Mountain Cat - a strange and lyrical symbol of Simeiz

The Mountain Cat is one of the symbols of Simeiz. It towers over the village, separating it from the Blue Bay. What is interesting in this natural object? What attracts the interest of so many tourists? Where is the mountain Cat, and how to get there? Today we will talk about the unique nature of the rock, which stands out for its height and peculiar shape compared to other otorgante neighborhood: Swan Wing, panic, Diva.

The Mountain Cat: photos and history of the name

The origin of this name is “Cat”? At first glance, obviously, the rock is really similar in shape to that animal, which clung to the floor and prepares to jump. But the name comes from the Turkic "Kosh" where "Kosh” means “doubles”, “Kai” service.

After the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Empire in the 18th century, the name was transformed the Russian-speaking population in the more familiar - “Cat”.

Found in the written sources and other names of this rock, e.g., Tank, which means "toad" many guides are confusing and call the object «Kush-Kaya" (the cliff near the Bay of Laspi on the Cape Aya is translated “bird rock”).

In Crimea there is another Mountain Cat, but it was called by the people, it is located in the vicinity of the city the pike perch, known officially as Chatal-Kaya.

But in this article we will talk about the natural object that is a landmark of the village Simeiz.

Characteristics

Scala is the most bright and interesting natural object in the Crimea. The Cat mountain – ottorzhenets from the Main Ridge of the Crimean mountains, which gradually moved down the slope to the sea. The modern view was formed about a million years ago.

The Rock was a natural barrier separating the southern coast of Crimea. But after the construction of the highway Sevastopol-Yalta (1972), the Mountain Cat was artificially divided into two parts (the height of the southern section is 255 meters North – 210 meters above sea level).

History of settlement

The Mountain was inhabited in the 4th century BC. On top of the remains of the settlements of the t-and the largest in the Crimea the Taurus burial (6-2-th century BC), in the scientific literature it is called «Crimean dolmens”, they are located behind the track.

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Dolmens – megaliths, having the shape of a box. Now it is not known what purpose they were built. According to one version, this is an ancient tomb, other scholars argue that they were used for religious purposes. Whatever it was, it is a unique object. Some blocks have a weight of about 5 tons, and it is unclear how they could move. Also science is not as clear as they could give the correct rectangular shape.

In the middle ages on the mountain Cat had several fortifications.

At the foot of a cliff on the mountain Pania, opposite the rock Diva – archaeologists have discovered the remains of a monastery with a Basilica of the 10th century and the crypt with Byzantine burials which belong to the eighth to tenth century.

In the 14th to 15th century, the Genoese rebuilt the monastery in his fortress “pan”.

Natural Monument

The Mountain Cat since 1947, is a landscaped monument. The rock and its slopes are covered with thickets of juniper, oak, pistachio, and strawberry. Striking in its clean air filled with the aroma of herbs and juniper.

The Slopes of the mountain Cat – it's a giant Museum of relief forms. Stone chaos mixed with stone peaks, towers and diverse karst formations. All the landforms, flora and fauna are under special state protection, and, of course, is a natural monument of the mountain Cat.

Legend

Crimea is full of mysterious myths and legends. The Peninsula is one of the most beautiful corners of our country. Almost every stone is steeped in a poetic and lyrical tales. It is not a coincidence! For many centuries this land was shaken by the tumultuous historical events. The people tied them with the monuments of spiritual and material culture, a kind of reflecting this in various myths. There are many legends associated with the history of Crimea, here is one of them.

In the rocks of Simeiz lived a monk-hermit. A lot of bad things he had done in his life. He was powerful, cruel, ruthless and fearless warrior. He was feared by enemies and innocent people. He pillaged the city and villages, brought death and Woe to all whom he met on his way. Especially cruelly he treated girls.

But suddenly it began to suffer terrible visions, he everywhere saw the mutilated and chopped up his victim. And he decided to make amends by prayer and penance, and living in one of the caves and the rocks of Simeiz.

Years Passed and the people began to forget about the bloodthirsty and cruel warrior. Knew him as a man of wise and righteous, and some are even considered Holy. He forgot about his monstrous deeds, and began to consider himself righteous. And took them with pride. He began to look at people as being flawed and inferior.

And the devil, who has long hunted for the soul of a monk-hermit, was expecting this. One day he decided to test it for durabilityif he really has changed or just good at hiding their cruelty, greed and depravity.

Turned the devil into a cat, and on a rainy night he became plaintive meowing and scratching at the cabin door. The old man took pity and allowed a pet in the house. And became a cat to live with him, she hunted and slept by day. In the evenings she purred his songs that drew the hermit fabulous pictures of a happy family life with family and children. And the devil whispered in his ear that he could have, but he will be gone. The monk became angry and threw the cat into the street.

Then the devil decided to once again test the old man. In a day when the hermit was fishing on the beach, in the network got to him a beautiful naked girl. Could not stand the old man and kissed her on the lips.

The sky was Angry at the hermit for his blasphemy and hypocrisy, and in punishment he turned all three characters to stone. Since in Simeiz and cost the Rock the Monk and Diva, and behind them crouched the Cat.

The legend Itself has many allegories, it all depends on the narrator.

Aside from the images of myth, in geological terms, these objects were formed by crustal movements. In Crimea, mountain Cat is ottorzhentsami (as already mentioned), which split from the Main ridge of the fault of tectonic plates. In ancient times it belonged to a single array of AI-Petri, the breakaway which was to move to the sea. Fancy shapes are explained by the weathering process. Of course, really want to believe in fairy tales, but truth is more expensive.

From the rock of the Monk is almost nothing left. In the Crimea in 1927, a powerful earthquake occurred, in which she was covered in deep cracks. And four years later she struck a violent storm. Monk suffered his last punishment, forever disappearing from the face of the earth. On the spot where he stood, now you can see only a shapeless giant boulders and rocks leaving only the base.

How to reach

You can Reach the mountains on the highway Sevastopol-Yalta. Go here as intercity and commuter buses.

To get to the mountain a Cat in several ways:

1. The trail to Blue Bay (it starts near the water Park) to get to the observation deck, which is the ecological path.
2. From the track to reach the observation deck, which offers a beautiful panoramic view of Simeiz, otorgantes rocks, slopes of ay-Petri plateau. Then the trail leads to the stone chaos.
3. By route taxi № 107 you can get up to the observation deck, and from there continue the journey to the mountain along the trail.
4. By car. From the highway there is an exit to the observation deck, there are places to Park cars.

You Can choose the easiest way – tour of Simeiz.

The View on the mountain Cat has stunning: the endless expanse of the sea, the Crimean mountains overhanging the coast, panoramic views, power and greatness of AI-Petri, and of course, Simeiz. The feeling of being in a fairy tale!