A Hero City and tourist magnet, a major recreational and scientific center, a cultural and trading hub – Sevastopol is a gem of the Crimean coast.
Sevastopol was established by Empress Catherine II of Russia in 1783. The city is located on the spot where the Greek colony of Chersonesus had once existed.
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© Sputnik / Sergey Malgavko
Sevastopol and the Crimean Peninsula as a whole have inherited the Greek legacy, unearthed by archaeological expeditions. Excavations are underway.
In 1854-1855 Sevastopol held out against the British and French armies for 349 days during the Crimean War. The allies had hoped to capture the city within a week.
Above: the Black Sea Fleet Military History Museum in Sevastopol.
Above: the Black Sea Fleet Military History Museum in Sevastopol.
The United States was the only major nation that remained on friendly terms with the Russian Empire during that conflict. American volunteers and surgeons helped the Russian defenders of Sevastopol.
Above: Nakhimov Black Sea Naval School Commander Prize Regatta in Sevastopol timed to coincide with the 233rd anniversary of the Black Sea Fleet.
Above: Nakhimov Black Sea Naval School Commander Prize Regatta in Sevastopol timed to coincide with the 233rd anniversary of the Black Sea Fleet.
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© Sputnik / Sergey Malgavko
In the 19th century Sevastopol had three oyster farms. Their products were on par with French and Italian ones. To deliver them to the royal family, Russia even launched its first refrigerator car.
Above: a youngster skateboarding on the Kornilov Embankment in Sevastopol.
Above: a youngster skateboarding on the Kornilov Embankment in Sevastopol.
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© Sputnik / Sergey Malgavko
Sevastopol possesses Crimea’s oldest aqueduct that was built in the 1840s.
Above: the pedestrian arch Dragon Bridge (Lovers' Bridge) in the Primorsky Boulevard in Sevastopol.
Above: the pedestrian arch Dragon Bridge (Lovers' Bridge) in the Primorsky Boulevard in Sevastopol.
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In 1893 Sevastopol got its own pigeon postal service. The department included five employees and 250 birds.
Sevastopol has the tallest lighthouse in the Commonwealth of Independent States which towers a whopping 186 meters above sea level.
Above: a sun clock on a Sevastopol embankment.
Above: a sun clock on a Sevastopol embankment.
In 1899 in Sevastopol, Russian engineer Alexander Popov for the first time in history established radio communication between battleships.
Above: Holiday-makers in the square in front of the House of Children's and Teenagers' Crafts (formerly the Young Pioneers House) in Sevastopol.
Above: Holiday-makers in the square in front of the House of Children's and Teenagers' Crafts (formerly the Young Pioneers House) in Sevastopol.
In 1941-1942 the city defended against Nazi invaders for 250 days. Sevastopol was named one of the original four Hero Cities together with Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Stalingrad (now Volgograd), and Odessa.
Above: Holidaymakers and local residents bathe at dusk near a monument to sunken ships not far from Primorysky Boulevard in Sevastopol.
Above: Holidaymakers and local residents bathe at dusk near a monument to sunken ships not far from Primorysky Boulevard in Sevastopol.
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© Sputnik / Sergey Malgavko
In 1965 Sevastopol hosted the Soviet Union’s first center for training military dolphins. The training was in limbo after the country’s collapse and was revived in 2014.
Above: the dolphinarium and the House of Children's and Teenagers' Crafts in Sevastopol.
Above: the dolphinarium and the House of Children's and Teenagers' Crafts in Sevastopol.
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© Sputnik / Sergey Malgavko
The city even has an asteroid, discovered by Soviet astronomer Tamara Smirnova on June 27, 1971, named after it.
