Grafskaya Wharf

Grafskaya Wharf of Sevastopol is a stately white column that has been the main sea gate of the hero city for many years. It is from Grafskaya Wharf that not only all Maritime celebrations are accepted, but also the annual Victory Parade. Having experienced enough enemy action in the past, today’s Marina looks more beautiful than ever.

Grafskaya Wharf can be called a visit card of Sevastopol, built in the middle of the XIX century from white Inkerman stone, as well as almost the entire city center. The pier, in turn, is wooden, surrounded by marble sculptures in the form of lions. This is a rarity when the entire history of the city is connected with the attraction, starting from the Foundation and ending with the present day.

1783 is at the same time the year of the Foundation of Sevastopol and the year of the Foundation of Grafskaya Wharf. Then the pier was built entirely of wood. Three years later, people began to call the Wharf Grafskaya, since the commander of the Sevastopol squadron, count Marko Ivanovich Voinovich (1732-1807), usually sailed from it. Grafskaya Wharf became officially Catherine’s a year later. This name was given to it because of the visit of the Russian Empress Catherine II (1729-1796) to Crimea. But the people still chose the unofficial name of Wharf – Grafskaya. With the development of the city in 1846 the wooden pier was reconstructed into a stone one, with lions from Italy appearing on it. After 9 years, a barge with gunpowder explodes near Grafskaya Wharf but, fortunately, parts of the Wharf made of stone do see much damage. But since the great Patriotic war (1941-1945), the pier had to be reassembled piece by piece into a single whole.

Five memorial plaques dedicated to important historical events in the life of Sevastopol have been installed on Grafskaya Wharf. For example, reports about cruisers or about soldiers and officers who left Russia after the defeat of the Crimean army in November 1920.

Also not far from Grafskaya Wharf there are other equally interesting sights of Sevastopol. These are monuments to Admiral Nakhimov and sunken ships, and the black sea Boulevard. At the pier, you can take a tour on tourist boats and ride around the bays of the hero city.

It is considered that Wharf is able to impress any person at any age. This is not just a landmark of Sevastopol, it is the whole history, the whole life of the city. Here you can make a wish by throwing a coin on the steps of the Count’s Wharf or putting a coin in the mouth of a lion, and it will come true. It’s a proven fact.

Authors: Golikova Sofia, Dyuzheva Evgenia

Location : Sevastopol