Few places on Earth are as enchanting, eye-catching and fascinating as Swallow’s Nest Castle in Crimea. Perched 130 feet (40 meters) above the Black Sea, atop the breathtaking Aurora Cliff, the castle is the symbol of Crimean Peninsula and one of the top tourist attractions for any visitor to Ukraine. This is also a dreamscape getaway for many marriage proposals since the truly majestic views make it a very romantic spot.
Before the castle was built in 1911 by Russian architect Leonid Sherwood, it was actually a small wooden cottage called Love Castle. The legend goes that some 130 years ago a wounded general came to be cured in Crimea. For heroism in the Crimean war, the empire awarded him a land by the sea. On the high rock of Ai-Todor Cape, the warrior built a small wooden house: he was looking for solitude, romanticism and calm, just like the sky and the Black Sea. The veteran called his humble house ‘The Castle of Love.’ But history does not say, whether it was love for a woman or for the incredible beauty of Crimea. This is how the ‘career’ of the stunning castle of Crimea, the Swallow’s Nest, began in the late 19th century.
Over the time the castle has been an Italian restaurant, a reading club headquarters an art gallery since the end of season 2011, and lately, very popular tourist attraction. During the 1927 earthquake, some of the castle’s decorative elements fell into the sea, and as far as the cliff itself developed a huge crack, access to the Swallow’s Nest was restricted for almost 40 years. The Italian restaurant was opened in 1971 after the restorations of the area. Recent renovations were done in 2011, which cost $150,000.
The building is quite compact in size, 20 m long by 10 m wide, which original design envisioned a foyer, guest room, stairway to the tower and 2 bedrooms on two different levels within the tower. The interior is not as unique as the exterior of the building, however, guestrooms are decorated with wooden panels; the walls of the rest of the rooms are painted. There is also an observation desk, from where guests can enjoy breathtaking views of the sea and Yalta’s distant shoreline.
A long path winds down and around and up again to reach the castle, but the magnificent view is well worth the hike. Around the building, visitors will find trinket sellers, offering their wares to all tourists. Some even have pets with them, like monkeys and peacocks, which they offer to accompany you in the photograph if you wish so. Words are not enough to describe the charm and uniqueness this spectacularly beautiful spot has to offer. This is a place to be seen to be believed!
