Velyki Sorochyntsi. 210 Years Since Gogol's Birth

Every resident of our country knows and has heard of Velyki Sorochyntsi. Every year here, in the heart of Ukraine, a trade and cultural mass event is held — the national Sorochyntsi Fair. This village in the Poltava region was made famous by the work of Mykola Vasyliovych Gogol, who was born here. His whole life is filled with myths and mysteries, and his birthplace still remains a riddle. Gogol scholars claim that the spring flood, as of 1 April 1809, washed out the roads and carried away the bridges, and the infant came into the world in a wagon train, as befits a future traveller. But the residents of the writer's little homeland refute this version and are convinced that Nikosha's mother, who had already lost two children, came to doctor Trokhymovsky in good time. What does the cradle of the most enigmatic writer of Ukrainian and Russian literature look like now?

Velyki Sorochyntsi, Poltava region. The M. V. Gogol Literary Memorial Museum

Uzhhorod. Mysterious, welcoming, romantic, wonderful

Uzhhorod — a popular tourist centre of all Ukraine. What do they not call this enchanting city! Tourists hurry to see the capital of Zakarpattia in spring, when the city is wrapped in a pink veil of blooming sakuras and magnolias. Uzhhorod draws you to itself like a magnet at any time of year, and each time it evokes delight and astonishment. It seems you already know all the landmarks, but suddenly you see them from a new, inimitable angle — for example, after the rain.

Uzhhorod. Theatre Square after the rain

Novomoskovsk. The fortress-city of the Samara region

Novomoskovsk — a district centre and railway junction of the Dnipropetrovsk region. The most famous landmark of this industrial city is a masterpiece of 18th-century wooden architecture, the Holy Trinity Cathedral, which survived the years of hardship and persecution. Looking at photographs of the sacred structure of unearthly beauty, I very much wanted to see the shrine, which is counted among the hundred best wooden buildings in the whole world. But the city has many other iconic places and beautiful buildings, for the viewing of which I had only two hours.

Novomoskovsk. Dnipropetrovsk region. The Holy Trinity Cathedral

Druzhkivka. The Park of Sculptures. Fairy-tale and historic

In industrial cities you very often come across half-ruined industrial zones, wastelands and unfinished buildings. And suddenly enterprising, creative people appear, capable of turning desolate and wild sites into beautiful parks and recreation areas that become landmarks and tourist attractions. Parks come in many kinds. Often it is not just a green zone with amusement rides, but also an educational centre. In Druzhkivka the park of stone sculptures became an exhibition ground for fifty sculptural depictions of real and imagined heroes.

Druzhkivka. Donetsk region. The Park of Stone Sculptures

Zalukva. Halych beyond the Lukva

One of the many human passions urges us to see uncharted distances, getting to know not only the popular tourist landmarks but also that which is not found in advertising brochures and catalogues. From the top of Castle Hill in Halych the grace of the Subcarpathian village opens to the view, its outskirts merging with the forests, the mountains and the clouds of heaven.

Zalukva, Halych district, Ivano-Frankivsk region

Pavlohrad. We stroll, we look, we get acquainted

We know little of the history and landmarks of the provincial cities of Ukraine, remote from the capital and the regional centres. Pavlohrad is one of those cities that tourists do not aspire to visit. For travellers the stereotype of an industrial city without landmarks kicks in. If fate casts you into the centre of the coal basin of the Western Donbas, you will find much of interest. Let us begin with the religious buildings, whose number approaches twenty.

Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk region. The Holy Dormition Church

The Pina — the blue artery of Pinsk

The Pina ... A small river of Belarus, one of the little blue arteries of which the mighty Dnipro is composed.

The Pina. Pinsk. Brest region. Belarus

Kindrativka Station and Oleksiyevo-Druzhkivka

A railway and the small settlements beside it are inextricably linked with each other, determining each other's economic condition and vital activity.

The Kindrativka railway station. The settlement of Oleksiyevo-Druzhkivka. Donetsk region

Sambir. The Town Hall. An excursion up the clock tower

Among the sights that travellers in Sambir are recommended to visit without fail are Market Square and the Town Hall, which was and remains the historic core of this industrial, cultural and tourist centre of the Lviv region.

Sambir. The Town Hall

The "Zakhar Berkut" cableway. A sightseeing attraction

The high-speed ski runs of Slavske are among the most popular in the Carpathians. The "Zakhar Berkut" mountain-ski resort is located to the north-east of the village of Volosianka. 9 thousand metres of snowy descents of various levels of difficulty are served by 3 button lifts and one chairlift. For lovers of summer recreation, the longest cableway in Ukraine makes the ascent to Mount Vysokyi Verkh.

The cableway of the "Zakhar Berkut" mountain-ski resort