The Alupka Palace is better known as the Vorontsov Palace to the locals.  It was built for Count Michael Vorontsov and it took 23 years to build.  The Palace is very interesting from an architectural design perspective.

Interesting facts about the Palace include:

Northern Gothic facade

- The eminent architect who designed the Palace was Edward Blore, the same architect who designed parts of Buckingham Palace, St. James Palace and many other important buildings in England and Scotland.  Edward Blore designed the Alupka Palace without ever visiting the site.

Moroccan architecture

- Lining the steps on the south side are the six famous white lions by Italian sculptor Bonani, who also did some marble sculptures in the Old Capitol building in Washington, DC.  One of these lions is named the Churchill Lion.  Winston Churchill was reputed to have said that that particular lion looked like him.

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Even if you’ve not been a keen follower of war histories, a visit to a place like the Livadia Palace will certainly stimulate your interest as to the wheeling and dealing that went on during the Conference. Some interesting things we learned about the Yalta Conference include:

The choice of Yalta for this important meeting:

White Room, Livadia Palace

The leaders of the three nations had their first meeting in Tehran.  Stalin was subsequently not allowed to travel due to a stroke and climate-wise, Yalta had the warmest climate in the USSR. 

In Yalta, Stalin had control and he even censored what the papers reported.  Russians will cynically tell you that PRAVDA (meaning the Truth) reports everything but the truth.  Although the Germans looted Yalta, the place was not destroyed.

Round table, Livadia Palace

Churchill didn’t see the point of a protracted meeting and wanted the Conference to be over as quickly as possible.  He was noted to have said that even the Almighty took only 7 days.  The meeting lasted for 8 days.

Stalin was very crafty and didn’t fit the image of the stereo-type dictator.  He demanded all kinds of supplies that equipped the USSR and helped them reach Berlin first.  Stalin despised the Western concern at losing lives and was prepared to send untrained recruits to fight the Germans.  The Russians were able to defeat the Germans due to the sheer number of untrained conscripts sent to war.  Stalin’s disregard for human life is reflected in his quote that “The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic.”

Portrait of the 3 leaders

Churchill did not trust Stalin and didn’t warm up to him as Roosevelt did. As our half-Russian guide was happy to tell us that trying to maintain good relations with the Communist is like wooing a crocodile. When you tickle its chin, you can’t tell if it’s smiling at you, or preparing to eat you!

When FDR toasted Stalin at a dinner during the Conference and called him a man of peace and progress, Churchill sat stoney-faced and did not respond. When prodded by his Foreign Secretary, Churchill whispered that Stalin wasn’t interested in peace. Finally he conceded and made the following toast “To Premier Stalin, whose conduct of foreign policy manifests peace” … and then out of earshot of the translators he muttered …”A piece of Poland, a piece of Czechoslovakia, a piece of Romania …”.  Yes, Stalin got everything he wanted.

It would have been nice to take one’s time to see all the pictures and paraphernalias in the war rooms, but as the crowds of visitors build up we had to keep moving on.

Helen

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Anyone interested in WWII history would have heard of the Yalta (or Crimean) Conference.  It was here at the Livadia Palace that Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin met to negotiate how post-war Europe  was to be carved up.

Tsar Nikolas II and family

The Palace was originally built in 1911 as a summer palace for Tsar Nikolas II.  Tuberculosis was the scourge in the early centuries and Yalta’s sunny climate was recommended as being conducive for recuperation.  There is a beautiful garden at the palace and a pathway that stretches some 7 km to the Swallow’s Nest. The family’s physician recommended that going for walks in the sunshine was beneficial for the Tsar’s family.

Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin, Yalta

In the Palace there are also lots of black and white pictures of the proceedings during the Yalta Conference, including this famous shot of Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin.  The white meeting room is stunning.  During the Conference, which ran over 8 days from February 4 – 11, 1945, the delegations from the three nations were accommodated in three different palaces.  The U.S. delegation stayed at this palace, the British were accommodated at Alupka Palace, whilst the USSR delegation was accommodated at the Koreiz Palace.

Livadia (White) Palace

At the back of the Palace is the Romanov Family Chapel.  Nikolas II took an oath of faithfulness to the Russian throne here and his bride, Princess Alisa von Hessen was confirmed into the Orthodox Church and given the name Alexandra Feodorovna.  When we visited there was some refurbishment being carried out inside.  Photography is not allowed inside the Chapel and if you so much as raise your camera hand, the nuns who run the place will quickly tap you on the shoulder.  I actually didn’t see the no photography sign outside.  Livadia Palace is certainly worth a visit as the place is steeped with history.

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Walking around Yalta town, one of the sights that you will not miss is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.  Even during the bright daylight, its onion domes light the skyline like giant high-powered golden light bulbs and make for great photo opportunities. 

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Yalta

If you’ve been to other parts of Russia, Bulgaria and other eastern European cities, you’ll see many cathedrals named after this saint.  These cathedrals  were built during the reign of Alexander II of Russia to honour this great man. The Cathedral in Yalta was built in 1902 and sits on the hillside overlooking the beautiful Yalta Bay area .

Golden onion domes

So who is Alexander Nevsky and why is he revered in so many countries?  Alexander Nevsky was the son of Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich.  As he was one of four sons, he stood little chance of becoming the next Prince of Novgorod.  His fortune changed in 1236 when the Novgorodians annointed him as a prince and in so doing he became a military leader.  He played an important military role and helped Russia win many military battles.

Alexander Nevsky, Yalta

In 1252 he was made Grand Prince of Vladimir.  This appointment elevated Alexander Nevsky to now become the supreme ruler of Russia.  He ruled for ten years before dying in Gorodets-on-the-Volga.  His burial took place in Vladimir and it was then that the Russian Orthodox church pronounced Alexander Nevsky a saint.

Unfortunately for us, when we arrived, the Cathedral had already closed.  When I saw someone entering the cathedral I tried asking for a quick peak inside, but to no avail.  Nevertheless, the exterior of the building was pretty impressive and the building and the artwork around it are still in imaculate condition.  On the side is an alcove with a beautiful painting of Alexander himself. 

From the Bay area, it’s possible to reach the Cathedral through a nice park which is a much easier route than going on the main road.

Helen

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Cable car ride, Yalta

The station is on vul Kirova which is off nab Lenina 17.  A large chairlift sign near the staircase point to the direction of the base station. The return trip costs 20 uah and there are plenty of red, blue and green chairlifts going up and down.   They operate from 11 a.m. and normally stop at 5:00 p.m., but during the months of July and August they run till 11:00 p.m.

Hopping on the cable car

I hopped onto the moving chairlift and Tony followed suit.  We very quickly found out how tight the space was and two average sized people fits in nicely, however for bigger people, it would be better to take one chairlift each.  The chairlift door opens inwards and once you got in you had to quickly squeeze behind the door to allow the next person to get on. With Tony’s large camera bag, it was a big tricky to start with.  It would have been much easier if the door opened outwards.  A small latch secures the door, but looking at how flimsy it was, we decided that it was not a good idea to lean out.

The chairlift takes you over rooftops to Darsan and along the way you have great views of the Bay area and unfortunately for the houses below, you look into people’s backyards as well.  The ride took about twenty minutes each way and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Helen

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At dinner time on the cruise, it’s common for fellow travellers to share stories about their activities and discoveries of the day and recommend to each other interesting things that they had done.  A couple of our friends had ventured in the direction of Primorksy Park and came across the beach and spent the morning there.  They hinted that there were some very scantilly-clad sunbathers on the beach and from their expression, we couldn’t quite work out if they were surprised to see overly exposed bodies in the Ukraine or whether they disapproved of what people were wearing.. or not wearing! So off Tony and I went the next day to check out what the fuss was about.

At the beach in Yalta

Not far from our boat, we came across a small pebbled beach in the harbour.  It was packed with very brown bodies and I must say that these people must have spent a lot of time in the sun to be that brown.  Yalta is the playground for many Russian holidaymakers and in summer crowds throng to the beaches.  The pebbles and the crowdedness of the beach didn’t appeal to me, but I guess for countries where the winters are long and extremely cold, you can’t blame these people for wanting to get as much sun as possible, whatever the beach conditions.  As the Lonely Planet guide indicates, “Australian and Caribbean tourism chiefs are unlikely to lose sleep over the competition from Crimean beaches.”

Sunseekers in Yalta

So where are these naked bodies that our friends were referring to.  Ah yes, there were a couple of topless girls in g-strings, but nothing that you wouldn’t see on beaches in the Riviera, Bondi Beach or in the Greek isles.  Ukraine of course is noted for their beautiful women and these nubile young bodies must be a treat for the men to watch.  So, having established that there was nothing out of the ordinary happening on the first beach, we walked further along and reached a bigger stretch of beach, which was just as jam-packed with sunbathers.  There were bodies everywhere as well as lots of local restaurants and shops along the seafront. Generally, people were just enjoying a quiet time cooling off in the water or enhancing the tan of their already tanned bodies. 

Helen

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Yalta is blessed with a deep harbour which allows cruise liners to come into Yalta Bay and river cruisers such as ours to moor at the Embankment. The Embankment is Yalta’s main thoroughfare and the centre of all activities.  Locals come here to promenade and Russian holidaymakers flock here to enjoy the sun, the sea and whatever else Yalta has to offer…

River cruise boat at Yalta Embankment

Shops, open-air cafes and restaurants line the main strip along the waterfront and behind these lie layers of more shops and food outlets.  In the midst of summer, with its blue skies and high temperatures, the Embankment is bursting with activities for young and old.  Lenin stands tall in the main square, watching over the Bay.  Unfortunately for the poor man, he also happens to now face that symbol of Americanism – the Golden Arch. 

Afternoon tea dance

We heard music coming from the direction of Lenin’s statue and on approach, we spotted an orchestra playing and were also fortunate to see the locals enjoying their afternoon tea dance. As the people danced around in a large circle, we noted these two ladies who were well made-up and they danced really well.  They looked like they may have belonged to a dance company in their younger days and age has not dented their enthusiasm for performing.  When they spotted Tony’s professional camera, they made a point of posing, each time they swirled past our spot.  It was such a treat to watch the locals enjoy themselves and I envied them that they could dance so well.  The kids had their fun as well.  All around Lenin’s statue was a giant amusement park.

Lenin at Yalta Embankment

Walking westward along the Embankment, one of the icons is the Espacola Sailer from Robert Stevenson’s Treasure Island.  It has for a long time been used as a restaurant and was once the most trendy in Yalta.  Nearby is another landmark, the Golden Fleece Restaurant which was built as an ancient Greek ship.

There’s so much to see and do during the day and nightime is another story.  How fortunate for us that our ship was right where all the action is.

Helen

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Swallow’s Nest is one of the tourist icons that you’ll see on any visit to Yalta, especially if you are arriving by boat.  The famous Swallow’s Nest was built in 1911 by Baron von Steingel for his ballerina mistress.  It was a trend at that time for men of standing to have ballerinas as mistresses.  In Ukrainian, “Maya Lastochka” or My Swallow is a term of endearment used to refer to your sweetheart.

Swallow's Nest

Baron Steingel was a German oil magnate who lived in St. Petersburg.  His Castle of Love is a miniature castle which resembles a medieval knight’s castle.  Perched precariously on the sheer Aurora cliff on the west of Yalta, it can be accessed by boat or car. 

Swallow's Nest

In 1927 a terrible earthquake caused massive destruction in Yalta and sections of the castle collapsed into the sea, but the most impressive part survived.  The castle was restored in the 1970s and it is now a popular tourist attraction, although there is nothing to see inside.  This tinsel castle has been the scene of many films.  An Italian restaurant now operates there however we were told that the food is expensive and not highly rated.

Our shots were taken from across the bay and we got a different angle of it as our boat was leaving Yalta.

Helen

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