The Swallow's Nest (Russian: Ласточкино гнездo, Lastochkino gnezdo, Ukrainian:Ластівчине гніздо, Lastivchyne hnizdo)[nb 1] is a decorative castle located at Gaspra, a small spa town between Yalta and Alupka, on the disputed territory of Crimea. It was built between 1911 and 1912, on top of the 40-metre (130 ft) high Aurora Cliff, in a Neo-Gothic design by the Russian architect Leonid Sherwood for the Baltic German oil millionaire Baron von Steingel.[nb 2]
The castle overlooks the Cape of Ai-Todor on the Black Sea coast and is located near the remains of the Roman castrum of Charax.[2] The Swallow's Nest is one of the most popular visitor attractions in Crimea, having become the symbol of Crimea's southern coastline