Must-see in Ukraine

Inessa BLYUM, journalist
Specially for “Prime Excursion Bureau”

Her full name is written in different ways in various sources. Or rather names, to be more exact. Militsa Bogdanovna (or Borgievna) in Russian and Ukrainian tradition, Militsa Natasha in Montenegrin tradition of her father,  nice girl Milla and the Hollywood rescuer of the humanity — all these definitions are true for the native of Kiev Milla Yovovich.

Evgeniy SKIBIN, pathfinder
Specially for “Prime Excursion Bureau”

April 28 is the World Day of Sister-cities. There exist two versions about the appearance of the phenomenon. The first one points out the initiative of veterans of the French Resistance in 1957 when in Paris the first international non-governmental organization – the World Federation of Sister-cities was established.

Inessa BLYUM, journalist
Specially for “Prime Excursion Bureau”

Kiev has many symbols, starting from St. Sophia`s Cathedral and St. Andre`s Church to the bell tower of Kiev Pechersk Lavra and the Motherland Mother monument. “Ladya” — the monument to the founders of Kiev: brothers Kiy, Schek, Khoriv and their sister Lybid — has been on this list for three decades. This monuments doesn`t just embody the old legend. It holds its special place in the capital...

For many Ukrainians Denmark is associated with the image of a fairy-tale country. Not only because this oldest kingdom in the world gave humanity the great author of fairy-tales Hans Christian Andersen and the magic Mermaid, who meets guests on the seaboard of Danish capital Copenhagen and has become the unofficial symbol of the country. What surprises most is the miraculous combination of monarchy, democracy, market economy and real socialism — the subject of national pride of Danes.

The French Embassy in Ukraine is located quite near St. Sophia`s Cathedral. Let`s turn over other common pages in the history of our two countries together with the Head of the Diplomatic Mission — the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of French Republic in Ukraine Jacques FAURE.

Inessa BLYUM, journalist.
Specially for “Prime Excursion Bureau”.

When Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, who must have been the only Russian ruler, who treated Ukraine with respect, decided to build her palace in the city, it froze in expectation. The former capital of the Rus land finally got a chance to become governmental residence again. But these intentions were not realized…

Every year on the 1st of March with great constancy Bulgarians pin so-called “martenica” – a little interlacement of white and red threads in bright tracery with a heart or a flower - to their clothes. Such tradition has been well-known only in Bulgaria for a long time. Although it is respected by all Bulgarians throughout the country, but most attention is paid to it by peasants – probably, it is them, who go through biggest difficulties in the epoch of changes at all times. That is why from times immemorial local peasants decorate even animals in their farmsteads with red and white threads of “martenica”: this serves evidence and hope that new spring, new changes in nature will bring joy and prosperity into the house.

Switzerland is real paradise in the center of Europe. The country, associated with such notions as bank system, watches, chocolate, knives and ski resorts, attracts as the place of respectable pastime, a cozy area with high level of life, where, from the point of view of an ordinary Ukrainian, people live, wallowing in luxury. What do Swiss think about our country? How do they imagine Ukraine? What do they feel when they come here?

Present-day Vatican, turning the eyes of its laymen towards tomorrow, often repeats Apostle Pavel`s words: “We are saved in hope”. And explains them: we obtain certain sense in hope. According to the Pope Benedict the Sixth, realization of dreams of Christianity is only possible outside “the prison of “I”, only within the unity called “we”. And if it is true, than our attention should be paid to the fact that in process of development of civilization there appears greater risk because of inadequacy of adoption of moral heritage of humanity by new generations. That is why it is so important to warn the world that “moral growth of humanity is necessary for progress to be real progress”.

Almost a hundred years ago we lived in one state. Today Ukraine and Finland are separated not only by years, but by substantial distance in level of life of the two nations. Nowadays, Finland is one of the most developed countries of the world with the high level of income per head. And although its part in world production is not big, but it takes one of the first places in the world in size of gross national product (over 20 thousand $ per year).

It seems not long ago that no New Year passed for us without mentioning distant Cuba. Each time it felt like we entered a new year with cheerful smile of Cubans. On the Island of Liberty much was told about the 1^st of January – Liberation Day in holiday editions of local newspapers, radio and TV. Unfortunately, the tradition of common New Year has perished. But many Ukrainians keep good and grateful memories about the island of Cuba − a “ship” in endless ocean.

Vladimir CHERNOV, journalist.
Specially for “Prime Excursion Bureau”.

Cities are much like people: there are not two similar ones in the world and some have pseudonyms along with their names. So, Sumy is called “City over Psel” and “city of a hundred thousand roses”. About 200 years ago, in this comparably small regional center tens of thousands of these tender flowers really delighted everybody with their odor. Then there came times, when local authorities neglected flowerbeds and loans and roses disappeared. But the pseudonym “the city of a hundred thousand roses” survived.

Mikhail KALNITSKIY, historian.
Specially for “Prime Excursion Bureau”. 

The most famous site in Kiev for performing different weird witches’ Sabbaths in Slavonic folklore is likely Lysaya Hora (Bald Hill). At the same time it is acknowledged that its “classical” location is under Kiev. Even in the respectable prerevolutionary paper Kiyevlyanin one could read: “According to a popular belief on Bald Hill in Kiev witches from all over the world gather to celebrate, together with vampires, a Sabbath and ride in the air..; here new witches get acquainted with old ones and learn various magic from them”.

Mikhail Kalnitskiy - historian
Special for Prime excursion burau ltd.

The building of the National Academic Ivan Franko Drama Theatre is in the same name square near Khreshchatyk. Not long ago it turned 111 years old, which is  quite an age for buildings of old Kyiv. But intense historical  memory and great significance for development of theatrical art in Ukraine makes the theatre building in Ivan Franko square one of the most interesting Kyiv relics.

Lidiya ZOTOVA, journalist.
Specially for “Prime Excursion Bureau”.

Khersones is a unique coastal natural monument at the Crimean foothill. Khersones was founded in 422-421 B.C. by Heracliots who had come from the south Black Sea coast city. It was called Khersones Taurical (from the Greek 'Chersoneses' − a peninsular). The Greeks named the whole region (modern Crimea) after its inhabitants, the Tauri.

Mikhail Kalnitskiy, historian,
Special for Prime Excursion Bureau ltd.

In the autumn of 1831 the first part of “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka” was published. At first sight the book resembled fashionable at that time “gothic novels” with devil, ghosts and other mystical things. But all this was enveloped in such vivid setting and with such wittiness that compositors were said to giggle while working. T

Eugeniy Skibin, the guide-interpreter of Prime Excursion Bureau
The idea of building the church, worthy of glorious deeds of Volodymyr the Baptist and dedicated to the 900th anniversary of Baptism of Rus, belonged to Filaret (Amfiteatrov) who addressed to the Orthodox people in 1852. The Metropolitan’s appeal who donated 7 thousand roubles for the new church was responsive with Orthodox believers who collected about one hundred thousand roubles, and Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Monastery made a donation of one million bricks manufactured at their own brick factory.

Taras KRAVETS, the lawyer.
Specially for “Prime Excursion Bureau”.

The Narcissus Valley is a pearl of rich and diverse nature of the Transcarpathian region, the only region in Ukraine where natural brushwood of the narrow-leaved narcissus has been preserved. The valley is located a few kilometers from the town of Khust. The narcissus became an original symbol of this area.

Yaroslav Yadlovsky, honoured Journalist of Ukraine
Exclusively for Prime Excursion Bureau
Uzhgorod is one of the oldest towns not only in the Transcarpathian oblast but in all Ukraine. The first mention about it dates back to the year of 872. It stands on the Uzh River, hence the name – Uzhgorod. Uzhgorod is located in the western part of the Transcarpathia not far from the Ukrainian-Slovakian border which is the borderline between Ukraine and the European Union.