{"id":228,"date":"2013-11-19T15:10:27","date_gmt":"2013-11-19T14:10:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admiring-diversity.pl\/en\/?p=228"},"modified":"2015-11-26T21:35:53","modified_gmt":"2015-11-26T20:35:53","slug":"polish-traces-in-ukrainian-bakhchysaray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/admiring-diversity.pl\/en\/2013\/11\/19\/polish-traces-in-ukrainian-bakhchysaray\/","title":{"rendered":"Polish traces in Ukrainian Bakhchysaray"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bakhchysaray was originally a Tatar city \u2013 things changed after wars with Russia and the Russian occupation. Bakhchysaray is currently a Crimean touristic town witn population of less than 34,000 inhabitants \u2013 in addition, the Tatars became a minority. The main tourist points are the Palace of the Crimean Khans, Tahtali-Jami Mosque, Uspensky Cave Monastery and rock cities: Chufut – Kale, Bak\u0142a, Eski Yurt, Mangup.<\/p>\n

What is hidden in the walls of the Khans\u2019 Palace?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It guards magnificent chambers, beautiful mosque, peace of those who were buried in the Khans\u2019 cemetery. One may consider it as being nothing out of the ordinary, just the palace and its shrines, a temple… But try to use your imagination, and travel back to the times of Khans and their brides, in the days of Bakhchysaray\u2019s glory, and you will discover that this place is amazing, graceful, and glamorous. Imagine the palace at the time of its creation, in the sixteenth century, while being the center of Tatar culture. For a moment, feel as if you are a guest there – sitting beside the fire glowing in the darkness of the night, feasting with others, watching beutiful Tatar women dance, and hearing joyful songs that stir the warm, summer air…<\/p>\n

\"Khan\u2019s
Music room in the Harem\u2019s chambers<\/div>\n

It\u2019s really worth to sit for a while in the palace and allow yourself to get captured by its magical aura… I really fell in love with this place, although I usually avoid visiting museums and the like. Moreover, try to add the fact that it is one of only three surviving in Europe Muslim palace complexes. Of course, there are also other reasons to visit the palace! In a room with an exhibition we met a very friendly lady guide who knew a few words in Polish and willingly got into a discussion with us. She had some distant relatives in Poland, so she was even more willing to engage in a dialogue. If you are going to visit Ukraine, be prepared to face many friendly people \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\"Fountain
Square with a fountain in the palace<\/div>\n

Tatars worshipped water and water sources, because for them water was the symbol of life. It was prohibited to spit or urinate into water, water theft was punished by banishment. The climate of the Crimea made water as precious as gold. I suggest those interested in the details of the unique respect and veneration of water sources by the Tatars to read this article (PL)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The most famous of the fountains in the palace complex is the Fountain of Tears. The legend connected to it has always been moving hearts: Alexander Pushkin wrote about it in his poem “Fountain of Bakhchysaray”. What\u2019s more, the poem was presented in a ballet version – fragments of that ballet are available here<\/a>. The poem is about a tragic love story of the last Khan and mysterious Dilijara. The fountain is a symbol of the return of suffering after the loss of a loved one.<\/p>\n

\"Richly
Richly decorated Tatar craft<\/div>\n
\"
One of many beautifully decorated chambers<\/div>\n

Pushkin was not the only poet who was inspired by Bakhchysaray. Also, Adam Miskiewicz was charmed by this place, and dedicated to the city and the palace a few sonnets: “Bakhchysaray”, “Bakhchysaray at night”, “The Grave of Countess Potocka”, “The Graves of the Harem”. Below is the text of “Bakhchysaray”, which I really liked:<\/p>\n

In ruin are the spacious, splendid halls
\nWith frozen forest of white columns where
\n The Tartar Khan his palace builded fair,
\nWhere loneliest the shrilling cricket calls.
\n The ivy blackens over shining walls
\nEnscribing in gigantic letters there
\n Some curse Belshazzar-like: Beware! Beware!\u2014
\nThen black as cr\u00e8pe from crested columns falls.<\/em><\/p>\n

Within the burnished banquet room there sings
\nThe fountain of the harem pure and clear,
\n Just as of old it sang in twilights drear.
\nBut whither love and fame speed\u2014on what wings?
\n When all things else must perish these endure!
\nYet both are gone! The fountain ripples pure.<\/em> (source: Project Gutenberg<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"Tahtali-Jami
Tahtali-Jami Mosque<\/div>\n