Genoese fortress Cembalo

The Genoese fortress Chembalo is located on the territory of Balaklava, a suburb of Sevastopol. In the XV-XVIII centuries, the fortress was under the control of the Ottoman Empire and was called Balaklava. The ensemble of fortifications is located on the top and slopes of Mount Fortress (formerly Kastron). Nowadays it is in a state of ruins and serves as the main attraction of the city. A staircase leads to the Barnabo Grillo Tower from the Nazuquin embankment.

Historical reference

Cembalo is one of the Genoese fortresses of Gazaria. Representatives of the Genoese Republic settled on the territory of modern Balaklava around 1343 (no traces of more ancient buildings have been preserved on the territory of the fortress). Around the middle of the 14th century, the first fortifications appeared on Mount Kastron. Apparently, along the northern slope there was a ditch and rampart, fortified with a palisade, and on the northeast there was a stone tower with a gate passage. Traces of these original structures remain on the northern slope of the mountain. However, in 1354, the Horde Khan Janibek took the fortress and burned the buildings that existed at that time.

After the conclusion of a peace treaty, the mountain with the remains of the fortifications was returned to the Genoese, and the fortress was rebuilt. On the Fortress Hill, the City of St. Nicholas (Upper City) was built - the administrative part of the fortress - and the City of St. George (Lower or Outer City), surrounded by three lines of walls (on the north-eastern, western and southern sides), in which ordinary townspeople lived.

At the beginning of the 15th century, the garrison of the fortress had to participate in clashes with detachments of the Principality of Theodoro, located in the mountains in the southwest of Crimea. The fortress was captured by the Theodorites in 1423. The Genoese soon drove the Theodorites out of the fortress; in order to continue military operations, they founded their fortress Kalamita (Inkerman) nearby, and the Genoese hastened to strengthen Cembalo (in 1424-1425). In 1433-1434 Cembalo was again captured by the Theodorites, and the authorities of Genoa responded with a military expedition. The siege of the fortress under the leadership of Carlo Lomellino was crowned with success: almost all the besieged Theodorites died, and their leader Olu-bey (Turkic nickname for the Mangup prince, son of the Theodorian prince Alexei; whose real name is unknown) was captured.

In the 1460s, the fortifications of the City of St. George were rebuilt, and a citadel was erected in the southeastern corner with a powerful donjon tower, which was located at one of the highest points.

In 1475, Cembalo was captured by the Turks. A Turkish garrison was stationed in the fortress, called Balyk-yuv (“Fish Nest”), and later the Crimean khans who had offended the Sultan served their sentences here. Later, the name of the fortress was given by the modern toponym “Balaklava”.

Since 1783, after the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Empire, the territory of the fortress has been used to house garrison soldiers, and subsequently falls into decay, having lost its strategic importance. During the Crimean War, the donjon was partially destroyed, but after that it was never fully restored. On the eastern slope of the mountain you can still see the terraces on which, during the Crimean War, the Italian camp was located.

The donjon was heavily damaged in the summer of 1942 and spring of 1944 during the defense and battles for the liberation of Sevastopol. On July 18, 2008, due to heavy rains, part of the tower collapsed.

Architecture

At the top of the cliff was the city of St. Nicholas - a citadel, surrounded on one side by a cliff, and on the other by powerful walls with eight towers, and two towers stood apart and were not connected to the walls. Inside the citadel there was a consular castle-tower (presumably about 15 m in height), a massaria (customs) and a church, which probably served as a tomb for noble residents. The consul was elected in Genoa for a period of one year and was the main executive and judicial authority of the city; he, together with the castellan of the Castle of St. Nicholas, was the head of the garrison, which consisted of 40 crossbowmen. The consul's personal guard, apparently, were several Tatar cavalrymen.

On the slope of the mountain was the city of St. George, in which most of the townspeople lived - artisans, traders, fishermen. The lower city was also surrounded by walls with six towers, and was also protected from the south by a cliff. Below, under the mountain, in the bay, there was a port and market.

In the 1460s, the fortifications of the city of St. George were rebuilt, and in the south-eastern corner a citadel was erected with a powerful donjon tower, which was located at one of the highest points, on the top of the cliff, and today remains at its full height (approx. 20 m). The donjon had three tiers: the first was occupied by a water tank, the second floor was residential (the remains of a fireplace were preserved there), the third tier was occupied by a patrol, it is possible that the donjon was also used as a lighthouse. Water entered the tank through a clay pipeline from the Kefalo-Vrisi spring (Greek Κεφαλή Βρύση - head [beginning] of the source), which is located at the top of the beam of the same name, on Mount Spilia (Greek Σπήλια - cave); the source is still used to supply water to Balaklava. (The same cistern for collecting water was probably located in the lower tier of the consular tower).

The Genoese fortress Chembalo is the main attraction of Balaklava

The Genoese fortress Chembalo is the main attraction on the territory of Balaklava, one of the historical districts of Sevastopol. And although today only ruins remain of the famous defensive structure, the fortress is a place of attraction for all tourists and lovers of ancient history.

From the history of the famous fortress

This landmark of Balaklava is one of the most ancient. It is located on Mount Kastron (today it is called Fortress) and was built in the middle of the 14th century, since no earlier buildings could be found here. In 1354, Khan Janibek occupied this place and completely burned the existing structure.

After a peace treaty was concluded, the fortress was rebuilt again, almost from scratch. Subsequently, some changes were made to the appearance of the structure from time to time. After the end of the Great Patriotic War, it began to gradually collapse. And although during all this time it was decided more than once to carry out restoration work, the fortress in Balaklava on the Crimean peninsula remains in a dilapidated state.

Architecture of the Chembalo fortress

The fortress, located on Fortress Hill, consists of two parts. Above is the city of St. Nicholas, which is also called Verkhniy. Once upon a time there was a consul's castle here. This part is located on the border with a cliff, so tourists here need to be especially careful.

The lower part is called the city of St. George. This is where most of the townspeople lived. Even lower, right next to the Black Sea, there was a large market.

Later, a tower - a donjon called Barnabo Grillo - joined the architectural ensemble, the ruins of which today can be seen by anyone. All buildings acquired their final form only in 1467.

Interesting facts from the history of the fortress

In the Middle Ages, the territory of two cities – Upper and Lower – was inhabited mainly by Genoese.

And only a small part of the population was of Tatar origin. Over the centuries, the fortress was repeatedly attacked and taken by storm. One of the assaults in 1433 was led by the son of the ruler of the principality of Theodoro, Alexey.

After a long siege, almost all the inhabitants of the fortress were destroyed. For some time, the Chembal lands and the fortress itself were part of the possessions of the Principality of Theodoro. And later it was recaptured by the Genoese.

A few years later, in 1475, the fortress became part of the possessions of the Ottoman Empire. The local garrison was defeated, and the surviving residents were sold into slavery.

Current status

Today, the ruins of the fortress, which was rebuilt back in the 14th century, are considered a historical monument, to which a staircase leads from the Nazukin embankment. A walk through the remains of the ancient fortress allows you to feel the spirit of that time, better learn the history of Crimea and the peninsula, and even take wonderful photographs against the backdrop of the Black Sea.