The beautiful whitewashed colonnaded complex became the main place of worship for Karaites in the aftermath of the Russian takeover of Crimea, when they were allowed to abandon cave cities and live where they pleased. Tsar Alexander I inaugurated the main kenassa (temple) in 1807. Staunch monarchists, the Karaites later erected his statue on the premises. During the Crimean War, the allies converted the kenassas into stables, which were targeted by Russian artillery – look out for a cannon ball left in the kenassa wall.