Surenskaa krepost

Siujreńska Fortress - a medieval Byzantine Fortress in the western part of Crimea in Ukraine, lying near the village of Małosadowoje and about 15 km from Bakczysaraj.

The name of the fortress means a sharp pika, it is located on the plateau forming the peak surface of a rocky promontory called Kuły-Burun, entering the Belbek river valley, a few hundred meters from the rock monastery Człter-Koba occupying the neighboring rock promontory. The fortress lies at the end of the 1.7 ha of the area which ends on each side with high rock cliffs. From the rest of the promontory, it is separated by a wall built from limestone blocks. According to various researchers, it has 94 to 110 meters long, 2.5 thick and 4.8 m high. In the central part there is a round, defensive tower of 8 m in diameter and a height of 10 m, at which the only entrance gate was located. On the upper floor of the tower, an Orthodox church was arranged with walls and a dome richly decorated with frescoes, visible in the 19th century. About 300 m before the above -described wall with the tower there is another wall also running across the promontory, having 155 meters long, 2.2 m thickness and unknown height. The date of its creation is not known, it is assumed that it is the youngest, complementing the element of fortifications and was built during the Duchy of Teodoro, in the fourteenth - 15th century. The main wall with the tower, according to the features of its construction, was undoubtedly created in Byzantine times, However, it is not clear whether at the turn of VI/VII in A. Was in the middle of the 9th century. It is known, however, that the fortress was destroyed along with the entire principality of Teodoro by Turkey at the end of 1475.

A rather unusual feature of the fortress is that it does not have any rock caves, so characteristic of other medieval, defensive settlements of the Southern Crimea. It is not known whether the area protected by the walls was built in the Byzantine times. However, at least part of the promontory protected by walls was built up with houses in the Feodoro period.