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| Ukraine |
| The Ukraine is a fascinating area with some very old ties to long gone cultural groups. It is an area that has survived and persevered through great troubles. It is also a place where I will need to get a visa to visit.
I will spend 4 days in Kiev, 6 days in the Crimea, 2 days in Odessa, and 1 day in Lviv. With a buffer that makes 15 days in the Ukraine. |
| Kiev
Kiev is one of the oldest cities in the area. It was the cultural center of the Rus civilization. Over the centuries it has survived wars, purges, and genocides. The city itself is thought to have existed since the fifth century. During the eighth and ninth centuries Kiev was an outpost of the Khazar Empire. It was in the tenth century that Kiev became the center of the Rus civilization. Mongol hordes of Batu Khan destroyed the city in 1240. For centuries the area languished and eventually became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and then later part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In the 17th century the Russian Empire gained control. Still, Kiev was a provincial town of little importance. It was during the industrial revolution that the city began to prosper again. Over the next two centuries Kiev was caught in the middle of several violent conflicts, WWI, the Russian Civil War, and the Polish-Soviet War. Despite this Kiev still managed to thrive and grow, even becoming the capital of the short lived Soviet Ukraine in 1934. During WWII the city was almost completely destroyed, but recovered quickly. Soon it became the third most important city of the Soviet Union. Today it is the capital of the Ukraine, an independent state since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Things to Do: Independence Square- Check out the monument to independence here. Golden Gate- This gate has marked the entrance to the city since 1307. There is a museum about its history here. St. Sofia Monastery Complex- This elaborate monastery has onion domes and a Byzantine style. Tithe Church- This tenth century church was destroyed by the Soviets in 1937. The ruins are worth a look. Babyn Yar- This monument marks the graves of the first Ukrainian Holocaust victims. Some of there were buried alive. Kiev-Pechary Monastery- Kiev�s oldest religious site might take a whole day to explore. Check out the caves where the monks were entombed. Be sure to cover your head. Museum of One Street- This museum cover�s the history of Kiev�s most famous street. Chernobyl Museum- This museum documents the explosion and the cleanup. National Museum of Ukrainian History- This museum glorifies Ukraine�s past. Day Trips from Kiev: Chernihiv- This small town has an amazing list sites from the cathedrals to underground labyrinths. Crimea The Crimea is an autonomous republic of Ukraine on the northern coast of the Black Sea. The earliest inhabitants were the Cimmerians, they were expelled around the seventh century B.C. In that same century the Greeks began to colonize the peninsula. This lasted for several centuries until 15 B.C. when it was given to the king of Pontus and ranked as a tributary state of Rome. Over the next several centuries the Crimea was overrun by the Goths, the Huns, the Bulgars, the Khazars, Kievan Rus, Byzantine Greeks, the Kipchaks, and the Mongols. In the mid tenth century Crimea was conquered by Sviatoslav I of Kiev and became part of Kievan Russian Tmutarakan. In the 13th century the Genoese seized the settlement that their Venetian rivals had established on the coasts. These conquered settlements were used for trade. In 1475 they were conquered by the Ottomans. They remained under Ottoman rule until 1774 when they fell under Russian influence. Then in 1783 the entire Crimean peninsula was annexed by the Russian Empire. The Crimean War took place between 1854 and 1856. It devastated the social and economic structure of the area. People began to leave their homes en masse due to the horrible conditions the war created. Due to this the agriculture began to suffer. During the Russian Civil War the Bolshevik White Army had their stronghold in the Crimea. The last stand against the Red Army was fought here in 1920. The Crimean Autonomous Socialist Republic was created as part of the Soviet Union. During WWII Crimea was the scene of some of the bloodiest battles. Both sides lost thousands. During Operation Trappenjagd the Germans broke in and occupied the area. In 1944 Sevastopol was liberated by Soviet troops. Still, the horrors of war were not over for this small area. In 1944 the entire population of Crimean Tatars was deported on charges of collaborating with the Nazi�s. Almost half of the deportees died. In 1945 the Crimea became a province of the Soviet Union. Then in 1954 it was transferred to the Ukrainian SSR. After the collapse of the Soviet Union Crimea became part of the newly independent Ukraine. On May 5, 1992 Crimea proclaimed self-rule but later agreed to remain within Ukraine as an autonomous republic. Things to Do: This section is going to be a bit difficult as most of the places I want to go will be done as day trips. The best place to stay would be in Simferopol. Bakhchisaria This would be a town for a day trip. Khan�s Palace- Originally built in the 16th century many changed have been made over the ensuing years. Its fantastic courtyards are amazing. Be sure to check out the harem. The cemetery is worth a look as well. Holy Assumption Cave Monastery- This monastery is carved out of a cliff. It has an amazing view. Jew�s Fortress- This is where Jews lived in the 16th century. There are many different ruins to check out. Yalta This is another town for a day trip, although two might be better. Fairy Tale Meadow- This place is filled with statues of Russian and Ukrainian fairy tales. Museum of Lesya Ukrayinka- This museum is a tribute to the cultural heritage of Crimea. Livadiga- This will be another day trip, although you might need to stop in Yalta on the way. The 1945 Yalta Conference was held here. It is also a palace. Sevastopol This is another town for a day trip. Ruins at Chersanesus- The remains of an ancient theater is here. Panorama Museum of Defense- This is about the 1855 siege on the city. Odessa This area remained unpopulated for a very long time. In 1529 it became part of the Ottoman Empire. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1787 through 1792 fighting went on in the streets. In 1792 Russia formally gained possession of the area. A city was officially founded in 1794 as a navel fortress. The new city quickly became a success. Duc de Richelieu was the cities first governor between 1803 and 1814. He is credited with designing the city and setting up its initial info structure. It became home to a very diverse population of Russians, Ukrainians, Jews, Greeks, Bulgarians, Albanians, Italians, Frenchmen, Germans and traders from almost every European nation. Alexander Pushkin lived here in exile between 1823 and 1824; he wrote that Odessa was a city where �you can smell Europe.� This growth was halted by the Crimean War as the city was bombed by British and French navel forces. Soon it recovered and it became a huge export port. During the nineteenth century the city became the home of a large Jewish community. At one point the compromised almost forty percent of the population. They were often subjected to severe persecution. Between 1821 and 1905 several pogroms ran many of the Jews out of town. There was a workers uprising in 1905 that many were killed in. This was later immortalized in a film called The Battleship Potemkin. There was a scene where hundreds of citizens were murdered on a great stone staircase. The massacre took place in a nearby street, but the steps have become a major attraction in the city. After the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 Odessa was occupied by several groups. In 1920 the Red Army gained control and Odessa became part of the USSR. In the early twenties a great famine caused the population to suffer. During WWII the city suffered severe damage and many casualties. Around 60,000 Odessans, mostly Jews were massacred during this time. During the 1960�s and 70�s the city grew rapidly. In 1991 the city became part of a newly independent Ukraine. Today it is still a major port and the shipping industry is thriving. Things to Do: Catacombs- During WWII resistance fighters hid in these tunnels. Today there is an amazing museum. You must have a guide to see these. 411th Battalion Monument- This monument show�s Soviet forces in all their glory. There are several of these around the port area. Odessa Art Museum- This is a great collection of 19th century art. Archaeological Museum- This museum has Greek and Roman artifacts from the region as well as the countries only Egyptian collection. Lviv According to legend Lviv was founded in 1256 by the Prince of Qalicia. He named the city in honor of his son. Lviv grew fast and became a center of commerce and crafts. In 1349 it was captured by the Poles. Lviv was an attractive city and had to build up their defenses because of this. There was even a moat filled with water. In 1527 the city was devastated by a fire. Very few buildings were left standing. After this most of the buildings were built from stone. Lviv didn�t have a sanitation system and was prone to epidemics. Eventually this problem was fixed. Today Lviv is a town with a diverse history to explore. Things to Do: Armenian Cathedral- This 14th century church is a UNESCO site. The inside is stunning. History Museum- This museum complex has a number of focuses. At number four there is information on the Nazi and Soviet occupations, number six has Italian art, and number twenty four has a history of the area. National Museum- This museum holds the most important Ukrainian collection in the world. |
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