Famous writers about Crimea:
Zuyev small land..rich in everythingfrom the nature provided
Pallas the book in which he the naturalist can find a lot of things that can explain everything about the content of our planet
Gorky deathly-still delight looking at the beauty of nature of this world corner cherished by sea
Fersman nature museum and my first university
A. Pushkin mysterious area

Crimea is located in the longitude area of Earth that is located at the equal lengths from equator and North Pole.

On the North the peninsula sides with the land by a narrow (7-23 km) Perekop Isthmus. From the West and South the peninsula is watered by the Black sea, from the East by Kerch strait, and from the North-East waters of Azov sea and its bay Sivash.

In the South of the peninsula the Crimean Mountains lie spreading like an arch for 180 km from South-West (from Sevastopol) to North East (to Feodosia). Mountains include three ridges that have typical steep southern slopes and plate Northern plains. The highest one is the Main Crimean ridge has the height of 1545 m (Roman-Kosh Mountain). It combines mostly mountain rocks of Age of Reptiles. Its top plain almost free from forest surface is called yayla. Yayla consists of marble limestone, has karsts form of landscape: here more than 850 caves and wells are located.

The climate of the Crimea is mostly determined by its geographical location, landscape and influence of the watering seas. It has a typical large number of sunny hours, but as well the lack of moisture for the majority of regions. The climate of the Northern plate part of the peninsula is temperate continental with short winter with low amount of snow; and with hot dry summer: average temperature of January from -0.1 to -2.9C, July from 22.1 to 23.8C. Absolute minimum is -33C, absolute maximum +4.1C. The period with the temperature higher than 10C is 180-200 days, and the sum of active temperatures for this time is about 3300 3600. The annual sum of the precipitation is in average 316-466 mm.The climate of Mountain Crimea is transition form steppe continental to the Mediterranean. The winter is mild and temporarily cold on the Main ridge: average temperature of the most cold month: from -0.5C (Sympheropol) to +3.8C (Ai-Petri). Absolute minimum is -32C (Old Crimea). The summer is temporarily hot and warm (in the mountains): average temperature of July 21,2 . Absolute maximum reaches 36. The precipitations per year can be estimated as 350-500 mm and 1220mm on the Main ridge. There are heavy rains that cause formation of currents.

The climate of the Southern part of the Crimea is Mediterranean, close to subtropical. It has typical mild winter and temporarily hot summer. Average temperature of the most warm month reaches +24.4, and absolute maximum +39.

At the end of talk about the climate of Crimea it is ought to say that lack of precipitation and natural moisture is a problem of Crimea.

Places of interest in the Crimea

These lands have a wealthy history that combines events connected with existence of different people, different nations and cultures. The residues of ancient cities, villages, churches are an excellent step into the world of past that attracts millions of tourists every year. Plunge into the world of ancient Greece, Byzantium and Tavria! Feel the difference between those cultures and culture of nowadays! Release your mind for attraction by the real natural monuments!

Chersonese

This city existed almost for two centuries at the Crimeam coast. It was called Chersonese Tavricheskiy (from the Greek Chersonese- peninsula).

In 422-421 BC it was founded by the Gerakliots whose origin as South (small Asian) city Gerakleya at the bank of the bay that nowadays has the name of Karantinnaya. In one century Chersonese is turned into one of the hugest polices cities governments of Northern Black sea region. It was a slavery republic with democratic form of government. It was a center of trading and culture. Its population reached 20 000 people.

From V centure B.C Chersonese is in the content of Byzantium Empire. In 988 after 9 month blockade the city (Russian name Korsun) was captured by the prince Volodymyr. Here Volodymyr accepted the Christianity. At the end of XII XIV Chersonese struggled twice from the Tatars attacks. The city stopped the existence at the middle of XV century. Already in 1472 the Genoese council in Kafa (Feodosia) called it one uninhabited place.

Today on its place the Chersonese historical archeological preserve (territory of Sevastopol) was founded. Visiting the museum one can watch the ruins of antique theater the single in our country, city streets, the region of guarding walls with tower of Zenon and many others interesting architecture constructions.

 Large Livadia palace

Large Livadia palace is a previous residence of the last Russian Emperor Nikolay II the main place of interest in Yalta. Livadia architect-memorial complex is one of the most famous architecture memorials of park art. The palace was founded according to the project of an outstanding Yalta architect, Academician N.Krasnov (1865-1939) in the style if the Italian Renaissance. The Livadia palace, except of the large palace the palace of Minister Frederics, created together with the main palace, inner church in the name of Exaltation of the Cross built in 1872 and Italian courtyard.

By the way the gates of the Italian courtyard are of Italian work, and in 1750 were transferred from Verona, but not made by the Uralic masters. In 1925 in the previous tsar palace the sanatorium for the peasants was opened. Then it was transformed into a climatic curative complex. On 4-11 February 1945 in three months to the victory over the fascist Germany, the Crimean (Yalta) conference was held in the rooms of this palace. The heads of governments of three countries of anti-Hitler coalition USSR, USA and Great Britain signed the declaration about Europe liberation, made a decision about OUN and other documents important for the entire world. During the conference the palace was a residence for the President of United States of America F.Roosevelt.

Gurzuf

Gurzuf is a picturesque village located in the South of Crimean peninsula. The name has origin from the Latin Urzus bear. Its visit card ismountain Au Dah, Bear-Mountain, that has a lot of different legends. Gurzuf is one of the most charming places that always grows and changes. It has beautiful beaches. This settlement is surrounded by the mountains and is protected from cold Northern winds. Except of pleasant clean sea and mild atmosphere Gurzuf proposes a lot of entertainments as diving, fishing, banana- riding and so on.

Miskor

Miskhor Park is a monument of landscape art, a real treasure of Crimea that was installed earlier than other Crimean parks - at the end of the XVIII century. This park combines there are nearly 100 kinds and forms of exotic trees and bushes on the territory of 23 hectares. Arizona and Guadelupe cypresses, palms, bamboos, oleanders, Aleppo and Coulter pines conveniently live together with forest kinds -pubescent oak, Crimean pine, pistache amblyophyllous. As well park has adorable colour-musical fountain works in the park.If you visit this place you definitely have to see brilliant sculpture masterpieces: bronze "Mermaid" and fountain "The girl Arzy and robber Ali-baba" built on the seaside. Both of them were made by motives of Crimean tatar legends. The first one belongs to the famous Estonian sculptor A.G.Adams and once was damaged during the storm on the Black Sea. At the beginning of 1980 during the beach measuring the mermaid had to be removed and the monument lost its tail and hand. The other mermaid is larger than the previous ones; it was made in Kiev and in 1984 it was installed on the big boulder found in the district of Maly Mayak.

Swallow nest

Swallow nest is overlooking the sea Avrora rock of Ay Todor bay. Wonderful architecture and historical memorial. It is a proof of human courage a real medieval knight castle. In current view Swallow nest was built in 1912 according to the project of architect A.V.Shervud. the son of famous architect V.O.Shervud, the author of Historical project of museum on the Red Square in Moscow. Swallow nest became an emblem of the Southern coast of the Crimea. Everybody wants to visit it. This memorial is greatly observed from the South coastal highway and from yachts that move between Yalta and Simeis. The grey building of worrying silhouette that holds that falling Avrora rock in the ay Todor bay. Swallow nest is situated between the row of rest complexes that decorate it very greatly.