Foothills of the Ukrainian Carpathians - Chernivtsi region.
Autumn with its colors and seemingly frozen air is the most beautiful time of the year for me. The sultry heat has already passed, but there is still no frost penetrating the whole body. Just solve the issue of clothes and on the road!
Station-car-night gives way to dawn and here we are on the platform of the station in the city of Chernivtsi. We transfer to the bus, and acquaintance with the city and the region begins with the wonderful guide Margarita Petrovna.
The city celebrated its 600th anniversary this month. The countdown is from the date of the reliable indication of the city on October 8.1408, when Alexander the Good issued a letter to the Lvov merchants.
During its 600-year existence, the territory of the current Chernivtsi region - Bukovina was part of Kievan Rus, the Moldavian principality, the Ottoman Empire, Poland, Austria-Hungary, Romania, the Soviet Union, and since 1991 - Ukraine.
The territory was a "tidbit" due to its favorable location and important trade routes passing through it, and the city itself became a large trading point.
But such a city that we see now, Chernivtsi became after 1775.
During the reign from 1775 to 1914 by Austria and Austria-Hungary, the city of Chernivtsi became the center of all Bukovina, the city itself gained local self-government.
The construction of stone houses began, handicraft workshops and industry were created, and schools were opened. There is an influx of people. Not in vain did the Austrian Empire eliminate national restrictions. And very well, because. this led to an influx of money. There are new jobs, new settlers. A brewery, a steam mill, a distillery, a furniture factory are being built, a chamber of commerce and a trading exchange appear. A new round in development was made by the Chernivtsi-Lviv railway.
Since 1897, a tram has been running in the city, water supply and sewerage are already working.
We listen to history and look at history. The city is not in vain compared with Vienna, because. construction was carried out simultaneously and according to the same plan. Austria wanted to see Chernivtsi as a developed and cultural center of Bukovina. The city has become multinational and a cathedral is being built, the residence of the Bukovinian metropolitan, an Armenian church, a Jesuit church, a Jewish reformist synagogue. The city theater was built. In 1875, the Chernivtsi University was founded with three faculties: Orthodox theology, philosophy and law, which at that time bore the name of Franz Joseph. Chernivtsi acquired a European look. To the great joy of everyone during the Great Patriotic War, the city survived the bombing.
There is something for tourists to see. Chernivtsi City Hall. At 12-00 every day a musician comes out and plays the melody of the famous song "Marichka" on the trumpet on four sides.
House with lions (former House of Justice). A pompous 100-year-old building guarded by lions. They say that the lions are no longer the same. But still beautiful.
It is impossible not to mention the House-ship ("Shifa"). The house is located on the square, on both sides it seems to be pressed by the streets, which gives it the appearance of a ship. Tour guides tell romantic stories about his appearance.
The main building of the Chernivtsi University (the former residence of the metropolitans). The most beautiful university in the world, the creation of the Czech architect Josef Hlá vka.
It took 18 years to build! Only local building materials were used for the construction. Several quarries, two brick and one ceramic factories have been opened. Construction school opened. Each brick was tested for weight and sound. One worker could lay no more than 100 bricks per day. And chicken eggs were added to the solution. With this technology, the building will stand for centuries!
Rynok Square, Cathedral Square, Philharmonic Square, Turkish Square, central pedestrian street O. Kobylyanskaya (former Panskaya). You can still walk for a long time....Cozy and comfortable in the city.
And outside the city "golden autumn". And you can not go to the mountains, wander through the forest. Having driven this 10 km from Chernivtsi, you find yourself in the village of Boyany. Nature has created an ideal place for recreation: mountains, forests, lakes. On the shore there are houses, on the lake there are boats, catamarans. It is a pity that it is not the season for swimming - wonderful beaches. But we are interested in mountains. It is possible to walk, or you can use an electric car. The road is lined with stone and runs through the forest. Houses are visible in the trees. Silence!
What else can you dream of after a hard week!
We are not alone with such desires. It can be seen that Chernivtsi and guests of the city love to come here. We came across a pig farm in the forest. They fed the pigs (so many guests feed them that the little Chinese pigs have grown into real Ukrainian pigs). Further in the forest we came across a stable - we rode horses, and you can also ride camels, ponies. For extreme lovers there are buggies and ATVs. There is a large sports complex. The regulars (I forgot to say that the complex is called Sun Valley) said that everything is there. And there is also a sauna, a restaurant, fishing. Three ski slopes are visible in the forest. They promised to do four more by the New Year.
In a word, we had a great time. The territory is so large that no one bothers you, and there is an activity for the soul, there is for everyone.
