Located right on the edge of a gigantic cliff, 40-meters high, near Yalta at Cape Ai-Todor, Swallow’s Nest castle is one of the symbols of Crimea. The roots of this historical place go back to medieval times. Back in the day, the Romans had a fortress there and Saint-Theodore’s monastery was founded near it.

Like many movie stars, Swallow’s Nest is shorter in real life than it appears in pictures. That compact neo-Gothic castle is so small that there’s only a miniature living room inside and a tower hiding stair that leads to 2 separate bedrooms.

Its history is short but it has had several twists and turns. The castle was built on a 40-meter steep cliff of Cape Ai-Todor in the village of Gaspra in 1912 for German oil magnate Baron Steingel, as a present to his mistress. In 1927 the building was badly damaged by an earthquake, it was renovated only in 1967. Until 2011, a restaurant was located there. Then it got transferred to municipal ownership, and in 2015, by a decree of the government of the Russian Federation, it was classified as a cultural heritage site of federal significance.

Besides visiting it, you can also attend interesting events organized all year long. Especially during the summer season when music concerts, vernissages, and masterclasses are organized in the evenings.