The myths of Ancient Greece quite often mention Tauris, the country of bloodthirsty Taurians who inhabited the territory of modern Crimea. More than one place on the peninsula is covered in legends about the heroes of those times and even bears their names. So, on the southern Black Sea coast, in the urban-type village of Beregovoe (Big Yalta), Mount Iphigenia is located. It surprises with its outlines, geological structure and diverse flora, replete with species and pleasing to the eye at any time of the year.
The appearance of Iphigenia suggests a fortification structure. This led to the fact that for quite a long time the settlement in its vicinity was called Kastropol (“kastro” - fortress). Now the name from the past is emblazoned on the façade of the boarding house at the foot of the hill.
Peculiarities
The plateau, the top of which is the rock, stretches along the seashore for almost half a kilometer. Iphigenia has a very laconic, collected form of a pointed tower. Her body is cut with cracks resembling fish scales or steps. This is explained by the fact that it is composed of rocks (tuffs and porphyrites) with different degrees of strength. Wind, water and sun have acted on the stone for centuries, carving some places and leaving others untouched. This is how the modern pattern was formed.
The southern slopes are steep spurs descending into the sea as a picturesque cape. And the eastern peak is topped with an impressive cross, which can be reached quite easily. Near it there is an undeveloped observation deck, which offers beautiful views of the surrounding area.
The walk to Iphigenia itself brings great pleasure, because even on the bare rocks of the peaks plants manage to settle, holding the mountain together with their root system. What can we say about the sole, buried in greenery with more than 50 species of bright representatives of the kingdom of Flora. Warmed by the gentle sun, Crimean cistus, bush jasmine, Pontian broom, blunt pistachio and others vigorously spread their leaves. In May and June, most of them bloom, coloring the slopes with many succulent droplets, perhaps to dispel the melancholy of a girl betrayed by her own father...
According to ancient mythology, Iphigenia is the daughter of Agamemnon. At a time when the Greeks were about to sail to war with Troy, the king killed a doe while hunting, which offended Artemis. The vain goddess sent a calm to the sea, and the army could not set off. Then it was decided to sacrifice the culprit’s most beautiful daughter, Iphigenia. She was deceived and taken away from her mother, but at the moment of slaughtering Artemis herself took pity and replaced the girl with a goat. The unfortunate woman was transported on a cloud to Tauris, where she spent her entire life, serving as a priestess in the temple of the generous savior.
How to get there
From the bus station in Yalta you need to take a bus or minibus that goes in the Sevastopol direction through Beregovoye. We get off at the “Nizhny Kastropol” or “Upper Kastropol” stop.
By private transport we drive along the Sevastopol-Yalta highway and turn onto the serpentine road at 34 or 32 kilometers from the Yalta bus station.
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Iphigenia Rock got its name from the owner of the local land, N.N. Demidov in 1820. The name is associated with the myth of Tauris and Iphigenia, which will be discussed a little later. The rock is the main mountain of the resort village of Kastropol and is located in its vicinity, on the southern coast of Crimea. From the sea side it is a 120-meter ancient volcanic massif. The silhouette of the rock is very similar to a fortress and there is an assumption that it was precisely because of this similarity that the nearby village of Kastropol was named. The rock consists of significant layers of keratophyric porphyrites and spilitic tuffs, which are rare rocks for the Crimea.
As mentioned a little above, the rock got its name thanks to an ancient Greek legend, which talks about the daughter of King Agamemnon and Astynome, Iphigenia. There are many variations of the myth.
The first of them: in the Trojan War, the Greek ruler, in order to achieve his goals and defeat the enemy, sacrificed his daughter in honor of the goddess Artemis, but she, in turn, took pity on the poor girl and took her to Taurida, where Iphigenia began to serve in the temple of the goddess Virgos as the main priestess.
Earlier sources tell us a different story of Iphigenia. From the works of Hesiod's "List of Women" and Stesichorus' "Oresteia", Artemis gave Iphegenia the gift of immortality and turned her into Hecate.
If you believe Euphorion, then she was sacrificed in Bravron, after which she became a bear. From this source, Artemis transported her to the White Island, gave her the name Orsiloch and gave her as a wife to Achilles.
According to Dictys of Crete, Artemis did not give Iphigenia as a wife to Achilus; after following her to the island, he saved her and then sent her to Scythia. The Taurians honor Iphegenia as a goddess.
The most common version of the myth about Iphigenia is this: the Goddess, taking the girl with her, made her her high priestess, and her duty was to sacrifice all lost wanderers. There she was found by her brother Orestes, who went on a journey with his friend Pylades, on the orders of the Delphic oracle, in search of an image of Artemis of Tauride, and they returned home together.
The fate of the found image of Artemis, according to legend, experienced many adventures. The wooden picture of the goddess ended up in Bravron, from there it was taken to Susa, after which Seleucus I gave it as a gift to the residents of the Syrian settlement of Laodicea. Orestes built a temple in Attica, not far from Bravrona, the image was placed there, and it seems like Iphigenia was buried here. In the Megarian variation, the priestess died among them, where her sanctuary was later created.
There are many discrepancies about the girl's death and where she was buried. Actually, the name of the goddess Artemis is quite closely connected with the name of the girl, and where Artemis was worshiped, the cult of Iphigenia often existed.
The legend does not say about the exact location of the temple, but from some descriptions suspicion falls on Partenit, Cape Fiolent and Balaklava, but the landscapes are most suitable and the assumption that the ancient temple stood in the vicinity of this particular village is most likely. The rock, named after the high priestess, has a special magnetism and attracts the attention of many tourists and indigenous residents of Crimea. The mountain range stretches along the coast, its length is about half a kilometer. In the center the rock is split, which is why a very deep gorge with a small waterfall has appeared, which goes down steeply and leads us to the sea. On one of the peaks of the massif, from a distance you can see many stone peaks that are extremely similar to the teeth of a dragon, often mentioned in myths and legends. From time to time, landslides occur here, layers of volcanic rocks and tuff break off, creating interesting landscapes of stone chaos. It is quite difficult to walk in such a place, and when it crumbles into the sea, small stone islands are created. In the vicinity of the rock, there are a lot of varieties of Mediterranean plants: butcher's broom, pistachio blunt-leaved, jasmine, Crimean cistus, and this is only a small part that grows in this area. Fifteen species are listed in the Red Book and are very rare, and 8 of them live only in these parts - these are endemic plants.
Not far from Iphigenia there is one attraction - an ancient settlement, as archaeologists suggest, from the 9th to the 14th centuries. Another interesting historical feature is associated with the cape. In 1941–1942, during the heroic defense of Sevastopol, the Black Sea Fleet reconnaissance team worked in these places under the command of midshipman F.F. Volonchuk. So that the patriotic heroes of this raid were not forgotten, in May 1978, on the Yalta-Sevastopol highway, not far from the Beregovoe stop, a memorial was erected in memory of all those who died defending their homeland. At the top, from the east of the rock, you can see a monument in the form of a cross. Along the eastern slope of the rock, 50 meters below the peak, a serpentine winds, which takes us to the flat part of the mountain, and from here it will not be difficult to climb to the plateau where the memorial is located.
To visit Crimea and not visit where the Iphigenia rock rises above the sea is for a cultured person almost the same as admitting to the whole world that you once forgot to read Pushkin’s “Eugene Onegin”.
Homer himself mentioned it. The great ancient Greek playwright Euripides dedicated his tragedy to “Iphigenia in Tauris”. The poem and drama “Iphigenia in Tauris” were written by the immortal I.-V. Goethe, composers did not ignore this plot - Andre Campre, Niccolo Piccini and, of course, maestro Willibald Gluck himself, author of the well-known opera “Iphigenia in Tauris”. Legends and real events of the Trojan War, which mysteriously connected the ancient Hellenic state and our native Taurida - the country of the cruel.
Rock Iphigenia - a little legend
One day, King Agamemnon, during the Trojan War, angered the almighty gods of Olympus. And they decided to punish the porphyry-bearing obstinate, demanding that they sacrifice their daughter Iphigenia to the great warrior maiden Artemis. The girl offered up prayers to the Virgin Huntress - and, lo and behold, the heart of the iron Olympic lady trembled. She saved Iphigenia and transferred her to Taurida. The grateful princess decided to devote her life to serving the magnanimous celestial goddess, becoming the main priestess in the majestic temple of Artemis, the Virgin Warrior, erected in Tauris (according to the ideas of modern historical science, located somewhere in the vicinity of Kastropol).
Merciless time, this harsh editor of centuries, has left no evidence of the exact location of one of the crowns of Hellenic architecture, nor even ruins, when looking at which, the heart will clench anxiously: this is the place where the princess-priestess Iphigenia glorified her high-born savior. But who knows, maybe not today or tomorrow a new Schliemann will find his traces, who, following the instructions of Homer, excavated Troy and found the golden death mask of King Agamemnon. The ancient Greeks revered geographical accuracy. So Taurida will reveal its ancient secrets to us...
And yet the Iphigenia rock is a monument. Let the legends continue to live - they are the connecting links of history. But Iphigenia is also a miraculous monument of pristine nature. Rising 120 meters high, this rock is unique. For lovers of geology, an absolutely amazing combination of rocks - tuffs, porphyrites and other stones worthy of admiration for specialists. This is also a relict flower garden, nurtured for us by the Earth itself. Unique plants - more than 50 species, many of which are found only in Crimea... Back in 1972, this multi-colored “bed” received the status of a natural monument. And you need to see it at the time of flowering. Unique range...
From the top there is not only a magnificent view of the sea and the surrounding area, but also of a new elegant church - the Temple of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God:
The Sarych-Kekeneiz mountain landscape on the western South Coast includes the Iphigenia rock. The height above sea level is one hundred and twenty meters. This is a unique massif on the Crimean peninsula. In shape it looks like a formidable fortress. This gave the name to the entire area. Nearby is the boarding house "Kastropol", before Beregovoe was called Kastropol. This word comes from the Greek “kastro”, which means “fortress”.
The unusual name of the mountain has its origins in ancient myth. The legend of Iphigenia was used by Euripides in his tragedy, and it was also reflected in the works of other writers, artists and composers.
The natural landscape of these places is unique. The rock rises above the sea, over time it settled a little and today represents a strong, fortress-like abutment in the topography of the area. This mountain has a special charm; it hides many secrets, which attracts scientists and numerous tourists. The ancient massif stretches along the coast for almost five hundred meters. Tuffs of keratospilite and spilitic porphyrites, quite rare for the Crimea, form the basis of the rock. These grayish-green formations date back to the Middle Jurassic era. A gorge appeared in the central part of the massif, deep and with steep slopes. In the upper part of the gorge, sedimentary deposits are noticeable on the surface, apparently of Tauride origin. On the western side of the massif many stone peaks can be seen. Surprisingly, there is still vegetation on the bare rock: blunt-leaved pistachio trees grow at the top. This tree also goes by other names: keva tree, wild pistachio, turpentine tree. It is used to make keva, a resin used to make gutta-percha. Pistachio trees have a strengthening function and protect slopes from destruction.
In May-June the slopes are transformed. All plants bloom. About fifty species of plants live on this massif. Pink flowers grow here and cover the cistus. Elm and jasmine play with golden highlights. You can see asphodeline flowers and small buds of fumana and alyssum, they also glow yellow-golden. White and purple oakberry sparkles, marshall's carnations and cornflowers bloom beautifully, and purple thyme grows everywhere. On a hot day, the multi-voiced singing of cicadas can be heard above the rock.
Since 1947, the rock has had the status of a natural monument, and in 1997 this was confirmed.
Rumor strongly associates it with legendary events. In particular, there is widespread belief that some of the local corners were mentioned by Homer. The Iphigenia Rock in Crimea is perceived as the very place where the goddess Artemis transferred the daughter of the Greek king, appointed for sacrifice.
Where is the rock located in Crimea?
It is located on the South Coast, near the village of Kastropol and Yuzhnoberezhnye Highway. There is also a Kazan temple nearby, which belongs to the Orthodox branch of Christianity. Of the hotel landmarks, the closest is located.
Iphigenia on the map of Crimea
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Origin: volcanic fortress
In appearance, the rock does not resemble the Greek style - rather a powerful medieval fortress. Its shape is reflected in the surrounding geographical names. There is a village nearby, and its name should be translated as “fortress city.”
In fact, Iphigenia is the result of the action of ancient volcanoes. It is based on durable volcanic rocks, and geologists estimate their age at 150 million years. The height of the rock is 120 m above sea level. During further displacements of the earth's crust, layers of different strengths shifted relative to each other. As a result, education acquired the now characteristic step-by-step form.
In 1947, this landmark of Crimea was given the status of a natural monument. The basis for this was not only the geological structure (unique for Taurida), but also the richness of the flora.
Homer, Euripides and other legends
If the names in the vicinity of the rock reflect the characteristics of its appearance, then its own name is associated with ancient Greek literature. Homer in the Iliad mentioned the sacrifice of Iphigenia, the daughter of King Agamemnon, the leader of the Greeks in the Trojan War. The goddess Artemis replaced the girl on the altar with a doe, and she herself was transferred to a remote temple on a mountain by the sea. Then this plot was played out many times by Greek authors, in particular, there is a play by Euripides “Iphigenia in Tauris”. The princess, supposedly in gratitude to the goddess, became a priestess of her monastery and spent her whole life there.
Fans of literature in the traditions of Greece are sure that the sacred object where Iphigenia served stood precisely on the rock of the same name. But archaeologists do not share this confidence - the temple of Artemis was actually discovered in these places, but in . Some people with a developed imagination think that the sharp fragments of stone near the top resemble dragon teeth. They called her the Dragon. But this concept also fits well into mythology.
However, at the foot of the cliff there is a settlement from the Middle Ages, explored by archaeologists. There are also grounds for assertions that a Byzantine monastery existed nearby. Because of this, the peak is now crowned with a cross - local believers are sure that the monastery was built in memory of the first Christians crucified by the Romans on the mountain, so that sailors passing by would look and be afraid.
As you can see from the photo, you can get a good overview of the surrounding area from Iphigenia. This circumstance was used during the defense of Crimea during the Great Patriotic War. In 1941, the command of the Black Sea Fleet landed a reconnaissance group here. It was commanded by midshipman Fyodor Volonchuk. For two weeks, the scouts, taking advantage of the convenient location of the memo, monitored the enemy’s movements from there and made forays to destroy enemy vehicles.
Mount Iphigenia: near a piece of the Mediterranean
Reviews from tourists and comments from experts also claim that the Iphigenia rock near Kastropol resembles a section of the Mediterranean rather than the Black Sea coast. Many relevant representatives of the flora grow here, in particular jasmine, and cicadas are found in large numbers, which is also characteristic of the Mediterranean.
Many species of relict Crimean plants grow on the rocky slopes. Scientists are surprised that there are also old pistachios there, although these trees usually prefer sandy loam soils. But here they took root on almost bare rock. The pistachios did the stone good - their roots strengthened it better than any reinforcement.
Local residents especially recommend that tourists climb Iphigenia at the height of spring, 
when the shrubs covering it are in full bloom. Special excursions to the hill are rarely organized, but you can climb on your own - the trail is noticeable, although it resembles a serpentine in shape, so the road turns out to be long.
At the top near the cross there is a good observation deck, but it is not equipped, so you will have to be responsible for your own safety. The walk will be pleasant and healthy - there are many coniferous trees growing on the slopes, which improve the health of the air, but it will not be very easy due to the height and steepness of the rock.
It would be a good idea to visit the attraction at the beginning of summer, since there are also a lot of plants blooming during this period (in total, more than 40 species have been recorded on the rock), and at the beginning of summer, “concerts” of cicadas begin in Crimea. Residents of the southern regions are still familiar with such phenomena, but northerners will be interested to listen.
Guides of various sightseeing tours, as well as employees of numerous boarding houses and holiday homes in Kastropol draw the attention of tourists to the natural ledge. The Iphigenia Rock in Crimea has not become a symbolic place, but many people want to at least look at it because of the myths surrounding the stones.
How to get there (get there)?
It’s not difficult to get to the natural monument; by public transport, follow the stop “Kastropol” - minibus No. 128 goes here from Yalta/Foros. Getting here by car is also easy.
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Note to tourists
- Address: st. Kiparisnaya, Kastropol, Yalta, Crimea, Russia.
- GPS coordinates: 44.40481,33.88518.
In Crimea, nature and history are inextricably intertwined. Natural attractions are surrounded by legends. Such romance makes people settle nearby, work, and complement natural beauty with man-made ones. The Iphigenia rock is no exception. In conclusion, we offer a short video about it, enjoy watching!
