Alupka
Alupka
Алупка | |
|---|---|
town | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Territory | Crimea |
| Region | Yalta municipality |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4 km2 (2 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 90 m (300 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 8,745 |
| • Density | 2,186.25/km2 (5,662.4/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 98676 |
| Area code | +380-654 |
| Former name | Alubika |
| Website | http://alupkame.info/ |
Alupka (Ukrainian: Алупка, Russian: Алупка, Crimean Tatar: Alupka) is a resort city located in Crimea, Ukraine, situated 17 km (11 mi) to the west of Yalta. It is famous for the Vorontsov's Palace, designed by English architect Edward Blore in an extravagant mixture of Scottish baronial and Neo-Moorish styles and built in 1828–1846 for prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov.
Alupka and its surrounding area is full of resort hotels on the shore of the Black Sea, where thousands of travelers (particularly from the former Soviet Union) travel every year. Public transport to Alupka can include the bus system (bus routes #26 and #27 from Yalta) and other road vehicles.
Climate
Located in the warm climate of southern Crimea, Alupka has an average temperature of +3-4°С in January–February and an average temperature of +24.6°С in August. The average rainfall in the city is 400 mm per year, the average humidity is about 69%, and the average number of sunlight per year is 2,150 hours. The swimming season streaches from March until October, with an average water temperature of 22–28 °C (72–82 °F).
History
Alupka was first founded as an Greek settlement. The name originates from Greek for Alepu or fox. After the Greeks, Alupka came under control of the Byzantine Empire. The first written mention of Alupka dates to 960 in a document about the Byzantine Emperor Romanos II. Later on, Alupka was controlled by the Crimean Tatars. After the Crimean campaigns, the city came into possession of Grigori Alexandrovich Potemkin, governor-general of the Novorossiya Krai. In 1798, the city had a population of 211, consisting mainly of farmers. At the end of 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, Alupka was a famous resort. In the middle of 19th century it was even more popular, than Yalta, mostly because of the work of Governor of NovoRossia - Mikhail Vorontsov, who build here a Palace (or even better say, Castle).
Attractions
Alupka is not only a resort town, but also an important tourist attraction. Major attractions in the city include:
- Vorontsov's Palace
- Vorontsov's Park, located on the grounds of the Vorontsov's Palace
- Ai-Petri Mountain
Vorontsovsky Palace and Park
The main attraction of Alupka is the Scottish baronial and Neo-Moorish style Vorontsov's Palace, which was designed by the English architect Edward Blore built in 1828-1846 for prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov. During the Yalta Conference, the palace — spared by the Germans during World War II — served as the residence of Sir Winston Churchill and his English delegation.
A large English-style park was designed and built for prince Vorontsov on the territory of the Vorontsov's Palace. The park was constructed from December 1824 to April 1851, and was envisioned, designed, created, and maintained by Chief Botanist of the Southern Shore of the Crimea, Carolus Antonius Keebach.
Ai-Petri Mountain
Alupka is located at the foot of the 1234 meter Ai-Petri (St Peter) Mountain of the Crimean Mountain Chain. Since 1987, a three kilometer gondola lift, one of the longest in Europe and split into two stages, carries passengers to and from the mountain, providing visitors with excellent views of the surrounding area and the Black Sea.
Famous people
- Amet-Han Sultan — a Crimean Tatar fighter and test pilot
- Evgeni Aldonin - a Russian footballer
External links
- alupkame.info — Informational portal of Alupka
- Vorontsov's Castle in Alupka — Pictures of Alupka Palace
- alupka.whoo.net — Alupka: Vorontsov's Palace and Park
- vpalace.narod.ru — Webpage of the Alupka Castle Template:Ru icon
