An ancient city located on the southern coast of Crimea, near today’s city of Sevastopol.
It was founded in the 5th century BC as a Greek colony and later became an important center of culture and trade on the Black Sea.
Throughout its history, Chersonesos went through many periods of growth and decline. In Roman times it was an important port and a center of Roman culture, while during the Byzantine era it became the capital of the province. In the Middle Ages, the city was plagued by attacks from various invaders, including the Tatars and Mongols, and in the 15th century it was conquered by the Turks.
Today, Chersonesos is one of the most significant historical sites in Crimea. In 1993, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The site contains the ruins of ancient structures such as defensive walls, an amphitheater, an aqueduct, and temples. There is also a museum in Chersonesos, where archaeological finds from the city are displayed.
According to tradition, it was in Chersonesos (Gr. Chersonezos, Rus. Херсонес) around the year 988 that Prince Vladimir the Great of Kievan Rus was baptized by Byzantine clergy.
This event was of fundamental importance for the Christianization of Rus and the spiritual heritage of Eastern Europe.
St. Vladimir`s Cathedral in Chersonesos Taurica
An Orthodox church in Sevastopol, located within the Tauric Chersonesos museum reserve.
It was built according to the design of David Grimm on the site considered to be one of the places where, in 987, Grand Prince Vladimir was baptized. The cathedral was consecrated in 1891 and later restored from its ruined state between the 1990s and the early 21st century.
According to legend and historical evidence, the baptism of Grand Prince Vladimir Sviatoslavich in 988 may have taken place in the city of Chersonesos (Korsun), during the suppression of Bardas Phokas’ rebellion. In the Tale of Bygone Years, Nestor the Chronicler mentions the city’s cathedral church: located in the center of the city, where the people of Korsun gathered for markets.
The Chersonesos Bell (Fog Bell)
A symbol of Chersonesos and one of Sevastopol’s main landmarks. It was originally cast for the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Taganrog, which at that time served as a base for the Russian Imperial Navy. Later, it was seized by the French as war booty and subsequently returned.
The bell was cast in 1778 from Turkish cannons captured by the Russian imperial army during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774. It bears images of the two patrons of sailors: St. Nicholas and St. Phocas.
The 6th-Century Basilica in Chersonesos
The conventional name of the most famous basilica discovered in the ancient Greek city of Tauric Chersonesos in 1935 by the archaeologist B. Belov. The basilica was probably built in the 6th century on the site of an earlier temple.
This basilica has become something of a symbol of Chersonesos: its image appears on the 200-ruble banknote issued in 2017, and earlier it was featured on the 1-hryvnia banknotes of the 1992 and 1994 series.
