Protection on Khortitsa. And not only

This year we decided to go to the city, which is literally outside our doorstep, a 4-hour drive from Genichesk. Fast, inexpensive, and most importantly for us, there are theaters and interesting places. We were especially attracted by Khortitsa - an island covered with legends, the spirit of the Cossacks and the Sich, a picturesque corner in the middle of Zaporozhye, washed by the waters of the Dnieper.

On the island of Khortytsya

The trip was planned for the weekend of October 13-14. Looking through the poster of events, they noted with delight that these days the festival “Pokrova on Khortitsa” was held here. We booked places in the hostel, purchased tickets to the theater online, and on October 13 in the morning we set off on the electric train. Ahead of us were many unforgettable impressions, surprises - pleasant and not very, and even adventures. Already in the train we were imbued with the spirit of the festival. The guys from the Atesh folk ensemble of drummers rode with us in the same carriage. To the applause of the passengers, they held their rehearsal here. Then an accordion player entered the car, he performed songs from old films. Without noticing, we reached the place. The hotel was located 700 meters from the railway station, in 30 minutes we reached it on foot. Here we were in for a not very pleasant surprise, our reservation was not confirmed, but the administrator helped us find a place in another hotel. The room was 2 times more expensive, but the Pectoral Hotel was located on Khortitsa itself in the forestry area, surrounded by coniferous and deciduous trees. Arriving first by minibus, then by taxi to the hotel, we settled comfortably in the room.

Pectoral Hotel

For the evening we had planned a cultural trip to the theater. The Municipal Theater-Laboratory “Vie” is also located on the island. But there was no transport from our place of residence. The hotel staff kindly told us how to get there and even showed us the walking path. The theater was not immediately found, but we were in time for the performance. In the first hall, we listened to the introduction to the play “Orchestra” and tied ribbons on the tree of desires. /2306622.jpg" style="height: 600px; width: 800px" />

The Wishing Tree at the Vie Theatre

We watched the performance in the second hall. It was something unusual, an interweaving of all the spectrums of theatrical art and musical genres, a performance-concert. Impressed by what we saw, we left the hall, it was already dark. We wandered under the bridges for quite some time until we found a path leading through the forest to the hotel. Fortunately, we did not get lost in the forest. When the next day I told the administrator that we were walking in the dark through the forest, he asked me: “Did you meet the boar? ” I don't know if it was a joke. 600px; width: 800px" />

forest on Khortitsa

The next day was devoted to the festival on the island. They got to the place of its holding on the 11th route, i. e. on foot. People were moving in a continuous stream in that direction. We arrived at our destination and immediately set off to explore the Zaporozhian Sich. This is a historical and cultural complex built in the image of a real sich in a reduced version.jpg" style="height: 600px; width: 800px" />

Zaporozhian Sich

There are towers, fortifications, an office, Cossack kurens. A service was held that day in the functioning wooden church. A magnificent panorama of the Dnieper and the dam opens from the observation deck. We also visited the Cossack stake. Folk groups from different cities performed on the stage. People stood and sat in groups right on the grass, the fair was noisy around, barbecues were fried. .jpg" style="height: 600px; width: 800px" />

festival on Khortitsa

We also took pictures of colorful Cossacks.

There were no performances by the Cossacks and the equestrian theater. We walked around the island and the Taras path, approached one of the sanctuaries, stood by the Dnieper. /2306952.jpg" style="height: 600px; width: 800px" />

In the evening we settled in an apartment not far from the main street of the city. We are big fans of walking, so the next day we decided to take a walk along Cathedral Avenue.

Soborny Avenue

This is one of the longest streets in Europe, its length is about 11 kilometers. Slowly we walked along it from the shopping center "Ukraine" to the dam. Zaporozhye impressed us with a large number of recreation areas, squares, parks with cozy benches, an abundance of juniper and original flower beds. Despite the fact that it was already the middle of October, all the fountains were working. Mayakovsky Square is decorated with a fountain of life with rich symbols. The fountain has the largest ball in Ukraine, rotating under the influence of water. The sculptures around the fountain reflect the history of the Ukrainian people. Artists exhibit their works on the same square. : 600px; width: 800px" />

fountain of life

In the Park of Glory, we were attracted by the art alley of forged paintings, it reflects the events that have become the pride of the city. We took pictures near each of them. ; width: 450px" />

We approached the dam and went down to the Dnieper. The weather was great. We decided to take a walk along the Dnieper, but the ships departed only from the river station near the oak grove. We arrived just in time, after 7 minutes the “river tram” around Khortytsia was leaving. On board the ship one could see the unique rocks and breathtaking landscapes of the island, the Zaporizhzhya Sich and the most romantic place on Khortitsa - the white pavilion, as well as the coastal areas of Zaporozhye, beaches, bridges and the hotel, which is the hallmark of Zaporozhye.

Khortitsa Palace Hotel

After the tour, we enjoyed a walk through the oak grove, admired the colorful palette of autumn and its reflection in the water. Tired, but very satisfied with the past day, we returned home. ="height: 600px; width: 800px" />

One of the most interesting places in Zaporozhye is the historical and cultural complex “Zaporozhye Oak”. Oak is over 700 years old. Its dimensions are impressive, the girth of the trunk is almost 6.5 m, the height is 36 m. Only one branch turns green, the tree is almost withered, but it has been preserved not only as a natural monument, but also as a living link in the chain of centuries. There is a legend that it was under this oak that the Cossacks wrote a letter to the Turkish Sultan. The Intercession Church was built next to the tree, and on the territory of the complex there are many wooden sculptures and other interesting art objects. /30/66/2306602.jpg" style="height: 600px; width: 450px" />                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ​ It was erected on the site of the dismantled monument to "Anxious Youth". The idea of ​ ​ the monument has the deepest meaning. How fragile our earthly world is and how easily it can be destroyed as a result of some catastrophe. This is a tribute to the people who were able to stop one of the worst man-made accidents in the world. 2306612.jpg" style="height: 600px; width: 800px" />

It was on such a sad note that the trip to Zaporozhye ended. I had to return home early the next morning. : 600px; width: 800px" />