At the current stage of development, towns are in a difficult socio-economic situation, when the slowdown in economic and social development is caused by multilevel processes of an internal, regional and national nature. In many ways, the successful existence and functioning of a city depends on its image, i.e. attractiveness both for investors and tourists, and for the inner society – its citizens. In modern conditions, historical and cultural heritage is the basis of identity and continuity of generations, which, among other things, largely determines the image of each city. The relevance of the work is determined by the significance of the historical and cultural heritage of towns of the Republic of Crimea in the socio-cultural and economic development of the region. The new economic reality actualizes the solution of a complex set of problems that hinder the attraction of investments in towns and are associated with the limited economic base, the low level of development of infrastructure facilities and the socio-cultural sphere. The study of the existing complex of monuments of historical and cultural heritage makes it possible to determine the cultural potential of towns in Crimea and the prospects for its use. The subject of the study is the analysis of the historical and cultural heritage of towns of the Republic of Crimea as an integral part of the urban image. The current development strategy of these cities is aimed at finding, developing and implementing effective methods of adaptation to modern realities, and creating more favorable living conditions for the population. As a result of historical-comparative and structural-functional analyses, the study identifies a close relationship between the cultural potential of towns in Crimea and external factors of influence (geographical and historical-cultural conditions of settlement development).