Not every village, even Crimean, has such a mass of sights and legends as Olenevka, located on the territory of the Chernomorsky district. With a relatively small number of permanent residents — only one and a half thousand people, this settlement is proud of its magnificent coat of arms, its own lighthouse, the remains of the ancient settlement and perfectly preserved estate, built by Vasily Popov, the secretary for accepting petitions in the service of the Russian Empress Catherine the Great.
The future Privy Councillor received an honorable position at the court thanks to the patronage of Prince Potemkin and personal qualities. As part of the entourage of the Prince of Light, he accompanied the Empress during her journey through the Crimea and Malorossiya. After this voyage V.S. Popov became the owner of 22.5 thousand dessiatinas of land in the west of the Crimean peninsula, which had just entered the crown of the Russian Empire. It was here, on the territory of modern Olenevka, that one of Catherine the Great’s favorites created a complex known today as «Popov’s estate».
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After Popov’s inspection of his new possessions, in 1806-1820, Nogais and peasants from the village of Vasilievka in Kazan province, which belonged to the Tsar’s father, were brought here. A little later serfs from Reshitilovka were brought here. This settlement of Poltava province is known thanks to the works of Gogol. Catherine the Second presented Reshetilovka to Popov for faithful service. It was these people who became the main labor force for the creation of the so-called Tarkhan and Tarkhan-Syrgol dacha or economy. This was the name given to agricultural land before the revolution, which was to provide a stable income to Mr. Popov.
At the end of the XVIII century the owner initiated the construction of a house, laid the economy — a room combining the warehouse and the office of the manager, organized the planting of vines and an orchard, as well as a small park in the English style. In parallel, fishing camps were established on Cape Tarkhankut, on the shore of the Karadzhin Bay. The estate manager rented them to those who wished to engage in sea fisheries for 100-250 rubles a year.
Of all the profitable enterprises and buildings of Catherine the Great’s secretary, only his mansion has survived to our time. This is a building made in neoclassical style with Moorish motifs. The Popovs’ house is a voluminous two-storied building on a high basement. At the corners of the building are placed pseudo-Doric columns — in memory of the Greeks who first colonized this coast. The windows on the facade of the building are «captured» by pseudo-balconies. At the same time, most of the window openings are rounded in the form of arches. The same arches, only with columns, cover the shallow porch and the entrance to the building from the sun. After modern restoration, several rooms were added to the roof. And the house itself is now painted in a delicate peach color, which emphasizes the classic features of the Popov estate.
The mansion belonged to the family of the tsarredvorets until 1917. It was a model of profitable agriculture, which stood out against the background of steppe, half-wild plain Crimea. After the revolution, after a series of changes and restorations.
After the revolution, after a series of restructurings and restorations, the Sun Valley sanatorium settled under the shadow of the luxurious house.
Having planned vacation on Tarkhankut, you have the opportunity to admire the estate of Privy Councillor Popov and his descendants, as well as hide from the hot Crimean sun in the shade of the trees of the two-hundred-year-old English park. Naturally, the sights of Olenevka do not end here. After a short walking tour you will meet the sea and the most picturesque part of the coast of Crimean Peninsula.