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Ukraine Home
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Seven miracles of Ukraine are defined! |
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Wednesday, 29 August 2007 |
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The aim of the action was to advertise Ukrainian sightseeing places and In Internet poll which was conducted on the official site of action of www.7chudes.in.ua, about 77 thousand users took part. At the same time, nationwide questioning of experts of culture, history and tourism also took place. And the results are:
1. Sofiivka national park
2. Kievo-pechers’ka lavra
3. Kam"yanec'-Podil’skiy
4. Khorticya island
5. Ancient Greek town Khersones
6. Sofia Kiivska
7. Khotin castle
The pictures of these places you can find in our gallery
Sofiyivka national park
National dendrology park „Sofiivka” is one of the most prominent creations of world gardening art of end 18th - the first half of 19th centuries
A park has area of 154,7 hectares and is situated near century-old city Uman' in the Cherkaska oblast’. A park is founded in 1796 year by a rich Polish magnate Stanislav Potockiy in honour of beautiful Greek wife Sofia, and was presented to her in the in May, 1802.
The idea to create a park in romantic style with the use of Roman and Greek mythology belonged to Sofiya. Surprising landscape, exotic plants, ancient sculptures, reservoirs, cascades, fountains, stone grottoes -all these wonders of can be seen while visiting the park. This masterpiece inspired such worldwide famous poets as Alexander Pushkin and Taras Shevchenko. A tourist season in Uman’ lasts throughout the year.
Kievo-Pechers’ka lavra
A Kievo-Pechers’ka lavra is an orthodox monastery founded in 1051 year by monks Anthoniy and Feodosiy in caves near the prince’s summer residence of Brestovo near Kyiv.
In the eleventh century a monastery became the center of distribution and claim of christianity in the Kievan Rus’. In twelfth century a monastery got status of “lavra” - main lavra.
At one time Kievo-Pechervska lavra played an important role in development of the Old Russian culture, was the center of history. Here works of foreign authors translated into a cerkovno-slov'yanska(Old Slavonic) langucentury.
A Kievo-Pecherska lavra had been experiencing wide building since the eleventh century (Uspenskiy cathedral, Troicka nadvratna church). At the end of twelfth century round the Kievo-Pechers’ka lavra there were defensive walls built (in 1240 year they were destroyed the Mongol-Tatar invaders). In 1698-1701 year new fortress walls were built with loop-holes and towers. A large lavra bell tower was built in 1731-1744 years. It’s height is 96,52 meters.
In museums and funds, located on territory of the Kievo-pecherskoy lavra, one can see the manuscripts of old-printed books, collection of fabrics and embroideries. The special interest is attracted by collection of precious metals, ancient engravings and works of modern artists.
Kamyanets-Podils’kiy
Kam'yanec'-Podil'skiy is a town which saved the spirit of middle ages. Here you will see one of biggest old defensive buildings of Ukraine, the fortress that occupies a leading place in world history of defensive architecture. A chronicle putts down building of a stone fortress to the Lithuanian princes Koryatovichi, which governed the princedom in 60-90th the XIV century. A high rocky bank of Smotrich river, picturesque landscape, enormous towers, is with mysterious Latin inscriptions...
Architecture of the Old city - saved the standards of cultures of different nations (Ukrainians, Poland, Armenians, Turks and Russians) and religions (orthodox, catholic, judaic, muslim.
One of unique engineering structures is the Zamkoviy bridge which connects a city and the castle complex. The bridge caused quite a bit disputes about it’s origin. After one of hypotheses, a bridge was erected by Romans in II age during the campaign of Trayan army against Dacia.
Inalienable part of the Old city, his pearl, is the Old fortress, which became the visiting-card of Kam'yanec’-Podils’kiy,
Eleven towers complement the fortress, each has the name and history. For example, the greatest tower is called Papal because was built on funds, granted by the Pope Roman Julius II. Also it is named Karmelyukova, because Ustim Karmelyuk, a rebel leader, was three times imprisoned in it. In the Black (angular) tower there is a well in 40 meters depth and in a diameter 5 meters hollowed-out in the rock. Until now in its walls there’s an enormous wooden wheel for raising of water on a surface.
Khorticya
Basis of the biggest island on Dnipro (length 12, and width, on the average, 2,5 kilometres) is made by granites, which about 2 billion of years old. Rising as rocks, in north part of island to thirty meters above the water, create here a mountain country in a miniature.
"Protovche"
Excavations, found during archeological works of 1976-1980 years, revealed the village wich is considered to be one of prototypes of Zaporiz'ka Sich. It existed on Khorticya near plavni part, not far away from lakes Osokorove and Korzheve. Here the military settlement of 10th -14th centuries was found.
Findings from the settlement of Protovche took the place in the display of Museum of history of zaporoz'kogo the cossacks.
"Scythian state"
A Memorial tourist complex "the Scythian state" occupies about five hectares. Together with an adjoining oak grove and areas of Pershostep it makes a surprising environment, visiting which, a person not only gets information but also aesthetical pleasure. From a cossack watchtower you can see the lands for 25 kilometres around.
“Tarasova path”
In summer in 1843 29-years-old Shevchenko traveled on Ukraine, visited Oleksandrivsk, visited Khorticya. In May, 2005, with the help of researchers, the route he walked was defined and decorated by seven granite blocks. On the blocks you can read his impressions expressed in poems.
„Zaporozhia Sich” complex
General territory of the complex is 3,5 hectares. The picturesque north-eastern coast of Khorticya, from which the remarkable landscape is opened on Dniproges(power station), rocks and islands which remind the former Dnepr rapids. The complex is divided into two equal parts : “Vnutrishniy Kish” and “Peredmistya”.
On territory of complex «Zaporoz'ka of Sich» 23 buildings will be built. It is foreseen that the complex will have some reproduced objects, in which it is planned to show the interiors of cossack habitations (kuren’ and house of ataman), official and educational establishments will also function (military office and sicheva school). The Pokrovi presvyatoi bogorodici church is going to become the central object of complex. Buildings of “Zovnishniy Kish” will have recreative (korchma) and interactive types (a smithy and pottery production operating).
Khersones
A city Khersones was founded by ancient Greek colonists more than 2500 thousand years ago on the south-west of Crimea. Presently, it’s ruins is one of the most prominent sights of Sevastopol.
It is a city-state has a history of almost two thousand years - and it’s history is part of history of Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome and Byzantium.
Only in 1827 year archeological excavations were held and brought another name for Khersones - "Troy of Rus’ “. The scale of researches and plenty of archaeological sights which need maintainance and protection entailed to creation of the National reserve "Khersones Tavriyskiy".
Territory of the reserve covers the ancient Greek city - Khersones Tavriyskiy that arose up here, on the coast of the Black sea, in 5 st. B.C. In Middle ages Khersones acquires status of Christian capital of Crimean peninsula. At the end of XIV age the invasion of nomads finished the existence of the city.
A city was surrounded by mighty defensive walls and had a widespread then in the greek and Roman world planning. Until our days many of old buildings are saved. Among them are: ellinistic theater, Roman citadel, medieval Christian temples, housings zones, streets, and other objects.
Khersones arose up at the end of the VI century B.C. and existed until the beginning of the XV century A.D. During two millenniums, in the days of the bloom of ancient Greece, Rome and Byzantium of Khersones, was the considerable center of culture on the Crimean peninsula. Khersones played also the special role in mutual relations between Byzantium and Kievan Rus’ and was the leading center of distribution of Christianity on Eastern Slavic lands.
St. Sophia cathedral
Sofia cathedral is a world-wide famous sight of architecture and monumental painting of 11th century. Foundation of cathedral is mentioned in chronicles both under 1017 and under 1037 Chroniclers name the large Kievan prince Yaroslav the Wise as the builder of this cathedral. Sources testify that Yaroslav completed the building which was founded by his father- Vladimir.
The monastery had the first Rus’ library and was the center of history recording. A cathedral, as a main temple of the state, acted as spiritual, political and cultural center. Under the vault of St. Sophia took a place "posadzhennya"-coronation on the throne, church councils, receptions of ambassadors, political agreements approvals.
Khotin
Khotin attracts tourists from the whole world, one of the oldest cities of Ukraine, recently celebrated it’s 1000 anniversary. At the beginning of the 11th century the Kievan prince Vladimir the Great created the system of boundary fortresses, including Khotin.
At first it was a small, built at the place of old settlement wooden fortress which protected them from numerous conquerors. On the territory of a settlement near Khotin archaeologists found tailings of semi-dugout habitations with stone stoves (“kam'yanka”), which is dated 9th-10th centuries, and on a depth 1,2-1,4 meters there was found the cultural layer of 7th-8th centuries
The especially large settlement of Khotin was in 11th-13th centuries, when it was under the rule of Kievan Rus’. At that time the square was more than 20 hectares. Historians grounded a thesis, that the castle and town Khotin were nown since the beginning of the 10th century.
The first stone fortress was small. It was located on a cape, there where today a north tower stands. During ages of it repeatedly reconstructed and extended, conquerors destroyed and it was rebuilt again.
At the end of the 14th century Khotin felt under rule of Moldavian state. Stephen III The Great considerably extended the scopes of fortress. A wall 5 meter wide and in 40 meters high was erected. Deep basements which served as apartments for warriors were tunnelled in a fortress. During 15th-16th centuries Khotin fortress was the residence of Moldavian kings.
After the decline of Moldavian principality the city and the fortress passed to the hands of turks. They strengthen defensive power of fortress yet more, but a local population never accepted new enslavers. In this fight cossacks helped. In 1563, when cossacks at the head with legendary Dmitry Vishneveckiy (Bayda) occupied the fortress and started negotiations with Moldavian prince about the uniting against Turkey. Through treason of Moldavian boyar cossacks detachment was defeated, and Dmitry Vishneveckiy was executed in Constantinople.
After Russian-Turkish war of 1806-1812 years Khotin felt under Russian rule and became the local center of Bessarabskaya province. Retreating, Turks destroyed Khotin almost fully, but it started to rebuild gradually.
In 1832 on territory of the fortress the new church of St. Alexandra Nevskiy was built. In 1856 government abolished Khotin fortress status of a military object. The city Khotin during the 19th century had been reformed on a flat plateau according to a regular plan. After a census in 1897 Khotin had 18126 inhabitants.
On November, 10 of 1918 the royal troops of Romania entered in Khotin. Repressions and terror began. But Khotin people did not come to the heel
The anti-Romanian revolt blazed up in January, 1919. The government in more than one hundred villages passed to the hands of Khotin Directory at the head with Voloshenko-Mardar'ev. A directory, supported by people, decided to drive out Romanians from the Khotin region.
During 10 days the participants of Khotin revolt conducted bitter fights with royal troops. However bursting on February, 1 in Khotin, invaders accomplished violence against the inhabitants. For 22 years Khotin became the local center of Romania.
On July, 6 of 1941 invaders - German-Romanian troops broke in again. The years of terror and sufferings began again. In the first days of occupation a anti-fascist organization was created. It operated for a year and was headed by Cosmas Galkin. Only in August in 1942 it was declassified and destroyed. A city became exempt on April, 3 in 1944. However, in the post-war years Khotin, as well as all of Ukraine, experienced the influence of the totalitarian communist system. Independence of 1991 became embodiment of age-old dream of Khotin inhabitants about the independent Ukrainian state. |
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