Khan Palace

Khan Palace in Bakhchisarai is a unique monument of Crimean Tatar architecture of the XVI-XVIII centuries. The palace-garden, as its name translates, was to become for the khans, their families and dignitaries an analog of paradise on earth. Each new ruler considered it his duty to leave to his descendants another building of the complex – mosque, baths, stables, towers. The architectural ensemble was almost destroyed after the abdication of the Khan and the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Empire, but later its appearance and interiors began to be restored according to the records and drawings of contemporaries. Today’s Khan Palace is the result of painstaking labor of restorers of XIX-XXI centuries, and the process of reconstruction is not completed until now.

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Video: Khan’s Palace in Bakhchisarai

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History of the Khan Palace

The construction of the complex began in the 16th century, when the previous palace was too small for the needs of the khan’s family of Sahib I Girey and his entourage. Two buildings built by his order, are still standing today – it is the Great Mosque and baths. The city of Bakhchisaray grew together with the Khan’s Palace, khans replaced each other and completed the palace. Islyam III left the Divan Hall, Bahadyr I – the hall for official receptions, Kaplan I – the Golden Fountain, Selyamet II – the Summer Arbor, and the most poetic, Kyrym Girey, in memory of his favorite wife built the Fountain of Tears and the Mausoleum-Durbe. Under him an Iranian architect decorated the inner chambers of the khan’s house and harem.

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The 18th century was a turning point in the history of the Khan’s Palace. In 1736 Russian troops took the city, the palace was burned, but beforehand, realizing its architectural value, made an accurate description of the complex. Later, the burned buildings were restored by the khans themselves with the financial help of Turkey, then, when Crimea became part of the Russian Empire and the Crimean Tatar nobility was forced to leave, the appearance of the palace and its interiors were taken up at the state level. Something was returned to the original appearance, guided by the records, something completed at their discretion. They made a special effort for the visit of Catherine II, supplementing the eastern interiors with Western European household items. The next official visit, this time of Alexander I, was fatal for the harem buildings – instead of restoration they were demolished, leaving only a small wing. At the same time the Khan’s Palace was repaired, having painted over unique Iranian paintings. The second time such barbarity was repeated when in the 30s of the twentieth century the outer walls were whitewashed, covering the rich patterns with a layer of lime. In the 60’s restorers had to work hard to return to the original appearance of the surviving buildings and restore the paintings of architect Omer in the Golden Cabinet.

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History of the museum

As a museum, the Khan Palace in Bakhchisarai functioned since 1908. The unofficial Crimean Tatar art-historical museum on the basis of the complex was established in 1916 on the initiative of local native Usein Bodaninsky, who lived in St. Petersburg. The undertaking was officially recognized in 1922. The further fate of Bodaninskiy is tragic. The founder of the museum worked as its director until 1934, then he was dismissed from his post and returned to the profession of an artist-decorator. In 1937 he was arrested in Georgia, where he worked as a Crimean Tatar nationalist. He was transported to Simferopol for trial, and in 1938 he was shot. However, the museum was not closed, although Crimean Tatars were not mentioned here for many years. In post-Soviet times, the museum became part of the Bakhchisarai Museum-Reserve.

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Ensemble of the Khan’s Palace

In the museum buildings of the Bakhchisarai Palace you will not find giant halls with high ceilings, typical for the imperial residences of European and Russian capitals. It is rather a rich estate, whose owners appreciate home coziness, soft cushions and the opportunity to relax in a shady garden by the fountain, apart from the noisy harem more than anything else in the world. The model for the Tatar khans were the buildings of Turkey, although for a change they could invite Western architects. There are elements in the Khan’s Palace that are not related to the Crimean khans at all, such as Catherine’s Mile, a loyal sign of homage to the Empress, placed in 1787, when she visited Crimea together with the Austrian Emperor.

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Demi-Capa Portal

The Portal of Demi-Kapa differs in origin from the other buildings, although it harmonizes externally with them. The structure was created before the entire palace, but in a different place – it was simply moved to Bakhchisarai. The picturesque entrance is the work done in 1503 by the Italian Aleviz Novy, the architect of Moscow’s Archangel Cathedral. The project uses traditional for Renaissance decoration plant elements, perfectly combined with Arabic ligature.

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Religious buildings of the Khan Palace

The Great Khan Mosque was built in 1532. It is the largest construction of the complex and in general the largest mosque in Crimea. You can guess about the religious purpose of the massive rectangular building by two narrow 28-meter minarets, but otherwise it is a typical house of the Crimean Tatar aristocracy, with arches, latticed windows, light walls. Calligraphic Arabic inscriptions on a green background: quotations from the Koran and praises of the khan – date back to the XVIII century, when the mosque, damaged in a fire, was repaired and supplemented with a Muslim school in the courtyard. No madrassa survives, and the Great Mosque, which served as a museum after the revolution, was recently returned to the faithful.

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The Small Khan Mosque served the interests of the nobility – the Khan’s family and his cronies. The building was built in the 16th century, the painting was done two centuries later. The niche-mihrab, indicating the direction to Mecca, is decorated with 7 carved belts, reminding of the seven heavens. Above them is the stained glass seal of Suleiman, which gave the king power over the jinn.

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Memorials of the complex

There are 9 khans buried in the Khan’s cemetery with 5 preserved monuments, and almost 100 Muslim tombstones – marble and limestone – can be seen here in total. More than 300 people are buried in the Khan cemetery together with their relatives and family members. A typical tombstone is a carved stone sarcophagus, on the narrow sides of which there are steles with Arabic inscriptions and male or female headdresses. The khans Devlet I and Islam III were honored with separate mausoleums, where, in addition to the rulers themselves, their closest relatives were buried.

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Fountains

In place of the few Crimean springs in the vicinity of Bakhchisarai, fountains were placed. Since there was little water, they were usually a thin stream of water running down a lavishly decorated wall. The golden fountain was used for ritual purposes to perform ablutions before prayers. It was decorated with a gilded rosette resembling a peacock’s loose tail, with an openwork floral and geometric ornament on top – a reference to the image of the Garden of Eden.

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The famous Fountain of Tears is more impressive for the two poetic stories associated with it than for its external expressiveness. The first story inspired Pushkin, whose bust is erected nearby, to create the poem “The Fountain of Bakhchisarai”. Drops of water symbolized the grief of Khan Girey for his beloved wife Dilara – originally the structure was installed at the spring near her tomb. Later the source dried up, and the fountain was moved to a new place. Tears drip from the marble flower, falling sequentially into bowls of different sizes, at the foot of the spiral, symbolizing eternity. The second story is a startling account of what Pushkin actually caught on the site of the Fountain of Tears. He saw a rusty pipe from which water barely dripped, but the poet’s imagination helped him to penetrate the suffering of the khan and the hardships of the concubines’ lives and create a poetic masterpiece.

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Gardens of the Khan’s Palace

In the Persian Garden once stood pavilions and fountains, from the Falcon Tower vigilant eunuchs watched over the order in the harem – women preferred to hide in the shady garden from the Crimean heat. A rose garden was laid out especially for wives and concubines. Eight-meter walls, separating the rest of the territory from half of the harem, reliably protected the inhabitants from external encroachments, but not from internal intrigues, which resulted in the death of Dilara – the source of Pushkin’s inspiration. In the two-story Summer Arbor, with stained glass windows and wall paintings, around the fountain settled on soft sofas for men to rest.

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Khan’s chambers and harem

The rooms of the Khan’s palace were arranged in such a way that in the heat they were cool, and for the winter cold there were fireplaces. Carpets were laid everywhere, there was upholstered furniture with many cushions. On the lower floors grates were installed, through which air freely penetrated. Now in the khan’s chambers there is an exposition devoted to the life of Crimean Tatars. In the bride’s room there is a chest with dowry – textiles with skillful embroidery. In the bedroom beds and a weaving loom are exhibited. There is almost nothing left of the Khan’s harem. Three buildings with 70 rooms were demolished under Alexander I. The outbuilding presents carved furniture, valuable carpets and home textiles with floral and geometric ornaments – all very motley, but surprisingly harmonious.”

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Opening hours and tickets

Khan Palace is open all year round, but it is especially recommended to visit here in spring and summer, when everything is in bloom and fountains are working. Bakhchisarai Palace is open from 9 to 18 hours, the ticket office closes half an hour before the end of work. The entrance ticket costs 250 rubles for adults, 100 rubles. – for children and 150 rubles. – for pensioners. In addition, for an excursion in a mixed group pay 50 rubles extra. The service is mandatory, you can not refuse from the guide. If you hire a guide separately, then take 1000 rubles per group when working on the schedule of the complex, 2000 rubles. – outside the schedule. Comprehensive ticket for all attractions costs 500 rubles.

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Some objects can be inspected independently – an open courtyard with fountains, not yet restored baths, periodically closed Khan’s lodge and cemetery, Falcon Tower with an exhibition of weapons. Each exhibit is priced at 100 rubles for adults, 50 rubles. – for privileged visitors. Visitors with disabilities can inspect almost all objects of the Khan Palace from the outside, all gardens are accessible to them, except the Fountain Garden.

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How to get there

The Khan Palace is located 2 hours from Simferopol airport. There are 3 routes to Bakhchisaray from the Crimean capital, inside the city buses #1, #2 pass through the Khan Palace. In this part of Crimea is relatively inexpensive cab, car and bicycle rental works. Near the complex there is a free parking lot, free places are available in the morning, before the influx of tourists. Restoration work has not yet been completed, so some of the facilities may be closed, the administration asks to take this with understanding.

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