Construction and restoration drawings of the Crimean swallow's nest. "Swallow's Nest", Crimea: history, description, interesting facts and reviews. What services does the castle offer?

Fitting perfectly into the surrounding picturesque picture, the Swallow's Nest castle has become a real symbol of the Crimean peninsula. The original structure rises on the steep Aurora rock. This is the most recognizable and calling card of Gaspra.

History of origin

Historians believe that the rock near Gaspra was a refuge for the primitive inhabitants of the peninsula. According to some versions, right under the castle there is a cave in which they lived. In ancient times, the military fortress of Kharaks was built on the rock, and in the mid-19th century there was a lighthouse on this site.

In 1877, a dacha was built on Cape Ai-Todor for a Russian general who took part in the Crimean War. This small house on the edge of the cliff was once painted by A.P. Bogolyubov and I.K. Aivazovsky. The next owner of the estate is the doctor Tobin, after whom the dacha passes into the possession of the merchant Rakhmanina. A romantic person gives the building a name that has been preserved for centuries. It was during this period that the structure became the “Swallow’s Nest”.

Local rich man Rudolf von Stengel decides in 1911 to turn an ordinary wooden building into an exquisite medieval castle. The project manager was L. Sherwood. And already in 1912, the pretentious Gothic structure made of stone became the decoration of the top of the cape. The materials chosen for construction were Evpatoria yellow stone and limestone.

Based on the area of ​​the site, the dimensions of the building were calculated. The Swallow's Nest Castle turned out to have sides of 10 by 20 m, with a height of 12 m. The structure was surrounded by a lush green garden, which was later badly damaged during the earthquake.

The baron did not have to own the Gothic building for too long - only 4 years. When World War I began, the house was transferred to P. Shalaputin, who opened a restaurant in the building. After some time, the building was taken away from Shalaputin’s heirs, and in the post-war years the house became the property of the Yalta cooperative.

Swallow's Nest - our days

Part of the unique structure was destroyed by an earthquake. After this, the building was considered unfit for use. In the 30s, a reading room was opened in the castle, gathering under its arches lovers of books and picturesque views. But soon the book lovers’ hall was closed due to increased danger. After that, nothing was done with the construction for almost 40 years.

Reconstruction began only in 1967, when workers at the Yaltaspetsstroy enterprise began making repairs. The reconstruction was led by architect Tatiev. Workers strengthened the foundation and facade, and partially changed the interior. In order for the building to suffer less from possible subsequent earthquakes, it was surrounded by anti-seismic belts.

After this, a restaurant was reopened in the building. Only in 2011, the Swallow's Nest received the status of a museum and became open to the public. The premises were closed again for reconstruction in 2017. Then a webcam was installed in front of the building, covering the Swallow's Nest castle and the area in front of the entrance.

Features of the visit

Currently, the Swallow's Nest is a museum. A variety of exhibits are periodically exhibited here. You can find out about current exhibitions on the official website of the museum.

The cost of visiting in 2019 is 200 rubles, for children from 7 to 18 years old – 100 rubles. Children under 7 years old can enter for free. From May to November the establishment is open seven days a week from 10.00 to 19.00, from November to May - from 10.00 to 16.00. The day off during this period is Monday.

There are many myths associated with almost every rock in Crimea. Aurorina Rock was no exception. Various legends and myths are told about it, as well as about the castle itself. One of the most interesting legends is associated with the first owner of the building. It is believed that the Russian general was a real horseman. One of his favorite pastimes was jumping from a cliff into the sea on a horse. At the same time, the horse was blindfolded. The general did not even have scratches, which could not be said about the horses.

There are several interesting facts that tourists should know before visiting the unique castle:

• The attraction was included in the list of “7 Wonders of the World” in 2008.
• Several famous films were filmed on the castle grounds.
• In 2014, a 10-ruble coin was issued in Russia with a circulation of 10 million.
• The castle became the symbol of the new 100-ruble banknote in Russia in 2016.

A $1 coin featuring the Swallow's Nest was also released in Poland. Moreover, the order was made in 2012 by the island of Niue. Another version of the dollar was issued there with the image of Mount Ayu-Dag.

How to get to the castle

The famous landmark is located in a small resort village on the southern coast of Crimea. The distance from Yalta will be 12 km. Address: pos. Gaspra, Alupkinskoe highway, 9A.

If you go by bus, you can use routes No. 102, 115, 132, going towards Alupka or Simeiz. Motor ships go from Yalta to Gaspra (and specifically the Swallow's Nest) in the summer. You can order a private boat or yacht. From Gaspra you can get to the castle along a road that has 1200 steps.

Many people prefer to travel by their own car. Having driven along the Yalta-Sevastopol highway, you need to take the turn to Gaspra. Travel time from Yalta will be 33 minutes, from Sevastopol - almost an hour and a half. There is parking next to the Swallow's Nest.

It is likely that no one will dispute the fact that Swallow's Nest is the hallmark of Greater Yalta, and indeed the entire Crimean peninsula. Even those who have never been to Crimea recognize it in photographs and paintings - this place is so famous! And the Swallow's Nest is located in the resort village of Gaspra, on the edge of the sheer forty-meter Aurorina rock, which is the extreme point of Cape Ai-Todor. The name of Cape Ai-Todor is translated as “Saint Fedor” from Greek.

Geographic coordinates of Swallow's Nest on the map of Crimea GPS N 44.430722 E 34.12825

There has already been experience of similar construction on the mountain cliffs of Crimea. Twenty years before the emergence of the Swallow's Nest, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ was built in Foros on the edge of the Red Rock at an altitude of 412 meters above sea level. This temple became, in a way, the inspiration for the construction of a new castle. But, unfortunately, the fate of this building was less successful than that of the Foros Church.

Castle height - Swallow's Nest is 12 meters, length 20 meters, width 10 meters. The castle is located on the steep cliff of Aurora. The castle is made in a neo-Gothic style - it looks like a set for a cartoon with wizards and fairy-tale castles. As soon as the Crimean Peninsula was conquered by the Russian Empire, the lands of the southern coast began to be built up with castles and parks. Rich people actively bought plots of land, which they subsequently developed for summer holidays. The first house on Aurora Rock was wooden, and its owner was a retired general. This house was very romantically called the “Castle of Love.”

Unfortunately, it is not known exactly in honor of whom (or what) this building was erected, but it is obvious that only warm feelings could serve as an incentive to create such beauty. By the way, the “Castle of Love” can be seen in the paintings of Aivazovsky, Bogolyubov and Lagorio. Later, the Swallow's Nest began to belong to the court physician of the Livadia Palace A.K. Tobin, and after his death to his wife. Later it was bought by the Moscow merchant Rakhmanina, who gave the name to this house - “Swallow’s Nest”. And already in 1911, these places were bought by the German oil industrialist Baron von Stengel, who began building a new Swallow’s Nest, which has survived to this day.

Construction took place under the leadership of A.V. Sherwood is the son of a Moscow architect, whose most famous work is the Historical Museum on Red Square. Sherwood saw this castle as small, with lancet windows and spiers. In general, the castle corresponded to the Gothic architectural style. Inside, the Swallow's Nest also looked miniature: the two-story tower housed a living room, hallway and two bedrooms. There was a small garden in the courtyard. In 1914, a restaurant operated in the Swallow's Nest building, owned by the merchant Shelaputin, who bought it from the previous owner. But hostilities forced Shelaputin to leave the country. He emigrated to Germany, where he died. After his death, the Swallow's Nest restaurant had to be closed.

Some time Swallow's Nest was empty, and in 1927 it was partially destroyed. The reason was the earthquake of 1927, as a result of which the garden collapsed into the sea, and a huge crack formed in the rock under the castle. The castle itself remained practically untouched, but dangerous. In the thirties of the 20th century, the Swallow's Nest became a reading room, which belonged to one of the local rest houses. And later they stopped allowing visitors there altogether, since the castle could collapse at any moment. But there were always brave tourists who, despite all prohibitions, made their way to the castle to take a photo as a souvenir.

It needed the most complex repairs. Various proposals were put forward regarding its design and organization. One proposed solution was to completely dismantle the building in order to recreate it in a safer location. Each brick and piece was supposed to be numbered so that the new lock would be identical to the original. But this idea did not find support at the top of the Soviet government. Forty years after the earthquake, no one dared to restore the Swallow's Nest, and only in the late 60s an architect was found - I.G. Tatiev, who took responsibility for the repairs. Enormous and dangerous work was carried out to eliminate the crack. And to strengthen the entire structure, a reinforced concrete slab was installed under the rock.

At the very beginning of the 2000s, Swallow's Nest again became accessible to visitors. A restaurant of Italian cuisine was again organized within its walls, and traders of Crimean souvenirs were located around the castle. In 2011, the restaurant was closed, and the Swallow's Nest received the status of an architectural and historical monument of national importance and became known as a castle palace. Many exhibitions took place in its halls, and the exhibitions changed every two months.

This continued until 2013, when cracks were discovered in the retaining slab. Swallow's Nest is closed again for renovation work. But despite all the obstacles, this architectural monument is still the most famous and visited on the southern coast of Crimea, the Swallow's Nest is recognizable on par with and is an unspoken symbol of Crimea.

There are a large number of beautiful and mysterious castles in the world. In the Middle Ages, they were the most prestigious housing for the well-to-do population. The castle indicated the wealth and nobility of its owner. The buildings were reliably protected and had everything necessary for living. The first castles appeared in England and were built from wood. Later they began to make them from stone. One of the most famous such structures in Russia is the Swallow's Nest castle in Crimea. The history of its creation, as well as interesting facts about this place, are presented in the article. We invite you to a virtual tour.

Crimea. "Swallow's Nest": history of creation

When we think of castles, we imagine something grand and majestic. We also remember the beautiful ladies who are waiting for their release. The history of the "Swallow's Nest" in Crimea is interesting and surprising. Let's plunge into the wonderful world of this place together. It will be interesting to know when the construction of this castle began? Who lived here? Are there any legends associated with this place? Why is the castle called that? Other facts related to the history of the “Swallow’s Nest” in Crimea are also of interest. Next we will try to answer all the above questions in detail.

Construction and first owners

Curious to know when the Swallow's Nest castle was built? The Crimean land has always attracted a large number of people. The rich were eager to buy a plot of land here at a favorable price. There was nothing surprising about this. After all, the marvelous mountain air, the endless sea, and beautiful nature had a beneficial effect on the human body and well-being. Estates were built here and parks were erected.

One of the rocks especially attracted attention. People came here to watch the sunrise. One day, a general (his name, unfortunately, is unknown) came up with the idea to build a dacha here. He called it "Love Lock". Perhaps in honor of the memory of your beloved or dreams of her. This remains a mystery. The general watched and admired the construction of his castle every day. Although it was only one-story and more like a dacha. After the general's death, the building was sold to Albert Tobin.

Other owners

The next owner of the Swallow's Nest was a Moscow merchant's wife, Anna Rakhmanova. She decided to demolish the wooden buildings and erect a new stone building. But soon she sold the house to the German Baron von Stengel. The new owner decided to completely remodel the house.

A small castle was built on the Aurora rock, which surprisingly resembled a knight's castle. But, only in miniature version. The building was simply magnificent, although the baron did not admire it for long. The First World War began and he was forced to leave for Germany. Before leaving, he sold the Swallow's Nest to the wealthy merchant Pavel Shelaputin, who opened a restaurant here. But there was a war going on, and there were few people who wanted to have fun in such a difficult time. Therefore, the restaurant did not last long and was soon closed.

After several earthquakes, the building was declared unsafe and closed for some time. After restoration work, fascinating excursions began to be held here.

Name

Anyone planning to visit “Swallow’s Nest” in Crimea will also be interested in the history of the name.

Many questions that tourists have are immediately answered here. When you first see the castle, the association arises that it is attached to the rock in the same way as to the wall of a house. Moreover, the size of this building is quite small. Which also emphasizes the resemblance to a bird’s house. Its width is only ten meters and its length is twenty.

But that's not all. Once upon a time, a section of a high cliff from which the sea was beautifully visible was chosen by swallows for their home. This is where the name of this place comes from.

Curious facts

Getting acquainted with the history of the "Swallow's Nest" in Crimea, you can learn a lot of interesting information. Many readers will probably be interested in learning the following details about this place:

• The history of the construction of the Swallow's Nest in Crimea is of interest not only to Russians, but also to foreign tourists.
• This place was depicted by many famous artists. Among them are Ivan Aivazovsky and Alexey Bogolyubov.
• The building is made in the Gothic style. The building reflects its characteristic features. Such as: windows extended upward; pointedness; ribbed, repeating lines and much more. Such buildings were more typical for Europe than for Russia.
• The Swallow's Nest castle was repeatedly subjected to partial destruction. Restoration work was carried out here several times.
• The castle once had a restaurant and then a reading room.
• Exhibitions of paintings by famous artists are often held here.
• "Swallow's Nest" also had other names - "Generalif" and "Castle of Love".
• Scenes from the once popular films “Amphibian Man” and “Ten Little Indians” were filmed here.
• Once upon a time there was a garden near the castle. But, as a result of an earthquake, it collapsed into the sea. They did not restore it.

Where is it located and how to get there?

How many readers know the exact address of the Swallow's Nest? How can you get here? Now you will know about it. The exact address of the castle is as follows - Crimea, Gaspra village, Alupkinskoe highway, 9 A. You can get here in the following ways:

• Own car. One of the most convenient and fastest ways.
• Taxi. You can take it from the Yalta bus station.
• Buses. It is best to go from Yalta. Route numbers: 102, 132. Travel time is thirty to forty minutes.
• On the boat. One of the most enjoyable ways. You can see the beautiful castle not only from land, but also from the sea.

Souvenirs and gifts

Surely our readers will be curious to know what you can buy here as a souvenir of this wonderful place. Tourists like to buy the following souvenirs and gifts:

• ceramic crafts;
• miniature images of the "Swallow's Nest";
• plastic trays;
• beautiful corals and shells;
• paintings and much more.

What can you do here?

Many people love to visit the most interesting attractions. "Swallow's Nest" is one of these places. It will be interesting to find out what visitors from different cities and countries of the world can do here. The list of popular entertainment in the Swallow's Nest will look like this:

• Taking photographs against the background of the landmark.
• Inspection of the territory and the building of the Swallow's Nest.
• Studying the history of the construction of the "Swallow's Nest" in Crimea.
• Admire the beautiful views of the rocks and the endless sea that open here.
• Acquaintance with various exhibitions, which are constantly updated here.
• Buying souvenirs, of which a large quantity is sold here.
• Visit to a cafe. Here you can refresh your strength and relax in a pleasant and cozy environment.
• On the territory of the castle there is a tree with a large number of multi-colored ribbons tied to it. It is customary for tourists to stop here. They say that if you tie a ribbon to it and ask for something secret, then what you want will definitely come true.
• Relax in the sanatorium, which is located at the foot of the Swallow's Nest.
• Swim in the sea and relax on a cozy beach.

Most residents of the CIS countries will recognize and say for sure that this is a castle hanging over the Black Sea in Crimea. It has been seen in pictures in books, magazines, television programs, and the Internet, but this is nothing compared to reality. A huge number of tourists saw this Crimean heritage with their own eyes.

Swallow's Nest: history and description

The history of the Swallow's Nest in Crimea begins at the end of the 19th century. According to legend, the first owner of the building was a Russian general, but there is no documented evidence of this. And the first mention dates back to 1895 in a reference book on Crimea. The dacha was wooden and was called “Generalif”.

There have been many dacha owners since the end of the 19th century:

• Court physician Tobin Adalberg Karlovich, and after his wife. A boarding house was set up on this site, small, but considered the best on the South Coast. The doctor’s house was located on a steep cliff. In 1903, renovation work took place: the main building was painted, an extension and a veranda were built. The new building can be seen in a painting by the artist Lagorio.
• In the period from 1898 to 1905 (the exact time is unknown), Tobin's widow sold the dacha to Baron Steingel. It was by his order that the house was transformed into the castle that we can now recognize on postcards. The architect was L. Sherwood.
• From approximately 1912 to 1914, it is unknown who owned the castle and whether it was even intended for living.
• Since 1914, the dacha belonged to Mrs. Rokhmanova.
• In 1921, the act of reception of the former estate “Swallow’s Nest” documented that the building was abandoned and repeatedly looted.
• During the NEP period, the building was restored and a restaurant was opened here. But already on September 12, 1927 there was an earthquake here, which severely damaged the building.
• In the period from 1927 to 1939, some repair work was still carried out, but basically the building was neglected and belonged to the Zhemchuzhina holiday home.
• In 1967 - 1970, a major renovation of the Swallow's Nest by Giprograd employees took place. The architect was I. Tatiev, the engineer was V. Timofeev. Both the building and the rock, which was also surrounded by anti-seismic belts, were strengthened; the architecture was slightly changed, decorative turrets and spiers were added. In 1971 the castle was opened to the public.
• Until 2011, there was a restaurant in the castle.
• And in July 2011, the building was recognized as the Swallow's Nest palace-castle.

Castle height and interior layout

In fact, the lock is very compact. The height of the Swallow's Nest is only 12 meters, and the area is 10x12 meters. Well, the height of the Aurora rock is 40 meters.

Inside the Swallow's Nest there is an entrance hall and a living room, a staircase to the second floor and two bedrooms located one above the other.

Museum: exhibitions, excursions and concerts

Now Swallow's Nest is an architectural and exhibition complex with a panoramic terrace and an adjacent small park. Approximately every one and a half to two months, art, archaeological and local history exhibitions are held here, replacing one another. You can see the schedule on the official website.

All summer, in the evenings, various performances, concerts, vernissages and master classes are held in the open air on the terrace near the palace. Be sure to visit if possible!
And of course, at the museum you can book a sightseeing tour of the history of the castle and Cape Ai-Todor. If you want to send that famous postcard with the image of the Swallow's Nest, there is a small post office here.

The Legend of the Swallow's Nest

Almost every significant corner in Crimea has its own fabulous history. So the legend about the Swallow's Nest castle tells about the failed love of the god of the sea Poseidon and the goddess of the dawn Aurora.

In short, Aurora loved to watch the sunrise on a rock and one day she was seen by Poseidon, who really liked her. But the goddess rejected his love. Poseidon used a trick, decided to charm Aurora with a witch's diadem, and asked the lord of the winds, Aeolus, to hide the sun with clouds. While waiting for the sun, Aurora dozed off. Poseidon crept up and almost bewitched the goddess, but she woke up and escaped. The tiara fell and hit the rock, part of the diamond from the crown fell into the crevice. When the clouds cleared, a ray of sun hit the fragment, which turned into a castle.

Information for visitors

Where is Swallow's Nest located?

The castle is located on the Aurora rock of Cape Ai-Todoy in Gespra, South Coast. So if you are wondering “what is the Swallow’s Nest built on, 5 letters”, the answer is - a rock!

How to get there

The most convenient way to get to the Swallow's Nest is from Yalta:

• Route No. 102 from the bus station to the “Swallow’s Nest” stop.
• Route No. 132 from the Clothing Market to the “Swallow’s Nest” stop.
• By motor ship (only in summer) from Lenin embankment, which comes directly to the foot of the Aurora rock.

It is also very convenient to come here as part of excursions to the Swallow's Nest. The prices are not very expensive, but there are a lot of impressions, and they give you free time to explore the sights on your own. Tourists are usually brought by bus and picked up by boat.

Address: Yalta, urban-type settlement Gaspra, Alupkinskoe highway, 9a
Coordinates: 44.430474, 34.128382

Prices

Visiting the area around the castle is free. Tickets to the Swallow's Nest Museum can be purchased at the following prices:

• 200 rubles - adult ticket;
• 100 rubles - for children.

Museum opening hours

• 10:00 - 16:00 - from November to May, Mon - closed;
• 10:00 - 19:00 - from May to October, seven days a week.

Official site: http://lasto4kinognezdo.ru/
Web cameras: http://lg.yapic.net/
Exhibition schedule: http://lasto4kinognezdo.ru/vystavki

Address on the map

In addition to architectural ones, Yalta is rich in other attractions. For example, the Massandra winery, which produces wine that has become famous far beyond the borders of the country.

Swallow's Nest is a landmark and symbol of the southern coast of Crimea, its decoration, a place that attracts tourists, where movies are shot, where lovers make appointments. A mysterious castle about which there are many stories. How was it really?

The Swallow's Nest rises above the blue sea./Photo: www.grifon-tur.ru

Construction of the “Castle of Love” dacha on the rock

Active construction of palaces on the southern coast of Crimea began at the end of the 18th century. People came here to improve their health, admire the magnificent view of the sea and simply relax. Aurorina Rock, which towered above the surface of the sea, attracted particular attention. Undoubtedly, this could not go unnoticed.

The first to build a house in this place was a veteran of the Russian-Turkish War, a general whose name, unfortunately, is not known today. He built a dacha and gave it the romantic name Castle of Love. Construction did not last long, the general himself monitored how the work was progressing, and soon the wooden one-story country house took its place on Aurora Rock.

A. Goryachev. Painting Swallow's Nest.

The Castle of Love was painted by famous artists such as Aivazovsky, Bogolyubov, Lagorio. It invariably attracted the attention of travelers and local residents.

A series of hosts

After the general's death, the wooden house was sold to Albert Tobin, who at that time was a member of the Yalta city government. Tobin was not satisfied with the appearance of the wooden house, and he began its reconstruction. It was at this time that the building received the name Swallow's Nest. However, for some reason the Tobin family was unable to complete what they started, and the dacha was sold to Anna Rakhmanova. She was a rich and capricious lady, she managed several apartment buildings in Moscow and had every opportunity to realize her fantasies. The wooden house was demolished without regret, and the merchant's wife began building a stone palace. But it didn’t last long for Rakhmanov either - in 1911 she sold the Swallow’s Nest to oil industrialist Baron von Stengel.

The castle is magnificent against the backdrop of the sea sunset./Photo: pimg.mycdn.me

In 1912, a small castle with all the attributes of the Gothic style appeared on the mountain.

Change of design, work of the architect Sherwood

The Baron decided to completely change the appearance of the castle; the design for this was made by the famous Moscow architect A.V. Sherwood, who had a difficult job ahead of him. The foundation for the building was not too large and had a length of 20 and a width of 10 meters, while the height of the castle was 12 meters. With such dimensions, it was necessary to make the internal structure of the house appropriate.

Castle, interior decoration./Photo: www.azovskiy.net

It was decided this way: to arrange the hallway, living room and two bedrooms in series, connecting them with steps. The Baron really liked the architect’s idea; he invested money in the castle with great pleasure, dreaming of a piece of his ancient homeland on Crimean soil. For the construction of the Gothic beauty, gray Crimean limestone and yellow Evpatoria stone were used. However, von Stengel was unable to enjoy the romance of the country: in July 1914, the First World War began and he had to return to his homeland. The castle with the flying name Swallow's Nest was sold to the merchant Shelaputin.

Design flaws

Despite its stunning appearance, the castle had many flaws structurally. Experts note incorrect proportions of the structure. All parts are mechanically connected, but with a polar load; they do not attract, but seem to push each other. Externally, the castle seems very unstable; there is a feeling that at any second it could fall apart and fall off the cliff.

N. Osipenko. Bird home.

Today it is difficult to say why the architect chose such a strange combination - two cubic elements and a flat prismatic one. Perhaps this was done on purpose. The elements of the building seem to pile on top of each other, each towering above the one below. The window and door openings are also not very aligned, and the interior decoration is excessively harsh. The main hall has a large fireplace, bronze lamps, inlay and a carved ceiling with voluminous dragons. A large number of coats of arms from past centuries. And at the same time, all this is diluted by gloomy wooden beams with large fasteners.

If we put aside the quibbles related to the architectural design, then the rest of the Swallow's Nest looks simply amazing, perhaps its lack of thought leads to such an effect - a lonely building above the depths of the sea attracts the eye.

Restaurant opening

The castle was sold to Shelaputin. Many believe that it was this man who turned it into a restaurant. This is a mistake, since in 1914 the philanthropist Shelaputin died in Switzerland. The castle went to his heirs. According to some historians, the manager of Shelaputin’s estate decided to open a restaurant in such a picturesque place in order to increase his income.

A favorite place for vacationers./Photo: qrim.org

Despite all the efforts, the plan did not bring much results, since Russia was shaken by wars. First the First World War, then the Civil War, and the new government nationalized the Shelaputin estate, closing the restaurant.

During the NEP, the castle was supplemented with an open terrace, and the restaurant began to function again, and worked until 1927, when the famous Yalta earthquake shook Crimea. The castle survived, but became a building in disrepair.

Castle after the Crimean earthquake./Photo: 24.ru

What was in the castle in Soviet times and how it was repaired, what is now

Despite the disrepair of the building, in the thirties a library was opened in it from the Zhemchuzhina sanatorium. The authorities, having given up on the emergency situation, decided to use the castle for their own purposes. However, the cracks began to widen and the library was closed. The era of waiting has arrived.

Many years later, at the end of the sixties, specialists under the leadership of architect I.G. Tatiev were still able to carry out repairs to the Swallow's Nest. Specialists strengthened the foundation, and the façade and interior underwent minor changes. A monolithic slab was placed under the building, and the castle itself was completely surrounded by anti-seismic belts. A huge amount of work was done, complex and difficult, because special construction equipment and cranes had to be driven to the site, and all this along narrow roads for cars.

Today, at the foot of the castle there is a large souvenir market. Tourists can buy here various small seafood crafts, paintings and photographs, towels and trays, dishes and refrigerator magnets, all with the image of the magnificent, mysterious, long-suffering Swallow's Nest.