Now back to the central ledge of Cape Ai-Todor, the Rock of Aurora. There rises “The Swallow’s Nest”, the smallest castle in Ukraine, which reminds a medieval knight’s castle. Its real history is little known. Probably, this is the reason of existence of many legends, which are twisted and are told by guides with a great pleasure and with more are listed by the tourists, and travelers who admire, exclaim, and looking down with a sinking heart.

In fact, it is even not known, what was the name of the first owner, the person who dared to build up the first villa on this rocky patch. But it is known that there was a retired general, a participant of the Russian-Turkish War (in those times many heroes were granted territories in the Crimea) and he was very romantic, since only a romantic is able to build up such a castle as the Swallow’s Nest.

And who else could make up his mind to such an action and to call it “Castle of Love”? And it remained a mystery what kind of love it was devoted to. In the end, perhaps it was for the Aurora, here general could see the Goddess of Dawn every morning and no one disturbed him except the gulls flying above.

One can see the “Castle of Love” in the paintings of such famous artists as I. K. Aivazovsky, L.F. Lagorio, A.P. Bogolyubov, as well on the pictures of the photographs of that time. By the way, back in those times the Swallow’s Nest was wooden and not very impressive.

The second owner of this wonderful cottage became a court doctor A.K. Tobin. There are also very little information left about him. His property was inherited by his wife, and she sold it to a Moscow merchant woman Rachmanina. Since that time the cottage on a cliff is known as “Swallow’s Nest”. Several decades later, this small rocky patch was bought by a big German oilman Baron von Stengel. He was occupied with the oil in Baku; however he liked to have vacations in the Crimea.

German vision of the “Swallow’s Nest” strongly reminded the medieval castles of the Baron’s homeland. The project was entrusted to the engineer A. Sherwood (son of a famous V.O. Sherwood, designer of the Historical Museum building in Moscow).

Inaccessibility and romantic appeal were combined in this building. Each person visiting the Crimea dreams about just going there and enjoying this beautiful building. This is a place from which a beautiful view at the Sail Rock, at Yalta, at the Yalta’s bay, and at Ayu-Dag (Bear Mountain) is opened. This is a place where romance and adrenaline can be felt simultaneously.

Miniature Gothic castle was built up in 1912. At the outbreak of World War II a sagacious Baron von Stengel sold the facility to the merchant Shelaputin for the restaurant and quickly departed for Germany.

The restaurant did not bring any outstanding revenues: either merchant’s name misled, whether the ferial times came… There happened a quite big earthquake in the Crimea, near Yalta in 1927. The castle itself was barely bothered (only spikes fell into the sea), but the second push with the force of 9 points left a deep crack in a rock under the castle “Swallow’s Nest”. There is evidence that the castle was functioning in the 30-ies as a reading room for the health-resort visitors.

Either the reading public completely concentrated on reading the press did not realize the risk, or the local authorities did not take seriously the consequences of the earthquake, but only after some time it was recognized that the romantic construction is in an emergency state and only then it became forbidden to use the building of “Swallaw’s Nest”, as well as access to the observation platform was closed.

However, the restless tourists, with the risk to life, sometimes leaked through the fence for a rare snapshot or a strong impression. Running few steps forward, I will say that in this way “Swallow’s Nest” stood for 40 years! There were many proposals from technology enthusiasts concerning the necessary reparation. Someone even offered to enumerate all the stones, to analyze the structure and move it to a safer place. But it would have been quite different “Swallow’s Nest”.

It was decided to repair the building only in 1967. It was very risky. The works attended only volunteers, of course: they worked hanging on a rock a cradles, laid the crack of rock with stones and poured concrete. There was brought a concrete slab under the base of the castle and only then the restoration of the building itself had started. Finally, the spikes lost once during the earthquake were restored and the balcony became crowded with tourists making pictures again.

Nowadays again the restaurant welcomes its visitors for a romantic Valentine’s dinner under the stars in a small castle, the castle of love.

Reliable pier below the bay allows the local ferries to moor even in the 4-points storm.

There is a park around the castle, and inside of them there are two very nice resorts: “The Pearl” and “Sail”. However, it is possible to rent a room in the private sector and to enjoy the castle and its surroundings during several days. Numerous souvenir sellers will propose you something to remember the place with pleasure and will tell you a couple of heartbreaking stories of brave individuals who dared to jump from the Swallow’s Nest, but never came to the shore.

They will also remind you the well-known movies: “Amphibian Man” and “Ten Little Black”, some episodes of which are shot here.