welcome to kharkiv — the second largest as “sloboda ukraine”. it...
TRANSCRIPT
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!!!!