forty years ago, on a rainy October day three tourists climbed the mountain Mangup.Pitch a tent, came to rest.Suddenly, the wind carried a baby crying.And not just crying - crying desperate child of six or seven.One of the travelers rushed to search for a lost little one.And it is gone forever.So says one of the many legends of the Crimean Mangupsky boys.
«Again creaking saddle shabby ..." creaks on the back of a cute donkey, leaving on a difficult path, hidden in the shade of dense deciduous forest, to the top of the mountain called Mangup.All around - the traces of some old, past life, stone pipes, tanks for water, odd-shaped gravestone ... Mangup-kale, or just Mangup - the medieval fortress city of Bakhchisaray district of Crimea, overlooking the valleys of 250-300 meters and occupiesPlateau 90 hectares.In the XII-XV centuries, it served as the capital of the Christian principality of Theodoro, inhabited by Orthodox Greeks, Crimean Goths, Tatars, Armenians, Eastern Slavs.But in 1475 Theodoro, unable to withstand a five-month siege, was captured by the troops of the Pasha-Gedik Ahmed and became a Turkish fortress.And all of its population - about 15,000 people - were killed.
preserved fortifications stretch for a total of one and a half kilometers away, and the whole length of the defensive circuit (with rocky cliffs up to 70 meters) - almost seven kilometers.Around there are many life-giving springs.
Mangup - the most mysterious, most mysterious Crimean mountain.Take it on foot or on a donkey really - in fact the only one in the Crimea near donkey farm.And at the top offers the ruins of the royal palace and the once formidable citadel.The camp of archaeologists, over which proudly waving the Russian flag.Camp "Indians" with the real lodges.The cozy glades inhabited lovers sunbathe in the buff.And even the seat next to the remains of the bunker, from which 4 July 1942 the future Manstein visually - the only case in the XX century - led the capture of Sevastopol.No wonder Mangup is also called "Crimean-minded": Look to the northeast - loom outskirts of Simferopol, in the east rises whopper Chatyrdaga, south-west of the bay of Sevastopol are clearly visible and Balaklava.But most of all attract tourists countless dungeons and caves Mangup.They are a great many on the mountain, having the shape of a palm with fingers spread-capes.
most famous - Tyshkli-breaker ("leaky cape" - through the window, it is viewed through a cave), with cave drum-Koba.It keeps its pillar.Hit it - and prolonged roar be heard a lot of stories and legends.Including the oldest, the Cossacks and Turks.Believe then, if at night on the upper plateau suddenly heard someone leaping, roaring laughter!
is said in the XVI century, the commandant of the fortress Mangup liked to call himself a Russian Cossack tomivshegosya in one of the casemates.Oh, and the Turks liked to listen to stories about the different hikes prisoner-adventures!And once I asked a prisoner Turk weaken its shackles.Like, I will tell you a secret Cossack treasure hidden on Mangup.I listened to the Turks, and so began to tell a prisoner-bewitch that suddenly fell asleep lord of the fortress.And he dreamed that he is a mysterious subterranean Mangupa and suddenly in one of the far corners of the saw - flashed something.He began to dig - exactly showered with gold coins and precious stones, but ... It woke the Turks - and just thrown on the floor of the shackles.
But he did not pursue the Cossack - believed his stories.And since lost any sleep, he crawled all the rocks and caves of ancient fortresses.But one day is not calculated, fell into the abyss.Since then, they say, and wanders through the upper plateau of the Cossack, does laughing at deceived by the enemy.
brave prince or submissive victim?
So Mangupsky boy heard here many times, especially in inclement weather and in the winter.Who is he: the Spirit whether grand prince, cursed his father for converting to Islam?Just a child, miraculously survived during the massacre in December 1475?
So, there is a legend about how long ago the Christian principality of Theodoro on the mountain Mangup decided to build a powerful reinforcement.But no matter how the builders erected a wall, she repeatedly collapsed.And then in masonry walled son of the leader of the city.Since then, it has been for hundreds of years the villagers see a boy in ancient clothes, surrounded by light.His lips moved silently, as if he wants something to warn.
And it was about!Because the second most famous legend is connected with the tragedy of 1475.The boy really was the last prince of Mangup.Turkish sultans generally kept such prisoners in his main palace Seraglio hostage, forcibly turning to Islam and nurturing to enslave their own people.
Therefore, the heir Prince Alexander, the last Christian ruler of Theodoro, did not surrender, and threw himself off the wall in sheer precipice.Ever since then, and no strangers to the rest Mangupe!For the past five hundred years there in the moonlight skinny transparent figure.Hold for her own view - and did not tear off.And it's easy to jump on the nearest wall of bright moss-covered boulders prohibitive.And now, as a child, forgetting everything you mchishsya race with Lightfoot boy.With stones in the stone with a tower on the tower.And this strange dance is so sweet that the thought of death has not frightened.And you do after him his last step, and fly in the dark womb of the abyss ...
Cliffs endlessly repeat your cry, warning those who are still alive.After all Mangupsky boy who has lost his princely family on the day of the terrible massacre, any stranger is responsible for the fact that there were more than five hundred years ago.
third story - the most romantic.Once on Mangupe lived only two people: a boy and girl in love.Man killed in the war, and she could not stand the separation, had died.After many generations of young men moved into the soul of the future prince of Mangup dynasty of Theodoro.He always knew that somewhere there is a woman created for him, was looking for her everywhere and could not find.
Once in the castle came to a hungry beggar in miserable rags, but the prince recognized her beloved, and soon they had a son.This boy knew all the secrets of Mangup.Like all killed by the Turks, he had left at home his soul, doomed to wander on Mangup, until he finds his beloved, or until the hill in the dead city, there will be conceived and born baby.
So whether Mangupsky boy?
It is known that in 1475 the Turks really captured the infant heir to the throne of the prince.He grew up at the court of the Sultan of the Ottoman Porte and accompanied all important diplomatic missions in the Orthodox states under the name of Bey Mangupsky.For the royal dynasties of Muscovy, Wallachia, Moldova and other important aristocratic families (entitled to the Byzantine double-headed eagle coat of arms), he was a relative.Well, because among the titles of the Sultan were the Guardian of the Holy Sepulchre, and Patron of the Christians, the fate of the Bey Mangupsky was not so bad.
But then what kind of boy jumping on the night of the ancient walls?And crying, tearing the heart of even the most courageous travelers seeking Adventure Island?
Rumor has it that the history of the Boy Mangupsky simply invented in the 70s one of the leaders peteushnogo archaeological circle - to keep the kids from the night walks.Since then, her endlessly telling campfire at night - everyone in their own way.While that's not so long ago chairwoman Voronezh mug happily reported that one of landscape photographs clearly illuminates the sad face of the boy ...
Anyway, something does not need any evidence.So, the grass on the Mangupe after sunset can be coated with heavy dew.Combined with the bright light of the full moon, distorting the distance, it will not lead to one's death.People think that to break even far away, and before him a couple of steps.Although the place where they were walking in the afternoon, it looks quite safe.But the dewy grass is so easy to slip, and then - do not have time to gasp.It is well known that Mangupe many caverns and caves, some of the voids in certain unusual circumstances resonate, bringing people to the strange sounds - whether howling, or moan, or a laugh.
But the fact is that the report of the Control and Rescue Service Bakhchsarai area for 1966 recorded in October near Mangup disappeared two tourists.Three days later, the two were found - one near the village of Ternovka 4 kilometers from Mangup, the other - for the settlement Kujbyshevo that five kilometers away, and both live.They were taken to the regional hospital with a diagnosis of "mental disorder on the basis of a strong nervous shock."What happened to them - do not remember how got to where they were found - can not explain ...
only know that if the two days after the miserable rainy night, the villagers climbed Zalesnoe Mangup for hay.They found the first snow sprinkled the tent in which the gray-haired boy sat perfectly and firmly: "He cries, he cries all the time!»
Yuri Timofeev
Photo source: ljplus.ru
Articles Source: vdv.crimea.ua
