Ukraine is one of the largest European countries. With the abolition of visas for the EU citizens in this country, travelling to Ukraine became commonplace among German, Italian and French people.
In Ukraine there are a lot of places worth visiting. Of course, in the first place it is ancient Kyiv. The capital of Ukraine picturesquely stretches out on the banks of the wide Dnieper. The main attraction of the capital is world-famous Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and the world-known pedestrian street Khreschatyk. Among other cities of Ukraine, which should be marked out, are also Lvov - the center of Western Ukraine, located near the Carpathians, and Odessa - the city-port, famous for its residents with a special humor.
You can choose different ways to travel through Ukraine: it can be a travel by rail, cruise along the Dnieper river, air flights or bus tours. Ukrainian tour operators will help you to find the best travel option. Ukraine is a hospitable country. Excellent Ukrainian cuisine, friendly people, many attractions and travel routes will provide an opportunity to receive a large number of new emotions and impressions.

Crimea
The Crimea is the most famous peninsula of the Black Sea. The Crimea is known since the time of ancient Greece. Here Hellenes founded their colonies; and here passed many trade routes from East to Europe. Feodosia, Evpatoria and many other cities of the Crimea can boast its more than thousand-year history. Crimea today is the main recreation centre of Ukraine. Along with the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus (Sochi, Tuapse, Gagry) the peninsula attracts tourists from all CIS and European countries annually. The Crimea offers everything that is needed for the modern traveler for full-fledged vacation: comfortable hotels on the Black Sea - in Yalta, Alushta, Sudak; sanatoriums and rest homes with various health-improving programs (Saki); an opportunity to make trips to the caves of the Crimea; to go climbing, diving, sea fishing, or just relaxing on the beach.
There are excellent opportunities for eco-tourism in the Crimea. There are three nature reserves, each of which is unique. There are Karadag Nature Reserve - a massif, overhanging the sea, the habitat of many rare species of animals and plants (there is also dolphinarium in the reserve); Crimean Nature Reserve in Alushta - the largest reserve of the peninsula, located among the highest Crimean Mountains; Nikitsky Botanical Garden - one of the oldest botanical gardens in the territory of the former Soviet Union, which has a unique collection of flora from all over the world.
A great number of small Crimean towns will be happy to host the holidaymakers from all over the world. The most popular resorts in the Crimea are those which situated on the South Bank: Gurzuf, Miskhor, Partenit, Alupka and of course, the center of the southern coast of Crimea - the city of Yalta. And, of course, arrived to the Crimea, you just need to taste the famous Crimean dessert wines of Massandra plant, as well as wine factories of Sudak. The most famous wines of the Crimea are Black Doctor, and Black Colonel.

Yalta

History
The land on which Yalta situated was inhabited by the man long ago. Todays Yalta developed on the place of the Tauri settlement, which was near the former village of Chehovo in I century A.D. Not far from the town archaeologists found things referring to the Stone and Bronze Ages. In the old part of Yalta, on the slope of Polikurovsky Hill and in suburbs of the town there were found the "stone boxes" - burial grounds of the Tauri, ancient inhabitants of the southern coast. The Tauri lived in the Crimea within the period from the X-IX centuries B.C. to the III century A.D. In the scripts of the Greek authors this tribe has bad reputation of cruel pirates, who not only rob travellers, but sacrifice them for their goddess Virgo. But it goes without saying that for the Tauri the piracy wasnt the basis of economy, it was only an "extra trade". They supported life by livestock farming, arable farming, hunting, fishing, dolphin hunting, and gathering sea molluscs.
        No doubt, the history the Tauri of a settlement, where Yalta was founded, is connected with the history of the Crimea. Things of the medieval Crimea period are often found during construction work in the town itself. In the Middle Ages here was a large settlement called Dzhalita (Jalita). Yalta (Jalita) can be found in the description of the Crimea coast in the beginning of ХII century (1145). In XIII century Venetians, and then Genoeses penetrated in to the southern coast. In the documents and on maps of the ХIV century Yalta is named Yalita, Calita, Gialita and Etalita.
        From the beginning of the XV century Yalta together with others lands of the southern coast was included in the feudal princedom of Feodoro, inhabited by people of the Сhristian religion. Then it belonged to Genoeses, and later again to Feodoro up to 1475.
        From 1475 to 1774 Yalta was included in the province owned by the Turkish sultan. During this period it declined and by the end of the XVIII century it became a small fish village - a number of miserable hovels and church. It was situated in the lower part of Polikurovsky Hill, on Cape Svyatogo Ioanna (of St. John) - here now the marine passenger terminal is situated..

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Cherkassy Region

Cherkassy. City on the Dnipro. Ukraine
Cherkassy city is located in the Center of Ukraine in about 180 km from the capital of Ukraine. Cherkassy stands on the right bank of the river Dnipro which is here about 7,5km wide. Right and left bank are connected with 12km long combined rail and automotive dam with bridge.
Cherkassy was founded at the end of the 13th century as a defensive stronghold which soon became the cradle of the Ukrainian Cossack movement. Now these times are remembered by the bronze figure of Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky on one of the main squares of the city named after him. Among the sightseeing of the city is also the unique exhibition of the Cherkassy regional museum of local art, history and lore is also dedicated to the heroic past of this Cossack land. In the centre of Cherkassy you will find Kobzar museum it is Ukraines only museum dedicated to a single book: Kobzar by Taras Shevchenko. It is interesting to see the first Saint Petersburg (1840) edition of Kobzar and to learn that the book was translated into 140 languages all over the world!
Cherkassy had become the administrative centre of Cherkassy region only in 1954 when it was formed from parts of Kyivya, Poltavya and Kirovogradya regions. Before the middle of 20th century it was a provincial town. In the second part of 20th century it began to grow that is why most buildings of Cherkassy are built in soviet style. But there are still a lot of sightseeing.

The largest Orthodox church in Ukraine, St. Michaels Cathedral, is also located in Cherkassy. It was built in 2000 and is 74 metres-high, 58 metres-long and 54 meters-wide. A great masterpeace of architecture of 19th century is the former hotel “Dnipro” which is located in the centre of the city. Front of the building is decorated by numerous details: small turrets, needle-shaped cupolas and graceful columns. Today “Ukrsotsbank” is located in this building.
A unique architectural monument is located in Cherkassy it is water tower which was built as one of the first hyperbolic constructions in the world. Hyperbolic water tower was built by project of famous engineer Vladimir Shuhov. There are only 11 towers of such type in the world which were preserved from 200 built by Shuhov.
Among well known monuments of Cherkassy is Hill of Glory with perpetual fire. Hill of Glory is a great monument for all people who died in the Great Patriotic War (The Second World War) defending its Motherland from foreign invaders. Each year on May 9th a lot of people come here to honor with their presents and to lay flowers to this memorial.
Cherkassy is famous for its parks which are beautiful in each time of the year. Shevchenko boulevard the main street of Cherkassy amazes visitors of the city with its beauty. Shevchenko boulevard crosses the city and stretches over 14km covered with great number of chestnuts it is really amazing.
SOPHIEVKA DENDRO PARK, UMAN, UKRAINE
Uman dendro park Sophievka is the worlds landscape architecture masterpiece of the end of 15th and the beginning of19th centuries. The park is spread over the territory of 154,7 h. and is situated at the outskirts of the ancient town Cherkassy, Uman region. It is considered to be the standard of the landscape composition of water, land, architectural works and sculptures. This masterpiece, which was created in the shortest period of time, still astounds the imagination of visitors. Unique sceneries, exotic plants and rare trees, sky-blue ponds, fountains and cascades, grottoes and antique sculptures…all this you can see visiting the park.
The park was established in 1796 by a rich polish magnate, Stanislav Schensny Pototsky, in honour of his beautiful greek wife Sophia and was presented to her at the day of her birthday in may 1802. The idea of park creating in romantic style using roman and greek mythology belonged to Sophia. A very talented polish military engineer Ludwig Metsel was the first architect of Sophievka. The peasants of Pototsky did the hardest work in this park. And about 800 people worked in park every day. After the death of Pototsky the park became the property of his wife Sophia, and after her death her son Alexander inherited it.

In 1832 after the polish uprising that was supported by Pototsky all his properties were seized and given to Kyiv state chamber. From 1836 to 1859 the park was the property of the military settlements managing organization and was called (not officially) Tsaritsa garden. The architecture academician A. I. Shtackenshneider was invited here for creating new architectural works. That was the period of prosperity. A lot of houses are creating: the main gates, the main alley, and the first paved road named Sadovaya, that connects now the park with the town. In 1859 the park has become the property of the main gardening college, transferred from Odessa to Uman. The park is going to be the educational basis of the college, its flora is enriching; the English park is made of the rare plant species by the scientist W. Pashkevich. Nowadays this English park covers the territory about 2 hectares in its northern part of Sophievka and borders with the stalls amphitheatre in west, and with the French fields in south. In the English park there are about 100 kinds and forms of trees and bushes that are growing for 15-100 years.

After the revolution and the Civil war Sophievka is renamed and is called the III-international park, then it exists as the part of the gardening college, that later became the higher educational institution and now it is Uman agricultural Academy. In 1929 Sophievka was declared as the state reserve and till 1955 it was put under different departments and ministries supervision.During the Great Patriotic war a lot of architectural monuments were destroyed.
After Uman deliberation in May, 10, 1944 the park has renewed its work. In 1955 Sophievka was given under the jurisdiction of national Science Academy of Ukraine. Nowadays there is the biggest introduction and acclimatization center of the right bank forest-steppe Ukraine on the territory of this park. There are more than 2 thousand plant taxons. 4 scientific departments conduct their activity there; the only Research Scientific Institute in Ukraine is building there too.
In 1995 Sophievka participated the international competition Europe Nostra and got all the prices: medal, diploma and bas-relief board for the park restoration after the act of God in 1980 and also for the historical and cultural monuments preservation. A new entrance park zone was organized with all infra-structures, meant for visitors servicing.

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Chernihiv Region

Chernigiv region is located in the north of Ukraine, on the left bank of the middle reaches of the Dnieper, in the basin of the river Desna, in the north-west it borders on Belarus (Gomel region, 227 km of state border), in the north – on Russia (Bryansk region, 199 km of state border), founded 15 October 1932. The regions territory is 31.9 thousand square km or 5% of the territory of Ukraine, it is one of the largest regions in Ukraine.
The population is about 1.2 million people. The ethnic structure: Ukrainians, whose share exceeds 90%, the second-largest are Russians (6%), living mainly in cities, in third place are Byelorussians.
The administrative-territorial division of the region: 22 districts, 15 cities, including 3 of regional subordination (Chernigov, Nizhyn, Priluki), 30 towns and 1502 villages.
Within the region there is Slavutych - the town of Chernobyl radiation workers, a special enclave, which is administratively to the Kyiv region.
The administrative center is the city of Chernigov.
Attractions of Chernigov region
The most interesting of them are Borisoglebsky Cathedral (XII), Antoniy Caves (XI-XVIII), The regimental treasury of XVII century, Gustinsky Holy Trinity Monastery (1600), Transfiguration Cathedral, Nicholas Church (1720), cave temple of St. Feodosiy Totemsky, Cathedral of the Nativity (1800), historical-cultural reserve “Kachanivka”, George Church (XIX), arbor of composer Glinka with grotto, arboretum “Trostianets”(XIX) with its unique collection of plants, mound necropolis (IX-X), “Black Grave” (X), Sokirinetsky palace and park ensemble of XIX century.
Among the most famous historical cities in Chernigov region is Liubich, Novgorod-Seversky, Nizhyn, Baturin.
Liubich is mentioned in 907 in the contract of the Prince Oleg with the Byzantine Empire, with the old cities such as Kyiv, Chernigov, Pereyaslav, Polotsk. Byzantine Emperor Constantine mentioned about Liubich as trading town with a port in 949 in the treatise "About the reign of the empire."
The crucial events of the Old-Russian history are associated with Liubich. Malusha, Olga’s housekeeper, mother of Vladimir I Svyatoslavich was born in Liubich. During the fight against his brother Yaropolk, Vladimir fled to Varyags but in 980 he returned and nearly defeated the squad of Yaropolk near Liubich. In 1016, there took place the battle in which Prince Yaroslav the Wise from Novgorod defeated the army of his half-brother, the prince of Kyiv Svyatopolk the Damned.
St. Anthony Pecherskiy was born here - one of the most famous religious figures of Kyivan Rus, the founder of monasticism in the Eastern Slav lands. Even in his younger years he dug a cave on the slope of Liubich mountains, on the place of which later appeared Antoniy monastery that existed for several centuries. After a long stay on Mount Athos, in 1051 the hermit Antony dwelt in a cave on a hill in Kyiv that year is considered the date of the foundation of Kyivo-Pecher Lavra Monastery.
In 1097 in Liubich castle there was held the famous Congress of ancient princes, where they negotiated an end to civil wars and declared the principle of ownership by each prince inherited lands.
In 1147 Liubich was burnt by Rostislav Mstislavovich, in 1157 - devastated by Polovtsy, and after the invasion of Batu in 1239-40, Liubich was completely desolated.
A significant role Liubich played later – in the era of the Cossacks, in 1648 it became the center of a Cossack regiment of Kyiv, Bogdan Khmelnytsk made the city the name of the ranking of Chernigov colonels, in times of Mazepa the city belonged to Hetman. After 1708 it became the property of the family Polubotok, and later - Miloradovich.
September 30, 2007 Liubich city in Chernigov region was 1125 years old, from April 20, 2007 Liubich city was awarded the Order “For service to the Fatherland (Holy Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy, and the Reverend III degree.
From those distant times there remained the parts of the castle, as well as preserved buildings of later times. However Liubich is famous not only for the monuments of history and architecture, but also it attracts tourists with picturesque vicinities of the Dnieper, which are the perfect place to relax.

Chernigov is a green Ukrainian city with a history of about 1300 years. This city is famous for its ancient architecture. Below are listed the main museums of Chernigov (with contact information: phones and addresses).

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Chernivtsy Region

Chernivtsy region is located in the south-west of Ukraine, along the rivers Dniester and Prut. The region is a part of historical and geographical area "Bukovina". Chernivtsy region is situated at the junction of the East European Plain and the Ukrainian Carpathians. The mineral resources are represented mainly by mineral construction raw materials. In natural-resource potential of the region a central place is occupied by the forest and water resources. All rivers belong to the Black Sea basin, the largest of them are Dniester, Prut, Siret and Cheremosh. Region has an advantageous transport-geographical position. In the west it borders on Ivano-Frankovsk region, north - Ternopil and Khmelnytsk regions, east - Vinnytsya region. In the south and east there is the border with Romania (150 km) and Moldova (170 km). Chernivtsy region is small in size but is characterized with a large variety of natural conditions. It is divided into 3 parts - plain (between the rivers Dniester and Prut), foothills and mountains. Prut-Dniester interfluve is the most flatland part of the region with a wavy surface, densely dissected by river valleys. In the central part of the interfluve there is located Khotyn upland, height to 515m (Berda Mountain, the highest point of flatlands of Ukraine). In the western part of the interfluve there are the karstic landforms. To the south of the Prut River stretch the hilly-foothill ridges, dissected by thick valley, ravines and gully network. In the middle belt of it there distinguishes the Chernivtsy upland. The mountainous part is located within Pokutsko-Bukovina Carpathians. The climate is temperate continental, rather soft and moist. The average temperature in January is -5-6°C, in July +15 +20°C. The annual precipitations are 600 mm on the plains, 1200mm in the mountains. In summer the precipitations are more intense and often downpours, accompanied by thunderstorms, hail, sometimes there are droughts. Among the unfavorable meteorological conditions are fogs, glazed frost, snow. In the region there are 79 rivers longer than 10 km each, about 600 ponds. There are 236 territories and objects of nature reserve fund, 8 natural monuments of national importance, botanical garden and arboretum of Chernivtsy University, Starozhinetsky arboretum. In Chernivtsy region there are 11 regional centers: Vyzhnytsia, Gertsaevo, Glybokaia, Zastavna, Kelmentsi, Kitsman, Novoselytsa, Putila, Sokyriany, Storozhinets, Khotyn. 11 cities, 8 towns, 398 villages.
Attractions in Chernivtsy region

The total number of monuments of history, archeology, urban planning and architecture, monumental art in the region is 750. The most notable objects of tourism are: Fortress XIII-XVIII century in Khotyn, architectural monuments - churches: Nicholas 1607, Ascension ХVII, Spiridonovya 1715, Nativity 1767, Assumption at Kalichantse 1783 in Chernivtsy, Ascension XV in Luzhany, Elijah with a bell tower in 1560; Zdvizhenya 1561 in Podvalnoe; residence complex of metropolitans of Bukovina and Dalmatia 1864-1882, nowadays it is the university; the remains of defensive redoubts of the Russian troops during the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774; three-tiered cave “Cinderella” with a gallery and an internal frame near the village Podvornoe; monuments of landscape art in Chernivtsy, and other sites: Rock "Kamennaia Bogachka" (Stone Rich Girl), Rock "Frog", Village Tovarnytsya “House – Ship”

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Dnipropetrovsk Region

Dnipropetrovsk region is located in south-eastern part of Ukraine in the basin of the middle and lower streams of Dnieper, the largest region of the Central Ukraine. The region was formed on Feb. 27, 1932, it occupies the territory of 31.9 thousand square km or 5.3% of the country. Dnepropetrovsk region is predominantly flat - in the west there is Pridneprovya upland, in the north - Pridneprovya lowland, south-east – spurs of Priazovya Upland.The climate is temperate continental with mild winter with little snow and warm summer. The main river Dnieper crosses the region in its central part, within the region there is the Dnieper water reservoir, the parts of Dneprodzerzhinsk and Kakhovka reservoirs, there are forests along the river valleys. The region is inhabited by 3.5 million people, representing 7.5% of the population of Ukraine. The urban population is about 3 million people or 84%, and rural - only about 16% of all residents of the area. According to national census, in the Dnepropetrovsk region dwell the representatives of over 130 nationalities. The vast majority of the population is Ukrainians (70%), here lives the largest regional community of Ukrainians. The second place is occupied by Russians, who accounted for about 25% of the total population of the region. The most densely populated areas are along the Dnepr and the main railroad linking the Donbass and Krivoy Rog. The administrative-territorial structure of the area: 22 administrative districts, 13 towns of regional submission, 7 towns of district subordination, 48 settlements. The administrative centre is the city of Dnepropetrovsk, the major cities are Krivoy Rog, Dneprodzerzhinsk, Pavlograd, Nikopol. The region is rich in various minerals, including iron ore deposits, the Nikopol manganese ore basin, as well as deposits of uranium and titanium ore, bauxite, nickel and cobalt. Fuel and energy resources are stocks of coal and lignite, natural gas and oil.

In Dnepropetrovsk region there is created a solid industrial complex. The leading industries are mining of iron and manganese ore, coal, machinery, electric power, chemical industry. Agriculture specializes in the cultivation of grain, sugar beets, sunflowers, there is well developed fruit and vegetable production and livestock meat and dairy areas.
Dnepropetrovsk is the city with the population over million people, the third city in Ukraine after Kiew and Kharkiv according to the population size. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the 20th century and till nowadays Dnepropetrovsk is the important center of the metallurgy industry und machine building, aerospace industry and rocket production.
In this industrial city are combined the old buildings and the new tall houses. One of the oldest but rebuilt buildings is Potemkinsk Palace 1790 and three old fortresses of the 17th century: Kodakia, Novobogorodizkaia and New Kaidaky. In the times of Russian Empire in 1786 according to the building plan of Ekaterina the Second there was founded Transfiguration Cathedral, which should have exceeded the dimensions of the roman cathedral of Peter and Paul – more than 150 m in length and 139 m in height. And nowadays there is built the largest synagogue with the museum of Holocaust in the world.
The city is famed also for its skyscrapers. For that moment in Dnepropetrovsk is built the complex “Brama” with altitude more than 200 m (about 50 stores). The length of the longest apartment in the city is 830 m. To get from one end of the house to another the dwellers need to pass two trolleybus stations.
In the city along the right riverside of the Dnepr there is spread the longest embankment in Europe. Its length is over 23 km. On the embankment in 2005 there was set the fountain-swan. Its singularity is that it can change working modes, wave with the wings and turn round. With the full power the altitude of its central stream can reach 50 m! There are 5 bridges over the Dnepr in Dnepropetrovsk. The longest one is Kaidakskiy (1732 m).
In spite of the grand buildings in Dnepropetrovsk, its subway is one of the shortest subways in the world: 6 stations, the length of the line is 7,8 km.
The number of tourists is attracted by the Monastic Island – the historically legendary place of Dnepropetrovsk. Among the historical sights the separate attention belongs to the Scythian women – here is the largest collection of them in Ukraine.
Many famous historical and contemporary persons had lived in Dnepropetrovsk in different times. Alexander Pushkin, the world known Russian poet, was here in exile. And in 1978 in the kindergarten № 27 was brought up the famous American actress Mila Iovovitsch
Museums
This city in the central part of Ukraine is known for its industry and contributions in the economy of the country. But the tourists are also attracted by this city, while it possesses a huge number of sights and attractions. Dnepropetrovsk offers a lot of museums, the basis information about which you can see below.


Aquarium of  freshwater Fish
Address: Monastic Island, Shevchenko Park
Phone: (056) 46-21-02
Opening hours: 10.00-18.00
Day off: Monday

Diorama “Battle for Dnepr”
Address: Ave. Karl Marx, 16
Phone: (056) 46-34-26

House-Museum of E.P. Blavatya
Address: Leningrad str, 11
Phone: (056) 778-01-00

Zoological Museum of DNU
Address: Ave. Karl Marx, 36
Phone: (056) 744-74-58


Historical Museum in name of D.I. Yavornytsky
Address: Ave. Karl Marx, 16
Phone: (056) 46-34-22

Literary Pridnestrovye, Museum
Address: Ave. Karl Marx, 64
Phone: (056) 778-01-00

Memorial House-Museum of Academician D.I. Yavornytsky
Address: Sq. Shevchenko, 5
Phone: (056) 47-27-61
Address: Babushkina str, 13

Museum of house of culture of ATC 
Address: Artem str, 5
Phone: (056) 744-73-73

Museum of history of the Dnepropetrovsk State Agrarian University
Address: Voroshilov str, 25
Phone: (056) 46-21-92

Museum of history of the Dnepropetrovsk National University
Address: Ave. Gagarin, 72
Phone:  (056) 776-58-27

Museum of history of the Komsomol (University of martial arts, museum and cultural complex)
Address: Sq. Oktyabrya, 15
Phone: (056) 377-37-58


Museum of history of Local Government in Dnepropetrovsk region
Address: Ave. Kirova, 2 (the building of the Regional Council)
Phone: (056) 744-13-46


Museum of history of Pridneprovya State Academy of Construction and Architecture
Address: Chernyshevskogo str, 24-a
Phone: (056) 371-48-53


History Museum of the development of financial system in Dnepropetrovsk region
Address: Karl Liebknecht str, 3-B

Museum of History of University of Railway Transport
Address: Academica Lazariana str, 2
Phone: (056) 776-19-98


Museum of coins of Ukraine
Address: Ave. Kirova, 46 / 1
Phone: (056) 387-660, 387-675


Museum of Sports Glory of Sports Club "Meteor"
Address: Alexander Makarov str, 27-A
Phone: (056) 787-63-57


National Memorial House-Museum in name of G.I. Petrovsky
Address: Zhovtenyat str, 29
Phone: (056) 59-42-25

National Museum of History of the State University of Chemical Technology of Ukraine
Address: Ave. Gagarina, 8


The museum of the history of the State Medical Academy of Ukraine
Address: Sevastopol str, 17
Phone: (056) 46-75-02


The museum of the history of the State Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine
Address: Ave. Gagarin, 4
Phone: (056) 41-03-56


The museum of the history of the National Mining University
Address: Ave. Karl Marx, 19
Phone: (056) 745-99-88

Art Museum
Address: Shevchenko str, 21
Phone: (056) 47-33-38, 47-32-65, 744-60-35

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Donetsk Region

Donetsk region
Donetsk region is region in the south-eastern Ukraine, it was formed July 17, 1932. This is a major industrial region of Ukraine, located in the steppe zone, in the east borders with the Russian Federation, in the south it has access to the seas of the Mediterranean basin. The name of the region was received from the name of Seversky Donets River, which flows in the north of the region.
Sights in Donetsk region
The territory of Donetsk region is 26.5 thousand square kilometers, or 4.4% of the entire territory of Ukraine, its length from north to south - 240 km, from west to east - 170 km.
According to population (about 4.5 million people) Donetsk region ranks first among the Ukrainian regions, where urban residents account for more than 90%. Here live the representatives of some 90 nationalities, among which dominate Ukrainians (50%) and Russians (40%), as well as Greeks, Byelorussians, Jews, Germans.
By administrative-territorial structure region is divided into 18 districts of regional subordination, has 51 towns, 132 urban-type settlements, 1122 villages.
A characteristic feature of the Donetsk region is a combination of powerful industry and diversified agriculture with the developed of transport. It is the largest region of Ukraine, which provides about 20% of industrial output of the state, with the population of 10% of all-Ukrainian.
Industry is represented primarily with two branches – metallurgy and coal mining. In the region there is produced more than half of the total coal volume in Ukraine. Metallurgy provides about 50% of total industrial production in Donetsk region, where 80 enterprises of metallurgical complex produce a full range of metal products to export to more than 50 countries.
Donetsk region is the only region of Ukraine, which provides the country with hard alloys, and distributes non-ferrous metals, lead, mercury.
Machinery specializes in manufacturing equipment for mining and metallurgical industry, heavy machinery, power equipment, agricultural machinery and chemical industries. There are more than 200 companies that provide most of the needs of Ukraine in various types of machinery and equipment.
Donetsk region has a developed transport infrastructure - Donetsk Railway, which provides up to 40% nationwide transport, Mariupol sea port, international airport in Donetsk, passenger / cargo airports in Mariupol and Kramatorsk, dense network of roads.
Donetsk region is known for complex of structures of historical and architectural reserve in Slovyanogorsk, cultural and architectural sights in Artemovsk, Stone Tombs - steppe nature reserve near the town Volodarskoe, museum of artist A. I. Kuindzhi in Mariupol.
In accordance with resolution of Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine 26.07.2001 "On approving the list of historical places of Ukraine", the historic towns of Donetsk region have become - Artemovsk - 1571, Gorlovka - 1779, Donetsk - 1869, Kramatorsk - 1860, Makeyevka - end of XVII century, Mariupol - 1780, Slavyanogorsk - 1538-1539 years, Slavyansk - 1645.
Natural reserves of the Donetsk region cover about 3% of its territory, there are four regional landscape parks, national Natural Park, the Ukrainian Steppe Reserve of NAS of Ukraine, the Botanical Garden of NAS of Ukraine. In the region grow more than 200 protected plant species.
In the Donetsk region there are 38 natural monuments, 13 reserved tracts, a park - a monument of landscape architecture. So Slavyanogorsk concentrated 129 archaeological monuments and 73 historical and cultural heritage of the past. These are burial mounds and ancient settlements, Scythian and Sarmatian and Slavonic monuments of archeology, medieval castles of time Khazar Khanate and the Golden Horde. Khomutovya steppe shows the view of Priazovye (Azov Sea Coast) in the past.
Donetsk is an unusual green industrial city with the population of one million people. Here you can meet mines, slagheaps, located adjacent to apartment blocks, at the same time you can see beautiful green alleys, botanical gardens, lakes and reservoirs.
In 1970 Donetsk was recognized by UNESCO as the best industrial city in the world. Donetsk is not only a major industrial city but also a big cultural center of Eastern Ukraine. There are 140 museums and museum rooms in Donetsk. There are two large state regional museums among them: Donetsk Regional Art Museum and the Donetsk Regional Museum.
Among the most interesting sightseeings of Donetsk is Mertsalov’s Palm. It is a representation of palm, forged from steel by Alexei Mertsalov. The Palm has got Grand Prix Award at the Paris International Industrial Exhibition in 1900. The Palm is made from a single rail. The original height of Mertsalov’s Palm is 3 m 53 cm. The original Palm is located in the Museum of the Mining Institute in St. Petersburg. September 12, 1999 a replica of Mertsalov’s Palm was established in Donetsk not far from the exhibition center Expo-Donbass. There is a project to bring copies of Mertsalov’s Palm to capitals of major countries of the world. Copies of Mertsalov’s Palm have been already placed in Ottawa and Hanover. Those tourists who like diving should be interested to see a copy of  Mertsalov’s Palm placed by divers under the water near Cape Tarkhankut in the Crimea (Ukraine).
In Voroshilov district of Donetsk you can find a park of forged figures. Every year in this park takes place an international festival of blacksmiths skill. After this festival, the best works are exhibited in the park. In forged figures park you can also find arbour of loving couple, Ukrainian arbour and arbour four dragons, the alley Zodiac signs, the alley Newlyweds and the alley of Tales.
The next sightseeing of Dontesk is Ukrainian Steppe, the park of sculptures on Pushkin boulevard. All the works have a common subject the Slavic mythology and everyday life. Eleven sculptures of the Ukrainian Steppe were donated to Donetsk by Ukrainian and German sculptors. In Donetsk tourists also can find the first monument to the Beatles established on the territory of the CIS and the Donetsk Small Railway installed in the park of the Leninskiy Komsomol. In August 2009 in this park was opened Donbass Arena stadium, designed and built in accordance with the standards of UEFA category Elite.
The Azov Sea located in 95 km south from Donetsk, is a popular recreational area for those living in Donetsk.
Donetsk is famous for mines, coal and Donbass Arena. But there are also the museums, which one should definitely visit. Below you can find contact information (addresses and phone numbers) of the main museums of Donetsk.

Donetsk Regional Museum of Art
Address: Pushkin boulevard, 35
Phone: +38 (062) 304-83-03
Hours: 9:00 - 17:00
Days off: Monday, Tuesday
Donetsk Regional Museum of Local History
Address: Cheluskintsev str, 189a
Phone: +38 (062) 311-07-57
Hours: 9-00 - 16-00
Days off: Monday, Tuesday

Museum of History and Development of the Donetsk Railway
Address: Artemovia str, 47
Phone: +38 (0622) 99-38-46, 99-32-76

Museum of Jewish Heritage of Donbass
Address: Octiabria str,  39
Phone: +38 (062) 389-70-61

Donetsk Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
Address: Illicha avenue, 110
Phone: +38 (0622) 941-280, 94-11-90, 94-61-57

City Aquarium
Address: Ave Mayakovsky, 23
Phone: +38 (062) 305-51-28

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Ivano-Frankivsksk

Ivano-Frankivsk region
Ivano-Frankivsk region is located in the west of Ukraine, it is the part of the historical and geographical region "Galicia", in the extreme south it borders with Romania (50 km). The region was founded on 4th of December 1939, and up to November 9, 1962 was named Stanislav region. 
The area is 13.9 thousand square km or 2.3% of the territory of Ukraine.
The historical area Galicia got its name from the ancient capital of the principality - the city of Galich, and is situated at the crossroads between East and West, North and South in the north-western part of Ukraine. 
The population is about 1.46 thousand people or 2.9% of the Ukrainian population, including urban population – 43.4%, rural – 56.6%. In Ivano-Frankivsk region well over 80 nationalities. 
The specificity of the soil cover of the region is that there are found nearly all agro-industrial groups of soils, varying with altitude. On the plains dominate gray forest podzolic soils and podzolic chernozem, in the foothills - sod-podzolic soils. In the mountains - brown mountain-forest soils with varying degrees of podzolization, mountain-meadow sod, peaty and sod-brown soils. 
About 40% of the territory is covered with forests, on the plains dominate oak, oak-hornbeam and oak-beech forests, in the foothills - beech, oak, beech and beech-fir forests, on the lower slopes of mountains dominate mixed forests, mostly of oak, fir and spruce. 
At the top of the mountains there are conifers, mostly spruce forests, which are called smerekovi (Smereka - a spruce). The tops of mountains, with a height of 1400-1600 m, are covered with meadows, pastures, with a height of 1850-1900 m – with sub-alpine meadows, and over 1900 m - Alpine. 
In the region there are 160 deposits of 24 different types of minerals, among which only half is developed. Here are the major oil and gas deposits of Carpathian oil and gas province. Non-metallic mineral resources are represented by considerable reserves of magnesium and potassium salts, deposits of common salt, large stocks of building materials, mineral waters, which are explored in 800 sources. In the Carpathians there are small deposits of iron and manganese ores, copper, zinc, gold and silver. 
In the region run 8286 rivers, of which 132 rivers are longer than 10 km, 35% of the rivers are mountain. The biggest of them are the Dniester (with its tributaries Lomnitsa, Bystritsa, Gnilaya Lipa) and Prut, rises from the foothills of Goverla, with its tributaries the Black and White Cheremosh. Lomnitsa is the cleanest river in Europe. Mountain Rivers form the cascades and waterfalls, they are used as sources of hydropower, for timber rafting and tourism boating. There are a little lakes, in the valleys of the rivers there are created ponds to control runoff. 
There are 261 territories and objects of nature reserve fund in the region, 13 natural monuments of national importance and three arboretums. 
The basis of natural reserve fund is formed by the natural reserve “Gorgany”, with the area of 5.3 ha; three national parks - Carpathian, Galicia and “Hutsulshchina”, with the total area of 97.5 hectares; two regional landscape parks - Dniester and Polyanitsky, total area of 38.4 hectares; 60 wildlife reserves, total area of 45.8 hectares, 10 of which are of national importance. 
The climate of Ivano-Frankivsk region is temperate continental with wet cool summers and mild winters. In the Carpathians, the climate is more harsh and humid, varies with altitude. In summer in the region are often rainfalls, causing flooding in the Dniester and Prut, as well as in their tributaries, in winter there are often thaws.
Ivano-Frankovsk is the European city, the unordinary beautiful region center, in which unified with harmony the old times and the modern times, the variety of epochs and stiles. The city is not large: one can cross it in 40 minutes. The population is 246 thousands citizens.
In the city there are about 500 architectural monuments. The major sights are: the Armenian Church (1742) and the Cathedral of St. Resurrection (1753-1763), performed in baroque stile; the Jesuitical college, where in 1750th studied the famous polish poet Frantishek Karpinski; the Castle of Pototski (12-13th centuries); Jesuitical (1715) and Parish Roman Catholic Church (1672-1703); the Church of Virgin Mary (1672-1703), which now is the museum of arts with 10 thousands of artworks and also the music-dramatic theatre.
Ivano-Frankovsk is one of the few Ukrainian cities, where in almost unchangeable view remained the past, in the center of which is the 49,5 m height town hall with the gilded cupola and the Market square nearby. The town hall (1695) has the cruciform view, the underground served as the place of imprisonment. Now there is the museum. Not far from the town hall there is situated not large but marvelous park. Here is the pedestrian street, which ends with the small square with beautiful music fountain.
The cathedral with the graves of Pototski (1700) – is the second ancient building in the city after the town hall. Now it is the museum, where are situated the icon artworks, paints and baroque sculptures of the national region.
In the city there is the rare sample of the industrial architecture of Ukraine in the second half of the 18th century – the brewery, which is used according to its primarily purpose nowadays. The building of the brewery is the oldest in Ukraine among the similar enterprises.
There take place the restoration works of the rests of the fortress wall and the building of the historical complex on the Novgorodia Street, which should reflect one of the defence bastions of the old Stanislavov (the former name of Ivano-Frankovsk). According to the historical data this is the only octagonal fortress in the world. Since recently there are the excavations of the underground paths and catacombs, they are considered to join 6 bastions of the old fortress.
The extraordinary event for the city with the European architecture was the appearance of the museum of Ukrainian graffiti in Ivano-Frankovsk.
Ivano-Frankovsk is the European city, the unordinary beautiful region center, in which unified with harmony the old times and the modern times, the variety of epochs and stiles. The city is not large: one can cross it in 40 minutes. Below you can find contact information (addresses and phone numbers) of the main museums of Ivano-Frankovsk.

Museum of family professions
Address: Kyivya str, 6th
Tel: +38 (03422) 3-11-94
 
Ivano-Frankovsk Regional Art Museum
Address: Nyzova str, 2
Tel.: +38 (03422) 4-40-38

Museum of Oleksa Dovbush
Address: Hetman Mazepa str, 1
Tel.: +38 (03422) 2-57-29.

Ivano-Frankovsk Museum of local history
Address: Galyt str, 4-A.
Tel.: +38 (03422) 2-21-22.

Museum of Vyshyvanka (embroidered clothes)
Address: Dnestrovya str, 18th
Tel: +38 (03422) 4-03-66

Geological Museum
Address: Karpatya str, 15
Tel: +38 (03422) 4-22-71

Literary museum of Prykarpattia
Address: Lepkogo str, 27
Tel: +38 (03422) 2-50-47

Museum of emancipation competition of Prykarpattia
Address: Tarnavskoho str, 22
Tel: +38 (03422) 4-80-14

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Kharkiv Region

Kharkiv Region is located in northeastern Ukraine, on the north and north-western it borders with the Belgorod region of Russia.
The territory of Kharkiv region is 31.4 thousand km or 5.2% of the territory of Ukraine. The length from north to south totals 210 km, from east to west - 220 km.
The population of the Kharkiv region is about 2.9 million people or 6% of the population of Ukraine, it ranks third in Ukraine according to population. The urban population is 78.9% and rural – 21.1%.
In the national composition dominate the Ukrainians; their share is 62.8%, the Russian have the second place - about 30%, most of them live in urban areas. Other nationalities are Byelorussians, Armenians, Tatars, Jews and others.
According to the administrative-territorial division Kharkiv region consists of 27 administrative districts, 7 towns of regional subordination (Kharkiv, Izyum, Kupiansk, Lozovaia, Lyubotin, Pervomaisk, Chuhuyiv), 10 towns of district subordination, 60 urban villages and 1654 rural settlements.
Sights of Kharkiv region
It is located on the border of the steppe and steppe physiographic zones. The surface of the area is a wavy plain; it has a slight slope in the south-eastern and south-western direction. Much of the area lies within Pridneprovya lowlands, in the north and north-east there are the spurs of Srednerusia Upland, dissected with ravines and gullies, on the south-east - spurs of Donetsk upland.
Most of the territory of the Kharkiv region is covered with steppe zone, which is now almost completely cultivated for growing crops. Soils are mainly powerful and typical black earth, distinguished with a high fertility.
A characteristic feature of Kharkiv region is the alternation of the forest areas and open fields. Forests cover about 10% of the area, the most widespread species are oak and pine, there are also spruce, as well as linden, ash, maple, birch, alder.
There are many wild fruit trees in the forests - pear and apple trees, in the undergrowth and forest borders there are hazels, snowball, hawthorn, blackthorn, elder, euonymus.
In the forests of Kharkiv region dwell noble deer, elk, wild boars and roe, among the predators are fox, wolf, weasel, weasel, polecat, raccoon dog, marten. Here are many kinds of birds - the nightingales, warblers, storks, woodpeckers, magpies, nightjar, linnet, and many others.
In the steppes dwell hare, hamster, ground squirrel, quail, partridge, steppe harrier, marmot, jerboa; often can be seen steppe vipers and lizards.
The climate is temperate continental with cold winter and predominantly hot, dry summer.
Mineral resources are natural gas, oil, black and brown coal, rock salt, phosphorites, ocher, building materials, mineral waters.
Kharkiv Region is situated on the watershed of the Dnieper and Don, on its territory run 156 rivers longer than 10 km, the largest of which are Seversky Donets, a tributary of the Don, as well as Oskol, Uda, Bereka.
There are 36 lakes in the region, most of them are locted in the valley of the Seversky Donets. Lyman Lake, the largest (length – 7.5 km, width – 2.7 km, average depth - 2 m) is the source of water of Zmievya Hydro Power Station and serves as a natural base of the fishery plant, created on it.
There are also 1910 ponds, which are used for irrigation and water supply, fisheries and public recreation.
There are created 50 water reservoirs, the largest (Krasnooskol’skoe, Pechenezhskoe and Krasnopavlovskoe) are links of the water supply system of Donetsk and Kharkiv region via Dnieper – Donbass channel.
Kharkiv is located in the Eastern part of Ukraine in the valley of rivers Kharkiv, Lopan’ and Uda. At the territory of the city these rivers join and flow into river Donets. The territory of modern Kharkiv covers 300 square kilometers and is divided into nine districts. The name of the city can be written in two ways Kharkiv (transliterated from Russian language) and Kharkiv (transliterated from Ukrainian language). Today Kharkiv with population of about 2 millions is the second-largest city in Ukraine after the capital, Kyiv.
Kharkiv is the city which can be said to produce everything – from a needle to an aircraft. More than 380 industrial enterprises are located in the city. Among them enterprises which are working in machine-building, electrotechnical, instrument-making, energy, food and light industries. Kharkiv is very big industrial and business centre of Ukraine. International airport of the city has about 200 flights a day; almost all of them are passenger flights.
Kharkiv is not only an industrial and business center of Ukraine, it is also a city with a long and glorious history. From 1918 to 1934 years Kharkiv was the official capital of Ukraine. In 2004 the city celebrated its 350 anniversary and today it is one of the largest cultural and scientific centers of Ukraine and Eastern Europe. The city has about 60 scientific-research institutes, 13 national universities and numerous professional, technical and private higher education institutions, offering its students a wide range of disciplines.
The architecture of Kharkiv and its sightseeing attracts a lot of tourists. Uspenskiy (Dormition) Cathedral, Blagoveshenskiy (the Annunciation) Cathedral, Intercession Cathedral, Catholic Cathedral, Memorial Complex of Glory, Freedom Square which is the third large square in the Europe and the seventh in the world (according to list of city squares by size), Taras Shevchenko Monument, Mirror Stream, Militia Museum and many others.
The name of widely famous philosopher and educator Hrihoriy Skovoroda and painter Ilya Repin are connected with Kharkiv (Kharkiv). Skovoroda lectured at Kharkiv Collegium. He died here in 1794 and was buried here. The house, where this famous painter Ilya Repin was born in a little town of Chuhuiv, not far from Kharkiv and spent his childhood there. The exposition of his house-museum tells the visitors about his life and activity.
Kharkiv is the city with the interesting History. Here took place the important events, which now only with help of museums can be observed. Below is the list of the most famous museums in Kharkiv, which really should be seen.

Historical Museum
Address: University str., 5
Phone: +38 (057) 731-35-68, 731-36-94
Hours: 10.00 to 17.00
Day off: Monday

Museum of Nature
Address: metro station "Universitet", Trinklera str, 8
Phone: +38 (057) 705-12-42
Hours: Fridays from 11.00 to 17.00

Art Museum
Address: metro “Arh.Beketova”, Sovnarkomovia str, 11
Phone: +38 (057) 706-33-95
Hours: 10.00 to 19.00
Days off: Monday, Tuesday

Literature Museum
Address: metro station "Pushkinia", Frunze str, 6
Phone: +38 (057) 706-25-79, 706-25-80
Hours: 9.00 to 18.00
Days off: Monday, Tuesday

Club-Museum of K.I. Shulzhenko
Address: Baykalskiy lane, 1
Phone: +38 (057) 732-76-14, 732-69-18
Hours: 10.00 to 19.00
 
Memorial Museum-Flat of family Grizodubov
Address: Mironosit str, 54b, app. 2
Phone: +38 (057) 700-42-91
Hours: 9.00 to 17.00

Music-Theatrical library of K.S. Stanislavskiy
Address: metro station "Nauchnaia", Engineering lane,1-a
Phone: +38 (057) 702-18-49
Hours: 11.00 - 18.00, Saturday - Sunday 11.00 - 17.00.

Museum of internal affairs authorities of Kharkiv region
Address: Sovnarkomovia str, 13
Phone: +38 (057) 705-96-55

Museum of History of South Railway
Address: Kotlova str, 83
Phone: +38 (057) 724-26-07, 724-54-31

Museum of Folk Art of Slobozhanshchina
Address: Sovnarkomovia str, 9, app. 14
Phone: +38 (057) 706-33-96

Museum of sexual cultures of the world
Address: Mironosit str, 81a, 1 floor
Phone: +38 (057) 715-63-15

Museum of Puppet Theater, at the Kharkiv State Academic Puppet Theater of V.A. Anasieva
Address: Constitution Square, 24, app. 3
Phone: +38 (057) 731-12-24, 731-14-78
Fax: +38 (057) 731-27-31

Kharkiv Holocaust Museum
Address: Petrovskiy str, 28, app. 2
Phone: +38 (057) 700-49-90
Fax: +38 (057) 714-09-59\

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Kherson Region

Kherson region is located in the south of Ukraine, in the basin of the lower stream of Dnieper, in the south-west is washed by the Black Sea and in the south-east – by the Sea of Azov. On the territory of the region there is a state border of 458 km, including 350 km on the Black Sea and 108 km on the Sea of Azov. At the border there are four crossing points - airport, river port, sea ports of Kherson and Skadovsk.
The regions territory is 28.5 thousand square km or 4.7% of the territory of the country, the length from north to south - 180 km, from west to east 258 kilometers. The distance from Kherson to Kyiv by train is 664 km, highways - 584 km.
Biosphere Reserves “Ania Nova” and “Chernomorskiy” (Black Sea) are the environmental research institutions of international significance, which are included into a worldwide network of biosphere reserves and work closely with UNESCO.

The Russian state was interested in importing of the improved sheep breeds from Germany and in the autumn 1827 there was approved the expedition to search in southern Russia, contemporary Ukraine, for the suitable area for sheep farming. There was chosen the steppe, with the area of approximately 550 square km.
The transfer of the lands was held on March 3, 1828 by decree of the tsar, and the name of the Ania Nova originated from the name of the parent earldom Ascania.
August 11, 1828 25 people with 2286 sheep, with 2 bulls, 8 cows and 8 horses left Saxony, but only 35 sheep remained after covering the distance to Ania Nova. But the total number of sheep was rising sharply here, and in 1830 a new company supplied more than 8 thousand sheep. During the first ten years the colony was freed from tax, but financially it was supported by the Duchy.
After the death of Duke Heinrich von Anhalt-Koeten Ania Nova passes to the Duke Dessau, who sold the unprofitable company to German-Russian landowner Baron Pfalz-Fein on October 6, 1856.
His heir, Baron Friedrich Pfalz-Fein was the owner of Ania Nova until 1920 and became the creator of the first private reserve in the Russian Empire.
Kherson landowner Pfalz-Fein has made an unprecedented act on those times - completely voluntarily gave a considerable portion of his land and money to build the first reserve in the Russian Empire - Ania Nova.
In 1874 at the age of 17 years, as a reward for successfully taking examinations in high school, he received an open-air cage from his father, where originally contained the birds and local animals. However, after fifteen years he has managed to create this unique acclimatization zoo.
Hoofed mammals began to be imported in Ania Nova since 1887, during 80 years there was brought more than 800 animals of 70 species. In 1888 there were imported ostriches and Turkmen kulans.
In 1896, Pfalz-Fein bought a herd of antelope, to tame them, because cows of antelopes give a very fat-rich milk. Antelope-eland are very cautious in their homeland in Africa, avoiding contact with the human, in Ania Nova they were so tamed, that allowed to be milked.
In the end of XIX century he sent several expeditions to Mongolia to catch Przhevalskiy wild horses and the first 5 mares arrived here in 1899, and in 1901 - 52 more horses, of which only 28 survived. Currently in semifree conditions in the protected steppe there is pastured the world largest herd of these horses.
In 1910, on the basis of the zoo there was created a zoological station, which carried out a large selection work.
Today one can see here the herds of wild animals brought from different latitudes of the continents and the landscape-geographical zones - the huge buffalo, deer, slender, exotic llamas, striped colorful zebras, llamas, black bisons etc.
In the completely waterless steppe in 1877 on the area of 28 hectares, Pfalz-Fein founded the unique botanical garden, where in 1885 - 1902 from many corners of the world were brought and planted over 220 species of deciduous and coniferous trees. In 1889 at the World Exhibition in Paris the dendrological park was awarded with the "Gold Medal" as the first irrigated park in the arid steppe.
Nowadays the park biosphere reserve is expanded in more than 100 hectares and is a monument of garden architecture of the XIX century.
By creating a zoo and dendrological Park, in 1898, F. Pfalz-Fein allocated the plot of virgin steppe, which belonged to the forest park and announced it reserved at all times, i.e. Reserve (open-air museum). This year is considered the founding year of the reserve.
April 23, 1914 Ania Nova was visited by the Russian Tsar Nicholay II, who was struck by the abundance and diversity of birds and animals. By this time the number of sheep here were millions of heads.
In 1919 Ania Nova was declared a national park, and then state steppe reserve.
On the territory of reserve there took place the hostilities of two wars - the Civil and World War II, during which died many animals. Even after, many business executives wanted to use the reserve lands for pasture, but the reserve stood, preserved and continued the work started by F. Pfalz-Fein.
Kherson is the city of the region significance in the south of Ukraine, the administrative, industrial and cultural center of the Kherson Region. It is one of the best Ukrainian cities according to the ecological condition.
One of the main sights of the city is the Kherson Stronghold, which was grounded on the 8th of September 1778. The rests of the ramparts and gates of the stronghold remained up to nowadays. Being of the shape of a star, the Stronghold was surrounded with ditch and earth rampart. The bastions disposed 220 ordnances, inside there was the complex of the administrative and manufacturing buildings. The eminent architectural monument is the ensemble of the Palace Square in the center of the stronghold. Between the ramparts of the stronghold there were built several gates, one of them – Moscow (Saint-Petersburg) – joined stronghold with the military vorstadt and Ochakow gates with the lifting bridge over the ditch lead into the city. In May 1787 stronghold was visited by Ekaterina II. Though the Kherson Stronghold hasn’t experienced any siege, not many buildings of the stronghold remained up to nowadays, only Ekaterina Cathedral, the building of the Admiral Arsenal, made in style of classicism and also the gates of the stronghold: Ochakow and Moscow. 1953 the park in the name of Lenin was founded on the territory of the stronghold.
Kherson is rich in sacral sights: Greek-Sophian Church, Synagogue Habad, Savior Cathedral and bell tower, the Church of St. Alexandra, Roman Catholic Church of “most holy heart of Jesus Christ”, Gregorian Monastery, Greek-Sophian, Holy Dormition, St. Ekaterina cathedral, which was founded by the earl Potemkin (he was buried in the cathedral) and other cathedrals.
The house of Nadezhda Durova is beautiful and interesting. She was authoress and the first woman officer in Russia. Nowadays this is one of the oldest buildings in Kherson. N. Durova is known for the event, when being 23 years old she changed her clothes into mans clothes and was recruited in the horse regiment. Alexander I assigned her to be the officer for the bravery she showed during the war against Napoleon 1807. In 1812 she became the heroine of the Patriotic War. There are also many houses in the city of famous historic persons, like Suvorov. The beautiful old building on the Suvorova Street attracts the attention of the people with two unusual for Kherson sculptures of atlases, which keep the balcony of this building on their shoulders.
Among the modern and interesting buildings there is Adzhigolski reticulate steel lighthouse. There are not so many buildings of such type in the world. It was built 1910 and represents the unique hyperbolic construction with the height of 70 meters
Kherson is the city of the region significance in the south of Ukraine, the administrative, industrial and cultural center of the Kherson Region. It is one of the best Ukrainian cities according to the ecological condition. Below you can find contact information (addresses and phone numbers) of the main museums of Kherson.

Literary Museum “Literary Khersonshina”
Address: Gorky str, 1
Phone: +38 (0552) 26-30-66

Kherson Regional Museum of local history
Address: Lenin str, 9
Phone: +38 (0552) 24-10-52, 24-10-70

Kherson natural history museum
Address: Gorky str, 5
Phone: +38 (0552) 24-10-92

Art Museum of A.A. Shovkunenko
Address: Lenin str, 54
Phone: +38 (0552) 24-30-12

Museum of local history of Kherson region
Address: Lenin str, 9
Phone: +38 (0552) 49-10-83, 22-99-47

Kherson Regional Art Museum of A.A. Shovkunenko
Address: Lenin str,  34
Phone: +38 (0552) 49-30-12, 49-03-47

Kherson Botanical Garden
Address: Mykolayiv highway,  29 (Taurida)
Phone: +38 (0552) 33-70-87

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Khmelnytsk Region

Khmelnytsk region is located in the western part of Ukraine, it was founded in Sept. 22, 1937 and before January 4 was called Kamenets-Podolsky region. The region occupies the area of 20.6 thousand square km or 3.4% of Ukrainian territory. The length of the Khmelnytsk region from north to south is 220 km, from west to east - 120 km. 
The administrative division of Khmelnytsk region: 20 administrative districts, 13 cities, including 6 cities of regional subordination (Khmelnytsk, Kamenets-Podolsky, Shepetovka, Slavuta, Netishyn, Starokostiantyniv), 24 urban villages and 1417 rural settlements. The administrative center is the city of Khmelnytsk. 
The population of the region is about 1.4 million people or 3% of the population of Ukraine, including the urban population – 52.6%, rural – 47.4%. The share of Ukrainians in the national structure of Khmelnytsk region reaches 90% in most areas the share of Ukrainians is much higher, and some even close to 100%. The second-largest nationality is Russians (about 6%), who live mainly in large cities. The other nationalities are Poles and Byelorussians, Jews, Moldavians, Romanians, Armenians and others. 
Khmelnytsk region is famous for its historical, cultural and architectural monuments. There are 473 works of art, 2442 monuments of history, 105 – of archaeology, 230 monuments of national importance, of which 104 - recommended for protection. 
Attractions of Khmelnytsk region 
The National Historical and Architectural Reserve (Old Town and castle) in Kamenets-Podolsky enters the UNESCO list of international heritage. 
- Medzhybizh fortress, the witness of the confrontation between the Ukrainians and the Polish gentry. In the courtyard of the fortress archaeologists found a stone outpost of the XIV century, the remains of walls and buildings of ancient Russia, also on the territory of the fortress were found late Paleolithic tools, fragments of Tripoli culture (V century BC. E). However, the fortress still hides many secrets – according the legend in the underground passages of the fortress there are hidden golden carriage and a few wagons with silver. 
- The grave of the founder of Hasidism, Baal Shem Tov, which is Mecca for religious pilgrims Hasidim. 
- Karstic cave "Atlantis" 
- The largest in Ukraine and Europe, National Park “Podilski Tovry”- it’s the Crimean and Carpathian mountains at once. The forested mountains are the exact copy of the Carpathians, "naked" - very similar to the mountain pastures of Taurida. Theres even a real barrier coral reef, 25 million years ago here was Sarmatian Sea. One can also see here the part of the wild steppe, which still exists only in Ania Nova. 
- An old castle and the canyon of river Smotrich 
- castles in Pyliava, Sataniv, Starokonstantinovka, Sutkivtsi, 
- Resort “Satanel”, located in a picturesque corner of the ancient mountains Medobory, 
- Palace and park ensemble in Samchyky and many others.
Khmelnytsk is the administrative center of Khmelnytsk region. It is situated on the river South Buh. The former name was Proskurov. The city is as historical so as large trade center of Ukraine.
The architecture of the city is various. The Soviet period of its development is presented better. During that time there were built the grandeur constructions of the Regional Administration, Philharmonic Society and many other buildings. For the times of the Ukrainian independence there appeared in Khmelnytsk the new architectural constructions. Many new monuments were set in the city: Monument to Taras Shevtchenko (1992), the only horse monument in Ukraine to Bohdan Khmelnytsk, monument to international soldiers and monument to victims of repressions.
To the architectural monuments belong only few buildings of 19th -20th century in styles of baroque, eclecticism, and modern. The most noticeable are the oldest stone structure of the city – the Church of the Birth of Mother of God (1837) the building of the former real school (1905), the building of the current Museum of Art (1903) and the municipal house of culture. In the city there are also the beautiful organ hall, music-dramatic theatre etc.
Among the sights of Khmelnytsk is the only monument in Ukraine to the famous Baron Munchausen. The image of the other literary character – Don Kihot - was also immortalized in Khmelnytsk. Throughout the city there are located extraordinary monuments – strange metal creatures. These are robots, non-existent animals, specific trees and even a spaceship.
The biggest number of them is situated on the square of Heroes of Stalingrad and in the park of 500 anniversary of Khmelnytsk.But it is not all that Khmelnytsk can offer. Another very interesting attraction is situated on crossroads of Vladimir Pilipchuk Street and Ivan Franko Street. It is the monument to the rocket, made of the rest of the strategic intercontinental rocket SS-19, which was directed to the territory of the USA. On the top of the rocket stand the emblems of sister cities. The crossroads of Independent Street and Proskurova Street is adorned with the beautiful monument to “Guardian Angel”.
In the city there is the ancient pagan shrine Striboga, where still the pagan gods are served. In Kyiv on the Zamkova Mountain is glorified the god of harvest Yarilo.
There is the mini reserve in the city – municipal arboretum. It was founded in the last century and now is the favorite place for walks.
 Khmelnytsk is the administrative center of Khmelnytsk region. It is situated on the river South Buh. The former name was Proskurov. The city is as historical so as large trade center of Ukraine. Below you can find contact information (addresses and phone numbers) of the main museums of Khmelnytsk.


Museum of the history of Khmelnytsk
Address: Proskurivya str, 30
Tel.: +38 (0382) 65-93-94

Museum of Proskuriv Underground
Address: Shevchenko str, 3 / 1
Tel.: +38 (0382) 79-54-46

Khmelnytsk Regional Art Museum
Address: Proskurivya str, 47
Tel.: +38 (0382) 79-47-61

Khmelnytsk Regional Museum of local history
Address: Podil str, 12
Tel.: +38 (0382) 65-91-28

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Kirovohrad Region

Kirovohrad region
Kirovograd region is a region in central Ukraine, located between the rivers Dnieper and Southern Bug, in the southern part of Pridneprovya uplands. Within the region, in the village Dobrovelichkovka, there is the geographic center of Ukraine.
The settlement Golovanevsk was first mentioned in 1764 in the documents of Podolsk diocese, where it’s said about the construction of the wooden church in it. The first inhabitants of Golovanevsk were natives from Podillya and Kyiv region.
Over time, many Poles settled in Golovanevsk, and in the early twentieth century, about half of the residents Golovanevsk were Jews. Each community, Ukrainians, Poles and Jews had their places of worship and cemetery, of which survived only Orthodox Church and synagogue.
There are several theories about the origin name of the village, one of them - from the word Olvia, because it is the place of the border of the ancient kingdom Olvia (Golviya - Golvaniya - golvanovsky land).
In another version the name of the village comes from Zaporizhzhia Cossack Golovan, who founded this settlement.
For a long time Golovanevsk belonged to the Polish magnates Pototski, the main occupation of local people was arable farming, the growing of wheat and barley were of special significance, because the part of the crop is in the second half of the XIX century was exported through Odessa, also there was grown sugar beets, viticulture, apiculture and tobacco growing were also developed.
In the end of the XVIII century Golovanevsk received the status of the town and turned into the center, in which in the second half of the XIX century, along with agriculture, there rapidly developed industry for processing of agricultural products; there were functioned candle-factory, distillery, leather, bricks and coach factories, slaughterhouse, two mills, saloons and two inns.
The development of Golovanevsk was favored by the building of the railway in 1890, and a year later there was opened the post road between Golovanevsk and Olviopol (now Pervomaisk in Mykolayiv region).
During the Civil War, the authorities in Golovanevsk were often changed and belonged alternately to Bolsheviks, Austro-Hungarian troops, Petliura, Denikin adherents, and only in 1920 the Soviet power was finally established. Until 1954, Golovanevsk belonged to Pervomaisk District of Odessa region, and then joined the Kirovograd region.
During World War II in occupied Golovanevsk, the Nazis staged a temporary concentration camp for prisoners of war; the Nazis also shot the local Jews.
Several partisan detachments acted in the woods around Golovanevsk. Golovanevsk was released from the Nazis in March 1944.
In the postwar years the center Golovanevsk was almost entirely rebuilt, only a few old houses remained. However, some buildings in Golovanevsk, as well as the roads, sometimes fall into the underground catacombs, about which there are a lot of rumors and legends. During the years of Soviet power in Golovanevsk were constructed butter factory, a bakery, industrial plant.
Over a kilometer from Golovanevsk on edge of the tract "Volovik" there is a huge oak, its age is over 400 years, with a trunk diameter of about 5 meters, which is a natural monument and protected by the state.
Narrow-gauge railway Rudnitsa - Golovanevsk gauge 750 mm stretches through Vinnytsya and Kirovograd regions, belongs to Odessa railway, the total length of roads is 130 km.
It starts in the village Rudnitsa, passes through Bershad, Haivoron, Ulianovka and ends at the station Golovanevsk, in 7 km away from Golovanevsk.
The road was built in the early twentieth century as part of a vast system of narrow-gauge railways belonging to the Southern Society of spur tracts.
Previously, the regular traffic was on the route Rudnitsa - Podgorodnee. In the 1980s there began the construction of the broad gauge line from Haivoron to Podgorodnee; there were constructed the sections Haivoron - Tauzhnya and Podgorodnee - Golovanevsk, after which construction stopped.
In 2001, the narrow-gauge section from Golovanevsk to Podgorodnee was closed to traffic, and then dismantled. Today in Golovanevsk on broad gauge runs train Pomichna - Golovanevsk three times a week and on narrow gauge - diesel locomotive with an old car Rudnitsa-Golovanevsk.
Kirovograd was founded in 1754 under the name of Fort of St. Elizabeth. The earthy swells remained partially nowadays. Primarily it had the form of the rectilinear hexagon with the perimeter of 6 versts (9,6 km). Bastions, gates and ravelins of the famous fortress had the Christian names. Except the fortifications in front of the ravelin of the most holy Pechersk fathers, on the bank of the river Ingul, there was situated Sergiev redoubt. The fortress of St. Elizabeth stands in the same raw with such noble masterpieces as Assumption Cathedral in Kyiv-Pecher Lavra and Mikhailov Zlatoglavyi Monastery. The fortress is the only earthy work, which almost completely remained up to nowadays in the Eastern Europe.
A lot of legends are associated with Kirovograd. One of them tells about the sunk Turkish ship, which carried gold down the river Ingul. But there are no some real documents, to confirm the direct place, where the ship sank.
The other interesting fact from the history of this wonderful city is that the building plan of former Elizabethgrad and now Kirovograd was based on the building plan of Paris. The only difference is that the houses in the center of Kirovograd are lower for a couple stores than in the capital of France. That means that all central streets along and near the river Ingul copy the plan of Paris. Kirovograd was even called little Paris before.
The city is full of interesting places. One of the sights in Kirovograd attracts the newlyweds. It is the bridge over the Ingul, the railings of which are crowned with padlocks. Here one can see the different padlocks with names of people in love – it is the padlocks of love. According to the tradition the newlyweds hang the padlock on the bridge and throw out the key into the water, that symbolizes their unbreakable union. This tradition exists not only in such Ukrainian cities as Kyiv and Odessa, but also in Riga and Florence…
The other attraction of the city is the first dramatic theatre in Ukraine – the theatre in name of Kropivnitski. The first tram in Ukraine was also started in Kirovograd. But during the war the Germans demolished the tramways and they were not renewed after the occupation.
The favourite rest places of Kirovograd citizens are the parks – Kovalevski, Victory, and arboretum. The Park of Victory exists for more than 200 years. It is situated along the river Suhokleia and the water reservoir in Kirovograd. In park there are places with the Crimean microclimate and the southern trees and bushes can grow there.
Museums of Kirovograd
The interesting fact from the history of this wonderful city is that the building plan of former Elizabethgrad and now Kirovograd was based on the building plan of Paris. Besides there are other places of interest in Kirovograd. Below are noted the museums that worth to be seen and their contact information.
Kirovograd local history museum
Address: Lenin str, 40
Tel: +38 (0522) 22-58-34, 22-35-97


Kirovograd Picture Gallery
Address: Karl Liebknecht str, 22
Tel: +38 (0522) 22-76-85


Kirovograd museum of M. Kropivnitskiy
Address: Kropivnitskogo str, 172/42
Tel: +38 (0522) 22-14-79


Kirovograd Art Museum
Address: ul. Marx, 60
Tel: +38 (0522) 24-42-73


Artistic Memorial Museum of A. Osmyorkin
Address: Lenin str, 89
Tel: +38 (0522) 23-51-91, 22-17-55


Kirovograd Museum of Musical Culture named by Karolya Shymanowskiy
Address: Gogol str, 12
Tel: +38 (0522) 24-62-51


Literary Memorial Museum of I. Karpenko-Kary
Address: Tobilevicha str, 16
Tel: +38 (0522) 23-51-91

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Kyiv Region

Kyiv region is located in the northern part of Ukraine in the middle stream of the River Dnieper and its tributaries, uniformly on the right and left banks of the Dnieper, in the north it borders with the Gomel region of Belarus. By its configuration the region reminds polygon, which is stretched from north to south. The territory of the region is 28.4 thousand square km or 4.7% of Ukraine. On its territory is situated the capital of Ukraine - Kyiv.
Kyiv Region was established on Feb. 27, 1932.
The administrative-territorial division of the region - 25 administrative districts, 25 cities, including 11 - of regional submission, 30 towns, 1218 villages. The largest cities are Belaya Tserkov, Boryspil, Brovary, Fastiv, Vasilkov, Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsk.
Sights of Kyiv region
Among the attractions of the Kyiv region there are more than 6 000 monuments of cultural heritage, 8 cities of Ukrainian historical significance that are of interest both for Ukrainian and foreign tourists.
 
The main attractions of the Kyiv region are the national historical and  ethnographic reserve "Pereslavl", State Historical and Cultural Reserve in Vyshgorod, Dendrology Park "Alexandria" in Belaya Tserkov, the remains of fortifications X-XIII centuries, the natural boundary "Palievaya Mountain", ancient settlement of XII -XIII century, Cathedral of St. Vasiliy and Feodosiy 1756-1758 years, Saviour Church of XI century, the Museum of Applied Arts of Kyiv region and many others.
The capital of Ukraine, the center of Kyiv region - Kyiv - stretches for 35 km from east to west and for 42 km from north to south along the picturesque banks of the Dnepr.

The city has a unique landscape and is widely known for its architectural ensembles, which are tactically inscribed in it. Despite the considerable loss, they create a complete image of the historic city, located along the waters of the ancient Dnepr-Slavutych. The area of Kyiv is 827 square km and includes 14 administrative districts. There are built on only 42% of the entire area of the city. The rest of the city is water bodies, green areas and parks.
Modern Kyiv is one of the largest cities in Europe, administrative, economic, scientific, cultural and educational center of the country.

The capital of Ukraine is situated on both banks of the Dnepr, in its middle stream, below the confluence of the left tributary - Desna. The northern part of the city is situated on the Podillya lowlands, the south-western one (right bank) - on Pridneprovya uplands, the south-eastern one (left bank) - on Pridneprovya lowlands.
No doubts that Kyiv is one of the most beautiful cities of Ukraine. Located in the centre of Europe it attracts a lot of tourists. Kyiv local time is UTC +2. Kyiv has outstanding heroic history. From 1921 the city was part of the Soviet Union, since 1934 as a capital of Soviet Ukraine.  After 57 years as the capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union, Kyiv became the capital of independent Ukraine in 1991.
Today Kyiv is the administrative, cultural, and financial core of Ukraine, represented by over 3 million citizens. Kyiv has regained its former glory as one of the most beautiful capitals of Eastern Europe. It will be enchantment ‘at first site’ as you take your first stroll along the chestnut lined streets of the old part of the city, feeling as though a time machine has sent you back into the very heart of history. Millennial Orthodox cathedrals, crowned with golden domes and diverse styles of old buildings – all bear imprints of the ancient splendor of Kyivan Rus, a mighty state of the Medieval Europe. Monuments once erected by old master builders and now restored and reconstructed anew can be seen reflected in modern high-rise architectural ensembles. Dozens of theaters, art galleries, and museums will invitingly open their doors for you.
Kyivs most famous historical architectural complexes are the St. Sophia Cathedral and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves), which are recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. One of Kyivs widely recognized modern landmarks is the highly visible giant Mother Motherland statue standing at the Museum of the Great Patriotic War on the Right bank of the Dnieper River. It is hard to describe the magnificence of Kyiv sights and sightseeing, you should see it with your own eyes.
At night you can see the beauty of Kyiv from the other side. Full of nightlights with its great architecture the capital of Ukraine becomes a wonderful place for a romantic car tour. Numerous nightclubs, disco bars, restaurants give great opportunity to fill nightlife of citizens and guests with wonderful impressions and emotions.
Museums of Kyiv (Kyiv)
Below are listed the main museums of Kyiv (with contact information: phones and addresses). It is hard to say which one is the most beautiful. Each museum is unique and interesting in its own way. The best choice is to start form one of these museums: National Historical Museum, National Museum of history of Great Patriotic War, Museum of Saint Sophia cathedral, Kyivo-Pecher Lavra, Museum of Art, National Treasures Museum.

National Museum of history of Great Patriotic War
Address: Yanvarskogo Vosstaniya str., 44
phone: 8(044) 295 94 57
working hours: 10:00 - 17:00
day-off: Monday

National Historical Museum
Address: Vladimyrya str., 2,
phone: 8(044) 278 65 45
working hours: 10:00 – 17:00,
day off: Wednesday

Museum of Saint Sophia cathedral
Address: Vladimirya st.24
phone: (044) 278-26-20, 278-20-83, 278-67-06
working hours: 10:00-17:30

Kyivo-Pecher Lavra
Address: Sitchnevogo povstanniya st. 21,
phone: (044) 254-37-16, 280-30-71
working hours: 9:30-18:00

National architecture and life museum «Pirogovo»
Address: village Pirogovo
phone: 8(044) 266 55 42

Russian Art Museum
Address: Tereschenkovya str., 9
phone: 8(044) 234 62 18

National Museum of Art
Address: Mykhaila Grushevskogo str., 6
phone: 8(044) 228 74 54

Bulgakov Kyiv Literature-Memorial museum
Address: Andrievskiy Spusk st. 13
phone: (044) 425-52-54, 425-31-88
working hours: 10:00-17:00

Museum of folk decoration arts
Address: Sitchnevogo povstanniya st. 21,
phone: (044) 280-13-43, 280-58-12
working hours: 10:00-17:00
day-off: Tuesday

Museum of theatre, music and cinema of Ukraine
Address: Sitchnevogo povstanniya st. 21,
phone: (044) 280-16-22, 280-18-34
working hours: 10:00-17:00
day-off: Tuesday

One street museum(Andreevskiy spusk museum)
Address: Andreevskiy spusk, 2b
phone: 8(044) 425 03 98
working hours: 12:00-18:00
day off: Monday

Natural-science museum
Address: Bogdana Khmelnitskogo str., 15
phone: 8(044) 235 01 85

National Museum of Literature
Address: Bogdana Khmelnitskogo str., 11
phone: 8(044) 235 13 15

National Treasures Museum
Address: Yanvarskogo Vostaniya str., 21
working hours: 10:00-17:00,
day-off – Monday

National museum of medicine of Ukraine
Address: Bogdana Khmelnitskogo str., 37
phone: (044) 234-15-74, 234-29-12

Museum of cosmonautics in Kyiv
Address: Trostyanetya st. 12

Historical-architectural Museum memorial «Kyiv Fortress»
Address: Gospitalnaya str., 24a
working hours: 10:00-18:00,
day-off: Monday

Taras Shevchenko National Museum
Address: bulvar Tarasa Shevchenko, 12
phone: 8(044) 224 25 23

Getman Museum
Address: Spaya str., 16b
phone: 8(044) 416 17 13

«Chornobyl» Museum
Address: pereulok Khorivoy, 1
phone: 8(044) 425 43 29
working hours: 10:00-17:45, on Saturday 10:00-16:45,
day-off – Sunday

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Lviv Region

Lviv Region is located in the extreme west of Ukraine, it belongs to the historical land of Galicia, the center of the formation of the Ukrainian people, the leading center of religious activity of the country, on the west it borders with Poland. The region was founded on December 4, 1939. 
The area is 21.8 thousand square km or 3.6% of the territory of Ukraine. The region from north to south is 240 km, from west to east - 210 km. 
The population is about 2.6 million people or 5.5% of Ukrainian population, including urban – 58.9%, and rural – 41.1%. 
Lviv region is one of the most homogeneous regions of Ukraine in ethnic composition; the share of Ukrainians in all areas is more than 90% - 95%. 
In the mountainous part of the area, in the southern areas dwell ethnic group of Ukrainians – boyki and lemki. Russian account for 7% of the regions population and live mainly in the regional center, about 1% of the regions population are the Poles, the small shares belong to Byelorussians, Moldavians, Jews and other nationalities. 
By administrative-territorial division the region consists of 20 districts, 44 cities, including 7 towns of regional subordination (Lviv, Truvets, Drohobycz, Borislav, Stry, Sambor, Chervonograd), 34 urban-type settlements and 1849 rural settlements. 
Sightseeing in Lviv region 
The castle was haunted by disasters - it was destroyed in the earthquake and burned during the storm, but it was restored and now here is the branch of Lviv Art Gallery, one of the most interesting museums of Ukraine. 
Near the castle there is a building of the monastery of the Order of Capuchin (1739). 
Capuchins - a kind of monastic order, founded in the late XVI century. Many people know it due to monk Marco dAviano, who made coffee for a special recipe, the color of which resembled the color of monastic robes of Capuchins, so coffee was called cappuccino.
Lviv the cultural capital of western Ukraine
Lviv (Lvov) is regarded as one of the main cultural centers of Ukraine. In September 2006 Lviv celebrated its 750th anniversary. The city was established in the early 1200s during the reign King Danylo Halytskiy of the principality of Halych-Volhynia in honor of his son Lev. After the death of Danylo Lev made Lviv the capital of Halych-Volhynia. From the very beginning of its existence the city has become the cultural capital of western Ukrainian lands. The history of Lviv is very rich and concerned with the history of many countries and empires.
Today Lviv is one of the biggest cities in Ukraine. It is the place where history meets modern architecture. To get a lot of impressions you even don’t need any tourist guide. The only thing you need is to start your tour from the old part of Lviv. Walking along the old streets you may just ask people (a lot of them speak foreign languages) about this or that monument or building and will get all information you need. Hospitability of Lviv’s citizens is well known all over the Ukraine. Architecture of Lviv with its buildings, churches, monuments and relics make a magnificent atmosphere.
Universities of Lviv
Lviv is an important education centre of Ukraine. It is home to three major universities and a number of smaller schools of higher education. There are eight institutes of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine, more than forty research institutes, three academies and eleven state-owned colleges. Another institute that was and is still renowned in the region is the Lviv Polytechnic Institute.
Ivan Franko National University of Lviv is one of the oldest in Central Europe. It was founded as a Jesuit school in 1608. Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical Academy (University), Ukrainian Catholic University, Ukrainian Academy of Printing are well known in Ukraine and all over the world.
A voyage to Lviv will make you sure that it is really cultural capital of Western Ukraine. And the reason of it not only the rich architectural and history heritage but also the kindness of the people and great attention to all Ukrainian traditions. The Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet (Lviv Opera House) is very famous for its beauty.
Museums of Lviv (Lvov)
Museums of Lviv are numerous. Below you can find contact information (addresses and phone numbers) of the main museums of Lviv.

Lviv historical museum
Rinkova square 2,4,6,24
Phone: 38 (0322) 74-33-04, 72-06-71

Arsenal (Museum of weapon)
Address: Pidval’na st. 5
Phone: 38 (0322) 72-19-01

Department of history of the Ancient world and the Middle Ages
Address: Rynok square 4
Phone: 38 (0322) 74-33-87

Department of New history
Address: Rynok square 4
Phone: 38 (0322) 74-33-87

Gallery “Gerdan”
Address: Rus’ka st. 4
Phone: 38 (0322) 72-50-46

Grushevskiy National memorial museum in Lviv
Ivan Franko st. 154
Phone: 38(0322) 76-78-52

Zoological, mineralogical and geological museum
Address: Grushevskogo st.4

Lychakivsky Cemetery
Address: Pecar st. 95
Phone: 38 (0322) 76-79-87, 76-79-84

Lviv Gallery of arts
Address: Stefanyk st.3
Phone: 38 (0322) 72-40-47

Ivan Franko Archeological museum
Address: Universitet st.1

Museum of furniture and porcelain
Address: Rinok square 10
Phone: 38 (0322) 74-33-88

Lviv museum of history and religion
Address: Muzeina square 1
Phone: 38 (0322) 72-91-00

Panchyshyn Museum of medicine of Galychina
Address: Karmeliuk st. 3
Phone: 38 (0322) 76-78-35

Museum of ideas
Address: Valova st. 18A
Phone: 38 (032) 298-06-83

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Luhansk Region

Luhansk region was formed on June, 3 1938. Its area is 26.7 thousand square km (4.4% of Ukraine). The population is 2673.8 thousand people (5.3% of Ukraines population), including urban population - 2309.1 thousand people (86.4%), rural - 364.7 thousand people (13.6%). The population density is 100.1 persons per 1 square km.

The administrative-territorial structure: 18 districts, 37 cities, including 14 of regional and 23 of district subordination, 109 towns and 792 villages. The administrative center is the city of Luhansk, which was established in 1795, the status of a town received in 1882. In the city dwell 471.6 thousand people.

At the end of XVII century on the territory of modern Luhansk region there started a coal mining near Lisichansk. In order to unite coal basins into one whole, in February 1919 there was formed Donetsk Province with the center in the city of Luhansk, which on June 3, 1938 was divided into Stalin and Voroshilovgrad provinces. In 1958 the region was renamed into Luhansk. So it was called until 1970, when it was again renamed in Voroshilovgrad.

The leading role in the economy of the region belongs to industry, which produces about two-thirds of the gross social product. In the economic sector of Ukraine Luhansk region is singled out by the scale of coal mining, availability of facilities for primary oil refining, production of machine tools, soda ash, synthetic resins and plastics, sheet glass, container board.

The agriculture of the region specializes in the production of grain and oil crops, vegetable growing and livestock are also developed.
The main attractions of the region are the memorial museum of Voroshilov, the museum of the Russian writer and ethnographer Dahl, who was born in Luhansk, the museum "Molodaya Gvardiya" (Young Guard) in Krasnodon, as well as one of the oldest cities in Ukraine Belovodsk, pride and glory of which - Trinity cathedral, one of the best in Ukraine. Total number of monuments of history and culture is 6744.
Luhansk has 87 territories and objects of natural reserve fund, monuments of nature - a complex Aydar terrace and Congress ravine, memorials of landscape art – Ostraya Mogila (sharp grave) and Friendship, and others. The most interesting monuments of nature are Baranyi Lby (Sheep’s Foreheads) in Novoaydar - unique chalk cliffs up to 50 meters, the monument of nature - Royal rocks - rock formations up to 100 meters.
In 2008 there were held the large-scale events to mark the 70 anniversary of the Luhansk region. September 19, 2008 the celebration was attended by President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, who noted the strong economic potential of the region, which today produces almost 10% of industrial production in Ukraine. Separately, he marked the importance of this region in such areas as coal mining, metallurgy, agriculture.

Main attractions: the memorial museum of Voroshilov, the museum of the Russian writer and ethnographer Dahl, who was born in Luhansk, as well as one of the oldest cities in Ukraine Belovodsk, pride and glory of which - Trinity cathedral, built by skillful masters and is one of the best architectural monuments in Ukraine of XIX century.
The city of Luhansk
Luhansk is the administrative center of Luhansk region, with the population of 688 thousand people. Luhansk is one of the 11 largest cities in Ukraine according to the territory and population. The official date of the foundation of Luhansk is considered the year 1795, when according to the decree of Catherine II, here was founded the iron foundry, which was supposed to supply the guns and ammunition for the Black Sea Fleet. The mines of iron ore and coal, founded here, accompanied the development of this city as a large industrial center in the future.
 
But the city is not only the industry but also the cultural center of the region. Among the religious sights of the city is Svyatovladimirsky Cathedral - the beautiful majestic building, which is visible from afar. Orthodox Cathedral was founded in 1993 and is the largest religious construction of the south-eastern Ukraine for today. It takes about 3 thousand parishioners.

The other interesting construction is the Memorial “Ostraya Mogila” (Sharp Grave). It is devoted to hard battles during the Civil War (1919), as well as to the victory in the Great Patriotic War. During the Civil War (the end of April 1919), during the hard battles against the troops of General Denikin, the residents of Luhansk formed a line from the cartridge factory to Ostraya Mogila passing bullets from hand to hand. Luhansk was awarded with the Order for this feat in Soviet times. Memorial “Ostraya Mogila” is located in the place of the most brutal battles for the city of Luhansk. The public garden Fame of heroes of the Civil War was dedicated to this same historical event; passing through the garden visitors can get acquainted with the heroes of the Civil War. Their busts are set in the public garden: K.E. Voroshilov, F.A. Sergeyev (Artyom), A.Y. Parkhomenko and others.
 
There is a park-museum of stone sculptures in the city, perhaps the collection of stone women is not as numerous as in Dnepropetrovsk, but it is rather large. The park-museum is situated on the territory of the National Pedagogical University.

One of the biggest parks in Luhansk is Gorky Park. Gorky Park is the fountains, paths, shady trees, beach with the boat station and Luganka - one of the highest parachute towers of the USSR. This is the 57-meter parachute tower, the height of its platform from which one jumps, is 46 meters. In Soviet times, in the park was built is the largest dance floor in Ukraine, with capacity for 5 thousand people. Unfortunately neither the tower nor the dance floor are used according to its intended purpose. The area of Gorky Park is about 100 hectares. The park was often flooded in spring, that’s why now in Luhansk is to be created the largest park of culture and recreation in Ukraine on the basis of the oak grove. The total area is 180 hectares.
 
Also in Luhansk there are built and designed simultaneously several unique residential architectures (m / d of the New Town, Oxford, Marevsky and others).
Museums of Luhansk
This city is situated in the East of Ukraine. Its main attraction is the combination of culture and industry. Below are listed the main museums of Luhansk (with contact information: phones, addresses and working hours).
Luhansk Regional Art Museum
Address: Pochtovaia str, 3
Phone: +38 (0642) 93-74-30 (fax), 93-74-34, 93-75-63

Art Gallery (a branch of the Art Museum)
Address: Shevchenko str, 4
Phone: +38 (0642) 55-34-41

Luhansk museum of local history
Address: Shevchenko str, 2
Phone: +38 (0642) 55-17-43

Museum of History and Culture of Luhansk
Address: K. Marx str, 30
Phone: +38 (0642) 52-20-79, 52-05-92

Memorial House-Museum of Dahl
Address: Dahl str, 12
Phone: +38 (0642) 93-74-95

Museum-Flat of V. Titov
Address: Gayevoi Square, 18/62
Phone: +38 (0642) 65-52-43

Museum of aircraft of Luhansk aircraft repair plant
Address: Ostraya Moghila, 180
Phone: +38 (0642) 34-53-65, 34-53-21

Museum of Enterprise “Luhanskteplovoz”
Address: Frunze str, 107
Phone: +38 (0642) 52-51-49, 52-72-69

Museum of the Office of Home Affairs
Address: Shevchenko str, 39
Phone: +38 (0642) 59-85-34

Museum "Ukrposhta"
Address: Victor Pyaterkin str, 8
Phone: +38 (0642) 93-70-52

Museum of railwaymen
Address: Kirova str, 44
Phone: +38 (0642) 91-35-66, 91-37-99

Fire-Technical Center
Address: Alexeeva str, 12
Phone: +38 (0642) 58-05-78

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Mykolayiv Region

Lands of the Mykolayiv region spread out in the south of Ukraine, in the basin of the lower reach of the Southern Bug river, its territory is over 24.6 thousand sq. km.
The region borders on three administrative regions of Ukraine, and in the south its territory occupies several hundred kilometers of the shoreline of the Black Sea and its estuaries. The Dniprovsko-Buzky, Buzky, Beresansky, and Tylygulsky estuaries cut deep inland and create a striking web of water stretches.
The specific natural conditions of the region refer it to the steppe zone. The climate is moderate and continental with a mild low snow winter and a hot dry summer. Natural and climatic conditions of the region are favorable for intensive high efficiency development of agriculture.
Mykolaiv is a quiet green city in the south of Ukraine. Its famous for being the city of shipbuilders and friendly people. Whether you come to Mykolayiv on business or for pleasure you should make the most of your stay there. With this in mind weve completed a list of places you must visit while you are in Mykolayiv city of Ukraine.
Central street of Mykolayiv city
Sovetya Street is the main street of Mykolayiv city. If you go for a walk along this street youll meet a lot of people. Also, you can see many shops, cafes and restaurants there.
The Museum of Shipbuilding and Fleet
The museum was first opened in 1978. It has a huge collection of marine related things, including ship models, paintings, anchors, maps, old globes, flags, sea clothes, etc.
Address: 4 Admiralya Street
The Zoo
Mikolaev Zoo was founded by N. Levontovich in 1901. Once you go there youll see bears, monkeys, camels, wolves, ostriches, eagles, snakes, and other kinds of animals and birds.
Address: Leontovich Square
The Cathedral of the Image of the Casper Blessed Virgin Mary
This cathedral has been built in 1908.
Address: 12 Sadovaya Street
St. Nickolas Church. The church was built in 1817.
St. Josephs Roman Catholic Church. The church was first opened in 1896.
Address: 32-a Dekabristov Street
The Quay of the Ingul River
The place allows you to enjoy a picturesque view of Mykolayiv and its beauty. Note Mykolayiv is situated on the peninsula and is washed by a few rivers - the Ingul River and the Yuzhny Bug River.
Yacht Club
Mykolayiv Yacht Club is one of the most beautiful places in the city. This is the place to see white yachts and seagulls. Mykolayiv Yacht Club has been created in 1889. Since then a lot of yacht regattas have been held in Mykolayiv city.

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Odessa Region

Odessa region is located in the far southwest of Ukraine and borders on Vinnytsia, Kirovograd, Mykolayiv regions and on foreign countries such as the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey on land and sea. Odessa region occupies the territory of the north western Black Sea area from Danube river to Tiligulian estuary (the sea coast within the limits of Odessa region stretches for 300 km and northwards from the sea for 200-250 km). The general area of Odessa region territory makes 5.5% of the territory of Ukraine that almost equals the dimensions of Republic of Moldova territory (33,300 km ).
Odessa province belongs to the zone of intensive steppe arable farming with developed irrigation. Odessa region coastal part lies in the recreation zone of the northwestern part of Black Sea area, being distributed in the vicinity of the large industrial districts.
The determining peculiarity of nature resource potential of Odessa region consists of great and diverse recreation and resort abilities: favorable climate, sea, medicinal mud and brine of estuaries, sandy beaches, mineral waters, historical and cultural values.
Odessa Ukraine region population - 2,402,000 (2006). Odessa Ukraine region land area - 33,300 sq. km.
Odessa. This wonderful city standing on Black Sea coast is often called the "Pearl of the South". Odessa city has special architectural style and special ambiance. Fortunately, most of the marvelous buildings that went up in Odessa during the 18th and 19th centuries were only partially damaged during World War II. That means Odessa retains the charm of yesteryear.
Odessa residents are known to be hospitable, warm-hearted, independent, proud - and to possess a sophisticated sense of humor. Odessa city holds festivals of humor and satire every year on 1 April. And when the festivals are held, local businesses give their employees the day off.
Odessa Ukraine city history. Although a settlement existed on the site in ancient times, the history of modern Odessa city began in the 14th century when Tatar fortress of Khadzhibey was established there. It later passed to Lithuania-Poland and in 1764 to Turkey. The fortress was stormed by Russians in 1789 and ceded to Russia in 1791. New fortress was built in 1792-1793, and in 1794 the naval base and commercial quay were added. In 1795 the port was named Odessa for the ancient Greek colony of Odessos, the site of which was believed to be in the vicinity.
The late 18th and early 19th centuries were "golden age" for Odessa city, the peak of its development and richness. These times are connected with the name of one of the founders of the city, Frances Duke de Richelieu. The founders were an enlightened bunch and did a good job of guiding the city. They included Field Marshal Suvorov, Count Potyomkin-Tavriyskiy and a number of notable Russians, including De Ribas, Devolan and Lanzheron.
They did such a good job of laying the foundation for the port city that it has become known throughout the world as a gate to large inland empire. Odessa was lucky enough to enjoy great deal of freedom under Russian rule. The central government kept its thumb on the vast majority of its vast empire.
Odessa city archeological museum. The prosperity trickled down to all levels of society, giving Odessa city residents good standard of living. Count Lanzheron, who took over as governor from Duke de Richelieu in 1815, bolstered Odessas prosperity by convincing Russian government to establish duty-free international trade zone in the city. Good times in the city during that era led to Odessa gaining a reputation as European city.
During the 19th century Odessas city growth was rapid, especially after the coming of railways in 1866. Odessa became the third city of Russia and Russias second most important port after St. Petersburg; grain was its principal export.
Odessa city was one of the chief centers of Russian Revolution of 1905 and was the scene of the mutiny on the warship Potemkin; Sergey Eisensteins classic film Potemkin was made there in 1925. Odessa suffered heavy damage in World War II during its prolonged and unsuccessful defense against German and Romanian forces.
Odessas city age - 200 years - makes it a young city for this part of the world. By comparison, Kyiv is 1,500 years; old Kyiv and Lvov are even older.
Odessa city hall. Odessa city is also large industrial center with a wide range of engineering industries, including the production of machine tools, cranes, and plows. The chemical industry makes fertilizers, paints, dyes, and other materials.
Odessa also has an oil refinery, a large jute mill, and a number of consumer goods and food-processing factories. Most factories lie north of the port along the waterfront, with newer plants on the western outskirts of the city.
Main attractions
•    Krasnaya Hotel, formerly known as the Bristol, opened in 1899.
•    Former English Club is now the Museum of the Marine Fleet
•    The houses went up during the Golden Age of Odessa. The architectural complex is on Primorskiy Boulevard
•    The city garden on Deribassovya Street is a favorite place of the painters
•    St. Pantheleimon Orthodox Church was part of a theological university in the 19th century
•    St.Ilea Cathedral is on Pushkinya Street, which at once time was called Italian Street
•    Odessas city concert hall was built in 1899
•    and plenty of others
Odessa was allowed to breathe politically because of its advantageous geographical location, convenient sheltered inlet, fertile black soil and eclectic mix of population. Russian Emperor Alexander I felt the newly won lands in the south needed a progressive administrator.
He chose Duke Arman de Richelieu as governor in 1803. Though a foreigner, Richelieu became a zealous Odessa booster. He went all out to create favorable conditions in Odessa city for development and trade. That included convincing the government to cut tariffs to only a quarter of what they were at other ports. A fifth of the revenue from the money saved on the lower tariffs went toward developing the new city.

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Poltava Region

Poltava region is an administrative and economic territorial unit. Poltava region was formed on September 22, 1937. Poltava region is distributed in a forest/steppe zone. Forests cover 7.4% of Poltava region territory.
Poltava region territory is crossed by 89 rivers with a total length of 5453 km. Dnepr river is the main water artery of Poltava region. All the rivers (Vorksla, Sula, Oril being the longest ones) belong to the Dnepr basin and are its left tributaries. In the south and southwest Poltava region is washed by waters of Kremenchug and Dnieprodzerzhinsk water reservoirs.
There are many artificial water bodies and lakes in Poltava region of Ukraine. Their total area reaches 21 thousand hectares. The railway lines and developed network of motor roads cross Poltava region territory. The city of Poltava is the regional center with a population of 309,000 people.

Poltava Ukraine region population - 1,554,000 (2006). Poltava Ukraine region land area - 28,748 sq. km.
Poltava Ukraine city history. Archaeological evidence dates Poltava from the 8th to the 9th century, although the first documentary reference is from 1174, when Poltava was variously known as Ltava. At that time it was ruled by the Lithuanian Princedom. Destroyed by the Tatars in the early 13th century, Poltava was a center of a Cossack regiment by the 17th century. According to Lyublin union of 1569 Poltava was ruled by Poland. In the chronicle of 1641 Poltava was called a town. In the 17th century the Magdeburg Law was adopted in Poltava city. In 1709 Peter I the Great inflicted a crushing defeat on Charles XII of Sweden outside Poltava city in battle of Poltava after Charles had laid siege to the town for three months. In 1654 Poltava with Left-bank Ukraine was joined to Russia. In 1802 Poltava city became a provincial center. Soviet power was established in Poltava in 1918.

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Rivne Region

Rivne region includes 16 districts, 4 districts in the cities and 6 settlement of region estate, 17 urban villages, in general there are 1031 settlements including 1004 villages. The largest cities of the region are Rivne, Kostopil, Kuznetsovsk, Sarny.
Rivne was first time mentioned in 1282 as a town of Galytsko-Volynskoye princedom. From the second half of the 14th century Rivne was ruled by Lithuania. At the end of the 15th century Magdeburg Law was adopted in Rivne.

According to Lyublin union of 1569 Rivne passed to Poland and was long a minor Polish settlement. In 1648 there was an anti-feudal revolt.
In 1793 on the first partition of Poland Rivne passed to Russia. Rivne was made a town in 1797. The growth began at the end of the 19th century when Rivne became an important railway junction. In February 1918 Rivne was occupied by Austro-German troops, between 1920 and 1939 Rivne reverted to Poland. With the beginning of World War II the city was captured by Soviet army and became the part of Ukrainian SSR.

Sumi Region

Sumi region is situated in the northeast part of Ukraine. On the North and the East Sumi region borders on the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions of Russia. On the South, the southeast and the West Sumi region borders on the Kharkiv, Poltava and Chernigov regions of Ukraine.
Sumi region was established on January 10, 1939. Sumi region center is the city of Sumi founded four centuries ago. Sumi city boasts high tech industrial works, unique cathedrals with beautiful fountains, institutions of higher learning, nice recreation areas.
Sumi region is rich in mineral resources. Among them are oil (30.5% of the total oil reserves of Ukraine) and natural gas.
About 165 rivers flow through Sumi region with the total length of 5444 km. All of them belong to Dnepr River basin. Desna, Seim and Sula are the biggest rivers of Sumi region. The water of these rivers is used for local foundry production, for chemical and textile industries.
The forest area accounts for 387 thou.ha. There are different kinds of woods in local forests of Sumi region.
Konotop is a city located in northern part of Ukraine in Sumi region. Konotop city is an important railway junction and has an airport. Konotop city transport system has trams and this is very unusual for city with such a small population.
Konotop Ukraine city history
In the beginning of 17th century Cossacks began to settle in Konotop city current area. The first notes mentioning village are from 1635. The settlement was named Novoselitsa. Polish fortress was built there in 1642. The fortress was named after the river Konotopka. Konotopka fortress became one of the Poland key points in struggle against the Moscow state.
There is a legend about Konotop city name saying that when Tatar cavalry was moving through the region a lot of people and horses drowned in the swamps. So the area was named "Konotop" which means "swampy land where horses drowned". Konotop Battle happened in Konotop city area in 1659. During the battle Polish, Crimean Tatars and Ukrainian Cossacks forces defeated Russian-Ukrainian forces. Konotop was granted municipal rights in 1782.
Akhtyrka (other spelling Okhtyrka) is a city located in Sumi region (region) of Ukraine, administrative center of Akhtyrka district. Akhtyrka city is an important cultural, historical and spiritual center of Ukraine. The city is standing on the left bank of Vorskla River.
Akhtyrka settlement was founded by Poles in 1641. In the period from 17th to 18th century Akhtyrka was one of the centers of Sloboda Ukraine being almost as powerful as Kharkiv city itself. Akhtyrka city was the place where first Ukrainian tobacco manufacture was built in 1718. In 1781 Akhtyrka received coat of arms from Russian ruler Catherine II.

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Ternopil Region

Ternopil (Ukrainian spelling Ternopil) region was created on December 4, 1939. Ternopil region area is 2.3% of the territory of Ukraine. Ternopil region borders on Ivano-Frankivsk region in the west and southwest, Chernivtsi region in the south, Lvov region in the Northwest, Rivne region in the north and Khmelnitski region in the east.
Ternopil region population is 2.3% of total population of Ukraine, including 512,400 people of urban area and 630,600 of rural population.
Ternopil region includes 17 districts, one city under the control of the regional authorities - regional center Ternopil, 15 towns under the control of the district authorities, 19 villages of a town type and 1016 villages.
Ternopil (Ukrainian spelling Ternopil, both variants are correct for now) former Tarnopol, is a city and administrative center of Ternopil region (region) of Western Ukraine.
Ternopil city lies along the upper Seret River, 70 miles (about 115 km) east of Lvov city. Ternopil is important highway and railway junction of Western Ukraine.
Ternopil Ukraine city history
Although Ternopil date of foundation is unknown, the first known reference to Ternopil occurs in 1524, when as a Polish town it was sacked by Tatars. Ternopil was known as a fortress. At the end of the 16th century the fraternity was organized which played an important part in the struggle against Catholicism.
In 1548 Magdeburg Law was adopted in Ternopil. In 1655 Cossack troops headed by B.Khmelnytsk captured Ternopil. But Ternopil city was under Polands control.
On first partition of Poland in 1772 Ternopil was captured by Austria. In 1809-1815 Ternopil was ruled by Russia. After the fall of Austro-Hungary Ternopil was passed to Poland in 1920 and was annexed by the USSR in 1939. World War II inflicted exceptionally heavy damage on Ternopil.
Pochaev (other spellings Pochaiv, Pochayiv, Pochayev) is a small city located in Kremenets district of Ternopil region (region) of Ukraine. The nearest railway station is situated in Kremenets city about 25 km away. The distance to region capital city Ternopil is about 50 km.
Pochaev Ukraine city main attractions
The city is known all over Ukraine and abroad for the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra, the second largest Orthodox monastery of Ukraine after Kyiv-Pechyorsk Lavra. The monastery is standing on the hill of about 50 meters over Pochaev city.
The monastery was first time mentioned in written sources in 1527. But according to the local tradition it was founded in 13th century by several monks who left Kyiv monastery during the Mongol invasion. In 1712 Russian Tsar Peter the Great visited the Pochaev monastery several times together with Feofan Prokopovich (Russian Orthodox Church reformer).

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Vinnytsya Region

Vinnitsya region was founded on 27 February 1932. The area of the region makes 4.5% of the Ukraines territory. Vinnytsya region is located in the central part of the Right Bank Ukraine and borders on seven administrative regions of Ukraine. In the southwest of Vinnytsya region along the Dnestr river passes a 202 kilometer long section of the state border with Moldova.
Vinnytsya region has the world largest deposit of competitive mineral raw material kaolin (800 million t.). Three granite deposits (whose resources are 10million cu. m.) have been explored and are being mined, an experimental mining is carried out in eight developed deposits. Enterprises are provided with resources for more than 100 years in Vinnytsya region of Ukraine.
Vinnytsya was founded in 1363 as a fortress by Prince Algirdas of Lithuania. Vinnytsya settlement was often sacked by the Tatars and passed later to Poland and finally, in 1793, to Russia. Town status was conferred in 1795, although the settlements growth accelerated only after the building of Kyiv-Odessa railway in 1870.
Modern Vinnytsya city, as the center of a major agricultural region, produces fertilizers and has food-processing industries in addition to electronics, agricultural equipment, light engineering, clothing and footwear industries.

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Volyn Region

Volyn region was created on December 4, 1939. Volyn region is situated in the northwestern part of Ukrainian Polissia. Volyn region borders on Poland in the west (the frontier length 135 km), on Republic of Belarus in the north (the frontier length 195 km), on the Rivne region in the east and Lvov region in the south.
Volyn region has a favorable geographical position. Volyn region is in the crossing of European trade roads. The roads between Kyiv, Warsaw and Berlin, the Baltic and Black Seas run through Volyn region of Ukraine.
Volyn region territory makes 3.3% of the territory of Ukraine. Volyn region stretches for 187 km from the north to the south, and 163 km from the east to the west.
Lutsk is an old city, probably founded about AD 1000 by Prince Vladimir of Kyiv. Later Lutsk became the part of Galicia-Volhynia Principality and until the late 18th century was in Lithuanian Poland, when it fell into Russian hands. Lutsk city belonged to Poland again in 1919-1939.
Kovel is a city located in Volyn region (region) of Ukraine. Kovel city is situated northwest of Volyn region administrative center Lutsk. Kovel is an important railway junction of the region.
There are some factories and plants in Kovel city (agricultural machines manufacturer, milk plant, flax-processing and woodworking complexes, meat processing and packing factory). Kovel city was first mentioned in chronicles in 1310.

Zakarpattya Region

Zakarpattya region has a unique geographical position. The region is situated in the far southwest of Ukraine. It occupies the southeastern part of Ukrainian Carpathians and Danube lowland. Other names of the region are Zakarpat, Podkarpat, Transcarpathian, Transcarpathia, Zakarpattya.
Zakarpattya region borders on Lvov and Ivano-Frankovsk regions in the north and southeast, while in the north, west and south Zakarpattya region borders on Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania. Zakarpattya region capital is Uzhgorod city.
According to archeological data Uzhgorod was founded in 9th century. The settlement was first time mentioned in 903. In 10-11th centuries Uzhgorod was apart of Kyivan Rus.
Uzhgorod position has long given it trading and military significance. At the end of the 11th century Uzhgorod was under Hungarys control, since the end of the 17th century - under Austrias control.
In 1919 Uzhgorod city passed to Czechoslovakia and to Hungary in 1938, back to Czechoslovakia in 1945 and to the Soviet Union in the same year.
Mukachevo settlement was probably the part of Kyivan Rus from the 9th to 11th centuries. Mukachevo was captured by Hungarians in 1018. During the 15th century, Mukachevo city became an important craft and trade center of the region. In the 16th century, Mukachevo became the part of Transylvania Principality. In 1646 first gymnasium was established in Mukachevo.
Mukachevo came under control of Austria as part of the Kingdom of Hungary at the end of 18th century. Mukachevo city was made a fortress of the Habsburg Monarchy. During 1796-1897 Mukachevo city castle was an all-European political prison.
Carpathian Ruthenia region was occupied by Czechoslovak army in 1919. In November 1938 the territory was re-annexed by Hungary as part of the First Vienna Award. In 1944 Mukachevo city Jewish population was deported to concentration camps of Nazi Germany. Mukachevo was then the only town in Hungary with a Jewish majority until 1944, when all the Jews were deported to Auschwitz by the Eichmann Commando. The Hungarian Jewish community was the last Jewish community in Europe to be subjected to deportation.
Mukachevo castle Palanok history
Mukachevo castle is a valuable military-architectural monument of Ukraine. The castle was erected at the crossroads of ancient trade and military routes that led from Poddunaysky land to Kyivan Rus and from the salt mines of Semigradiye to the Czech Republic, Moravia and Poland. The purpose of building the castle was to protect and control these caravan routes.
The exact date of construction of the castle is unknown, also unknown are the names of its first builders. Archaeologists suggest that people were living at Castle Hill from the prehistoric times. Initially, there existed a small fortified settlement, and then it was replaced by various wooden castles of the leaders of the Slavic tribes.
In IX - X centuries various fortifications were constructed there for the protection of the Carpathian Mountains borders of Kyivan Rus. Later, there arose the feudal castle. Improvement and restructuring of the castle dates back to the reign of Podolsky Prince Fyodor Koryatovich. During the years of his reign in Mukachevo (1396 - 1414) he managed to turn a small castle into a strong fortification, and made it his residence.
The castle consisted of Predzamcha and the main courtyard, where there was a square residential tower (donjon). All the houses and outbuildings were surrounded by a dry moat and stone wall of a fortress with four round towers (three of them survived until our days).
After the death of Fyodor Koryatovich there were numerous owners of the castle. In 1629 the commandant of the castle John Balling held major repairs and strengthening of the castle as evidenced by the inscription on a stone slab preserved in the upper left wing of the castle.
In 1633 the castle was bought by Transylvanian Prince Dierd I Rakoczi, who started the reconstruction of the fortress. Later with the help of two French engineers the reconstruction of the old castle was started and the construction of external defense began. Improvements of the castle continued for all 78 years of ruling in it the dynasty of Rakoczi.
For a long time on the Castle Hill and at its base a fortress complex of various buildings was formed. For outside defense treated water moat, earthen ramparts, a palisade and a stone wall with loopholes. Within this shape, at the base rock, was the so-called settlement of defenders, where, besides the soldiers lived artisans and common people. A high palisade of thick oak logs on the inside of a water ditch was called Palanok, hence the name of the castle.
On the hill with the height of 68 meters, year after year and century by century various buildings were constructed and improved placed on three terraces of the ledge to the south and formed 4 separate lines of defense by the beginning of XVIII century. The total area of the castle was 13,930 sq. m.
For centuries, the walls of the castle were under the sieges of numerous conquerors. But only a few of them could capture it. The fortress survived several sieges. One of them and the most memorable lasted almost two and a half years - since the summer of 1685 to January 1688.
In July 24, 1711 after the defeat of Ferenc II Rakoczi the castle again passed into the treasury of the Austrian emperor. In the 70 years of XVIII century the castle lost its military significance and in 1789 was turned into a prison for political prisoners.
In May 2, 1848 insurgent people seized the castle and freed the prisoners. In 1897 the prison was abolished. The castle was empty for a long time and was going to ruin. In the years of 1922 - 1926 it was partially renovated and adapted for military barracks. In Soviet times, the castle was playing a role of museum. Today it is planned to set up a tourist complex in the castle.

Red Army forces captured Carpathian Ruthenia region at the end of 1944. The territory became the part of Soviet Union. USSR began the policy of expulsion of the Hungarian population. In 1945 Mukachevo city became the part of Ukrainian SSR (Ukraine now). In 2002 Mukachevo city has been the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese comprising Transcarpathia.

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Zaporizhzhia Region

Zaporizhzhia (also spelled Zaporizhzhia) region is located in the southeastern part of Ukraine. A strategic location of Zaporizhzhia region is emphasized by its equal distance from European and Asian markets.
Zaporizhzhia region area makes 4.5% of that of Ukraine. Region stretches for 208 km from the north to the south and for 235 km from the east to the west.
Zaporizhzhia (other spelling Zaporizhzhia), former (until 1921) Aleksandrovsk, is a city and administrative center of Zaporizhzhia region (region), southeastern Ukraine, on Dnepr river just below its former rapids.
Zaporizhzhia city is an important railway junction and river port of Ukraine. There is an airport in the city. Zaporizhzhia stretches for several miles along Dnepr river, with a green belt separating Zaporizhzhia city industrial and residential sectors.

Zaporizhzhia region south is washed by Azov Sea, whose shoreline within region boundaries exceeds 300 km. Dnepr, the European third longest river, an important transport waterway, flows in Zaporizhzhia region territory. Zaporizhzhia region is characterized by plain landscape.

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 Zhytomyr Region

Zhitomyr region (Ukrainian spelling Zhytomyr) is located in the central part of the East European plain, north of right bank Ukraine. Zhitomyr region area is 4,9% of the territory of Ukraine. Zhitomyr region area is one of the largest in Ukraine, fifth among all regions.
Zhitomyr region borders on the Republic of Belarus in the north, Khmelnytsky and Rivne regions in the west, Vinnytsya region in the south and Kyiv region in the east. In its current borders, Zhitomyr region was created in 1937. About 56% of Zhitomyr region population is urban.
Zhitomyr region beautiful nature
Zhitomyr Ukraine region history
Zhitomyr is believed to date from the 9th century, but the first record is from 1240, when it was sacked by the Tatars.
For long a major trade focus and a seat of provincial government, Zhitomyr region today is an important junction where the main rail and road routes westward from Kyiv are crossed by north-south routes.
Zhitomyr region industry: food-processing, machine-building, wood-working, building materials production and consumer goods industry; major national producers of porcelain, linen fabrics and hostelry.
Zhitomyr region agriculture: all major agricultural cultures (grains, vegetables, potatoes, sugar beets) are being grown; the region is the national leader in hops and flax production.
Zhitomyr region light industries chiefly process wood for furniture and flax for linen. Synthetic fibres are a recent extension of Zhitomyr region textile industry. Musical instruments, notably accordions, are a specialty of Zhitomyr region of Ukraine.
Korosten is a city situated in Zhitomyr region of Ukraine. Korosten city stands on the banks of Uzh river. Korosten is an important railway junction of Zhitomyr region. The name of the city from ancient Slav language means "walls made of bark".
Korosten was founded in 8th century. The original name of the settlement was Iskorosten (the city celebrated its 1300th birthday in 2005). Korosten was first time mentioned in 914 as the capital city of Slav tribe Drevlyany.
In 945 according to legend people of the city refused to pay enormous contribution to Kyiv Rus state. They killed Kyiv Rus prince Igor who came to Korosten to take it. Prince Igor wife Olga decided to take vengeance on Drevlyany tribe and Korosten was burnt to the ground in 945. From that time Korosten lands were the part of Kyiv Rus state.
In 1240 the Korosten settlement was destroyed by Mongol tribes. In 1370 Korosten was captured by the Great Kingdom of Lithuania, later it came under control of Poland. In 1589 the settlement received the city status. From 1795 Korosten city was the part of Russian Empire.
Korosten city was again totally destroyed during World War II. And it was not the last disaster happened with this city. In 1986 Korosten city population suffered from radioactive contamination after explosion at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

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