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Founded 2,600 years ago as theancient Greek colonyPantikapaion, Kerch is one of the most ancient cities in Crimea. The city experienced rapid growth starting in the 1920s and was the site ofa major battle during World War II.
Today, it is one of the largest cities in Crimea and is among the area's most important industrial, transport and tourist centres. As with the rest of Crimea, it has been occupied by Russian forces since theRussian annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Archeological digs at Mayak village near the city ascertained that the area had already been inhabited in the 17th–15th centuries BC. While many finds from Kerch can be found in theHermitage Museum in St Petersburg and the local museum, a large number of antique sculptures, reliefs, bronze and glassware, ceramics and jewellery were excavated in 1855–1856 during theCrimean War by Duncan MacPherson, a surgeon from the British Army, and later donated to theBritish Museum in London.[2][3][4]
Kerch as a city starts its history in the 7th century BC, whenGreek colonists fromMiletus founded a city-state namedPanticapaeum[5] onMount Mithridat near the mouth of the Melek-Chesme river. Panticapaeum subdued nearby cities and by 480 BC became the capital of theKingdom of Bosporus. Later, during the rule ofMithradates VI Eupator, Panticapaeum for a short period of time became the capital of the much more powerful and extensiveKingdom of Pontus.The city was located at the intersection of trade routes between thesteppe andEurope. This caused it to grow rapidly. The city's main exports were grain and salted fish; wine-making was also common. Panticapaeum minted its own coins. According to extant documents the Melek-Chesme river (small and shallow nowadays) was navigable in Bosporan times, and seagalleys were able to enter the river. Much of the city's population is thought to have been ethnicallyScythian, laterSarmatian, as implied by the largeRoyal Kurgan atKul-Oba.
In the 1st century AD, Panticapaeum and the Kingdom of Bosphorus suffered fromOstrogoth raids; then the city was devastated by theHuns in AD 375.
The settlement ofMyrmekion was founded byIonians in the eastern part of what is now Kerch, some four kilometers north-east of ancientPanticapaeum, in the first half of the 6th century BC.[6]
Middle Ages
Yenikale fortress
From the 6th century the city was under the control of theByzantine Empire. By order of EmperorJustinian I, a citadel named Bospor was built there. Bospor was the centre of abishopric, thediocese of Bosporus and developed under the influence of GreekChristianity. In 576, it withstood a siege by theGöktürks under Bokhan, aided by Anagai, the lastkhan (ruler) of theUturgurs (tribe ofHuns).
Church of St John the Baptist, built in the 8th century
In the 7th century, theTurkicKhazars took control of Bospor, and the city was namedKarcha from Turkic "karşı" meaning 'opposite, facing.' The main local government official during Khazar times was thetudun. During Khazar rule, Kerch was used as a major port for theKhazar slave trade, through which slaves were exported to theBlack Sea slave trade.[7]
Christianity was a major religion in Kerch during the period of Khazar rule. Kerch's Church ofSt. John the Baptist was founded in 717; thus, it is the oldest church in Ukraine.[8] The Church of the Apostles existed during the late 8th and early 9th centuries, according to theLife of the Apostle Andrew byEpiphanius of Salamis.
From the 10th century, the city was aSlavic settlement named Korchev, which belonged to theTmutarakan principality. Kerch was a center of trade between Russia',Crimea,Caucasus and theOrient.
In the 13th century, Crimea including Korchev was invaded byMongols. After the Mongols, the city became theGenoese colony of Cerco (Cherkio) in 1318 and served as a sea harbour, where townspeople worked at salt works and fishery.
In response to the strengthening ofRussian military forces inAzov area, the Turks built a fortress, namedYenikale, near Kerch on the shore ofKerch Strait. The fortress was completed by 1706. In 1771 theImperial Russian Army invadedCrimea and approached Yenikale. The Turks decided to abandon the fortress, though reinforcements from the Ottoman Empire had arrived a few days earlier. By the PeaceTreaty of Kuchuk-Kainarji in 1774, Kerch and Yenikale were ceded to Russia. As a result, the Turkish heritage has been almost completely wiped out.
Because of its location, from 1821 Kerch developed into an important trade and fishing port. The state museum of ancient times and a number of educational institutions were opened in the city. The ironwork factory was built in 1846 based on a hugeiron ore deposit found on Kerch Peninsula.
In the late 19th century, mechanical andcement factories were built, and tinned food andtobacco factories were established. By 1900, Kerch was connected to a railroad system, and the fairway of Kerch Strait was deepened and widened. At this time, the population had reached 33,000.
After suffering a decline during theFirst World War and theRussian Civil War, the city resumed its growth in the late 1920s, with the expansion of various industries, iron ore, and metallurgy in particular, and by 1939 its population had reached 104,500.
On theEastern Front of World War II from 1941 to 1945, Kerch was the site of heavy fighting betweenRed Army andAxis forces. After fierce fighting, the city was taken by theGermans in November 1941. On 31 December 1941, the302nd Mountain Rifle Division recaptured the city following a naval landing operation at Kamysh Burun, to the south of the city, five days earlier.[11] In 1942 the Germans occupied the city again. The Red Army lost over 160,000 men, either killed or takenPOW at theBattle of the Kerch Peninsula. On 31 October 1943 another Soviet naval landing operation was launched. Kerch returned to Soviet control on 11 April 1944.
The German invaders killed about 15,000 citizens and deported another 14,000 during their occupation. Evidence of German atrocities in Kerch was presented in theNuremberg trials. After the war, the city was awarded the titleHero City.
TheAdzhimushkaycatacombs in the city's suburbs were the site ofguerrilla warfare against the occupation. Thousands of soldiers and refugees found shelter inside and were involved in counterattacks. Many of them died underground, including those who died of numerous alleged poison gas attacks. Later, a memorial was established on the site.
On 11 November 2007, a powerful storm passed through the city, causing much damage and an ecological disaster as a few ships, including an oil tanker, were shipwrecked and blocked theKerch Strait.
The city municipality stretches over a substantial area and includes several separate neighborhoods that are part of the Kerch city: Eltigen (Heroyevskoe), Kamysh-Burun (Arshyntsevo),Port Krym, Adzhimushkai, andTuzla Island.
Economy
Today Kerch is home to manymetallurgists, shipbuilders, and fishermen. It also has a significant tourism sector.
Industry
The largest enterprises in the city are:
Kerch Metallurgical Works Factory launched in 1900[15]
Kamysh-Burun Iron Ore Plant
Zaliv Shipyard that produces and repairs tankers and cargo ships.
Construction-materials, food processing, and light industries play a significant role in the city's economy. Kerch is also a fishing fleet base and an important processing centre for numerous fish products.
Kerch Aircraft Repair Plant KeARZ
KMZ KMK Metallurgical Plant, Kerch east
Oil and Gas extraction industry petrochemical and storage
Zaliv Shipyard, (Kamysh Burun Zheleznogoroda)
Kvartz Quartz Glass Factory Plant KSZ (Glass (various) and optics, optical materials and instruments) (Kerch)
Mithridates Staircase (19th century)Lenina Street in Kerch
Because of its location on the shores of theAzov andBlack seas, Kerch became a popular summer resort among people of the formerUSSR. Also, several mud-cure sources are located near the city. Despite the seaside location, the tourist appeal of Kerch today is limited because of the industrial character of the city and associated pollution.Despite the lack of beaches in the town's area, there are a lot of them at a distance of 20 minutes' travel by bus, train or taxi.
Kerch has a number of impressive architectural and historical monuments. Ancient historical heritage of the city makes it attractive for scientific tourism. The most notable of Kerch's sights are:
Site of ancient settlementPantikapaion (5th century BC–3rd century AD).
Royal Kurgan (4th century BC) – burial mound for one of the Bosporian kings
The Great Mithridates Staircase leading on top of theMount Mithridat, contains 428 footsteps, built in 1833–1840 under the guidance ofItalian architectAlexander Digbi
Obelisk of Glory on theMount Mithridat, built after World War II
Kerch Fortress; restricted area in Soviet times but free to enter in present days. The fortress was built by the Russian military architectTotleben in the middle of 19th century.
Sites of ancient settlementsMyrmekion,Tyritake andNymphaion. There are also some settlements which have gone underwater due to earthquakes.
Demeter's Crypt, a crypt with numerous frescos dated 1st century BC.
Transport
Private houses are common in Kerch.
Kerch has a harbour on the Kerch Strait, which makes it a key to theSea of Azov. It has several railroad terminals and a small airport. TheKerch Strait ferry line across theKerch Strait was established in 1953, connecting Crimea and theKrasnodar Krai (Port Krym –Port Kavkaz line); (as of November 2009) there are also plans for a Kerch-Poti ferry route.[16]Tavrida Highway work in progress along Kerch railway (two rails) highway (four lanes) bridge to connect Rostov Krasnodar with peninsula.
There are several ports in Kerch, including Kerch Maritime Trading Port, Kerch Maritime Fishing Port,Port Krym (ferry crossing), Kamysh-Burun Port.
The railroad terminals include: Kerch, Kerch I, Kerch Factory, Arshyntsevo, and Krym.
A bus network connects Kerch to other cities in Crimea andKrasnodar Krai.
City transport
Map of tram lines with opening dates
Kerch had a tram system that was established in 1935 and destroyed in 1941.
Trolleybus lines map with dates of opening
A trolleybus system was established in 2004, and has one line.
On 25 April 2010, Ukrainian PresidentViktor Yanukovych and Russian PresidentDmitry Medvedev signed an agreement to build a bridge across the Kerch Strait. In January 2015, with Russia now in control, the contract for the construction of the bridge was awarded toArkady Rotenberg'sS.G.M. Group. In May 2015 construction commenced, and the road section of the bridge was opened to traffic in May 2018. The rail section was opened in 2019, with Russian PresidentVladimir Putin taking the first train across on 23 December.[17] It washeavily damaged by an explosion on 8 October 2022.
Archaeological digs in Kerch were launched under Russian auspices in the middle of the 19th century. Since then the site of ancientPanticapaeum city onMount Mithridat has been systematically excavated. Located nearby are several ancient burial mounds (kurgans) and excavated cities. Kerch takes part inUNESCO's "Silk Road" programme. Treasures and historical findings of Kerch adorn theLapidarium in Kerch and the collections of major museums around the world. Such as: theHermitage, the Louvre, the British Museum, the Berlin Museum, the Moscow State Museum of fine arts and many others. Currently, excavations at ancient fortresses of Kerch are led by scientists from Russia, Ukraine, and Poland.
^Butyagin, Alexander (29 July 2008)."Myrmekion". Foundation of the Hellenic World. Retrieved29 October 2018.
^The World of the Khazars: New Perspectives. Selected Papers from the Jerusalem 1999 International Khazar Colloquium. (2007). Nederländerna: Brill. p. 233
^Inalcik, Halil (1979)."Servile Labor in the Ottoman Empire". In Ascher, Abraham;Király, Béla K.; Halasi-Kun, Tibor (eds.).The Mutual Effects of the Islamic and Judeo-Christian Worlds: The East European Pattern. Brooklyn, N.Y.: Brooklyn College Press. pp. 25–43. Archived fromthe original on 4 May 2017.
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