The picturesque grotto of Diana, one of the main attractions of the multi-kilometer steep coast of the Heracles Peninsula, which the Sevastopol people call Fiolent Cape of the same name.

The grotto is located on the small Lermontov Cape - the lava tongue of an ancient volcano, gradually destroyed by water and winds. It was they who created a through passage in it - an arch about 10 meters high, about 15 meters long, and about 6 meters wide. One of its walls goes vertically into the depths, the second has a small underwater threshold, about 2 m wide. The depth there is knee-deep, but you should not stand on it - it is covered with mussels, which can hurt your legs.

You can get to the Grotto of Diana only by water, which is usually done by bathers from nearby beaches - (to the left of the cape) and Caravel (to the right).

The mysterious story of Diana's grotto - who are you, Virgo?

Since ancient times, these places have been associated with the Virgin, she was the patroness of Chersonesus, and even the ancient Greeks called Fiolent Partenium, which is translated as the Cape of the Virgin. It was also associated with the myth of Iphigenia, who was allegedly taken here by Artemis to become a priestess in her temple. True, in the Crimea on the southern coast there is, and it is associated with the same legend.

It is interesting that this myth was very popular among artists and its plot is found in the works of Euripides, Aeschylus, Johann Goethe, Alexander Pushkin, Lesya Ukrainka, Christoph Gluck, Ivan Aivazovsky, Valentin Serov.

Here on Fiolent, according to legend, in ancient times there was a temple of Diana (in Greek, Artemis), and even earlier, under the Tauris, an ancient sanctuary of the Virgin, to whom it was necessary to make sacrifices, which the pagans did, throwing sailors shipwrecked off the rocks off these coasts. In particular, the ancient Greek historian Herodotus and the ancient Roman historian Strabo mentioned this.

In addition to Diana's grotto, other microtoponyms reminiscent of the forgotten goddess have been preserved in these places: Diana's grove and Diana's beam.

Probably somewhere here, most likely on the site of the St. George Monastery, there was a temple, which, according to Ovid, was a huge building with numerous columns. A wide, with a large number of steps, marble staircase led to the entrance. The altar inside was also carved from this noble stone, but turned red due to the numerous sacrifices to the Scythian goddess Phoebe. Perhaps A.S. also mentioned its ruins. Pushkin, traveling in the Crimea with the Raevskys.

Be that as it may, if there is not a trace left of the temple, then Diana's grotto exists and is a real decoration of Fiolent. This is a great place for those who want to swim with a mask and fins, admiring the underwater vegetation in the clearest sea water, dive from the rocks, take a selfie at sunset. A sunken minesweeper awaits diving enthusiasts a little further from Diana's grotto.

In the vicinity of Sevastopol, one of the most amazing and beautiful places of the Crimean peninsula is located - Cape Fiolent. But the main bait for tourists is, photo which we have included in this article. A through opening that strikes the imagination of travelers is localized not far from Cape Vinogradny and Lermontov's dacha. The second name of the hundred-meter ledge, inside which the arch was formed, is Cape Lermontov.

An interesting fact: you can reach the ledge by moving along the coast. But the grotto of Diana (Crimea) itself will remain inaccessible, because the banks of the stone arch are almost sheer. You will have to admire the object from afar, the second option is to take a ticket for a pleasure boat, the route of which runs through the grotto. Especially for you, in the last section of the article, we will indicate the coordinates of the attraction.

Some historical facts

Scientists assure that not only the cape itself, but also the described grotto, can boast of volcanic origin. In fact, the cape is a lava tongue that protruded into the sea at the dawn of time. Wind and water influenced the rock, forming half-caves and caves. This is how Diana's grotto (Fiolent) was formed, which became not a cave failure, but a through hole. Part of the grotto is hidden under the surface of the water, part was available for public viewing.

The goddess Diana, after whom the attraction is named, corresponds to Artemis in Greek mythology. This is the goddess of the hunt, who allegedly made bloody sacrifices - young girls were thrown off a cliff into the sea. The grotto is mentioned by the Roman geographer Strabo and the "father of history" Herodotus. However, modern historians doubt the ancient origin of the name of the object. There are several reasons:

1. The Romans did not establish sanctuaries on the Black Sea coast.
2. The Greek deity was called Artemis, not Diana.
3. The cult of Artemis does not involve human sacrifice.

Some historians associate the grotto of Diana (Sevastopol) with the legend of Iphigenia. We are talking about an ancient Greek priestess who was destined to sacrifice her friend Pylades and brother Orestes to the gods. All three fled. But the temple of Iphigenia was allegedly located on Cape Fiolent. Herodotus has a description of a marble altar and a temple colonnade, but archaeologists have not been able to find anything similar in the vicinity of the arch.

However, it was not without sacrifices, but it was not the Hellenes, but the Tauris who were engaged in this business. As you know, the Taurian tribes became famous for their cruelty - they threw sailors and land merchants from the rocks, who had the imprudence to be captured. Some of the victims were beheaded, others were buried in the sand - all this was done purely for entertainment. The Taurians worshiped a goddess named Virgo, so a version appeared about the transformation of this name into Diana.

Modern mythology

Many traditions and legends of a later period are associated with Cape Fiolent. For example, evil tongues claim that Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov was once in these parts and met with a married girl named Odel. The betrayal of the beauty, however, does not explain the duel with Martynov - he shot himself with the poet because of Mikhail Yuryevich's refusal to marry his sister. The story of Lermontov also does not decipher the origin of the name of the grotto.

As for modern myth-making, it is based on very sinister facts. The fact is that in the vicinity of the cape, someone is constantly dying. Perhaps people who decide to visit Diana's grotto (Fiolent) do not know how to go down there, and as a result they break on the rocks. Local residents associate a series of tragedies with the will of the goddess Diana, who continues to demand victims.

There is a logical explanation for the gloomy glory of Fiolent - fans of extreme jumps gather here. Near the grotto, the depth is very uneven - the crack has wide and narrow places. Hence the increased risk of hitting your head on a rock. There are other factors to take into account:

• lack of sun;
• the presence of cold currents;
• temperature fluctuations;
• excitement.

It turns out that the legends are not related to the real picture of things - many tourists die in the vicinity of the cape through negligence. Waves pose the greatest danger to bathers - they can stun, seriously injure or kill a person when they hit a rock. So it turns out that Diana annually collects her victims. We categorically do not recommend swimming in such places - there are comfortable and safe beaches for this.

Why tourists are interested in Diana Grotto

Let's make a reservation right away that Cape Lermontov is the official name of the rock formation inside which it was formed. The locals call this object the Arch, which is technically true. The length of the through passage is 15 meters, the width is enough to fit a medium-sized boat inside. Beaches adjoin the cape on both sides - from there vacationers swim up to the Arch in rubber boats. Sometimes yachts moor near the grotto.

The average depth of the grotto varies within 2 meters, but there are also 12-meter dips. This is due to the presence of the same crack, which we wrote about above. In some places you can walk along the bottom, but you need to do it carefully - you risk stepping on a shell and injuring your leg. Here are some more interesting facts about the grotto:

1. Many divers come here specifically for the underwater vegetation.
2. Experienced divers love to snorkel in the grotto.
3. A sunken minesweeper is located nearby - another diving attraction.
4. Nearby is the camp site "Karavella" - earlier from there it was possible to go down the stone steps to Diana's grotto, but the flights of stairs collapsed.
5. If you are relaxing on the Caravels beach, then the grotto will be visible through and through.

The main reasons for visiting the site continue to be photography and diving. The arch is a very recognizable place, so the pictures come out bright. You can show off these shots to colleagues at work or during a friendly conversation. As for diving, you should not even think about it in stormy weather.

Near the Arch there are enough ledges that divers use for their own purposes. Divers are attracted by clear water and complex bottom topography. The most experienced athletes swim to the minesweeper to explore its decks overgrown with shell rock. Vacationers also like to take underwater photographs - amazing pictures taken in the bowels of the Arch periodically appear on social networks.

Note that the grotto is a very beautiful and romantic place, so you should definitely see it. You can easily settle in one of the local camp sites and combine a beach holiday with sightseeing. If you consider yourself to be an experienced divers, then Cape Fiolent will be a real find for you. For all other travelers, we recommend that you take care of your health, do not climb steep slopes and do not dive in places where the bottom relief has not been studied by you.

How to get there

Since you have decided to visit the grotto of Diana, we will now tell you how to get to it. Please note that the attraction is located outside of Sevastopol, and you will have to change several modes of transport. Trolleybuses number 12, 2 and 13 follow from the city center in the right direction. But from the Central Department Store it is better to take buses 72 and 19. The final stop for you will be “5 km”.

If you get to the “fifth kilometer”, change to a minibus going in the direction of Cape Fiolent (and the third bus also goes there). You can get off at the stops "Breeze" and "Tsarskoye Selo". If you decide to drive your own car, save the grotto's GPS coordinates: N 44.303500 E 33.284100. All this time your route will run along the Balaklava highway. Have a nice trip!

Location:

12 km south of Sevastopol Bay and 10 km west of Balaklava, on the Black Sea coast, near Cape Fiolent.

Probably, in the entire basin of the Atlantic Ocean there is no more fertile piece of land for recreation than the Crimean Peninsula. The territory with an area of ​​26.8 thousand km² is almost completely surrounded by the waters of the Black Sea. The only exception is the Perekop Isthmus. But its maximum width does not exceed 8 km. This allows the isthmus to be used as a springboard for roads and railways.
It is thanks to the powerful transport artery that several million people annually come to the peninsula and receive health improvement. Therefore, the entire 2500 km coastline of Crimea is conditionally divided into 5 recreational regions.
The first is actually the famous South Coast, which is located on the territory of the Yalta and Alushta regions. The second is a logical continuation of the above, only a section of the Black Sea coast deprived of the protection of the Crimean Mountains. This refers to the territory of Sudak, Feodosia and Kerch region. The third region: the famous children's and balneological resorts - Evpatoria and Saki. The fourth region is the unused potential of the Arabat Spit. Fifth - Sevastopol occupies a special place in this list with its current dubious status and an inexhaustible supply of historical, natural and cultural attractions.
In the treasury of the historical and natural wealth of the territory subordinate to the Sevastopol City Council, there is an amazing Cape Lermontov, the basis of which is "pierced" Diana's grotto. It is located between Cape Fiolent and Lermontov's dacha, located next to Cape Grape.
The cape itself is small and low. On its surface, the stone foundation of the ancient period has been preserved. At the base of the rock, the waters of the Black Sea washed out a through grotto, which has the shape of an arch. The sea in the grotto has a depth of about 2 meters, and the ravine itself is high enough to let a small boat pass through it. Divers and brave bathers know that the water in the grotto is extremely cold. It's dark, slippery and uncomfortable. In addition, the emergence of strong episodic currents, provoked by the ebbs and flows of the Black Sea water masses, is possible.
The history of the origin of the name "Diana's Grotto" deserves special attention. According to the version relayed by numerous printed and virtual sources, the name of the grotto was born from a sanctuary built on the relatively flat top of Cape Lermontov. There are even quotes from the work of Herodotus, testifying to a huge building with columns and a white marble altar. Allegedly, innocent girls were thrown into the sea from it - victims to the goddess Diana.
This is where the chain of personal mysteries of Cape Lermontov and Diana's grotto begins. The goddess Diana patronized forests, hunting and was considered the personification of the moon. But it was exclusively a Roman deity, and someone who, but the citizens of Ancient Rome on the coast of the Crimean peninsula were not noticed. Among the ancient Greeks, a goddess with a similar sphere of influence was called Artemis and, possibly, Selene. But none of the 3 divine femins required bloody sacrifices. These are not the gods of the ancient Aztecs, drinking human blood and eating hearts. And the Greeks themselves, who colonized this coast, did not have the habit of regaling the inhabitants of Olympus with human sacrifices.
An even more mysterious story is connected with the name of Cape Lermontov. Until now, researchers of the poet's life are arguing about whether he met in the Crimea with the wife of a French geologist, Adele Omer de Gelle or not. There was or was not a romantic date followed by adultery. After all, then the motives of the poet's duel with Mr. Martynov, offended by Lermontov's refusal to marry his own sister, change radically.
If you are still wondering who threw the girls from Cape Lermontov into Diana's grotto, then on vacation in Sevastopol you can look for the answer to this question. Most likely, this was how the Taurians, famous for their ferocity, had fun. They caught any sailors, including Hellenes, were clubbed on the heads and thrown into the sea. In another case, they buried enemies in the sand and cut off their heads. They then put them on poles as a talisman of their dwellings. Oh yes. The Taurians worshiped the goddess Virgo. It was this name that later transformed into Diana, and thanks to the ethnos of the Taurians, the Crimean Peninsula itself was called Tauris for a long time!

How to get there:

you can get from Sevastopol from the city center (to the stop 5 km) by trolleybuses No. 2, 12, 13, 17 or 20, then you should transfer to a minibus that goes to the very cape. You can also get from the Central Department Store, by bus number 19 or 72.
From Balaklava - by shuttle bus or your own transport, drive 6.5 km to the end of Novikov Street to Balaklava Highway, after which turn left at the ring in the direction of Fiolenovsky Highway and Cape Lermontov (10-11 km).

Diana's Grotto, located on one of the forts of Cape Fiolent, is considered the most mysterious and beautiful "bait" for tourists. Named after the ancient Greek goddess of chastity and fertility, it seems to be created for admiration and wonderful, inspiring emotions.

At the same time, among the Crimeans, this centuries-old formation of volcanic lava has not earned a very good reputation. The fact is that the history of Diana's grotto is associated with human sacrifices. Thus, the ancient Greeks tried to beg favors from the gods. This ritual also applies to the worship of the eternally young goddess Diana (in ancient Greek - Artemis). Men and women were thrown into the sea, where inevitable death awaited them. Local residents claim that even now the Goddess requires blood, annually taking new lives. Unfortunately, but the truth is that due to negligence, tourists who come here to dive, due to lack of experience, risk dying: there are dangerous fates nearby, where it is deep enough, there is a crack in the bottom and a very strong current. Therefore, it is extremely important to observe safety precautions and not take risks unless absolutely necessary.

How will Diana's grotto be remembered by a tourist?

The grotto of Diana (Filonet) is a through hole in a stone ledge, which is also called Cape Lermontov. Locals designate it with the word "Arch", which quite accurately conveys the technical essence of the attraction. The length of the grotto is about 15 meters, and the depth is about two meters. At the same time, very close, it can easily reach 12 meters. The only way to get here is by water. To do this, you need to move either by swimming or using one of the types of water transport.

On both sides of the "Arch" there are sandy beaches, so tourists resting nearby have completely free access here. In addition to those wishing to swim and dive, Diana's grotto also attracts lovers of underwater exploration. First of all, the water depths near the grotto are famous for interesting marine plants and various underwater inhabitants. Also, not far from here, a minesweeper from the Second World War crashed.

For whatever purpose vacationers come here, they will certainly take with them a lot of unforgettable impressions and positive emotions. And so that they do not fade away and can flare up with renewed vigor, you can take a lot of different photos of Diana's grotto. This is a landmark place, near which almost every tourist who comes to Sevastopol strives to visit. Local residents strongly support such zeal and always willingly show the way to it.

How to get to Diana's Grotto?

To get to the grotto of Diana, you first need to use the bus. This type of public transport departs both from the bus station and from the railway station of the city of Sevastopol. The final stop of the route is the “fifth kilometer”. Then you need to transfer to the minibus number 3 and then go to the stop "Recreation center" Karavella ". The last stage is walking for a distance of about 800 meters in a southwesterly direction. Thus, you will get to the beach, where you can take a boat or go swimming, since the distance allows you to do this.

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A picturesque hole in the rock, where you can only go through the water. The water depth of the grotto is not more than 2 meters. Strong currents are possible.

A large through grotto in the cape, which has large surface and underwater parts, more than 2 meters deep. The underwater passage is interesting for its vegetation. Nearby are the remains of a sunken minesweeper. Adjacent depths are from 2 to 12 meters.

The grotto was named after the Greek goddess Diana. Legends say that Diana's grotto was located in these places. Abroad, Fiolent is known as Partenium - Maiden, Virgin. In the 5th century BC. Herodotus claimed that the Virgin had her own sanctuary, where there must have been an altar of sacrifice. It (the sanctuary) was on a cliff, from where the victims were thrown into the sea.

Map

Where is Diana's Grotto located? It's simple, look at the mark on the map, write down the address or coordinates for your navigator or smartphone 44°30.596′, 33°28.712′, read the directions under the map. You should definitely visit this place!

How to get to the Grotto of Diana

Russia, Republic of Crimea, .
10th kilometer of the Fiolentovskoye Highway, Cape Lermontov

Photo