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The Iphigenia Rock, whose outline resembles a fortress, is located on the Crimean coast. It consists of fragments of an ancient volcanic massif, which, according to scientists, was formed 150 million years ago. The rock is formed by spilitic tuffs and keraphitic portifites - ancient geological rocks found only in this area. The height of Iphigenia is 120 meters above sea level.
Historical perspective
The first mentions of the rock are found not only in the myths of Ancient Greece. In the Iliad, Homer tells the story according to which the rock got its unusual name. According to legend, at the foot of the rock there was a temple of Artemis, where King Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia. The goddess gave the girl life, replacing her with a mountain doe. In gratitude, Iphigenia remained to serve in the temple and became the high priestess. A number of historians question the version of the temple near the rock, since they believe that the structure could have been located near Cape Fiolent.
The Iphigenia Rock is located in the center of a mountain plateau that stretches 500 meters along the Black Sea. In the center of the massif there is a deep gorge with steep slopes. Scientists are surprised that pistachio trees grow on bare rock of volcanic origin, which in nature prefer sandy soil. However, it is thanks to their long roots that the slopes are reliably protected from destruction.
The western peak has several sharp peaks of volcanic rock that resemble the open mouth of a dragon. That is why many tourists nicknamed the Dragon Rock.
In the surrounding area of the rock there is a wide variety of plant life, which is typical for the subtropical climate of the Mediterranean. Here you can find jasmine, Crimean cistus, butcher's broom, and juniper. In the middle of the last century, the rock received the status of a natural monument.
Several historical events are associated with the rocky Cape Iphigenia. Nearby are the ruins of an ancient settlement, presumably from the 9th-14th centuries. This place is one of the archaeological monuments of Crimea and is protected by law. Today, excavations are underway on the territory of the medieval settlement.
The Cape Rock is also associated with the heroic events of the defense of Sevastopol at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. In the winter of 1941, a reconnaissance group of the Black Sea Fleet was landed here under the command of midshipman Fyodor Volonchuk. For two weeks, a group of six people collected information about passing troops, and also destroyed enemy vehicles and food convoys. In memory of the Crimean partisans, a memorial plaque was installed on the Yalta-Sevastopol road.
On the eastern peak there is an unequipped observation deck, which can be climbed along a serpentine road. At the peak there is a monument in the shape of a cross. During the Byzantine Empire in the 7th-10th centuries, not far from the rock there was a monastery in memory of the martyrs who were crucified by the Roman authorities to intimidate sailors during the persecution of Christians.
You can get to the picturesque natural monument by bus in the direction “Sevastopol - Yalta”, stopping at the village “Beregovoe”.
Iphigenia Rock got its name from the owner of the local land, N.N. Demidov in 1820. The name is associated with the myth of Tauris and Iphigenia, which will be discussed a little later. The rock is the main mountain of the resort village of Kastropol and is located in its vicinity, on the southern coast of Crimea. From the sea side it is a 120-meter ancient volcanic massif. The silhouette of the rock is very similar to a fortress and there is an assumption that it was precisely because of this similarity that the nearby village of Kastropol was named. The rock consists of significant layers of keratophyric porphyrites and spilitic tuffs, which are rare rocks for the Crimea.
As mentioned a little above, the rock got its name thanks to an ancient Greek legend, which talks about the daughter of King Agamemnon and Astynome, Iphigenia. There are many variations of the myth.
The first of them: in the Trojan War, the Greek ruler, in order to achieve his goals and defeat the enemy, sacrificed his daughter in honor of the goddess Artemis, but she, in turn, took pity on the poor girl and took her to Taurida, where Iphigenia began to serve in the temple of the goddess Virgos as the main priestess.
Earlier sources tell us a different story of Iphigenia. From the works of Hesiod's "List of Women" and Stesichorus' "Oresteia", Artemis gave Iphegenia the gift of immortality and turned her into Hecate.
If you believe Euphorion, then she was sacrificed in Bravron, after which she became a bear. From this source, Artemis transported her to the White Island, gave her the name Orsiloch and gave her as a wife to Achilles.
According to Dictys of Crete, Artemis did not give Iphigenia as a wife to Achilus; after following her to the island, he saved her and then sent her to Scythia. The Taurians honor Iphegenia as a goddess.
The most common version of the myth about Iphigenia is this: the Goddess, taking the girl with her, made her her high priestess, and her duty was to sacrifice all lost wanderers. There she was found by her brother Orestes, who went on a journey with his friend Pylades, on the orders of the Delphic oracle, in search of an image of Artemis of Tauride, and they returned home together.
The fate of the found image of Artemis, according to legend, experienced many adventures. The wooden picture of the goddess ended up in Bravron, from there it was taken to Susa, after which Seleucus I gave it as a gift to the inhabitants of the Syrian settlement of Laodicea. Orestes built a temple in Attica, not far from Bravrona, the image was placed there, and it seems like Iphigenia was buried here. In the Megarian variation, the priestess died among them, where her sanctuary was later created.
There are many discrepancies about the girl's death and where she was buried. Actually, the name of the goddess Artemis is quite closely connected with the name of the girl, and where Artemis was worshiped, the cult of Iphigenia often existed.
The legend does not say about the exact location of the temple, but from some descriptions suspicion falls on Partenit, Cape Fiolent and Balaklava, but the landscapes are most suitable and the assumption that the ancient temple stood in the vicinity of this particular village is most likely. The rock, named after the high priestess, has a special magnetism and attracts the attention of many tourists and indigenous residents of Crimea. The mountain range stretches along the coast, its length is about half a kilometer. In the center the rock is split, which is why a very deep gorge with a small waterfall has appeared, which goes down steeply and leads us to the sea. On one of the peaks of the massif, from a distance you can see many stone peaks that are extremely similar to the teeth of a dragon, often mentioned in myths and legends. From time to time, landslides occur here, layers of volcanic rocks and tuff break off, creating interesting landscapes of stone chaos. It is quite difficult to walk in such a place, and when it crumbles into the sea, small stone islands are created. In the vicinity of the rock, there are a lot of varieties of Mediterranean plants: butcher's broom, pistachio blunt-leaved, jasmine, Crimean cistus, and this is only a small part that grows in this area. Fifteen species are listed in the Red Book and are very rare, and 8 of them live only in these parts - these are endemic plants.
Not far from Iphigenia there is one attraction - an ancient settlement, as archaeologists suggest, from the 9th to the 14th centuries. Another interesting historical feature is associated with the cape. In 1941–1942, during the heroic defense of Sevastopol, the Black Sea Fleet reconnaissance team worked in these places under the command of midshipman F.F. Volonchuk. So that the patriotic heroes of this raid were not forgotten, in May 1978, on the Yalta-Sevastopol highway, not far from the Beregovoe stop, a memorial was erected in memory of all those who died defending their homeland. At the top, from the east of the rock, you can see a monument in the form of a cross. Along the eastern slope of the rock, 50 meters below the peak, a serpentine winds, which takes us to the flat part of the mountain, and from here it will not be difficult to climb to the plateau where the memorial is located.
Rock Iphigenia located near the resort village of South Coast Beregovoe ( Kastropol). From the sea side, the Iphigenia rock rises 120 meters and is an ancient volcanic massif of Crimea. With its outline, the rock resembles a fortress; perhaps it was this similarity that gave the name to the nearby village - Kastropol.
An episode of the heroic defense of Sevastopol in 1941-1942 is associated with the rocky Cape Iphigenia. In December 1941, a reconnaissance group of the Black Sea Fleet under the command of midshipman F.F. landed and operated here. Volonchuk. In memory of this raid by patriots, a memorial plaque was installed on the new Yalta-Sevastopol road at the Beregovoe stop in May 1978.
Educated rock Iphigenia thick layer of spilit tuffs and keratophyric porphyrites, this combination of rocks is unique for the Crimea. The rock got its name due to the plot of a famous ancient Greek myth. The myth tells that Iphigenia was the daughter of King Agamemnon, who was the leader of the Greeks in the famous Trojan War, and Iphigenia was sacrificed to the Virgin goddess Artemis.
The goddess took pity on the unfortunate woman and moved her to Taurida, where she made her the main priestess in her temple of the Virgin Goddess. The legend does not indicate exactly where in Crimea the temple of the Virgin Goddess was located; Partenit, Balaklava, and Cape Fiolent fit the description, but the most likely assumption seems to be that the ancient temple was located right here, near Kastropol.
The Iphigenia Rock has a special charm and attracts tourists and residents of Crimea. Along the coast, the mountain range stretches for half a kilometer. In the center of the massif, right along the fault, a fairly deep gorge has formed, which descends steeply to the seashore. And on the top of one of the ridges of Iphigenia, you can see dozens of stone peaks, very similar to the teeth of a mythical dragon. Sometimes blocks of volcanic bombs and tuff collapse, forming difficult and very picturesque stone chaos, and on the seashore, blocks sometimes form small islands.
In the area surrounding the Iphigenia rock, many species of Mediterranean flora grow: pistachio blunt-leaved, Crimean cistus, butcher's broom, jasmine and many other plant species. 15 species of plants growing in this area of Crimea are listed in the Red Book, including eight endemic plants.
View from Iphigenia Rock
Next to the Iphigenia rock there is also an archaeological monument of Crimea - ancient settlement, presumably IX-XIV centuries. On the eastern top of the rock there is a monument in the shape of a cross. A turn of the Upper Kastropol serpentine approaches the slope of the eastern peak of Iphigenia at a level of 50 m below its highest point from the rear (relative to the sea) side. From here, along the flat part of the rock, it is not difficult to climb to an unequipped observation deck at the cross monument.
Rumor strongly associates it with legendary events. In particular, there is widespread belief that some of the local corners were mentioned by Homer. The Iphigenia Rock in Crimea is perceived as the very place where the goddess Artemis transferred the daughter of the Greek king, appointed for sacrifice.
Where is the rock located in Crimea?
It is located on the South Coast, near the village of Kastropol and Yuzhnoberezhnye Highway. There is also a Kazan temple nearby, which belongs to the Orthodox branch of Christianity. Of the hotel landmarks, the closest is located.
Iphigenia on the map of Crimea
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Origin: volcanic fortress
In appearance, the rock does not resemble the Greek style - rather a powerful medieval fortress. Its shape is reflected in the surrounding geographical names. There is a village nearby, and its name should be translated as “fortress city.”
In fact, Iphigenia is the result of the action of ancient volcanoes. It is based on durable volcanic rocks, and geologists estimate their age at 150 million years. The height of the rock is 120 m above sea level. During further displacements of the earth's crust, layers of different strengths shifted relative to each other. As a result, education acquired the now characteristic step-by-step form.
In 1947, this landmark of Crimea was given the status of a natural monument. The basis for this was not only the geological structure (unique for Taurida), but also the richness of the flora.
Homer, Euripides and other legends
If the names in the vicinity of the rock reflect the characteristics of its appearance, then its own name is associated with ancient Greek literature. Homer in the Iliad mentioned the sacrifice of Iphigenia, the daughter of King Agamemnon, the leader of the Greeks in the Trojan War. The goddess Artemis replaced the girl on the altar with a doe, and she herself was transferred to a remote temple on a mountain by the sea. Then this plot was played out many times by Greek authors, in particular, there is a play by Euripides “Iphigenia in Tauris”. The princess, supposedly in gratitude to the goddess, became a priestess of her monastery and spent her whole life there.
Fans of literature in the traditions of Greece are sure that the sacred object where Iphigenia served stood precisely on the rock of the same name. But archaeologists do not share this confidence - the temple of Artemis was actually discovered in these places, but in . Some people with a developed imagination think that the sharp fragments of stone near the top resemble dragon teeth. They called her the Dragon. But this concept also fits well into mythology.
However, at the foot of the cliff there is a settlement from the Middle Ages, explored by archaeologists. There are also grounds for assertions that a Byzantine monastery existed nearby. Because of this, the peak is now crowned with a cross - local believers are sure that the monastery was built in memory of the first Christians crucified by the Romans on the mountain, so that sailors passing by would look and be afraid.
As you can see from the photo, you can get a good overview of the surrounding area from Iphigenia. This circumstance was used during the defense of Crimea during the Great Patriotic War. In 1941, the command of the Black Sea Fleet landed a reconnaissance group here. It was commanded by midshipman Fyodor Volonchuk. For two weeks, the scouts, taking advantage of the convenient location of the memo, monitored the enemy’s movements from there and made forays to destroy enemy vehicles.
Mount Iphigenia: near a piece of the Mediterranean
Reviews from tourists and comments from experts also claim that the Iphigenia rock near Kastropol resembles a section of the Mediterranean rather than the Black Sea coast. Many relevant representatives of the flora grow here, in particular jasmine, and cicadas are found in large numbers, which is also characteristic of the Mediterranean.
Many species of relict Crimean plants grow on the rocky slopes. Scientists are surprised that there are also old pistachios there, although these trees usually prefer sandy loam soils. But here they took root on almost bare rock. The pistachios did the stone good - their roots strengthened it better than any reinforcement.
Local residents especially recommend that tourists climb Iphigenia at the height of spring, 
when the shrubs covering it are in full bloom. Special excursions to the hill are rarely organized, but you can climb on your own - the trail is noticeable, although it resembles a serpentine in shape, so the road turns out to be long.
At the top near the cross there is a good observation deck, but it is not equipped, so you will have to be responsible for your own safety. The walk will be pleasant and healthy - there are many coniferous trees growing on the slopes, which improve the health of the air, but it will not be very easy due to the height and steepness of the rock.
It would be a good idea to visit the attraction at the beginning of summer, since there are also a lot of plants blooming during this period (in total, more than 40 species have been recorded on the rock), and at the beginning of summer, “concerts” of cicadas begin in Crimea. Residents of the southern regions are still familiar with such phenomena, but northerners will be interested to listen.
Guides of various sightseeing tours, as well as employees of numerous boarding houses and holiday homes in Kastropol draw the attention of tourists to the natural ledge. The Iphigenia Rock in Crimea has not become a symbolic place, but many people want to at least look at it because of the myths surrounding the stones.
How to get there (get there)?
It’s not difficult to get to the natural monument; by public transport, follow the stop “Kastropol” - minibus No. 128 goes here from Yalta/Foros. Getting here by car is also easy.
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Note to tourists
- Address: st. Kiparisnaya, Kastropol, Yalta, Crimea, Russia.
- GPS coordinates: 44.40481,33.88518.
In Crimea, nature and history are inextricably intertwined. Natural attractions are surrounded by legends. Such romance makes people settle nearby, work, and complement natural beauty with man-made ones. The Iphigenia rock is no exception. In conclusion, we offer a short video about it, enjoy watching!
According to legend, the legendary temple in which Iphigenia was a priestess was located somewhere in the south of Taurida, perhaps in the vicinity of Kastropol.
The rock makes a particularly great impression from the sea - rising almost 120 meters above the sea, it forms a cape. It is composed of a thickness of interlayered tuffs, spilite and keratospilite porphyrites, with inclusions of fragments of igneous rocks. Iphigenia Rock has been declared a natural monument.
An episode of the heroic defense of Sevastopol in 1941-1942 is associated with the rocky Cape Iphigenia. In December 1941, a reconnaissance group of the Black Sea Fleet under the command of midshipman F.F. Volonchuk landed and operated here. In memory of this raid by patriots, a memorial plaque was installed on the new Yalta-Sevastopol road at the Beregovoe stop in May 1978.
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