Kamyanets-Podilsky (Khmelnytsky region) is listed among the “Seven Wonders of Ukraine” for good reasons. Its gems are the mighty fortress, the incredible Old City, and the fairytale Smotrych River canyon. They say that this canyon inspired Mikhail Bulgakov, who was a doctor in the local hospital, for his description of Jerusalem in the novel “Master and Margarita”. In such natural scenery, exciting events should happen! And they did happen. Here is one such story…

The most famous knights of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth struggled for the heart of beautiful Rosanda, the younger daughter of Moldavian Hospodar Vasile Lupu (also known as Lupul). The most likely candidate was Chernihiv Voivode Martin Kalinovskiy. But all plans were destroyed by Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky: he was dreaming to legalise his ruling dynasty by marrying his sons to European princesses. Having heard about this, Kalinovskiy gathered almost all Polish gentlemen under his banner for the “Romantic Campaign” of 1652, which was fought under the war cry “protect our beautiful princess from marriage with a wild Cossack”. In the battle near Batih on the Buh River (now in the Vinnytsia region) Polish Chernihiv Voivode died, devastating the Poles. Soon Rosanda became the wife of the Hetman’s son, Tymish Khmelnytsky. Tymish and Rosanda did not love each other and did not even meet before the wedding.

The couple got married in Yassy (now in Romania), but legends place this event in the wooden Church of the Exaltation of the Cross on Karvasary in Kamyanets. It does not matter that the sanctuary was built one and a half century later, in 1799-1801. The place is perfectly fit for weddings: it is between high rocks of the canyon, under the protection of the mighty Old Fortress commanding a view of the Old city and surrounded with the ribbon of the Smotrych River.

Legends connect one more building with Rosanda. They say that when Moldavian boyars dethroned Vasile Lupu, he and his then widowed daughter and grandchildren hid in the house of a Kamyanets Elder, near the Dominican monastery. The Elder appreciated Rosanda and especially her father’s treasures, and asked her in marriage. However, the young woman answered proudly that she would not marry again. They say that the treasures of Lupu remained in the house of the Elder. In fact, after the Second World War, boys found ancient coins there… Near the house of the Elder, there is Ukraine’s oldest City Hall, built in the 14th-19th centuries. In the City Hall, there is a museum of Magdeburg Right, a museum of money and an exhibition titled “Court in Medieval Kamyanets”.
Evidence that Kamyanets was one of the strongest fortresses of Europe for several centuries is found in the watchtowers standing all round the city-island. One of them is the huge Batory tower (1585). When, in 1711, Tsar Peter the First came to visit the famous city-fortress, his three-corned hat was blown off by the wind at the gates. The angry monarch shouted: “What a windy gate!” Since then it has been called thus. Ukrainian genius Taras Shevchenko also entered this gate in 1846.

Near the tower, there is a Turkish bastion, a reminder of ottoman rule in 1672-1699. Lower, there is the Polska (Polish) Gate, a unique system of sluices that raised the level of the Smotrych River in case of attack.

From Polska Gate, you can go up to St. Peter and Paul Cathedral from the 15th - 19th centuries. Here a 36-metre-high minaret with a gilded statue of Madonna on its top stands by the chapel. During Turkish rule (1672-1699), the cathedral was turned into a mosque, and when Kamyanets was returned to Poland, the new rulers decided not to demolish the minaret but installed a gilded statue on its top. In the Cathedral, there is the most valuable art treasure of Kamyanets, a marble headstone of 21-year-old Laura Przezdziecka made by sculptor V. Brodsky in 1874-76. This sculpture group was once sought after by the Hermitage museum in St.-Petersburg, but the city managed to keep Laura.

From the Cathedral, we come through the Triumphal Arc built in 1781 in honour of the visit of King Stanislaw Poniatovskyi. Guides advise visitors to make a wish here. The ritual was founded by former President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma. He was in the city in 1994, a few days before the presidential elections, and the wish he made came true. Are you dreaming about of the glory of politicians and kings? Go to Kamyanets for the New Year and catch the white feather!

USEFUL INFORMATION

Kamyanets-Podilsky official website: http://city.kp.km.ua/
State Historical and Cultural Reserve “Kamyanets”: 2 Predtechenska Str. Tel.: +38 03849 237 84, http://museum.k-p.km.ua/
Old Fortress: 1 Zamkova Str.
Entrance ticket: UAH8, children - UAH4.
Open daily from 9:00 to 18:00
Kamyanets-Podilsky Art Gallery: 11 Piatnytska Str. Tel.: +38 03849 225 21. Entrance: UAH4, children - UAH3.
Archaeological Museum: 2 Predtechenska Str.
Entrance: UAH3, children - UAH2.
Open daily except Mondays, from 10:00 to 18:00.

GETTING TO KAMYANETS

UIA offers direct daily flights to Kyiv from most of Western Europe’s largest cities. With your Panorama Club Card, you can earn miles on all UIA flights and flights of our partner airlines: Air France (excluding the Kyiv-Paris route), Austrian Airlines, KLM, Swiss International Air Lines, and TAP Portugal.

Buy tickets online at Ukraine International website.
For more information, call us in Kyiv at +38 044 581 5050.

Winter! Snow! Skies! These are a breathtaking combination for all who love winter holidays. And this is never more true than in the Carpathians. In Ukraine these mountains cover the Transcarpathian, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi regions and occupy an area of more than 24 square kilometres. Each year this magnificent land attracts more and more skiers. We certainly hope that this winter you will be able to join them!

Today Ukraine is a popular ski destination, more and more skiers are choosing the Ukrainian Carpathians. Along with the incomparable natural beauty they are attracted by flexible prices, wonderful modern infrastructure and a European level of resort service. So the formula is simple: the overall range of modern services mixed with the unique ethnic colour of Western Ukraine (especially during the Christmas holidays!), multiplied by real mountain extremes add up to unforgettable fireworks of fun!

The Glorious Slavske

They say that the majestic Carpathians are woven with legends and haunted by the ghosts of forgotten ancestors. So when passing the steep slopes you might catch a glimpse of Kyiv’s Prince Volodymyr the Great! But this is not absolutely necessary. What you must do is visit Slavske - the Lviv region’s famous ski resort which earned a reputation as the centre for winter tourism during the Soviet era.

Slavske is located in a picturesque valley 600 metres above sea level where two rivers converge - the Opir and the Slavka. The resort is surrounded by mountains which protect it from the alpine winds. Throughout the season Slavske receives from 10 to 15 thousand skiers and snowboarders. The local hotel infrastructure includes the whole range from private village kolyba cottages to VIP hotels offering many entertainment options.
Two kilometres away from the centre of the village is the favorite mountain for skiers - Trostyan (1232 metres). From the peak of the mountain 1500-2000 metre long trails of varying levels of complexity stretch in eastern, northern and western directions. In all there are six trails certified by the International Skiing Federation, including giant and super-slalom.

Slavske has an advantageous geographical location. From the main Kyiv-Uzhhorod motorway, two kilometres from the town of Skole, is the road to Slavske which takes 20-30 minutes. From Slavske to Lviv it is 120 kilometres, and from the town of Stryi in the Lviv region it is 60 kilometres. All trains running from the east to the west of the country stop in Slavske. There is also a wide connecting network of local trains from Lviv.

The Ukrainian Courchevel

The Bukovel tourist complex is the newest and most modern ski resort in Ukraine. Located at an elevation of 920 metres in the village of Polianytsia in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, it is 30 kilometres from the Yaremcha tourist centre and 110 kilometres from the city of Ivano-Frankivsk. The mountains surrounding Bukovel protect the resort from cold winds. The complex has 14 modern lifts and trails more than 50 kilometres long, on a grass base equipped with security systems. There are illuminated slopes for night skiing and Bukovel’s snowboarding instructors are the best.

The slopes of Bukovel can receive more than 30,000 tourists at one time with accommodation available in the 25 cosy four-room cottages with deluxe suites, private boarding houses and hotels in the surrounding area. 59 additional four-room cottages and 19 chalets will open next season. To entice tourists to Bukovel, the resort has lowered accommodation costs, lift prices and ski equipment rentals. There are regular buses to the resort from the railway station and the Ivano-Frankivsk airport and now the comfortable Lviv-Vorokhta modern train also stops at Bukovel.

The Highest Ski-Slope

Drahobrat is Ukraine’s highest elevation ski resort. It is 1360 metres above sea level in the mountain valley of Drahobrat near the town of Rakhiv in the Transcarpathian region. Its slopes meet Olympic requirements and it is the only resort open from the middle of October to the middle of May.

Skiers and snowboarders come to Drahobrat because there is always snow in winter. The main skiing takes place on Stig Mountain (1700 meters) or Blyzniuky (Twins) Rock. The ski trails, which stretch for 10,000 kilometres, can receive up to 1000 skiers. You can reach the base of Stig Mountain through the village of Yasinia, 18 kilometres from Drahobrat. But not every car can make the drive, so it is best to be in a four-wheel drive. But not to fear, the Uzhgorod-Rakhiv-Ivano Frankivsk-Lviv and Lviv-Ivano Frankivsk-Rakhiv rail-lines also run through Yasinia.

A vacation in Drohobych is more than skiing but also nature’s grandeur. The windows of the Drahobrat Hotel (run by the Drahobrat ski resort) and several modern cottages on the hillside command a wonderful view of the peaks of Hoverla, Petras and Blyzniuky. If you prefer indoor sports, the local discotheque is one of the best in Ukraine!

To be Continued…
Each season new ski trails, lifts and hotels open in Ukraine. In addition to Slavske, Bukovel and Drahobrat more than 15 ski resorts operate in the various regions of Ukraine. There is Tysovets, located at the headwaters of the Tysovets River at an elevation of 1020 metres (120 kilometres from Lviv), the village of Vorokhta (near Yaremcha), the town of Kosiv (Ivano-Frankivsk region) and others. For more details please contact these travel companies and specialised web-sites.
See you in the Carpathians!

Getting There

UIA offers direct flights from Kyiv to Lviv (except Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays), from Frankfurt to Lviv and from Madrid to Lviv.

With your Panorama Club Card you will earn 311 miles in Economy Class and 467 miles in Business Class on the Kyiv-Lviv route; 1000 miles in Economy Class and 1500 miles in Business Class on the Frankfurt-Lviv route; 1203 miles in Economy Class and 1805 miles in Business Class on the Barcelona-Lviv route.

Buy tickets online at www.flyUIA.com

Small towns sometimes impress by their great history. Such is the town of Ostroh in the Rivne region. Ostroh is considered to be the cradle of education and enlightenment in Ukraine. It is here that the first complete edition of the Bible in Old Church Slavonic was printed; it is here that the powerful Ostroh Academy, which had given many famous names to the world, was established. Last year, the Ostroh Castle and the Ostroh Academy were listed among Ukraine’s new wonders…

Historical events should be judged from a distance. Millions of insignificant dates are sifted through the sieve of history. But the15th of July of 1410 is imprinted in History by right: the battle of Grunewald that took place in 1409-1411 stopped the expansion of the Teutonic Knights into Eastern Europe. The Poles, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Belarusians, Czechs and Tartars rose against the most powerful military order. Without the steadfastness of the Ukrainian army, who knows if the great Ulrich von Jungingen would have been defeated?
One of those who fought at the field of Grunewald was duke Fedir Ostrozky. This is how the Ostrozkys, a Ukrainian princely family of art patrons and architects, entered world history. There was even a saying about that dynasty: “rich as Ostrozky”. The dukes not only became wealthy but defended their native land: the great-grandson of Fedir Ostrozky, the Lithuanian Hetman Konstantin Ostrozky, was known for his victories over the Tartars. And his youngest son, Kostantin-Vasyl became the Kyiv Voyevoda (commander of the army) in 1559.
Ostroh was the patrimonial estate of the Ostrozky dukes for almost 300 years. Located in the South of the Rivne region, the city, first mentioned in the Ipatievsky chronicle in 1100, is rich in medieval monuments. One of the most important is the Duke’s castle, under whose walls stand the bronze Ostrozky dukes, the favourite models of wedding photographers. There is the ancient 15th century Bogoyavlenska Church on the territory of the castle, and the Museum of Regional Ethnography is located in the Vezha Murovana (the Guard Tower).
Guides will tell you about the medieval patron Galshka Gulevychivna-Ostrozka (1575-1642), forced to live with a man she did not love. Beautiful Galshka was forcibly given in marriage to Polish magnate Dmytro Sangushko by her uncle Kostiantyn Ostrozky. According to legend, during the marriage ceremony in the cathedral a strong wind rose, blew out the candles, rang the bells, auguring something evil. They say the unhappy beautiful girl threw herself from the castle tower. In fact she died at the age of 67… It was Galshka Ostrozka who was one of the originators of the famous Kyiv-Mohyla Academy: the school out of which the academy grew was opened at her expense in Kyiv in 1616.
In the suburb of Ostroh, once inhabited by the Tartars, the Tatarska Brama (gate) rises, and the Lutska Brama from the 16th century guards the ancient road from the West. The Museum of Books and Printing, with its rich collection, is located in the tower of the gate. Not by coincidence: it is precisely here in Ostroh that Ukrainian book printing started. Printing pioneer Ivan Fedorov, invited by Kostantin-Vasyl Ostrozky, created his masterpieces here: “Bukvar” (abecedary) in 1578 and the Ostroh Bible printed in 1581, on which the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko swore his oath of office.
But Ostroh was famous not only for fortifications and book printing. The Konstantin Ostrozky duke established military brotherhoods and printing houses, opened schools in 1570-1580. The Renaissance needed new people: educated, intelligent, and the duke understood it. His main creation became the Ostrozka Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy, the first institution of higher education not only in Ukraine, but in all of Eastern Europe, established in 1576.
Europe’s brightest “stars” of the times lectured in the Academy: the Greek scientist Dionisio Paleolog, Galileo’s pupil Kyrylo Lukaris, Krakow University professor Ian Liatos; and writer Herasym Smotrytsky was elected the first rector. The Academy would not have acquired the fame of the “Ostrozki Athens” without them. Ukrainian hetman Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny and the author of “The Slavic Grammar” (1619) Meletii Smotrytsky are among the graduates of the Academy.
Afterwards, the Academy declined: the last of the Ostrozky family, Ianush, transformed it into a Jesuit College and the Academy ceased to exist around 1640. For centuries, owners changed: the Orthodox Church and Polish Roman Catholic Church, a hospital and a pedagogical institute all had a turn at owning it. The tradition of academism broke for almost 350 years!
In 1995, the Academy was revived (www.uosa.uar.net). Now its buildings are located in the former Capuchin 17th century monastery. And, who knows, maybe the names of new students of the revived “Ostrozki Athens” will resound all over the world one day…

USEFUL INFORMATION

The Ostroh Museum of Regional Ethnography
Rivne region, Ostroh, 5 Akademichna str. (on the territory of the Ostroh castle).
Tel.: +38 03654 306 01, +38 03654 225 93.
E-mail: dikzo@Ostroh.uar.net.
Entrance: UAH4.
The Museum of Books and Printing
Rivne region, Ostroh, Lutska Brama, Papanin str.
Tel.: +38 03654 232 71.
Schedule: the museums are open daily, except Mondays, from 09:00 to 16:30.

GETTING THERE

Ukraine International offers direct daily flights to Kyiv from most of Western Europe’s largest cities. With your Panorama Club Card you can earn miles on all UIA flights and flights of our partner airlines: Air France (excluding the Kyiv-Paris route), Austrian Airlines, KLM, Swiss International Air Lines and TAP Portugal.

For more information, call us in Kyiv at +380 44 581 5050.

Get from Kyiv to Rivne on one of the regular trains or buses and then to Ostroh by public bus (every 20 minutes)

Beauty is a great power. And greatest of all is Woman’s beauty. But it is ephemeral. Who remembers a beautiful woman after centuries? There are portraits but they are known only to specialists and museum employees. So few women remain in the memory of future generations as Beauties with a capital letter. Sofia de Vitt-Pototsky was lucky: her beauty is enshrined in one of the most beautiful parks of Ukraine and the world: “Sofiyivka”

It is best to discover “Sofiyivka” early in the morning or on week days. In autumn on a weekend afternoon the number of tourists in the park is greater than the number of trees. And it is great to stroll here! From Lower Pond with its 15-metre-high “Snake” fountain to Diana’s Grotto; from Devil’s Bridge to the Acheron underground river; from the island of Anti-Circe to the amphitheatre. Guides say that “Sofiyivka”, like a shy beauty, reveals herself only in a tête-à-tête.  However, the lady for whose sake this park was planned was not shy, but incredibly beautiful: yes, she was.

Everything here celebrates the memory of Sofia de Vitt-Pototskiy, from the name of the park to the numerous biographies at the souvenir stands. Thus did wealthy Count Stanislaw Pototskiy (1751-1805) immortalise his boundless love for his wife.

Conquests of the Heart

This love story starts in the Turkish city of Bursa where, in 1762, Sofia was born into the family of a Greek cattle merchant. When her father died, her mother Maria, left without resources, became a courtesan. In 1777, Maria introduced her beautiful daughter to Karol Boskamp-Lyasopolskiy, the Polish ambassador in Istanbul. Impressed by Sofia’s beauty, he invited her to his palace. There were French lessons, high society parties, trips to Warsaw through Ukrainian Podillia. The new land changed her life forever: 39-year-old Joseph de Vitt, son of Jan de Vitt, the governor of Kamyanets-Podilsky fortress, fell ardently in love with the girl. In Kamyanets-Podilsky, stories are still told about their secret wedding in 1779 and about Joseph’s father who was very angry and his mother, who became ill because of grief. From Kamyanets, in her new status of Joseph de Vitt’s wife, Sofia went travelling across Europe. At the time, de Vitt-junior, a former Polish major, was already a general in the Russian army. But the husband had to play second fiddle as Warsaw and Berlin, King Friedrich II of Prussia and the Austrian Emperor Joseph II were conquered by Sofia. Fame breeds envy. Soon there were gossips that the lady was a Russian spy and a friend of Grigory Potemkin. Everyone felt for poor, poor Joseph.

A New Love

In October 1791, in Yassy, then capital of Moldova (now in Romania), where de Vitt was stationed, Sofia met Count Pototskiy for the first time. Love disarmed the married Count; gossips and rumours about the couple spread from Vienna to St-Petersburg. They are surrounded by legends even now, just like the park. Thet say that Pototskiy literally bought Sofia from her husband Joseph de Vitt. From 1796 to 1805, Pototskyi created for his dear wife a piece of her native Greece in the ancient style. They say that the park was built by Pototskiy’s serfs, and its creator was the talented artillerist-inventor Ludwig Metzel (1764-1848). About 800 peasants worked on it daily and received wages for their work, as Pototskiy abolished serfdom on his lands. The building of the park cost Pototskiy fifteen million zloty (or two million silver roubles) and nearly bankrupted him! Count Pototskiy was advised by ex-husband Joseph de Vitt to sell Sofia yet again and recoup his losses…

The Lady in Green

Visitors already delighted in “Sofiyivka” in the beginning of the 19th century. Poets wrote about it, and in 1820, Russian Tsar Alexander I visited it. Stanislaw Pototskiy’s vision was even grander and had plans for the building of a luxurious palace and the creation of the biggest park of Europe. The untimely death of the magnate on March 14, 1805 prevented the full implementation of his ideas. Sofia reigned in her eponymous green kingdom until her death in 1822. It is strange that the park never became her favourite place: the countess tried to sell Sofiyivka to the royal treasury many times. After her, her son Oleksander took care of the park…

“Sofiyivka” is really impressive: there are exotic trees from all countries of the world, marble sculptures that seem to come from the pages of the Iliad and Odyssey, numerous ponds, waterfalls, fountains and grottos. It also covers an impressive area: 179 hectares is a lot of land. By the way, modern “Sofiyivka” is different from the green paradise of beautiful Sofia. In 1836-1859 the park, at the time named “Queen’s Garden”, had been considerably enhanced.

Already in 1929 this wonderful landmark was declared a national reserve. In 2004, “Sofiyivka” attained the status of National Arboretum, and in 2007 it was declared one of the seven wonders of Ukraine. Is it a wonder that asteroid #2259, discovered in 1971 was named after “Sofiyivka” in 1985?

Useful Information

Address: “Sofiyivka” National Arboretum, 12-a Kyivska Str., Uman, Cherkassy region, tel.: +38 04744 363 19.
Web-site: www.sofiyivka.org.ua, e-mail: sofievka@ck.ukrtel.net.

Opening hours: the park is open from May 1st to November 15th daily from 9:00 to 18:00. In other seasons, excursions are arranged by previous order.
Entrance: Adults, UAH8; children, UAH5.

Infrastructure: In the park there is a restaurant and a hotel. Tel.: +38 04744 335 27, +38 04744 343 66.

Car rental: Hertz Company: Kyiv, 7d Zdolbunivska Str., tel.: +38 044 492 3270, e-mail: rent@hertz.ua

Getting There

Ukrainian  International Airlines offers daily flights to Kyiv from most of Western Europe’s largest cities. With your Panorama Club Card you can earn miles on all UIA flights and flights of our partner airlines: Air France (excluding the Kyiv-Paris route), Austrian Airlines, KLM, Swiss International Air Lines, and TAP Portugal.

Buy tickets on line at www.flyUIA.com. For more information, call us in Kyiv at +380 44 581 5050.

KyivStar, MTC, Life:) and Beeline cellular service subscribers can dial 566.

You can reach Uman from Kyiv by one of several regular buses.

If you feel that there is too much stress in your life, then it is time to visit the Transcarpathian region. It seems that God created this area for healing people’s souls and bodies: there are great mountains, deep forests, mineral sources, curing muds, salt lakes and salt mines. The resort was already famous to the elite in the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its current formula of success is ancient treatments enhanced with perfect service and modern therapy.

Royal Bath

Near the historic centre of Uzhgorod, ethno wellness hotel “Ungvarskiy” offers a large range of options for rest and relaxation. The establishment was built in 1876 on a source of healing mineral water. In 2007, a businessman from Uzhgorod Ivan Voloshyn decided to renovate the resort completely. The concept of the new resort is ethnic wellness: renewal of the natural strength of the organism according to the traditions of our ancestors.

The first rule of “Ungvarskiy” is that the guests have to get pleasure from every moment of their stay. The interior of the cosy complex is mostly wooden with forged iron decorations and accessories in the 19th century style. Rooms are bright and spacious, and the restaurant offers gourmet and healthy dishes from Transcarpathian, Hungarian and Slovakian cuisines.
A calm and affable atmosphere reigns in the “Ungvarskiy” treatment and rehabilitation centre. According to indications by your doctor, you can undergo various types of showers, jets, baths, massages, and therapies.

The highlight of the treatment is “Ungvarska kupil (bath)” based on an ancient ritual. You go to a stone hall lit with candles, redolent of eastern fragrances and filled with the sounds of nature. In the centre of the hall, there is the 130-years-old tub with mineral water. Under the tub, burning fragrant woods heat the water to a pleasant temperature. At first you plunge into the tub for 5-10 minutes, and then dive into a small pool of cold water for a few seconds. Your body gets saturated with oxygen, tones up, and you feel incredible full of energy. A real Transcarpathian nirvana!

Wonder Barrel

In “Ungvarskiy” you can also undergo one more healing ritual: a real Carpathian sauna. Here everything is made of wood, the stove is made of stone according to the ancient local craft, and the small swimming-pool is filled with mineral water. In the hot room, there are oak besom brooms and an extract from fragrant Carpathian herbs that you pour on hot stones… Spend half an hour here and feel what it is to be really relaxed!

The “Cedar Barrel” is another interesting treatment we discovered in the “Voyevodyno’ Transcarpathian tourist complex. Healing steam saturated with herbal fragrances is shot under pressure into a compact sauna-barrel made from 200-years-old cedar. The warm cedar emits phytoncides, allowing the steam heating to benefit the whole organism by increasing blood supply to the skin, muscles and joints and accelerating the metabolism. In addition, the steam barrel has a wonderful cosmetic effect on facial skin and is said to help fight cellulite. The treatment lasts from two to fifteen minutes and is repeated several times.

“Voyevodyno” is located “off road” in the midst of mountains, forests, impetuous rivers and silence. Accommodation is in cosy wooden houses. In the restaurant of the complex you can try trout that you catch yourself in the hotel’s ponds. It is incredibly succulent! Depending on the season you can play tennis, volley-ball, mini golf, ride bicycle or go skiing. If you need to improve your health further, then head to another area in the Transcarpathian region: Solotvyno village.

The Salt of Life

Solotvyno is famous for its salt mines that help treat bronchitis, asthma and various allergic illnesses. Since 1976, a specialised Ukrainian Allergy Clinic was established in the in Solotvyno salt mines. This establishment is unique in the world because all its cabinets and treatment rooms are located at a depth of 300 metres in solid salt grottos!

All year, the temperature is constant at +22 +25 ºС and the mines maintain air humidity at 30-32%. Because of this, the principal treatment approach is breathing. A recommended course is 15 to 25 sessions lasting from 5 to 10 hours. The Ukrainian Allergy Clinic also uses modern methods of therapy and massage. The resort offers accommodation in wooden cottages at the hotel complex “Speleological Centre Solotvyno”.

In addition to salt mines, nature also gave salt lakes to Solotvyno. On their banks there are healing muds which curative properties that are compared with the famous muds of the Dead Sea. People come year-round to treat their locomotive system or simply relax in nature.

Useful Contacts

Ethno wellness hotel “Ungvarskiy”
2 Elektrozavodska Str., Uzhgorod, Transcarpathian region, tel.: +38 0312 61 6565; www.ungvarskiy-hotel.com.ua, e-mail: info@ungvarskiy-hotel.com.ua
Accommodation: from UAH250 for double room.

Sanatorium and hotel complex “Speleological Centre Solotvyno”
Solotvyno village, Tiachivskyi district, Transcarpathian region, tel.: +38 03134 56 843; www.solotvino.com.ua, e-mail: speleocenter@i.ua
Accommodation: from UAH200 for double room.

“Voyevodyno” Tourist complex
Voyevodyno, Turia Pasika village, Perechynskyi district, Transcarpathian region, tel.: +38 03145 47 240; www.voevodyno.com, e-mail: voevodyno@mail.ru
Accommodation: from UAH320 for double room, breakfast included.

Tourist and informational centre of the Transcarpathian region
Tel.: +38 0312 61 6669; www.tourinform.org.ua

Restaurants

Detsa u Notarya
Uzhgorod, 98 Gagarina Str., tel.: +38 0312 66 1166.
The best-known restaurant in the Transcarpathian region.

Rodos
Uzhgorod, 6a Dokuchayeva Str., tel.: +38 0312 64 2125.
This restaurant is known for its two “cave halls”, which are over six hundred years old

Turianska Dolyna 
Perechyn town (near Voyevodyno), 122 Zhovtneva Str., tel.: +38 0314 52 2263.
European, Ukrainian, and regional cuisine.

Car rental: Hertz Company: Lviv, 3/1 Chekhova Str., tel.: +38 032 297 0052; mobile: +38 050 358 28 61, e-mail: lviv@hertz.ua

Getting There

Ukrainian International Airlines offers daily flights to Kyiv from most of Western Europe’s largest cities, as well as daily flights from Kyiv to Lviv, convenient flights to Lviv from Madrid, Barcelona and Frankfurt and daily Vienna-Lviv flights. You can reach Uzhhorod from Kyiv or Lviv by one of daily trains.
Buy tickets on line at www.flyUIA.com. For more information, call us in Kyiv at +380 44 581 5050.

KyivStar, MTC, Life:) and Beeline cellular service subscribers can dial 566.

It is very hard to imagine that Imperial architect Mykola Krasnov spent only one-and-a-half years on the design of the splendid White Palace. It is even more difficult to believe that this large building was erected in a mere 17 months. 2500 construction workers laboured even at night, under the light of torches to make the impossible possible. The foundation was laid in April 1910 and the construction was completed in September 1911…
Back in those times, architectural fashion was dictated by Modern Style with its eclecticism and ability to borrow the best elements from the world treasury and then mix them up in arbitrary proportions. The same happened to the Livadia Palace: sometimes you think you are standing in front of an oriental harem, sometimes in a Byzantine cathedral, and sometimes in a splendid Italian mansion of Renaissance times. Snow-white stone quarried in Inkerman near Sevastopol was coated with a special solution to preserve its colour and protect it against weathering. Any flaws were unacceptable: this place not far from Yalta was chosen by Tsar Nicholas ІІ himself who also controlled the construction of his new summer residence.
After 1911, the Russian Emperors would spend vacation here with their family. The so-called Tsar’s Path, winding among the coastal rocks between Livadia and the Gaspra resort reminds us of that period. Russian Tsars always favoured this place: back in 1861 Alexander ІІ gave a manor to his wife Maria who suffered from tuberculosis. Doctors highly recommended the healing Crimean climate for the Empress.
In 1925, (oh, irony of fate!) the former royal quarters saw 220 peasants and cattle-breeders moving in, as this palace was turned into a farmers’ sanatorium, the first such institution in the world. This is when the splendid furniture disappeared from the palace and the interior of the neo-Renaissance palazzo dimmed.
Noble guests returned to the palace in 1945 between February 4th and 11th when Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt decided the fate of post-war Europe and the entry of the USSR into the war against Japan. World War II was nearing its end, so the leaders of the three superpowers had lots of things to discuss. And even though the Yalta Conference is mentioned in every history textbook, Livadia would still have been famous for its marvellous architecture and nature. But the power of History is great: not many tourists can resist the temptation to sit at the round table of negotiations where, 60 years ago, the mighty of the world were slicing Europe as a fresh loaf of bread.
It was at this table that the concept of the UN was born and where it was decided that Ukraine and Belarus, then republics of the Soviet Union, should be admitted in this organisation. Many documents signed here in the winter of 1945 remain relevant today. For example, the Declaration of Liberation of Europe enabled the nations freed from Nazi occupation to choose their own form of government.
There was a reason why policymakers choose the Yalta vicinity. Not far from here, the Yusupov Palace hosted the Soviet headquarters from where Stalin directed the Red Army. Back in January 1945, Churchill wrote to Roosevelt: “I am forwarding you the report of the Admiralty about Yalta. If they will choose this place it would be good to have a few destroyers here where we could live should the need in it arise. However, I think Stalin will provide us excellent conditions on the shore. Let us try to make our group as small as possible. Do you already have an idea how we should call this operation? If not, I propose The Argonaut.”
Churchill was right: warm Crimea offered its highly-distinguished guests truly royal quarters. The reserved splendour of the interior provided an excellent background and reflected the importance of the conference. And the U.S. President fell in love with the local cuisine so much that he even sent his two personal chefs away from Livadia as their services were no longer needed. On February 5th, 1945 there were 23 persons at the negotiations table: the leaders of three countries, ministers, the senior military, and three interpreters. Churchill wrote in his memoirs that during the whole war he had never felt such a huge responsibility weighing on his shoulders as at the Yalta Conference.
Visitors to Crimea rightly love this palace which today hosts a museum devoted to the life of the royal family in Crimea. Visit the large dining room decorated with stucco, the respectable vestibule, the English billiard room, the Jacobean-style study, and the surrounding 40-hectare landscaped park.
The magic of this place makes Livadia not just a respectable place where policymakers can meet but also provides beautiful settings for many films shot here in Soviet times. Here are the stairs where characters from The Dog in the Manger, the 1977 movie based on Lope de Vega’s play, exchanged stinging remarks; and over there is the place where scenes from The Twelfth Night, Anna Karenina, and Othello were shot. It is so easy to feel like a character from some medieval play, a noble guest or an important politician in the splendid atmosphere of the Livadia Palace…

USEFUL INFORMATION

The Livadia Palace Museum is located on the territory of the Livadia Sanatorium.
Contacts: Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Greater Yalta, Livadia village. Phone numbers: reception: +38 0654 315 579, tourist department: +38 0654 315 581.
Museum opening hours: daily from 9:00 to 18:00.
Admission ticket: adults UAH20.

GETTING THERE

UIA offers up to two flights a day from Kyiv to Simferopol, as well as non-stop flights from Berlin to Simferopol and from Frankfurt to Simferopol.

Buy tickets on line at www.flyUIA.com.

For more information, call us in Kyiv at +38 044 581 5050.

Summer, sea, scent-laden wind blowing from mountains, rave of colours in fruit bazaars, silence of morning parks, splendours of royal palaces: this is Greater Yalta . Only when you come will you understand why Russian Tsars sent rebels into exile to the Caucasus while they themselves went on vacation to the southern shore of Crimea. Greater Yalta is simply a paradise on earth worth discovering

Greater Yalta. Its boundary stretches for 70 kilometres on the Black Sea coast, mountains, and beaches from Foros to Gurzuf. Its ‘settlements’ are 170 resorts and sanatoriums. Its calling card is the sun shining here 2,250 hours a year, same as in Nice. Its border checkpoint is the 150-year-old Baidarsky Gates, 46 km from Yalta. The panoramic view which opens before your eyes through the arch of this gate to Greater Yalta will stay in your memory forever. As will the elegant silhouette of the Church of the Resurrection built in 1892 on top of the Red Cliff rising from the sea as a 400-metre pedestal. Or, perhaps, the palace of a “tea king” Alexander Kuznetsov located in a shady park. Or the road running along Berehove (Kastropol) with the 120-metre Iphigenia cliff and Devil’s Ladder pass. But let us start our trip from Yalta.

Yalta

Our departure point is mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records: to get to Yalta from the Simferopol Rail Terminal you take the longest trolleybus route in the world (86 km)! After that, directions are simple: all roads lead to the shore where the heart of this 80-thousand resorts city beats. Palm trees, sea waves, seagulls, mountains, music everywhere: it seems like a picture from a tourist brochure come alive. If you are here for a cultural experience, welcome to the city theatre. Here, in 1900, Anton Chekhov was watching his own plays staged by Konstantin Stanislavski. Chekhov and Yalta have a long romance. You will see it when visiting the writer’s dacha-museum where he lived for five years and wrote his Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard.
To continue with classics, visit the Lesya Ukrainka Literature-Memorial Museum. The poetess often visited Yalta where she translated Byron’s Cain and Shakespeare’s Macbeth into Ukrainian.
Those of you tired from the glamour of the embankment will surely be attracted by the old narrow streets where fishermen once lived. A funicular runs from the seashore over the city. A half hour in a two-seat cabin gives an opportunity to peek into Yalta residents’ windows for UAH20. When you get to the observation site above the city, do not forget to take a lot of pictures.
Children will surely love the delphinarium, and architecture buffs will want to see the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Pushkinska Str. 25, built in 1898-1906 from a design by Russian Imperial Court Architect Nikolai Krasnov. During Soviet times, this place was turned into a museum of local lore, but today, masses are celebrated and organ concerts are held in the church. By the way, quiet, pedestrian Pushkinska Street is Yalta’s version of Montmartre. The city’s other treasures include Alexander Nevsky’s Cathedral (1891-1902) at Sadova Str. 2 which looks like a carved chest and a former Moresque palace of the Bukhara Emir which is now Yalta Sanatorium (1903).

Gaspra, Alupka, Simeiz

Looking for picture-perfect beauty? Head to Gaspra! This town is best-known for its romantic ‘castle of love’ - Swallow’s Nest, built in 1912 from a design by Sherwood at the cape of Ai-Todor.
The architect did the impossible: Swallow’s Nest is at the same time monumental and elegant, majestic and miniature. Who cares if it is a stylisation of the Medieval Ages: Swallow’s Nest boasts frantic admiration from the masses, nothing short of star popularity, and the status of Crimea’s emblem. Destiny itself decided the profile of this romantic building sitting on top of a 40-metre cliff. Today there is a restaurant within the building.

Heading southwest from Gaspra along the shore, you get to Alupka. This resort town captivates you with East and West meeting at the splendid Palace of Count Vorontsov. The design of the palace spreading inside the amphitheatre of mountains in the middle of a landscaped park was developed by Edward Blore, court architect of William IV and Queen Victoria!Its romantic appeal still lives here where sleepy lions greet you at the entrance and marble sculptures are hiding in the winter garden.
The resort town of Simeiz, located to the southwest of Alupka, hides in the cool shadow of Mount Koshka (Cat). The Cat’s “back” gave archaeologists many finds including 70 ancient Tauri burial stones. This is one of the most majestic views in southern Crimea: the imposing peak of Ai-Petri, the Pulkovo Observatory, and swimming pool and slides of a large aquapark by the sea. Astronomers love it: the sky here has few clouds and the air is surprisingly clear. Excellent conditions for studying the Sun and the Moon!

Massandra and Nikita

Massandra is Crimea’s absolute “must see” place. Long ago, a splendid palace was built here and travellers to Crimea noted: “All Crimea’s beauty is in Upper Massandra“. Construction of the French Baroque palace surrounded by a beautiful park was started by the Vorontsovs in 1829 and finished by the Romanovs. In 1893, Alexander ІІІ, who adored Massandra, ordered the palace to be rebuilt even though he could not take time to fully enjoy living here. For a long time Massandra was a Soviet government dacha but a museum was inaugurated in the palace in 1991. Make sure your visit the palace’s quarters! Each room is designed in a different style: Roman vestibule, Gothic dining room, Classical study, Renaissance billiard room, Modern Tsarina’s chambers, Empire Tsar’s chambers… Not only a palace but a textbook on the history of culture! The Russian Tsars loved Crimea: Nicholas ІІ picked another Greater Yalta location, Livadia, and built a splendid palace there.
Three kilometres away from Yalta lay the cool alleys of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden opened in 1811. It has almost 30 thousand species of plants from all corners of the world! Where else can you find Californian oak, feijoa, bamboo, and sequoia peacefully coexisting? The lower park in Nikita was founded in the 19th century, and the olive grove has been here for 160 years. The botanical garden also includes The Martian Cape with its 120-hectare sub-Mediterranean forest preserve.

Gurzuf

If your childhood years were in Soviet times, you will surely want to visit Artek, the world’s most famous international Young Pioneer camp in Gurzuf, although the town is interesting in itself. Gurzuf has oriental-style narrow and mazy streets, noisy souvenir bazaars and an exceptionally beautiful park with numerous sculptural inhabitants which currently belong to the sanatorium of the Ministry of Defence. Some 120 years ago, it was the luxurious summer residence of Russian millionaire Gubonin. Most of the hotels built back then are now used as sanatoriums. A sensual fountain The Night, brought in here in 1898 from Vienna, stands in its explicit beauty, surrounded by banana groves (the park has many exotic plants). Gurzuf also features the museum house of painter Korovin where opera genius Feodor Chaliapin and writer Maxim Gorky used to visit, as well as a small house by the Genoese Cliff where Anton Chekhov worked in 1900, and “the House of Richelieu” (inside Pushkin sanatorium) where in 1820 Oleksandr Pushkin lived the three “happiest weeks” of his life.

Artists and Tsars had the same feelings towards Greater Yalta. They were right: vacationing here is a royal luxury with unforgettable memories.

PLACES TO STAY

Hotel Oreanda****: Yalta, Lenin Str. 35/2, tel.: +38 0654 274 250, www.hotel-oreanda.com
Hotel Yalta****: Yalta, Drazhinski Str. 50, tel.: +38 0654 270 260, www.hotel-yalta.com/ua/
Hotel Bristol***: Yalta, Roosevelt Str. 10, tel.: +38 654 271 606, www.hotel-bristol.com.ua
Yasnaya Polyana: Gaspra, Sevastopol Shosse 52, tel.: +38 0654 273 754,
www.crimea-kurort.com/rest/sanat/gaspra/polyana/index.php
Yusupov Palace****: Koreiz, Park Descent 26, tel.: +38 0654 722139, 241222,
http://planetakrim.com/catalog/02/usupdvorec/index.html
Nizhnyaya Oreanda Sanatorium: Oreanda, tel.: +38 0654 322 212, www.oreanda.biz.

PLACES TO EAT

Riviera Chinatown: Yalta, Lenina Str. 35/2, tel.: +38 0654 274258.
Siam Paradise: (Thai cuisine): Yalta, Drazhinski Str. 31, tel.: +38 0654 271 883.
Old Baku: Yalta, Sadova Str. 5, tel.: +38 0654 325 503.
Jolly Khotei: Gurzuf, Gurzuf Shosse 16, tel.: +38 050 5680 966.
Tiflis: Livadia, Baturin Str. 1, tel.: +38 0654 314 793.

GETTING THERE

UIA offers up to two flights a day from Kyiv to Simferopol, as well as non-stop flights from Berlin to Simferopol and from Frankfurt to Simferopol.

Buy tickets on line at www.flyUIA.com.

For more information, call us in Kyiv at +380 44 581 5050.

How was democracy born in Ukraine? From the first Constitution? From the Ukrainian National Republic? From the Cossack assemblies? Dig deeper: the first democratic republic on the territory of our country appeared in the 5th century B. C. It was founded by Greeks on the Heraclea peninsula. Does it sound ancient? However, it is alive today on the territory of modern Sevastopol, Crimea!

Everything is simple with the name of this colony city: it was located on a peninsula, and peninsula in Greek is ‘Chersonesos’. Its politics were also simple: the ruling body of the state was a public assembly, so called agora. Its history is less simple: Chersonese was at war almost all the time. Mostly, others fought against it. Scythians were particularly annoying in the 2nd century B. C., so Chersonese called for help from the regiments of king Mithridates VI Eupator Dionysius of Pontus. The Scythians were defeated as a result of this military alliance, but Chersonese also lost its independence. The city became part of Bosporan Kingdom and was governed by Rome, having turned into a colonial outpost in the Northern Black Sea Region. Only legends remembered the former freedom.
The most famous of them is about Gykia, the daughter of governor Lamachos. The Bosporan monarch Asander could not sleep because of the treasures of Chersonese. The monarch tried a ruse: he offered Lamachos to marry Gykia to his son. However, residents of Chersonese set a condition: Gykia’s husband could not leave the territory of Chersonese. He had to agree. When Lamachos died two years later, Asander’s son was not elected the new archon, but a respectable native of the city: Zifa. Gykia gave a feast in memory of her father, which was attended by people from all the districts. Asander then developed a new plan. Each year, he sent one hundred warriors to the feast in Chersonese with presents for Gykia, but they actually stayed in the city hiding in the cellar of Gykia’s house. During Lamachos’ third memorial feast, two hundred Bosporan warriors were waiting for a signal to attack the city. One of Gykia’s servants dropped her spinning wheel, bent down to look for it and saw the armed warriors in the cellar. So Gykia realised her husband’s treason. She did not cancel the feast but asked residents of Chersonese to wait for her signal. When the Bosporan prince fell asleep, Gykia ordered to set her house on fire. All the Bosporan warriors died, and the grateful residents of Chersonese erected two statues in honour of their rescuer.
Unfortunately these two statues of Gykia do not remain, but Chersonese itself had a long life. The strong high walls of Chersonese protected it from its enemies. The city survived other political turmoil of the Black Sea region for almost one millennium, in the Vth century it became part of the Byzantine Empire, and in the IXth century it even became one of its administrative regions. Theatres and ancient churches disappeared; even the name of the city was changed: Byzantines called it Chersonese, and Slavs called it Korsun. Eventually, both names remained on the map of Ukraine, but were given to other cities, and the original name was covered with dust for centuries, but finally revived as the National Historic and Archaeological Reserve “Chersonese of Tavria” (or Taurica) which was named among the seven wonders of Ukraine last year.
Slavs also wanted to conquer Chersonese. Kyiv Prince Volodymyr was angry when Byzantium did not fulfil the conditions of its treaty with Kyiv Rus and, in 988, he started a campaign against Chersonese and conquered the city after a nine months siege. It was in a Chersonese basilica that Prince Volodymyr the Great converted to Christianity.
All Chersonese wanted was to remain a peaceful commercial city and port. Fabrics, oil and weapon were shipped here from the south, while corn and domestic animals came from the north. And only the new masters of the Black Sea in the 13th century, Genoese merchants, were not interested in Chersonese. The city withstood one attack by nomads, but a second attack wiped it off from the face of the earth and from the maps. In the middle of the 15th century, the life of the previously mighty city stopped.
Excavations on the site of the dead city near the Quarantine bay started only in 1827. The year can be considered the rebirth of Chersonese.
Today, five archaeology sites and 11 architectural monuments form the Reserve: the remnants of Chersonese city, the necropolis at Quarantine bay, the medieval fortresses Calamita and Cembalo in the towns of Inkerman and Balaklava, both located within the limits of Sevastopol, and antique manors. Probably the most impressive sight is the Zenon tower which was the largest for several centuries. In the reserve, there is a wonderful collection of epigraphic mementoes, among which is the famous oath of residents of Chersonese (3rd century B. C.). The collection of the museum includes over 200 thousand exhibits of Byzantine and ancient cultures.
Thousands of tourists come here annually to walk along the main alley of the city, to see the ruins of the theatre, the marble columns of old churches, the remnants of mighty walls and towers of the Roman citadel. Here there were noisy city districts, potter’s workshop… The silhouette of the colonnade looks familiar: it once decorated our one hryvnia banknote. Very democratic, indeed!

USEFUL INFORMATION

National Reserve “Chersonese of Tavria” is located within Sevastopol (Autonomous Republic of Crimea, 1 Drevnia Str., tel.: +38 0692 24 1415).
Official website of the reserve: www.chersonesos.org/?p=index&l=eng
To book an excursion, please call: +38 0692 24 1301, +38 0692 23 1561.
Entrance is UAH10.

GETTING THERE
Ukraine International offers up to two flights a day from Kyiv to Simferopol, as well as non-stop flights from Berlin to Simferopol and from Frankfurt to Simferopol.
For more information, call us in Kyiv at +380 44 581 5050.
KyivStar, MTC, Life:) and Beeline cellular service subscribers can dial 566. The call costs UAH 1 per minute for KyivStar and Life:) subscribers, UAH 0,95 per minute for Beeline subscribers and is billed as a call to a city phone for MTC subscribers.

When it comes to visiting Crimea, the majority of tourists go the southern coast of the peninsula to Yalta, Alushta or Foros. But the more experienced chose the calmer eastern part of the coast, which has its own pearls. For instance, Feodosia, which is over 2500 years old. At the crossroad of times and cultures, the city offers Armenian churches, fortress walls, Muslim mosques and a la-a-arge bonus: the Black Sea

According to legends, the rod of Hermes is hidden under the boundless caves of Feodosia’s Mitridat Mount and a mysterious golden horse is running from time to time. But even without legends there is much to see in Feodosia, founded by ancient Greeks in the middle of the 6^th century under the name of Cafa. The beach is the beach, but for a really marvellous week-end at this Black Sea resort, UkrainePlaces advises to see the following:

1. City Strongholds and Genoese Fortress

In the northern part of the city, on Karantynnyi Hill there is a Genoese fortress from the 13^th and 14^th centuries and large city strongholds with walls 12-metres high and 2.5-metres wide. In 1266, Genoese merchants obtained from the governor of the Golden Horde control of the Greek-Alanian village of Cafa. Thus a new trading post, the centre of the Italian Black Sea colonies on the coast, was born. Part of the fortress, the Citadel, is a palace within a palace. Here were the consul’s palace, the residence of the Catholic bishop, the treasury, court, warehouses and office for inspecting scales. Each merchant came here with his own scales in order to confuse the buyers.

At the end of the 18^th century, most of the buildings of the Citadel lost their function and were dismantled. The past is remembered only by the Climent and Krisco (Christ) Towers built in the 14^th century from big chunks of the fortress walls and entrance gate. The highlight of the city, the Constantine Tower (1382-1448) looms near the port.

Entry to the territory of the fortress is free.

2. Stamboli Villa

The most beautiful building of the city was built from 1909 to 1914. According to legend, its creator was the leader of the Vienna secession, Otto Wagner. The cottage in Moorish style was built on the order of tobacco manufacturer Josef Stamboli. It was an expensive (cost 1 100 000 roubles!) present to his beautiful wife in honour of the tenth anniversary of their marriage. The wonderful interiors from the beginning of the 20^th century remain today. In soviet times, the building was used as sanatorium, now it is a mini-hotel and a café.

Contacts: 47 Aivazovsky Ave., Feodosia, tel.: +38 06562 30082; e-mail: feokampari@rambler.ru

3. The Ivan Aivazovsky National Art Gallery

Feodosia is the native city of famous seascape painter Ivan Aivazovsky. He was born here in 1817 in a family of poor Armenian merchants. He worked here from 1848 to 1900 and was buried here (near the Surb-Sarkiz church).

Aivazovsky’s first ‘canvasses’ where the walls of neighbouring houses, on which he drew with charcoal. In 1845, the artist built a house with a big studio. Now it hosts a museum named after him, among whose visitors is famous writer Anton Chekhov. With the participation of the Aivazovsky archaeological museum foundation, a public library was opened in the city, a concert hall was built, and a sea trade port and railway from Simferopol where constructed.

The painter added a gallery to his studio in 1880. According per his will, the gallery became the property of the city. Over 12 000 seascapes are kept in them museum, 417 of them by Aivazovsky.

Contacts: 2 Galereina Str., tel.: +38 06562 30929.
Website of the gallery:www.aivazovsky.euro.rue-mail: gallery1880ika@mail.ru.
Open daily, except Wednesdays, from 9:00 to 20:00, on Tuesdays, from 10:00 to 14:00. Entry UAH20, children UAH10.

4. Ivan Aivazovsky Fountain

A fountain in Eastern style, designed by Aivazovsky, was built in the centre of the city in 1888. Drinking its water was free and over the tap there was a silver mug with the inscription: “Drink to Ivan Kostiantynovych and his family”. In 2007 the fountain got its own voice: classical music is played here.

5. Mufti-Jamy Mosque

During the passing centuries, Mufti-Jamy was a place of worship for Turks, Crimean Tartars and Armenians. The mosque was built following the Istanbul model, when Cafa belonged to Turkey. Near the mosque there is an octagonal minaret built from big charred lumps of limestone and ruins of Turkish baths. In 1975, after a long desolation, it was completely rebuilt by Crimean and Kyiv restorers. Now it is again a mosque where services are held every Friday.
Address: 6 Karaimska Str., Feodosia.

6. Armenian Churches

On the crossroad of Armenian and Karaimska churches, stands St. Sergiy’s Church (1363). The church is famous for the collection of khachkar cross-stones in its walls. In 1888, St. Sergiy church was damaged by fire and was restored from the funds of Ivan Aivazovskiy. This is the church where the artist was baptised here 1817, married his first wife, and had his funeral in 1900. The fortified Church of archangels Michael and Gabriel, built in 1408, is located at 11 Virmenska Str. on the way to the city strongholds. The church was built on the Roman model. St. George Church (32, Nakhimova Str.) once was an integral part of the St. George cloister from the 15^th century. According to legend, the church was built in the 13^th century. Now the sanctuary is maintained by the Armenian community of Feodosia.

7. Alexander Grin Literature and Memorial Museum

The most romantic novels and short stories of dreamer Alexander Grin (1880-1932) were written in Feodosia. The writer lived in the city from 1924 to 1930 and wrote here one of his most famous novels “She Who Runs on the Waves“. The house where the writer lived is easy to recognise by its Brigantine bas-relief. Near the entrance is an anchor, and museum rooms are decorated like holds of frigate, cabin of captain Ges, clipper cabin, and travellers’ cabin.

Contacts: 10 Galereina Str., tel.:+38 06562 31309, + 38 06562 32108. Open daily, except Mondays and Tuesdays, from 10:00 to 16:30. Entry UAH10, UAH5 for children.

FEODOSIA: USEFUL INFORMATION

Summer-2008 season highlights: June 27, the 10^th “By the Black Sea” International Art Festival; June 4^th to August 30^th, Amateur Theatre Groups Festival; July 18^th to 31^st, the 15^th International Chamber Music Festival “On a Visit to Aivazovsky”; July 27^th, Feodosia Day.

HOW TO GET TO FEODOSIA?

Ukraine International Airlines offers up to two flights a day from Kyiv to Simferopol, as well as non-stop flights from Berlin to Simferopol and from Frankfurt to Simferopol. With your Panorama Club Card you can earn miles on all UIA flights and flights of our partner airlines: Air France (excluding the Kyiv-Paris route), Austrian Airlines, KLM, Swiss International Air Lines and TAP Portugal.

Buy tickets on line on Ukraine International web-site. For more information, call us in Kyiv at +380 44 581 5050.

KyivStar, MTC, Life:) and Beeline cellular service subscribers can dial 566.

Kiev’s official recorded history begins on 482 AD. According to legend, the city was founded on the high right bank of the Dnipro River by the brothers Kyi, Schek, and Khoryv and their sister Lybid, and named Kiev in honor of the elder brother. The city became the center of the powerful Kievan Rus state which reached its golden age under Prince Volodymyr Svyatoslavovych the Great, who Christianized the Rus in 988, and his son Yaroslav the Wise (978 - 1054). Testimonials to the greatness of that era: the St. Sophia Cathedral and the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, still stand today.Modern Kiev is a dynamic European megalopolis, in the center of which is beating the heart of the ancient Great City with its aristocratic character,rich history, and unique architectural landmarks.

Kiev’s past and present are brought together today on UkrainePlaces.com

1 -The Dnipro Embankment

Modern Kiev lies on both banks of the Dnipro, the third-largest river in Europe (2201 km). So, if it is a river, it has to have a River Terminal! Look for it in the Podil district next to Poshtova Square, and having found it, make sure you go on an unforgettable Dnipro cruise. You may sail along the Kiev shores, or visit Ukraine’s other cities located on the Dnipro, or even travel as far as the Black Sea and take an international cruise!

2 - The National Opera of Ukraine

The National Opera House, located at the intersection of Volodymyrska and Bohdana Khmelnytskoho Streets, is rightfully regarded as an architectural gem of Kiev. This splendid building in French Renaissance style was erected in 1901 based on a design by Russian architect Viktor Shreter. In June 1917, the all-Ukrainian Military Congress, held in the theater, established the first Central Rada, headed by Mykhailo Hrushevsky, and declared the autonomy of Ukraine. In 1983-1988 the theater underwent major reconstruction.

3 - St.Michael’s Monastery

To Kievites, the St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral has special significance: after all, Michael the Archangel is regarded as the divine patron of Kiev. St. Michael’s stone Cathedral, with its golden domes, was built in 1108-1113 by Kievan Prince Sviatopolk (or Michael). The church was destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1930’s. The monastery complex was restored only in 1997-2000.

4- The Kiev Pechersk Lavra

One of the oldest monasteries in the Kievan Rus, whose history goes as far back as in 1051 when Anthony of the Caves founded it. Circa 1062, ground buildings were first erected on the territory of Lavra and soon thereafter, stone temples, monastic cells, and other buildings. Since 1990, the architectural complex of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

5 -The Bohdan Khmelnytsky Monument, St.Sophia Square

The selection of this location for the monument to a famous horseman was not accidental: it was on St. Sofia Square (Sofiysky Maidan) that Kievites were greeting the Hetman after his victory in a battle against Polish gentry on 23 December 1648 . Thanks to donations by Kievites, the monument on its granite pedestal appeared in 1888 on the square in front of the St. Sophia Cathedral.

6 - Monument to St. Volodymyr

One of Kiev’s symbols, the statue of Prince Volodymyr the Great, is located 70 metres above the Dnipro level in Volodymyr’s Hill Park since the end of the 19^th century. Since 1853, the bronze figure of the baptizer of Rus is standing, towering on a 16-metre pedestal. You can get to Volodymyr’s Hill from the St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral or from Poshtova Square.

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7 - Khreschatyk

is Kiev’s main street which now runs 1.2 km.

How to get to Kiev?

UIA offers direct daily flights to Kiev from most of Western Europe’s largest cities.
Here you can find flights from London to Kiev

With your Panorama Club Card you can earn miles on all UIA flights and flights of our partner airlines: Air France (excluding the Kiev-Paris route), Austrian Airlines, KLM, Swiss International Air Lines, TAP Portugal.

Buy tickets on line at www.flyUIA.com. For more information, call us in Kiev at +38 044 581 5050. KyivStar, MTC, Life:) and Beeline cellular service subscribers can dial 566.