Eupatoria

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Eupatoria (Ukrainian: Євпаторія, Russian: , ) is a city in Crimea, Ukraine. The name is also often spelled as Yevpatoriya (according to Russian and Ukrainian pronunciation).

The first recorded settlement in the area, called Kerkinitida, was built by Greek colonists around 500 BCE. Along with the rest of Crimea, Kerkinitida was part of the dominions of Mithridates VI, King of Pontus, from whose nickname, Eupator, the city's modern name derives.

From roughly the 7th through the 10th centuries CE Eupatoria was a Khazar settlement; its name in Khazar language was probably Güzliev (literally "beautiful house"). It was later subject to the Cumans (Kipchaks), the Mongols and the Crimean Khanate. During this period the city was called Kezlev by Crimean Tatars and Gözleve by Ottomans. Russian medieval name Kozlov is a Russification of Crimean Tatar name. For a short period in 1478 - 1485 the city was administrated by the Ottoman Empire. In 1783 with the whole Crimea Kezlev was captured by the Russian Empire. Its name was officially changed to Eupatoria in 1784. The city was briefly occupied in 1854 by British, French and Turkish troops during the Crimean War, when it was the site of the Battle of Eupatoria.

Today Eupatoria is a major Ukrainian Black Sea port, a rail hub, and resort town. The main industries include fishing, food processing, wine making, limestone quarrying, weaving, and the manufacture of building materials, machinery, furniture manufacturing and tourism. The National Space Agency of Ukraine has ground control and tracking facilities here.

The 400 years old Cuma Cami mosque is one of the many designed or built by the Ottoman architect Sinan.

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