Updated: 26.09.2003

City (1990 est. pop. 85,000) on the Crimean peninsula.

It is a major Black Sea port at the western end of the Feodosia Gulf. A popular Crimean sea and health resort, Feodosia has beaches, mineral springs, and mud baths.

The city occupies the site of ancient Theodosia, which was founded in the 6th century BC by Greek colonists from Miletus. Theodosia, noted for its grain exports, was destroyed by the Huns in the 4th century AD; it existed thereafter as an insignificant village until the Genoese arrived in the 13th century, established a flourishing trade colony, and virtually monopolised Black Sea commerce. Under their rule, the city was called Caffa or Kaffa and served as the chief port and administrative centre of Genoese possessions along the Black Sea coast.

The khan of Crimea, an ally of the Turks, conquered the city in 1475; it remained under Turko-Tatar control until Russia's annexation of the Crimea in 1783.

In 1802 it was named Feodosia.

The city is known for its museum of famous Russian painter Aivazovsky, who lived here.

German forces captured it twice during World War II.