The Crimean Karaites or Krymkaraylar, also known as Karaims and Qarays, are an ethnicity of Turkic-speaking adherents of Karaite Judaism in Central and Eastern Europe, especially in the territory of the old Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Crimea. "Karaim" is a Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Polish and Lithuanian name for the community.
Karaite men in traditional garb, Crimea, 19th century.
Cemetery near Feodosia (Crimea)
Former Karaim Kenesa in Kyiv
Showcase of the Crimean Karaites traditional lifestyle in Trakai, Lithuania
Trakai is a city and lake resort in Lithuania. It lies 28 kilometres west of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania or just 7 kilometres from the administrative limits of the Lithuanian capital city. Because of its proximity to Vilnius, Trakai is a popular tourist destination. Trakai is the administrative centre of Trakai district municipality. The city is inhabited by 5,357 people, according to 2007 estimates. A notable feature of Trakai is that the city was built and preserved by people of different nationalities. Historically, communities of Karaims, Tatars, Lithuanians, Russians, Jews and Poles lived here.
Image: Traku pilis by Augustas Didzgalvis
Image: Trakai Galve 20
Image: Trakai, Lithuania panoramio
Image: Karaite kenesa in Trakai, Lithuania