Lapidarium (Kerch) - a unique museum of antique stone masterpieces

The city that keeps a lot of mysteries, which is only one year younger than ancient Rome, seems to be saturated with the atmosphere of antiquity. In the 7th century BC, the Panticapaeum settlement was founded on the Tauride peninsula, which eventually became the main cultural and economic center of the Eastern Crimea. An ancient settlement, which became the capital of the Bosporan kingdom, was famous for its magnificent palaces and wonderful temples.

Panticapaeum, which survived the decline of the state that existed nine centuries, is the main attraction of the modern Crimea. The restored historical object, located in Kerch, attracts huge attention of tourists not only our country.

The significance of the findings

During the excavations of the ancient settlement of the Bosporus Kingdom, curious samples of ancient art were discovered. Experts highly appreciated the scientific importance of the finds, and the number of exhibits the collection takes the second place all over the world after the rarities stored in Athens.

More recently, antique treasures have been available only to a small circle of people, and now anyone who goes on an excursion to Lapidary (Kerch) - a museum of stone sculptures with more than 2200 exhibits can admire the real masterpieces. Here are collected unique monuments, including tombstones, as well as the ruins of buildings that once were a single entity.

The repository, which is part of the historical and cultural reserve of Kerch, is widely known in scientific circles, and many scientists dream of working with an antique collection. Now anyone can touch the found archaeological exhibits, among which there are many artifacts of Islamic, Jewish and Christian origin.

Collected by the efforts of archaeologists, the collection is of great importance in the study of everyday life, culture, customs, traditions of ancient peoples.

A unique collection of stone masterpieces

The views of visitors to the vault open monuments dating from the 5th century BC. The constantly growing collection, which is famous for Lapidarium (Kerch), attracts the keen interest of all connoisseurs of history.

Here you can admire the monuments made of local limestone and imported from distant shores of marble. The unique sculptures of the deities and heroes that once stood in the squares of the Bosporus reflect the culture of a non-existent state. The main, most interesting part of the exhibition is the grave stones with various images and inscriptions.

Lapidarium (Kerch) enjoys incredible popularity, because it holds all the historical monuments ever found in the city. The richest collection of stone, the best exhibits of which were sent to the granaries of the Imperial Hermitage since the XVIII century, needs a good care and restoration.

Silent Keepers of History

To all tourists provides an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the culture of the Bosporus unique museum. Kerch Lapidarium stores the ancient Greek monuments immortalized in stone, giving an idea of the beliefs of the Hellenes.

Unique place is of special interest among tourists with unique inscriptions on tombstones and epitaphs, among which there are even poetic. Visitors to the museum will go to the antique Bosporus, and an interactive assistant, a girl in a white chiton, will help them in this. Together with the virtual inhabitant of Panticapaeum, tourists will make an exciting journey in time.

The young creature moves from one stone masterpiece to another, simultaneously enlivening them with the touch of a rose and starting a cognitive story about each object from a large collection. Viewers who got into Lapidarium (Kerch), available about 120 of the oldest artifacts, telling of the culture of the ancient Greeks.

An unusual excursion into the world of the dead

Perhaps, many visitors to the museum will be surprised by the information about an exclusive excursion to the catacombs of Panticapaeum. The city of the dead, where there are 170 crypts, will surprise even the most experienced tourists, because the family burial vaults of Bosporus outnumber their usual dwellings. The passage of the living in the kingdom of Hades was of concern to every inhabitant of Ancient Greece, and therefore people thoroughly prepared for the afterlife, decorating the death knights.

To get into the underworld, tourists need to make a preliminary application for the most unusual excursion, during which the staff of the reserve will reveal the riddles of the tombs and show the family vaults decorated with ornaments.

Lapidarium (Kerch): how to get there?

For those who are going to visit a unique place that once accepted only specialists, you need to know that you can get to the reserve from the bus station by bus number 19. Coming out at the last stop, you will see the reserve building, where there is a huge collection of antique masterpieces.

Working daily from 9.00 to 17.00 Lapidarium (Kerch), whose address is R. Luxemburg Street, house 24/14 - waiting for its guests to acquaint them with silent witnesses of our history, keeping many secrets.