Welcome to Kharkiv — the second largest

city in Ukraine, located in the north-east

of the country, in a region that is termed

as “Sloboda Ukraine”. It lies in the

confluence of the rivers Kharkiv, Udy and

Lopan, has the population of about

1,450,000, and the area of 350 sq. km.

The city has a fascinating history. There is

a version that its foundations were laid in

1654 by the eponymous Cossack Kharko,

whose legend endures till date in the form

of a monument on one of the city’s central

streets - Prospekt Nauky.

Prospekt Nauky

During the times of the Russian Empire, the city served as a major center of

Ukrainian culture. Kharkiv became the first city where the Ukrainian Soviet

Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and the Soviet government

was formed. Kharkiv was then declared the capital of Ukraine and remained so

until 1934, when the country’s administrative affairs were shifted to Kiev.

During World War II, the city was occupied by the Nazi

on two separate occasions and saw a lot of bloodshed in

the four battles that were fought. The city was ultimately

freed from Nazi occupation on August 23rd 1943, which

has ever since been celebrated as the City Day. Kharkiv

residents commemorate the memory of all the victims of

that terrible war, irrespective of the nationality, and have

memorials to Soviet, Polish, German soldiers; there is

also a Jewish memorial in the city.

Wars and Soviet development have

reduced Kharkiv’s historical center,

boasting some pretty 19th century

buildings, to a little triangle between

Sumska and Pushkinska streets.

The rest is Soviet monumentalism in all its glory, including one of the world’s

biggest squares –– Ploscha Svobody –– with the late-1920s Derzhprom building,

an example of constructivist architecture and

the Karazin university (early 1930s), also

displaying classic Soviet aesthetics.

By the way, Kharkiv is considered to be the

scientific, industrial and educational center

of Ukraine. It houses some of the best

educational institutions of the country–– for

example, the above-mentioned Karazin

University trained and employed three

Nobel Prize laureates, namely Ilya

Mechnikov (Medicine), Lev Landau

(Physics) and Simon Kuznets (Economics).

V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University

Among other Kharkiv’s places of interest

are:

Kharkiv Art Museum that owns one of

many versions of Ilya Repin's

Zaporizhsky Cossacks Writing a Letter to

the Turkish Sultan (as well as many other

paintings of this artist);

Shevchenko Park with its peaceful alleys,

fountains, the Zoo, Kharkiv

Dolphinarium, and Taras Shevchenko

Statue;

Gorky Park - the best theme park in

Ukraine, one of the best in Europe, with

attractions for all ages;

Pokrovsky Monastery with the beautiful blue

three-domed Pokrovska Church (1689);

Blahoveshchensky Cathedral, a striking red-

and-cream striped church built in 1881–

1901. Based on Istanbul's Hagia Sophia, it

has a beautifully proportioned bell tower

resembling a stick of candy.

By the way, people of different religions co-

exist in Kharkiv in peace and mutual

respect, and Orthodox churches are

neighbors to Greek Catholic ones, mosques,

and a synagogue. Blahoveshchensky Cathedral

Kharkiv is a city of many theaters. Opera

and Ballet Theater, Ukrainian Drama

Theater, Russian Drama Theater,

Philarmonic, Theater of Musical Comedy,

House of Organ and Chamber Music, as

well as many little experimental theaters

always impress their viewers with

interesting productions.

EURO-2012 made always-hospitable

Kharkiv even more foreigner-friendly —

there are a lot of street signs in English, as

well as menus in restaurants and clubs.

WELLCOME!!!!