Holy Dormition Cave Monastery, Bakhchisaray

One of the most revered Orthodox shrines of Crimea is the Holy Assumption Monastery, which is located on the slopes of the picturesque gorge Maryam-Dere near Bakhchisaray. The exact date of the foundation of the monastery is not known. According to tradition, the first settlers were Greek monks who fled from severe persecution from Byzantium.

On the emergence of the monastery there is a legend, where it is said about the appearance on the rock of the icon of the Mother of God with a nearby candle burning nearby. People took it off the cliff and brought it into the house, but the next morning the icon returned to its original place. Then everyone realized that the Mother of God wanted the icon to remain on the rock. This happened on August 15, the day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. The temple carved into the rock in honor of this event was named Ouspensky.

During its many years of history, the monastery experienced many shocks - the Turkish invasion, numerous wars, pogroms and destruction.

After the Second World War, the monastery was virtually destroyed. Until 1993 the monastery was empty. Now most of the buildings of the monastery have been restored, and it has again become the home of believers who have renounced worldly life.

Many pilgrims come here to worship the holy place, pray to the famous icon of the Mother of God, called the "Three Hands". This sacred place always caused the desire to see the monastery with my own eyes and feel reverence for the holy faces.

The unique architecture of the monastery on the background of the picturesque mountains of Crimea, all this will not leave anyone indifferent. The amazing atmosphere of these places, preserved for many centuries, leaves the most vivid impressions.