Happy TravellerWelcome to Yevpatoria, a Ukrainian city of regional significance located in Western Crimea, north of Kalamita Bay. With a population of 105,719 (2014 Census), Yevpatoria serves as the administrative center of Yevpatoria Municipality, one of the districts (raions) into which Crimea is divided. Let’s dive into the rich history and attractions of this beautiful city.
Yevpatoria has a long and fascinating history, dating back to Greek colonization around 500 BCE. The first recorded settlement in the area, called Kerkinitis (Κερκινίτις), was built by Greek colonists. The name of the modern city derives from the nickname of King Mithridates VI Eupator (r. 120–63 BCE), who ruled over Kerkinitis and the rest of Crimea.
During the Khanate period, Yevpatoria was a Khazar settlement and later subject to the Cumans (Kipchaks), the Mongols, and the Crimean Khanate. The city was called Kezlev by Crimean Tatars and Gözleve by Ottoman Turks. The Russian medieval name Kozlov is a Russification of the Crimean Tatar name. In 1783, along with the rest of Crimea, Kezlev was captured by the Russian Empire and its name was officially changed to Yevpatoriya in 1784.
Today, Yevpatoria is a major Black Sea port, a rail hub, and a resort town. The population swells greatly during the summer months, with many residents of northern cities visiting for beach recreation. As such, local residents are heavily employed during the summer months but are often underemployed during the winter. The main industries of the city include fishing, food processing, winemaking, limestone quarrying, weaving, the manufacture of building materials, machinery, furniture manufacturing, and tourism.
Yevpatoria has spas of mineral water, salt, and mud lakes. These resorts belong to a vast area with curative facilities where the main health-improving factors are the sunshine and sea, air and sand, brine and mud of the salt lakes, as well as the mineral water of the hot springs. The population of the town is sure to have known about the curative qualities of the local mud that can be found here from time immemorial, which is witnessed by the manuscripts of Pliny the Elder, a Roman scholar (ca. 80 BC).
Famous attractions within or near Yevpatoria are the 400-year-old Juma-Jami Mosque, one of the many designed by the Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, the Eupatorian Kenassas, St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker Cathedral, and Tekie Dervishes. Two beaches in Yevpatoria have been Blue Flag beaches since May 2010, these were the first beaches (with two beaches in Yalta) to be awarded a Blue Flag in a CIS member state.
Despite its rich history and attractions, Yevpatoria has faced challenges in recent years. In 2014, due to the military operation of Russian Armed forces, the city of Yevpatoria was occupied by Russia with the entire Crimean peninsula. The UN General Assembly condemned the Russian operation and considered the annexation the temporary occupation of part of the territory of Ukraine—the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol. However, Yevpatoria remains a resilient and beautiful city, with much to offer visitors from around the world.
