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The Bakhchisaray Khan Palace was founded in
1532 by Sahib I Giray. This year is also the date when the town of
Bakhchisaray (original Crimean Tatar spelling
Baðçasaray) was founded. However the valley of the Çuruk Su river, in which the
new khan capital was established, had then already been the regional administrative and cultural centre for about one and half
millennia.
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Planning scheme of Bakhchisaray. Modern blocks
of buildings placed in areas of ancient settlements are
correspondingly marked with colour filling. Gray filling
shows modern housing areas placed outside historical building
areas.
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Some ancient settlements - satellites and predecessors of Bakhchisaray - had been existing in the valley long before the
khans’ capital was built there. In the epoch of the Crimean Khanate these settlements were known under the next
names:
- Qýrq Yer (nowadays this ancient mountain fortress is called Çufut
Qale)
- Salaçýq (the part of the Çuruk Su valley which adjoins to the rocks of Çufut
Qale)
- Eski Yurt (area where the Çuruk Su river leaves the narrow gorge and flows through a wide intermountain
lowland).
All of these settlements in different historical periods consequently were capitals
(or at least significant centres) for those state formations, which arose in South West
Crimea.
Nowadays Qýrq Yer, Salaçýq and Eski Yurt have merged into a single town with Bakhchisaray.
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