Ukraine Sights

On the territory of Ukraine traces of many cultures and peoples - from the ancient burial mounds and settlements of Azov and the Greek city of the coastal area of the Black Sea to the ancient Slavonic settlement and model of the classical architecture of later eras. Excellent climatic conditions of the country and the mountain ranges of the Carpathians and the Crimea can develop here all kinds of active tourism, and the length of the sea coast beckons lovers of marine recreation.

Kiev - one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, often called the "mother of Russian cities, was founded in V century. Mr. e. The city is considered one of the most beautiful capitals in the world, and it is not surprising - in its territory can be seen such a unique historical monuments, as an ensemble of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (1051) - one of the world's centers of Orthodoxy, and a priceless monument of architecture, included in UNESCO's list of treasures , Golden Gate (XI cent.), a unique historical and cultural monument - an island Khortytsya, Middle and Far caves of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, which holds the remains of Anthony and Theodosius of Kiev, Ilya of Murom, Nestor the Chronicler, and other legendary historical figures, famous St. Andrew's Descent , Vladimirskaya Gorka her skirt and Khreshchatyk Pochajna river, where Prince Vladimir baptized Kiev, Governor's House (1780), Klovskii (1752-1756 gg.) and the Mariinsky (1745-1752 gg.) palaces, magnificent museum of the Great Patriotic War and lots of charming streets, giving the city a unique flavor.

As the number of churches and cathedrals in Kiev is unparalleled in the CIS - Complex Sofia Monastery (XI century.) Vudubickiy (XI cent.) From Michael's (1070-1088) and St. George (1696-1701 gg.) Cathedrals, Church of Our Savior on Berestove (1113-1125 gg., buried here Yuri Dolgoruky), St. Vladimir's Cathedral (1862-1896 gg.) Cyril Church (XI century.), St. Andrew's Church (1747-1753 gg.), Bratsk Monastery (1616 g .), Resurrection Church (1701-1705 gg.), Nicholas (1899-1909 gg.) and Alexander (1817-1842 gg.) churches, the Church of Theodosius of the Caves (1698-1702 gg.) Florovsky Nunnery (XV century. ) and more than 20 other places of worship.

Attract attention and numerous museums - the National Museum. Shevchenko, Ukrainian Museum of Fine Arts, Western and Eastern Art, Decorative Folk Art, National Museum of Folk Architecture and Life in Pirogovo, archeological, medical history, Crypt State Historical and Cultural Reserve, Museum of Art. Bogdan and Varvara Khanenko, One Street Museum, Center for Contemporary Art at NaUKMA, Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Historical and architectural monument-museum "Kiev fortress", and numerous art galleries and exhibitions.

60 km. from Kiev is a city-museum Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky - one of the oldest cities in the country, famous for the numerous museums and special charm of its streets. In the two-hour drive from Kiev Kanev is located - the city, which is buried Taras Shevchenko. To the north of the capital is the ancient city of Chernigov (907), known for its historical and cultural monuments, the Savior Transfiguration (XI cent.) Borisoglebskij and (XII century.) Cathedrals. Also of interest Friday Church (XII-XII cc.) House Lizoguba (1690-e gg.) Ensembles Eletski (XVII century.) And Trinity (XVII-XVIII cc.) Monasteries and caves, inhabited people still in XI - XII centuries. In the town of Kamenetz-Podolsk (founded in XI century.) Attract the attention of a monument of medieval military architecture - Museum-Reserve Turkish fortress (XIV-XVI centuries., Rebuilt in the XVII-XVIII cc.) Gothic church (XVI century.) Church of St. Peter and Paul (XVIv.), wooden Krestovozdvizhenskaya (XVIII cent.) etc.

Dnepropetrovsk (founded in 1776) - one of the largest cities in the country. There are interesting Potemkin's palace (XVIII century., Now the Palace of students), Transfiguration Cathedral (XIX cent.), Artistic and historical museums. Poltava (before 1430 - Ltava) boasts many architectural monuments, among which the most interesting cathedral Khrestovozdvijenskyi monastery (XVII-XVIII cc.), A classical ensemble of the city center (XIX cent.) Column of Glory (1811), the monuments dedicated to Battle of Poltava (XIX-XX vv.), and 6 museums, including the Museum-Reserve "Field of Poltava Battle", Museum of Arts, Literature museum Korolenko, Museum IP Kotlyarevskogo etc.

Kharkiv, the former from 1919 to 1934 the capital of the USSR, the city of glorious history and an abundance of monuments. The most famous and oldest building of the city - St. Basil's Cathedral (1689), made in the charming Russian-Ukrainian style. No less interesting Catherine Palace (XVIII cent.) Old Provision warehouses (XVIII cent.), The Baroque Cathedral of the Assumption (1777), the triumphal pillar to commemorate the victory over Napoleon (1821-1844 gg.) City council building (1885 .), a complex of buildings of the old University (1805, second in Russia after Moscow's empire), one of the largest squares in the world - Sq. Liberty (12 hectares), buildings of the former Commercial School (now the National Law Academy of Ukraine named after. Yaroslav the Wise), the first of Kharkiv secondary school and the first gymnasium, as well as a huge building Gosprom (1928) and numerous memorials and monuments.

Odessa - one of the most picturesque cities in the country. Odessa itself - vista, but you should definitely visit the famous bring and Deribasovskaya, the Odessa Opera and Ballet Theater (second beautiful in Europe) and the Potemkin Stairs (the largest in the country), the monuments of the "belt of Fame" at the borderline of the defense of Odessa, a hospital, Primorsky Boulevard, and a semi-circular area (1826, 1829). Rishele with the monument, Palaces Vorontsov, and Potocki Naryshkina, Assumption Convent (1824) and Theological Seminary, the old exchange, the Odessa Sea Port (the largest on the Black Sea), and so on . Of no less interest are the charming street, Pushkinskaya, Rishelievskaia Lanjeronovskaya famous Moldavanka, a unique complex of underground workings (Odessa Metro "), the ruins of the Turkish fortress in the Park of Taras Shevchenko, the church of St. Mary Magdalene, as well as first-class museums - Archaeological (a rich collection of Egyptian, Scythian and antiquities), Art, Museum of the Navy, Literature, Museum of Western and Oriental Art, History and Lore, literary-memorial museum of Alexander Pushkin and others. And Odessa lagoons with healing mud used as resorts as much from 1829 (Arcadia, Luzanovka, etc.).

One of the largest and oldest cities in Ukraine - Lviv, a real open-air museum, included in the UNESCO list of world treasures. In this city mixed Slavic and western European architectural tradition, here employed the best craftsmen and produced the first book. Now the city has about 2 thousands of architectural and historical monuments, among which are especially popular High and Low castles on the Castle Hill, Cathedral Gothic Cathedral of John the Baptist (XIV-XV cc.) With Renaissance chapels Boim and Kampians (XVII cent.), The chapel of the Three saints (XVI century.) Vilchkovskaya and Black Kamenica (XVI-XVII centuries). in the style of Renaissance Square "Old Market" with beautiful fountains, and Royal City arsenals (XVIII century.) Town Hall (1381), Powder Tower , Paraskieva Church, Synagogue Golden Rose, Italian courtyard, Peter and Paul Church, Lychakiv Cemetery, Church of St. Anthony, Our Lady of Mercy, the Jesuits (XVII century.) Dominicans (XVIII century.) Elzhbetty St., St. George's Cathedral (XVIII cent.), the Monastery and Church of St. Onuphry, Armenian Church and other religious buildings. Thousands of tourists attracted by the Theater of Opera and Ballet, the monument of Adam Mickiewicz, tomb of Prince Galitsky, strengthening the Bernardine monastery and church of the Bernardine himself (XVII cent.), A monument to Ivan Fedorov, Lviv Polytechnic, Hotel Georges, full of historical monuments ul Russian, Shevchenko Avenue and Mytnaya area, as well as dozens of museums, among which are the museum of wooden architecture in Western Ukraine, Shevchenko Hai ", Pharmacy Museum at Drukarskoy, Weaponry Museum, porcelain and earthenware, Museum Furniture, Historical, Lviv Art Gallery, the first Ukrainian Museum of Beer and etc.

Transcarpathia - one of the best resort areas of the country. Fantastically beautiful land of picturesque mountains, medieval castles, forests, mountain rivers, lakes and mineral springs, the land has long been inhabited by representatives of dozens of distinct peoples. Famous resorts Truskavets Morshin, Mirgorod, Kobyletska Polyana, Kvasy, Shayan, Svaliava Slavsko, Yasin, a village of the Carpathians and bruises Mukachevo district, a lot of reserves (Carpathian Biosphere National Park Sinevir, Uzhansky National Park, Valley of daffodils and etc.), high-Synevir, Solotvino and Kinga (salty) lakes, majestic mountains Hoverla, Stack, Trostian, Jezierna and others, first-class Carpathian wine - all this makes the region particularly attractive.

But the main tourist area of the country, undoubtedly, Southern coast of Crimea. As the number of sunny days Crimea is not inferior to Mediterranean resorts, a mild Mediterranean climate of these places is completely unique - summer is hot, but not debilitating, autumn is warm, long, winter is short and mild. There are countless sites and settlements, shelter and fortress, ancient and medieval towns, castles and monasteries, monuments of classical architecture and war memorials.

Center Area is Yalta, known since 1145 as Dzhalita. In our days, but most of Yalta, in the zone "Big Yalta" includes a lot of coastal cities and towns (Alushta, Gurzuf Partenit, Livadia, Gaspra, Koreiz, Mishor, Simeiz, Foros, Muhalatka, etc.), which turns the city into one of the largest resorts in Europe. In addition to rest on the sea, there are sure to be visiting the Old Town, Massandra Palace (the former hunting lodge of Alexander III), a museum of Lesya Ukrainka, the largest in the CIS year-old concert hall "Jubilee", Yalta state historical and literary museum, with branches all along the coast, palace park complexes Kuchuk Lambat (1907) and Karasan (1887) in Partenit Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky Church of the Transfiguration in Nikitsky Botanical Garden, St. Nicholas in Yalta, the Holy Martyr Theodore Tiron, Saint Nina in Gaspra, Exaltation of the Cross in Livadia, as well as the temple of St. John Chrysostom, Holy Virgin Protection in Oreanda, St. Alexander Nevsky at the sanatorium of St. Luke in Alupka, St. Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon, the Archangel Michael in Alupka solitary Church of the Resurrection in Foros etc., a unique museum of the Institute of viticulture and winemaking Magarach (founded in 1828), a cable car to the exotic city of Darsan (array Ai-Petri), a favorite walking place - outside the embankment, "Polyana tales" from nodnozhiya mountain Stavry-Kai, a waterfall Wuchang-Su, a picturesque mountain lake Karagol, etc.

By "visiting card" of the region include the Ayu-Dag, dappled caves Ai-Petri, Baidar pass gate, Chatir-Dag (Tent Mountain), the majestic canyon of the Grand Canyon of Crimea near the village of Falcon, Nikita Botanical Gardens (1000 hectares) with a unique collection plants (1900 species) from all over the world, vineyards and park-nursery southern crops with the famous winery near Yalta, the luxurious Park (1834) in Foros, Miskhorsky landscape park, a small castle, standing on an overhanging the sea cliff -- Swallow's Nest "(1912) in Gaspra, complex of palaces of the royal family in Livadia (1911, February 1945, at the Great Hall of the palace held Crimean Conference of Heads of State anti-Hitler coalition). In Simeis interesting coastal cliffs Diva, panic, Swan Wing, landscape and historical and architectural reserve of the mountain cat, as well as Simeiz Astrophysical Observatory. The main attraction is Alupka palace and park ensemble of the Vorontsov palace (1828-1848 gg.) With a rich museum collection and a huge park. Gurzuf attracts the attention of youth health resorts "Artek" and "Satellite", as well as the beautiful parks military sanatorium (the former complex of hotels Gubonin), vineyards and fascinating coast. In Alushta should be visited for inspection of "colored" Demerdzhi mountains, the ruins of a Byzantine fortress Aluston, caves behalf of the Small Academy of Sciences, Kutuzov fountain, the source of Ai-Andrei (itself a rare phenomenon for these places), as well as the most beautiful and most powerful waterfall of Crimea - Jur-Jur and the fantastic landscape of the Valley of Ghosts ". The main attraction of Mishor (the warmest place on the coast) - Palace Dulber with a magnificent park (200 species).

The south-west of the Crimea the most attractive Sevastopol and Evpatoria. In the hero-city of Sevastopol is a walk along the famous Count's Quay (1846), to visit the Aquarium of the Institute of Biology of Southern Seas NAS of Ukraine (the first aquarium in the USSR) and the Black Sea Fleet Museum (founded in 1769), St. Vladimir's Cathedral (1853-1888 gg .), Art Museum, Museum of Lieutenant PP Schmidt, places of military glory - Breather-mountain, and Malakhov Hill, a symbol of the city - a monument of Sunken Ships (1905), a monument to Admiral Nakhimov, a memorial to the heroic defense of Sevastopol in 1941-1942 ., art museum. M. Kroshitskogo, Inkerman vintage wines, the ruins of the Genoese fortress Cembalo in Balaklava and the majestic cliffs of the surrounding mountains. Around the city a lot of interesting natural complexes, built at the rank of monuments - Capes Lucullus, Sudak, Sarich, Fiolent and Aya, Bay Cossack and Khersones, reserve tract Laspi and landscape reserve Baydarskiy.

City-reserve Chersonesos (founded in V century. BC. E.), Known as Slavic chronicles Korsun - the place of baptism of Prince Vladimir, attracts the attention of the ruins of an ancient theater, its colonnades of medieval churches, grand remains of defensive structures, walls and towers. On the reserve 2 museums: ancient and medieval, with extensive collections of monuments of culture and literature (including a unique "oath of citizens Chersonese" III century. BC. E.), Works of art, crafts and tools, n redmety life and etc.

On the west coast of Crimea, on the shore Kalamitsky Bay, lies a unique resort Evpatoria, renowned for its beaches and curative mud Moinakskoye salt lakes, as well as original Juma Mosque Jami (1552).

Pearl of Crimea - Bakhchisarai State Historical and Cultural Reserve, where among the narrow medieval streets are preserved former Khan's Palace (XV-XVIII centuries., Now a museum), mausoleums, Durbe, Big Khan Khan Jami Mosque and madrasahs, sung by Pushkin, the famous "Fountain of Tears" (Celso-Biel, 1764) and Golden Fountain (Mag-tine, 1733) at the Fountain courtyard of the palace, as well as the medieval Monastery of the Assumption (VIII-XIX cc.) and the cave fortress city Chufut-Calais (X-XIX cc.). In the vicinity of the city are interesting ruins of a cave town Eski-Kerman (V-XIII cc.), The fortress and the cave city Mangup Kale (VI-XV cc.) Cave church Tepe-Kerman (VIII-IX cc.), The cave monastery Kachi - Kalion (VIII-IX cc.) and the cave church donor of (X-XV cc.). From start Bakhchisaray virtually all the main pedestrian routes. Most popular - Bakhchisaray - Grand Canyon of Crimea - Ai-Petri - Yalta. The best time for hikes - from April to October, in particular - the autumn, when the mountains are full of mushrooms, berries and wild fruits and nuts. Peak season - May holidays.

East and south-east coast of the Crimea predominantly flat, with pronounced steppe landscapes. Coast from Alushta to Sudak busy sand and pebble beaches separated by rocky headlands, and on the Kerch Peninsula, large sand and pebble beaches and rakushechnikovye alternate with tiny plots of sandy coastline.

Theodosius ( "God-given") was founded in the VI century BC. e. in the territory of the legendary Cimmerian, also offers visitors the network is sufficiently modern resorts and tourist centers that use medicinal sources close to its taste and medicinal qualities of the famous mineral water and mud of Lake Adzhigol that are not inferior to its medicinal properties the famous Saki mud. Interesting Picture Gallery. Aivazovsky, Literary Memorial Museum of Green's unique Museum of hang gliding and paragliding, the ruins of the Genoese fortress Kafa (XIV century.), The Armenian church and a Turkish mosque Mufti-Jami (XVII), as well as the fountain Aivazovsky (1888).

The Grand Theodosia are beautiful spa town - Sudak, Crimea Primorye, spa, Planerskoe (Koktebel) and the sea. In Green Bay at the foot of the mountain Agarmysh, 20 km. from Feodosia, Crimea stretches Old (Eski Kyrym) - the best place for treatment of lung diseases and the unique natural landscapes of pine forests, besides having a very picturesque coastline, a beautiful monastery of S.-Hach (XIV-XVIII cc.) and the famous factory sparkling wines. Town Planerskoe (Koktebel) is 20 km. from Theodosia and is famous for its majestic landscapes spurs Kara-Dag and many first-class resorts. Not far from the village of Spa (29 km. To the south-west of Feodosia) are mineral springs and the famous Chokrakskoye lake with a huge inventory of medical sulfurous mud. Sudak, one of the oldest cities in the world, known for its Genoese fortress (1321-1469 gg.), In which there are consular castle with two towers, a mosque (XII century.) Patrol and Port Tower, medieval basilica, a temple of the Twelve Apostles and numerous underground structures.

Kerch, ancient capital of the Bosporus (Panticapeum, VI century. Mr. Jo. E.) Is a unique historical and cultural complex. It is worth to visit the memorial to the heroes of Defense Ensemble Adzhimushkaya, Melek-Chesmensky Mound (Gold Mound, IV century. BC. E.), The crypt Demeter (I in. N. E.) Church of St. John the Baptist (X-XIII cc.) view a collection of tombstones Bosporus in Historical and Archaeological Museum and other historical monuments.

Crimea is perfect for active types of recreation. Excellent trails for hiking are laid along the Southern coast - Sunny (Imperial) trail in Livadia, Botkin, Shtangeevskaya and others. And in the mountain Crimea laid so much foot and trekkernyh routes that full list can be found only in the Control and Rescue Service. Crimean bicycle routes are no less interesting, but in connection with the mountain conditions are suitable only for well-prepared travelers. Ridge of Crimean mountains provide excellent conditions for climbing and cave exploring. In Crimea holds about eight caves, among which are especially popular Emine-Bair-Khosar with mineralogical reserve Lower Bair, Red, Marble and Three-eyes. Visit other caves Speleological requires special training.

Particularly popular and fastest growing form of active recreation in the Crimea - horse travel. The centers are located in equestrian tourism Belogorsk region, near Yalta (club "Quarry"), at the foot of the mountain Demerdzhi (Alushta), near Sevastopol and Sudak. Multi-day horse trips are the most picturesque places of the mountain area and the coast. Large equestrian tourist centers are located on the top of the Ai-Petri (seasonal), and with. Solnechnosele Bakhchissaray area (increased comfort and service.

Koktebel, Ai-Petri, Demerdzhi, Chatyr-Dag and Theodosius - traditional areas of gliding, this year there are plenty of aviation and aerial competitions. Booming and sailing - in Sevastopol, Yalta, Partenit, Kerch and other ports of moored boats, and built in Alushta "Marina" - a special port for tourist boats. In any place you can rent a boat, barge or small boat. And for windsurfing conditions are virtually everywhere.

Peninsula Tarhankut - the most popular place for diving. Also excellent dive sites are located off the coast of the Kara Dagh, and Ayu-Dag, Cape Fiolent at Cape Ai-Todor in Koktebel Bay, the ancient reefs of the Kerch Peninsula, the city beaches in Yalta, Sudak and Alushta, in the Red Cave. In Sevastopol, there is even a tourist submersible.