The ruins of the ancient city Panticapaeum - one of the most popular and unique attractions of modern Kerch, located on Mount Mithridates.

Panticapaeum was the capital of the Bosporus state that existed in antiquity on the banks of the current Taman and Kerch peninsulas. Name Panticapaeum a Thracian or Iranian roots and means "fish way". According to another version, the ancient city was named after the river Panticapaeum.

Panticapaeum consecutive centuries was one of the most developed and wealthiest cities on the shores of the Black Sea and all this thanks to its favorable geographical location. The city was for a long time at the crossroads of trade routes between the Mediterranean, China, Central Asia and Europe. A small colony of the city Panticapaeum in the heyday of Athens reached global significance. Welfare Athens was associated very closely with the Greek colonies Panticapaeum, which affected both the cultural influence and the domestic order of the city-state.

Most notable people Panticapaeum lived on Mount Mithridates. Apollo was the patron of the city, so Mithridates temple was built in his honor it. The construction of the temple was completed at the end of Article 6. BC. A little later appeared near the palaces of noble people.

Panticapaeum was quite a big city. In the heyday, he was a hundred hectares of land. Sailing ships people admired the Acropolis hill, with its beautiful white stone church at the top, as well as the rich palaces, located on the slopes of the mountain.

Over the years, the archaeological site has assembled a collection of amphora material, all types of painted pottery, stamps, coins. It was also found many priceless epigraphic documents that shed new light on the history, culture and religion of the Bosporus. Today, they are kept in the most interesting museum of the city - historical and archaeological.

Currently, one can see traces of previously prosperous state. There are remains of walls, towers and marble columns. The most important symbol of the ruins of the ancient city Panticapaeum - a high arch with columns and carved stone portico.