Crimea - Ukraine - page 383

camp. It is believed that the fleeing Genovese subsequently brought the disease to
Europe, which led to the worst epidemics in the continent's history.
Imperial Russians built opulent sea- facing palazzos that they modestly called dachas .
Some of them survived the Soviet period and still soar above the myriad tacky souvenir
stands and fast-food joints, which look like flotsam washed ashore by a recent storm, and
seem destined to be swept away by the next one.
Sights
The city centre's tiny axis, vul Galereynaya, abuts the sea, with the promenade beginning
on your left. For Sub-Sarkis Church and the Genovese Citadel, walk right past the
fenced-off port.
Ayvazovsky Gallery ART MUSEUM
(vul Galereynaya 2; adult/student 60/30uah; 9.30am-8pm Thu-Mon, to 1pm Tue) Born in
1817, the most celebrated son of Feodosiya and of its Armenian community, Ivan
Ayvazovsky became the official painter of the Russian Navy, assigned with recording all
of its victories and defeats on canvas. Mesmerised by the sea, he seemed obsessed with
cataloguing all of its conditions. During his long and happy life Ayvazovsky produced
thousands of paintings, which is why you can hardly find an ex-Soviet museum that
doesn't own at least a couple of them.
Prospekt Ayvazovskogo PROMENADE
With the cacophony of tourist agents touting their services through loudspeakers, along
with terrible music, junk-food smells and a train line right on the beach to complete the
picture, Feodosiya's seaside promenade is not exactly relaxing. Once it was lined with
opulent palazzos. Standing next to each other are Villa Victoria (pr Ayavazovskogo 31) and
Villa Milos (pr Ayavazovskogo 31) . But those are easily outshone by the Ottoman-style
Dacha Stamboli (pr Ayavazovskogo 47) - an Arabesque fantasy straight out of 1001 Nights
built by a Karaite tobacco merchant.
Sub-Sarkis Church ARMENIAN
(vul Armyanskaya 1) Small and almost literally down to earth, the town's main Ar-
menian church was built in 1363. Its walls are adorned with numerous khachkar - stone
plaques with crosses marking historic events. Ivan Ayvazovsky got christened and mar-
ried in this church. His large tomb is also here in the garden, almost overshadowing the
ancient temple. To get there, walk west along vul Gorkogo past the ornate Ayavazovsky