Sviatohorivka. The Holy Springs of Donbas

Since ancient times springs have been considered the beginning of life; from them flow rivers both small and great. In the Donbas, not rich in water resources, springs are a gift of nature and a kind of indicator of the ecological state of the area. Springs need revival and protection from man-made impact. Sadly, in recent years we have seen healing springs grow shallow and disappear, and so examples of careful treatment of these protected corners deserve attention.

 

Sviatohorivka, Donetsk region. The Life-Giving Spring

Slovianka. The Pearl of the Steppe Estate

As the May holidays draw near, and the summer vacations behind them, we think more and more about where to spend them. The pandemic has forced Ukrainians to reconsider their travel routes in favour of little-known destinations, giving up the popular resorts. Quarantine restrictions push travellers and holidaymakers to change their plans, to look for new uncharted corners and to draw fresh emotions from what they see. Having sat out several weeks or months in self-isolation, people long to break away from ordinary life, to relax in the lap of nature, to hurry nowhere and to make incredible discoveries.

The "Pearl of the Steppe" estate is exactly the place where you can spend your leisure not with a crowd of tourists galloping past the sights, but resting far from the rhythms of the urban bustle, with a blanket on the meadow and a fishing rod at the evening glow. We are off in search of inspiration, adrenaline and endorphins!

Slovianka, Dnipropetrovsk region. The "Pearl of the Steppe" estate

Drohobych. Churches Worth Visiting

Getting acquainted with the history and notable sights of Drohobych, the administrative and cultural centre of Lviv region, tourists will find it interesting to look over the sacred architecture, the ancient churches and the new churches of various denominations.

 

Drohobych, Lviv region. The Monastery of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul

Dobropillia. The 'By the Stork' Nature Complex

Sometimes you walk along a country road, admiring the tidy homesteads and the front gardens in bloom, and suddenly you see something unusual for the Ukrainian backwoods. Where they remember the history of the village and its founders, where they value the labour of those who came before, the community has created, by its own efforts, historical displays and nature-protection areas. Local landmarks have become the calling cards of small settlements; people are proud of them, they cherish and nurture them, adorn and multiply them. And the old-timers put in their efforts not only for themselves -- a traveller too is curious to look in and learn something new about the cultural traditions of the village.

 

Dobropillia. The "By the Stork" nature-protection complex from the history of the Donetsk land

Prosiana. The V. V. Pryklonskyi Railway Station

A railway station is a line subdivision through which the railway's link with its users is carried out.  The V. V. Pryklonskyi Prosiana station is located in the settlement of Prosiana in the Synelnykove district of the Dnipropetrovsk region.

The Suderman House in Zelene. An Estate That Was Lucky

A love of travel and discovery is born back in childhood, when moral values and spiritual needs are formed. It is very important to preserve cultural and historical heritage for young explorers and pioneers, to cultivate a sense of responsibility for preserving historical monuments. Memory is our strength in creating the future. Sadly, in recent years there has been no careful treatment of architectural and historical gems; many unique buildings and estates left to us by earlier generations have been irretrievably lost or spoiled beyond recognition by rebuilding. Every historical object is individual and carries the memory of a bygone era, and needs to be preserved and protected.

A one-of-a-kind example of cultural heritage has survived in the village of Zelene in the Dobropillia area.

 

Zelene in the Dobropillia area. The "Manor House" architectural-historical complex. The Suderman house. 1897-1914

The Princely Town of Sambir. Heritage and Potential

The architectural and historical heritage of Sambir is an inseparable part of the cultural heritage of the Lviv region and of Ukraine as a whole. In Sambir 72 monuments of cultural heritage are on the state register, of them 7 monuments of national significance: 56 architectural monuments, 10 historical monuments and 6 monuments of monumental art.

Sambir, Lviv region. The Market Square

The 8th of March. Sweets and Flowers, or a Fight for Rights

The 8th of March is one of the few pre-revolutionary holidays that has carried over into modern society, though it has changed somewhat over its more than century-long history. Already in the first days of March a pre-holiday fever begins, with ceremonial gatherings at enterprises, corporate parties in companies and festive events in schools.

Ocheretyne. A Junction Station and Its Settlement

The Ocheretyne junction freight-and-passenger station lies at the intersection of the Pokrovsk-Yasynuvata and Ocheretyne-Horlivka lines, in the settlement of the same name in the Yasynuvata district of the Donetsk region.

 

Ocheretyne railway station. Donetsk Railway

The Prosiana Kaolin Quarry. Winter Scenery

There are places on earth that draw you with a magic force and enchant at any time of year. Hikes to the abandoned Prosiana kaolin quarry in the summer and autumn period left unforgettable impressions. But the artist-winter transforms nature with special magic, and one wants to see its tricks after the noticeable frosts and the snowfalls that have been rare in recent years.