Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora

The Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora is the archaeological remains of a Greek colony and its rural territory on the Crimean peninsula, located within present-day Sevastopol. The site contains structural remains and burial grounds that document Greek, Roman and Byzantine presence from antiquity into the medieval period.

Visitors encounter exposed foundations, traces of defensive works, public buildings and necropoleis that reveal the layout and functions of a classical colonial settlement. Archaeological features are spread along the coast and on low promontories, with ongoing excavations and field remains visible at several points.

The city was established by Greek colonists in the classical era and later incorporated into Roman and Byzantine spheres, serving military, commercial and religious roles over many centuries. Excavations from the 19th century onward have progressively revealed the urban plan and funerary landscapes.

The site occupies a coastal position on the southwestern shore of Crimea within the modern administrative boundaries of Sevastopol, set on a peninsula projecting into the Black Sea.

• Long occupational sequence: The colony was founded in the classical period and contains material spanning Greek, Roman and Byzantine occupations, offering an extended archaeological sequence.

What to See #

• City walls and public buildings: Extensive archaeological remains of a Greek colony including sections of defensive walls, foundations of public buildings and churches, and burial grounds that illustrate over a millennium of occupation.
• Necropolis sites: Cemeteries and necropoleis containing graves and funerary architecture that document Greek, Roman and Byzantine funerary practices around the settlement.