Sumy. A Walk Along the Pedestrian Streets — Soborna and Voskresenska

In recent years, in the cities of Ukraine, pedestrian zones have been taking shape in the historical, commercial and business centres, which significantly affects the flow of tourist traffic. In Sumy, two streets at once create a pedestrian space — Soborna and Voskresenska.

Sumy. The pedestrian Soborna Street

The oldest city thoroughfares lie in the very heart of Sumy, on the site of the citadel of the fortress of the Sumy Sloboda regiment. After reconstruction in 1999-2002 and the moving of traffic to the neighbouring roads, Soborna and Voskresenska became pedestrian and attractive for strolls. Let us take an informative tourist promenade along the old streets of this regional centre of Ukraine.


Soborna Street begins at Independence Square and runs up to Pokrovska Square.

Soborna St. — corner — Pokrovska Square

The length of the pedestrian zone is 490 metres. The settlement on the banks of the Psel, Sumka and Strilka rivers arose in the 17th century. The wooden buildings decayed and were replaced by two lines of stone houses, which by the end of the 19th century formed Soborna and Voskresenska streets.

Terezova Lane, which connects Soborna and Voskresenska streets

In the two-storey buildings put up at the end of the 19th century, the ground floor held financial and banking offices and shops. Small premises were occupied by watchmakers, photographers and private doctors. The second floor served as housing for well-off residents of Sumy.

Soborna St., 34

The architectural dominant of the street is the Transfiguration Cathedral. Built in 1778, the church combined several styles — Classicism, Baroque and Renaissance.

Rebuildings and reconstructions led to the entrance to the cathedral being located right on the street. A characteristic feature of the shrine is that four three-metre sculptures of the apostles are set on the dome, which is rare on Orthodox churches.

On the 56-metre bell tower, a four-sided chiming clock shows the exact time.

Soborna Street was renamed in 1882; before that it was called Moskovska. After the revolution it bore the name of the national poet Shevchenko, but in the 1950s the central street had to be named in honour of the leader of the proletariat. With the proclamation of Independence in Ukraine, Soborna Street was given back its pre-revolutionary name.

Soborna St., 29a

The name of the poet-prophet lives on in the name of the public garden laid out in the second half of the 19th century. Taras Hryhorovych was immortalised in stone in 1957.

 Soborna St. The Shevchenko public garden and the monument to the Kobzar

Around the green oasis, which has always been an open space, in the former building of the treasury bank the Palace of Children and Youth was set up,

Soborna St., 37. Former treasury bank. City Palace of Children and Youth

and in the first women's gymnasium, built in 1873 — the law faculty of the Academy of Banking.

Soborna St., 39. Former women's gymnasium. Law faculty of the Ukrainian Academy of Banking

On building No. 42, a protection plaque attests to the opening of several cinemas on the fashionable streets at the beginning of the 20th century.

Soborna St., 42. Cinema. Architectural monument

Voskresenska Street is 435 metres long. Its original name was Staromoskovska, which at the end of the 19th century changed to Voskresenska.

The pedestrian Voskresenska Street

After the October coup the street bore the name of the Soviet military commander Mikhail Frunze. Since 1991 it has again been called Voskresenska.

Voskresenska St., 11

This street was once called the 'hotel' street because of the five hotels that existed on it. Building No. 1 has not lost its purpose, and it houses the Reikartz Sumy business hotel and the hotel 'Ukraina'.

Building No. 13, of the early 20th century in the Art Nouveau style, still houses a post office today.

Voskresenska St., 13. Post office

On Voskresenska there were shops, clothes-making workshops, photo studios, restaurants and trading rows.

Voskresenska St., 8a

The most famous confectionery, which was renowned for its exquisite sweets, was visited by the most glamorous public.

Voskresenska St., 7

The sculptural composition of sweet-tooths is a tribute to the memory of the family of the sugar manufacturer Kharytonenko, thanks to whom the city achieved economic prosperity in the 19th century.

Voskresenska St. Sculptural composition of sweet-tooths

Anyone who wishes can join the bronze sugar-eaters. On the pedestrian streets all sorts of cafes and restaurants, summer terraces and coffee houses are open.

Decorative trees form green corridors, creating the illusion of an expanding space and a shady canopy in the summer heat.

Unfortunately, Voskresenska Street cannot be called fully pedestrian, because cars on it are not a rarity, and the paving tiles that replaced the asphalt after reconstruction are already spoiled.

Voskresenska Street ends at the church courtyard of the Resurrection Cathedral. The shrine was built in 1702 and is considered the very first stone building in Sumy.

Voskresenska St., 19. Holy Resurrection Cathedral

Forty minutes is enough for a walk along the pedestrian streets. It is a pity that the ceremonial avenue on Voskresenska is filled with official and private vehicles. For tourist appeal, the pedestrian space lacks displays and exhibitions, decorative flower beds and lamps, small fountains and pools, hedges for wind protection — in a word, polish and creativity.

A manhole cover on Soborna Street with the reconstruction date — 1999.

Coordinates of the pedestrian Soborna Street: 50°54'34"N 34°48'0"E
Coordinates of the pedestrian Voskresenska Street: 50°54'35 "N 34°47'55"E