On the southern coast of the Black Sea between the two big cities - Alushta and Yalta - is Mount Ayu-Dag, or else it is called Bear Mountain. The height of the mountains above the Black Sea is 577 meters. The area of ​​this mountain more than four square kilometers. In 1974 it was declared a state nature reserve.

As for the name of the mountain, there are several legends. The most beautiful and a little romantic legend tells of a beautiful girl. She lived on the southern coast of the Black Sea, among the considerable accumulation of large bears. No one was in charge, as it was there, but it was known that the life of a bear she had since childhood. Bears are loved and cherished her, taking care of her. She had a beautiful voice and she sang well, but bears love to hear it. Once, when one of the predators was not at home to seaside profits boat. The boat was a wounded man. She took him in her arms, and hid it in his small house. In this house bears never entered. She began treatment for young men, and hid his canoe away from their homes. And the day came when the boy became stronger and invited her to flee with him, in his chёlne.

Offended and furious bears ran to the sea and growled fiercely. They dropped into the sea their evil muzzle and began guzzling water. Seeing the enraged bear, she began to sing. Bears severed head from the water and heard her enchanting song. Only one old leader even deeper into his big head into the water, trying to drink it without a trace. But before long, and the ones who vanished without a trace, and he has since and stands on the shore, and hopes to regain a beautiful girl. After a while he stopped moving altogether and turned to stone. Boca him as terrible rock wool - in a very dense forest, and from the back top of the mountain was formed.

If we take the Greek-Tatar language, Ayia Doug translation - Holy Mountain. It has long been in the distant Middle Ages, this place was one of the many centers of Christianity. On the mountain monastery built several churches, and there exist several settlements. Ayu-Dag is also called - Büyük Castel, which translates as Great Fortress. Indeed, currently at the top of this mountain there are ruins of a very old fortifications that were built brand.

Bear Mountain has advanced age - its more than 150 million. Years. The mountain was formed in Middle Jurassic age. It consists of igneous rocks, which are called gabbrodiabazy. Ayu-Dag formed on the surface of lava streamed.

On this mountain grows 577 species of plants, 44 of them appear in the Red Book. On the Ayu-Dag most common foxes, badgers, squirrels and martens. On the coast, the mountains are frequent guests - cormorants and fast gulls, and other places you can see the owl, woodpecker, sparrows twittered and a little bird. On the mountain live lizards and snakes. In the Red Book of recorded 16 different species of animals living in Bear Mountain.