with sandy beaches. Thanks to this, the area is also known as the “Coast of 1,000 Bays.”
The consequences of the Russian occupation of Kerch affect every aspect of life in the city, which is regularly targeted due to its proximity to the Kerch Bridge and the presence of the invaders’ military facilities there.
The city and its infrastructure are constantly suffering from explosions, drone strikes, and missile hits. The Kerch seaport, the local thermal power plant, and military facilities (in particular, airfields and air defense systems) have been repeatedly targeted.
The Kerch Bridge, built by the occupiers, poses a constant threat to civilians and is a legitimate target for military operations by the Ukrainian Defense Forces aimed at disrupting enemy logistics. Attacks on oil depots, fuel and lubricant storage facilities, and the occupiers’ ships in the waters of the Sea of Azov also pose serious risks to the city.
Interesting Facts
Юлія Сичова
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