Today's story is about one of the three visual symbols of Crimea - the Golden Gate rock.
Along with the Swallow's Nest and the Bear Mountain, this rock is most often found on various souvenir photographs, postcards, magnets in the Crimea, as well as in articles and on the covers of magazines telling about the Crimea.
One of the favorite places of tourists is a natural natural object, created by an ancient volcano, and then "modified" by sea waves and wind.
In ancient times, the rock was called in a completely different way - the Devil's Gate (or Sheitan-Kapu) and it was believed that the entrance to the Underworld was located here..

2. The most famous rock of Crimea is located in the east of the peninsula, at the foot of the ancient extinct volcano Karadag.
Volcanic activity many millions of years ago created many incredible formations in this place, some of which I have already a few days ago. One of these formations is the Golden Gate.

4. This is already after the storm and the wind has expanded the natural opening to a huge size, through which even a small pleasure boat can sail. But first there was the volcano. It is enough to look closely at the structure of the rock.
Remember my recent one? Does it look like a rock?

5. Why is the gate golden?
Firstly, at dawn, they really look golden. Although not everyone can see the dawn from the right point, because the rock is located on the territory of the reserve and access to the wild beach at the foot of the Lion's Dike is prohibited and is protected by the rangers of the reserve.
But the rock becomes "golden" and again during the day - at about 13-14 hours. At this time in summer, the sun is in such a position that the falling rays of the sun change the color of the rock to close to gold. She is beautiful at sunset.

6. Why is this happening?
The fact is that the rock is completely covered with yellow lichens, which play in the sunlight.

7. True, recently its upper part has become more white than yellow. This is due to an increase in the number of the Red Book crested cormorant that nests in these places. And his droppings cover the surrounding rocks more and more.
Despite the seemingly not very large size, the rock is quite massive. Its height is 8 meters and its width is 6. Two years ago, almost all pleasure boats that carry tourists from Koktebel, Kurortny or Feodosia passed through the opening, and tourists threw coins for good luck.
However, since the beginning of the holiday season in 2012, by order of the Ministry of Nature of Ukraine, a ban on the passage of boats under the Golden Gates was introduced, and the entire a tourist route along the marine part of the reserve, which now runs at least 100 meters from the coastline.
This measure, in my opinion, is quite justified, given the eco-culture of our tourists and the harm caused by dozens of ships in summer when they invade wildlife.
To opponents of these innovations, I can only say the following - over the few years that have occurred after the tightening of access to the territory of the reserve (and this also affected its mountain-forest part), the reserve has changed a lot for the better. It has become much cleaner, dozens of trodden paths are overgrown with grass, I again began to see wild animals on the ecological path with the naked eye, the number of wild birds has increased and this is the only reserve in the Crimea where I did not see garbage at all (!!!). Not on the coast, not in the mountains.

8. Golden Gate, Lion's Dike and Devil's Fireplace gorge - traces of the activity of an ancient volcano

9. Minutes when the rock has a golden color

10. Dawn at the Golden Gate. Of course, the most famous shots are when you manage to shoot the sun directly in the rock opening, but this is possible only a few days a year...
Who knows, maybe one day you will see this frame in my journal...

Tomorrow, expect a story about another famous rock of Karadag - Ivan the Robber

P.S. The shooting was carried out with the official permission of the Karadag nature reserve from a service boat

My previous photo essays and photo stories:

The Golden Gate rock is a local landmark of Koktebel, a small resort town in the east of Crimea. Many vacationers come here every year to spend their holidays here, but few of them know about the Golden Gate, or rather, about the history of this place, about what legends exist and much more. Well, this should be corrected.

Description and location

As mentioned above, the Golden Gate is located in the Crimea, in Koktebel, not far from mountain range Kara-Dag. Some tourists who first arrived in Crimea often think that this is some kind of historical and architectural structure, like Arc de Triomphe or something similar, because the name is quite appropriate, but no. The object has a completely natural origin. Once it was a solid rock, but over the centuries winds and waves have made a through hole in it, thereby turning it into an arch, under which boats and just vacationers swim.

The Golden Gate rock in Koktebel has a height of about 15 meters and a width of 6 meters, and it received the prefix "golden" because of its natural material - yellow balsam, which glitters slightly in very bright sun.

How to get there

In order to get to the Golden Gate rock in Koktebel, you must first get into the city itself. There are only two ways to do this: by private car or by regular bus. Now in more detail about each of them.

Personal transport

By private transport, they get mainly either Crimeans from other settlements, or tourists from the side of the Kerch

So, to get to Koktebel from Kerch, you need to go to the E97 road, aka M17. Make it easy. From the crossing should go straight to the intersection with the intersection of the street. Kirov. Then you will need to turn onto the street. Marshal Eremenko, and from it go to the street. Gorky and further on to the M17 highway, which will lead to Koktebel itself. The total travel time will be approximately 1 hour 45 minutes or slightly less.

As for the road from other places, for example from Simferopol, you can get here by following the P23 road. In time, it will take no more than 2, and maybe less, hours.

Bus

Another equally effective way to get to Koktebel is by bus. There are regular departures from Simferopol, the only thing is that when the tourist season is coming to an end, the number of flights drops significantly, but you can always get to Feodosia, and from there to Koktebel. Of course, not very convenient, but still.

If we talk about the trip from Kerch, then the situation here is a little worse. From direct flights to Koktebel, only 1 bus runs, and then at 9:30 in the morning. In all other cases, you will have to move with a change in Feodosia, which, again, is extremely inconvenient.

That, in fact, is all that concerns the journey to Koktebel. Further along the course of the Golden Gate.

Road to the Golden Gate

Now, after arriving at the place, it's time to tell you how to get to the Golden Gate in Koktebel. The attraction is located on the territory of the Karadag nature reserve. There are several ways to get there:

• on foot;
• within the framework of the excursion;
• by car.

Looking ahead, I would like to point out the following fact Although there are several options, they all eventually come down to one.

On foot or by car

To get from Koktebel to the Golden Gate, you will need to walk no less than 6 km. Of course, the path can be significantly shortened if you use the services of a fixed-route or regular taxi, which will take you to the entrance to the Karadag nature reserve. There you will need to buy an entrance ticket, which costs 300 rubles, and join one of the tourist groups.

Yes, unfortunately, you won’t be able to enter the territory on your own, only as part of a walking tour, but more on that below.

If we talk about how to get by car to the Golden Gate in Koktebel, then everything is absolutely the same as in the previous version. The only thing that can be done is to get to the entrance, where you can buy a ticket to visit the reserve in the future. Entry by private car is strictly prohibited.

Excursions on foot

So, after you buy an entrance ticket to the territory of the reserve, you will need to join any tourist group. There are always people here, so there will definitely not be any problems with the waiting time. By the way, all hiking route is about 7 km or a little more, and also requires little physical preparation, because there are both descents and ascents. Everything is complicated by the fact that in summer it is very hot here, even in the early hours. It is recommended to take enough water with you.

On the way, you can admire beautiful landscapes and a gorgeous view of the Kara-Dag rocks, while listening to the guide's stories about these places. To be honest, one of the main disadvantages of any excursion is the limitation in everything, that is, you only need to move strictly along the route in order to meet the allotted time frame. Fortunately, during halts and small stops, you can wander around the neighborhood on your own. Well, okay, now is not about that.

The tour itself is very exciting, and for one such "sunset" you can completely fill the tourist album. The places here are very beautiful, and from some points they are completely magnificent.

After about half of the route, a small parking lot is organized, just in a place where a view of the sea and the same Golden Gate opens. At first it may seem that it is impossible to go down to them, but you just have to take a good look at how the paved path will immediately catch your eye.

The descent is quite normal and does not cause difficulties. Naturally, one should not talk about the intention to go down, because this is prohibited during the excursion.

In general, the main goal has been achieved. The further journey is also quite interesting and allows you to take a lot of gorgeous pictures, but you need to move on.

Excursion sea

A boat trip is one of the most popular sea excursions to the Golden Gate in Koktebel. Such a trip lasts, as a rule, 1 hour 30 minutes - 2 hours, it all depends on the place of departure. The ticket is not too expensive - 600 rubles, but depending on many details, such as the size of the vessel, its class, etc., the price can vary up to 1200 rubles. and higher.

The route starts either from the pier in Koktebel, or from the nearest town of Kurortnoye. Along the way, the guide tells about the history of these places and introduces some of the sights that are clearly visible from the sea. Here, for example, one of these is a rock or Shaitan barmak.

During a walk, it does not look as impressive as from the sea. By the way, when you pass near this place, equipment (phones or cameras) may fail! You can also see the Parus rock, the Roaring grotto, the Lighthouse rock and the Snake waterfall.

The culmination will be the Golden Gate arch, under which a boat will sail. At this moment, people usually make a wish and throw a coin so that it hits a rock and falls into the sea. Unfortunately, not all sightseeing boats pass under the arch, so this issue needs to be clarified in advance. After the Golden Gate, tourists are given some time (10-15 minutes) to swim in the sea, after which the boat turns around and goes back.

This concludes the sea tour.

Legend

Well, in conclusion, I would like to tell the legend of the Golden Gate in Koktebel. Crimea, in general, is famous for its legends about various places, so this attraction is no exception. The legend is connected, of course, with the other world.

Initially, the rock was called Shaitan-Kapu, which can be translated as "devil's gate" or "devil's gate". The legend says that once a fisherman was returning home on his boat, but a storm had risen and thrown him ashore, and the ship was shattered into chips when it hit the rocks. Then the fisherman had no choice but to make a deal with the devil himself.

The condition was simple - to swim under the same arch. Rybak agreed and did it immediately, as a result of which he immediately lost 20 years of his life. From that moment on, the locals tried not to approach the gate, so as not to bring misfortune upon themselves.

And that's all. Happy travels!

Golden Gate, in Crimea, one of the most amazing places in the world. This is one of the visiting cards of the Crimea, the pride of Koktebel. Thousands of tourists, every year, tend to get here and admire this miracle of nature.

Geographical coordinates of the Golden Gate of Crimea on the map GPS N 44.9111 E 35.2056

The golden gate is in the Feodosia region of Crimea, between the villages of Koktebel and Kurortnoye, opposite the Karadag nature reserve. The Golden Gate is an outcast rock that broke away from the Karadag massif millions of years ago and moves into the sea. This process continues to this day, although it is practically invisible. The Golden Gate got its name because of the golden color, which is clearly visible in sunny weather. The most saturated color, the gates acquire from 12:00 to 15:00. Although at dusk and dawn, it has its charms. The height of the rock is 8.2 meters, the width is 6.1 meters, in the surface part. Total height from bottom to peak - 15.3 meters; 7.1 meters - in the underwater part. Today the Golden Gates of Crimea are open to all tourists. The only restriction on visiting is the passage through the gate.

How to get to the Golden Gate of Crimea

Get to the Golden Gate of Crimea, you can from two points: from the village of Koktebel and Kurortnoe. Most tourists choose boat trips from Koktebel, but you can also walk along the Karadag nature reserve. A walking tour, on average, costs 1300 rubles. For independent walks, the reserve is closed. 800 rubles - cost sea ​​trips on a boat or yacht. From the village of Kurortnoye, to get to the gate, it will be 100 - 200 rubles. cheaper. But excursions are several times less frequent. One of the most extreme and exciting ways to get to the Golden Gates of Crimea is kayaking from Koktebel. Rent will be about 500 rubles, including equipment. In time, about 1.5 - 2 hours round trip. But if you chose the kayak option, then take 4-5 hours to take small breaks on wild beaches and small bays, which will be in abundance.

Sea excursion to the Golden Gate from Koktebel

Sea excursion to the Golden Gate in Koktebel starts at st. Embankment, near the piers. Tours run from 9:00 to 18:00. The cost of the tour to the Golden Gate is 800 rubles, 400 rubles for children. The average duration is about 2 hours. Excursions, in summer time, carried out by a set of groups, on average once every 20-30 minutes. At the beginning of the route, you leave the Koktebel Bay, to the Koktebel Bay. Stunning views of Cape Chameleon, Dead and Quiet bays open from the bay.

Then you are heading to the Karadag massif. Mount Karadag, once active volcano. Its volcanic processes, in the Jurassic period, created stunning cliffs, cliffs and bays. The route runs along Karadag, along its small bays, grottoes and rocks. The most famous bays you will visit are: Frog, Graviynaya, Livadia and Serdolikovaya. These bays are famous for quiet rest, nudist beaches, and simply for their beauty. In addition to the bays, you will also meet bizarre rocks: Lighthouse, Lion, Ivan the Robber and, of course, the Golden Gate. At the Golden Gate, in the summer, they usually offer to swim in the open sea for 15-20 minutes.

Depth, on average 45-50 meters, the water is so clear that up to 20-25 meters, you can see the bottom. The bathing experience is amazing. You can jump from a boat or just lie on the warm waves of the Black Sea. Near the Golden Gate, quite often, you can meet dolphins, and on the way back, entertainment begins with feeding seagulls. The captain tosses a piece of bread, and seagulls flock to it and grab it on the fly. To understand how fun and exciting it is, you just have to try it at least once. If you are going to visit a sea excursion, you should take into account a few points: - take water, swimming trunks, a towel with you. Also take bread to feed the seagulls and, of course, a photo camera.

Legends of the Golden Gates of Crimea

With the Golden Gate of Crimea related a large number of legends and myths. For example, many scientists believe that in myths ancient greece- Hercules and Odysseus descended into the kingdom of Hades, through these gates. In the old days, at a time when the Crimea was inhabited by the ancient Greeks, the name of this place was "Devil's Gate", which was later transferred to the Crimean Tatar names. Even in the not so long gone 20th century, there were many stories that the clocks stop at the gates floating under the arches, navigation does not work and incomprehensible groans and exclamations break through the radio frequencies.

The whole region of Karadag- This anomalous zone. Also, many versions can be heard from ufologists. They unanimously say that in the summer in the Golden Gate area, you can observe unidentified flying objects. They enter the water and disappear under the rocks. The local population will certainly tell numerous stories about the Karadag monster. It lives either under a rock, or somewhere in the depths. The monster hunts mainly dolphins - fishermen often catch poor mammals with huge bites that are unlike anyone's jaws. In general, there are a huge number of legends, but the beauty of the Golden Gate of Crimea is an indisputable fact. And what to believe, you decide. If you plan to visit the Golden Gates of Crimea, then by all means check out so that your vacation is rich and interesting.

Golden Gate Crimea on the map

If you decide to spend your summer vacation in the Crimea, then I highly recommend staying in Koktebel. This small seaside village is ready to offer you not only a clean and warm sea, cozy beaches, comfortable hotels and numerous entertainment venues, but also natural attractions of amazing beauty.

Perhaps the most famous of them, in my opinion, is the Golden Gate rock. It is located just a few kilometers from the town. You can get here on foot, along the picturesque sea coast along the path that runs through the majestic Karadag. In addition, regular sea excursions are organized here in the summer. This miracle of nature has its own legend, which the locals will surely tell you.

Going to the Golden Rock, be sure to take your camera with you. I am sure that you will get amazingly beautiful pictures that will remind you of a trip to Crimea for a long time.

How to get to the Golden Gate

The attraction is located in the nature protection zone of the Karadag nature reserve, which somewhat complicates the road to it.

The fact is that you most likely won’t be able to get to the Golden Rock on your own. You can see the rock only as part of an organized excursion group. The easiest way to do this is from the sea, taking advantage of the numerous offers from local boaters, who stand in large numbers on the embankment.

The rock rises above the sea about seven kilometers from the village. You can get to it on foot along a mountain path that runs through the Karadag Reserve. It starts from Embankment Street.

I want to say right away that walking in this conservation area is allowed only in the composition excursion groups.

If you are used to traveling by your own vehicle, then you can leave the car at any parking lot in Koktebel. The average cost of parking in the village is 50 rubles per hour. The second way to see the Golden Rock is to buy a ticket for a sea excursion.

You can do this right on the central embankment at the distributors. In any case, you will not be allowed to get lost, and you will definitely see this majestic boulder.

Legends and myths about the Golden Rock

There are several legends about the Golden Gate, each of which, in my opinion, has the right to exist. I think myself interesting history is the one that is connected with the other world. The fact is that this rock has its second name "Sheitan-Kapu" or "Devil's Gate".

As the guide told us, according to legend, in ancient times in these places the fisherman's boat crashed against the stones, and he himself was thrown ashore. To get home, he had to make a deal with the devil, the essence of which was that it was necessary to swim through the arch of the rock that grew into the sea. The fisherman, having fulfilled this condition, lost twenty years of his life. Since then, many locals believe that one should not approach the sights so as not to invite trouble.

In fact, this formation arose a few tens of meters from the coast, as a result of one of the eruptions of the Karadag volcano, which occurred several thousand years ago. The arch itself is a consequence of storms and winds, which in these places in winter time happen regularly. The water slowly but surely sharpened the volcanic rock, thus forming a fairly large hole.

The height of the attraction is about fifteen meters, the width is about six. The very name of the Golden Gate was fixed relatively recently. The fact is that from all sides the stone block is covered with lichen with a yellow tint, which under the sunlight acquires a stunning golden tint. The guides will definitely tell you all this, moreover, they can significantly embellish the story.

Features of the visit

As I wrote above, you can visit the Golden Gate only as part of organized groups. Tickets for hiking and sea excursions to the rock can be purchased on the central embankment of Koktebel.

Hiking

Price walking tour is 500 rubles for adults and 400 for children, the duration is about four hours. It starts from the biological station, which is located in the neighboring village of Kurortnoye.

You will be taken here by bus, which is included in the price of the tour. Then, in the company of a guide, you will make a trip to the Karadag nature reserve, see many picturesque views and, finally, you will be able to watch from a height above the Golden Gate.

The sight, I tell you, is truly amazing, especially when the sun shines brightly, making the attraction playfully shimmer with a golden hue.

By personal experience I can say that wonderful photographs are obtained from the top of Karadag. As a tip, I can definitely recommend wearing comfortable shoes and light clothing. Also take plenty of water and sandwiches with you as you won't encounter any cafes or shops along the way.

Boat trip

For those who do not like to walk a lot, I recommend visiting the Golden Gate from the sea. To do this, contact the distributors on the main embankment of Koktebel. There are always a lot of small pleasure boats, ready to take you to the sights at any time. The cost of a sea excursion starts from 400 rubles and depends on the size and comfort of the vessel.

The duration of the trip is on average about two hours. On board each boat, there is a guide who will tell in detail all the existing legends about the rock, as well as point out others. interesting objects who will meet along the way.

Many of these excursions include swimming near the sights, of course, if there is a desire for that. Personally, I definitely advise you to take a dip near the Golden Gate and make a wish at the same time. According to the locals, it will come true in the very near future. I want to say that I liked Boat trip to the rock. Our captain made several circles near it, which allowed us to examine the boulder from different angles.

Nearest infrastructure

All infrastructure closest to the sights is located in Koktebel. Here you can easily find a place where you can spend the night.

There are many small hotels and private villas in the village, in which summer season rent rooms to vacationers.

On average, the cost of living in an economy class room per person starts from 900 rubles without meals.

There are also many different cafes and restaurants in the village. Dine on the embankment will cost about 700 rubles for two people without alcohol. More cheap option- this is a dining room where you can have a bite to eat for 200 rubles. In Koktebel there are a large number of grocery stores.

Almost throughout the village in the summer season you can find tents with a variety of souvenirs.

As I noticed, not a single locally produced gift item is complete without the outlines of the Golden Gate. Tourists are offered:

• magnets of various shapes with a colorful image of a rock for 50 rubles;
• souvenir plates with a scanned photo of the Golden Gate, 250 rubles each;
• T-shirts with the image of the sights, the cost of which starts from 200 rubles.

The attraction is also depicted on the products of the winery of the same name, which is located in Koktebel itself. As a memento of visiting the rock, I would recommend purchasing a bottle of local wine, as well as a simple but colorful magnet with the image, of course, of the Golden Rock.

As a conclusion

The Golden Gate is what is considered the symbol of Koktebel. It is she who is depicted on all the souvenirs that are offered to tourists as a keepsake of visiting the village. The rock is really worth seeing.

The stone block rises majestically above the sea and, in my opinion, is a wonderful backdrop for photographs. I want to note that in the summer season, excursions to the sights are regularly organized, both by sea and on foot through the Karadag nature reserve.

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