The Oldest St. Klementevsky Monastery

 Monastery of St. Clement's is located in Inkerman, a suburb of Sevastopol. It's one of the oldest cave temples in the Crimea. The monastery is visible to every visitor to the tourist, who arrives in town on a train - after all tracks are just a few meters from its buildings and cells. The appearance of the monastery tradition connects with the worship of the Holy. Clement, bishop of Rome (the pope) in 92-99 years, who was exiled by the Emperor Trajan for preaching Christianity in a quarry near the Chersonese, preaching and killed here in 101 year. The relics of St. Clement, acquired a year after his death, kept at first in an underwater cave near the Chersonese, access to which was opened, according to legend, once a year, when - the day of death of the righteous - the sea retreated, then they were moved to a small island in the middle of the bay In which, according to legend, angels hands church was built. Near the monastery there is a water source, according to legend miraculously opened St. Clement to the plight of convicts. 6-7 centuries to grow very monastic rock fortress, later called Kalamita that is interpreted from the Greek as "Good Landing"

 View of the Monastery and Monastic rock. The main outlines are visible at the top and the II-nd Kalamita towers and stairs going down from the main tower to the casemates on the tip of the chapel. Since the monastery is connected and the cult of other saints, Pope Martin. This native of Italy took the chair at Rome in 649 year. At this time the empire was struck by "heresy" monofilitstva whose adherents were the Emperor Constance (641-658) and the patriarch of Constantinople. In the year 654, according to slander Emperor, Martin, was accused of intercourse with the Saracens, was seized, and at first kept on an island in the Aegean Sea, and then exiled in Hersonissos, where he soon died (655). He was buried in Constantinople. Unlike Clement, where everything - the legend of Martin, we have the original of his letter in which he complains about the cold and expensive in Kherson, and unflattering interpretation of the morals in this town. The monastery is dedicated to Kalamia and Clement and Martin.

Despite the fact that the monastery carved into the rock inside is very light, thanks to behold such a small window in the corridors, cells and rooms. After the capture in 1475, a fortress Kalamita Turks, the monastery gradually fell into disrepair. The fort was renamed in Inkerman, which gave the name of the town has arisen here. Since 1783 the city belonged to Russia. In 1850, the monastery has been revived and has received modern double name - the name of the city in honor of St.. Clement. In 1931, cave temples of worship ceased, the monastery was completely closed and its assets transferred to Sevastopol Museum Association. After the closure of the monastery has been left to live his abbot Benedict, the father of Procopius, and two 85-year old man. During the Great Patriotic War in the caves of the monastery housed the headquarters of the 25th Chapayev Division Maritime Army. In June 1942, soldiers of the division on the heights of Inkerman held back the enemy, really wanted to Sevastopol. In honor of the heroic warriors Chapayev Division at the monastery is set and hold sacred monument.