Set of postcards• BAKCHISARAI AND SURROUNDINGS •Bakhchisaray is located in one of the picturesque valleys of the southwestern Crimea, near bizarre rocks that look like ancient sphinxes, keeping the secrets of thousands of years. Monuments of ancient times and architecture attract hundreds of thousands of guests here every year. The Khan's Palace, built in a bend of the Churuk-Su River at the beginning of the 16th century at the behest of Khan Mengli Giray, arouses constant interest among tourists. The palace ensemble was built over two and a half centuries and consists of structures of different purposes and architectural styles. The magnificent portal of Aleviz, the Divan Hall, where all important issues of governing the Crimean Khanate were decided, the Small Mosque - the prayer house of the khans - are the earliest of the buildings. The atmosphere of the Summer Gazebo with the abundance of light pouring through colored glass, soft paintings on the walls, and the gentle ringing of the crystal streams of the marble fountain is conducive to a pleasant relaxation. The small indoor gardens are charming with colorful flower beds, ivy-covered walls, marble fountains and pools. In the Fountain Courtyard, the Golden Fountain attracts attention. But visitors strive to see another, more modest, but most famous Fountain of Tears, built by the Iranian master Omer at the behest of Crimea Giray in memory of his beloved and glorified by Pushkin and Mickiewicz. Next to the Fountain Courtyard is the territory of the harem, where wives and concubines waited for their master. Once upon a time, the Khan's Palace was surrounded by magnificent gardens, which gave it its name - Bakhchisarai translates as “Palace-Garden”. Later, the city, the capital of the Crimean Khanate, began to be called this way.