Parks-estates of Chernihiv region. Sokorintsy, Trostyanets, Kachanovka
There is no better time to travel around your native country than May. Everything is blooming and fragrant, the air is full of intoxicating aromas, the landscapes are saturated with light green, the sky is piercing blue...
A trip to the park-estates of the Chernihiv region is ideal for this time of year. The road is not too long (about 2 hours from Kyiv), nature is at its peak, there are not many tourists. What else do you need for a successful trip? : )
The condition of the roads in the region and the rich program of the trip tipped the scales in favor of a sightseeing trip with one of the Kiev tour operators, rather than an independent car. Looking ahead, I’ll say that the main plus was especially felt on the way home - after a day full of impressions, there was no strength left at all, and we peacefully dozed off in the bus... But first things first.
The first stop on our short trip was Sokorintsy. To quote the wiki a little:
“Until 1716, Sokorintsy was a free military village, when hetman Ivan Skoropadsky handed it over to Prilutsk colonel Ignatius Galgan, who chose it for his residence. In the years 1823-29, a magnificent palace was built on the Galaganov estate in Sokirintsy and the Sokirinsky park was laid out. Thanks to the Galagans, Sokirintsy were a kind of local cultural center. Since 1787, the manor housed a puppet theater - a nativity scene and a choir, and the kobzar Ostap Veresai lived here. On the initiative of Grigory Galagan, one of the first cooperatives in Ukraine appeared in Sokyrintsy in 1871 - a rural savings and loan partnership. In the 1920s, the Sokirinsk agricultural technical school was opened in the village. In 1920-27, the Sokirinsk Museum of Art and History operated. Sokirinsky Park is a park-monument of gardening art, created on May 29.1960. The area is 40 hectares. It is part of the Sokirinskiy architectural and park complex with an area of .427 hectares. The landscape is complemented by structures: two gazebos, a church with a bell tower, a chapel (not preserved), a well, a dam, bridges (red and Gothic), and sculptures. Centuries-old plane trees and three western beech trees have been preserved. Shevchenko sycamore is the oldest tree in the park.
The road from Kyiv takes about 2 hours. Currently, the park belongs to a special technical school. From the outside, for an inexperienced observer, it looks like a huge forest, with hundred-year-old oaks that cannot be wrapped around with hands, dense thickets... The estate is beautiful, slightly tired and clearly missing the times of the Galagans. A beautiful gazebo is built on a hill. An hour is enough for a leisurely walk.
Another half hour along the country road, and we find ourselves in the Trostyanets arboretum. Reference:
“The park, with an area of .204. 7 hectares, was created thanks to the efforts and funds of Ivan Mikhailovich Skoropadsky at the beginning of the 19th century. The estate, which included a large wooden house with towers and four outbuildings, was built in 1833 near the Trostyanets stream. Unfortunately, since the end of the XIX century. in the history of the arboretum, a period of complete decline begins, caused by the death of I. M. Skoropadsky in 1887. In January 1918, the estate was destroyed. With the transfer of the arboretum to the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR in 1951, a qualitatively new period of development began in its history. It becomes a research institution where effective cultural and educational work is carried out.
Admiring the beautiful landscape of the arboretum, it is hard to believe that it was a monotonous, treeless plain, crossed by shallow gullies and swampy lowlands along the Trostyanets stream. Now here you can see the profile of the Alps, and the Swiss gorges and sunny glades, and the centuries-old giant trees that peer into the depths of the ponds. Thanks to the successful combination of water, green spaces, architectural forms, and the created mountainous terrain, the park appears harmonious, integral and extremely attractive at any time of the year. The calm expanse of ponds calms, reconciles, inspires. Light wooden bridges thrown over the stakes allow even today to admire the unique coastal landscape with weeping willows, blond birches, dark green firs, ancient silhouettes are reflected in the water, and stopping the inexorable flow of time. And only wild swans, having stirred up the waves, return to our days. . Greeting the park, we are greeted by the Vestibulnaya meadow, and walking along the shore of the Big Pond, Shevchenko's glade, then, opening in turn, like paintings, bordered by expensive frames made of centuries-old trees, Tisovye, Kedrova, Birch lawns and glades of huge thujas, "Three sisters", "Eight brothers" open up... Having crossed the central bridge over the Big Pond, you can admire the "Swiss" gorge, go to the tops of man-made mountains: Kosmaty, Storozhevoy, Dedova, Rotunda, meeting Scythian stone women. And, lingering near the marble monument, which was ordered by the owner of the park I. M. Skoropadsky shortly before his death, you read the words addressed to you through the centuries: “Dear passer-by! The garden in which you walk was planted by me; it served me as comfort in my life. If you notice a disorder leading to its destruction, then tell the owner of the garden about it: you will do a good deed.
What I like to travel to interesting places in the outback is for the guides. They talk about their native land with such love and pride. How many interesting facts, original stories they can tell. I highly, highly recommend walking along Trostyanets with a guide, especially since his services are quite affordable. You will be told about specially planted glades, about hills (the so-called Swiss), about artificially created ponds, about families of swans that just sit on masonry during this period, about exotic trees, Scythian women, specially brought from the southern steppes... You can walk in Trostyanets all day, the territory is huge. Take a bread for river birds with you, they are almost tame, they are happy to wait for tourists. At the exit from the park, you can buy delicious honey and tincture. We were frightened by mosquitoes, but there are almost none, but from useful tips I join the fact that comfortable shoes (the most comfortable !!! ) are definitely needed, since the paths are winding, they go up and down...
It seemed that the day was already going on for a very long time, but there were still a few hours left before sunset, and the most interesting part of the trip lay ahead of us - Kachanovka.
“Kachanivka is a palace and park ensemble that began to form in the 1770s, it received its greatest development in the middle and second half of the 19th century.
In 1981, on the basis of the ensemble, the historical and cultural reserve "Kachanovka" was created, which in 2001 was given the status of a national one. As of 2010, it was the only one among the estates of eastern Ukraine that managed to be preserved in the complex. Through the efforts of the descendants of the former owners of the Tarnovsky estate, living in the UK, Germany and Kyiv, the international society "Friends of Kachanovka" has been created and is actively operating, which aims to attract funds and sponsors to revive the palace and park ensemble and turn it into an international cultural center. Since 2004, the annual literary and artistic festival "Kachanovskie Muses" has begun. Four tourist routes have been streamlined, excursion services have been established, new exhibitions have been created on the basis of stock materials. ”
I will not delve into history, I will only say that from the moment of its creation the estate was owned by the Rumyantsevs, Tarnovskys, Kharitonenko. Fate turned out to be favorable, each of the owners developed and improved the territory, created a landscape park, improved architectural buildings, and collected excellent collections of works of art. In different periods, Shevchenko, Repin, Gogol, Gulak-Artemovsky, and other equally famous personalities stayed and worked in the estate. During the period of Soviet power, the estate was first given over to a shelter for homeless children, but after 7 years it fell into complete decline, after which it was decided to arrange a sanatorium on its territory. Probably because of this, and managed to keep it in good condition.
Kachanovka left the most pleasant memories. Beautiful views over the river, a beautiful palace, well-groomed large territory. The places are very romantic and pleasant in every way. You can stay at the estate for several days; there is a cafe on the territory. A separate plus is a direct bus connection with Kiev.
What to say at the end of the story. The trip turned out to be very eventful and interesting. I was glad that I managed to fit everything in one day and have time to return home. The road, of course, leaves much to be desired, but the views from the window are wonderful . . Fields, forests, cozy villages. The history of the native land is at the same time impressive, inspiring, but also makes you think.
I wish you all interesting trips!
