Yalta

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{{Infobox settlement

|official_name = Yalta

|native_name = {{lang|zle|Ялта}} ({{#invoke:random|text_list|Russian|Ukrainian}})

|settlement_type = City

|image_skyline = Widok na Jałtę ze statku 07.JPG

|image_caption =

|image_flag = Yalta flag 2005.svg{{!}}100px{{!}}border{{!}}Flag of Yalta as recognised by Ukraine (de jure){{))!}}{{!((}}File:Flag of Yalta.svg{{!}}100px{{!}}border{{!}}Flag of Yalta as recognised by Russia (de facto){{))!}}{{!((}}File:1x1.png

|flag_size = 1px

|flag_border = no

|image_shield = COA Yalta, Krym.svg{{!}}100px{{!}}Coat of arms of Yalta as recognised by Ukraine (de jure){{))!}}{{!((}}File:Coat of arms of Yalta.svg{{!}}100px{{!}}Coat of arms of Yalta as recognised by Russia (de facto){{))!}}{{!((}}File:1x1.png

|shield_size = 1px

|pushpin_map = Crimea#Ukraine#European Russia#Europe

|pushpin_map_caption = Location of Yalta within Crimea##Location of Yalta within Ukraine ##Location of Yalta within Russia##Location of Yalta within Europe

|coordinates = {{coord|44|29|58|N|34|10|12|E|region:UA|display=inline,title}}

|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name =

|subdivision_type1 = Republic

|subdivision_name1 = Crimea

|subdivision_type2 = Municipality

|subdivision_name2 = Yalta Municipality

|elevation_m = 40

|population_footnotes =

|population_total = 76,746

|population_as_of = 2014

|timezone = MSK

|utc_offset = +3

|timezone_DST =

|utc_offset_DST =

|postal_code_type = Postal codes

|postal_code = (2)98600–(2)98639

|area_code = +7-3654

|blank_name = Former name

|blank_info = Yalita (until the 15th century)

|blank1_name = Climate

|blank1_info = Cfa

|module = {{Infobox mapframe |wikidata=yes |zoom=12 |height=250 |stroke-width=2 |{{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}}

}}

Yalta{{efn|English approximation of the name: {{IPAc-en|UK|ˈ|j|æ|l|t|ə|,_|ˈ|j|ɔː|l|t|ə|,_|ˈ|j|ɒ|l|t|ə}}, {{IPAc-en|US|ˈ|j|ɔː|l|t|ə|audio=en-us-Yalta.ogg}} {{citation |last=Wells |first=John C. |author-link=John C. Wells |date=2008 |title=Longman Pronunciation Dictionary |edition=3rd |publisher=Longman |isbn=9781405881180}}}} ({{#invoke:random|text_list|Russian|Ukrainian}}: {{lang|zle|Ялта}}) is a resort city on the south coast of the Crimean Peninsula surrounded by the Black Sea. It serves as the administrative center of Yalta Municipality, one of the regions within Crimea. Yalta, along with the rest of Crimea, is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine, and is considered part of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. However, it is controlled de facto by Russia,{{cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/09/30/fictitious-annexation-follows-voting-gunpoint |title=Fictitious Annexation Follows Voting |date=30 September 2022}} which annexed Crimea in 2014 and regards the town as part of the Republic of Crimea. According to the most recent census, its population was {{Crimea-census2014|76,746|punct=.}}

The city is located on the site of the ancient Greek colony of Yalita ({{langx|el|Γιαλός|translit=Gialós}} {{IPA|el|ʝaˈlos̠|}}).{{cite book |author1=Sergei R. Grinevetsky |author2=Igor S. Zonn |author3=Sergei S. Zhiltsov |author4=Aleksey N. Kosarev |author5=Andrey G. Kostianoy |title=The Black Sea Encyclopedia |page=821 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KFCqBAAAQBAJ |isbn=978-3662518403 |date=2015 |publisher=Springer Publishing}} It is said to have been founded by Greek settlers who were looking for a safe shore on which to land. It is situated on a deep bay facing south towards the Black Sea, surrounded by the mountain range Ai-Petri. It has a humid subtropical climate and is surrounded by numerous vineyards and orchards.{{cite journal |last=Kottek |first=M. |author2=J. Grieser |author3=C. Beck |author4=B. Rudolf |author5=F. Rubel |title=World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated |journal=Meteorol. Z. |volume=15 |pages=259–263 |url=http://www.schweizerbart.de/resources/downloads/paper_free/55034.pdf |doi=10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130 |access-date=28 August 2012 |date=2006 |issue=3 |bibcode=2006MetZe..15..259K}}

The area became famous in 1945 when the city held the Yalta Conference as part of the Allied World War II conferences of major wartime national leaders.

The term "Greater Yalta" is used to designate a part of the Crimean southern coast spanning from Foros in the west to Gurzuf in the east, and including the city of Yalta and multiple adjacent urban settlements.

History

= 12th–19th centuries =

File:Panorama of Yalta.jpg

The existence of Yalta was recorded in the 12th century by an Arab geographer, who described it as a Byzantine port and fishing settlement. It became part of a network of Genoese trading colonies on the Crimean coast in the 14th century when it was known as Etalita or Galita. Crimea was captured by the Ottoman Empire in 1475, which made it a semi-independent subject territory under the rule of the Crimean Khanate but the southern coast with Yalta was under direct Ottoman rule forming the Eyalet of Kefe (Feodosiya). Yalta was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1783, along with the rest of Crimea, sparking the Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792). Prior to the annexation of the Crimea, the Crimean Greeks were moved to Mariupol in 1778; one of the villages they established nearby is also called Yalta.

In the 19th century, the town became a fashionable resort for the Russian aristocracy and gentry. Leo Tolstoy spent summers there and Anton Chekhov in 1898 bought a house (the White Dacha) here, where he lived until 1902; Yalta is the setting for Chekhov's short story, "The Lady with the Dog", and such prominent plays as The Three Sisters were written in Yalta. The town was also closely associated with royalty. In 1889 Tsar Alexander III finished construction of Massandra Palace a short distance to the north of Yalta and Nicholas II built the Livadia Palace southwest of the town in 1911.

= 20th century =

File:Helen villa.jpg

During the 20th century, Yalta was the principal holiday resort of the Soviet Union. In 1920, Vladimir Lenin issued a decree "On the Use of Crimea for the Medical Treatment of the Working People" which endorsed the region's transformation from a fairly exclusive resort area into a recreation facility for tired proletarians. Numerous workers' sanatoria were constructed in and around Yalta and the surrounding district. There were, in fact, few other places that Soviet citizens could come for a seaside holiday, as foreign travel was forbidden to all but a handful. The Soviet elite also came to Yalta; the Soviet premier Joseph Stalin used the Massandra Palace as his summer residence.

Yalta was occupied by the German Army from 9 November 1941 to 16 April 1944.

The town came to worldwide attention in 1945 when the Yalta Conference between the "Big Three" powers – the Soviet Union, the United States and the United Kingdom – was held at the Livadia Palace.

= 21st century =

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Yalta has struggled economically. Many of the nouveaux riches of ex-Soviet citizens began going to other European holiday resorts, now that they had the freedom and money to travel; conversely, the impoverishment of many ex-Soviet citizens meant that they could no longer afford to go to Yalta. The town's transport links have been significantly reduced with the end of almost all passenger traffic by sea. The longest trolleybus line in Europe goes from the train station in Simferopol to Yalta (almost 90{{nbsp}}km). Yalta is crowded in the vacation season (July–August) and prices for accommodation are very high. Most of the tourists are from countries of the former Soviet Union; in 2013, about 12% of tourists to Crimea were Westerners from more than 200 cruise ships.[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/25/world/europe/for-crimea-its-russian-troops-in-tourists-out.html?_r=0 New York Times], For Crimea, It's Russian Troops In, Tourists Out, by Neil MacFarquhar, 24 May 2014,

Yalta has a beautiful seafront promenade along the Black Sea. People can be seen strolling there all seasons of the year, and it also serves as a place to gather and talk, to see and be seen. There are several beaches to the east and west of the promenade. Many kinds of pine trees (Stone pine and Aleppo pine for example), oleander shrubs, lemon and olive trees and different sorts of palm trees such as the Chinese windmill palm, the Mexican fan palm and the Canary Island date palm are scattered all over the city. The town has several movie theaters, a drama theater, plenty of restaurants, and several open-air markets.

Two beaches in Yalta are Blue Flag beaches since May 2010, these were the first beaches (with two beaches in Yevpatoria) to be awarded a Blue Flag in a CIS member state.[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/66482/ Four beaches in Crimea receive international certificates of cleanliness], Kyiv Post (12 May 2010)

In 2014, Russia, in violation of international law, invaded Crimea and claimed it as part of Russia.{{cite web |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/14/world/europe/crimea-yalta-history/index.html |title=Crimea - Echoes of history on the road to Yalta |date=14 March 2014}}

Main sights

File:Ялта Церква вірменська.jpg]]

File:Foros 03.jpg is a popular wedding location]]

File:Nikitsky Botanical Garden 1.jpg

Famous attractions within or near Yalta are:

Yalta's Sea Promenade (Naberezhnaya), housing many attractions, which was renovated in 2003 and 2004
Saint Hripsime Church of Yalta, an Armenian Church, with frescoes by V. Surenyants
A Roman Catholic Church built by Nikolay Krasnov
Yalta's cable car, taking visitors to the Darsan hill, from which one can see Yalta's shoreline
Renovated [https://web.archive.org/web/20070909104116/http://www.yalta-lux.com.ua/ Hotel Taurica], the first hotel in the former Russian Empire with elevators
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, constructed by the architect Krasnov, who also constructed the Livadia Palace and the architect P. Terebenyov
Former main building of the Ministry of Defence hotel, built in the style of a Gothic castle
Palace of Bukhara Emir
Yalta's Zoo
Yalta's Aquarium, housing small dolphins
Park-museum Polyana Skazok (Glade of Fairytales)
White Dacha – House-museum of Anton Chekhov
House-museum of Lesya Ukrainka at Lesya Ukrainka Museum
House with Caryatids, where the composer A. Spendiarov lived
Yalta Hotel Complex
Roffe Bath, historical monument

Moreover, Yalta's suburbs contain:

Foros Church
Nikitsky Botanical Garden (Nikita)
Livadia Palace (Livadiya)
Organ hall in Livadiya
Massandra Palace (Massandra)
Massandra Winery and Vaults
International children's centre of Artek (Gurzuf)
Ai-Petri Mountain (1233 metres high, with a cable car traveling to and from the mountain)
Alupka Palace
Swallow's Nest castle near Gaspra.
Tsar's Path hiking trail

Geography

= Climate =

As Yalta lies to the south of the Crimean Mountains and within an amphitheatre of hills, the climate is mild. Köppen classifies the city as humid subtropical (Cfa), bordering on a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa); while the city's Trewartha class is oceanic (Do), barely missing the criteria for humid subtropical (Cf). In February, the average temperature reaches {{convert|4|°C|0|abbr=on}}. Snow is infrequent and melts soon thereafter. In July, the average temperature reaches {{convert|24|°C|0|abbr=on}}. The average annual precipitation is {{convert|612|mm|in}}, most of it being concentrated in the colder months. The sun shines approximately 2,169 hours per year. Since the city is located on the shore of the Black Sea, the weather rarely becomes extremely hot due to the cool sea breezes. The average annual temperature for Yalta is around {{convert|14|C|F}}, which makes it one of the warmest places in Ukraine.

{{Weather box

|location = Yalta (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1948–present)

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

| Jan record high C = 17.8

| Feb record high C = 20.2

| Mar record high C = 27.8

| Apr record high C = 28.5

| May record high C = 33.0

| Jun record high C = 35.0

| Jul record high C = 39.1

| Aug record high C = 39.1

| Sep record high C = 33.2

| Oct record high C = 31.5

| Nov record high C = 25.2

| Dec record high C = 22.0

| year record high C = 39.1

| Jan high C = 7.4

| Feb high C = 7.7

| Mar high C = 10.4

| Apr high C = 14.8

| May high C = 20.5

| Jun high C = 25.7

| Jul high C = 29.1

| Aug high C = 29.4

| Sep high C = 24.2

| Oct high C = 18.3

| Nov high C = 12.8

| Dec high C = 8.9

| year high C = 17.4

| Jan mean C = 4.6

| Feb mean C = 4.6

| Mar mean C = 6.8

| Apr mean C = 11.1

| May mean C = 16.4

| Jun mean C = 21.6

| Jul mean C = 24.8

| Aug mean C = 25.0

| Sep mean C = 20.1

| Oct mean C = 14.6

| Nov mean C = 9.7

| Dec mean C = 6.3

| year mean C = 13.8

| Jan low C = 2.5

| Feb low C = 2.2

| Mar low C = 4.1

| Apr low C = 8.1

| May low C = 13.1

| Jun low C = 18.1

| Jul low C = 21.1

| Aug low C = 21.5

| Sep low C = 16.8

| Oct low C = 11.7

| Nov low C = 7.2

| Dec low C = 4.1

| year low C = 10.9

| Jan record low C = -12.2

| Feb record low C = -12.3

| Mar record low C = -7.3

| Apr record low C = -3.8

| May record low C = 2.8

| Jun record low C = 7.8

| Jul record low C = 12.4

| Aug record low C = 10.0

| Sep record low C = 3.9

| Oct record low C = -1.1

| Nov record low C = -8.9

| Dec record low C = -7.4

| year record low C = -12.3

|precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation mm = 76

| Feb precipitation mm = 56

| Mar precipitation mm = 48

| Apr precipitation mm = 29

| May precipitation mm = 36

| Jun precipitation mm = 35

| Jul precipitation mm = 32

| Aug precipitation mm = 43

| Sep precipitation mm = 43

| Oct precipitation mm = 52

| Nov precipitation mm = 57

| Dec precipitation mm = 84

| year precipitation mm = 591

| Jan snow depth cm = 1

| Feb snow depth cm = 1

| Mar snow depth cm = 1

| Apr snow depth cm = 0

| May snow depth cm = 0

| Jun snow depth cm = 0

| Jul snow depth cm = 0

| Aug snow depth cm = 0

| Sep snow depth cm = 0

| Oct snow depth cm = 0

| Nov snow depth cm = 0

| Dec snow depth cm = 0

| year snow depth cm = 1

| Jan humidity = 76.2

| Feb humidity = 74.1

| Mar humidity = 71.9

| Apr humidity = 71.3

| May humidity = 70.3

| Jun humidity = 66.3

| Jul humidity = 61.3

| Aug humidity = 60.4

| Sep humidity = 64.8

| Oct humidity = 71.9

| Nov humidity = 75.0

| Dec humidity = 75.5

| year humidity = 69.9

| Jan rain days = 14

| Feb rain days = 12

| Mar rain days = 13

| Apr rain days = 12

| May rain days = 11

| Jun rain days = 10

| Jul rain days = 8

| Aug rain days = 7

| Sep rain days = 10

| Oct rain days = 10

| Nov rain days = 12

| Dec rain days = 15

| year rain days = 134

| Jan snow days = 6

| Feb snow days = 6

| Mar snow days = 4

| Apr snow days = 0.2

| May snow days = 0

| Jun snow days = 0

| Jul snow days = 0

| Aug snow days = 0

| Sep snow days = 0

| Oct snow days = 0

| Nov snow days = 1

| Dec snow days = 3

| year snow days = 20

| Jan sun = 71

| Feb sun = 85

| Mar sun = 136

| Apr sun = 176

| May sun = 246

| Jun sun = 277

| Jul sun = 310

| Aug sun = 288

| Sep sun = 213

| Oct sun = 142

| Nov sun = 89

| Dec sun = 61

| year sun = 2094

| source 1 = Pogoda.ru.net{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214155637/http://www.pogodaiklimat.ru/climate/33990.htm |archive-date=14 December 2019 |url=http://www.pogodaiklimat.ru/climate/33990.htm |title=Климат Ялты |publisher=Погода и климат (Weather and Climate) |language=ru |access-date=8 November 2021}}

| source 2 = NOAA (humidity and sun 1991–2020){{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250420124031/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/6.6/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Ukraine/CSV/Yalta_33990.csv |archive-date=20 April 2025 |archive-format=CSV |format=CSV |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/6.6/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Ukraine/CSV/Yalta_33990.csv |title=Yalta Climate Normals 1991–2020 |work=World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020) |publisher=National Centers for Environmental Information |access-date=20 April 2025}}

| date=March 2011}}

File:Boardwalk at Yalta Ukraine (3943053701).jpg

File:Yalta (2733097088).jpg

Demographics

As of the Ukrainian Census conducted on 1 January 2001, the population of Yalta is 80,500. The main ethnic groups of Yalta are: Russians (65.5%), Ukrainians (27.7%), Belarusians (1.6%), and Crimean Tatars (1.3%).[http://sf.ukrstat.gov.ua/perepis1.htm#_jaz Central Statistical Office of AR Crimea] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120828162929/http://sf.ukrstat.gov.ua/perepis1.htm#_jaz |date=28 August 2012}}, see «Ялта», column №3. The majority of people speak Russian as their mother tongue.

This total number does not comprise the population of neighbouring villages and small towns. The metropolitan area population is about 139,500.

Twin towns – sister cities

Yalta is twinned with:{{cite web |title=Ялта и итальянский Родвиго планируют стать городами-побратимами |url=http://www.gazetacrimea.ru/news/bolshaya-rodnya-25798 |website=gazetacrimea.ru |publisher=Gazeta Crimea |language=ru |date=28 April 2017 |access-date=2 April 2020 |archive-date=16 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516063134/https://gazetacrimea.ru/news/bolshaya-rodnya-25798/ |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=Ялта и Грозный стали городами-побратимами |url=https://www.crimea.kp.ru/online/news/3570885/ |website=crimea.kp.ru |language=ru |date=13 August 2019 |access-date=2 April 2020}}{{cite web |title=Ялта и итальянский Родвиго планируют стать городами-побратимами |url=https://www.fontanka.ru/2018/04/22/051/ |website=fontanka.ru |publisher=Fontanka |language=ru |date=22 April 2018 |access-date=2 April 2020}}{{cite web |title=Луганск и Ялта побратаются. Луганчан ждут скидки на ЮБК?|url=https://cxid.info/143523_lugansk-i-yalta-pobratayutsya-luganchan-zhdut-skidki-na-yubk.html |website=cxid.info |language=ru |date=18 January 2019 |access-date=2 April 2020}}

{{flagicon|TUR}} Antalya, Turkey
{{flagicon|GER}} Baden-Baden, Germany
{{flagicon|GEO}} Batumi, Georgia
{{flagicon|ISR}} Eilat, Israel
{{flagicon|JPN}} Fujisawa, Japan
{{flagicon|RUS}} Grozny, Russia
{{flagicon|RUS}} Kaluga, Russia
{{flagicon|USA}} Santa Barbara, United States
{{flagicon|AZE}} Khachmaz, Azerbaijan
{{flagicon|SYR}} Latakia, Syria
{{flagicon|UKR}} Luhansk, Ukraine
{{flagicon|ENG}} Margate, England, United Kingdom
{{flagicon|FRA}} Nice, France
{{flagicon|ITA}} Pozzuoli, Italy
{{flagicon|GRC}} Rhodes, Greece
{{flagicon|ITA}} Salsomaggiore Terme, Italy
{{flagicon|CHN}} Sanya, China
{{flagicon|EGY}} Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
{{flagicon|RUS}} Ulan-Ude, Russia
{{flagicon|RUS}} Vladikavkaz, Russia
{{flagicon|GEO}} Gagra, Georgia

Notable people born in Yalta

Oleksandr Lignau (1872–1938), Ukrainian general and first Minister of War of the Ukrainian State
Alla Nazimova (1879–1945), Russian-American actress
Viktor Kopp (1880–1930), Soviet diplomat of German ethnicity
Louis Hofbauer (1889–1932), Austrian artist
Serge Piménoff (1895–1960), French art director
Nathalie Kovanko (1899–1967), Ukrainian actress
Alla Horska (1929–1970), Ukrainian artist
Antonina Rudenko (born 1950), Soviet-Ukrainian swimmer
Nathalia Edenmont (born 1970), Ukrainian-Swedish artist
Nika Turbina (1974–2002), Russian poet
Julia Vakulenko (born 1983), Ukrainian tennis player
Vera Rebrik (born 1989), Ukrainian-Russian track field athlete
Peter Paltchik (born 1992), Ukrainian-born Israeli Olympic and European champion judoka
Valentina Ivakhnenko (born 1993), Ukrainian-Russian tennis player

Notes

References

External links

{{Commons category-inline|Yalta}}
{{wikivoyage inline|Yalta}}
{{Cite NIE|wstitle=Yalta|short=x}}
[https://collections.yadvashem.org/en/untold-stories/community/14621826-Yalta The murder of the Jews of Yalta] during World War II, at Yad Vashem website.

Category:Cities in Crimea

Category:Yaltinsky Uyezd

Category:Populated coastal places in Ukraine

Category:Populated coastal places in Russia

Category:Port cities and towns in Ukraine

Category:Port cities and towns in Russia

Category:Seaside resorts in Ukraine

Category:Seaside resorts in Russia

Category:Yalta Municipality

Category:Populated places of the Byzantine Empire

Category:Port cities of the Black Sea

Category:Cities of regional significance in Ukraine