Of course, all begins and finishes in Kyiv, the capital
of the Ukraine. In fact you will arrive there, in Boryspil airport;
it is in 30 km from Kyiv. We will not say too much of it right now, no
doubt, there is mass of things worth to see there, it is enough to say
it is the ancient city (over 1500-y.o.) with population over 3,000,000,
Lavra, Sophia, Khreschatik, Dnieper, etc. It was a center of Kyivan Rus
since IX century and only in XVIII Moscow had luck to move “Cultural, spiritual
capital of all the Russia” from Kyiv to there. Of course, seeing Kyiv should
take a few days separately.
We don’t allot a task you to see as many as possible towns, showplaces
and sights, but for Ukrainians by birth we believe the main is to learn
spirit of the country, what the Ukraine was and is breathing with and why.
So, not to lose spiritual among mass of entertainment we are planning just
go through some of the towns not stopping to see them in details. Besides
that, the distance is rather big, too.
Pereyaslav-Khmelnitskiy
It is an ancient town too. At first it was mentioned in annals in 907 AD
Since XI century it was a center of a demesnial Principality. It was a
great market and cultural center of the country. The well-known Pereyaslavska
Rada took place right here in 1654. Taras Shevchenko visited the town many
times. A Ukrainian writer Gr. Skovoroda taught here since 1753. Architecture,
museums, rests of fortress, etc.
Kaniv
Every Ukrainian associates the name of the town with
Taras Shevchenko. His grave by the Dnieper-river, the Shevchenko
state conservation area, museum of Taras Shevchenko. It is impossible to
imagine Ukraine without Taras. You must visit the place just in honor of
the great Ukrainian poet and artist.
Chyhyryn
The town was Bogdan Khmelnytskiy’s headquarter during the liberation war.
The town kept defense many times in many wars before and then. Taras Shevchenko
visited the town many times in 1843 to 1845. There is a monument and a
museum of Bogdan Khmelnytskiy there. Church of Bogdan, Motrya’s Monastery,
beautiful sights…
Besides these three cities we will go through lots of another beautiful
places, if you wish and time let us we could see another places, too.
3-rd leg (Poltava city and region)
Poltava
It is typical city of central Ukraine, center of Poltava
(agricultural mostly) region, some provincial. It is not very big
city, not very industrial, some universities, but very green. Above 350,000
people, it was mentioned at first in annals in 1174 AD (btw, only 27 years
later than Moscow). And archeologists say people live on this place constantly
at least for 1100 years. So in 1999 local authorities held non 825-th anniversary
but 1100, more round :)
Anyway, they call the city spiritual treasure of the Ukraine. Really
names of well-known writers Kotlyarevskiy, Panas Myrnyi, Gogol, Korolenko
are bound up to the city and region. Museums: excellent Local History placed
in wonderful architecture monument, House of Kotlyarevskiy, Artistic one,
about Poltava Battle (took place in 1709, peak of the Northern War 1700-1712
between Charles XII and Peter I). Khresto-Vozdvyzhenskiy Monastery built
by Cossacks in XVII century, churches, theaters, monuments. Alas, whole
the city bears the earmarks of Moscow Empire and then Soviet one, great
mostly of churches were destroyed but it is renewing intensively.
Dykanka
The town is bound to Gogol and Pushkin. Kochubey Place was here, alas,
too little of this has survived by now: a triumphal arch and a church,
Pushkin’s oaks and a great lilac grove. It is a part of the landscape conservation
area.
Vasylivka
Restored Gogol Place. In fact, it was house of Gogol’s parents, place where
the great writer spent his childhood. Russians call him Russian writer,
yeah, if he wrote in Ukrainian he would be permitted to publish nothing
those times. But he could not keep himself out from using Ukrainian words,
customs, habits, etc in his books.
Velyki Sorochyntsi
It is the burial place of Ukrainian Hetmans. But thanks to Gogol the place
is better known as one where the famous Sorochynskiy Yarmarok (Sorochyntsi
Fair) takes place every year on last weekend of August. Lately it has got
national state. Among lots of others one could get there fine Ukrainian
souvenirs, pottery, porcelain, wood carving carpets, embroidery, etc.
Reshetylivka
The center of local crafts, you can visit to the factory manufacturing
handmade wood carving carpets and embroidery goods, museum of the factory,
and, of course, shop something.
Opishnya
It is the center of Ukrainian honcharstvo (pottery), it is deeply traditional
craft over there, you can visit a factory and their great museum, private
artists too. Of course some shopping.
Myrhorod
Again, it is a city bound to Gogol, it is a health resort, source of one
of the best mineral waters all over the Ukraine. Place of many tourist
routes. Museums, wonderful sights, etc.
4-th leg (Poltava-Kharkiv, 160 km)
This leg is short. At first, the distance is small, at second there is
not so many sights on the road, except, maybe dropping into Chutove in
45 km from Poltava. There is a stud farm there, horseback riding is possible.
Kharkiv
Kharkiv is a large city, science, industrial and transportation
center with population over 1,500,000. But there
are some historical points of interest there too, include Pokrovsky Cathedral
(late 17th century), Uspensky Church (late 18th century), Patriarch's Church
(19th century), and a bell tower (1812) built to commemorate victory over
Napoleon. And of course, nicest monument to Taras Shevchenko. The city
is the site of a university (founded in 1805), scientific research centers,
and many theaters and museums.
Kharkiv was founded in 1656 as a fortress protecting Moscow from the
Tatars. The city grew as a trade and cultural center, and in 1765 it became
the administrative center of Ukraine. With the development of the vast
mineral wealth of the region in the late 19th century, Kharkiv developed
into an industrial and rail transportation center. During both World Wars
Kharkiv was the scene of heavy fighting. It was the capital of the Ukrainian
Soviet Socialist Republic from 1920 to 1934. We’ll stay there for a day
and night.
5-th leg, coming back to Kyiv, 520 km
It will be some different route (after Poltava), shortest way from Kharkiv
to Kyiv. Kharkiv-Chutove-Poltava-Reshetilivka-Khorol-Lubny-Pyryatyn-Boryspil-Kyiv.
It is possible to spend some time in Lubny and Pyryatyn seeing the places.
Especially first, there is a Mgar Monastery, right by the road. Both these
towns are well-known Cossacks’ places, capitals of Cossacks regiments.
The journey will be rather exhausting and the day hardest. But it will
be last your day in the Ukraine. After a night in Kyiv hotel you will fly
back to your home.
