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| PHÎÒÎ: UNIAN |
The city has a long and glorious history that is reflected in its architecture. Old and new streets are interlaced here, grow and developed creating a beautiful image of modern city with a rich historical past.
It is still unknown when the city was founded. In 1912 local peasants discovered a gravesite replete with magnificent gold and silver objects of total weight of 75 kg, including a ring belonging to Khan Kubrat, a Bulgar ruler credited with establishing the confederation of Old Great Bulgaria in 632. And although the town was not established until 1174, municipal authorities chose, for unknown reasons, to celebrate the town´s 1100th anniversary in 1999.
The city’s present name is traditionally connected to the settlement Ltava, mentioned in the Hypatian Chronicle in 1174. From the 14th century the region belonged to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Polish administration took over in 1569. In 1648 Poltava was captured by the Polish magnate Jeremi Wisniowiecki (1612-51). Later, a distinguished regiment of the Ukrainian Cossacks was headquartered here. In 1667 these land became a part of the Russian Empire.
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| “Like a Swede at Poltava” means “totally helpless” PHÎÒÎ: PHL |
The battle that put
the city on the map
In the Battle of Poltava in 1709, Russian Tsar Peter I heading 45,000 army defeated at Poltava a Swedish army of 29,000 troops. It was the biggest battle of the Great Northern War. Karl XII of Sweden suffered a crushing defeat: during the battle nearly 10 thousand men were killed and 3 thousand Swedish soldiers were taken prisoners. The remains of the Swedish army surrendered.
The Swedish defeat determined the further course of the Northern War. At the location where the battle took place, there is a museum-reserve "The Field of Poltava Battle", which features a number of monuments for the defenders of Poltava and two monuments for the Swedish soldiers. They were built in 1909 on the occasion of 200th anniversary of the Battle of Poltava. "Like a Swede at Poltava" remains a simile for "totally helpless" in Russian and Ukrainian idiom.
A must walk
Let’s start our stroll from the Round Square located at the beginning of the main street of Poltava Zhovtneva which is the heart of the city. Among the most popular landmarks is the architectural ensemble with the circular park surrounded by white buildings. It was modeled by August Montfferand after St. Petersburg Palace Square with Alexander in 1802, when Poltava was proclaimed the administrative center of the province. The new status demanded a new town to replace the former historic Red Square. A has it legend the square was founded in the place where local residents welcomed Peter I after the Battle of Poltava. The square also boasts the Old building of the Central Post Office (1809), now it is the Kyrychenko Academy of Arts, former Nobility Assembly Hall (1810), now Kotlyarevskiy Movie Theatre, Province Administration (1811) which is now Poltava City Council. The former house of the governor general in 1811 now accommodates the trade unions headquarters. All eight buildings represent the classical style of the province of the early 19th century.
In the center of the square there is a Glory monument opened back in June 27, 1811. Funds for its construction were granted by the emperor Aleksandr I and donations of nobility. Two-tier pedestal of the monument holds a cannon that facing the sky and crowned by a gilded bronze eagle holding a laurel wreath in his beak symbolizing the glory of the emperial army. The lightnings in the claws of an eagle are the symbol of subdued grandeur of the Swedish arms.
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| A peculiar monument to local dumplings, Halushky PHÎÒÎ: Flickr.com |
The monument is the center of radial city system that is breaking down into the eight main streets. In 1840s, the then Alexandr´s Square were planted with exotic at those times trees called Lombardy poplars. In 1842 the park on Kruhla square was given over to Petrovskiy Cadet Corps and hence received the name Korpusnyi Park. In 1880 it was turned into a city park open for all citizens with brass band playing every weekend. About 20 years ago the park was renamed into Zhovtneviy, but many locals still call it Korpusniy.
From the park take the underground passage and find yourself on Zhovtneva Street. Go left for one block towards the Poltava Art museum. On your right will be Hudozhniy Salon, a place to buy traditional Ukrainian crafts. Down the street is the Gogol Theatre, which holds classical concerts for very reasonable prices. On the corner next to Gogol is the Dominic Candy store. The street passes through two blocks of a beautiful park with a statue of Ukraine´s bard Taras Shevchenko (there is hardly any city in Ukraine without its own Shevchenko statue). Across the street there is the Poltava Local History Museum which covers local art, peasant life, the battle of Poltava and natural history with the feature piece being a mastodon skeleton. Continuing down Zhovtneva there is Spaska church on the left side of the street built in 1705-06. The street ends at Uspenska Church with the bell tower built in 17th century, but the actual church is new. Behind the church is a peculiar monument to Halushky, local kind of dumplings served with sour cream. It is one of the symbols of Ukrainian cuisine along with borsch and varenyky. Next to the halushky monument is the former house and now the museum of Ukrainian writer Kotlyarevskiy known for giving the beginning of formation of the modern Ukrainian language and literature. Across the street is Ivana Hora, which locals will tell you is the most expensive restaurant in town but it is actually pretty affordable. The street finally ends at eight white columns in a horse shoe shape known as the Friendship Rotunda. The Friendship Rotunda of White Gazebo built to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Poltava victory. The legend has it that on this very place a local blacksmith horseshoed a horse of Peter I after the Battle of Poltava. This very legend explains the horseshoe shape of Rotunda. Form here guests and locals enjoy the magnificent view that opens on the hills of Poltava and Vorskla river. On the left there is a beautiful silhouette of Monastery of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The Rotunda is the favourite place of local graduates and newlyweds who come here to drink a bottle of champagne and make a wish on happy and prosperous life and read the lines by Ivan Kotlyarevskiy from the famous play Natalka Poltavka minted in gold letters on one of the columns: “Where harmony in the family, where peace and silence, there people are happy and blessed place to live.”
Poltava is the city where harmony, peace and silence get together so no wonder the people in Poltava seem so happy, never in hurry and full of proud for their town. They have full rights for this, as Poltava have for centuries been an paradise of Ukrainian culture and a land of inspiration for poets, artists and scientists from all over Ukraine and Russian Empire. This was the birthplace of many talents, ideas, projects and events realization of which changed the course of Ukrainian and world history in 19th-20th. We can only hope the 21st century will be no exception.
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