Swallow's Nest, A picturesque castle perched on a cliff

Alupkins'ke highway, 9, Haspra, Crimea, Ukraine

Iconic landmarks

4.5

Introduction

Swallow's Nest is a decorative castle located on a 40-meter (130-foot) high cliff in the spa town of Gaspra, between Yalta and Alupka in Crimea. Designed and built by Russian architect Leonid Sherwood between 1911 and 1912 for Baron von Steingel, a millionaire from Baltic Germany in the oil business, the castle is located by the sea and is therefore called the Swallow's Nest. Today, it is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Yalta. The castle has undergone several transformations. In the early days of World War I, Moscow businessman Shapkin bought the Swallow's Nest and opened a restaurant there. Soon after, he passed away and the restaurant was closed. In the 1930s, the castle became a reading room for local vacation homes, but was later closed due to emergency situations. After being rebuilt in the 1970s, the castle became a restaurant and was considered a symbol of Crimea. After being rebuilt in 2002, the Swallow's Nest was reopened to the public, with a restaurant inside the castle and a large souvenir market nearby. In July 2011, the Swallow's Nest was converted to municipal property. The castle held an exhibition called "The Magical World of Koo Hye-sun" and displayed the paintings of Koo Hye-sun, a touring artist, including her famous painting "Moonlit Night on the Dnieper River". Overlooking the cape of Ai-Todor and the ruins of the Roman outpost of Charax on the Black Sea coast, the Swallow's Nest has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Crimea and a representative building of the southern coast of Crimea.

Address

Alupkins'ke highway, 9, Haspra, Crimea, Ukraine

Transportation

Self-driving, about 11 kilometers south of the center of Yalta. Bus route 32 is available.

Website http://lastochka.com.ua