Ukraine TOP100 Book

PLEASE SUPPORT US!
Dear friends!
My name is Vladimir, I am the founder family-owned publishing

house SKY HORSE in Kyiv, which has issued many books about
Ukraine and its capital over the past 12 years.
Now our country is going through a difficult time, and our

publishing house can no longer print paper books. Therefore, we
decided to distribute them free of charge in electronic form,
hoping for your support.
If you like this book, please donate whatever amount you deem
possible. Thank you in advance for appreciating our work and
allowing us to continue our favourite job!
Sincerely,
Vladimir Nevzorov
My PayPal:
nahs.haus@gmail.com
This book contains 100 fascinating articles about the most awesomeheritage.com
vivid symbols of Ukraine – from official, such as the national
INTERESTING
emblem and flag, to folk, like borsch and horilka; the main
Ukrainian cities, outstanding historical figures, the most
popular dishes of the national cuisine, handicrafts, natural
beauty, and achievements in science and technology.
UKRAINE
© Sky Horse Publishing House, 2019, 2022
© Vladimir Nevzorov, articles,
TOP 100
TOP100
compilation, design, 2019
© Victoria Ugryumova, articles, 2019
© Natalia Soboleva, articles, 2019
© Lidiia Shokha, article, 2018
© Ann Merrill, translation, 2019
© Oleh Havryshchuk, design, 2018 VictoriaUgryumova
Victoria Ugryumova
Vladimir Nevzorov
Vladimir Nevzorov
Natalia Soboleva
Natalia Soboleva
Sky
Видавництво
Horse Publishing
“Скай Хорс”
House
ISBN 978-966-2536-42-3 Київ
Kyiv 2022
2019
1 Flag of Ukraine 26 Vasylkiv Majolica 51 Kyiv 76 Beregvar
2 Trident 27 Sorochyntsi Fair 52 Lviv 77 Olesko Castle
3 Hryvnia 28 Bandura & Tsymbaly 53 Odesa 78 St. Sophia Cathedral
4 Ukrainian Language 29 Hopak 54 Chernivtsi 79 Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra
5 Bulava 30 Corals 55 Zakarpattia & Uzhhorod 80 Pochayiv Lavra
6 Independence Day 31 Taras Shevchenko 56 The Dnipro River 81 Sviatohirsk Lavra
7 Kalyna 32 Lesya Ukrainka 57 The Carpathians 82 Wooden Churches
8 Storks 33 Ivan Franko 58 The Black Sea 83 Khreshchatyk
9 Kyivan Rus’ 34 Grigory Skovoroda 59 The Sea of Azov 84 Shevchenko University
10 Cossacks 35 Heorhiy Narbut 60 Shatsky Lakes 85 Derzhprom
11 Chumaks 36 Nikolai Gogol 61 Synevyr 86 Railroad
12 Trypillia 37 Ivan Fyodorov 62 Podilski Tovtry 87 DniproHES
13 Pectoral 38 Mykola Pymonenko 63 Askania-Nova 88 Mriya
14 Sugar Beets 39 Oleksander Dovzhenko 64 Khortytsia 89 Pioneers of Computing
15 UNR & M. Hrushevsky 40 Vladimir the Great 65 Kachanivka 90 Yuzhmash
16 Maidan 2004 & 2013 41 Yaroslav the Wise 66 Sofiyivka 91 Zaporozhets
17 Decommunization 42 Anna Yaroslavna 67 Alexandria Park 92 Borsch
18 Spring Holidays 43 Ilya Muromets 68 Donbas 93 Varenyky
19 Cossack Mamay 44 Roksolana 69 Chernobyl 94 Salo
20 Witches & Lysa Hills 45 Ivan Mazepa 70 Kamianets-Podilskyi 95 Ukrainian Bread
21 Kotyhoroshko 46 Bohdan Khmelnytsky 71 Khotyn Fortress 96 Horilka
22 Vyshyvanka 47 Stepan Bandera 72 Lutsk Castle 97 Uzvar
23 Pysanka 48 Nestor Makhno 73 Akkerman Fortress 98 Walnut
24 Ukrainian Baroque 49 Ivan Poddubny 74 Berdychiv Fortress 99 Chicken Kyiv
25 Petrykivka Painting 50 Ukrainian Boxing 75 Mukachevo Castle 100 Sunflower
Interesting UKRAINE • TOP100
1
One of the country’s
state symbols
Flag of Ukraine
The Ukrainian flag is most similar to a field of ripe wheat or sunflowers
under a cloudless sky. It has two equal parts, a blue band at the top and a
yellow band at the bottom. There are several accounts of its origin. It is
believed that military units on the territory of modern-day Ukraine fought
against the crusaders at Grunwald. The famous Leopolis (Lviv #52) coat of
arms was a golden lion in an azure field. Subsequently, when Ukraine (then
Malorussia) was part of the Russian Empire, Emperor Alexander I granted
two banners to Zaporizhian Cossack units, blue-and-yellow and yellow-
and-blue. The blue-and-yellow flag was also raised in Lviv in 1848 during
the revolution in the Austrian Empire. It became the official flag of the
Ukrainian state for the first time in 1918 under Hetman Skoropadsky.
Although the hetman was soon overthrown, and for several years, govern-
ments changed in Kyiv until the establishment of Bolshevik power, the coat
of arms, the trident and the blue-yellow (or yellow-light blue by Ukrainian
tradition) flag remained symbols of an independent Ukrainian state.
In 1991, after Ukraine gained independence, the Verkhovna Rada
(Parliament) adopted the blue-yellow banner as the official state flag.
The colors of the national flag are set in different formats (Pantone,
CMYK, RGB, etc.) and are strictly regulated. This is also important as
there are several similar flags in the world, which, to a degree, cause
some confusion – the flags of European cities, Dalmatia, Lower Austria,
and the principality of Dholpur.
National Flag Day is celebrated on August 23. V. U.
2
One of the three
official state symbols
Trident
The official coat of arms of Ukraine – a golden trident on an azure
English heraldic shield (quadrangular with a sharp base) with a thin
gold border – was approved on February 19, 1992. This is the so-called
small coat of arms, regularly used in all official proceedings. There is
also a design for the great coat of arms of Ukraine, the central part of
which will be the small coat of arms.
The trident was a family symbol of the Rurik dynasty, the ancestors
of the Baptizer of Rus’ (#9), Prince Vladimir (#40), as well as his sym-
bol, which was minted on silver coins and engraved on state seals. As
for the origin of the symbol itself, there are many hypotheses. The
most reasonable and popular today is the theory that it is a stylized
image of a bird – either a falcon descending on prey, or a crow, the
sacred bird of the Scandinavian god Odin. Almost all the noble Varan-
gians placed images of crows on their banners, but it is most likely
from Rurik’s line.
After the fall of Kyivan Rus’, this symbol was forgotten for many cen-
turies. Mykhailo Hrushevsky (#15), head of the Central Rada and the
most famous historian of his time, recalled it in 1918, when creating
the flag and coat of arms of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (#15) was
decided. However, this state existed for only a few years; then Ukraine
became one of the republics of the Soviet Union, and its symbols
completely changed. Only in 1991, after independence (#6), did the
state regain its coat of arms in the form of the trident. V. U.
3
National currency
of Ukraine
Hryvnia
The national currency of Ukraine is the hryvnia, abbreviated as UAH. One were strung on a wire, each of which, by the way, could serve as a separate
hryvnia is divided into 100 kopeks. Today, banknotes are in the denomina- means of payment. In addition to these disks, foreign coins were also used.
tions of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 hryvnias, and coins in 1, 2, 5, 10, Oddly enough, in the 10th and 11th centuries, silver hryvnia was given as an
25, and 50 kopeks, as well as 1 and 2 hryvnia. The hryvnia has its own sym- award to “druzinniki,” soldiers in a prince’s army. From the 12th to the 14th
bol, like the dollar or the euro. It is an uppercase letter “Г” (Ukrainian “h”), centuries, the hryvnia slowly turn into an ornament only worn by women.
with two horizontal lines that symbolize stability. Here it is: ₴. The modern paper hryvnia, especially the 20, 100, and 200 UAH notes, are
After gaining independence in 1991, Ukraine still used the Soviet ruble for really beautiful. In 2008, the hryvnia was acknowledged as one of the five
a while. This was soon replaced with its own currency, called karbovanets most beautiful currencies in the world by an aesthetics committee at the
or coupons. During the period of economic instability following the col- International Finance Bank (IFB). V. N.
lapse of the Soviet Union, the karbovanets depreciated so quickly that, in
1996, it was abandoned for another currency altogether. That’s how the
hryvnia appeared. The National Bank of Ukraine began exchanging old kar-
bovanets for hryvnia at a rate of 100,000 to 1.
The word “hryvnia” has an ancient origin. In 11th-15th century Rus’ (#9), it
was the name of the currency and a unit of weight, just like the mark in
western Europe. Over time, there were several types of silver hryvnia, one
of which was the Kyiv hryvnia. It contained 140-160 grams of silver and had
a specific hexagonal shape. However, across Rus’, the Novgorod hrynvia
was more popular – long silver bars weighing about 204 grams.
But, in fact, the word “hryvnia” is even older; it was the name of a piece of
jewelry, made in the form of a hoop from thick, often twisted, silver, gold,
bronze, or iron wire, that was worn around the nape (“zahrivke”) of the
neck. This hryvnia could also be in the form of a necklace, when many disks
4
State language
of Ukraine
Ukrainian Language
The Ukrainian language belongs to the Slavic group and is closest to Belaru-
sian and Russian, with which it shares one origin, the Old Russian language.
The name “Ukrainian language” was formed in the 20th century. Prior to this,
in the Middle Ages, when a significant part of the Ukrainian lands was ruled
by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, it was called “Russian,” while the
language of Russia was “Moscow” or, later, “Russian.” After the reunification
of the Ukrainian lands with Russia, the language was called “Malorussian”
(“Little Russian”), in the sense that it comes from “maloy” (“little”), that is,
the original Kyivan Rus’ (#9) (it is only in modern times that the word “little”
began to denote a smaller, less significant part).
There are two main periods in the history of the Ukrainian language: Old
Ukrainian, which was used from the 15th to the late 17th century; and the new
one, from the end of the 17th century to the present. The foundations of the
literary Ukrainian language were laid by Ivan Kotlyarevsky, author of the
famous poem “Eneyida.” Taras Shevchenko (#31) had the greatest influence
on the development of the language.
The Ukrainian alphabet is based on Cyrillic, and the spelling of words is the
same throughout the modern country. However, it should be remembered
that Western Ukraine was ruled by Poland, Austria-Hungary, the Czech
Republic, and Romania until 1939, and the dialects of the western regions
differ significantly from the eastern ones in their pronunciation and vocabu-
lary, including many borrowings from Western languages. V. U.
5
Hetman’s mace, symbol
of the warrior-ruler
Bulava
There are several symbols of power that are given to the Ukrainian
President on inauguration day: the Presidential Standard of the Ukrai-
nian Flag, the Presidential Sign (collar), the Seal of the President of
Ukraine, and the Bulava (Mace) of the President of Ukraine.
Although it is not used as a weapon, the weight of the silver presi-
dential mace is 750 g (1.65 lbs), which is as heavy as ones that were
used as weapons in the Middle Ages. The round part, the so-called
“apple,” is decorated with 64 precious stones in gold plating. The
handle has a secret – a three-edged blade that ejects when a special
button is pressed. On the blade is engraved the Latin “Omnia rever-
tutur” (“Everything returns”).
The mace is an ancient symbol of power, used by many nations, such
as Poland, Russia, and Turkey. In Ukraine, it was wielded by hetmans,
colonels, and atamans of the Zaporizhzhya Sich (the union of Cos-
sack military camps in the 16th-18th centuries). It was used as a weap-
on for thousands of years, but its widest use was in the 13th-17th
centuries with the development of the king’s cavalry. Later, though,
it lost its practical usage.
Every tourist can feel a bit like a Ukrainian hetman by buying a decora- Some decorative wooden
tive wooden mace. They are sold in all the souvenir shops or on Andriivskyi maces have many spikes, reminiscent
Uzviz in Kyiv. V. N. of the famous Morgenstern maces
from western Europe
6
The most important
date in the history of
the Ukrainian state
Independence Day
Independence Day of Ukraine, the main state holiday of the country, is cele-
brated annually on August 24. This is the date of the birth of modern Ukraine.
Initially, Independence Day was celebrated on July 16; the Verkhovna Rada
of the Ukrainian SSR adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty of
Ukraine on this day in 1990. The first proposals for introducing the na-
tional currency (#3) and reforming the army were considered in the Ukrai-
nian parliament; these signs of statehood allowed establishing indepen-
dent diplomatic and partnership relations with other countries.
On August 24, 1991, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Declaration of
Independence of Ukraine and called for a nationwide referendum on
December 1 of the same year. The people voted for independence. Along with
the referendum, elections were held for the first president of Ukraine; Leonid
Kravchuk was elected. In 1992, the Verkhovna Rada decided to celebrate
August 24 as a state holiday.
The country’s birthday is celebrated throughout Ukraine: official events, lectures,
film screenings, exhibitions, concerts, flash mobs are held. In Kyiv, on Maidan
Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square), the best artists and musicians perform, and
a parade is held, where you can see the latest military equipment. In the evening,
there are many entertaining events: concerts, festivals, light shows.
In 2016, a unique record was set at the National Museum of Folk Architec-
ture and Life of Ukraine: the world’s largest Ukrainian flag (#1) was made
with live flowers (in honor of National Flag Day, which precedes Indepen-
dence Day on August 23). N. S.
7
The most popular plant
of Ukrainian folklore
Kalyna
The slender kalyna bush (high bush cranberry) with heavy clusters of
bright red berries has long been considered a symbol of Ukraine itself. It
is used everywhere in modern Ukrainian design, representing faithful-
ness to traditions, a bond of generations.
Kalyna is very beautiful. In spring, its white flowers are visible from afar
and are distinguished by their tenderness and fragrant aroma. The red
berries, which disappear after the first frost, have a bitter taste but heal-
ing properties; the stones are like small scarlet hearts.
The name comes from the color of its ripe berries, as if scorched in a
flame, it is a “fire berry.” Curiously, boiling them removes the heat.
Kalyna is a symbol of love, in all its guises. Wedding tables are deco-
rated with its leaves and bunches of berries or blossoms; wedding
korovai (special loaves of bread) are adorned with kalyna branches
made out of dough, and girls wear wreath-crowns made with them.
But it also expresses sadness and grief for those who have left us; it
is often planted on graves and embroidered on memorial towels. The
kalyna bush is an integral part of Petrykivka painting (#25), vyshy-
vanka (#22), etc. In decorative and applied arts, it is often depicted Kalyna is as popular in daily Ukrainian life as it is in art. It is used in
with birds, who eat its berries and bring messages to people from the healing teas and tinctures, which are wonderfully helpful for colds; it
afterworld. is good for the heart and the kidneys. Very tasty jelly and jams are
Of all the plants in Ukraine, kalyna is the most glorified. The oak, sym- made from it, and it can be ground with sugar. Also popular are pies
bolizing man, a beau, a warrior, is really not second to it, as the kalyna, and purees with kalyna, and kulaga, a malt-flour mixture with kalyna
correspondingly, is a symbol of woman, a sweetheart, and a mother. and honey. V. U.
8
A stork on the roof means
happiness in the home
Storks
Storks live in western and central Ukraine. Ukrainians love them very
much, thinking of them as a symbol of family prosperity and a herald of
spring. Some even believe that, after death, the soul of a good person turns
into a stork, and that’s why it won’t build a nest above the home of a bad
person. There are many folk beliefs connected with this bird. For example,
if the storks arrive early, then the summer will be warm.
Storks have always loved to settle near people, choosing roofs, telephone
poles, chimney tops, and other high places for their nests. However, in the
last few decades, they more often choose trees.
A stork nest can be seen from far away, as it is very big. Located well and
constantly replenished, the nest can be used by birds for a extremely long
time – decades or even centuries.
A stork is a large bird. Its body is about 1 m (3 ft) or a bit longer; its wing-
span reaches up to 2 m (6.5 ft). An adult stork can weigh 4 kg (8.8 lbs). On
average, they live about 20 years.
Since it is a marsh bird, its favorite foods are related: frogs, toads, snakes,
and vipers. But it can also eat large insects, earthworms, lizards, mice, or
any other small animal. While searching for food, storks walk slowly, but
as soon as one sees its prey, it demonstrates an enviable agility. bit later, in September. Ukrainian storks migrate to central or sou
Usually, a female stork lays 2 to 5 eggs, and both the female and male thern Africa. In the spring, they come back north to their nests.
take turns on the nest for just over a month. Chicks grow fast and are If for some reason a bird cannot fly away for the winter, a certain death
already independent after 70 days. At the end of August, driven by awaits it. To survive, the stork will typically settle in a villager’s yard. P
eople
instinct, they fly away to warm lands. Their parents will do the same a feed it, and by the springtime, it goes back into the wild again. V. N.
9
Golden Age of the
Ukrainian capital
Kyivan Rus’
Kyivan Rus’ is traditionally called the state of Eastern Slavs, which origi-
nated in Europe in the 9th century with its center in Kyiv (#51). However,
the concept of Kyivan Rus’ came into use only in the 19th century, and
contemporaries called it simply Rus’.
The first mention of Kyivan Rus’ dates back to the 830s, when its ambas-
sadors arrived in the Byzantine and Frankish empires. The state emerged
on the famous trade route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” – from the
Baltic Sea through Eastern Europe to Byzantium. According to the “Tale of
Bygone Years,” the oldest of the chronicle sources that have come down to
us, in the second half of the 9th century, three Varangian brothers were
called here to reign: Rurik, Sineus and Truvor. Historians are divided about
the next stage. Some believe that the state was founded by Prince Oleg, between the prince-heirs became. According to the law, the oldest
regent for Rurik’s son Igor, who seized Kyiv in 882 and united the East Slav ascended to the throne, the second oldest received Chernihiv, and the
and Finnic tribes. Others believe that the date should be set from the time whole hierarchy shifted around them. Therefore, power passed not from
of princes Askold and Dir, that is, 20 years earlier. But it is indisputable father to eldest son, but from nephews to uncles, from brother to brother,
that Kyivan Rus’ reached its peak under the reign of the Rurik dynasty leading to murder, war, and intrigue between families. As a result, by the
princes: Vladimir the Great (#40), who introduced Christianity in Rus’; middle of the 13th century, the state had been significantly weakened,
Yaroslav the Wise (#41), who brought economic and political prosperity; breaking up into 15 principalities, who constantly clashed about the ques-
and their heirs. This time, which saw the construction of the most famous tion of the Grand Prince’s throne. That was, ultimately, the cause for defeat
cathedrals, including the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (#79) and St. Sophia (#78), during the Mongol invasion and the establishment of the Tatar Yoke. Kyiv
is celebrated in sagas and folk legends. was burned by the Mongols in 1240, exactly when, in fact, the history of
The richer and more powerful Kyivan Rus’ became, and the stronger Kyiv Kyivan Rus’ ends. The struggle for Kyiv continued afterwards, but only
grew and increased its influence, the more intense the internal struggle because it had great symbolic significance. V. U.
10 of Hetman Bohdan K hmelnytsky (#46), completely changed the his-

tory of Ukraine by leading to reunification with Russia.
The glory days of the Ukrainian Cossacks were in the 17th-18th centuries.
They had a huge impact on the culture and traditions that have survived
to our time (see “Ukrainian Baroque” #24), as well as on social and
political life. The Cossacks were disbanded by Empress Catherine II, but
Ukrainian symbol the word “Cossack” remained a symbol of the people’s defender, a
of chivalry synonym for freedom and independence. V. U.
Proud, militant, and independent,

the Cossacks were distinguished by
unrestrained courage and heroism,
Cossacks which became the proverbial

“Cossack bravery”
Initially, the concept of “Cossacks” meant an independent armed

population in sparsely populated territories, and this still exists in
different countries, like Russia, Poland, and Belarus. Ukrainian
Cossacks formed around the middle of the 15th century on the territory
between the banks of the Dnipro (#56) and Don rivers. However, it is
traditionally associated with Zaporizhian Sich, with its center in the
Sich fortress, constructed by Prince Baida Vyshnevetsky on the island
of Malaya Khortytsya (#64).
Zaporizhian Cossack, or Zaporozhets, is already a common name, a col-
lective image, most vividly manifested in the legendary figure of Mamay
(#19): a warrior without fear and reproach, a carouser and a merry fel-
low, an able and mean fighter, philosophical about life and death, a loyal
comrade. These Cossack attributes remain unchanged: a shaved head
with a long forelock on top (“oselededets”), baggy red trousers (“sharo-
vary”), a curved saber at his side, and a rich silk caftan (“zupan”).
The Cossacks were engaged in military craft: they were hired by for-
eign sovereigns, including in the service of Cardinal Mazarin under
the command of Prince Conde; made independent sorties under the
leadership of their commanders against the Crimean Tatars and
Turks; sailed high-speed “seagull” vessels on the Black Sea (#58) and
attacked the fleets of the Ottoman Empire; fought under the banner
of the Polish kings and against the Polish-Lithuanian Common-
wealth, repeatedly raising revolts. One of them, under the leadership
11 Chumaks were associated with

romance, adventure, and travel.
No wonder this topic has inspired
many artists and writers
Merchants, shippers,
and warriors
Chumaks
Chumaks were merchants who transported a variety of goods to Ukraine from
the Black (#58) and Azov Seas (#59), including fish, wine, and the most impor-
tant product, salt. They did business with the Turks, Serbs, Poles, Crimean
Tatars, and Zaporizhzhya Sich, whose economy largely depended on them.
Before the advent of railways, they were the main commercial shippers.
The road from Ukraine to the south was long and dangerous, so a large team Chumaks spent a lot of time on the
was assembled – a “valka,” like a Middle Eastern caravan, with no less than road, stopping for the night under the
40 wagons. The massive, sturdy, and very strong “mazhi” (carts) could hold open sky. Alone between heaven and
up to 60 poods (about a ton) of salt. Two or four long-horned oxen of a spe- earth, at one with the universe, they
cial Bessarabian breed were yoked to them. Along the way, Tatar and Cos- rather seemed to contemporaries to
sack bands or simple robbers invariably attacked, so they were well armed be wandering sorcerers, and special
and ready to fight back against any enemy. In addition, mercenaries were knowledge was attributed to them
hired to accompany the valka, one for every four carts. They were paid from
8 to 10 rubles in silver for their work. If the chumaks were attacked, they put
the carts in a circle, forming a “camp,” and fought off the enemy outside the
walls of this improvised fortress. The most experienced ataman (Cossack
leader) who knew the road well led the caravan.
Some think that the word “chumak” has Turkic roots and denotes a mace
or one who carries it. However, Ukrainian legend has it that the name
comes from the practice of smearing clothes with tar to ward off “chu-
ma,” the plague.
The Ukrainian name for the Milky Way, Chumatsky Shlyakh (Chumak Road),
is testament to the significance of chumaks in Ukraine. V. U.
12 The height of Trypillian culture was

between 5,500 and 2,750 years BCE
Most ancient
culture in Ukraine
Trypillia
Surprisingly, thousands of years ago, at the turn of the Stone and
Bronze Ages, on the territory of modern Ukraine there already
existed mega-settlements for the time, so called proto-cities.

According to different historians, from 10,000 to 24,000 people
could live there.
In 1893, self-taught archeologist Vikentiy Khvoyka (born Čeněk Chvojka)
discovered the first ancient settlement in Kyiv. Soon after, others
were discovered, including a large one in the village Trypillia, which ttention is drawn to an unusual, binocular-type “lamp.” We can
a
is 50 km (31 mi) from the Ukrainian capital. The culture got its name only guess how it was used.
from this village and today is called Trypillian. In the late 19th cen- Trypillians led a settled way of life. Besides hunting and gathering,
tury, similar settlements were found in Romania and Austro-Hungary. they reared livestock and practiced slash-and-burn agriculture, char-
But only in the 20th century did scientists understand that it was the acteristic of forest areas: to clear land for planting, trees were first
same culture, stretching from the Carpathians (#57) in the west to slashed (they damaged the bark at the bottom, so the tree would
the Dnipro River (#56) in the east. wither), then set it afire. Crops were harvested for five to seven years,
So, who were these people and how did they live? Trypillians were then the land was used for hay or pasture for another 10-12 years.
skilled potters. We have learned about their existence mainly be- When all the nearby land was exhausted, Trypillians moved to an-
cause of their well-preserved ceramics – all kinds of pots, plates, other place. First, though, in a special ritual, they burned their “city.”
figurines, and even clay models of their dwellings. Among the arti- Half a century later, forest would be growing again in that area, as if
facts, which are widely represented in Ukrainian museums, our nothing had ever been there.
We need to understand that Trypillian was not a nationality (we don’t
even know for sure who they were), and they are not ancestors of
Kyiv Regional Archaeological Museum
today’s Slavic people, including Ukrainians. But their history, no
12 Heroes of Trypillya St. doubt, is part of the history of the Ukrainian land. V. N.
50.1259827
30.7739479 village Trypillya, Kyiv region
13
Legendary gold
antique ornament
Pectoral
In the Kyiv Museum of Historical Treasures, which is in the Kyiv
Pechersk Lavra (#79), a unique object is displayed for everyone – a
large golden pectoral, more than 30 cm (12 in) in diameter, weighing
1,140 g (40.4 oz). Historians say that this neckpiece, impressive for its
beauty and the quality of craftsmanship, was created in the 4th century
BCE by Greek jewelers at the request of a powerful and rich represen-
tative of one of the Scythian tribes. It was discovered in 1971 among
hundreds of other precious objects during archaeological excavations
of Tolstaya Burial Mound in Dnipropetrovsk oblast. The pectoral, as we
see in the photo, is an intricate composition with three friezes. Experts
differ about the interpretation of the motifs here: some see everyday
and mythological scenes, and some believe it is a Scythian version of
the Golden Fleece legend. One thing is for sure: many jewelry tech-
niques had to be used to create this pectoral, including wax model
casting, wire-drawing, and filigree.
The most famous Scythian in history was Anacharsis, a scholar and
philosopher of royal origin, who came to Athens during the time of
Solon. He is credited with many wise sayings, as well as the invention
of the anchor and improvements to the potter’s wheel and sail. He was
ranked among the Seven Sages, the most revered ancient Greek
thinkers and politicians and was the only “barbarian” (foreigner)

awarded this honor. V. N., V. U.
14
Ukraine’s white gold
Sugar Beets
It was only in 1747 that the German scientist Andreas Marggraf real-
ized that sugar, which until then had been obtained only from sugar-
cane, is also contained in garden beets. Scientists quickly cultivated
new varieties with sugar content reaching 20%. By the early 19th cen-
tury, the sugar beet had become one of the main crops grown in in-
dustrial quantities and one of the most profitable. So much, in fact,
that the first factories in Tsarist Russia were built by a relative of the
emperor, Count Bobrinsky. And the famous poet Apukhtin spoke at
the coronation of Nikolai I about the benefits of sugar beet cultiva-
tion and manufacture of granulated sugar.
The best conditions for growing this crop were in Ukraine (then
part of the Russian Empire). Of 214 sugar factories, 203 were located
here. In the first 30 years, Ukrainian sugar production increased a famous Ukrainian collector and patron of the arts. Besarabsky
115 times, making it second in the world, after Germany. The main market, the main one in the capital, was built by Lazar Brodsky. He
Ukrainian sugar manufacturers were Tereshchenko, Khanenko, also financed the construction of the Bacteriological Institute and the
Brodsky, and Kharitonenko. launch of trams in Kyiv. A monument to Bohdan Khmelnytsky (#46)
These same names are among the first mentioned when it comes to was built in Kyiv with financial support from Pavel Kharitonenko, as
the development of culture and science in Ukraine, as well as charity. well as a cadet corps in the Ukrainian city of Sumy. Not to mention the
Numerous hospitals, bridges, roads, tram depots, schools, churches, huge sums they allocated for scholarships to talented students, study
and museums were built with “sugar” money. The Museum of W estern abroad, medical treatment for the poor, etc.
and Eastern Art in Kyiv, admired far beyond the borders of Ukraine, is The quality of Ukrainian sugar is highly valued throughout the world.
named after its founders Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko. The Kyiv Brodsky was even awarded the French Legion of Honor for the high
Conservatory was opened with funds from Mikhail Tereshchenko, quality of his products. V. U.
15
First attempt at
independence
UNR & M. Hrushevsky

After the 1917 October Revolution and the overthrow of the Provisional
Government in the former Russian Empire, the Ukrainian People’s
Republic (abbreviated UNR in Ukrainian) was formed. Independence
was declared by the First Universal of the newly-formed government,
the Central Rada, in January 1918. Ukraine’s independence was recog-
nized by the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy), but
not by their opponents in the First World War, the Allied Powers (Russia,
Great Britain, and France).
The prominent Ukrainian historian, founder of Ukrainian scientific
historiography, Professor Mykhailo Hrushevsky was elected head of the
Central Rada. He was an ardent supporter of the formation of national
statehood, Ukraine receiving autonomy, and, subsequently, full indepen-
dence. Several months later, Hetman Skoropadsky, with the support of the
German and Austrian occupying forces, overthrew the People’s Republic
and announced the creation of the Ukrainian State. However, it lasted no
more than a year; Kyiv was taken by the Directorate’s troops, the hetman
fled, and the UNR was restored, albeit in a smaller area. It existed until
1920 and, after a series of coups, fell under the onslaught of Bolshevik
troops. The territory of the UNR was divided between the USSR, Poland,
some went to Romania, and some went to the Czech Republic. In 1931, he was accused of counter-revolutionary activities and arrested.
The fate of Mykhailo Hrushevsky was dramatic. In 1919, he went to Vienna, Soon after his release, he died in a sanatorium during a simple operation. In
but returned to Ukraine 5 years later to participate in the Ukrainization of the late 1930s, Hrushevsky’s works were banned in the USSR.
the republic. He was a professor and academician at Kyiv University (#84). The image of Mykhailo Hrushevsky is on the 50 hryvnia note. V. U.
16
Orange Revolution
and EuroMaidan
Maidan 2004 & 2013

All Ukrainian schoolchildren are taught a poem by Pavlo Tychyna with the
words “On the Maidan, there is a revolution near the church ...”. Therefore, the
first student protests in 1990, which went down in history as the Revolution
on Granite, had the unofficial name of Maidan. Students set up tents right on
the October Revolution Square, now Independence Square (in Ukrainian,
Maidan Nezalezhnosti). In 2004, when mass protests began in connection
with the fraudulent presidential election, tens of thousands of people came to
the Maidan. On the most extreme days, up to half a million people gathered
here. A permanent tent camp was established, field kitchens were set up, as
well as a stage on which not only protesters and members of the opposition
appeared, but also artists. Orange-colored symbols were widely used: ribbons,
bows, clothing, and even oranges. This revolution, culminating in the protes-
tor’s and revision of the vote results, is known as the Orange Revolution.
The 2013-2014 Revolution, which began with a student action due to Ukraine
not signing an agreement with the European Union, was called EuroMaidan.
In contrast to the non-violent actions of the authorities during the Orange
Revolution, the 2013 events took a dramatic turn. Dispersal of the tent camp
caused a mass protest in Kyiv, and then many other citizens came from all
around Ukraine, which led to clashes with police and special forces soldiers.
Protesters seized administrative buildings in the center of the capital, clashes
escalated, and eventually dozens of people were killed, now known as the
Heavenly Hundred. Then president Viktor Yanukovych fled the country and
an early presidential election was held. V. U.
17
Legacy of the
Soviet Union
Decommunization
From 1922 to 1991, Ukraine was a part of the USSR, with the official
name of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Despite the formally
proclaimed equality of all 15 Soviet republics, Ukraine was considered
the second most important and the most economically essential, the
so-called “breadbasket of the country” and “management factory.”
Thus, in terms of aggregate indicators, it produced about 4 times more
than the next republic (in various years, the different republics filled the
third position), and also supplied about 25-30% of agricultural products.
Ukrainian research institutes and enterprises played a key role in the
development of aeronautics, rocket technology, and nuclear energy.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine was the only
republic, except for Russia, that had its own nuclear weapons. It is also
noteworthy that Ukraine was one of the sovereign founders of the United
Nations and always had its own representative to it. When the USSR, the one-
party system, and the power of the Communist Party were abolished in
1990, Ukraine was one of the first to declare sovereignty and introduce
its own “parallel” money. On August 24, 1991, independence was de-
clared (#6), and on September 17, the name of the Ukrainian SSR was the “leader of the world’s proletariat” – the so-called “Leninopad” – have
eliminated from the Constitution. Five days before this, a huge monu- been eliminated. The last significant monument to Lenin in Kyiv was
ment to Lenin on Independence Square was dismantled. These were the demolished in 2013.
first acts of de-communization in the country. The city of Dnipropetrovsk, named after communist leader Petrovsky, was
As part of this process, in the early 1990s, textbooks were changed, streets renamed Dnipro in 2016. New names are being assigned or historic names
named for Communist leaders were re-named; numerous monuments to returned to metro stations, streets, and other urban sites. V. U.
18 demonstration took place on this day in Soviet Ukraine, which work

teams attended, but with families and children. The traditional festive
day included posters and slogans, flowers (daffodils and tulips), and a lot
of balloons. After the parade, groups decided either to go to an outdoor
spot, or, if it was cold, to a restaurant. Gifts are not given on May Day and
Days of joy no magnificent table is set. It is, rather, a day of alcoholic beverages. The
modern May 1 has lost its ideological encumbrance and has, instead,
and renewal become one of the traditional first picnics of the year.
May 9, Victory Day, is special. This is a “holiday with tears in its eyes.” It
is associated with the worst war in history, and those who know it first-
hand are still alive. This holiday acquired special significance in 1965,
when it was declared a non-working day; a military parade was held for
the first time then. This is the day when veterans meet; special pro-
Spring Holidays grams are shown on TV, films and concerts dedicated to the war. Families
went to the Eternal Glory monument and the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier, lay flowers at the Eternal Flame and gave bouquets to veterans,
Ukraine is a southern country with a mild and warm climate. Spring here both known and those simply encountered on the street. May 9 is still an
comes early most often, and gratifies with good weather. important holiday for citizens of independent Ukraine, after all, this
Thus, May holidays are traditionally loved by Ukrainians as an opportu- event affected the destiny of everyone, without exception. V. U.
nity to spend a day off in nature. Although, of course, every holiday has
its own characteristics.
International Women’s Day, on March 8, was declared a holiday in
1966 and since then has gained immense popularity. On the eve of the
holiday, colleagues congratulated women, and at companies and orga-
nizations there was a non-working air. Men always gave ladies flowers,
most often, mimosa, and this unwritten rule was observed even by
schoolchildren. At home, the day was celebrated even more magnifi-
cently: it was customary to set a holiday table and invite guests. Women,
regardless of age, should receive gifts. Girls got dolls or other toys; adult
women received perfume and cosmetics. On this day, there was a festive
program on TV. This practice remains to this day on March 8, well into
the 21st century. The difference is that the current generation of Ukrai-
nians often prefer to celebrate not around the home table, but in a cafe
or restaurant. As for flowers and gifts, the only difference is that the
choice has become much broader, and each can choose a gift according
to their own taste and income.
The International Day of Workers’ Solidarity, May 1, has been the friend-
ly name of May Day since Soviet times. This is the time of the first sunny
days, the first greenery and recreation in the open air. The May Day
19 Mamay is as common in Ukrainian homes as icons. Since gaining inde-

pendence, sculptures in his honor began to appear in different cities
around the country, and in 2001, a monument to Cossack Mamay was
erected in Kyiv on Independence Square (#6). V. U.
The classic image of

a Cossack Knight
Cossack Mamay
Cossack Mamay is a fictional character from Ukrainian legends and
historical songs. In Ukraine, he plays the same role as the famous
Captain J. Flint in Europe or the American cowboy Buffalo Bill – an
image immediately appears when you hear the name.
Mamay is a Cossack (#10). His motto is “I am Cossack Mamay – do not
touch me.” He is fearless, funny, with a devil-may-care attitude. He’s a
carouser and drunkard, but can be cruel and merciless. He is a symbol
of the Ukrainian people’s freedom and independence.
Mamay is often portrayed sitting cross-legged and playing a stringed
instrument, the kobza or bandura (#28). He has a shaved head with a
long ponytail on top (an “oselededets”), and he wears baggy trousers
(“sharovary”) with a saber on his belt. Next to him stands a horse,
behind him is an oak tree, close by is a flask with horilka (#96) and
some food. Sometimes behind him slain enemies are depicted, or
weapons, or beautiful maidens. Each character or object in the picture
appears for a reason, they are symbols. A horse means loyalty, an oak
means power. But the lance and flask with horilka represent death;
these items were put in Cossack graves.
Mamay is depicted this way in paintings and ceramic dishes, embroi-
dered on carpets, painted on houses and walls, and even on beehives.
His name, however, is not Ukrainian – it is associated with the name of
one of the most famous Golden Horde khans, Mamai. But this does not
prevent him from being a national hero. It’s possible that the image of
20
Ukraine – land of
good witches
Witches & Lysa Hills

The fact that Ukrainian women are witches was recognized by the
world with the nimble hand of Alexander Pushkin and Nikolai Gogol
(#36). If you look in any of the most well-known Russian language
dictionaries, you can find that the word “kyivitsa” (from the city of
Kyiv) means a witch, a sorceress. “A witch is known, I think, to every-
one, even though she is actually found in Ukraine, and Lysa Hill near
Kyiv serves as a gathering place of all the witches to observe their
Sabbath at night ...” the compiler of one dictionary wrote in another
of his works about folk omens and superstitions.
It is also believed that in Kyiv alone there are thirteen Lysa (Bald)
Hills, where evil spirits gather on the Sabbath, and there are hundreds
of them all over Ukraine. These places completely match the name –
no trees grow on them, and the peak of these hills is a bald spot.
Some jokingly, and some quite seriously, believe that these are mys-
tical places with a special force, gateways to the spiritual world.
However, another possibility should be considered. Women who the famous loving and merry Solokha from Gogol’s story. More
have secret knowledge that they have inherited from their grand- often they symbolize female beauty and sexual attractiveness, as
mothers and great-grandmothers, healers, are traditionally considered well as deep knowledge of the secrets of n ature. They are asked for
to be witches in Ukraine. And here is a special relationship to them. help and advice. Truly evil sorceresses are rarely found in folk tales
In contrast to medieval Europe, witches were treated with respect and traditions, and anyone can counter them.
in Ukraine, and sometimes with humor. They were never pursued, “Any witch,” one Cossack (#10) instructs another, “has such a
there was no “witch hunt,” even in the darkest times. A witch’s small tail. All you have to do is pour salt on it, and the witch
house was always within a village; they led an active social life, like immediately admits defeat.” V. U.
21
Beloved hero of
Ukrainian fairy tales
Kotyhoroshko
The most good-natured of Ukrainian fairy tale heroes came into the
world because his mother ate a pea that was rolling along the road.
Hence, his name is Kotyhoroshko (rolling pea), which in the original
sounds like “kotytsia horoshok.” Having grown up in three days, he
looks no different from anyone else. According to him, his gigantic
power is imperceptible. But it is this power that makes everyone
jealous, both his fellow villagers and the brothers he freed from a ser-
pent’s prison (as a many-headed dragon is called in Ukraine). The
brothers coveted glory and the serpent’s treasure, and they tried to
kill Kotyhoroshko with a cunning trick. Leaving the serpent’s gold
with an ungrateful family, he sets off again and encounters three
magic warriors – Vernydub, Vernyhora, and Krutyvus – with whom he
has various adventures. His mighty brothers cannot resist a new
enemy, a cruel old wizard. Only Kotyhoroshko can descend into the ever-changing sheepskin cap (ukrainian national men's headdress,
n
underworld, defeat him, and free the princess. Our hero is not only like a karakul) on his head, and an iron bulava (mace) (#5) in his hands,
strong, but also shrewd. He realizes that the brothers are deceitful, which no one but he can lift. He is good-natured, but not stupid; cou-
and therefore avoids the death trap they set up. In the underworld, rageous, but peaceful; patient, but not forever; forgiving, but does not
the hero rescues a huge bird’s chicks from a terrible torrent, and, in forget; he never gives up and treats everything with humor. This is the
gratitude, she brings him to the surface. The tale has a happy ending: Ukrainian national temperament, which is why the character is so
Kotyhoroshko forgives the traitors and marries the rescued princess. popular in the country: cartoons are made about him, they draw
The image of Kotyhoroshko is one of the most recognizable in Ukrai- comics, contests and candies are named after him. And recently two
nian folklore. He is stocky, squat, and strong, like a pea, a symbol of monuments were erected in Kyiv to the boy who beat the Serpent: in
the life-giving forces of nature, prosperity and fertility. He has an the center of the city and in the Obolon’ district. V. U.
22 The beauty of Ukrainian embroidery

can only compete with the beauty of
Ukrainian girls
Ukrainian men’s and

women’s national shirt
Vyshyvanka
“Vyshyvanka” is a modern word for a traditional shirt with embroidery. In
olden times, these shirts were made of hand-woven linen and decorated with
embroideries characteristic not only for a particular region of Ukraine, but
specific even to a village. It took a craftswoman from a couple of weeks to
several months to make one vyshyvanka. Traditional embroidery patterns
originate from pagan culture; it was not just a decorative ornament, but
rather symbols designed to protect its owner from evil spirits. It is unusual,
but in the old days, embroidery was not made by cross-stitch. It came to
Ukraine from Europe only in the 19th century, thanks in large part to Brocard,
which used packaging with embroidery patterns for perfumery products. At
the turn of the 20th century, embroidery “comes off” the traditional folk
costume, and many urban residents begin to wear it in combination with
modern clothing. One of the first to combine a vyshyvanka with a European
suit was writer Ivan Franko (#33). He is memorialized in this outfit on the
20-hryvnia banknote. Subsequently, vyshyvankas experienced several peaks
of popularity: in the 1920s and 30s, in the 1950s and 1960s (thanks in large
part to the head of the USSR Nikita Khrushchev, who regularly wore a vyshy-
vanka), and today, on the wave of growing national identity. In recent years,
vyshyvanka has become so popular in Ukraine that not only shirts are adorned
with it, but also household items, jewelry, and even cars. You can buy a
vyshyvanka – a distinctive Ukrainian souvenir – not only in stores, but also
on Andriyivsky Descent, in the center of Kyiv.
Vyshyvanka Day is celebrated on May 17th. V. N.
23
Traditional antique
Easter table decoration
Pysanka
Pysanka (from the word “pysaty,” to paint or decorate) is a Ukrainian Christ” because red symbolizes the blood of Jesus. However, there is an
Easter egg, decorated with traditional symbols using wax and dyes opinion, though not yet proven by scholars, that pysanka and krashanka
(natural or artificial). are traditional pagan symbols. In pre-Christian times, Slavic peoples
Pysanka is made using the shell of a raw chicken egg. First, a pencil associated eggs with the spring revival of nature and fertility.
sketch of the desired pattern is drawn on the empty egg. Then beeswax Pysanka is so popular in Ukraine that even a special museum was opened
is melted in a small jar, and it is used to draw lines over the outlines with in Kolomyia. It has more than 12,000 Easter eggs and other decorated
the help of a special pencil-like tool called a “pysachok.” The egg is next eggs from all over Ukraine and other parts of the world. V. N.
dipped into dye, placed in an oven, and then the melted wax is removed.
The parts which were covered by wax remain undyed, thus showing a
pattern of white lines.
A pysachok is a unique tool with a wooden handle and a metal, usually
copper or brass, cone-reservoir to hold melted wax. For better heat
retention, the cone is often further wrapped in metal wire. The diameter
of the cone opening depends on the artist’s preferences and varies from
0.3 to 0.7 mm.
In Ukraine, just like in other eastern European countries, the easiest-to-
make decorated Easter eggs are most common. For example, “krashanky”
(from “krasyty,” to dye) is a hard-boiled egg dyed in onion peel, which
turns it a reddish-brown color. For other colors, instead of onion, use
beet juice (for pink and burgundy), birch leaves (for yellow-green), nettle
or spinach (for green), oak bark (for black), and others.
In the Orthodox Church, it is believed that a brightly decorated egg is a
symbol of the Holy Spirit and the rebirth of believers by “the blood of
24 However, it should be remembered that Cossack Baroque is not only

an architectural style. It left a mark on all art of the Cossack era. This
includes the literature of that time: epic poems and Ukrainian legends
of knights – after all, the Cossacks called themselves knights, as well
as printed books with identifiable design and illustrations. Most of the
Pearl of Ukrainian art ceremonial portraits of hetmans, high clergy, and Cossack foremen are
painted in this style – in magnificent attire, with an abundance of
and architecture bright rich colors (particularly red and gold), and essential allegorical
elements and symbols. It was reflected in decorative and applied arts,
from embroidery to ceramics. And the most prominent representative
of the late Cossack Baroque in literature and philosophy was Grigory
Skovoroda (#34). V. U.
Ukrainian Baroque Main church of the Trinity Monastery

in Chernihiv (constructed between
The word baroque comes from the Portuguese “perrola barroca” 1679 and 1695)
(“a flawed pearl”) and means a fantastical, eccentric interpretation of
the classical tradition, using unusual elements. Ukrainian Baroque is
also commonly called Cossack (#10). It emerged and reached its
highest peak in the lands of the Zaporizhian Sich in the 17th-18th cen-
turies, combining the traditions of European baroque and national
motifs. Widespread use of this style in architecture and painting be-
gins with the time of Kyiv Metropolitan Petro Mohyla, founder of the
Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, from which architect Ivan Grigorovich-Barsky
graduated, one of the best Ukrainian Baroque designers. And the style
was developed under Hetman Mazepa (#45), who financed the con-
struction and restoration of many cathedrals, not only in the capital,
but throughout Ukraine.
One of the classic examples of this architectural style is St. Michael’s
Golden-Domed Cathedral in Kyiv (destroyed in the 1930s and recon-
structed from ancient drawings in the 1990s, after Ukraine gained
independence). But the most striking and vivid, quintessential example
of Cossack Baroque is the Bell Tower Gate in St. Sophia Cathedral (#78):
on the inside are images of two angels in Cossack trousers.
8 Triohsviatytelska St., Kyiv

50.455538
Maidan Nezalezhnosti
M1 M2 M3
30.521627
25
UNESCO Intangible
Cultural Heritage
Petrykivka Painting
This unique folk art developed out of the tradition of Ukrainian baroque fairly
recently (in the 18th and early 19th centuries), and is associated with the heyday
of the Cossacks (#10). These bright, colorful, and brilliant drawings – with
elements mostly of fruit and floral decoration, less often with images of fantas-
tic birds – decorated Ukrainians’ houses, their household items, dishes, towels,
clothes, and even sleighs and beehives. Its current name comes from the village
of Petrykivka, which is not far from Dnipro (formerly Dnipropetrovsk). In 1936-
1941, village teacher Alexander Statyva organized the Petrykivka School of
Decorative Arts, which breathed new life into the ancient folk art. After the war,
Petrykivka painting experienced a revival, with the renewed popularity of dec-
orating wood and porcelain, glass and leather. Modern artists paint on jewelry,
fabric, shoes – almost anything – adding a distinctive look.
The artist’s imagination is not limited by anything, not by choice of image, by
paints, or by materials. Petrykivka painting is done in watercolor and oil,
vegetable paints, colored clay and gouache, acrylic and tempera. It is drawn
with homemade brushes (especially popular are ones made from cat fur),
pipettes, styluses, sticks, and even fingers. Unlike many other traditional paint-
ing styles, almost any background is acceptable – from black or bright color to
pure white. Each artist has his own distinctive recognizable style. U
nfortunately,
the Petrykivka painting factory closed back in 2006. Today there is a Folk Art
Center in Petrykivka, which produces souvenirs, but most artists familiar with
the technique live throughout Ukraine and work in their own studios. Their art
can be bought in special stores, at fairs, and on the Internet. V. U.
26
Unique painting style
of Kyivan Rus’
Vasylkiv Majolica
Although the name “Vasylkiv majolica” and the factory that produced it
appeared relatively recently, in 1928, the technique used by artists is
actually ancient. The best examples belong to the times of Kyivan Rus’
(#9), from the 10th and 11th centuries. This is really an authentic Ukrai-
nian technique of hand painting on clay, which developed and became
widespread throughout Ukraine. There are similar elements in neigh-
boring countries, but they never became a separate art form.
This technique is called flyandrivka. What is it? It is a technique where the
artist paints a piece of raw clay that has not yet been fired, not with paints,
but with liquid clays (engobes), either of natural colors or slightly tinted
with natural pigments. Despite the apparent simplicity, this technique
requires masterly skill. The piece is rotated on a potter’s wheel. The artist
must choose the perfect moment, when the clay dries out enough that it
can be written on, but is not completely dry. Engobes must be selected and
prepared in advance; there can be no sketches or outlines on the ceramic
with this technique, the drawing is only in the artist’s imagination. The
item must be painted very quickly, since both the engobes and the base dry
swiftly. There is no room for errors. It is most difficult to paint plates: the
final design resembles waves, the sun, or other patterns which cannot be
reproduced a second time. The painted vessel is placed in a kiln, and after
firing, dull colors acquire a bright, saturated hue. Choosing dishes made in
the Vasylkiv majolica technique, for a souvenir, you can be sure that you are
holding in your hands a unique piece of art. V. U.
27
Ukraine’s most
famous fair
Sorochyntsi Fair
The Sorochyntsi Fair became known to the entire reading world
thanks to Nikolai Gogol (#36), who exalted it in his famous novel of simultaneously in several places, and many of his favorite charac-
the same name. Now it is difficult to say what had the greater influ- ters. Visitors are guaranteed good purchases, a good mood, and
ence – whether the bright, joyful, extravagantly cheerful story made interesting photos. The fair is held annually in the village of Velyki
Sorochyntsi Fair so popular, or the inimitable color of the fair Sorochyntsi at the end of August and usually lasts 5 days. V. U.
“exuded through the text.” In any case, it was after the publication of
the collection “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka” that Sorochyntsi
became perhaps the main one among the many fairs of Tsarist Russia
of that time.
In the USSR, all fairs were banned in the late 1920s, but the Soro-
chyntsi Fair had been revived by the 1960s, again thanks to literary
fame. Today, it is one of the brightest and most popular events of its
kind in Ukraine, a half-entertainment-and-business event, half-
theatrical show, in which anyone can take part. You can buy any
goods here, both modern manufactured and handicrafts, food,
souvenirs, clothes, toys, and sweets, as well as try various national
dishes, listen to music, and participate in contests and raffles. All
vendors are dressed in national costumes, it is literally a “parade of
embroidered shirts” (#22). You can meet Gogol himself at the fair,
Velyki Sorochyntsi village

50.0192891
Poltava region
33.9251968
28
Most popular Ukrainian
folk instruments
Bandura & Tsymbaly

Outwardly more similar to lute instruments, the bandura is closer
characteristically to the harp – the musician does not press the strings,
but plucks them. However, banduras from the 18th and 19th centuries are
different from older and modern ones and are more like a kobza, a
plucked stringed-instrument that is a Ukrainian relative of the lute.
Therefore, to simplify the concept in a broader sense, the kobza is ranked
among banduras. A musician who plays the bandura is called a bandurist.
And kobzars, in the olden days, were called blind bandurists. But later
the word “kobzar” began to denote the creator and performer of folk
songs and “duma” (epic poems), who played the kobza, bandura, or,
occasionally, on the wheel lyre. After the publication of poetry collection
by Taras Shevchenko (#31) “Kobzar,” this word finally became a common
noun, and began to signify moral authority, the spiritual beginning of
the nation. In villages, it was believed that offending a kobzar meant
“incurring the wrath of the dead, the living, and the unborn.” The status
of kobza players (bandurists) can be compared with Greek bards, poets
like Homer or Scandinavian skalds.
The “tsymbaly” or dulcimer is an instrument widespread in Eastern
Europe. You play it by striking the strings with hammers or wooden sticks
with paddles on the ends. Since the tsymbaly was introduced into the
classical orchestra, folk and concert styles have disappeared. At one time,
itinerant tsymbaly players were so popular that the common surname
Zimbalist is known far beyond the borders of Ukraine. V. U.
29
Most famous Ukrainian
national dance
Hopak
In Spain, there’s flamenco; in Poland, there’s the polonaise; in Ukraine,
there is, of course, hopak.
Quickly achieving the status of National Dance of Ukraine, without
which no parties or festivities were possible before, and today no official
concerts, the hopak appeared in the Zaporizhzhya Sich in the 15th-16th
centuries. It is an improvisational dance, requiring uncommon dexteri-
ty, physical strength, and control of your body. It’s no wonder that only
men performed it in the Sich (#64). The hopak was a kind of duel with-
out martyrs, a dance combat in which the Cossacks showed each other
what they were capable of. The dance is characterized by complex moves
and stunning jumps, which provide fodder for subsequent tales about
the hopak battle. The Cossacks (#10), gathered in a circle, encouraged
the dancer or dancers with enthusiastic shouts of “hop!” and “hai!” Ensemble named after P. Virsky.” Any performance by this group
Hence the very name “hopak.” In the 18th century, when the Cossacks invariably ends with the classic hopak.
were wiped out, the dance did not lose its value, but the rules changed. There are special stage costumes for the dance. Men wear scarlet
Women also began to do it, but their part is mostly sentimental and only trousers with a wide belt, embroidered shirts (#22), and boots with
emphasizes the men’s performance. pointed toes; in other words, traditional Cossack attire. The women
Hopak is such an impressive dance that well-known composers like wear a festive folk outfit: red shoes, a headdress with ribbons, em-
Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky, and many others regu- broidered blouse, and “plakhta,” about 4 meters (13 ft) of unstitched
larly used it as a separate number in operas and ballets. fabric wrapped around the waist, like a skirt. Lavish plakhta are made
The modern Ukrainian classic hopak is the result of the work of the of silk and embroidered with gold and silver threads.
outstanding choreographer Pavlo Virsky, who, in 1937, created the In 2017, the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament of Ukraine) added the hopak
world-famous ensemble which is now called the “Ukrainian Dance to the list of national sports. V. U.
30 Corals were also attributed magical and healing properties; it was

believed that they bring good luck and wealth, and strengthen the gift of
foresight. And it’s no longer just a lovely fantasy, but the truth – a coral
really responds to its owner’s condition: it dulls when she is ill, and
“blooms” when she is healthy. A coral reacts especially quickly to heart
The most popular problems, it turns pale.
Well, for those who cannot afford real corals, imitations are sold at fairs,
jewelry for women made of resin, glass, or ceramic. Traditional reddish-brown necklaces
from cylindrical baked clay beads are still in fashion. And in recent
decades, large wooden lacquered beads have become popular. V. U.
Corals
A women’s necklace is a multifunctional thing: it is not only a beautiful
decoration, but also a status symbol, a magic talisman, a charm, and a
safe investment. No matter how long and large a necklace is, it certainly
falls on the solar plexus. The largest stone or pendant hangs in this spot,
protecting the owner from the evil eye and evil spells. Patterns, knots,
and braiding also have sacred meaning.
A Ukrainian woman’s formal attire is inconceivable without a magnifi-
cent necklace. The most popular of the many kinds of jewelry in Ukraine
has always been coral, which is called “the right necklace” or “the wise
necklace.” Coral necklaces were given in dowries, handed down, and
constantly refurbished with new thread. These beads were very expen-
sive, as they were brought from Venice.
The most affordable were considered “spiky” corals, thin unpolished
fragments of twigs shaped in a curved cylinder of faint colors; the most
expensive are large oval and cylindrical beads, “barrels” of bright red
color, so-called “meat” corals, which were often braided with silver. In
different regions of Ukraine, strands of corals were augmented with a
variety of ornaments – silver and glass beads, coins, images, crosses. The
richest women could have necklaces with as many as 25-30 strands,
decorated with coins and beads made of gold. A necklace like this was a
family heirloom and cost much more than many houses, and could save
the family from starvation and ruin in a difficult time. This kind of neck-
lace was listed as a separate item in wills.
31
Foremost Ukrainian
poet and writer
Taras Shevchenko
Portraits of Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861) can often be found in the
homes of ordinary Ukrainians. And this means that he is not just officially
designated, but, rather, is the true symbol of national identity.
Shevchenko was a serf (a slave), which forever determined his political
views and became the theme of many of his works. He soon showed a
talent for painting, and his master gave him to various teachers for train-
ing, wanting to make him a “household artist.” In St. Petersburg, out-
standing artists paid attention to Shevchenko and, after long negotia-
tions, bought his “freedom” for a huge amount of money at that time. He
entered the Academy of Arts and repeatedly received awards for his
paintings. In 1840, a collection of his poetry “Kobzar” was published,
which later became a second name for Shevchenko himself and the per-
sonification of the nation’s soul. In 1846, Shevchenko joined the Cyril
and Methodius Brotherhood, a secret anti-serf society that wanted to
unite the Slavic lands, with the center in Kyiv. A year later, he was arrested
and spent 10 years in exile as a private in military service in a remote
region, moreover, with the prohibition to write and draw. Subsequently,
the ban on painting was lifted. his renowned poem “Zapovit” (“Testament”), his body was transported
The petitions of influential metropolitan friends, including the vice to Kaniv, where now a monument to the poet rises on Chernechna Hill.
president of the Academy of Art, led to his release in 1857, and two years In Kyiv, a monument to Shevchenko stands opposite the National
later he received the title Academician in engraving. The last few years of University (#84), which bears his name. Picturesque works by the famous
his life did not bring him happiness, either in his personal relationships poet can be seen in the National Museum of Taras Shevchenko. The
or his creativity. He was buried in St. Petersburg, but then, according to image of the Kobzar is on the 100 hryvnia note. V. U.
32
The first woman classic
of Ukrainian literature
Lesya Ukrainka
Lesya Ukrainka (Larisa Kosach-Kvitka, 1871-1913) left the same mark on
Ukrainian literature as Jane Austen in English, and George Sand in French.
The multi-talented girl came from a very educated family: her uncle was
the famous Ukrainian historian Mykhailo Drahomanov, in whose house she
was raised as a child. Lesya Ukrainka was fluent in many European, includ-
ing Slavic, languages, and she knew Greek and Latin. Unfortunately, early
on she fell ill with an incurable disease, tuberculosis of the bone, and she
would undergo treatment throughout her entire life. Connected with this,
she journeyed abroad many times and also regularly traveled around
Crimea and the Caucasus. Because of her illness, the poetess removed the
bones from her hand, and she had to forget about her artistic and musical
career. But she was brought up as a very steadfast and courageous person:
Lesya Ukrainka used the forced travels to expand her knowledge. She is
known as a translator of European and Russian classics into the Ukrainian
language and a collector of folklore – more than 200 folk songs and medita-
tions have been recorded with her voice. However, Lesya Ukrainka’s fame
comes from her own works: plays, poems, poetry collections, and, above all,
one of the most recognized gems of her work, the drama-fairy tale “The
Forest Song.” This and her other works served as the basis for feature films
and cartoons, and are still included in the repertoires of theaters both in
Ukraine and abroad. Lesya Ukrainka died from her painful illness, but her
work is a hymn to life, love, and Ukraine.
The portrait of the poetess is on the 200 hryvnia note. V. U.
33
Thinker, writer, poet,
revolutionary
Ivan Franko
As Taras Shevchenko (#31) is considered the founder of Ukrainian
literature of Tsarist Russia, so Ivan Franko (1856-1916) was the premier
Ukrainian writer of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (which then included
the western part of Ukraine). His works were translated into many
languages during his lifetime, and he was nominated for the Nobel Prize
in 1915, but died before his candidacy was considered.
The son of a wealthy farmer, Franko showed a variety of talents from
very early on, which allowed him to graduate from the gymnasium and
enter Lviv University. There, the brilliant student became fascinated with
Ukrainian culture, began to collect folklore, and to publish in the maga-
zine “Druh” (“Friend”), which professed Russophile views. His anti-
Austrian stance led to imprisonment several times – in 1877, 1880, and
1889. However, like his distant American contemporary O. Henry, Ivan
Franko turned these impressions into the foundation for his literary
work, which soon brought him fame.
Franko changed the focus of his activities several times. In the mid-1880s,
he studied Old Russian and Ukrainian literature, received a doctorate in
history and philology from the University of Vienna, and produced many
scientific works. He was also a brilliant polyglot, a famous translator (he Throughout his life, he supported the national liberation of Ukraine.
spoke 14 languages), editor, columnist, and author of seven collections of Franko introduced a special style of wearing an embroidered shirt (#22)
poems and verses. All anthologies include his revolutionary poem “Kame- under his suitcoat, and his is depicted this way on the 20 hryvna note.
nyari” (“The Rock breakers”). Franko’s historical novel “Zakhar Berkut,” The Ukrainian city Ivano-Frankivsk (formerly Stanyslaviv) is named in
about the 13th century Mongol invasion, is very popular. his honor. V. U.
34 Shortly before his death, he handed over all his manuscripts to his be-
loved student. On his last day, anticipating the end, he washed, changed
into clean clothes, lay down, and died. He ordered an inscription to be
carve on his tombstone: “The world tried to catch me, but could not.”
Despite the fact that Grigory Skovoroda did not publish a single work
Wandering philosopher, during his life, his influence on his contemporaries and subsequent
generations, up to the figures of the Silver Age, was enormous. He also
dubbed “Ukrainian Socrates” wrote in multiple languages; thus, his treatises and discourses were writ-
ten in a mixture invented by him of Church Slavonic, Ukrainian, and
Russian. He wrote fables in Russian “pedantic” (the literary language of
the time), and poems and aphorisms, in Ukrainian.
The image of Grigory Skovoroda is on the 500 hryvnia bill. V. U.
Grigory Skovoroda
Grigory Skovoroda (1722-1794) was a major figure in Eastern Slavic cul-
ture, who had a significant impact on the development of philosophical
thought in several countries. He was the founder of Russian religious
philosophy, a Ukrainian poet and fabulist.
His father had Cossack roots, his mother was from a noble Tatar family,
whose descendants occupied high positions in St. Petersburg. Due to
this, Grigory was appointed court chorister. Having been educated at
the Kyiv Theological Academy, where, of all the teachers, the famous
traveler Barsky had the greatest influence on him. Having lived at the
royal court in Moscow and St. Petersburg for several years, he went to
Central Europe as part of the Russian mission, then traveled on his
own. It has been established that, in a few years, Skovoroda visited
Poland, Hungary, and Austria. According to less confirmed sources, he
also visited Italy and Prussia. After returning from abroad, he taught
for some time at the Kharkiv Collegium, but his free-thinking and dis-
obedience to either the spiritual or secular hierarchy led to a quick
dismissal. He did not return to teaching. He spent most of his life as a
wandering philosopher and theologian, traveling on foot throughout
the whole of Ukraine (then Little Russia), the Azov region, the Orel
and Kursk provinces, and the territory of the Cossack Don Army. This
way of life and worldview, in the center of which stands a free man as
a measure of all things and all thoughts, earned him fame and the
nickname “Socrates.”
35
Creator of the classic
Ukrainian font
Heorhiy Narbut
Heorhiy Narbut (1886-1920) was an artist and illustrator who played a
huge role in the history of Ukraine. He began studying in the Depart-
ment of Oriental Languages at St. Petersburg University, but after an
exhibition of student amateur drawings, the venerable artists of that
time noticed him. Narbut received his artistic education in Munich.
Upon his return to Russia, he became a member of many prestigious art
societies, and illustrated popular magazines and books. During the First
World War, he created his own genre, allegorical engravings on military
subjects, often with humorous content.
After the 1917 revolution, he moved to Kyiv. Here he worked on
banknotes and postage stamps of both the UNR (#15) and the Ukrainian
state under Skoropadsky. He was one of the founders of the Ukrainian
Academy of Arts, and became a rector there in 1917. He worked on
sketches of military uniforms and even playing cards. After the estab-
lishment of Soviet power in Ukraine, he was, as before, called to be a
graphic artist and illustrator. He established the field Ukrainian book
and magazine graphics, creating a completely unique and recognizable
style, which combines folklore motifs and traditions of Ukrainian
baroque (#24). His main work bears the name of its creator – the original
font “narbut” – in which the traditions of ancient fonts are combined
with a new unique interpretation. Narbut’s style is distinguished by its
clear contour, rich pattern, and intermingling of folk and “high” decora-
tive elements. V. U.
36
World-famous Ukrainian
classic of Russian literature
Nikolai Gogol
The most famous literary portrait of Ukraine was written, of course, by
Nikolai Gogol (1809-1852). A descendant of an old but rather poor
noble family, he was born in Ukraine (then Malorussia, part of the Rus-
sian Empire) in the village of Sorochyntsi (#27), which he i mmortalized
in the famous collection of short stories “Evenings on a Farm near
Dikanka,” subtitled “Tales published by beekeeper Rudy Panko.” This
collection has become an unparalleled book about Ukraine, written in
Russian, but with a unique savory flavor, in a distinct style, which
caused a furor in capital society. It delighted Pushkin and other re-
nowned authors, and brought Gogol instant fame. Later, he would
write two more collections about his homeland, “Arabesques” and
“Mirgorod,” which includes the stories “Viy” and “Taras Bulba,” whose
name has become quintessential in Ukraine, like the European Sid or
Roland. His stories and narratives can be divided into humorous and
horrifying. The former are “Sorochyntsi Fair” and “Christmas Eve.” ment and optimism had left them. Despite the resounding success of his
And the latter, “May Night, or the Drowned Maiden,” “The Night on comedies “Revizor” (“The Government Inspector”) and “Marriage,”
the Eve of Ivan Kupala,” “The Lost Letter,” “A Terrible Vengeance,” and Gogol did not settle down in the northern capital and yearned for
“Viy.” These tales established Gogol’s reputation as the leading mystic Ukraine with all his might, hoping to get a history professorship at Kyiv
of Russian literature. Witches (#20), sorcerers, devils, and Viy (one of University (#84). When the dream did not come true, he went abroad,
the demons from the Slavic underworld, who kills with a glance), where he spent about 10 years working on one of the masterpieces of
appear in them, and they are really scary. Russian literature, the poem novel “Dead Souls.” Upon returning to
The second, Petersburg, stage of his creativity is not less well-known Russia, he became seriously ill. In a deep depression, he burned the
and has a notable number of famous works, but the unrestrained merri- second part of “Dead Souls” and died soon thereafter. V. U.
37
First printer to work in
the area that is now
modern Ukraine
Ivan Fyodorov
The pioneer printer Ivan Fyodorov was born around 1520, most likely in
Moscow. His first book, “Apostolos” (New Testament and the Acts of the
Apostles), was prepared and printed in 1563 by the Moscow Printing
House, which had just been opened by order of Ivan the Terrible. Soon
after publication of his second book, “Chasovnik” (prayer-book), Ivan
Fyodorov moved to the Lithuanian principality, which then included
most of today’s Ukraine. In an afterword to the “Apostol” of 1574, Ivan
Fyodorov shares that the reason he left Moscow was the strong animos-
ity against him from government and religious leaders, who envied him
and accused him of many heresies and wanting to destroy God’s work
(printing industry).
In Lithuania, Fyodorov was warmly welcomed by Hetman Chodkiewicz,
who founded the printing house Zabludow on his estate. But soon the
hetman closed it, and Fyodorov was forced to move to Lviv (#52), where
he decided to continue his work. Considerable funds were needed to
start a new business, which Fyodorov didn’t manage to get from the rich
Russian and Greek merchants who lived in Lviv, but instead he received
support from several poor clergyman and parishioners.
Ivan Fyodorov sold books not only in Lviv, but also in Krakow and Ko-
lomiya. Unfortunately, in financial terms, his business wasn’t that
successful, and in 1579 his printing facilities, along with 140 books, strohsky. At the duke’s request, in the newly created printing house,
O
became the property of the Lviv Dormition Brotherhood. After that, Fyodorov published the famous “Ostroh Bible,” the first full version of
Fyodorov was invited to the city Ostroh by the Duke Konstantyn the Bible printed in Church Slavic. V. N.
38
Painter of the
Ukrainian village
Mykola Pymonenko
One of the most famous works by Mykola Pymonenko (1862-1912) can be
seen in the St. Volodymyr Cathedral of Kyiv. He painted the images of in the Paris Salon and later bought by the Louvre. “Exit from church” is in
St. Nicholas and St. Alexandra, for which he was awarded the Order of the Munich museum; and his canvas entitled “Fabric trading woman” was
St. Anne, which, among other privileges, gave Pymonenko, the son of an recently sold at auction for $160,000. One of Pymonenko’s most famous
icon painter and carver, nobility and the title of State Councilor, of which masterpieces is “Yuletide fortune tellers,” a picture of two young beauties
Gogol (#36) dreamed at one time. enchanting their betrothed by candlelight.
It was his father’s occupation that influenced the painter’s destiny: he stud- On the artist’s tomb, guarded by a white marble angel, is written, “Academi-
ied icon painting at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra school, where he was noticed by cian of painting.” But more precisely, Mykola Pymonenko characterizes the
the famous artist Mykola Murashko. He appealed to the Ukrainian philan- words from Repin’s congratulatory telegram, “Hello, the living creator of
thropist and sugar typcoon Tereshchenko (#14), who agreed to accept Ukraine, glory to you!” V. U.
Pymonenko free of charge to the Kyiv drawing school, which he sponsored.
Mykola studied brilliantly at the school, and later he taught there. Within a
few years, he became a member of prestigious European art societies,
including the Society of Munich artists and the Paris International Union of
Art and Literature. At the age of 42, he received the title of Academician of
Painting “for his fame in the artistic field.” His brushstrokes adorn about two
hundred paintings, as well as over 500 sketches and pencil drawings.
Rural Ukrainian life was the main theme in the majority of Pymonenko’s
work. His paintings give an idea of the existence, morals, customs, and
everyday comedies and dramas. Judge by the names: “Kyiv Flower-girl,”
“Matchmakers,” “Rivals. At the Well,” “Harvest in Ukraine,” “Haymaking,”
“Ukrainian Night.” These paintings fascinated audiences and were highly
valued by enthusiasts and experts. His painting “Hopak” (#29), was exhibited
39
Ukraine’s world-famous
cinematography classic
Oleksander Dovzhenko
Oleksander Dovzhenko was a film director, playwright, writer, and artist
who laid the foundation for the Ukrainian poetic film school. His most
famous film “Earth” (1958) was recognized as one of the top 12 “best
films of all time” in a vote by 117 world film critics, and in 1995, it was
added to the UNESCO list of masterpieces in world cinema.
Dovzhenko was born on September 11, 1894, in Sosnytsia, Chernihiv
Province, and this date is celebrated annually as the Day of Ukrainian
Cinema. ecomes obvious. The director was invited to the Kyiv Film Studio, which
b
The director’s parents, illiterate villagers, having discovered their son’s now bears his name and where he shot his best work: “Earth,” “Ivan,”
desire for books, decided to give him an education, for which they sold “Aerograd.” The picture “Shchors” was produced by order of Stalin. Dov-
portion of land. zhenko did not want to do it, but this film became a “security certificate”
Dovzhenko welcomed the overthrow of the tsar and participated in the for him. In 1934, the director moved to Moscow and taught at the film
Ukrainian national liberation movement. Thanks to his education, he institute VGIK.
was sent to Berlin for diplomatic work. After returning to his homeland, During the Second World War, the director worked on documentaries.
to Kharkiv, he became a famous cartoonist and public figure. An invita- One of his films, “Ukraine on Fire,” was banned with the disastrous
tion to cooperate with the All-Ukrainian Photo-Cinema Directorate critique: “This is an incursion against Soviet power.” Dovzhenko’s last film
(VUFKU) was a revolution in his life. At 32, he dropped everything and was “Michurin,” and the film “Farewell, America” was banned before
went to the Odesa Film Studio to start a new life, as a film director. work on it was completed...
His first short comedies “Love’s Berries” and “Vasya the Reformer” were Oleksander Dovzhenko died on the first day of filming for “Poem of the
not successful. Only his third film, “The Diplomatic Pouch,” demon- Sea.” The director’s wife Yuliya Solntseva finished filming his story-
strates Dovzhenko’s development as a professional director. boards. Dovzhenko was buried in Moscow at the Novodevichy Cemetery,
Starting with the movie “Zvenyhora,” the great master’s unique creative although he wanted to be laid to rest in Ukraine, which he loved very
look, which opened a new “poetic” direction in Ukrainian cinema, much. N. S.
40
The prince who
Christianized
Kyivan Rus’
Vladimir the Great

For his most important act, the baptism of Rus’ (#9) in 988, Prince Vladi-
mir was canonized, becoming equal to the apostles, and he became
known in history by the names Vladimir the Great, the Baptist, and the
epic Vladimir the Fair (or Red) Sun.
However, he himself cannot be called a model Christian. Son of the mili-
tant Svyatoslav and the captive daughter of a Drevlian prince Malusha,
he was not considered the main contender for the throne of Kyiv and
seized it by force in a bloody feud with his brothers. He took Rogneda of
Polotsk for his wife by force, killing her father and brothers. In the begin-
ning of his reign, he reformed the pagan religion and erected numerous
temples. Also, the talk of the town became his “harem” – 800 concu-
bines, who lived near Kyiv in Beryozov. Legend has it that when Vladimir
decided to convert Kyivan Rus’ to a new faith, various clergymen came to
him: Jews, Muslims, and Catholic and Orthodox Christians. A big lover of
women, the prince almost accepted Islam, but he was allegedly stopped
by the ban on alcohol. And, saying that “the joy of Rus’ is drinking,” he
chose Orthodoxy. Baptism itself also did not proceed painlessly. According 1862). And the place where the waves of the Dnipro (#56) swept away the
to legend, “Dobrynya was baptized with a sword, and Putyata with fire.” idol Perun is still called Vydubychi, because the pagans ran after the
Here, by the way, the epic hero Dobrynya is mentioned, an historical wooden statue along the river and prayed, “Vydybay (Arise), god!”
figure who was Vladimir’s uncle. A monument to Prince Vladimir (erected in 1853) stands on St. Vladimir
Today in Kyiv, at the foot of St. Vladimir Hill, at the place in the stream Hill, one of the highest Kyiv peaks, and the huge cross in his hand is
where the prince baptized his children, stands a monument to the visible from far away. This is the oldest surviving monument in the
Baptism of Rus’, also known as the Magdeburg Rights Column (built in Ukrainian capital. V. U.
41 Hungary, Norway, Germany, as well as the Byzantine emperor. And the

destiny of his daughter Anna (#42), Queen of France, served as the plot
for many literary works and feature films, and is already well-known.
Yaroslav is buried in a huge six-ton sarcophagus of proconnesian (the
most durable) marble, originally belonging to Pope Clement of Rome.
Most successful ruler This sarcophagus still stands in St. Sophia Cathedral (#78) in Kyiv, but
the fate of the remains of the prince himself is up for speculation. In
of Kyivan Rus’ Soviet times, the tomb was opened three times for the purpose of
scientific study. After it was last opened in 2009, researchers found a
woman’s skeleton in it, presumably Yaroslav’s wife, the Norwegian
princess Ingegerd (in Rus’, Iryna).
The Orthodox Church declared Yaroslav the Wise one of the faithful
saints, and the secular leaders of independent Ukraine placed his image
Yaroslav the Wise on the 2 hryvnia bill. V. U.
The name of Yaroslav the Wise (978-1054), son of Vladimir the Great (#40) The Golden Gates of Kyiv, part of
and Princess Rogneda of Polotsk, is rightly linked with the height of the city’s 11th-century fortification
Kyivan Rus’ (#9). (rebuilt in 1982)
Being the Prince of Novgorod, he rebelled against his father and refused
to pay him tribute. After Vladimir’s death, he claimed the Kyiv throne
after four years of internecine struggle with his brothers. He ruled from
1019 to 1054, that is, longer than anyone else.
During his reign, Kyiv (#51) become one of the largest, most prosperous,
and well-known cities in Europe, the center of culture and art at that
time, a rich commercial industrial city-state. The population and the
area of the city increased dramatically; new defenses were built, includ-
ing the famous Golden Gate, or the “Gateway to the Sky.” It was called
“golden” for the gilded dome on the gate church, and “gates to the sky”
because every morning the sun shone through it, symbolically scattering
the darkness from the city of the Virgin Mary.
In memory of Yaroslav’s decisive victory over the Pechenegs, which lib-
erated Rus’ forever from their invasions, St. Sophia Cathedral (#78) was
built, one of the principal sacred places of the modern capital. He created
the first set of laws, known as “Rus’ Truth.” There is a legend about the
famous missing library of Yaroslav the Wise, which was as prestigious for
historians as the Amber Room or the manuscripts of the Alexandria Li-
brary. Yaroslav was called the “father-in-law of Europe”; he intermarried
with all the influential European rulers – the kings of Sweden, Poland,
42
The most famous Kyivan
of medieval Europe
Anna Yaroslavna
The fate of Anna, the daughter of Kyiv’s Prince Yaroslav the Wise (#41),
is amazing and unusual. She married the French king Henry I, one of
the most powerful European monarchs of the time, and became f amous
for her intelligence and erudition. Many government documents were
signed with crosses by the king and illiterate nobles, and only one real
signature – Anne, the Queen of France. Her autograph is also pre-
served in Kyiv, on the wall of St. Sophia Cathedral (#78). Her main gift
was not scholarship, though, but the ability to awaken love. “Signed
with the consent of my spouse Anne,” “Signed in the presence of
Queen Anne,” dictates King Henry: this is not a tribute to literacy, but
respect. They lived together nine happy years and she gave birth to
seven children. Then the king passed away. Anna became regent for
her young son, King Philip I. But only for a year. She was loved by one
of the most powerful French lords, the Amiens count Ralph the Great,
who had a mad passion for her. They began to live together openly,
despite a direct ban by the Pope, and then they were excommunicated
for violating the bonds of marriage – the count’s second wife was still
alive. Only after her death could Anna and Ralph officially get married.
However, this happiness was short-lived. Anna was widowed a second
time, and from then on, she lived as the queen mother at the French
court. She founded the abbey at Senlis, where there is still a sculpture
of her with a model of the monastery in her hands. V. U.
43 Ilya Muromets monument in Kyiv,

erected in 2018 on Trukhaniv Island
Ukrainian Hercules –a real

historical figure
Ilya Muromets
The most powerful and famous of the epic warriors of Kyivan Rus’ (#9),
Ilya Muromets (aka Ilya Morovlyanin) is a real historical person. His
biography is recounted in numerous legends: until he was 33 years
old, he could not walk and “lay on the stove” until miraculously healed
by traveling magi. After that, he rose to his feet and felt a surge of
gigantic forces. Having entered the service of Kyiv Prince Vladimir the
Fair (or Red) Sun (#40), Muromets became an elite member of the
prince’s army, stood guard over the borders of the principality, battled
with steppe tribes, and protected the roads from robbers. Popular
rumor ascribes to him many great feats, both completely real and ficti-
cious – a victory over Nightingale the Robber, the Serpent, and the
foreign knights.
The first written records of him are found in various sources from the well-developed muscles, who also had paralysis of his lower limbs in
15th century. One of the most interesting is the diary of Erich Lassota, an youth. There are traces of numerous wounds on the body. The most
Austrian diplomat and traveler, who described in detail his journey to serious of them is a blow with a sharp object (sword or spear) to the
the Zaporozhian Sich and his stay in Kyiv at the end of the 16th century. chest, piercing through the left arm that covered it. This injury could be
According to him, the relics of the giant Ilya Morovlyanin were buried in the cause of death. Researchers also suggest that, after such a grievous
St. Sophia Cathedral (#78). It is believed that they were transferred to injury, the knight could have left military service and lived out his days
the Near Caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (#79), where they are still in the monastery.
buried, known as the relics of St. Ilya Pechersky. In 1988, an authorita- It is noteworthy that Ilya Muromets is mentioned in many Germanic
tive examination of these remains was carried out. It revealed that they songs and legends under the name of Ilias from Russia. His became a
belonged to a man of powerful build (about 177 cm / 5 ft 8 in tall, at a household name, like Hercules, and often serves as a name for outstanding
time when a man’s average height was about 160 cm / 5 ft 2 in), with objects, like ships, airplanes, etc. V. U.
44
Ukrainian Cleopatra – First
Lady of the Ottoman Empire
Roksolana
Roksolana, or Hurrem Sultan (1505–1558), was a Ukrainian, a former
slave, who managed to reach incredible heights in the Turkish court.
Being the Sultan’s minion, she had the right to give birth to only one
son for her master, after which she was obliged to retire from the court
and focus on raising her child. But Hurrem gave Suleiman the Magnifi-
cent six children, and became his official spouse. Even a special title was
created for her, Haseki, which came with a commensurate stipend and
position.
Hurrem did not limit herself to raising children; she obtained permission
to build charitable and religious buildings in Istanbul and other cities of
the empire, then created a foundation in her name and built many
mosques, a madrasa, and the Aksaray district – a kind of shelter for
women. She built canteens for the poor, homeless, and pilgrims, includ-
ing the canteen in Mecca. Haseki Sultan had considerable influence on
her husband: while on campaigns, Suleiman learned about the empire’s
matters only from her letters. And the Sultan’s surviving letters to
Roksolana are filled with love and tenderness. which is included in all artistic sources, is just a later invention, which
He grieved immensely over her death (historians still argue whether in time gained practically “official” status. The nickname Roksolana
she was sick or poisoned). A domed mausoleum was erected in her was given to her by the ambassador of the Holy Roman Empire, and it
honor, the walls of which were decorated with poems and images of comes from an old name from the western Ukrainian lands – Roksolania.
the Garden of Eden. This magnificent tomb still stands on one of the The legend of Roksolana survived for many centuries after Hurrem
hills of Istanbul. Roksolana’s real name is unknown, and the name Haseki Sultan herself, and is not likely to die soon: there are many
Anastasia Lisowska, a priest’s daughter from the village of Rohatyn, books and films about her. V. U.
45 genre. The girl’s father, having learned that the hetman was propos-
ing a union with the Swedes, wrote a denunciation of him to Peter I.
The emperor did not believe the accusation, Kochubey and his friend
Iskra were executed, and the girl died. After the Swedes were defeated
near Poltava, which put an end to Mazepa’s political plans, the tsar
Hetman who united insisted that the Russian Orthodox Church give the hetman an
Right-bank and anathema, and it did.
Left-bank Ukraine However, in the history of Ukraine, Ivan Mazepa’s role looks completely
different. He not only united previously separated lands, but also con-
tributed to economic prosperity and worked to create an autonomous
state. He became famous as a patron of the arts: many churches were
restored and built with his financial support, including on the territory
of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (#79) , and beyond the capital.
Ivan Mazepa His fate inspired many European poets, artists, and composers. The
image of Mazepa is on the 10 hryvnia note. V. U.
Ivan Mazepa (1639-1709) played a key role in the unification of Left-

Bank and Right-Bank Ukraine, as well as the Sich lands (#64). Thus,
he continued the work of Bohdan Khmelnytsky (#46). To achieve his
goals, Mazepa entered into various political alliances and made dif-
ficult decisions. Historians from different countries sometimes have
completely different assessments of his activities: some still consider
him a traitor, others say he is a national hero.
Mazepa came from a noble Ukrainian family, his father was a broth-
er-in-arms of Khmelnytsky. He received a brilliant education and
served in the Polish royal court. He participated in the Crimean cam-
paign on Russia’s side and soon received the rank of Hetman. He
supported young Peter I on his accession to the throne, and for a long
time was his favorite adviser. However, the restriction on the auton-
omy of Ukraine (then Malorussia) in the Russian tsardom, as well as
the defeat in the war with the Swedes forced Mazepa to reconsider
his views on the alliance with Peter I and turn to the Swedish king
Karl XII in search of a better position for Ukraine and the Cossacks.
This act forever split both his contemporaries and descendants into
two irreconcilable camps.
To a large extent, tragedy contributed to maligning Mazepa’s image:
the old hetman fell in love with his young goddaughter, she recipro-
cated, and he took her away from her parent’s home. Their love
letters are considered a masterpiece of the Ukrainian epistolary
46 Poland. However, in the end, he opted for an alliance with Moscow. In

1654, during the Pereyaslav Rada, an agreement was signed which re-
united the left-bank of Ukraine (east of the Dnipro River #56) and Kyiv
with the Moscow Tsardom.
The extraordinary history of Bohdan Khmelnytsky has served as the ba-
Liberator of Ukraine from sis for many works of art. The hetman’s monument on St. Sophia Square
in Kyiv is one of the two oldest monuments in the capital. The image of
Polish domination Bohdan Khmelnytsky is on the 5 hryvnia bill. V. U.
Bohdan Khmelnytsky
Bohdan Khmelnytsky (1596-1657), a hetman of the Zaporizhian Host
and leader of the Cossack (#10) uprising against Poland, played a key
role in the history of Ukraine. The son of a Polish nobleman and a
Cossack woman, he received an excellent education at the Bratsk

Monastery Kyiv School, and then at the Jesuit Collegium in Lviv (#52).
He knew several languages, mastered the art of rhetoric and logic. Early
on, he entered military service and participated in many campaigns and
battles on the Polish side, and spent two years in Turkish captivity
(where he learned the Turkish and Tatar languages). Even then, he was
known as a talented commander.
Personal tragedy completely changed Bohdan Khmelnytsky’s life: while
he was on campaign, a nobleman neighbor burned his estate, took his
beloved, forced her to marry him, and killed Bohdan’s younger son.
Attempts to achieve justice through legal means were not successful, and
Khmelnytsky turned the Cossack detachments subordinate to him
against the Poles. In the Sich, he was enthusiastically elected hetman,
and many of the registered Cossacks who served the Polish king began to
cross over Khmelnytsky’s detachment. Having concluded an agreement
with the Crimean Khan, the hetman went on the offensive and won
several decisive battles against the superior forces of the enemy, utterly
defeating them. Then he laid siege to Lviv, and in 1649, triumphantly
entered Kyiv. Understanding the need for an alliance with a strong state,
Khmelnytsky negotiated with the Ottoman Empire, Sweden, Italy, and
47 gence services. The Soviet side made repeated attempts to kidnap and
assassinate him. In 1959, in Munich, he was killed by KGB agent Bohdan
Stashynsky, who confessed to at trial.
The name of Stepan Bandera has become a household name for radical
Ukrainian nationalists. V. U.
Organizer of the Ukrainian
nationalist movement
in Western Ukraine
Stepan Bandera
Stepan Bandera (1909-1959) was born in Uhryniv, which was part of
Galicia under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire before the First
World War, and after the war (and a very short period of Ukrainian
independence, #15), it belonged to Poland. Like his father, he was an
ardent supporter of Ukrainian independence, but at the same time, he
held radical views. From 1929, he was a member of the Organization of
Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN); after becoming one of its leaders, he
initiated protest actions against the Soviet government and famine in
Ukraine, as well as terrorist attacks and political assassinations. He was
arrested for participating in the murder of the Polish leader Pieracki, and
became known for the Warsaw process, which was widely reported by the
European press. He was sentenced to death, but the verdict was commuted
to life imprisonment.
Bandera escaped from prison when Nazi troops entered Poland. After
the division of Poland and Western Ukraine went to the Soviet Union, he
was in exile for several years in Germany, Austria, and Slovakia, but did
not lose connection with the underground and the OUN, and he
participated in the preparation of an armed uprising against the USSR.
In 1941, he was arrested by the German authorities for attempting to
proclaim an independent Ukrainian state, and until 1944 he was in the
Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
In the last years of his life, Bandera had significant differences with other
OUN leaders, and he collaborated with American and European intelli-
48
Legendary anarchist,
commander of the peasant
rebel army
Nestor Makhno
Nestor Makhno (1888-1934) is an odious figure from the times of the
civil war in Russia, a legendary figure who went down in history with
the nickname “Father Makhno.” In his youth, he was an anarchist-
communist, participated in terrorist acts, and was sentenced to death
for political assassination. His execution was commuted to life im-
prisonment, and he was released after the 1917 revolution.
Makhno was an adamant opponent of Hetman Skoropadsky, who
destroyed the UNR (#15) with support from Austro-Hungarian and
German troops. He arrived in Ukraine and started uniting scattered Makhno’s hometown of Huliaipole. In the following decades, this
peasant detachments; the Bolsheviks, interested in the overthrow of word, like the word “Makhnovists,” was used to label people as rebel-
the Hetman, secretly helped him with money and weapons. Soon his lious, unpredictable, inclined to forceful resolution of problems, an-
rebel army numbered more than 50,000 people. Makhno made an archists. After a re-alliance with the Bolsheviks, parts of the Makh-
alliance with the “Reds” (as the Bolsheviks were called), but he was novists participated in the battles for Crimea and suffered huge
soon banned “for disobeying orders.” Having broken with the losses. This was the end of Huliaipole. Makhno was again banned by
government of Soviet Russia, Makhno, nevertheless, continued to the Bolsheviks. He fought his way across Ukraine to the Romanian
fight the Bolsheviks’ opponents, the White Guards. Nestor Makhno’s border, was captured by the Soviet secret service after moving from
brothers died during the civil war: one was killed by the Hetman’s country to country several times, escaped, and eventually arrived in
haidamaky (soldiers), the second by the “Reds,” and the third by the Paris, where he spent the rest of his life. He wrote his memoirs and
“Whites.” actively participated in politics. Interestingly, the Spanish Republi-
The role of Makhno’s peasant army in the outcome of the civil war is cans asked him to lead the revolution against Franco, but Makhno,
difficult to overestimate. He made brave raids on the enemy’s rear, weakened by numerous war wounds, could no longer fight. He died
seized cities, and broke through the front. In 1919, he founded the soon after from a serious illness, and was laid to rest in the famous
Peasant Republic, which became known by the name of its “capital,” Parisian Père Lachaise Cemetery. V. U.
49
Legendary wrestler,
athlete, and circus
performer
Ivan Poddubny
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Greco-Roman wrestling was an
elite sport, and champion wrestlers were as famous as today’s movie
stars. Ivan Poddubny (1871-1949) was the most famous of them. He per-
formed in 14 countries on four continents, and in 40 years of performing,
he did not lose a single competition, championship, or tournament in
Greco-Roman wrestling. Four times he won the most prestigious tourna-
ment in Paris at that time. Newspapers called him “Champion of the
Champions.” He especially amazed audiences in the U.S. with his
triumphs; he not only defeated all the wrestlers of the New World and
became the champion of America, but he did it at the age of 55, quite old
by sporting standards.
Poddubny came from a poor family with Cossack (#10) roots in the
Poltava province. He was incredibly strong from childhood; he started
working at 12, and at 18 he decided to go to Crimea to earn better money.
He worked there as a longshoreman and clerk, until one day he saw a
wrestling show at the circus and couldn’t stop himself – he asked to enter
the arena and he easily beat all his rivals. Soon his professional career
began, which made him a world-wide celebrity. The Soviet government find a faithful companion, but soon after, war broke out. The legendary
also admired Poddubny; in 1939, he was awarded a medal for developing strongman stayed in the occupied territory, refusing to go to Germany to
Soviet sports. His private life, however, was a sad picture. One sweetheart train wrestlers there. In the postwar years, he lived in dire poverty, the
left him shortly before the wedding; another one, a circus performer, meager ration was not enough to support his giant body. He sold off all
passed away tragically during a performance. His first wife ran away with his awards and medals for very little money, and in 1949 he died sud-
an officer, taking a trunk with their valuables. Only in old age did Poddubny denly of a heart attack. V. U.
50 the same day as the great Mohammed Ali, that’s not a coincidence. We
expect that in the next couple of years he will win the right to fight for
the world title.”
Today, Usyk is the absolute world champion. He defeated the top boxers
of the world: Evander Holyfield, Clemente Russo, Krzysztof Glovatsky,
Ukraine’s most Marco Huck, Murat Gassiev, and Tony Bellew. In 2018, the Ukrainian
athlete was named Fighter of the Year by the most authoritative sports
successful sport channel, ESPN, and he topped the ratings of the five most promising
boxers in the world on the British TV channel BoxNation. Oleksandr
Usyk won Muhammad Ali Trophy and was nominated for the BBC’s World
Sport Star of the Year (2018). N. S.
Ukrainian Boxing
Back in Soviet times, the Ukrainian school of boxing was recognized
internationally. In the late 1990s, the Klitschko brothers ascended in
the boxing world, which significantly increased interest in boxing in
their homeland and raised Ukraine’s image around the world. The
brothers founded the K2 Promotions company and proved that nothing
is impossible.
There have been three Olympic boxing champions in the history of inde-
pendent Ukraine: Wladimir Klitschko (1996), Oleksandr Usyk (2012) and
Vasyl Lomachenko (2008 and 2012). Ukrainians have won the world
champion title in professional boxing 12 times. Most often, they gained
the champion belt in the WBA (8 athletes, among them Wladimir
Klitschko and Oleksandr Usyk); less often, the WBC championship belt
(3 boxers, including Oleksandr Usyk and Vitali Klitschko).
The most prestigious titles in professional boxing were won by both
Klitschko brothers, Vitali and Wladimir.
Oleksandr (aka Sasha) Usyk owns a full collection of five belts from the
most prestigious boxing associations (WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF) – the
goal of all professional boxers. Oleksandr began studying in 2008 with
Anatoly Lomachenko, the father of his friend, Olympic champion Vasyl
Lomachenko. After 5 years, he decided to go into professional boxing,
signing a contract with the Klitschko brothers’ company, which was
announced as, “The most important contract in the history of K2 with
the brightest and most promising heavyweight today. Sasha was born on
51 The economic boom of the mid-19th to early 20th century had a huge
impact on the appearance and cultural traditions of the city. During
this short period, Kyiv gained most of its best attractions.
The city was badly damaged during World War II. A significant part of
the center was destroyed and rebuilt in the 1950s; the famous chestnut
boulevard on Khreshchatyk (#83) was created, new squares and parks
Capital of Ukraine were laid out. Kyiv is undoubtedly interesting as a tourist center, but its
main feature is the unique combination of a modern metropolis and the
many resort areas located within the city limits: forests, parks, and
recreation areas on the Dnipro (#56), such as Hydropark and Trukhanov
Island, and numerous lakes and ponds. V. U.
Kyiv
Kyiv is the main and largest city of the country, with an ancient and
vibrant history. According to legend, it was founded by three
brothers Kyi, Shchek, and Khoryv, and their sister Lybid. Their
names are reflected in the toponymy of the capital. In 882, Kyiv was
conquered by Vikings of the Rurik dynasty, and from that moment
it became the capital of Kyivan Rus’ (#9), the center of Christianity,
the origin of Orthodox shrines – like the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (#79)
and St. Sophia Cathedral (#78) – one of the largest and richest cit-
ies in Europe. The Mongol-Tatar invasion of 1240 led to the long
decline and destruction of many historical monuments. Then, for a
long time, Kyiv was under the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,
but there is almost no material evidence from this period except for
historical names, such as Zamkova Hora, on which Prince Vytautas’
castle once stood.
The city’s next heyday is associated with the liberation of Left-Bank
Ukraine from Polish rule (#46) and reunification with Russia. The con-
struction of churches, public buildings, and the opening of the Kyiv-
Mohyla Academy began in the 17th century, thanks the Ukrainian hetmans
and, especially, to Metropolitan Petro Mohyla and his followers.
Kyiv
50.4512877
30.5197167
52
Ukraine’s most
European city
Lviv
Lviv has many unofficial titles; people call it the capital of Western
Ukraine and, more often, the cultural capital of the country. It has the
largest number of historical monuments in Ukraine, and Lviv invariably
appears in all tourist guides and guidebooks as one of the most a ttractive
places to visit.
It was founded in the 13th century by Danylo of Galicia, prince and later
king of Rus’, who, according to legend, named it after his son, Lev (Leo).
After a couple of decades, the city became the capital of the Galicia– Lviv is famous for its coffee houses; after all, it’s not for nothing that
Volhynia principality. In subsequent centuries, its history was turbulent Jerzy Franciszek Kulczycki, “the person who taught Europe to drink
and diverse. It was part of the Kingdom of Poland and the Republic; for coffee” and who invented the “Viennese pastry,” was born here. No
a long time, it remained under Austro-Hungarian rule; after World War less well-known are local liqueurs infused with herbs, berries, and
I, it went to Poland, then to the USSR. All this left a special imprint on fruits and sold in special stores, as well as handmade chocolate and
local architecture, culture, and city traditions. caramel. Some will want to visit the distinctive restaurants. Others are
At various times, many celebrities have lived and worked here, such as attracted by the amazing architecture of this ancient city, ranging
Ivan Franko (#33), Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, Polish science fiction from parks, grandiose churches, to famous castles like Olesko (#77),
writer Stanislav Lem, first printer Ivan Fyodorov (#37), and cardinal Pidhirtsi, and Zolochiv; ending with cozy, creatively decorated court-
Lubomyr Husar. yards and unusual houses. For example, there is the Yard of Lost Toys,
You should go to Lviv for the impressions from its many varied and a crossword puzzle house, which should be visited at dusk: a huge
characteristics. Tourists flock here in search of gastronomic discoveries. crossword puzzle is on one wall, and the answers are written in phos-
phorescent letters visible only in the dark. The local museums collect
unique works of art, such as wooden sculptures by the master Pinzel,
Lviv one of the most mysterious artists from Lviv.
49.8416202
Lviv region The historic city center is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. V. U.
24.0275654
53
Ukraine’s humor capital and
largest seaport
Odesa
Odesa is one of Ukraine’s youngest, most famous, and unique cities. It
was built in 1746 in an area with an ancient and vibrant history, not far
from the ancient settlement of Odessos and on the site of the Turkish
fortress Khadjibey. During its first hundred years, the city was built
and ruled by French and Spanish aristocrats in the service of the Rus-
sian Empire (Major General de Ribas, Duke of Richelieu, Count de
Langeron), which left a special imprint on its architecture and cultural
traditions. Its status as a free port, that is, a port with duty-free import
and export of goods, contributed to the rapid development of its Privoz not only for shopping, but also to have a stroll, meet with
economy and the sharp growth of the multi-ethnic population. Odesa friends, discuss the latest news. The abundance of food products has
was the fourth largest city in Tsarist Russia, and now it is the third influenced the local cuisine: the city has many small cafes, restau-
largest city in independent Ukraine. rants, and so-called “eateries” with original designs, cozy interiors,
The blending of cultures and traditions has led to many Odesa reali- and impressive menus, including many dishes which can only be
ties becoming commonly familiar. The Jewish population had a huge found here. Being a seaport led to two specific Odesa phenomena: a
impact on city life: sayings like “Odesa humor” and the festival “Hu- round-the-clock life, when many townspeople go for a walk on the
morina,” which attracts tourists from all over; “Odesa accent”; embankment in the middle of the night, and the rise of crime. Odesa
“Odessa courtyards” are picturesque, original “wells,” similar to Italian “gangsters” in Tsarist Russia gained about the same reputation as
ones. Far beyond Ukraine, the local market Privoz is well-known, fa- the Sicilian mafia, and many of them became local legends and literary
mous for local products, especially fish. Traditionally, people go to characters. Although today crime is not manifested so picturesquely,
it still is an issue.
The mild climate, excellent beaches, and, last but not least, the O
desa’s
Odesa business community made the city one of the most famous Black Sea
46.4827571
Odesa region (#58) resorts and a center of tourism. V. U.
30.7368482
54 style (Viennese Secession), each with its own distinctive look and zest;
an abundance of small cafes and relatively inexpensive cozy restau-
rants with diverse cuisine; and well-maintained parks. The buildings
of Chernivtsi State University are the former residence of the Ortho-
dox Metropolitans of Bukovina and Dalmatia, and are listed on the
UNESCO World Heritage List. This unique complex was designed by
Little Ukrainian Vienna Czech architect Josef Hlávka, which later repeatedly won prizes in
various competitions, including the Gold Medal at the World Exhibi-
tion in Paris. The Marble Hall (restored after a fire in 1944) and the
authentic Red Hall, whose walls are covered with red Chinese silk, are
especially notable for their beauty. It is also interesting that the tower
above the entrance of the current Geography Department is decorated
with the Star of David, in memory of the Chernivtsi’s Jewish commu-
Chernivtsi nity, who donated a significant part of the money for construction of
the Metropolitans’ residence. V. U.
Chernivtsi is the historic center of Bukovina, located on the banks of

the River Prut. It is a relatively young city; the first written reference
is from the early 15th century. Since then, it has belonged to the
M oldavian Principality, the Ottoman Empire, Austria-Hungary,
Romania, and the USSR; now it has become a regional center of
Ukraine. This frequent change in territorial affiliation had a huge
impact on the culture, architecture, and traditions of Chernivtsi.
There are several ethnic communities living side-by-side – Ukraini-
an, Russian, Romanian, Jewish, and Armenian. The most commonly
used languages are Russian, Ukrainian, and Romanian. But, of course,
the Austro-Hungarian influence (1775-1914) affected the appear-
ance and way of life most of all.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Chernivtsi began to develop so
rapidly that the electric tram was introduced here earlier than in Vienna.
The opera house was built by the same architects who built the Odesa
(#53) Opera House and theaters in Vienna and Berlin, and the theater
was built according to an identical design in Bavaria’s Fürth.
This is a city of low-rise buildings. As in Lviv (#52), the streets are
paved with cobblestone. There are many houses built in the Art Nouveau
Chernivtsi
48.2911276
Chernivtsi region
25.9312117
55 Colorful Voloshyna Street has the Roman Catholic St. George’s Church
and Passage of the famous shoe magnate Tomas Bata. On Ivan Olbracht
Street there is the Botanical Garden, known for its extensive collection of
rare plants. Previously, this street was called Basement Row, and there
were wine cellars along here. Wine tasting festivals are held in Uzhhorod.
One of the country’s Connoisseurs will also appreciate Uzhhorod coffee, brewed according to
most beautiful and a special recipe, Czech knedliky, bograch, and Slovak sztrapacska, as well
green corners as sweets from the Valentin & Valentina Shtefanyo confectionery.
Every spring, tourists from all over Ukraine and Europe come to U zhhorod
in May to see the cherry blossoms, and a month later, for the linden alley
(the longest in Europe, 2,200 m / 1.4 mi). Everyone knows that from the
middle of May, Uzhhorod turns into a blooming and fragrant garden for
a whole month. V. U.
Zakarpattia & Uzhhorod

Zakarpattia is a unique land of magnificent mountains, beech and pine
forests, stalactite caves, and thermal springs.
The administrative center of Zakarpattia is Uzhhorod, one of the oldest
cities in Europe, which was founded in the 8th century on Castle Hill. The
architecture of the city was influenced by the different rulers of the land
over time – Czechs, Hungarians, Croats – and it is distinguished by a va-
riety of styles. In the historical part of the city, Petofi Square, in the his-
torical part of the city, has been famous since the mid-17th century; its
bright old houses are impressive, with medieval ornaments and stucco.
On Kapitul’na Street is the famous 14th-century Uzhhorod Castle, in
which there is a museum with examples of weapons from the 14th to 20th
centuries, old books, domestic items, collections of folk instruments, Za-
karpattian clothing and embroidery, as well as the monumental Cathe-
dral of the Holy Cross (17th century). Not far from the castle is the open-
air Museum of Folk Architecture and Life, where you can see architectural
monuments from different regions of Zakarpattia: an 18th-century
church; bell tower, school, and water-mill from the late 19th century; a
blacksmith; tavern; and Hutsul, Boyko, Hungarian, and Romanian houses
with authentic household items and interiors.
Uzhhorod
48.6242861
Zakarpattia region
22.2961202
56 It’s local name in the times of Kyivan Rus’ (#9) was Slavutych. In Ancient
Greece it was called Borysthenes, which we know from Herodotus’ writ-
ings (5th century BCE).
In ancient times, the Dnipro was evidently an important trade route,
which 12th century Russian chroniclers called “from the Vikings to the
Main waterway Greeks.” Clearly it was not easy to travel from the Baltic to the Black Sea
coast, and it wasn’t safe either. In two places, the water route was
of the country blocked and heavily loaded ships were dragged over the ground for
several kilometers.
Goods brought from the north were usually iron, ambergris, walrus
bone, items made of whale leather (ropes, etc.), Baltic amber, weapons,
Novgorod furs, honey, plunder stolen by Vikings in western Europe, and
slaves – Slavic women and children who were caught “along the way.”
The Dnipro River And goods traded up the river, in return, included wines, spices, jewelry,
glassware, expensive fabrics, icons, and books.
Today, the Dnipro provides electricity, transportation, fishing, and, of
“Wonderous is the Dnieper in calm weather, when freely and smoothly he course, wonderful summer holidays along its picturesque banks. V. N.
races his full waters through forests and hills. No rippling, no roaring. You
look and do not know if his majestic breadth is moving or not, and you fancy
he is all molded of glass, as if a blue mirror roadway, of boundless width, of
endless length, hovers and meanders over the green world.”
Excerpt from “The Terrible Vengeance,” by Nikolai Gogol (#36)
(translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky)
The Dnipro is the main river in Ukraine, and it is the fourth longest in
Europe. It starts as a stream in a swampy area not far from Smolensk,
Russia. But near Kyiv, after the Pripyat and Desna Rivers flow into it, it
becomes truly a mighty river: up to 700 m (2,300 ft) wide and up to 8 m
(26 ft) deep. The Dnipro is 2,200 km (1,367 mi) long. Half of it runs
through Ukraine, and the other half through Russia and Belarus. But we
think of it as a Ukrainian river.
After the cascade of five hydroelectric plants and passing through big
industrial cities like Kremenchuk (pop. 232,000), Kamianske (pop.
274,000), Dnipro (formerly Dnipropetrovsk; pop. more than 1,000,000),
Zaporizhzhia (pop. 786,000), and Kherson (pop. 312,000), the Dnipro
flows into the Black Sea, forming a delta up to 17 km (10.5 mi) wide.
There are several hypotheses about the origin of the name “Dnipro.”
Here are two of them: it comes from the Scythian Dānu (river) and apr
(deep); or from the Sarmatian Dānu apara (the river on the far side).
57 open for beginners, and more experienced skiers can improve their
skills with coaches.
When the snow melts, lovers of green tourism travel to Bukovel. In
the summer, you can swim in the clear lakes and rivers, pick berries
and mushrooms, go fishing (these places are famous for trout).
Ukrainian Switzerland – You can get to Bukovel from Ivano-Frankivsk (110 km / 68 mi) or Lviv
a distinct and unique (#52) (245 km / 152 mi). These cities have railway stations and an
corner of the country airport. Then by bus, which runs 7-10 times a day.
Speaking of the Carpathians, it is especially worth noting the hospitality
and kindness of the locals and the delicious national dishes. N. S.
The Carpathians
For Ukrainians, the word Carpathians means not only a geographi-
cal but also a cultural-historical phenomenon, associated with a
special national vividness, traditions, and, of course, beautiful na-
ture. Actually, the Carpathians is a mountain range 280 km (174 mi)
long, lying in western Ukraine. Its highest mountain is Hoverla
(2061 m / 8,534 ft).
Here are several nature reserves and national parks with unique wa-
terfalls and karst caves. Medieval castles and churches are preserved
in the mountains, as well as monastic cells and the famous “Dovbush
Trail” (15 km / 9 mi), which offers impressive views.
One of the most famous places in the Carpathians is the ski and health
resort Bukovel. The climate is unique here; the mountains protect it
from the wind, which creates comfortable conditions for tourists, who
come to Bukovel all year round. For those who love outdoor activities,
there is mounting skiing, snowboarding, snowbiking; in the summer,
mountain biking, horseback riding, and hiking.
There are over 50 km (31 mi) of ski runs, fitted out with modern tech-
nology and equipped with snow cannons and 16 ski lifts. Artificial
lighting on the slopes allows you to ski after sunset. Ski schools are
Hoverla
48.1607632
Zakarpattia & Ivano-Frankivsk regions
24.4940107
58
The country’s principal
sea, heralded in ancient
Greek legends
The Black Sea

This inland sea of the Atlantic Ocean, about 7,500 years ago, was the
largest and deepest freshwater lake in the world. According to the theory
of the Black Sea deluge, at the end of the Ice Age and the melting of the
ice, huge amounts of water flooded vast lands inhabited by people. This
catastrophe also explains the hydrogen sulfide contamination deep in
the sea, which is its main feature: below 150-200 meters (492-656 ft),
there are no signs of life.
Many ancient Greek settlements were founded on its shores, the remains
of which are now actively studied by archaeologists. It entered into the
most famous myths and legends: Argonauts sailed past these shores in
search of the Golden Fleece; here, on the territory of modern Ukraine,
there was a country of Amazons with the capital Themiscyra, and Hercu-
les went to accomplish his ninth feat here, to get Queen Hippolyta’s
girdle; here he became the beloved of the serpent goddess, who bore eninsula, deeply protruding into its waters, has not abated for centu-
p
three sons, the ancestors of the Scythians (#13), to the son of Zeus. ries. Currently, it washes the shores of Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria,
The Black Sea has always been of great importance for the develop- Romania, Turkey, and Georgia, which are traditionally called the coun-
ment of the countries along its coast, for trade and economic ties, as tries of the Black Sea.
well as from a militarily strategic point of view. Therefore, war for the The Black Sea coast of Ukraine is also a famous and very popular resort
right of access to the Black Sea, as well as for possession of the C
rimean area. From May to September, tens of thousands of vacationers flock
here from year to year, to sanatoriums, hotels, and campsites. Many pre-
fer to rent private houses in out-of-the-way villages. These places are
The Black Sea famous for the abundance of seasonal fruits and vegetables, the beauty
45.9171839 of local nature, and many historical sights. V. U.
30.9981400
59
Sea record-holder for
number of “the mosts”
The Sea of Azov

The Sea of Azov is the shallowest sea in the world, with a maximum
depth of 13.5 m (44 ft), and the average is only about 7 m (23 ft). Its
slightly saline waters wash the coasts of Ukraine and Russia, flowing to-
wards the Atlantic Ocean. But the Atlantic is still far away – through the
Kerch Strait to the Black Sea, then on to the Bosporus, Sea of Marmara,
the Dardanelles, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean, through the Strait of Gi-
braltar, and only then the waters reach the ocean. That is why the Azov
is the most continental sea in the world. water, when it becomes green and absolutely opaque with microscopic
Maybe it holds some other records? Most likely, yes, because it might seaweeds.
also be the youngest sea. Just 7,000-8,000 years ago it didn’t exist at all: In the winter, the Azov can partially or completely freeze. Walking on the
the Don River flowed into the Black Sea somewhere near what is now the flat, icy seashore covered with shells, it might seem that one is not in
Kerch Strait. The Sea of Azov was formed about 5,600 years BCE as a re- Ukraine, but rather somewhere much farther north.
sult of the Black Sea deluge (according to scientific hypothesis). During the summer, the Azov greets visitors with warm water, warmed
The Sea of Azov has had many names in its history; each tribe that came up all the way down to the bottom. Many tourists come here from all over
to its shores referred to the Azov in their own way. Today’s name, Azov, Ukraine and from abroad.
comes most likely from the Turkish azak – low, low-lying. By the way, The largest town on the Azov coast is Mariupol. Many of its 450,000 residents
ancient Greeks called it the Maeotian Swamp (Palus Maeotis), most like- proudly announce to newcomers that, in 2012, Mariupol was named one of
ly because of its shallowness (a depth of 5 m / 16 ft could be reached only the most comfortable Ukrainian towns to live in. Mariupol is also among
about 2 km / 1.2 mi from shore), as well as the periodical blooming in the the most polluted cities, which comes from the industrial factories, as the
metallurgical and coke industries are dominant here.
Nevertheless, the Sea of Azov is rich with fish (more than 100 species),
The Sea of Azov other animals, and plants. Even small porpoises (about 1.5-m / 5-ft long)
46.1117021 live here, which we call “sea pigs” or “azovki.” V. N.
35.4422682
60 Scientists found traces of the Pomeranian

culture on the shores of Lake Lyutsymyr
and calculated that the old reservoir in the
Shatsky Lakes group is 10,000 years old
Internationally-treasured
wetlands
Shatsky Lakes
Shatsky lakes, which are also called “the blue eyes of Volyn,” are
located in the north-west of Ukraine, not far from the Polish and
Belarusian borders. They can be reached from Kovel (86 km / 53 mi) or
Lutsk (157 km / 98 mi).
The cascade of 30 freshwater lakes is famous for its incredible purity; in

calm weather, the bottom can be seen at a depth of 10 m (33 ft). Svityaz,
the largest of them, is the second largest reservoir (27 km2 / 10.5 mi2) and
also the deepest lake in Ukraine – deeper than the Sea of Azov (#59) and
the famous Synevyr Lake (#61). Not a single river flows into Svityaz; it is Shatsky Lakes have clean, wide beaches and water you can swim in with-
fed only by artesian springs. out worry. It has never been contaminated, and in the summer, it is well-
The lakes are known for their health-improving properties due to their heated by the sun.
mild mineralization, sodium-bicarbonate composition, silver, and For fishermen, the Shatsky Lakes are a true paradise. You can fish only in
glycerin. This is truly “living water,” which heals wounds and softens the designated places, but you will enjoy fishing here – there are up to
skin (in the 19th century, Shatsky water was even taken to Germany and 30 unique types fish, and the most popular local delicacy is eel.
Poland for the baths of women from wealthy families). Fans of “quiet hunting” will be pleased with chanterelles and many other
The ecology is good in the area (there are no sources of pollution n earby), kinds of mushrooms, and will find berries in any season: raspberries,
and a comfortable climate; it doesn’t get too hot, as the forests fill the air strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries.
with coolness and the smell of pine needles. In Lake Svityaz, there is a small mysterious island, called the Isle of
Lovers. Rare plants grow there and even orchids can be found.
To protect the unique nature here, Shatsky National Natural Park was
Shatsky National Natural Park created in 1983, with an area of 32,850 hectares (31,174 acres), and today
51.4999992
Volyn region it is a protected UNESCO site. N. S.
23.8245782
61
Ukraine’s largest and
deepest mountain lake
Synevyr
Synevyr is the largest mountain lake in Ukraine, formed about 10,000 years
ago as a result of an earthquake. It is located in the Carpathians (#57) at
an altitude of about 1,000 m (3,280 ft) above sea level. Its deep waters (up
to 24 m / 79 ft) do not warm up above 12 C (53 F) even in hot summer, so
o o
it’s not possible to swim in it.

Lake Synevyr is fed by three mountain streams, which maintain the
high level of its crystal-clear water.
Surrounded by Carpathian spruces, Synevyr has the shape of an ir-
regular diamond. In the middle is an island, similar to the pupil of the
eye. Hence the lake’s other name – Sea Eye.
On the eastern shore rises a 13-m (43-ft) wooden sculpture of two lovers.
According to legend, this amazing lake appeared from the tears of a count’s
daughter, Syn’, when her angry father ordered her lover, Vir, to be killed.
Synevyr is a beloved place for tourists who come here with backpacks Kamenetsky waterfall are well-preserved. All this can be viewed by
and tents. Here you can spend the night at a camp site; in the after- walking, cycling, or riding a horse.
noon, take impressive photos, admire the watery surface, or go skiing; The lake is beautiful in any weather, even the rain gives it a mystical
and in the evening, try national dishes and listen to musicians. charm.
There is really something to see in the National Nature Park Synevyr: You can get there by trains going to Uzhhorod or Chop. Get off at the
salt karst caves, ancient monuments of wooden architecture, and Volovets station, and continue on to the village of Synevyrskaya
Polyana (90 km / 56 mi). There is a bus once a day, but you can take a
taxi. Not far from the lake is a hotel with a restaurant. If you don’t
Synevyr have time to see everything in a day, rest assured, you can eat tasty
48.6169991
Zakarpattia region food and arrange for an overnight stay here. N. S.
23.6752451
62
Ukraine’s largest
national park
Podilski Tovtry
One of the most picturesque corners of the country, the Podilski Tovtry
National Nature Park is spread over a vast territory of 26,000 hectares
(64,247 acres). It is a long ridge of 160 limestone hills, the former barrier
reef of the ancient Sarmatian Sea. The terrain here is complex – hills,
terraced plains, and canyons. The steppe part is lush with different
grasses, forests are birch-beech. Moreover, 60 species of plants and
85 species of animals found in this area are listed in the Red Book of
Ukraine, and the Podilski Tovtry is one of the country’s Seven Wonders.
The word “tovtry” is of Thracian origin and means “edge” or “point.”
However, the locals are much more often called Tovtry Medobory.
Scientists argue that this name has the Illyrian root “medubaris” (inter-
lines), but there is such an abundance of honey and medicinal herbs
that suggest a simpler explanation – “medovi bory,” literally “honey
woods” in Ukrainian.
This region is an ideal place for tourism with stunning nature, beautiful
landscapes, and interesting ancient archaeological monuments. There
are numerous routes and activities available, designed for one or several
days: automobile, bicycle, horse-back riding, hiking, and also water
sports. The easiest way to get here is from Kamianets-Podilskyi. V. U.
Podilski Tovtry National Nature Park

48.5898010
Kamianets-Podilsky, Khmelnytsky region
26.6109647
63
11,000 hectares
(27,000 acres) of steppe,
never touched by a plow
Askania-Nova
In 2008, this unique nature reserve became one of the “Seven Wonders
of Ukraine,” and in 2009, it represented the country in the world compe-
tition “Seven New Wonders of Nature.” It was originally envisaged as an
model sheep farm. In 1828, 33,000 ha (81,544 acres) of land were sold to
the duke of Anhalt-Köthen for the meager amount of 8 kopecks per
hectare. He gave his ancestral name Ascania to the estate; however, he ongolian government asked for a small flock, to restore the wild popu-
M
did not own it for long. In 1841, the Falz-Fein family bought it and set lation in their ancestral homeland.
up a reserve here. Now, Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve is named after its founder, Friedrich
11,000 of the 33,000 ha (27,182 of 81,544 acres) is absolutely virgin Falz-Fein. V. U.
feather-grass steppe, which the plow has never touched. It is the only
territory of this kind in Europe. There is an extensive variety of rare
animals, birds, and plants, some of which are listed in the Red Book of
Ukraine. The Great Chapli Depression is a wetland in Askania-Nova,
measuring 4 by 6 km (2.5 x 3.7 mi). Wild animals from different conti-
nents are kept in this exceptional preserve: bison, antelope, sheep,
buffalo, various types of deer, Turkmenian kulan, and others. But the
Przewalski’s horses are best rooted in the reserve. In 1899, the Askania
Nature Reserve was the first in the world to receive 12 young horses of
this breed. They propagated so successfully that, in the 1970s, the
Askania-Nova
46.4658583
Kherson region
33.9794836
64 were built here. After the eradication of the Zaporizhian Sich,

Empress Catherine the Great presented Khortytsia to her favorite,
Prince Potemkin. At the turn of the 19th century, German Mennonites
founded a settlement here, trading in forestry goods.
Today, Khortytsia is a national reserve, but part of the territory is
Largest island occupied by illegal buildings. The historical and cultural complex
“Zaporizhian Sich” opened on the island, where there are Cossack
in the Dnipro festivals and thematic tours. The island is visited annually by about
a quarter of a million tourists – they are attracted by amazing nature,
extraordinary landscapes with inland lakes, and many archaeologi-
cal monuments. Climbers train on 40-meter (131-foot) cliffs in the
northern and north-western part of Khortytsia. V. U.
Khortytsia
If the island of Malta is the “key” to the Mediterranean Sea, then the
island of Khortytsia is the “key” to the Dnipro (#56). It is located
within the city of Zaporizhia, below the DniproHES (#87). In the
Middle Ages, it was known as the island of St. George.
In the old days, the Dnipro was the famous trade route “from the
Varangians to the Greeks,” and all travelers, without exception, had
to traverse the Dnipro rapids – rocky outcrops which hindered navi-
gation. During construction of the DniproHES, they were submerged;
in ancient times, vessels were dragged along here; and in later times,
up to the 20th century, cargo and passengers cruised to the rapids,
then were transported by land to just below the rapids, and traveled
again by water. The island of Khortytsia was an important strategic
point. At the time of Kyivan Rus’ (#9), sailors rested on it after drag-
ging their vessels to it. It was a profitable and convenient place for
an ambush. According to legend, it was here that Prince Svyatoslav,
father of Vladimir the Great (#40), died in a battle with the Pechenegs.
Subsequently, the Zaporizhian Cossacks (#10), controlling the rapids
and the crossing near the island, built fortifications. In the 18th cen-
tury, during the Russo-Turkish wars, more powerful fortifications
National Reserve “Khortytsya”

9 Stary redoubt St.
47.8605683
35.0705007 Zaporizhzhia, Zaporizhzhia region
65 Shevchenko, Repin, and Serov made up the core of the collection, which
also had paintings by Van Dyck, Sternberg, Aivazovsky, Kiprensky, Tener,
and others.
In addition to the art gallery, Kachanivka was famous for its collections,
including a collection of Ukrainian antiquities. One of the Tarnovskys
Palace and park purchased the hetman Khmelnytsky’s sword (#46), personal belongings
of Polubotko and Mazepa (#45), and many other priceless objects.
with a tragic destiny Unfortunately, after the Bolshevik revolution, the estate was n
ationalized
and left to destiny. Precious collections, paintings, and sculptures were
partly destroyed, partly stolen. The park and many buildings, including
the 76-room palace, fell into disrepair, gazebos and grottoes were r uined,
and many centuries-old trees were cut down for firewood by neighboring
peasants. The estate was used as a hospital during the war, and as a tu-
Kachanivka berculosis sanatorium in the 1970s. Only then did its gradual revival
begin.
Today, Kachanivka is a national reserve, and restoration work is being
This extraordinarily beautiful place is known as Tarnovsky Estate. Why is done on all 732 hectares (1,800 acres). V. U.
it different from other palace parks? It is closely connected with the
glorious names of many world celebrities.
The estate was given to Count Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky as a gift by
Empress Catherine II. But soon after, the estate passed as an inheritance
to the Tarnovsky family and, thanks to them, it survived into its heyday.
In the 1820s, a magnificent palace was built in the classicism style, sur-
rounded by a huge park; ponds were dug, two of which – Bolshoy (Big)
and Mayorsky (Major’s) – resemble huge lakes; gazebos and pavilions
were built; sculptures were erected; grottoes and bridges constructed.
But Kachanivka’s fame comes not from the architectural merits of the
estate, but from its history.
Over the decades, the literary and artistic elite of the era visited several
generations of Tarnovskys. The writer Nikolai Gogol (#36) and c omposer
Mikhail Glinka, who worked here on his opera “Ruslan and Ludmila,”
stayed for a long time; artists Brullov, and later Repin and Makovsky.
The future national poet of Ukraine Taras Shevchenko (#31) was here
many times. Visiting artists painted the views of Kachanivka and left
their paintings as a gift to the hospitable hosts. Paintings by Brullov,
National History Reserve “Kachanivka”

50.8367902
Kachanivka, Chernigiv region
32.6530932
66
Ukraine’s most
romantic arboretum
Sofiyivka
The feelings that Sofiyivka Park arouses in its many visitors are no less
romantic than the history of its creation. It was founded in 1796 in Uman
by the owner of this city, Count Potocki, for his wife and later became a
gift on her birthday. Countess Sophia, whose name the park bears, was
one of the most famous ladies of her time, a Mata Hari of the 18th cen-
tury: Greek by descent, courtesan, beloved of many noble and august
persons, accepted by all the royal courts of Europe, she became famous
as a woman of indescribable beauty, a brilliant mind, a spy, and an
adventurer. When she first met Potocki, she was married to Count De
Witt, and she was already 35 – in those times, that was practically the
beginning of old age. Nevertheless, one of Poland’s most powerful and
wealthy magnates proposed to her. As for the creation of the park, Potocki created by the Kamianka river. Sometimes it flows through tunnels in the
wanted to please his beloved, so he ordered the engineer Ludwig Metzel rocks, sometimes it comes to the surface. The park is replete with grot-
to make Sofiyivka “one of the first gardens in Europe.” Moreover, Metzel toes, rocks, gazebos, waterfalls, and fountains. Not only local, but also
had an unlimited budget and could hire as many laborers as he wanted, exotic tree and shrub species grow here. The winding shady alleys are
and this played a decisive role. decorated with sculptures.
It is interesting that the structure of the park is completely improvised. Today, Sofiyivka is a National Arboretum and a favorite vacation spot.
Metzel skillfully used the land relief, but without any preliminary plan. Tourists from all over the world come here. You can sail a boat on the
Sofiyivka is a chain of lakes connected by channels, basins, and ponds subterranean river Acheron, ride a ferry or a gondola, drive along the alleys
in a carriage, take excellent photos (including in 18th century clothes), ride
a horse, rent a boat or a catamaran, walk in the park alone or with a guide.
National Dendrological Park “Sofiyivka” There are always a lot of newlyweds: it is believed that the wedding per-
48.7633692
Uman, Cherkasy region formed at Sofiyivka is the key to happiness and love. V. U.
30.2203389
67
One of the largest parks
in Eastern Europe
Alexandria Park Unfortunately, the park was badly damaged in the first half of the 20th
Like Uman’s Sofiyivka (#66), Alexandria Park is named after its o
wner, century, and especially during the Second World War. The Austeria
Countess Alexandra Branitskaya, the wife of the crown hetman of Palace, the Ballroom, and the Royal Pavilion have not survived.
Poland. Having received the estate of Bila Tserkva (87 km / 54 mi south Today, Alexandria is one of the largest parks of its kind in Europe and the
of Kyiv) as a gift from her husband, the countess wished to create an second largest in Ukraine. Its area is slightly more than 200 hectares
elegant romantic park at her residence, no less marvelous than Euro- (494 acres). The main thing to do is take some sandwiches and a blanket,
pean models, and give it her name. The French architect Muffo for a break, and don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes. V. U.
drafted the general development project; gardeners and landscape
architects were also discharged from Europe.
The park contains compositions that successfully take into account

the forest-steppe landscape and the picturesque Ros river. Gazebos
and pavilions were built on islands and elegant bridges were flung
across the channels. The park’s vast territory includes ponds, water-
falls, flower beds, greenhouses, and orangeries. The paths are deco-
rated with numerous marble and bronze sculptures, from Chinese
women and Chinese wise-men to images of Mercury, Diana, and a
statue of a Greek warrior. The Rotunda and the Echo colonnade, with
its excellent acoustics, are very popular among visitors – if you whisper
a word at one end, it can be heard perfectly at the other.
Alexandria Park
49.8122572
Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region
30.0652715
68
The country’s fuel
and energy base
Donbas
The Donets coal basin is a huge coal deposit formed on the site of
the ancient Tethys Sea, stretching across the entire eastern half of
European Russia and the western half of Asia. The Caspian and Aral shield indicates coal deposits, and the gold field shows a black or, in
Seas are what is left of it as a result of geological and climatic the second version, azure Palm of Mertsalov. This is a palm tree
changes. forged from a rail by the blacksmith Alexei Mertsalov, who won the
The Donetsk coal basin extends beyond the Urals and is divided into Grand Prix at the Paris International Industrial Fair in 1900. V. U.
Western Donbas, a coal-mining region in Ukraine, and Eastern Don-
bas, belonging to Russia. The field was discovered in 1721. At the end
of the 19th century, industrial development began, which led to a
sharp population increase, and construction of ferrous metallurgy,
chemical industry, and mechanical engineering enterprises. The East
Donbas played an important role in the fuel and energy base of
Ukraine, and for many other republics in Soviet times.
It was here in 1954, for the first time in the world, that hydraulic
fracturing of coal beds was used for the extraction of methane. This
method dramatically increases the flow rate, that is, the volume of
production extracted from it per unit of time.
The Ukrainian Donbas has its own coat of arms: a diamond (one of
the heraldic designations, in the color black), the tip of the French
Donetsk region
47.5634002
Luhansk region
37.3164887
69
Most notorious place
in Ukraine
Chernobyl
This small town in Kyiv oblast, standing on the Pripyat River, became world
famous after the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. a uxiliary agencies were located here. After the clean-up, a new permanent
Actually, its history begins in the 12th century. An interesting fact – from population appeared, the Chernobyl NPP duty personnel.
the 17th to the end of the 19th century, it was a privately-owned city, that is, Today, Chernobyl is a secure city with the unofficial name “The Capital of
it completely belonged to the Chodkiewicz nobles, who sold it to the state Radiation,” and it is among the top ten most polluted cities in the world.
in 1896. During these nine centuries, Chernobyl was part of the Grand 21st-century Chernobyl is the strange symbiosis of a tourist center, where
Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Russian official and unofficial groups come from all over the world, pilgrimage sites
Empire, and the USSR; it survived tragic periods of occupation during the for stalkers, a dilapidated post-apocalyptic city, and the duty town where
First and Second World Wars. In 1970, the first nuclear power plant in the Chernobyl NPP employees, scientists, and service agencies are housed.
Ukraine was built here. At the same time, there are shops and bars; a bus station; the only func-
However, on April 26, 1986, at 1:23 a.m., a series of explosions destroyed tioning church in the Exclusion Zone, with the famous icon “The Savior of
the reactor and the building of the 4th power unit at the Chernobyl NPP. Chernobyl”; museums, including an exposition of robots used in the liqui-
This accident is the largest technological catastrophe in the history of dation of the accident; and monuments to the liquidators, of which new
mankind, hundreds of books have been written about it, and dozens of films ones are constantly appearing. V. U.
made; its consequences are still being studied by scientists from around
the world. It happened for a variety of reasons, including technical prob-
lems and a confluence of circumstances. Chernobyl was one of the last
settlements to be evacuated from the Exclusion Zone, which occurred on
May 5. Then, the liquidation headquarters, management, army, and
Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

51.3885760
Kyiv region
30.0978195
70 In the cathedral itself, many tourists are drawn to the magnificent

tombstone of the young beauty Laura Pshezdetskaya, made of C arrara
marble.
Attractions include the restored Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the
classic Neo-Byzantine style, the Armenian Nicholas Church, the
City-castle, as if straight Armenian Well, and the Armenian and Turkish bastions of the old
from a medieval fortress.
novel’s illustration Similar to the illustration in adventure novels by Dumas or Walter
Scott, Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle will leave the most vivid and un-
forgettable impressions on those who like to travel to places where
“history breathes.”
Since 1998, the three-day “Towards the Sun” festival of balloons is
held in late May, in conjunction with City Day. And then you can
Kamianets-Podilskyi have a birds-eye view of Kamianets. V. U.
Kamianets-Podilskyi is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in

Ukraine. Its main attraction is the historic center, preserved intact,
without any 20th-century buildings. The city is located on an extensive
peninsular rocky plateau with steep walls formed by the Smotrych River.
This grand canyon itself is a natural fortress, thanks to which Kamianets-
Podilskyi Castle, connected to the shore by a long bridge, remained
inaccessible invaders for five hundred years. It was never taken by force,
and it passed from hand to hand only by intrigue or a change of power in
the surrounding territories.
The city has existed since the 11th century; the main fortifications,
which have survived to this day, were built in the 14th and 15th centu-
ries. It was ruled by Lithuania, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,
the Ottoman and then the Russian empires. At the same time, there
is a powerful Armenian diaspora in Kamianets-Podilskyi. All of this
influenced the architectural composition of the city, its traditions
and culture. Thus, the Cathedral of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
had a 36-meter (118-foot) minaret added during the period of T urkish
rule, and when the Polish regime was reinstated, a statue of the
Blessed Virgin Mary was erected, standing on the globe and crescent.
Kamianets-Podilskyi
48.6759555
Khmelnytsky region
26.5759010
71
Most “desirable” of
the Seven Wonders
of Ukraine
Khotyn Fortress alive in stone so that the fortress would stand indestructible. Another
If cities have their own destinies, then Khotyn was born to be the center legend is also associated with a girl: at a time when there was no well
of war. After all, the name of the ancient city Khotyn, where one of the with drinking water in the fortress, during one of the sieges, the
most famous fortresses of Ukraine is located, comes from the word “to defenders were suffering from unbearable thirst. Then a brave girl took
want.” Its unique location made Khotyn and its defenses incredibly a jug and, coming down from the walls, made her way at night to the
attractive to any conqueror: it was claimed by the Tatars; the rulers of river. On the way back she was mortally wounded, but carried the water
Genoa, Moldavia, and Wallachia; the kings of the Polish-Lithuanian to her friends.
Commonwealth; and the sultans of the Ottoman Empire. All them fought In 2010, the prestigious international championship in historical medieval
battles around Khotyn, some of which even changed history. battle, “Battle of the Nations,” was held here, and the Medieval
During the Polish-Ottoman wars, the Battle of Khotyn stopped the Khotyn Festival has been held here since 2012. V. U.
Turkish invasion, and victory in the 1673 Battle of Khotyn largely con-
tributed to the election of Jan Sobiesky to the Polish throne. It’s true,
though, that Khotyn fell under the Turkish yoke again in 1713, and for
almost a hundred years, French engineers supervised the reinforcement
and reconstruction of the fortress, making the fortifications almost
impenetrable. During the Russo-Turkish wars, Russian troops took the
fortress four times. Mikhail Lomonosov dedicated a famous ode to one
of the battles for the fortress.
Khotyn Fortress is shrouded in many sad legends. It is said that a wet
stain that never dries on one of its walls is the tears of a girl walled up
Khotyn
48.5220072
Chernivtsi region
26.4961619
72
Lubart’s or the Castle
of the Three Princes
Lutsk Castle
Lutsk Castle is one of the oldest and most beautiful in Ukraine. Its story
is long and glorious. Defensive fortifications first appeared on this site at
the beginning of the 11th century, and it’s been officially recorded since
1340. It is remarkable, however, that while still a wooden fortress, Lutsk
Castle successfully survived a six-month siege by the army of Polish King
Boleslaus the Bold, then repelled attacks by Yury Dolgoruky’s troops and
other ancient Russian princes, as well as the Tatar Khan. Lubart’s stone hand combat. Those who prefer peaceful pursuits can learn soap-making
castle consisted at first of two structures, the Upper (still existing) and and candle-making. It’s true the numerous underground passages at
Okolnyi (only partially restored). Construction began in the mid-14th Lubart’s are open to the public only once a year, during the festival “Night
century and was completed at the beginning of the 15th century. Accord- in Lutsk.”
ing to legend, Prince Lubart started to build it in honor of his wife, hence By the way, pay attention to the 200 hryvnya bill – the Entrance Tower at
the triangular layout with three towers in the corners: Faith, Hope, and Lubart’s Castle is depicted it, to the right of a flying stork (#8). V. U.
Love. His wife died before the end of construction, and the castle was
completed under the rule of Princes Vytautas and Švitrigaila.
Today, Lubart’s Castle is a favorite tourist destination. There are a variety
of excursions. Here you can see a wonderful collection of bells, amassed
in one of the towers; visit a library of old books; climb the gate tower on
a spiral staircase and see a beautiful view of the city; admire wooden
catapults; shoot from a medieval bow; or take a few lessons in hand-to-
Lutsk
50.7388916
Volyn region
25.3211282
73 All of the fortress’ buildings are united by thick walls, up to 5 m (16 ft),
with a height of 15 m (49 ft) and a total length of 2.5 km (1.5 mi). In the
13th century, 34 towers were erected around the perimeter, of which
12 were for battle (with weaponry slits and ammunition in the base-
ments). Today, 26 have survived. A 20-meter-deep (65-ft) moat surrounds
The most impressive the fortress.
The oldest part of Akkerman fortress is the Citadel, where the head of
fortification in Ukraine the fortress and his guard were located. This structure has many under-
ground passages and shelters, and it is absolutely inaccessible to ene-
mies. The garrison yard was used for permanent housing of military
units. There were dwellings in the civil yard, but they have not been pre-
served until our time. During times of danger, residents of the city and
nearby villages sheltered here.
Akkerman Fortress The port yard stretched along the coast, and goods brought to the city
were stored here. On the east side, the so-called Kiliya Gates led to the
fortress, and on the west side, the Ovidiopol Gate.
Akkerman, or Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, fortress is an architectural monu- You can get to the fortress from Odesa (#53) (46 km / 28 mi) by car, bus,
ment of the 13th-15th centuries and the largest defensive structure in or train. N. S.
Eastern Europe.
It is located in the Black Sea (#58) estuary at Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi,
which, according to UNESCO, is one of the world’s ten oldest cities that
have existed continually from their creation until today. Archaeologists
have established that the Greek city Tyras once stood on the site of the
fortress, which took its name from the river Tyras, later called the
Danaster, and even later, the Dniester.
The fortress was built in the 13th century by the Golden Horde. In the 14th
century, the Genoese were granted the right to use it as a commercial ware-
house, and they built the oldest and sturdiest structure, the Citadel. After
the Horde lost the region, the structure fell into the hands of the Moldavian
kings, who began building the fortress that we know today.
In 1484, after a long siege, the Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi fortress was cap-
tured by the Ottomans, who called it Akkerman (White Fortress); their
rule lasted more than 300 years. In the early 19th century, the Akkerman
fortress became the property of the Russian Empire, and in 1832 it lost
its status as a military facility.
2B Admiral Ushakov St.

Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi
46.2004836
30.3468600 Odesa region
74
Only Carmelite Order
monastery-fortress
Berdychiv Fortress
The fortress-monastery of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites in
Berdychiv is a majestic architectural complex built at different times and
in different styles, from baroque to classicism.
At the end of the 16th century, Lithuanian governor Jan Tyszkiewicz
began to build a castle. In 1627, he was captured during the Crimean
campaign, and he dreamed of monks praying for his release. He really
was freed in a miraculous way and, returning home, he met the monks of
the Order of the Discalced Carmelites (one of four mendicant orders). In
gratitude for his deliverance, he gave them the castle and money for fur- The Monastery of the Discalced Carmelites quickly became a center of
ther construction. After 6 years, an underground church, monastic cells, Catholicism. A large printing house was established here and a huge
trade, and other household buildings were erected. The walls were also library was amassed. A spiritual educational institution was active at the
fortified, which turned the monastery into a fortress, equipped with monastery, which trained Catholic priests.
additional defensive ramparts and a drawbridge. There was always a gar- In the middle of the 19th century, when this territory came under the
rison in the fortress. This is the only example in the world of monks control of Orthodox Russia, all Catholic monasteries were closed. The
building fortifications around a monastery. monastery of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites resumed its work
For the church’s consecration, Tyszkiewicz presented a family treasure to only in 1991.
the monastery, the miraculous icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And now Currently, it is a functioning monastery under the auspices of the Roman
the third copy of this icon, consecrated by Pope John Paul II is kept in the Catholic Church and the main Catholic shrine in Ukraine.
monastery (the first one was stolen, the second one destroyed in a fire). You can get to the fortress from Zhytomyr (40 km / 24 mi) or from Kyiv
along the Zhytomyr highway (180 km / 112 mi) (Berdychiv, Cathedral
Square, 25).
Soborna Sq. Berdychiv The city has a large selection of hotels, hostels and restaurants, includ-
49.8975438
Zhytomyr region ing not far from the sights. N. S.
28.5724433
75
Among the top five
European castles,
never taken by force
Mukachevo Castle
Palanok or Mukachevo Castle is one of the oldest and most famous in
Ukraine. When and who erected it is not known for sure, but already
in the 11th century, there was a mountain of volcanic rock 68 m
(223 ft) high and covering 14,000 m2 (150,000 ft2). At the foot of the
mountain lies the town of Mukachevo, and the castle can be seen
from any point in it.
Palanok became famous during the Transylvania struggle against the
domination of the Hapsburg Holy Roman Empire in the second half of
the 16th century. Defense of the castle and command of the garrison of
2,500 soldiers was assumed by the legendary countess Ilona Zrínyi, the
mother of the famous Hungarian freedom fighter Francis Rakoczy, who
was only 10 years old at the time. In order to inspire her warriors, the
countess, with sword in hand, rose to the bastions under enemy fire,
leading her son by the hand. For two years, Mukachevo castle withstood
sieges and attacks, while other Rakoczy castles, including Uzhhorod, had
fallen long ago. And only the help of a traitor who wrote a forged letter of Saint Stephen (the first Hungarian king), which is part of the national
led the Austrians to victory. coat-of-arms of Hungary.
Later, during the Napoleonic Wars, one of the most important Hungarian In the 19th and 20th centuries, the castle lost its strategic importance. In
relics was hidden in Palanok Castle from the French emperor, the Crown the 1960s, when Mukachevo was part of the Soviet Ukraine, it became a
museum, which it still is today. In 2006, a monument to Ilona Zrínyi and
her son Francis was erected at the castle. The castle hosts evening torch-
42 Graf von Schönborn St. light tours with a guide dressed as a chronicler monk. You can also take
48.4317267
Mukachevo, Zakarpattia region photos in medieval costumes here. V. U.
22.6857071
76 a spot of wildlife. At first glance, the man-made lake in the center of the
estate has a natural outline; in fact, its banks are a map of the Austro-
Hungarian Empire of that time.
The estate has a Beauty Spring, with healing mineral water. Accord-
ing to legend, anyone who bathes in the water will retain their radiant
Transcarpathian “Palace youth for a long time. Another attraction on the estate is the Rock of
Love; there’s a wonderful view of the surrounding landscape here.
of the Snow Queen” The castle has its own ghost, a lady in black attire, the spouse of one
of the counts, falsely accused by him of unfaithfulness.
In Soviet times, the castle became a sanatorium, and it retains this
status today. Nevertheless, movies were filmed here, including a
favorite fairy tale of Soviet children, “The Snow Queen.” The sanato-
rium building is, of course, closed to visitors, but the estate is open
Beregvar every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. V. U.
Beregvar (Schoenborn Castle), one of the most beautiful castles in

Ukraine, is not far from Mukachevo (#75). It was the residence of the
Schoenborns, Austro-Hungarian aristocrats who become the most
influential nobles in the Transcarpathian region during Austro-
Hungarian rule, after the defeat of Ilona Zrínyi.
Even though the castle looks like it came straight from illustrations in a
medieval novel, it is actually quite young. It was built in 1895, in the
historical style that was popular at the time, combining elements from
different periods. It not only reproduces similar old buildings, but it is
also enveloped in mysticism: every architectural element is not only
functional, but also endowed with symbolic meaning. At the corners of
the castle are four towers, representing the four seasons. There are
12 entrances into the castle, like the months of the year, and 52 chim-
neys, according to the number of weeks. Throughout the palace, there
are 365 ordinary windows and one hidden (because of the extra day in a
leap year). And this is only the beginning of a long list of Beregvar’s
features. There was a reason that, shortly before World War II, Heinrich
Goering was eager to buy it. The castle is surrounded by a vast English
park, which is partially designed as a landscaped garden and partially as
Sanatoriy “Karpaty”
48.5246276
Karpaty, Zakarpattia region
22.8721316
77 began restoring it. However, after the king’s death, misfortunes began to
haunt the castle again, and the last devastating fire occurred in 1951.
There are also ghosts here: a young nobleman who committed suicide
because of unrequited love and was thrown into a marsh nearby; and a
monk was allegedly bricked up in a castle wall for his transgressions.
They say that during the last restoration, someone really found a skele-
Main castle in Lviv region ton in a wall.
Now, there is a museum here, with paintings, icons, and other antiquities,
as well as the largest and most demonstrative collection of 18th century
wooden sculpture of the Lviv school, the most famous representative of
which is Johann Georg Pinsel.
Filmmakers love Olesko Castle. Many movies were filmed here – in
Soviet times, “The Three Musketeers,” “The Wild Hunt of King Stach,”
Olesko Castle the Polish film “The Flood,” and another historical films; and recently,
a scene in the film “With Fire and Sword.” V. U.
Built in the 14th century, Olesko Castle is one of the oldest in Galicia. It
survived a lot during its centuries-long history – endless raids by Tatars,
fires, earthquakes, looting, and serious damage. Nevertheless, the proud
castle still towers above its surroundings, about 80 km (50 mi) from Lviv
(#52), at the crossroads of key routes, and it is believed that in good
weather it can be seen from far away.
One of the greatest kings of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
was born within its walls, Jan Sobiesky; Poland reached the height of
its fame and power under his leadership. All his life, Sobiesky was sur-
rounded by prophecies and signs. The first happened in Olesko Castle.
On the day of his birth, in August 1629, the Tatars besieged the castle
and there was a great thunderstorm. When the midwife put the new-
born on a black marble table, there was a crash of thunder so strong
that the marble split and the midwife went deaf. A great future was
predicted for the baby.
At about the same time, Bohdan Khmelnytsky’s (#46) father Mykhailo
was in the service of the future Polish king’s grandfather. And 17 years
later, it was Bohdan Khmelnytsky who captured Olesko Castle and
turned it into ruins. In 1682, Jan Sobiesky bought his native castle and
Olesko
49.9683756
Lviv region
24.8986891
78 the games arranged in Constantinople by Emperor Constantine in honor

of Princess Olga. In addition to numerous images of heavenly Powers and
the pantheon of Christian saints, many scenes from Byzantine court life
are preserved on the walls and pillars of the cathedral. These are known as
the Sophia graffiti featuring grandees, equestrian competitions, hunting,
World’s largest collection of and musicians. These 7,000 examples of graffiti are of great historical val-
authentic 11th-century ue. One of the most famous from the 11th century is the signature of Anna
mosaics and frescoes Yaroslavna (#42), the future Queen of France. St. Sophia Cathedral was
the first Ukrainian landmark included onto the UNESCO World Heritage
List. The architectural complex includes the 76-m-tall (249 ft) azure and
white bell tower, Metropolitan house, the refectory, the Zabrovsky gate,
the south entrance tower, the caves of cathedral elders, and the seminary
encircled by a stone wall. The underground caves of Sophia are fascinating.
St. Sophia Cathedral Despite many searches since 1916, no one has been able to find them.
Legend has it that they may contain the lost Library of Yaroslav the Wise,
a legendary collection of books, documents, and various – even mystical –
The cathedral was founded by Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise (#41) and artifacts. Visitors to St. Sophia Cathedral should note the angels in Cos-
built between 1037 and 1044 on the site of a victorious battle where Kyi- sack trousers on the courtyard facade of the bell tower. They hover over
vans defeated the Pechenegs (Asian nomadic tribes). Its name comes from the entrance, welcoming the incoming and blessing the departing. V. U.
the 6th-century Hagia Sophia cathedral in Constantinople. After the pil-
laging of Kyiv by Andriy Bogolyubskyi in 1169, followed by Mongolian Ta-
tars in 1240, the cathedral fell into disrepair. It was also greatly damaged
in the 16th century, when Poland and Ukraine were trying to unite Catholic
and Orthodox churches. In 1633, Orthodox leader Peter Mohyla commis-
sioned repair work and the upper part of the building was completely
rebuilt in distinctive Ukrainian Baroque (#24) style, while preserving the
splendid Byzantine interior. The collection of 11th century mosaics and
frescoes is unique and complete. The best known is the 6 m (20 ft) tall
mosaic of the praying Virgin Orans, made of 177 colours of glass and stone
tiles. The other masterpieces include the Pantocrator, the Communion of
Apostles, the Deisis and the Annunciation. Some frescos are especially
interesting from both historical and artistic points of view, and show not
only scenes from the Holy Bible, but also secular subjects. For example, in
the cathedral one can see portraits of the Yaroslav family members. The
belfry is decorated with paintings of the 11th century depicting scenes of
24 Volodymyrska St., Kyiv

50.452871
ZolotiM1Vorota
M2 M3
30.514256
79 captured by the of Mongol-Tatar hordes of Batu Khan. The Mongol and

Tatar raids continued over several hundred years, until the mid-15th cen-
tury, when the Crimean Khan Menglis-Girei plundered the Lavra.
After several centuries of relative calm, the 1917 revolution and subse-
The third destiny of quent decades of struggle with religion and the propagation of atheism
the Blessed Virgin and one in the USSR began, when part of the monks were exiled to camps, and
some were shot.
of the oldest monasteries However, despite all these terrible historical events and several p
eriods
of Kyivan Rus’ when the monastery was completely closed, the Lavra was constantly
reconstructed and, in spite of everything, it became more and more
beautiful. In 1990, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The
outstanding monuments of architecture and history include, first of
all, the Gate Church of the Trinity, the bell towers in the upper terri-
Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra tory and in the Far Caves, the Church of All Saints, and the Refectory
Church. For the 950th anniversary of the monastery in Ukraine (by then
independent), the Assumption Cathedral, which had been blown up in
In Orthodoxy, there is the notion of “the destiny of the Blessed Virgin,” 1941, was rebuilt.
or the “lot” of the Mother of God – that is, land under the Virgin Mary’s The Lavra’s grandiose complex of temples, bell towers, and office
special patronage. Four such lands are known in the world: the first is buildings is striking in its beauty and magnificence. Every year, more
Iveria (Georgia), the second is Holy Mount Athos (Greece), the third is than 45 million tourists from around the world visit it, not to mention
the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, and the fourth is the Serafimo-Diveevsky worshippers. V. U.
Monastery (Russia), which originally was also in Kyiv.
Legend says that the Mother of God revealed to the abbot of one of the
Athos monasteries that the monk Anthony, a native of Chernihiv princi-
pality, should return to Rus’. Obedient to her will, Anthony came to Kyiv,
where Yaroslav the Wise (#41) ruled, and, in 1051, he founded a monas-
tery. While building the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God,
one of the oldest non-manufactured images of her was found.
Relics of saints are kept in the Near and Far Caves of the Lavra; a pan-
theon was established in the Lavra for prominent lay people who have
found eternal peace here.
However, the fate of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was not easy. In ancient
times, it repeatedly experienced devastating raids by the Pechenegs and
Cumans; suffered ruin from the troops of Suzdal, Chernihiv, Smolensk,
and other principalities; and a terrible defeat in 1240, when Kyiv was
9 Lavrska St., Kyiv

50.434626
Arsenalna M1 M2 M3
30.554876
80 St. Job protects this place. During the Tartar invasion in 1675, the monks and
residents came together to defend the monastery and began to read hymns
before an icon of the Virgin Mary; the clouds parted in the sky, and the
Mother of God appeared in the golden light, surrounded by angels, with St.
Job beside her, in prayer. The Turks were frightened by the heavenly sign and
Ukraine’s second-largest began to shoot arrows at him, but they reversed back towards them.
Orthodox church complex From 1713 to 1831, the Pochayiv Monastery was Greek Catholic (this ter-
ritory belonged to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth). Under Tsar
Nikolai I, it was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church and became
the fourth most important among all the existing monasteries in the
Russian Empire.
In 1939, part of Western Ukraine was annexed by the USSR. The Red
Pochayiv Lavra
Army looted Pochayiv Monastery. They took away stocks of grain and
livestock, and the monks themselves were banished to the street.
Since 1988, a new life has begun at Pochayiv Lavra: a Sunday school
opened, gardens and structures were renewed, buildings and a bell tower
In Orthodox countries, there are five lavras, the largest kind of monas- were restored, the road was improved, workshops started up again. At
tery with special spiritual significance. The Holy Assumption Pochayiv the beginning of the 21st century, The Lavra Assumption and Trinity
Lavra, the second largest monastery complex after the Kyiv-Pechersk Cathedrals could no longer accommodate all who wanted to attend mass
Lavra (#79), is located on a high hill, surrounded by the town of New there, so another cathedral was built in 2013, the Transfiguration.
Pochayiv. You can get to the shrine from Kremenets (24 km / 15 mi) or Today it is a working monastery, and Orthodox believers from all over
Ternopil (70 km / 43 mi). Ukraine come to it for religious holidays. There are eight hotels and
According to legend, the monastery was founded by monks from the several cafes and restaurants in Pochayiv. N. S.
Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (#79) , who had fled from the Mongol invasion in
1240, but it is first mentioned in the Chronicles in 1527.
The complex was built in the traditions of late Ukrainian Baroque (#24),
the monastery buildings’ terraced composition gradually leads to the
Assumption Cathedral, which dominates the lavra. Pochayiv Lavra is
richly decorated with sculptures, paintings, ornaments, and shrines to
which worshipers go in veneration (the footprint and the miraculous
image of the Most Holy Theotokos of Pochayiv, the holy relics of St. Job of
Pochayiv, and Amphilochius of Pochayiv).
The golden age of the monastery and many legends are associated with the
time of Abbot Job (first half of the 17th century), during which a stone church
was built and a printing house was founded. Since then, it is believed that
Pochayiv
50.0054304
Ternopil region
25.5060560
81 far from the monastery, in gratitude for a lucky outcome, the Holy
Assumption Sviatohirsk Abbey was founded with the Cathedral of Christ
the Savior.
With the establishment of Soviet power in 1918, the monastery was
liquidated; it reopened in 1992. At the same time, restoration work be-
Monastery built on and gan. In 2004, the abbey received the Lavra status.
The rocky part of the Holy Assumption Sviatohirsk Lavra is pitted with
in a chalk mountain caves: tombs, temples, and monastic cells are in the nearest ones; the
oldest cave church, St. Anthony and Theodosius of Kyiv-Pechersk, is in
the most distant one. Guided tours are available three times a day in the
caves; visitors should carry lit candles throughout the caves, to the very
end, and only with the purest of thoughts, as it is believed that the caves
are a place of strength.
Sviatohirsk Lavra Four of Sviatohirsk Lavra’s cloisters have been preserved. The main
one – Anthony and Theodosius of Kyiv-Pechersk – is open to the public,
but the other three are in secret places and ordinary visitors will not be
Holy Assumption Sviatohirsk Lavra is the third most significant in able to see them.
Ukraine, after Kyiv-Pechersk (#79) and Pochayiv (#80). Seventeen monks The wooden All Saints abbey, a monument of wooden architecture built
who lived here at different times have been canonized. without a single nail, is striking in its unsophisticated beauty.
The exact date when the abbey was founded is not known. According to There are 9 temples in the church, as well as 3 chapels. The most famous
church legends, the first monks settled in the Sviatohirsk area around cathedral, Nicholas, is an architectural monument and is made in the
the 14th – 15th centuries, and the first documented mention dates back to style of early “Slobodsky” baroque. Judging by drawings from the end of
the 17th century. the 17th century, there used to be three huge chalk cones with windows
The monastery’s uniqueness lies in the fact that a significant part of the cut in them in this spot, and the three-chamber church seems to repeat
monastic cells and churches when it was founded were located inside the their outline. N. S.
chalk mountains, originally in natural caves, and then later in caves
carved from the rock. The monastery’s history is marked by periods of
prosperity and decline. At the end of the 17th century, it was captured and
plundered by the Crimean Tatars; 100 years later, it was abolished by
decree of Catherine II, and all its lands, estates, and villages were seized
by the treasury. Only in the mid-19th century was the monastery restored,
and over the next 70 years it flourished, becoming one of the largest in
the Russian Empire. There were cloisters (settlements for hermit monks),
and skilled workshops, mills, and trading shops operated there. At the
end of the 19th century, after a train with the imperial family crashed not
3 Zarichna St.
49.0281499
Sviatohirsk, Donetsk region
37.5653275
82 the temple is made in the Renaissance style and belongs not only to
Ukrainian, but also world culture. The capital of Ukraine can boast only
one wooden church, Makariyivskyy (1897).
Unlike Russian wooden churches with their pyramidal architecture,
multiple domes, and tent roofs, the Ukrainian style has mainly three-
Unique designs dome types. The main part, or nave, was intended for men; the western
part was for women (funeral rites were performed here); and in the east-
for sacred art ern part was an altar. They are also more laconic, but generously deco-
rated with Hungarian, Romanian, and Polish ornamentation (depending
on the time of construction).
Most of the iconostases and interior paintings have survived, and, be-
sides religious subjects, there are many domestic scenes, as well as floral
motifs. Often, we see Ukrainian types in the icons.
Wooden Churches At the Pyrohiv open-air museum on the outskirts of Kyiv (#5), you can
see five wooden churches from different regions of the country. The
oldest of them is the Church of St. Michael (Kyiv region, 1520). N. S.
In 2013, by unanimous vote of the UNESCO Committee, eight wooden
churches in Ukraine were recognized as world heritage sites.
Most of the churches are located in western Ukraine, the rest are in
various regions of the country. Unfortunately, many of them have
suffered from wars, fires, and vandalism. But why wood, and how have
these buildings, made of such short-lived material, survived until t oday?
Everything is simple – stone in those days was a great luxury. And
wood was not delicate; it was stored in a salt solution for decades,
which made it resistant to weather conditions and even fire. There-
fore, construction of the churches took a very long time, but they were
guaranteed a long life.
It is not known when wooden churches first appeared in Ukraine. The
first mention of the Church of St. Elijah the Prophet in Kyiv, is found in a
letter to Prince Igor (944). The oldest wooden churches in Ukraine are
located in the Carpathians (#57): these are the two churches of St. Niko-
lai in Rakhiv (1428) and Tyachiv districts (1470). The buildings are con-
structed in Gothic style and complemented by Hungarian motifs. The
Church of the Holy Spirit (beginning of the 16th century) is a museum in
Rohatyn, and Bohdan Khmelnytsky (#46) visited it. The iconostasis of
Akademika Tronka St., Kyiv

50.353311
Teremky
M1 M2 M3
30.504005
83 as TsUM) – 130 m. Here you will find the famous chestnut groves, mani-
cured lawns, and flowerbeds. In the early 1950s, the time of internal
USSR struggle “with excesses in architecture,” that all these boulevards,
lawns, golden tiles, columns and magnificent Corinthian creations were
considered to be an ostentatious disgrace. Dobrovolsky’s high position
Main street of Kyiv and career came under attack and he was removed from office, but
and Ukraine. Only for nevertheless Khreshchatyk had acquired its spectacular makeover that
pedestrians on weekends prompted a foreign envoy to say, “I’ve seen a lot of parks in cities, but for
the first time I see a city in a park.” The greenery of the gardens, the trees
lining the street, the intersecting squares – all combine with the various
colors of brick, red and gray granite, and decorative ceramic tiles to give
Khreshchatyk an attractive and colorful aspect much admired by Kyiv’s
inhabitants and visitors. V. U.
Khreshchatyk
By Kyiv standards, Khreshchatyk is very recent. Less than two centuries
ago, a stream ran through this site. Now there is Khreshatyk, the premier
main street of the capital, and its business and cultural center. What is
more, this street was not simply laid down – a deep ravine was filled up
with thousands of tons of soil taken from the surrounding hills and com-
pressed into a solid foundation. And only then were the three separate
parts of Kyiv – Pechersk, Podil, and the Old Town (Princely Town) con-
joined into the city as we now know it. Under the shadow of lindens and
chestnuts, Khreshchatyk is much shorter than it seems, a little less than
a kilometer. The street is meant for leisurely strolls, convivial encounters
and gatherings, and that is why shops, cafes, and restaurants line its
pavements. During WWII, the street was totally reduced to ruins and the
story of its restoration is a cause of local pride. Kyiv architects travelled
to Europe to study the optimum designs for the main street of the capital.
They took inspiration from the optimistic and uplifting architecture of
Italy and Spain, and combined these styles with traditional Ukrainian
Baroque (#24) to produce a striking result. The chief architect, Anatoly
Dobrovolsky, remade Khreshchatyk much wider than it was before the
war. On average it is 75 m, and near the central department store, (known
Khreshchatyk St., Kyiv

Khreshchatyk M1 M2 M3
50.447636
30.522338 Maidan Nezalezhnosti
M1 M2 M3
84
Main national university;
symbol of higher education
Shevchenko University
Kyiv University’s red building, erected by order of Emperor Nikolai I
on the then-deserted and almost uninhabited Volodymyrska Street,
became not only a center of education, but also influenced the archi-
tectural appearance of Kyiv and its geography. The foundation was
solemnly laid in 1837, under which was placed a medal with the date
when construction commenced; a plinfa (brick) from the foundation
of Desyatynna Church, the first Christian stone church in Rus’ (#9);
silver, gold, and platinum coins; and a copper plate.
Until 1870, the territory opposite the building was empty, and it was
supposed to be leased out, leaving only a small spot for a monument to
Nikolai I, which was installed in 1869. But when the Brazilian emperor
Don Pedro visited Kyiv, he expressed surprise to the Governor that the
field in front of this temple of knowledge looked like a neglected waste-
land. Immediately after this visit, a park was laid out in front of the green, and the basement dark gray, which would give the building a
university, which still exists today. And behind the university, a b
otanical monolithic and laconic look. But since the university was named after
garden soon appeared. St. Vladimir (#40), when the building was completed in 1843, it was
Plans for the university in Russian classicism style were created by a painted in the colors of the Vladimir sash, red and black, leading to the
father and son team, Vikenty and Alexander Beretti. The original nickname “fire department.” In Soviet times, when red was the main
plan assumed that the university’s walls would be painted lime- and official color in the country, the building was not repainted. In
1939, the university was re-named after Taras Shevchenko (#31).
During the war years, the red building was badly damaged, and after
60 Volodymyrska St., Kyiv the end of the war, it was restored to its original appearance. Today, it
50.4417110
Teatralna M1 Ploshcha
M2 M3 Lva Tolstoho
M1 M2 M3 is one of the most prestigious universities in the country. V. U.
30.5107013
Derzhprom was called the “Uninvited guest” by
85 Leningrad architects Sergey Serafimov, Samuil Kravez,

and Mark Felger. In 1927, travelling around the Soviet
Union, American writer Theodore Dreiser called
Derzhprom “Miracle seen in Kharkiv”
One of the first Soviet

constructivism-style
skyscrapers
Derzhprom
From 1919 to 1934, the capital of Ukraine was not Kyiv, but Kharkiv, the
second largest city in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. In the original interior, and even seven of original 12 elevators installed in
center of this city of 1.5 million is Independence Square, with one of the the 1920s still work.
first Soviet skyscrapers, called Derzhprom. It took three years to build, Tourists are drawn not only to Derzhprom, but to the immense square
from 1925 to 1928 – in record time, you could say, especially considering where it is located. In 2008, 12 hectares (30 acres) of its unique space
its size: 60,000 m2 (645,835 ft2) of usable space and 63 m (207 ft) tall. were enough to host 300,000 people (according to some estimates)
And if you also count the transmission tower that was installed on the who came to hear the concert of British band Queen. V. N.
roof in 1955, then it is 108 m (354 ft) tall.
Built with reinforced concrete, 40,000 m2 (430,556 ft2) of glass in
4,500 windows, and laconic forms, French writer Henri Barbusse called
it “an organized mountain.” It is a great example of the constructivism
avant-garde design that came out of the young USSR and was character-
ized by laconic forms, strict lines, and a monolithic appearance.
Kharkiv was occupied by the Nazis during the Second World War.
Stables were located on the ground floor of Derzhprom, and for about
two years, rhesus monkeys that had escaped from a nearby zoo lived
on the floors that were not used. In 1943, the Germans set the building
on fire, but it was not significantly damaged, and by 1947, it had been
fully restored. Curiously, today we can still see many elements of the
5/1 Svobody Sq.
50.0069951
Kharkiv, Kharkiv region
36.2263648
86
Still the most common
way to travel
around the country
Railroad
Ukraine is a large country, and if you need to get from one city to
another on the other side of the country, there’s no better way than by
train (because of road conditions and length of the trip, a bus might
not be as comfortable; and there are few internal air connections).
There are several types of railway cars: an open compartment with
sleeping bunks along the sides (platzcart); cabins with four beds
(coupé); and a sleeping car (SV), a comfortable two-bed cabin. It’s
better to buy tickets in advance, a few days or even weeks ahead of
time, because it could happen that there won’t be any tickets avail-
able to your destination on a specific date. It is most difficult to buy
SV tickets. the dining car, if there is one), a change of clothes, and all the rest,
The service level is, for the most part, still about the same as it was a because a cross-country trip can take 10-14 hours.
half-century ago, during the Soviet Union: not always clean and train All rail transportation in Ukraine is managed by the state railway com-
cars rattle (neither rails nor most train cars are new, and are, to some pany called Ukrzaliznytsia. It is one of the greatest legacies of the
extent, worn out). As for extra services, tea is offered in a traditional Soviet Union (which, in its time, inherited the legacy from Imperial
glass with a metal cup-holder and a bag of cookies or crackers. Nev- Russia). As of 2016, the company has: 120 railway stations; 1,614 train
ertheless, a train trip might be a nice way to pass the time by having stops; 22,300 km (13,850 mi) of rail track; 2,500 diesel locomotives;
long conversations or reading a book. 1,500 electric locomotives; and about 270,000 employees.
Those who indulge in alcohol on a long trip might invite a fellow The first railways in Ukraine were built in the second half of the 19th
traveler to drink “to making new acquaintances” and fortuitous t ravel century. In 1861, the first trains started running between Lviv (#52)
companions. and Peremyshl (a Polish city on the border with Ukraine). By the end
Trains usually depart in the evening and arrive in the morning, so of the 1860s, there was a rail line connecting Odesa (#53) to Kyiv
you need to think ahead of time about food (many prefer not to use (#51) and Moscow. V. N.
87 kilowatt-hour of electricity generated at the station was the lowest in

the world.
At the beginning of World War II, the DniproHES dam was blown up by
the retreating Soviet troops, and a 30-m (100-ft) wave crashed through
the breach, sweeping away everything in its path. According to some
Oldest and most historians, from 20,000 to 30,000 Soviet citizens and about 1,500 German
famous of all power occupants were killed. By the summer of 1942, the Germans had
plants on the Dnipro restored the dam, replacing some of the destroyed equipment with
items delivered from Germany. But a year later, when Soviet troops
attacked, it was partially blown up again. During post-war reconstruc-
tion, about 100 tons of explosive devices and materials were extracted
from the dam.
Today, DniproHES has a capacity of 1,548 kW, more than 300 workers,
DniproHES and a picturesque view of the dam, especially in the evening when the
station is lit by a multitude of lights. V. N.
The Dnipro Hydroelectric Station (DniproHES) is the largest and oldest

hydroelectric power plant in Ukraine, the 5th stage of cascades on the
Dnipro River (#56). It is in Zaporizhzhia and supplies electricity not
only to that city, but to the entire surrounding industrial region – huge
metallurgical, chemical, and machinery plants.
In the late 1920s, industrialization began in the USSR, transforming the
mostly agrarian nation into a modern industrial one. DniproHES, with
the first stage of construction in 1927-1932, provided not only electricity
but also end-to-end navigation along the entire length of Dnipro, as the
river’s water level was significantly raised. Alas, about 15,000 hectares
(37,000 acres) of land was flooded, along with many houses, and the
residents were forcefully relocated.
The station’s first generators were supplied by American companies
General Electric and Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Com-
pany. They started working on May 1, 1932; at the grand opening,
electric garlands were lit, forming the name LENIN above the station.
In 1939, DniproHES reached a capacity of 560 MW, becoming the third
most powerful of all existing power plants (after the American Hoover
Dam – 705 MW, and Wilson Dam – 663 MW). Even so, the cost of one
Zaporizhzhia
47.8670225
Zaporizhzhia region
35.0876903
88
One of the largest cargo
aircraft in the world
twin-stabilizer tail. Two tails are necessary to avoid the air stream caused
by external cargo and attachment posts (Mriya can carry oversized cargo
Mriya outside, on top of the fuselage).

Today, Mriya operates flights for customers all over the world, trans-
porting oil rigs, satellites, energy systems, airplanes parts, etc. But
The Antonov An-225 Mriya (“Hope” in Ukrainian) is the plane with the Mriya’s services are not cheap – hundreds of thousands of dollars. Mriya
largest take-off weight capacity in the world, more than 640 tons. It was can only be flown by Antonov Airlines pilots (a subsidiary of the manu-
designed on the basis of the existing An-124 transport aircraft (by the facturer itself). The crew consists of six highly-skilled specialists, but
way, the An-124 is also a record-holder: the world’s largest cargo plane), usually, just in case of an emergency, Mriya has two commanders, two
and was manufactured at the Antonov Design Bureau (ADB) in a very co-pilots, two navigators, and two flight engineers on board. Antonov is
short period, just three and a half years. Why the rush? In 1988, the first the pride of Ukraine, because not every country can design and build
Soviet reusable Buran spacecraft (similar to the American Shuttles) was such large aircraft. ADB started working under the leadership of chief
supposed to be launched, and they needed to deliver it from the factory engineer Oleg Antonov in 1946. Their first task was to develop a small
to the launch site. But, despite the rush, the Mriya was late. The Buran agricultural plane, An-2.
flew into space on November 15, and the first Mriya flight was a month By the way, An-2 made it into the Guinness Book of Records as the only
later (the Buran was delivered by a different special plane). aircraft in the world that has been produced for more than 60 years (since
After breathtaking demonstrations at air shows and setting many r ecords, 1947). About 18,000 An-2s were produced. V. N.
Mriya was partially dismantled and stood idle for an entire decade, until
the early 2000s when it was reassembled and updated, and put into op-
eration as a distinctive commercial transporter of bulky and super-heavy
cargo.
Here’s what the Mriya is all about: the weight of an empty aircraft is
250 tons; its length, 84 meters (275 ft); height, 18.1 meters (59 ft); wing-
span, 88.4 meters (290 ft); cruising speed, 850 km/h (528 mph); practical
flight range, 15,400 km (9,580 mi), or 4,000 km (2,485 mi) with a 200-ton
load; practical ceiling, 12,000 meters (7,456 mi); and a payload of up to
250 tons. It is easy to see its striking characteristics in photographs:
three pairs of engines, seven pairs of wheels in the undercarriage, and a
89
Creators of the first
computer in the USSR
and continental Europe
Pioneers of Computing the entire Soviet Union with its planned economy: a global network that
would link all of its industries to a centralized control center. It was
even supposed to abolish the need for cash and everything would
The first computer in the USSR and, purportedly, in continental Europe become digital. OGAS, however, was not destined to be; it was shelved
was the MESM-1 electronic computing machine, which was created in due to the project’s immense cost, as well as opposition from many in
Ukraine in 1950. Almost half a century later, in 1996, its designer, the ruling elite, who would have lost their influence.
academician Sergey Lebedev was awarded posthumously the “Computer In the last decade and a half before the collapse of the USSR, Soviet
Pioneer Award,” the most prestigious award from the IEEE Computer cybernetics became focused mostly on cloning Western systems, and its
Society. own exceptional developments were lost... V. N.
To shoot well, you need to count well – this was the conclusion made
by Soviet leaders after World War II. New computational technologies
were needed to calculate the flight trajectory of ballistic missiles, sim-
ulate nuclear explosions, and other processes. And the space program
couldn’t do without it either. The Soviet Union knew it urgently need-
ed to make a computer.
The first Soviet computer started working in Kyiv at the Institute of
Cybernetics, which was opened in the 1960s thanks to the efforts of
academician Viktor Glushkov. The Institute created not only new
computers and wrote software, but also developed unique computer
technology: systems that could recognize graphic images and speech,
complex computer networks, different automation systems for produc-
tion, and more. In the 1980s, the Institute created the world’s first multi
processor computer with parallel computing.
Ten years earlier, the Institute had designed a truly fantastic prototype
to the modern Internet, the National Automatized System of Adminis-
tration of Economy (OGAS). In fact, OGAS was supposed to automate
90
Ukrainian rocket and
aerospace technology
manufacturer
Yuzhmash
In the 1940s, a non-remarkable automobile factory was built in
Dnipropetrovsk (today known as Dnipro) that produced trucks and
agriculture machinery. It apparently would have remained this way,
if not for the initiative of an enthusiast in the design department,
who developed modifications for the first major Soviet ballistic mis-
sile R-1. Experimental design department OKB-586 was set up at the
factory to develop a new rocket, headed by the outstanding designer
Mikhail Yangel.
Mass production of operational missiles started in 1951, and six years example, a Zenit-3SL was launched from an offshore platform for the
later, the OKB began working on creating satellite launch vehicles. The first time in history. Yuzhmash-produced missile was used to put an
first satellite for military use, Dnipropetrovsk Sputnik-2 (DS-2), was American satellite into orbit. V. N.
launched into orbit using a 63C1 missile designed by the department.
Subsequently renamed the Southern Machine-Building Factory
(“Yuzhmash”), the facility became vital to the Soviet Union’s military
and space industries. Nevertheless, it still maintained its original pur-
pose: producing civilian machinery. In 1978, its one millionth tractor
rolled off the assembly line. In the late 1980s, Yuzhmash began produc-
ing wind-power installations; and between 1993 and 2008, one thousand
trolleybuses left the factory.
Today, Yuzhmash is one of the most important factories, not only in
Ukraine but in the global space industry. It produces a wide range of
high-tech equipment: launch vehicles (the Zenit-3, Dnepr, Cyclone-4,
etc.), spacecraft, rocket engines, and other unique items. In 1999, for
91
The most affordable
Soviet car, produced
in Ukraine 1960-1994
Zaporozhets
The Soviet motorist, even if he had saved up money, didn’t have
much of a choice: Volga, Zhiguli (Lada), Moskvich, and Zaporozhets.
If the owner of a Volga was rightfully considered a rich man, and
Moskvich or Zhiguli owners were well-to-do, well, the owner of a
Zaporozhets couldn’t really brag about his car to his neighbors.
Small, noisy, and cramped (for the back-seat passengers), the car
didn’t impress, even in times of extreme shortages, and it was the
subject of many jokes. Even the head of the Soviet Union, Nikita
Khrushchev, called the Zaporozhets a “tin can.” After that remark,
the Zaporizhzhia Automobile Building Plant (ZAZ), which, by the
way, had previously produced only agricultural equipment, immedi-
ately began developing the second Zaporozhets model, which turned
out to be the most ubiquitous. It didn’t become more prestigious, but
it quite suited the residents of small towns, not only because of its
low price, but also for its ease of repair, relative reliability, and stur- you of a Porsche 911? But unlike the German sports car, its power
diness, which was especially important because of the lack of good was small even for such a compact car – 40 liters in the most popular
roads throughout the USSR. model. It took more than half a minute for the Zaporozhets to accel-
Its light weight (about 800 kg / 1,800 lbs), short wheelbase, and erate to 100 km/h (62 mph).
ground clearance of 190 mm (7.5 in), like modern SUVs have, allowed Almost three and half million Zaporozhets left through the factory
the driver and passenger to push a stuck car out of the mud without gates throughout its history. The last one – in July 1994. In 1998, ZAZ
any difficulty. became a joint venture with Korean Daewoo and started producing
A characteristic feature of the Zaporozhets was its engine: V-shaped, modern cars. Twenty years later, in 2018, it stopped production of
four-cylinder, air-cooled, and located at the rear. Doesn’t it remind passenger cars because of the economic crisis. V. N.
92 Borsch is not only an unusually

hearty dish that can replace a full
meal if necessary, but it’s also very
healthy. It quickly restores your
Main dish of the strength, and, with a shot of horilka,
easily improves your mood
national cuisine
Borsch
In Spain, it’s gazpacho; in France, bouillon; in Ukraine, borsch. King
Henry IV of France said that his goal was to create such a rich country that
there was a chicken in the pot of every Frenchman. In Ukraine, borsch was
long considered such an equivalent of wealth. There are a great many reci-
pes for this dish, but the main ingredients remain the same: rich broth
(usually pork or beef), beets, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, and potatoes. It is
the beets and tomatoes that give the soup its famous rich garnet color.
Therefore, the peak of borsch’s popularity in Ukraine came in the second
half of the 19th century, when beetroot was grown all over the country, and
it became one of the most affordable and inexpensive root crops. Since
then, borsch has never yielded its position to any other soup.
An important condition is “that the spoon should stand,” that is, that the
borsch is very thick. Further, each cook is free to act in their own way. Some
prefer to add beans and prunes to borsch; others, mushrooms, onions, or bell
peppers. Some recipes advise to fry the vegetables before cooking; others, to
add them only raw. However, the soup is served traditionally: hot, with sour
cream and bread. Moreover, it can be with black (Ukrainian) bread (#95) –
then it is served with thinly sliced chilled salo (#94) and a few cloves of
garlic –or white pampushki (yeast rolls) with garlic butter. It’s impossible to
say which tastes better. Borsch is excellent snack with cold horilka (#96),
especially in winter. There is also a summer version of borsch, the so-called
cold borsch, and spring variety, green borsch. In modern Ukraine, it is a
obligatory dish on the menu of any national cuisine restaurant. V. U.
93
Ukraine’s most
popular main dish
Varenyky
Varenyky, along with borsch (#92), is the most popular Ukrainian national Similar dishes exist in many cuisines all over the world: Russian pel-
dish. These are small round or triangular flour dumplings filled with meat, meni, Central Asian manti, Italian ravioli, Polish kolduny, and a few East
vegetables, mushrooms, berries, or cottage cheese. They are served in Asian dishes.
almost any Ukrainian restaurant, sold frozen in the supermarket, and Ukrainian varenyky, although unique, have their roots in Turkish cuisine,
prepared by Ukrainians everywhere (as a rule, on holidays). which has a similar dish called dyush-var. V. N.
Usually, varenyky dough is made from wheat flour, adding water, salt, and
sometimes eggs. But any flour may be used: rye, buckwheat, or barley. The
most popular filling is meat. Just as popular are varenyky with mushrooms,
cabbage, cottage cheese, and potato with cracklings. In the summer, the
priority goes to cherries, blueberries, and strawberries. Other berries are
less commonly used (according to the season), as well as poppy seeds,
beans, fish, etc.
It is easy to make varenyky. The dough is rolled out into a thin sheet and cut
into squares or circles, then the filling is placed inside. Pinch the edges of
the dough together. Raw varenyky are dropped into boiling water and
cooked until they float, plus a couple more minutes. Some people like to fry
their meat varenyky until a golden crust appears. Some prefer to steam
varenyky.
The dish is served hot with sour cream and/or butter. Sweet varenyky (with
berries, etc.) are often sprinkled with sugar or topped with jam. Varenyky
with potatoes traditionally are served with onions fried in sunflower oil.
In the old days, halushki were very popular, varenyky without filling
(although some people still make them today).
94
The most popular snack
Salo with ground garlic must be served alongside “proper borsch” (#92) with
Salo is what solid animal fat is called in Ukrainian and Russian. It pampushki (small garlicky biscuits).
develops as a result of over feeding. The most commonly eaten is pork In the old days (but not so long ago), lard was used not only to lubricate
salo, whether fresh, salted, smoked (as bacon), melted (“smalets”), the stomach, but machines as well. It was rubbed on the runners of
braised, or fried (cracklings). sleighs and skis, and smeared on the bottoms of boats and ships.
Salo is popular in many countries, and, according to historians, actually When buying salo, remember that a few centimeters below the skin is
appeared in Ancient Rome as an inexpensive and high-calorie food for the most delicious and even healthy layer, since there is not only fright-
slaves. But Ukrainians consider it theirs, the main national dish. And just ening cholesterol, but other elements necessary for the body: vitamins
not any old dish, but almost sacred, holding a special place in the life of A, E, and D, and selenium. V. N.
a Ukrainian. It’s no wonder that “salo in chocolate” can be found on
candy store shelves.
Modern medicine doesn’t consider lard a very healthy product, and the
World Health Organization doesn’t recommend eating it, because its
saturated fats stimulate excess production of cholesterol in the body.
But who cares?
If you decide to try it anyway, it’s better to eat either salted or salt-
smoked, and only up to 50 g (2 oz) per day. Fried is absolutely unhealthy,
and raw comes with the risk of infection.
Thin pieces of sliced lard can be placed on a piece of rye bread, making a
wonderful sandwich, which, by the way, is an excellent snack with horil-
ka (#96). And it’s not only because of the great combination of tastes, but
because of the fat. It coats the stomach lining, slowing down the absorp-
tion of alcohol and lowers the intoxication level. Salo is traditionally
eaten in combination with mustard or fresh garlic cloves. Salo mixed
95
The country’s most
popular bread
Ukrainian Bread
The rich Ukrainian chernozem (black soil) is ideal for growing grain
crops, so the national cuisine has long been famous for its delicious pas-
tries. However, “Ukrainian” or “Kyiv” bread holds a special place. A round
loaf of black bread is the symbol of a generous feast, hospitality, and
homey comfort. It has a special sweet-salty taste and fragrant aroma,
and perfectly complements other favorite Ukrainian dishes: served with
borsch (#92) and “zharkoy” (roasted meat and potatoes); its ideal for
sandwiches with salo (#94); many gourmets like to rub the crust with
garlic to heighten the flavor for snacks with horilka (#96).
This bread is made from a mixture of wheat and rye flour with the addi-
tion of malt. There are many recipes, but there is an invariable rule:
there should be more rye flour than wheat, from 60 to 80 percent.
The famous “Ukrainian” bread appeared on the shelves in 1954; since

then, the recipe has been refined several times. Almost every Kyiv resi-
dent will remember that, upon departure, guests of the capital would
take two famous presents with them – the white and green box with
“Kyiv” cake and several loaves of “Ukrainian” (“Kyiv”) bread. V. U.
96 The word “horilka” comes from the word “hority,” to burn.

In the old days, horilka was called “okovita” from the Latin
“aqua vita,” meaning the water of life or living water
Essential beverage for

all Ukrainian feasts
Horilka
In English, the word horilka means Ukrainian vodka distilled with red
chili pepper. But in Ukraine, horilka is not only that drink, but any vodka,
including the home-brewed one known as samohon, or moonshine.
Usually, wheat or rye is used to produce alcohol, but not only. It can be
produced from potatoes, sugar-beets, and more.
Horilka is as strong as regular vodka. In other words, horilka is 40 per-
cent alcohol and 60 percent water and initially goes through several
stages of purification: sedimentation, aeration, and filtration. The water
is not boiled or distilled.
The difference in taste depends on the impurities and the presence of
compounds other than alcohol and water.
Perhaps the old tradition of adding herbs and other ingredients to horil-
ka was partly due to the desire to mask the bitter aftertaste of not-quite-
pure alcohol. The technical ability to create pure alcohol only appeared
in the second half of the 19th century.
Today, Ukrainian stores offer a wide selection of locally-produced
spirits, ranging from $2 to $20 per half-liter bottle. Some of the more
well-known brands of horilka in Ukraine include Khortytsya, Nemiroff,
Khlibniy Dar, Pervak, Mernaya, Persha Gildiya, Kozatska Rada, and
Morosha. V. N.
97
Original Ukrainian
dried-fruit compote
Uzvar
Compote is a traditional Slavic drink made from fresh or dried fruits or
berries. Uzvar is a kind of compote. It is made only from dried fruits,
with honey added, and, unlike the usual compote, its ingredients are not
boiled long, rather it’s brought just to a boil.
Uzvar is considered a festive dessert dish, often served in winter b

ecause
dried fruit can be stored for many long months.
In the old days, uzvar was always served on Christmas Eve. Now, this
drink is on the menu of many, if not most, Ukrainian restaurants and
cafes. It can be drunk cold, or warm, or hot.
Like other types of compote, Ukrainians love to make uzvar at home, but
in the last decades, because of the spread of soda and other modern soft
drinks, they do it less and less, more often on a special occasion.
There is no precise recipe for uzvar; the proportion of ingredients
depends on the cook’s desire and taste. Usually for 5 liters of water, you
add 100-200 g prunes, 100-200 g dried apples, 100-200 g dried pears,
and 50-100 g raisins. Bring to a boil and add up to 100 g of honey (sugar
can be used instead). You can add spices as well, like cinnamon. You
shouldn’t drink uzvar right away, it needs to rest for 2-4 hours. V. N.
98
Most common and favorite
nut in the country
Walnut
Persian walnuts, in Ukraine called Greek walnuts, are associated by many
people with warm countries, where they actually grow wild, like in China,
Iran, India. That is why, coming to Ukraine for the first time, you might be
surprised to see them growing in almost every village or even city courtyard.
Ukrainians like growing walnuts because they are undemanding and
fruitful. After all, several hundred kilograms of walnuts can be collected
from one mature tree. However, if trees grow too close to one another in
the garden, the harvest usually won’t be more than 40 kg (88 lbs). It takes
10 to 12 years for a walnut tree to start to bear fruit, and it continues to do
so until old age; sometimes trees live up to 300-400 years.
The nut looks like a human brain and is widely used in culinary dishes,
but not many know that if raw nuts are cooked together with their still-
soft shell, a wonderful jam can be created, with a delicate texture, and
whose look and taste is reminiscent of honey. Butter is also produced
from walnuts.
For many Ukrainian farms, walnuts are a serious business. Ukraine is the
#1 producer of walnuts in Europe.
Walnut wood has a beautiful pattern and texture; wood from close to the
roots is especially lovely. It is used in the furniture industry, for production
of household items, and is popular for the interior of luxury cars. Due to
its high cost, walnut wood is often used in the form of veneer, pieces of
wood cut in very thin sheets. In the past, walnut wood was used to produce
airplane propellers. V. N.
99 the dish is known as Chicken Kyiv, i.e. Chicken Kyiv-style. Kyivans do

not participate in these discussions and prefer just to eat it. Now the
cutlets are served in Kyiv everywhere – in cheap cafes and in high
class restaurants. Its recipe varies slightly depending on chef’s
preferences and skill, but one thing remains unchanged: the distinc-
The inventor of Chicken tive taste of tender chicken meat au gratin, stuffed with soft butter
and greens. And it is virtually impossible to find a Kyiv restaurant
Kyiv is not clear cut where Chicken Kyiv is not on the menu. L. S.
Chicken Kyiv
But it is another culinary legend that ranks alongside Kyiv torte
and its origins are shrouded in similar rumours. They say, in the
late 19th century, at the Kyiv restaurant, this “cutlet of poultry”
(côtelette de volaille) was recreated to leave a wing bone so that the
cutlet could be eaten with the fingers. This unusual dish was quick-
ly appreciated throughout the Russian Empire where it was at that
time, referred to as the cutlet Kyiv-style. An alternative story is
that in the 1930s, one Kyiv chef dared to make cutlets for the party
grandees that were filled with butter and also deep fried. The dish
tickled the palates of the party bosses, who from then on, decided
to make it a kind of visiting card of Kyiv. And so the cutlet began to
be served in the Intourist hotel chains to foreign tourists. There is
also a third version. The cutlet Kyiv-style was first cooked in the
capital city in 1918. It was not particularly popular until a Ukrai-
nian delegation returning home from Germany dined on the cutlet
Kyiv-style as the principal meal. So, the origins of Chicken Kyiv are
disputed to this day.
The French claim its authorship as the cutlet “à la Kiev” was made in
“de volaille” style. Russians believe it is their invention, and after all,
Kyiv was part of the Russian Empire at the time. Americans attribute
this dish to themselves, arguing that the name “Kyiv-style” arrived
with Ukrainian emigrants who often ordered such food. In English,
100 cultivated land in some regions of Voronezh and Saratov provinces.

Later, cultivation spread to Ukraine, where it took a special place.
We can assume that sunflower oil was so highly popular largely due
to the Orthodox Church giving parishioners permission to use it
Golden fields of during religious fasts (like Lent and Advent, when animal products
sunflowers under the cannot be consumed). This is why it is also known as “postnoe maslo,”
or “fasting oil.”
blue sky are reflected By the end of 19th century, the “immigrant plant,” in a cultivated form,
in the flag of Ukraine had “returned” to its homeland in the United States, making that
country one of the major producers of sunflower oil in the world. V. N.
Sunflower
Ukraine, the world’s largest sunflower producer, set a world record in
2016 with a harvest of 13.6 million tons. There are so many sunflower
fields in Ukraine that the big round yellow flower has become one of
the symbols of the country.
The sunflower is an annual, brought to Europe from America in the
16th century. The first scientific description of it was given in 1571;
the plant was called “the flower of the sun” by Flemish botanist Mat-
thias de l’Obel.
The large 30- to 50-cm (12- to 20-in) diameter flowers grow out of
long, thick stalks with some varieties reaching up to 5 m (16 ft) tall.
The young buds “stretch” towards the sun and, during the day, change
orientation from east to west. The root system penetrates the soil
2-3 m (6.5 to 10 ft) deep, which allows the sunflower to get water
from lower depths and survive in dry periods. It blossoms in July-
August for 30 days. One flower produces 1,000-2,000 seeds, which
are used for oil or are sold raw or fried. Ukrainians traditionally love
to snack on them. The seeds are quite tasty and nutritious, as well;
they contain fatty oil (about 40% or more), protein (up to 20%), and
carbohydrates (up to 25%).
The English were the first to think about producing sunflower oil,
evidenced by a corresponding patent in 1716. But truly large-scale
production of sunflower oil began in Russia under Tsar Peter I. By the
mid-19th century, sunflowers were grown on more than one-third of
70000
BOOKS FREE
IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND WITHOUT ADS
arheve.com
You can download all three books in the series —
about Ukraine, Kyiv, Chernobyl — for free:
https://bit.ly/3hokrET
PLEASE
SUPPORT OUR Interesting UKRAINE
PUBLISHING General editorship and compilation: Vladimir Nevzorov

Authors of the Articles: Victoria Ugryumova, Vladimir Nevzorov,
Natalia Soboleva, Lidiia Shokha
HOUSE Literary edition: Victoria Ugryumova

Translation into English: Ann Merrill
Design: Oleh Havrischuk, Vladimir Nevzorov
Layout: Daniil Suglobov
Photos: Shutterstock.com, Vladimir Nevzorov: 7 (right), 11 (left), 12 (left),

26 (left), Eugene Knyazev: 69 (right), Kirill Stepanets: 69 (right), Igor Borisov: 26 (right).
PayPal: Photos for the relevant book articles were also provided by: the Museum of Historical Treasures of
nahs.haus@gmail.com Ukraine, the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Center, and the Klitschko Museum.
Sky Horse Publishing House, Ukraine, Kyiv

http://skyhorse.ua • http://nahs.haus
nahs.haus@gmail.com
Official website of the Awesome Heritage series:

http://awesomeheritage.com
Sky Horse Publishing allows the free distribution of this book

If you liked this book, we kindly ask you to in electronic form, provided that no changes are made to it, including
the removal or addition of pages. The sale of this file is prohibited, the publisher
transfer to us the amount that you consider
allows it to be distributed exclusively free of charge.
possible. Without your support, we will not be
able to continue our work.
Thank you very much!
Made in Ukraine

Ukraine TOP100 Book

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ukraine TOP100 Book

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ukraine TOP100 Book

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What is the purpose of the book?

What is the purpose of the book?

What topics does the book cover?

What topics does the book cover?

PLEASE SUPPORT US!

My name is Vladimir, I am the founder family-owned publishing

Now our country is going through a difficult time, and our

10 of Hetman Bohdan K ­ hmelnytsky (#46), completely changed the his-

Proud, militant, and independent,

Cossacks which became the proverbial

Initially, the concept of “Cossacks” meant an independent armed

11 Chumaks were associated with

12 The height of Trypillian culture was

Ukraine’s white gold

UNR & M. Hrushevsky

Maidan 2004 & 2013

18 demonstration took place on this day in Soviet Ukraine, which work

19 Mamay is as common in Ukrainian homes as icons. Since gaining inde-

The classic image of

Witches & Lysa Hills

22 The beauty of Ukrainian embroidery

Ukrainian men’s and

24 However, it should be remembered that Cossack Baroque is not only

Ukrainian Baroque Main church of the Trinity Monastery

8 Triohsviatytelska St., Kyiv

Velyki Sorochyntsi village

Bandura & Tsymbaly

30 Corals were also attributed magical and healing properties; it was

Vladimir the Great

41 Hungary, Norway, Germany, as well as the Byzantine emperor. And the

Yaroslav the Wise on the 2 hryvnia bill. V. U.

43 Ilya Muromets monument in Kyiv,

Ukrainian Hercules –a real

Ivan Mazepa (1639-1709) played a key role in the unification of Left-

46 Poland. However, in the end, he opted for an alliance with Moscow. In

Chernivtsi is the historic center of Bukovina, located on the banks of

Zakarpattia & Uzhhorod

The Black Sea

The Sea of Azov

60 Scientists found traces of the Pomeranian

The cascade of 30 freshwater lakes is famous for its incredible purity; in

it’s not possible to swim in it.

Podilski Tovtry National Nature Park

64 were built here. After the eradication of the Zaporizhian Sich,

National Reserve “Khortytsya”

National History Reserve “Kachanivka”

The park contains compositions that successfully take into account

Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

70 In the cathedral itself, many tourists are drawn to the magnificent

Kamianets-Podilskyi have a birds-eye view of Kamianets. V. U.

Kamianets-Podilskyi is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in

2B Admiral Ushakov St.

Beregvar every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. V. U.

Beregvar (Schoenborn Castle), one of the most beautiful castles in

78 the games arranged in Constantinople by Emperor Constantine in honor

24 Volodymyrska St., Kyiv

79 captured by the of Mongol-Tatar hordes of Batu Khan. The Mongol and

9 Lavrska St., Kyiv

Akademika Tronka St., Kyiv

Khreshchatyk St., Kyiv

10 of Hetman Bohdan K hmelnytsky (#46), completely changed the his-