Bakhchisaray Palace

Bakhchisaray’s Khan’s Palace has been nominated to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage site and is the only extant palace of the Crimean Khanate. The only other two Muslim palaces in Europe are Spain’s Alhambra and Turkey’s Topkapi Palace. Although visitors can enter into the palace’s courtyard for free, a fee is charged to enter the buildings. Visitors can tour on their own or as part of a guided tour (English language tours can be arranged).

Bakhchisaray's Khan's Palace

The Khan’s Palace also has romantic allure. Its Fountain of Tears was made famous by Alexander Pushkin’s poem “The Fountain of Bakhchisaray”. One of the last Tatar rulers, the cruel Qirim Giray Khan, lost his young wife, and in his grief had a marble wall fountain built “so that the rock would weep, like him, forever.” The fountain is adorned with a white and a red rose to honor the two lovers.

There are other gems to find in the medieval winding streets of Bakhchisaray, a sun-drenched town located about an hour south of Simferopol. The town is host to a number of restaurants specializing in Crimean Tatar cuisine.  There is also the USTA Workshop with its traditional Crimean Tatar crafts, most notably pottery and intricate silver jewelry.

Currently being restored is the Madresy, an ancient Muslim school. The grave of Ismael Gasprinky, a beloved Crimean Tatar journalist, poet, and political activist, is also located in Bakhchisaray, and a small museum in his former home is open to the public free of charge.

For visitors willing to do a little uphill walking, a 20-minute trek past the Khan’s Palace is the Uspensky Monastery (a cave-church and Orthodox Christian monastery) that is built into the limestone cliffs.  This is free of charge, but donations are appreciated.

Uspensky Monastery

For the more ambitious visitor, the famous cave-city Chufut Kale is a further 25-minute walk (mostly uphill) from the monastery. Dozens of caves have been dug into a plateau, which affords a great 360-degree view. Former settlers also built fortress-like stone walls, installed a massive gate, and constructed a mausoleum and prayer house. A small entrance fee is charged.

Cave-city Chufut Kale

Cave-city Chufut Kale

Bakhchisaray is a short trip from Simferopol and Sevastopol – go by train, bus, or private car. If arriving by bus or train, grab a marshrutka (mini van) with the sign “?????? ?????” (Old city). It’s a short, inexpensive ride.  The best time to visit is in the spring through the fall. Colorful flowers will be in bloom in the spring and summer, and the fall will be cooler. Be sure to wear comfortable footwear, for you’ll do a lot of walking in beautiful Bakhchisaray.  Also, be sure to have your camera charged and ready for a stimulating photo adventure!

By Cheryl S. Pratt, a Peace Corps Volunteer.  Text and opinions herein are the author’s only and do not reflect in any way the position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.

*Population statistic taken from (http://www.lutsk.ua/english/modern_city.html)

These photos were taken by Derek Hom, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Lutsk, Ukraine, from 2007 to 2009.  He is currently a MA candidate at the University of Washington’s Jackson School of International Studies in the Center for Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies.  Derek is studying Post-Soviet security affairs focusing on Ukrainian affairs and Black Sea Security.  This summer, Derek will study Russian language in Odessa, Ukraine, through a Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) award.

This photo journal is also featured in the Spring/Summer 2010 REECAS Newsletter published by the University of Washington’s Jackson School of International Studies, Ellison Center for Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies (http://depts.washington.edu/jsishelp/ellison/)

In Ukraine, Easter is the biggest holiday of the year, for many families. Easter is three days long in Ukraine, although the biggest day is still Easter Sunday. The holiday starts on Saturday night. Everyone attends Church for a candle-lit ceremony through the night. In addition, all the church-goers bring their Easter baskets to be blessed. Inside are all the painted eggs (pysanky), sausage, and Easter Paska break (like coffee cake). This way, when the fast is broken after the church ceremony all the food can be considered holy.

If you sleep at all on Easter it is only for a few hours. In the morning on Sunday, the real celebration begins. There is a huge feast including all the food that was blessed the night before as well as a little vodka, and then a lot more food! The celebrating can continue (as with most holidays in Ukraine) for hours!

Usually Ukrainians spend the first day of Easter with their families, and the second and third paying visits to friends.

Ukrainian Easter in the Kyiv Post

Jenny Heintz, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer 2007-2009

Ivana Kupala, celebrated on July 6-7 in Ukraine, was originally a pagan festival and has now been adopted into the Christian Orthodox calendar. It is a summer festival that celebrates fertility and the hope for a good harvest.  The festival is celebrated the most in the Carpathian mountains with a large feast (often outdoors and over an open fire). On the day of Ivana Kupala each unmarried girl makes a head-wreath from wildflowers and wears it until the end of the night. At the end of the feast all the girls toss their wreaths into the river. Farther downstream the young men await the wreaths.  To whomever the wreath caught by a young man belongs is his true love.   Among other traditions is the fire-jumping ceremony. It is said that if a young girl and boy jump over the fire together without letting go of eachother’s hand their love will last forever.

March 9, 2010

Ukraine’s most valuable asset, despite its beautiful countryside and historic buildings, is still its people. And of all those people the best stories are told by and the most history is remembered by the babyca’s. The word babucya (babushka in Russian) literally means “grandmother” but can refer to any older women. The babucyas in Ukraine are the ones who bore the brunt of the hardship at the end of the Second World War and during the Soviet era, which is why most of these women can tell stories that are sure to captivate most anyone.

The babucyas continue to live their lives according to their code of survival; including ensuring that anyone in under their roof is well fed, if not over fed, comfortable, and warm. They always at the ready with a bowl of borsch or a hot cup of tea. They have a solution to everything and are caretakers of Ukraine.

They continue to voice their opinions by taking part voting during elections, volunteering at polling places, simply continuing to work hard and tell their stories, even when the weather might intimidate even the strongest person of a younger generation.

My host mom, or babucya, was a remarkable woman who had retired as the director of the school at which I worked about 5 years before.  She had traveled throughout most of Eastern Europe and always encouraged me to see the world. She took me in as if I was her daughter and made me feel welcome in the community.

My "Babuyca" (left) on her Birthday, August 2009