ide ▁location , ▁the ▁tour ist ▁appeal ▁of ▁Ker ch ▁today ▁is ▁limited ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁industrial ▁character ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁and ▁associated ▁poll ution . ▁Despite ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁be aches ▁in ▁the ▁town ' s ▁area , ▁there ▁are ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁them ▁at ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁ 2 0 ▁minutes ' ▁travel ▁by ▁bus , ▁train ▁or ▁tax i . ▁ ▁Ker ch ▁has ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁impress ive ▁architect ural ▁and ▁historical ▁monuments . ▁An cient ▁historical ▁her itage ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁makes ▁it ▁attract ive ▁for ▁scientific ▁tour ism . ▁The ▁most ▁notable ▁of ▁Ker ch ' s ▁s ights ▁are : ▁Site ▁of ▁ancient ▁settlement ▁P ant ik ap ae um ▁( 5 th ▁century ▁BC – 3 rd ▁century ▁AD ). ▁Ts ar ski y ▁K urg han ▁( 4 th ▁century ▁BC ) ▁– ▁bur ial ▁m ound ▁for ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Bos por ian ▁k ings ▁Church ▁of ▁St . ▁John ▁the ▁Bapt ist ▁( AD ▁ 7 1 7 ) ▁Fort ress ▁of ▁Y en ik ale ▁( 1 8 th ▁century ) ▁The ▁Great ▁M ith rid ates ▁St air case ▁leading ▁on ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁Mount ▁M ith rid at , ▁contains ▁ 4 2 8 ▁foot steps , ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 3 – 1 8 4 0 ▁under ▁the ▁guidance ▁of ▁Italian ▁architect ▁Alexander ▁Dig bi ▁Ob el isk ▁of ▁Gl ory ▁on ▁the ▁Mount ▁M ith rid at , ▁built ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁Lap id