Kharkiv, the Mind of Ukraine

Sumy Street is the main street of Kharkiv. It is not distinguished by its width, but has long been known among urban planners and architects as one of the most successful examples of solutions of the central part of a large city, the creation of the so-called "linear center" on its basis.
In spite of the considerable length of Sumy Street, it is not tiresome to walk along it because its buildings are very diverse, and on your way you can see lots of green areas, cour d'honneurs and monuments.

Sumy Street ("ulitsa Sumskaya" in Russian) is one of the oldest in the city and in the entire country. It dates back to the 17th century. The street was named after the city of Sumy that is the first big city on the way to the north. The zoo, located in this street, was dedicated in 1896 and is one of the oldest in the country.

Sumy Street was called Karl Liebknecht Street from 1924 to 1941. The street connects Constitution Square with Gorky Park and farther – with Forest Park. The street turns into Belgorod Highway near the Forest Park. Historically, the street was the road to the city of Sumy located to the northwest of Kharkiv. Liberty Square is adjacent to Sumy Street. The street is paved with stone blocks in the section from Poetry Park to Liberty Square.
The street is full of historical buildings, each of them having its own exciting history, such as the house at 44/2 Sumy Street that will inevitably catch your eye. This house was built more than a hundred years ago. It is located opposite the monument to Taras Shevchenko. In the years when Kharkiv was the capital of Soviet Ukraine, it housed the diplomatic missions of different countries and ministries. According to many architecture experts, this building can safely be called the most beautiful building in the main street. These experts add further that the building has long been in need of a serious renovation…
There are twelve official symbols of Kharkiv. They were approved by the Resolution of the Executive Committee of the Kharkiv City Council No. 384 dated April 12, 2000. Here is a list of those official symbols of Kharkiv:

• 1) Mirror Stream;
• 2) Annunciation Cathedral;
• 3) Constitution Square:
• 4) City Council building;
• 5) Assumption Cathedral;
• 6) Liberty Square;
• 7) The State Industry Center;
• 8) Shevchenko monument;
• 9) Southern Station;
• 10) Cathedral of Virgin Mary’s Protecting Veil;
• 11) Ukraine Concert Hall;
• 12) The National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater.

1. The Mirror Stream

Mirror Stream is considered one of the most beautiful symbols of Kharkov. Many couples and visitors come here to have their photo taken. You can take great pictures against the background of the dazzling white rotunda.

There are no special legends behind this monument and the stream. However, this place has a rich history. Mirror Stream appeared in Kharkiv in 1947.

Somewhere in the early 1700s, a cemetery church was built at this place. It was called Holy Myrrh Bearers Church. In 1792, in view of the expansion of residential areas, the cemetery was closed, and the church territory was expanded. Myrrh Bearers Church was demolished by the militant atheist authorities on March 11, 1930. In Soviet times, there was a plan to build a grand "Mass Action Musical Theatre". However, in 1934, after the capital of the Soviet Ukraine had been moved from Kharkiv to Kiev, the new construction site ended with putting into operation a huge trolleybus depot in the open air. In 1947, the trolleybus depot was replaced by a park with a fountain. The Mirror Stream was built in that park. It was a construction project similar to one in Kislovodsk, Russia, where the rotunda is called "Gazebo".

In the years of the Independent Ukraine, a new church with the same name was built on the place of the demolished one, and it is also called Holy Myrrh Bearers Church. The church was built in the Ukrainian Baroque style. It was consecrated on August 22, 2015. This church has a magnificent bell tower, the second largest in Kharkiv, after the bell tower of Assumption Cathedral.
Mirror Stream is a special place with an enchanting power for many locals. After all, it would seem there are lots of other beautiful places in Kharkiv, but the Mirror Stream somehow attracts people who have a sense of great satisfaction being here. No matter how busy you might be, you always want to stay here for a moment and plunge into the world of your own thoughts and dreams.
In the warmer months, especially after dark, the park behind the fountain is full of people. And it is not surprising, because after the reconstruction work of 2007, it changed beyond recognition and has become even more beautiful and beloved.

1. Annunciation Cathedral

Annunciation Cathedral is a magnificent building, enclosed by a painted stone fence. The cathedral is illuminated by hundreds of lights in the evening. The style of the cathedral is characterized as a mixture of Russian, neo-Byzantine and Gothic traditions.

Professor Mikhail Lovtsov (1850-1907), a famous Russian architect who lived and worked in Kharkiv, was known for his propensity to experiments. He boldly combined a variety of traditions in the same building. The cathedral was built in 1888-1901 as a traditional Moscow style five-domed temple. Professor Lovtsov was a genius of architecture. He gave the temple the ancient Byzantine hemispherical outline. The cathedral has massive dimensions: the front facade is 34 m long and the height is 59 m. The architect built an 80-meter-high pseudo-Gothic tiered belfry. The abundance of details and the polychrome solution of the facades with alternating horizontal rows of red brick and bright plaster created a kind of memorable appearance of the temple. The architect did not spare the donors’ money, paint and materials, and, as a result, the cathedral became a unique architectural monument, promising to stand for years to come.

The central iconostasis made of white Carrara marble and its 29 icons, as well the side iconostases with their icons and murals, are very impressive. The side apses are dedicated to St. John the Warrior and the Great Martyr, St. Barbara the Great Martyr.
The cathedral bell tower deserves a special mention. In 1901, when the cathedral was consecrated, it had the highest belfry at that time: its height was 80 meters. The belfry was attacked by the forces of nature several times and, unfortunately, could not withstand them. The cross on the belfry dome fell two times: on July 1, 1974, a sudden tornado hit the iron cross of the belfry and it fell to the ground. The belfry dome cross fell for the second time because of the fire on June 2, 1997. However, it only made the belfry stronger and higher. The new design, which can be seen from different points of the city, is a 90-meter-high belfry that became a worthy ornament of such a majestic cathedral.
The main celebrations of the cathedral are:

• April 7 - Annunciation Day;
• December 17 - St. Barbara’s Feast Day;
• August 12 – Warrior St. John the Great Martyr’s Feast Day;
• November 12 – the day of Ozeriana icon of the Mother of God.

Coming to Annunciation Cathedral, you see really see that there are so many wonders around us. It was a miracle to venerate the relics of St. Athanasius. You are sure to feel the fertile energy coming from him; such power ... Words fails me… Allow some time to pay a visit to Holy Annunciation Cathedral and to feel it. You can buy some oil sanctified by his relics. Feel his miraculous power on yourself.
Many pilgrims and visitors of the city know there are relics of St. Athanasius at Annunciation Cathedral.

During the years of Ottoman Empire’s dictatorship, Athanasius (1597-1654) was elected the Patriarch of Constantinople as Athanasius III Patelaros two times: in 1634 as the 193th Patriarch of Constantinople, and in 1652 as the 200th Patriarch of Constantinople. He went on a mission to Moscow in 1654 and died at Lubny monastery, the present Poltava region, on his way back.
The people refer to St. Athanasius as Athanasius the Sessile. He was Greek, so he was buried according to the custom of the Eastern Patriarchs - in a sitting position. The relics of the saint were discovered incorrupt. He was canonized in 1662. Believers come to St. Athanasius with all sorts of diseases and nervous disorders. Now St. Athanasius is the world's only saint sitting on the throne.
St. Athanasius is officially called St.Athanasius the Miracle-Maker of Lubny and Kharkiv. According to many parishioners, St. Athanasius even walks at night. When the priests change his attire, they see that his slippers are worn out. His relics are fragrant during the great church holidays. Different fragrance comes from them. You might think that it is spread by some flavors, but the temple officials say that it is the fragrance of the relics.
May 15 is the memorial day of St. Athanasius.
Also, the cathedral has two other relics of saints: the relics of St. Miletus and of St. Alexander Petrovsky the Holy Martyr.

1. Constitution Square

This square it is 550 m long. It was founded in 1659 as the first city square. At first it was called Fair Square since traditional annual fairs were held there. Then it was called St. Nickolas Square after St. Nickolas Church that stood there until 1930. Then the Bolsheviks renamed it into Tevelev Square. From 1975 till 1996 it was called Soviet Ukraine Square.

Independence Monument in Constitution Square attracted our attention. We found out that it had been dedicated on August 22, 2012 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the independence of Ukraine. The monument symbolizes the age-old dream of our ancestors about freedom, the centuries-old struggle for independence and, at the same time, the desire and the will of the modern Ukrainians to new victories and achievements.

The 8-meter-high pedestal has strict geometric shapes with facing slabs made of grey granite. The pedestal contains a bronze image of the country’s coat-of-arms and an inscription "Glory to Ukraine!" Also, Italian designer lamps were installed.

A 6-feet bronze sculpture of a winged woman, reminiscent of the ancient Greek goddess of victory Nike stands on a 2.5-meter-tall bronze globe. The total height of the monument is 16.5 meters.

As Oleksandr Ridnyi, the author of the monument, explained, “The woman is an allegorical figure of independence, by analogy with the Statue of Liberty. That is not an ethnic independence of Ukraine, but a kind of a performance in prose. In 1991, Ukraine's independence was proclaimed not in some kind of a bloody war, but as a gift of fate. And this female figure, symbolizing the independent Ukraine, looks as if it came down to us from heaven...” He added, "This is an allegorical sculpture. We were lucky: the Winged Nike, the goddess of victory, flew to us without a war. But at any moment, she may flinch and take off! Therefore, it must be kept firmly."
Believe it or not, but the witty locals at once nicknamed the monument as "Nike on a Sphere".
Here is a short Youtube video about the monument.
In April 2015, local patriots attached the flag of Ukraine to Nike’s hand to show their deep respect for their country, although, IMHO, a state flag cannot be used to embellish monuments or sculptures, no matter how much you might respect your own country. The monument itself contains enough sense and does not need any further attachments.
Metro stations "Historical Museum" and "Constitution Square" are located in the immediate vicinity of the monument. To reach the "Constitution Square" bus stop, you can also take city buses of the following routes: 78, 88, 89, 118, 217, 218, 219, 241, 249, 269, and 272.

1. Assumption Cathedral

Assumption Cathedral is one of the oldest Orthodox churches in Kharkiv. It was the first city cathedral. It was built in 1685-1687 and was rebuilt several times later. The cathedral bell tower is 89.5 meters high. It is the second highest bell tower in Ukraine.

The massive bell tower completed in 1844 became the main dominant of the historical center of Kharkiv. It is still one of the tallest buildings in the city with its height of about 90 meters. The belfry is pleasing to the eye with its harmony of proportions and the purity of its forms. The complex architecture of Assumption Cathedral incorporated the bell tower, combining the two styles of past epochs - Baroque and Classicism.

The inscription on the memorial plaque on the belfry wall reads,

"St. Alexander Nevsky Belfry was built by diligent city residents to celebrate the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812, the appreciation of God for saving Russia from Napoleon's invasion and the entry of Russian troops into Paris".

The cathedral was closed by the godless Bolshevik authorities in 1924. In 1929, it was partially disassembled. In the fifties - eighties of the last century, it underwent a comprehensive restoration with the aim of using the building as a concert hall in the future, owing to its excellent acoustics. Since 1986, it was used as the House of Organ and Chamber Music of the Kharkiv Regional Philharmonic Society.

Since 1990, Divine Liturgy has been held by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) on the second floor of the building . As the church dean told us, there were plans to move the Philharmonic House of Organ and Chamber Music to the building of the Philharmonic Society, where the premises had been prepared, and to return the entire church building to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. As a result, the last concert at the big hall of this cathedral was held on November 13, 2016.

On August 19, 2016, a new Hall of Organ and Chamber Music was dedicated in the building of Kharkiv Philharmonic Society. Aleksander Schulke Company from Germany installed the new organ. According to the director of the Philharmonic Society, Yuri Yanko, the total value of the new organ comprised 1.2 million Euros. This amount does not include the payment of customs duties, installation and configuration tools.

1. Liberty Square

Liberty Square is the central square in the city. The square was built in 1925-1928 and was paved in 1930-1931. This square is the largest in Ukraine, the sixth largest square of Europe and the fifteenth largest in the world. Its area is 11.9 hectares. Its biggest length is 960 meters, its main length is 750 meters and its width is 125 meters. It was called Dzerzhinsky Square until 1990.

The square has the form of a converter whose neck is turned to Sumy Street. You will see Kharkiv Palace Hotel, lots of stores, and cafes nearby. This is where the first Ukrainian skyscrapers were built, among them the university campus buildings and the famous 13-storey State Industry Headquarters ("Derzh prom" in Ukrainian).

Liberty Square in Kharkiv has long been the center of traditional folk festivals and celebrations. Huge in size, it attracts thousands of residents and visitors to the city during unforgettable holiday concerts. The square can provide space for over 350,000 spectators. The largest number of people - more than 250 thousand - gathered here on September 12, 2008, when the legendary Queen band performed there.
For New Year's Day and Christmas celebrations a huge Christmas tree is installed in this square. The school-leavers celebrate their graduation here. Festive concerts dedicated to Independence Day and City Day are held here as well.
You can get to this square by subway, if you get off at University Station or Derzhprom Station. In fact, the square is above both stations.
Liberty Square of the Official City Symbol No.6 out of the twelve official symbols of Kharkiv. They were approved by the Resolution of the Executive Committee of the Kharkiv City Council No. 384 dated April 12, 2000.

1. The State Industry Headquarters

The complex of buildings houses the State Industry Headquarters (“derzh prom” in Ukrainian). It was erected in Liberty Square in 1928 and became the core of the new administrative center of Kharkiv, the then capital of the Soviet Ukraine. The House of State Industry was designed for "Parity Partnership for the construction and operation of state-owned buildings in the city of Kharkiv". This partnership included twenty-two state-owned trusts, as well as the Industrial Bank of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. It was called "Gosprom" in Russian and "Derzh Prom" in Ukrainian. This business center, as it were, became the country's first high-rise reinforced concrete building.

This architectural complex is 63 meters high. According to statistics, the useful floor area of this complex is 60,000 sq.m. By the way, the World Architectural Encyclopedia used the image of this building to illustrate its article called "Constructivism".

The building was designed by a Leningrad group of architects in a fashionable style of constructivism that was considered an advanced style at that time. The construction under the supervision of Pavel Rottert (1880-1954) was completed in a record time - within three years. Truth be told, Lazar Kaganovich (1893-1991), who was the first person in Ukraine in 1925-1927, could be called the chief architect of this giant building. His ambitions to make the capital of Ukraine even more sophisticated than Moscow led to a total reorganization of the center of Kharkiv. FYI, here is a short Youtube video about Kaganovich.

Until 1934, the building housed the Council of People's Commissars (the government) of the Soviet Ukraine. In 1955, one of the first Soviet television towers (45 meters high) was installed on the roof of the building. Now the building houses administrative bodies and many offices of a great number of companies.
The structure of this building is very special indeed. It consists of three H-shaped blocks with long, radially enclosed buildings. They are interconnected at different levels with covered transitional bridging galleries. Each of these blocks includes several composite buildings. In addition to the offices, in the Soviet times there was a general meeting room, a dining room, and a library.
There is the Derzh Prom Museum in the 5th entrance. It was established in 1980 with the assistance of the Kharkiv writer and enthusiast Edward Zvonitsky (1938-2009). They say when the gigantic building was handed over in 1929, it caused a global boom. In 1928, many famous people came to Kharkiv to take a look at the gigantic construction. Theodore Dreiser called it "a miracle seen in Kharkiv". Maxim Gorky said,

"This is a wonderful harmony, an expression of the mighty spirit of the working class. My dear comrades, my dear ones! Firmly, high, broadly continue the construction!"

Henry Barbus wrote an article about this construction in the Parisian "Mond". He called his article "The Mountain House".
And the Soviet poet Vladimir Mayakovsky wrote,

"There, where ravens used to fight for the animals' dead bodies,
The Ukrainian Kharkiv is the buzzing capital now,
It stands bandaged in the groundwork of railways,
A living, labor, reinforced concrete city".

This complex is on the preliminary list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites now.

1. Taras Shevchenko Monument

Taras Shevchenko monument is considered one of the brightest and most beautiful monuments of Kharkiv. This is not just a monument, but also an exquisite composition with a special meaning.

In 1930, the first international competition with the aim of selecting the best ideas and sketches of the future Shevchenko monument was held. The competition received many works of the most famous sculptors of the time. However, the honor to create a symbol of Kharkiv was received by Mathew Manizer (1891-1966). The Soviet sculptor Matvey Manizer and the architect Joseph Langbard are the authors of the monument. The monument was inaugurated on March 24, 1935, that is, nine months after Kharkiv had ceased to be the capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. In general, the art style of the monument can be defined as socialist realism and Stalinist Baroque. The interpretation of the personality of Taras Shevchenko was made in the Soviet style - as an ideological fighter for the happiness of the common people, and a revolutionary poet.
The total height of the monument is 16.5 meters. The bronze statue of the poet is 5.5 meters high. It stands on a pylon made of black labradorite. The statues of the monumental ensemble are united by the idea of people's struggle for their freedom that was glorified in Shevchenko’s works. We can see sixteen different sculptures here. They stand on a spiral staircase around the pedestal.

Catherine sculpture represents a young lady with a baby in her arms. This young lady is known as Catherine, the main character of Shevchenko’s homonymous poem. This sculpture is the embodiment of the image of women and mothers who are under the burden of loneliness and despair.
You can see several sculptural compositions here. The first one contains three sculptures: a dying Cossack warrior called a Haidamak, a Haidamak with a scythe, and a Cossack who is tearing his shackles. All the three figures are linked both ideologically and thematically. They refer us to Shevchenko’s poem “The Haidamaks" where the poet described the tragic events of the Cossacks Uprising of 1768 that was, in fact, a war of the Russian-Polish union against the freedom-loving Cossacks. These sculptures represent the life-affirming belief in the invincibility of the national spirit and people’s faith in their victory. The Bound Cossack sculpture is especially impressive. It is one of the statues which transmit patriotic, multi-faceted character of the hero, embody the people's power and greatness, sorrow and pain.
The second sculptural composition consists of three sculptures: a woman peasant, a peasant carrying a millstone, and a peasant soldier. These images of members of different strata of the working people embody the idea of people’s suffering because of the tsarist regime.
The third sculptural composition consists of three sculptures: a worker with a lowered flag, a student, and a worker with a rifle. These statues depict the images of people who revolted during the social upheavals of the first decades of the twentieth century.
The fourth composition contains the following sculptures: a farmer, a coalminer, and a lady with a book. According to the author, the figures of this group were designed to convey the changes that had taken place in the Soviet society.

City tour guides enthusiastically tell visitors about many interesting facts such as:

> - 30 tons of bronze and 400 tons of labradorite were used for manufacture of the monument;
> - a narrow-gauge railway was specially built for its construction;
> - 200 workers of different specialties worked there;
> - before WWII, it was considered the largest bronze monument in the USSR;
> - it is still one of the best Shevchenko monuments in the world.

1. Southern Railway Station

Southern Station, whose official name is Kharkiv Passenger Station, is the main passenger railway station of the Southern Railroad in Kharkiv. The railroad has been called like that since the good old Soviet times with an implication that it is south of the Kremlin.

The railway station is located in Cold Mountain District of the city. It is also one of the most important transportation hubs in Eastern Ukraine.
The building of the station is an architectural masterpiece of the Stalin era's Empire style. Its construction was completed in 1952. The entire complex of buildings was dedicated on November 2, 1952. A bas-relief with that year can be seen high on the right tower of the building. That tower is also called Northern Tower. The left tower is a clock tower. The clock tower, also called Southern Tower, has a clock whose diameter is 4.25 m. The towers are 42 meters high. The railway station has exquisite interior and the hall is 26 meters high.

This Empire style building is a masterpiece of the Stalin era. Its dimensions are 270 m x 25 m. It is located perpendicular to the city’s main western thoroughfare – Poltava Trail. The main entrance of the station is a ten-column portico in the Corinthian style. We admired the rich and varied overall decoration of the building: profiled cornices, pilasters, window frames, two sculptural groups, arches, cornered vial of towers, graceful balustrades of parapets, and stucco decor.

Southern Station became the ninth out of the twelve official symbols of Kharkiv.
Railway Station Square is one of the most picturesque areas of Kharkiv. Its flowerbeds are full of flowers from spring to autumn; its noisy fountain gives you a breath of fresh air and lots of joy in the sultry summer afternoon.
Railway Station Square is a great place where passengers can sit waiting for their trains to avoid sitting in a stuffy waiting room inside the building of the railway station.

At night, the area is well lit. The railway station building and the railway management building are lit with different shining colours. The strict building of the former main post office (now post-office No.52, built in 1927-1929) whose windows are lit with brightly with wide fluorescent lamps is reminiscent of the industrial past of Kharkiv. The entrance to Southern Station of Kharkiv Metro is on this square as well.
You can see an interesting monument at Platform No.1. It is dedicated to one of the characters of “Twelve Chairs” novel of the Soviet writers Ilia Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov written in 1927.

The sculpture depicts Father Fiodor in motion, he holds a kettle in his left hand, and a sealed envelope with a letter in his right hand. On the pedestal, there is a quote from his letter to his wife: "Kharkov is a bustling city, the center of the Ukrainian Republic. After the province, it seems as though I found myself abroad”.

1. The Men's Monastery

The Monastery of Virgin Mary’s Protecting Veil is the oldest stone building in Kharkiv. It was built in 1689 and initially functioned as a parish church. In 1992, the temple was returned to the church along with the entire architectural complex of the monastery.

Virgin Mary’s Protecting Veil Monastery is the tenth out of the twelve official symbols of Kharkiv. This monastery is located near Constitution Square. To get to it, you can use the subway and get off at History Museum Station.

The monastery was replenished with unique shrines:
- A kiot (a glazed drawer or a frame for icons) with the holy relics and stones from the Holy Land, including a part of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, stones from the Holy Mount Calvary, Mount Sinai, the Holy Sepulchre, Mount Tabor, the Mother of God’s Sepulchre, the forty days of prayer stone.
- Particles of the holy relics: of the holy Prophet and Forerunner John the Baptist, Apostle St. Andrew, the Holy Apostle and Evangelist St. Luke, St Mary Magdalene, St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Basil the Great, St. Barbara, St. Sergius of Radonezh, St. Panteleimon the Great Martyr and many others, all in all over 50 relics.

Virgin Mary’s Protecting Veil Cathedral is a valuable monument of the Ukrainian architecture of the second half of the 17th century. This baroque three-dome church looks like a fortress. It represents the typical Russian church architecture. The tent belfry looks very impressive and light. The parts of the church building, as it seems, grow out of each other easily ascending the top. This church is the oldest surviving stone structure of the city. It is often called the crown of the Ukrainian architecture of the 17th century. The temple has a lucky location and looks, as if it is floating above the picturesque valley of the rivers the Kharkiv and the Lopan. It is located on the territory of the men's monastery.
The main feast days:
September 27 - Exaltation of the Holy Cross Day;
October 9 - Repose of St. John the Evangelist;
November 8 – the Feast day of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica the Great Holy Martyr;
November 12 – Virgin Mary’s Ozeriana icon Day.
May 21 - Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian.
Each time we came to this place, we bought "monks' pies" at the kiosk. You can choose different filling for your pies and have them with some tea of coffee at the stand-up bar. Therefore, we often dropped in at "the monks" to have a bite...

1. Ukraine Concert Hall

Ukraine Concert Hall is the main concert hall in the city center at 35 Sumy Street. It is located in Shevchenko Park and in a place very convenient for visitors and spectators. It is close to all means of public transport (tram, trolleybus, subway). The concert hall is not far from University Subway Station and Derzhprom Subway Station. The Russian/Ukrainian abbreviation for this concert hall is KK3 ("movie and concert hall"). Show it to your cab driver and add "Ukrayina".
This concert hall is known for its numerous concerts, organization of festivals, seminars, competitions, and students’ variety theater performances called KVN here.
This concert hall has a seating capacity of 1,780 seats.
Every year, Ukraine Concert Hall hosts many events, conferences, festivals, concerts, contests and tours, opening and closing ceremonies of festivals, concerts of the best creative teams of culture and education sectors of the city, concerts of Ukrainian and Russian pop singers, festive celebrations and parties for the city residents. Tel. +38 057 705 08 21 (booking-office); +38 057 705 08 16; +38 057 705 08 15. Website: Ukraine Concert Hall.

1. Opera and Ballet Theater

The National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater is located opposite the Mirror Stream at 25 Sumy Street. The theater is called after Mykola Lyssenko, an outstanding Ukrainian composer.

If you follow the repertoire, you can see many interesting opera and ballet performances such as "Cinderella" Cinderella or Robin Hood musical, as well as different exhibitions, art projects and shows in the theatre lobby.

The big hall seats about 1,500 grateful and excited spectatorsYou can see a very special sculptural composition at the entrance to the booking-office. It is called "Music of Mykola Lyssenko". The fountains at the entrance to the theatre are sure to catch your eye, especially in the evening.
Visitors can take part in a theater tour. Call them at +38 057 700 39 87 to reserve a tour.

The theater has a website, and you can contact them via the contact page. The last box is a question, ”How many words are there in the short name of the theater: XHATOB?”

• Visiting the History Museum

It’s one of the oldest museums in Ukraine, a center of the country study of Kharkiv region.

Kharkiv region is known to have been Free Village Area in old Russia. That was the place where runaway serfs could have a piece of land to settle, explore and live there without fear of being caught again.

This fine city museum contains about 250,000 exhibits of national value, among them different collections and rare documents.

There are regular exhibitions:

- The World of the Past” (antiques from the 18th – 20th centuries from Kharkiv area);
- At the Turn of the Centuries (the region’s archeology);
- Arsenal (3D-pictures, ancient weapons and armor);
- The Mysterious Treasures (Scythian works of at made of gold, other treasures found in the area);
- Kharkiv in 1941-1943 (WWII exhibits);
- Free Village Area: painting (exhibition of the works of S.Vassilkivsky, a local painter).

• Church History Museum

The Church History Museum of Kharkiv Diocese the Museum of the Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). It is located in the Old Town (University Hill) in the center of Kharkiv.

The museum is located on the territory of Virgin Mary’s Protecting Veil Monastery – an Orthodox Men’s Monastery, founded in 1726. The consecration of the museum took place in 2004.

Today it is the only museum of church history of the Free Village Area of Ukraine. It has valuable artifacts related to the spiritual heritage of the Orthodox history of Kharkiv Area.
There are everyday guided tours starting at 11 p.m. and at 3 p.m.
The museum is open every day, except Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

• Admire the Arts

Arts Museum was founded in 1805. Now in contains 25 halls where you can visit a variety of exhibitions. About 250 works are on permanent display. Today, the funds of Kharkiv Arts Museum include about 25,000 exhibits: Western European exhibits, Ukrainian exhibits, Russian painting, graphics, sculpture, arts and crafts belonging to the 15th – 21st centuries.

The superb mansion that houses the museum was designed by Architect Beketov in 1913. It belonged to Ivan Ignatishchev, a brewery owner, an Honorary citizen of Kharkiv. The facade is an amazing example of the combination of artistic techniques of Renaissance and Art Nouveau. Its strict proportions are in harmony with the original stucco and decorated pottery. The architect used favorite theme of Greek classics in the interior.
As our guide explained to us, the museum repeatedly changed its names throughout its history. At first, it was called "The City Arts and Industry Museum". Later it turned out that the museum's collection were not devoted to the industry, but to the arts. In 1920, it was renamed into "Church History Museum". In 1922, it became "The Ukrainian Arts Museum". From 1949 to 1965, the museum was called "The National Fine Arts Museum". Soon, they choose the final name of that wonderful museum: Kharkiv Arts Museum.

• Southern Railroad Museum

The museum is located to the left of the entrance to the regional terminal that stands to the right of the main entrance to the railway station.

The museum consists of three halls dedicated to several periods:
- The Green Hall (the pre-revolutionary period of construction and the formation of the Kursk-Kharkov-Azov railroad);
- The Red Hall (the Soviet period of development of the Southern Railroad);
- the Blue Hall (the history of the time of the Independent Ukraine).

A lot of old and rare exhibits are shown here. You can see unique documents and photographs, models of locomotives and cars.
A huge mock-speed route "Kharkiv-Kyiv Metropolitan Express", recreates with accuracy not only the train, but the train stations of Kiev-Kharkiv route with copies of the buildings of Kiev, Kharkiv, Poltava,and Myrhorod.

The model has automatic layout functions of the centralized system with traffic lights, turnouts and railway crossings, and the train departs and makes stops under the music and announcements of speakers.
In addition, there are old locomotive and cars outside. It’s a great place for a photo session, especially if you have some spare time before your train leaves.

• Visit the Famous Gallery

AVEC Gallery is one of the main exhibition sites of Kharkiv. It was dedicated in 2000. It i s a large charitable foundation headed by Alexander Feldman, with the office at Platinum Plaza. Platinum Plaza office

AVEC gallery repeatedly exhibited the works of the best artists of Kharkiv. The gallery gained success thanks to the excellent premises equipped according to the standards of the European gallery standards. Also, it was thanks to the elite public gathering at the exhibition openings, as well as the creation of catalogs, booklets, and posters, accompanying exhibitions. As of today, AVEC Gallery is a leading non-governmental exhibition area of Kharkiv. Since 2000, about a million people have visited this gallery.

"Dialogue of Cultures" is a special project of this gallery. Numerous exhibitions of art such as: "Images of the Vanished World", "The Foundation of Eternity", "Ukraine's Ethnic Diversity", an exhibition of Nikas Safronov "Childhood Memories. With Love for Ukraine" were arranged within the framework of this project.
The admission to all exhibitions is free. It is a return to the ideas of Stanislavsky on the accessibility of the arts.

We visited "The Image of a Friend" exhibition at AVEC Gallery. The exhibition presented the works of world-renowned masters of European animalistic sculpture of the second half of the 19th – the first half of the 20th century. Overall, the exhibition consisted of 135 works of art: sculpture, painting and drawing. They are devoted to the most faithful of our friends - dogs. In particular, visitors can see the works from the collections of Feldman Family Museum, the Khanenkos National Museum of Art (Kiev) and from Kharkiv Art Museum.

The exhibition is designed not only to show the general public the masterpieces of European animalistic sculptures, but also contribute to fostering tolerant and responsible attitude towards animals in the Ukrainian society, the perception of nature as the common value for all people.

Visiting AVEC Gallery at Platinum Plaza (72 Sumy Street), you can admire and enjoy the beautiful fountain in the courtyard. This beautiful light and music fountain is in the center of the patio of Platinum Plaza. Open, agile and light, this music fountain grows directly out of the ground, filling everything around it with the pleasant sound of falling water. Here you can admire several sculptural compositions: "The Orchestra", "Family in Business" and "The Passionate Photographer" – the works of the famous Israeli sculptor F. Meisler, as well as "Globe of Kharkiv" ("Planet Kharkiv"; 2011), by M. Rosenfeld.

The patio of Platinum Plaza is a modern arts ground and a cosy place in the center of the city. Here, surrounded by modern architecture, you can also see a sculpture garden, stores and cafes. Different musical evenings, exhibitions, and meetings are held here. Tourists and newly married come here for their photo sessions.

Enjoy the beautiful atmosphere of the patio!

The Disneyland of Kharkiv

The Central Park is the most famous city park in Kharkiv. It occupies an area of about 100 hectares. After the reconstruction, Gorky Park in Kharkiv became one of the best parks in the former Soviet Union countries.

As of today, Gorky Park has 38 rides of several types: extreme rides, family rides, children rides, arcades, and special attractions – such as the special "House of Horror". Extreme attractions are decorated in the style of various cultures - Egyptian, Indian and others. Kids visiting the park can ride the carousel, play on the playground and indulge in other numerous entertainment activities. You can enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Central Park from the Ferris Wheel.
In 1971, a cableway was commissioned. Its length is 1,387 meters.

The Central Park is one of the ultra-modern Ukrainian leisure parks now. During the reconstruction of 2007-2012, new sets of attractions, made in Germany, Italy, Canada, France and the UK, were purchased and installed, among them:

• - the Entertainment Centre that is often called the Ukrainian Disneyland, one of best in Ukraine;
• - the Ukraine’s largest roller coaster Ferris wheel (whose height is 55 m);
• - the French carrousel;
• - the haunted house;
• - rides for small children;
• - a complex for lovers of extreme sports, roller skating;
• - the retro zone;
• - the sports fields, a race track and other facilities.

The central amusement park was originally named St.Nickolas Park after St.Nickolas Church located nearby. It was built in 1893-1895. Since the selected area was far enough from the city center, the park was mainly designed for horse riding. The park was built according to the pattern of Bois de Boulogne in France - with avenues for horse riding and for riding in carriages. The park was called the communal park after 1917, and in 1937 it was called Gorky Park, like the central park in Moscow. The Central Park in Kharkiv is still called after Maxim Gorky, which was a surprise for me since this man is a former Soviet hero who used to glorify the "heroic deeds" of Soviet butchers... When will they open their eyes at his/their atrocities I wonder?
After the reconstruction, this park has probably no competitors in Ukraine, and is a little inferior to the best world analogues. I am sure it is the most modern and most beautiful park and entertainment in the country.
The Central Park became the hallmark of Kharkiv, the place where you can relax and have fun.

According to “Vouchercloud”, the British coupon codes portal, Gorky Park in Kharkiv has been recognized as the main attraction of Ukraine. The portal mapped the most attractive tourist attractions around the world. In Ukraine, the Central Park of Kharkiv, aka Gorky Park, became the most interesting attraction for the visitors.

Enjoy the Ecopark
Feldman Eco Park is an area for family entertainment. The park is located on the city outskirts. Feldman Eco Park has a huge zoo. All visitors have the opportunity not only to watch the animals, but also to enjoy the close contact with some of them in the area of the contact zoo.
The park is open from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. on weekdays, and from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. on weekends.
Feldman Eco Park has its own rules for visitors who come to the zoo.

It is prohibited to:

• - to feed the animals with your food on the entire territory;
• - to tease and to frighten the animals;
• - to throw foreign objects into cages;
• - to climb over fences;
• - to smoke;
• - to place a child on /over barriers and fences;
• - to touch the animals with various objects (umbrellas, walking sticks, bags, cigarette butts, etc.);
• - to knock on grids and glass of the buildings for animals;
• - to bring your pets to the Ecopark (dogs, cats, etc.);
• - to swim in the waters;
• - to make inscriptions on posters, fences, benches, trees, buildings, decorative elements, etc .;
• - to walk on lawns, to sit and to lie on them;
• - to leave your children unattended;
• - to make noise and to switch on loud music;
• - to drink alcohol.

Remember that chips, crisps, candy, gum, etc. are a treat for the man, but not for animals.
Close contact and feeding of animals is only allowed at the petting zoo.
The food is provided by the employees of Feldman Ecopark.

Enjoy your stay in this wonderful park!

Stand and Ponder

Pokrovsky Park (Virgin Mary’s Protecting Veil Park) is also called the Terraced Park. It was built in 1951-1952 by a team of architects (H. Wegman, I. Zhilkin, M. Lutsky, A. Mayak).
The park is located along a descent adjacent to University Street, next to Virgin Mary’s Protecting Veil Monastery. The buildings of the Old Passage owned by merchant Pashchenko-Triapkin were located at this site before. They were subsequently destroyed during the Nazi occupation of Kharkiv. A terraced park was designed and built after WWII. From the top top the terrace you can enjoy a wonderful view of the city districts located on the bank of the Lopan, as well as Annunciation Cathedral.

You can see a monument to Hryhoriy Skovoroda in this park. It stands near the fountain at the site of the former territory of the Kharkiv Fortress. There is an Orthodox Cross at the top of the fountain; the water in the fountain was consecrated.

In 2009, the reconstruction of the park took place. The city authorities handed over the park utilities to the neighboring men’s monastery that is now in charge for the park maintenance. It must be the only city park in Ukraine owned by a monastery.

Pokrovsky Monastery had owned the territory of the present park in the past. You can admire the magnificent fountain and a cascade of waterfalls. The fountains is crowned with an Orthodox cross. The water in the fountain was sanctified by the vicar of the Kharkov diocese Archbishop Onufry of Izium. Archbishop said during the ceremony of handing the park over to the monastery:

"This beautiful fountain will give a life-giving coolness to people on hot days, but next to it there is a monastery, in which living water flows, extinguishing the sultry flame of sinful fire in the souls of people - this is daily worship. Therefore, anyone who comes to us, will find here freshness, peace and comfort."

Live and see.

Relax at the Sculpture Garden

The Sculpture Garden is located in one of the quiet courtyards at 18 Maximilian Street in the Old Town, not far from Pushkin Subway Sation. It is an unusual sculpture garden that is open to visitors. You can visit this outdoor exhibition area located next to Hermitage Restaurant, sit and relax there. The Sculpture Garden was founded in 2005.
We saw fifteen bronze statues and one bust (Boris Pasternak bust) in this garden. They are devoted to the following Russian and Ukrainian poets, writers and public figures:

• Hryhoriy Skovoroda, a famous Ukrainian philosopher, who lived and worked in Kharkiv;
• Nikolay Gumiliov;
• Leo Tolstoy;
• Fiodor Dostoyevsky;
• Piotr Stolypin;
• Mikhail Bulgakov and his character Begemot the Cat;
• Vladimir Vyssotsky;
• Anna Akhmatova;
• Marina Tsvetayeva;
• Boris Pasternak;
• Sergey Yessenin, a beloved Russian poet;
• Vladimir Mayakovsky, a well-known Soviet poet;
• Vassily Shukshyn;
• Taras Shevchenko depicted as a Cobzar, a hero of his famous tales;
• Ivan Bunin;
• Liudmilla Gurchenko, a famous Soviet actress, a native of Kharkiv.

As our guide explained to us, all the bronze statues are easily transported. In the future, the owner plans to show his collection in some other cities of Ukraine.
The walls of the entrance alley are filled with “book pages” and rolls with quotes from the works of well-known poets and writers. They must be the owner’s favorite writers and poets. You can see the busts of those writers next to the pages and rolls with quotes: Vladimir Nabokov, Ossip Mandelstamm, Georgiy Ivanov, Andrey Byelyi, Sasha Chornyi, Innokentiy Annensky, Velimir Khlebnikov, Alexander Block, Valery Briussov, Vladislav Khodassevich.
I must confess I am not familiar with the creative activities of every writer presented at the walls, but I thought I would pay more attention to their wisdom in the future.

Relax at the Love Bridge
The Love Bridge is another attraction of the city of Kharkiv. This is where lovers hang their padlocks as a symbol of their eternal love for each other.
Love Bridge is a very refined bridge with a very good location. Arrow Park with a boat station, the city circus and almost the entire city center next to Rosa Luxemburg Square are nearby. Many photographers are happy to do their photo sessions here.
It’s nice to walk along this pedestrian bridge and to feel the slight fluctuations of the bridge. Love Bridge has a graceful bend, which enhances its unusual and interesting character. In the evening, the backlight of the bridge is on and you can admire the sights for hours.

French Cuisine

Paris Restaurant is a place which you have to visit least once! At least for the sake of enjoying the comfortable interior, the warmth and the stunning atmosphere. You will hardly find another place like this restaurant in the entire city. We were pleasantly surprised by the prices. You can’t say the dishes are too expensive, and their choice is large indeed. They have a great choice of delicious desserts.
The restaurant has seven exquisite halls located on the five floors of a former apartment house.

1. 1) Actors' Hall – this hall presents exclusively dishes of French cuisine, among them classic dishes and those preferred by popular actors of the French cinema;
2. 2) Chocolate Hall – a glass terrace overlooking Yaroslav the Wise Street;
3. 3) Petty Paris – a hall with a huge picture on the wall and antique plates;
4. 4) Behind the Scenes - Here you can find dishes of author cuisine and cosmopolitan cuisines, reflecting the different taste preferences of the planet, along with traditional desserts and confectionery;
5. 5) Glamor Hall - hall, consisting of three floors with showcase tables, in which various gadgets are sold;
6. 6) Paris Comic Theater - Here you can diversify your evening watching Art House style movies. The show starts at 8 p.m. It’s also time for some live music;
7. 7) L'Orangerie - the top room with some great views of the city.

There is Paris Brasserie on the first floor where you can buy boutique confectionery.
We liked everything about this restaurant : the interior, the romantic atmosphere and the French finesse of the dishes, the music... It is so romantic, quiet and calm. You can enjoy and talk with your friend. It’s true the tables are very small there, but you can look into the eyes of your beloved one. Even the toilet is a work of art here, with its copper wash basins and a water basin with rose petals. It is a great restaurant, the only one of its kind in the entire Ukraine. My wife went to cafes in other parts of the city when she was in Kharkiv on business, but she always went back to Paris Restaurant .

It’s one of the best restaurants in Kharkiv, in our opinion. Everything was tasty, it was a good value for money, and the interior is beyond praise, especially the greenhouse hall L'Orangerie. A memorial plaque at the entrance reads, Dedicated to the French-Ukrainian friendship.
The staff is friendly and energetic; our waitress had a nice smile on her face, and treated us with particular trepidation and respect.
Paris Restaurant is indeed a place where you can plunge into a magical world.
Thank you for the quality service, dear staff of Paris Restaurant !

American Cuisine & Local Food

Booterbroad Cafe ("Sandwich Café” in English) is called a good combination of fast food and restaurant. This is a place for those who want the best value for money. It offers delicious homemade food, delicious pizzas at an affordable price. This café is a godsend for those who want a hearty and quick lunch during a break at work. The café has as organized service and a comfortable interior space.

They have self-service there. We ordered khachapuri and homemade sausage. Khachapuri turned out to be raw, and we had to complain to the waitress who, in her turn, invited the cook who turned out to be a young Armenian man. Soon the khachapuri was returned to us. He only fried it a bit more, but that did not improve the taste and the look of it… We wished we had chosen another dish (excellent home-made dishes of Ukrainian cuisine, as an advertisement had promised) or another café altogether. However, we enjoyed a beer with snacks there.a beer or two with snacks and enjoy the ambience. Also, you can sit here breakfast and enjoy a warm cup of coffee, watching the flow of constantly hurrying people.
They have American style décor with lots of pictures “from America”. I liked the kiosk at the entrance with an original name "Pharmacy". The inscriptions on the kiosk read, "For your headache! No prescription needed! For boredom! For your heart, for your soul!" Here, at this original "drugstore", you can buy some alcohol to take home or even drink at the café to relax in your good company.

Puzata Khata

Puzata Khata Fast Food Restaurant (“Paunchy Cottage”, from Ukrainian) is located at 2 Sumy Street, the main city street, in an old apartment house. We enjoyed chicken Kiev and their salads. The ambience was great too. The interior was made to illustrate the old houses of this part of Ukraine.

You can plunge into the atmosphere of the Sloboda Ukraine of the 19th century. You can take a look at the forge, to witness the mystery of the creation of pottery, relax with a delicious meal in any room of the numerous rooms of your choice.

The restaurant has a large selection of traditional inexpensive and tasty Ukrainian dishes, a large number of seats, and a children's playroom.
The historic building in the center of Kharkiv located at the beginning of the street houses this restaurant on its two floors. The interior may look like a good old Soviet canteen. Take a tray and choose a nice dish, walk the stairs to the second floor - a small, but beautiful hall with wooden black tables. The hall has excellent views of the street, so try to take a table by the window.

McDonald's Forever!

While visiting Lovers Monument in Pushkin Street (Architect Beketov Subway Station), we dropped in at McDonald’s Restaurant that seems to be exceedingly popular in Kharkiv, especially among young people. This restaurant has also McDrive section.
Overall, there are nine McDonald’s Restaurants in Kharkiv. As to the entire Ukraine, the first McDonald’s Restaurant was opened in Kyiv on May 24, 1997. As of today, there are 76 McDonald’s Restaurants in 22 Ukrainian cities.

Named After Bulgakov's Hero

Sharikoff Restaurant located in the Old Town is officially called a tavern restaurant of Slavic and French cuisine.
The restaurant's interior is stylized as a time of the heroes of the famous novel of Mikhail Bulgakov – Heart of a Dog (1925). There is a well-known Soviet movie made after this novel.
The restaurant’s first floor represents Professor Preobrazhensky’s dining room, his mezzanine library and operating room. The VIP Hall represents the professor’s office. There is Sharikoff’s favorite tavern on the lower floor "Stoplight Tavern".

The walls are full of antiques purchased at flea markets, which will help plunge into the atmosphere of the bygone era. The Summer Terrace represents Gostiny Dvor (“Guest House”) - a commercial arcade of the early twentieth century.

All in all, the restaurant halls have 300 seats, and the terrace has the same number of seats. This extraordinary restaurant got its name from the protagonist of the famous novel by Bulgakov - Polygraph Polygraphovich Sharikov, who appeared at the turn of epochs, during the collision of the pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary cultures. Nevertheless, the name does not imply the person who represented the worst features of the proletariat in the times of Mikhail Bulgakov. On the contrary, Sharikoff, in the understanding of the restaurant staff, embodies the features of the new people, which is stressed by the double FF at the end of last name, - the person who had changed due to the fact that the times of Professor Preobrazhensky and Assistant Bormental were back. As the staff explains, this name emphasizes the democratic character of the restaurant that is accessible to the people with a variety of material prosperity.

The menu is diverse and includes a lot of well-known dishes with an added flavour of this place, such as solianka in the Old Professor style in a bread pot. The chef calls the dishes People’s and Nobility Cuisine. Some dishes are called the zest of the restaurant:

• Pancake Menu called “In blino veritas” – “The truth is in pancakes!” (the pancakes are cooked in your presence);
• “Hurry and take it” – salad bar with traditional Slavic snacks (herring salad, jellied meat, buckwheat porridge with mushrooms, olives, pickles, stuffed pike, dolma, etc.).
• “Abyr vulg” sushi bar (its name is the name of Glavryba fish store written in reverse order, pronounced by the former dog who underwent a transfiguration operation at Professor’s clinic).
• wonderful desserts from the restaurant’s own patisserie with a proud tradition;
• tea made from aromatic herbs right out of the samovar, where the heat is maintained with a calf boot, like in the good old times.

The prices here are more expensive than average I would say.

To the Patron Saint of Ukraine

The Love Bridge is another attraction of the city of Kharkiv. This is where lovers hang their padlocks as a symbol of their eternal love for each other. The monument to Apostle St.Andrew, the Patron Saint of Ukraine, is next to Love Bridge on the bank of the River Kharkiv. This saint is considered the patron saint of Ukraine. Therefore, Ukraine and Scotland share one patron saint.

The pedestal of the monument is depicted in the form of a natural rock, from which Apostle St.Andrew descends. In his left hand, he holds the cross as a blessing to the earth. You can see a plaque on the pedestal. The inscription on the plaque reads, "God bless this land". The base of the monument, a circle of light and gray granite, symbolizes St. Andrew's Cross.

The approach to the monument is in the form of stylized waves. A 25-ton solid stone lies in the foundation of the monument pedestal. The height of the statue is 4.3 meters, and the height of the entire monument is almost 8 meters. The pedestal base is formed by a circle of dark and light granite. St. Andrew holds a symbolic cross made of dark granite.

The monument to Apostle St.Andrew was dedicated to the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Kievan Rus that was observed on July 18, 2013. Sculptors Alexander Ridnyi and Anna Ivanova are the authors of the monument. The monument was erected on private donations.

The Memory of Architect Beketov

The monument to the outstanding architect and teacher, Honored Artist Ukraine Aleksey Beketov (1862-1941) was dedicated on August 22, 2007. It was created by the sculptor and architect Seyfaddin Gurbanov and architect Yuri Shkodovsky. A grandson of Architect Beketov - Fiodor Rofe-Beketov, also attended the opening ceremony.

The monument stands in front of the main entrance to Kharkiv State Technical University of Construction and Architecture at 40 Sumy Street.
On August 30, 2016, the second monument to Architecture Academician Aleksey Beketov was unveiled in Kharkiv. It stands in front of Beketov National University of Municipal Economy.
The name of Architect Beketov is very much revered in Kharkiv. He was the creator of a great number of excellent buildings that adorn the old street of Kharkiv now. Those buildings are the best memorial of this outstanding architect, such as the Scientists Center at 10 Female Myrrbearers Street (built in 1900).
Now there is a street and a subway station named after this great architect. Kharkiv National University of Municipal Economy is called after Architect Beketov.
Please take a look at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3ibO1aYK6E

Eternal Flame Changed Its Ideology
The monument to the heroes who fell for the independence and freedom of Ukraine stands in Pokrovsky Park opposite Assumption Cathedral. It was transformed from the former Soviet monument that had been unveiled on November 6, 1957 as the monument to the fighters of the October revolution of 1917.

The composition of the monument includes a small funeral urn of red polished granite, installed on a low pedestal. The urn is covered with a lowered revolutionary flag made of bronze. The inscription in golden letters was in Ukrainian. It read, “On the day of 40th anniversary of Great October Revolution to those who gave their lives for the Soviet power."

On April 12, 1958, during the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Communist Party of Ukraine, the Eternal Flame was lit at the foot of that monument. People started calling that memorial simply The Eternal Flame.

On May 9, 2015, the local Civic Guard activists decided to introduce a modern correction to the content of the monument. They replaced the old Communist plaque in honor of the October Revolution fighters with a new one that read, "To the heroes who fell for the independence and freedom of Ukraine". The bronze revolutionary flag on the urn was painted as the national flag of Ukraine. The Eternal Flame had been switched off long ago. So, if you came here without knowing about the Communist past of this unusual monument, you would not have guessed it was meant to be a big Communist symbol. Thus, the Eternal Flame became the monument to the heroes who had fallen for the independence and freedom of Ukraine. Within the framework of the law on the removal of Communist symbols, this monument would have to be dismantled in 2016, but not now. It must be the city's only Communist times memorial that was transformed into a Ukrainian national monument. I accepted it as such when I was there, and I must say I was surprised to find out about its Communist past...

Honouring the Great Thinker

The monument to Hryhoriy Skovoroda, a prominent Ukrainian humanist and educator, stands in Our Lady’s Protecting Veil Park near University Street. The monument represents a bronze majestic figure of the philosopher with a marble plaque at the foot. The straight figure of the wandering philosopher in ascetic clothing serves as the embodiment of indomitable will. The book in his hands serves as a source of universal wisdom.

The monument is a project of Ivan Kavaleridze, and Yuri Shkodovsky was its architect. The monument to the prominent Ukrainian thinker was created to commemorate his contribution to the development of the Ukrainian nation. The monument was unveiled on September 3, 1992.

The Monument to the 50th Parallel

Not far from the impressive Shevchenko monument, there is an unusual monument - the monument to the 50th parallel. It symbolizes the fact that Kharkiv is the largest city on the 50th parallel of north latitude. Kharkiv is located at the intersection of the 50'00'' of north latitude and 36'15'' of east longitude.

The monument to the 50th parallel was unveiled on October 9, 2010. Twenty tablets made of bronze and copper, which contain stretch along an alley in a broken line. They contain an inscription: "The 50th parallel". There are cities located on the 50th parallel in twelve countries, among them: the Czech Republic, Poland, Mongolia, Canada, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, China and Russia. It must be one of the very few city monuments that you can trample with your feet. In the center, you can see a convex bronze circle with a diameter of two meters and with an image of the globe and an indication of some of the world's major cities: Moscow, Rome, Jerusalem, Paris, Dubai and New Delhi, and the distance from them to Kharkiv. FYI: the name of the city is written in Russian (with -o- instead of the Ukrainian -i-), and its English translation was also made from Russian: Kharkov. Sergey Fomichov is the author of this monument.
The witty Kharkiv residents came up with a new tradition connected with the new monument: if you stand on the summit of the globe of the 50th parallel, you will be happy. Therefore, if you want to be happy, climb to the top of the world in Kharkiv.
Here is a link to a short Youtube video about this unusual monument.

The Thermometer is another famous place in Kharkiv. It is a favorite meeting place of many Kharkiv residents and guests. The height of the thermometer is 16 m. It was installed at the Kharkiv Institute of Metrology in 1976, and in 2012 it was replaced by a brand new one.

Murals have become very popular and widespread in Kharkiv. They have filled many buildings in different districts of the city, adding bright colors to the cityscape. They embellish the gray walls and became the witnesses of history.

We saw Leonid Bykov mural in Sumy Street. He is depicted in his role as a military pilot from a well-known Soviet movie of the seventies of the twentieth century. Kharkiv paid tribute to the famous compatriot who used to live and to work in this city. He played his first theater roles at the theater in Sumy Street.

To The Legendary Physician
On October 15, 2009, the monument to the legendary ophthalmologist Leonard Hirschmann (1830-1906) was unveiled in Kharkiv in the park near the 14th opthalmological clinic named after Hirschmann. The clinic is located at 5 Honchar Street. The name of Leonard Hirschmann is known not only to Kharkivites, but also to the entire world. This physician believed that the doctor did not have the last hour of work, but only had the last patient.

As Sculptor Alexander Demchenko explained about the composition, his creative team chose to show the humane character of the doctor and his devotional service to the people. According to official statistics, Leonard Hirschmann received one million patients within the sixty years of service. Many great people were proud of his friendship. Anton Chekhov called the doctor "a holy man".

The monument to Prince Yaroslav the Wise

Prince Yaroslav the Wise Square is located in the central part of Kharkiv, at the intersection of Pushkin Street and Petrovsky Street. The square was named in honor of Prince Yaroslav of Novgorod and Kiev, the eldest son of Prince St.Vladimir the Baptist of Kiev Rus. Prince Yaroslav is known all over the world as Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Here, near the building of Yaroslav the Wise National Law Academy, you can see the monument to Prince Yaroslav the Wise, which was inaugurated on October 8, 1999. Its location is symbolic, because the Academy is named after the Prince, who went down into the history as the author of the first book of laws in Kiev Rus. Prince Yaroslav (977-1054), who reigned in 1019-1054, is depicted in a majestic pose, sitting on a throne and holding a book in his hands. The book is called “Yaroslav’s Truth”, or "The Rus Truth".

There are inscriptions in Ukrainian on two sides of the pedestal that is made of grey-and-green granite. The Ukrainian inscription on the left side of the pedestal reads, "To the first law-maker of Kiev Rus".

The inscription on the right side of the pedestal is a quote from The Rus Truth. It reads, "Live according to this scripture, as I wrote for you, keep on this way". The total height of the monument is 4.8 meters.
You can see larger pictures here.

To the Founders of the City

On August 23, 2004, within the framework of celebrations dedicated to the 350th anniversary of Kharkiv, a monument to the founders of the city was unveiled at the beginning of the Lenin Avenue. People call the monument "the monument to Kharko the Cossack" or "the Equestrian Statue of Kharko". This landmark of Kharkiv was created by the famous sculptor Zurab Tsereteli, who had been commissioned by Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, as a gift from the twin-city of Moscow on Kharkiv City Day.

As Zurab Tsereteli, the creator of the monument commented, the statue symbolizes the unity of Ukraine and Russia and the spirit of freedom inherent to the Ukrainian people.
The height of the pedestal, lined with red granite, is 8.5 meters, and the height of the Bronze Horseman is 4 meters. This monument weighs over 700 tons. The inscription on a bronze plaque on the pedestals is in Ukrainian. It reads, To the founders of Kharkiv on the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the city.

The monument consists of a bronze horseman on a horse, holding a shield and a peak in his hands. It’s the first equestrian monument in the city. However, it should be noted that neither the attire, nor the weapons correspond to the period of the first settlers and defenders of the Kharkiv Fortress. Art critics think it's a shame for Kharkiv to have such a monument, since the monument does not comply with any historical accuracy, that is, they believe that Sculptor Tsereteli had a ready-made monument and it had to be attached somewhere... Therefore, they added a couple of items here and there, and the monument was kind of ready to be installed... As people say, out of sight, out of mind …
Initially, it was assumed that the monument would be dedicated to Kharko the Cossack, the mythical founder of the city, whose name Kharkiv supposedly bears. This caused a number of protests among the intellectuals of Kharkiv, because the identity of Kharko the Cossack was considered to be an invented one, since it had not appeared in the historiography until the end of the 18th century.
Here is a fun fact about this monument. The location of the equestrian figure caused a humorous reaction of the residents of Kharkiv. Now the local population calls Shatolovka and Pauls’s Field - the most prestigious areas of Kharkiv - "behind-the-ass districts".

Jesus Christ Monument

The monument to Jesus Christ is another unusual monument in Kharkiv. It was unveiled on August 10, 2001 on the territory of the Virgin Mary’s Protecting Veil Monastery to commemorate the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ. In fact, it is the monument to the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ, but everybody calls it the monument to Jesus Christ.

Thus, the monument became the first Jesus Christ monument in the former Soviet Union countries. The full-length sculpture of Jesus Christ stands on the globe that is placed on a granite pedestal. The inscription on the globe in golden letters and figures reads, 2000 years of the Nativity of Christ. Jesus is holding a tablet with letters alpha and omega in his left hand. He raised his right hand to bless the world.
The inscription on the pedestal contains the words of Metropolitan Nicodemus of Kharkiv and Bogodukhiv, "Come all you faithful, let us give praise to God!"
The authors of this monument are sculptor I.Yastrebov and I. M. Yadchenko. Metropolitan Nicodemus of Kharkiv and Bogodukhiv was the author of the idea and the sketch of the monument project.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la8mOL4hSso

Admire the Unusual Monuments
You can see an unusual monument in Sumy Street – the city’s central street. It’s the monument to the soccer ball. It was unveiled on August 24, 2001 in Sports Glory Alley in Shevchenko Park. It became the most important place for sports souvenir photos which the soccer fans from all over Europe could take home.

The diameter of the ball is one and a half meters. The pedestal is made of black granite and is equipped with niches for lighting. Eleven lamps around the ball illuminate the monument at night. The sight is nice indeed: http://www.alkonarkostop.com.ua/nash-xarkov/pamyatnik-futbolnomu-myachu.html
The overall weight of the monument is over two tons. There are posters around the soccer ball, where, like in the good old days, you can find all the sports news of Kharkiv. Together with a renewed football soccer club called Metallist, Kharkiv acquired another sporting symbol of the city.
The famous soccer player Oleg Blokhin signed the ball one day. After that, many visitors considered it necessary to leave their autographs on it as well. The monument had to be painted over completely, and then it had to be washed again and again, and then painted over. Only the autograph of Oleg Blokhin remained.

The Monument to Lovers

Visit one of the unusual monuments: the Monument to Lovers that is located in Pushkin Street in Kharkiv. It represents a figure of a guy and a young lady who have merged in a kiss. The monument was unveiled on April 24, 2003 in Architects' Square. The square, in which it was installed, became even more popular among residents and visitors. In 2009, the Lovers Monument was refurbished and painted with golden paint, and a fountain was added around it.

The reason why the monument had to be refurbished was primarily the fact that within seven years, the two figures were covered with numerous inscriptions and drawings of the couples in love. Apparently, they wanted those two figures to become a talisman of their relationship.
The Lovers Monument became a meeting place for many people. Very often it is a dating place for young people. In the evening you can always see a lot of couples who gather around the statue. The city newlyweds have a new tradition: they stand under the arch formed by the sculptural young lovers, kiss and make a wish.

Many visitors are primarily interested in seeing the Lovers Monument, because not every city can boast of such an unusual sculpture.
Although many people shrug their shoulders and sneer at this unusual momunent, it is still a popular place to stay.
Lovers Monument has been popular with citizens, because everything is changing, but the feeling called love has always filled and will fill the hearts of the people for more years to come, and the sculpture is a symbol of this great feeling!

The locals call the monument Kamasutra from Auschwitz. Kamasutra – because the figures are naked and are depicted in an unusual posture. Ausschwitz – because they are too thin, as though they were imprisoned at a concentration camp.
The monument symbolizes the strong love of young people. However, the Kharkiv authorities accuse the sculptor of immorality, since the young guy and the young lady have no clothes. There are even rumors of the unavoidable demolition of the monument, but I hope it will not come to that.

The Only Monument In Ukraine

Strolling along the city streets, you will be surprised to discover the monuments and sculptures you would never imagine to find. For example, you can find the monument to the famous American writer Ernest Hemingway. It is the only Hemingway monument in Ukraine. The bronze statue was unveiled on August 23, 2012 at the same time with opening of Old Hem Pub. This is the pub's homepage in Russian.

The writer is depicted in a rather relaxed attitude. He leans on a small fence, and one of his legs is wound up for another. The sculptors created a very accurate image of the writer’s vest, but, as critics say, the portrait resemblance leaves much to be desired. Nevertheless, the writer’s figure conveys the image of Ernest Hemingway very well. I would even say there is enough portrait resemblance in the statue, although I am not an art critic, of course.

This monument adorns a popular drinking establishment Old Hem Pub. The pub’s motto is, You'll never drink alone. The pub is an arts ground where poets and musicians meet over beer and perform for customers.
This arts pub is known for its good draft beer and beer snacks: Fried cheese suluguni; Potato croquettes; Fried onion rings; Shrimps with soy sauce; Crispy pig ears; Squid rings, cooked and filled with sour cream; Several kinds of beer plates.
You can reach this monument this way: exit University Subway Station, walk to Sumy Street and then go to Liberty Street, or: leave Derzhprom Subway Station, exit to Liberty Square, walk to Sumy Street, and then go to Liberty Steet.
Please take a look at some more nice pictures of this monument.

Pay Tribute to the Genius

Walking along the main street - Sumy Street - you can't fail to notice this beautiful monument. The monument to Nickolay Gogol was unveiled on the centenary of the writer's birth on March 20, 1909 in Theater Square. The bust was created by sculptor Boris Edwards (1860-1924). The monument to Gogol struck the city residents with its artistic decisions. The sculptor portrayed Nickolay Gogol at the top of his literary success, when the Russian readers had only got acquainted with the works of the young writer. Gogol is holding pieces of paper in one hand and a pen in the other hand. We see the author of the famous books "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka" and "Mirgorod" as a funny and ironic writer, immersed in observation, who wants to see everything, to write everything down, and to talk about everything.

During the World War II, the bust of Nickolay Gogol was damaged: bullets hit its shoulder and hand. During the rehabilitation of the park area in the summer of 2009, it was decided to keep the damage of the monument intact since the "wounds" belonged to history.
It is interesting to note that before unveiling Gogol’s bust, sculptor Boris Edwards unveiled a bust of Pushkin in front of the Drama Theatre at the beginning of Theater Square in 1904. The monument to Nickolay Gogol was made in the same style with Pushkin’s bust, and was installed at the opposite end of the square in 1909.
In 1935, after renaming Pushkin Drama Theater into Shevchenko Drama Theatre, the Soviet authorities of Kharkiv considered it inappropriate to see a bust of Alexander Pushkin in front of the facade of the theater, which no longer bore the name of one of the greatest Russian poets. The busts of Pushkin and Gogol exchanged their places. As a result, Gogol’s bust was moved and installed in front of the facade of the theater (where it is now), and Pushkin’s bust found itself placed on the reverse side of the square facing Pushkin Street.

As a result, Pushkin bust overlooks Pushkin Street, while Gogol bust overlooks Shevchenko Theater.

The monument to the fallen police officers
During our stroll that started at Architect Beketov Subway Station, we walked along Female Myrrbearers Street (“ulitsa Zhon Mironossits” in Russian) and saw the Police Leisure Center, one of the numerous leisure centers of Kharkiv. We call those centers “palace of culture”, or DK (“de kah”) for short.

The Police Leisure Center is attached to the Main Department of the Ministry of Interior of Kharkiv Region. This center is the venue for the celebrations dedicated to the initiation into the ranks of police officers, awarding certificates, taking the oath of allegiance to the state, presentation of awards, etc. You can attend different concerts at this leisure center now such as a series of concerts of Beethoven consisting of nice symphonies. Ticket reservation is by phone: The territory of this leisure center includes a historical and memorial complex of police officers, including:
• the history museum of the internal affairs bodies of Kharkiv;
• a monument to the police officers who fell in the line of duty;
• Archangel St.Michael’s Chapel built in 1997, where the Liturgy is held on memorial days.

The Police Leisure Center occupies the former mansion of the Alchevskys that was built by architect Aleksey Beketov in 1893 for the family of his father-in-law Aleksey Alchevsky. The mansion was built according to the model of Italian villas of the late Renaissance. The mansion was surrounded by a garden, where the world's first monument to the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko was unveiled in 1899 (the statue was made by sculptor Beklemishev). After the bankruptcy of the Alchevskys and the tragic death of Aleksey Alchevsky, the family had to sell their mansion. The new owner did not want to see a monument to the poet in his estate, and gave it to the Alchevskys. Today, this monument is kept at Shevchenko National Museum in Kiev.
The Police Museum and Maritime Museum have operated in this building since 1995. Since this leisure center is a law enforcement institution of Kharkiv, it is difficult to get into it and to see the Police Museum. As far as the Maritime Museum is concerned, it is open to the public.
The monument to the police officers killed in the line of duty was unveiled near the Police Leisure Center in 1995.
Sculptor Ilyichov and architect Chechelnitsky are the authors of this impressive monument.
In 1997, Archangel St.Michael’s Chapel was dedicated near the leisure center.

The Firefighters Memorial
The Firefighters Memorial was unveiled in 1990 in Firefighters Park located at 50 Poltava Road. The memorial is located not far from the fire tower.
The three-meter figure of a firefighter was made in black to symbolize the mourning. At the same time the black figure reminds us of the conditions of thick black smoke, where firefighters have to work to rescue people. The firefighter is depicted holding a baby, standing in the middle of blazing flames.

You can see a black memorial plaque on a marble gravestone behind him, with the date of the sad events and the words of gratitude for the heroic deed. There are names of the fallen firefighters inscribed in golden letter on a marble plate to the left of the monument.

Memorial Plaques -
There are a lot of memorial plaques in every district of Kharkiv. Some of them are real works of art.

1) On June 6, 2003, a memorial plaque in honor of the famous Norwegian traveler, oceanographer, diplomat and public figure, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930) was unveiled on the facade of Kharkiv Arts Museum.
In 1923, Fridtjof Nansen arrived in Kharkiv as the High Commissioner of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and held talks with the Ukrainian government on joint efforts to overcome the famine of 1921 - 1922. The noble selfless work of Fridtjof Nansen, who conveyed the received Nobel Prize for creating a rescue fund for the starving people in Ukraine and Russia, yielded good results. According to statistics, thanks to the unselfish help of the prominent Norwegian, over 6 million children and adults in Ukraine and in the neighboring regions of Russia were saved from starvation.

2) Leonid Bykov memorial plaque was unveiled on August 21, 2003 on the façade of Shevchenko State Academic Ukrainian Drama Theater. Leonid Bykov, a famous Ukrainian Soviet actor, worked at this theater from 1951 to 1960. A well-known Kharkiv architect Semion Yakubovich is the author of this amazing memorial plaque. This is the second memorial plaque in honor of Leonid Bykov. The first one was unveiled in 2002 in Culture Street on the apartment house where the great actor lived.

3) Valentin Cryshtal memorial plaque was unveiled in early May 2009, on the wall of the building of the department of sexology and medical psychology of Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education in Myrrbearers Street. Valentin Kryshtak was the founder and the permanent head of that department from 1987 until 2008.
Valentin V. Cryshtal was an Honored Worker of Science of Ukraine, an Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Ph.D. in medicine, Professor, and a specialist in medical and social psychology, psychiatry, sexology and sexual pathology.
Cryshtal became a pioneer in the investigation of the problems of sex in the USSR. He managed to make the sensitive issues of sexology "legitimate topics" in those times. The Department of Medical Psychology and Sexology was founded in 1987. To create this department, its founders had to solve the problem at the highest level. The reaction of the Communist party leaders of Kharkiv was unequivocal: thunder and lightning. The road for the "disgraced" science had to be opened in Moscow – at the Ministry of Health and even at the Communist Party Central Committee. After long negotiations, the Department of Sexology – the first one in the Soviet Union – got the highest permission for work.

4) General Consulate of Poland (in1924-1934), The Consulate of Poland (1934-1937) was located in this building at 15 Maximilian Street. The plaque was unveiled on June 22, 2015. It was created by sculptor Katib Mamedov.

5) Ivan Franko, a prominent Ukrainian writer, poet, scholar, public figure, was awarded a doctorate in Russian literature in this building in 1905. Ivan Franko memorial plaque is on the building at 23 University Street.

6) Les Kurbas (Alexander Kurbas), an outstanding Ukrainian director, actor, and the founder of Berezil Theater, worked at this tehater in 1926-1933. The memorial plaque is at the façade of Shevchenko State Academic Ukrainian Drama Theater in Sumy Street at 9 Sumy Street. It was unveiled in 1989.

7) Leonard Hirschman (1830-1906), an ophthalmologist, a doctor, a teacher, worked at this hospital: the 14th opthalmological clinic named after Hirschmann. The clinic is located at 5 Honchar Street.

8) Dmitriy Bahaliy, a Ukrainian historian, philosopher and public figure, lived in this house.

9) In memory of the meeting of Peter Gulak-Artemovs'ky and Adam Mickiewicz.The memorial plaque is at 16 University Street. This plaque one is double faced and quite unique: it is dedicated to a meeting of two artists.

10) To Vladimir G. Sergeyev, a prominent Soviet designer of missile technology, an honorary citizen of the city of Kharkiv. This memorial plaque is at 36/38 Sumy Street. The plaque was unveiled on August 21, 2009. It was created by sculptor Seyfuddin Gurbanov.

11) To Yuri Kondratyuk, a Ukrainian Soviet scientist, one of the founders of space science, who worked at the Industrial Energy Institute in 1933-1934. The institute was located at the site of the apartment house.

12) To Vladimir Shestopalov, a prominent theater figure, People's Artist of Ukraine, who lived in this house from 1971 to 2001. The apartment house is at 20 Constitution Square. The memorial plaque was unveiled in 2013.

13) To Rodion Malinovskiy, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Minister of Defense of the USSR. The memorial plaque is at 25 Annunciation Street.

14) To Serhiy Vassylkivskyi, a famous Ukrainian painter, an outstanding landscape painter. This memorial plaque is on the wall of the Arts Museum at 11 Female Myrrbearers Street.

15) The memorial plaque to Metropolitan Nicodemus (Rusnak) was unveiled on October 9, 2016. He was the first rector of the revived Kharkiv Theological Seminary. The memorial plaque is on the front wall of the Residencesof Kharkiv bishops.

16) Vladimir Tolubko memorial plaque was unveiled on the façade of the air Force University at 77/79 Sumy Street. Vladimir Tolubko (1914-1989) was a Hero of Socialist Labor, Army General, Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces (1972-1985), Chief Marshal of Artillery.

17) Henryk Siemiradzki memorial plaque was unveiled on the façade of Karazin National University on October 27, 2015 at 23 University Street. Henryk Hektor Siemiradzki (1843-1902) was an artist, one of the representatives of the academic art. He used to study in Kharkiv. He is known for his monumental paintings depicting scenes from the history of ancient Greece and Rome.

18) To Alexander Svichkariov, Professor of Law, Hero of the Soviet Union, who lived in this apartment house at 20 Constitution Square.