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DNEPROPETROVSK
Dnepropetrovsk is situated in central Ukraine (more south-east direction) on both banks of the mighty Dnepr River. Deemed by Catherine the Great to become the 3rd capital of the Russian Empire, Dnepropetrovsk today is the 3rd largest city of Ukraine with the population of over 1 million people.
Dnepropetrovsk is one of the most beautiful cities of Ukraine and the main highly developed vital industrial, trade, educational and cultural centre of Eastern Ukraine.
Dnepropetrovsk is most important for the powerful metallurgical and machine building industries. In recent past it was one of the key centers of arms (ballistic missiles manufacturing) and space industries of the former USSR.
Built on 3 hills overlooking the beautiful peaceful waters of the Dnepr River (which is very broad here) with its picturesque islands and lavishly green river banks, lush meadows and valleys, Dnepropetrovsk today is preserving its historical past, still is a vibrant modern city with a skyscraper skyline, broad boulevards, Europe’s longest embankment, abundant greenery, beautiful historical parks, bridges and rich fountains of water.
The first settlements appeared in the area as early as about 150,000 years ago. Later in history these lands were becoming home to different tribes, e.g. Cimmerians (3000 years ago), Scythians (ca.700 BC), Sarmatians (200 BC), Slavic tribes (1st century of our era) and an arena of struggle between the Slavs and the Asian nomads (Tatars).
There exist at least 7 versions of dating the organized settlement, starting from 870 AC, when according to legend, the Byzantine monks founded a monastery on an island, which now bears the name of the Monastery Island. The first fortified town settlements, though, appeared in the middle of the 16th century. The history of “the free people”, Cossacks, leads to another date in 17th century, when the Kodak Fortress was built in Kodaki (in the outskirts of modern Dnepropetrovsk), which was rivalry of Poland, Turkey and Russia in the region.
1776 is an official date of the new city foundation, which is the result of Catherine the Great’s ambitious plan of southern expansion of the Russian Empire. The city was founded by Prince Potemkin at the Russian Empress’s order and bore the name Yekaterinoslav meaning The Glory of Yekaterina until 1926. For one year in 1918 the city’s name was Sicheslav meaning The Glory of Sich” i.e. Cossacks’ Fortress.
Since 1926 the city bears the name Dnepropetrovsk, often lovingly abbreviated by its citizens to Dnepr. The city’s name comprises of 2 words - Dnepr (name of the river) and Petrovsky (personal name). Another version which seems to be true (geographically) might be a combination of the word Dnepro (from old Iranian “Dan” - River) and the Greek word “Petros” - Stone i.e. Stones in the River or “Rapids” which used to be plentiful in the region.
Useful City Info:
Educational center: 11 state and several privately owned ones, as well as a National University.
Main museums: Historical, Arts, Literature museums, Diorama “Battle for the Dnepr”.
Theatres: Opera and Ballet Theatre, Gorky Russian Drama Theatre, Shevchenko Ukrainian Drama Theatre, Puppet Theatre etc.
Annual events: International Jazz Festival “Jazz on the Dneper” (October), IDSF Open Sport Dance Tournament “Stanislav Shklyar’s Cup”, International Contemporary Dance Festival “Free Dance” (April) and others
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Shevchenko 4, (562) 362 258, web http://www.dcci.dp.ua/, http://www.ucci.org.ua/en/rccis/12rcci.html
The city also has a Ukrainian Premiere League Football Club “Dnipro”
There’s a Metro (underground stations).
Dnipropetrovsk is 500 km away from Kiev. It takes 1 hour by air or 6 hours by car or Intercity express train to get there.
Where to stay:
Academy Hotel, Karla Marxa Prospekt 20, 0562 370-29-31
Park Hotel, Voroshylova vul. 21-D, 056 726-60-06
Hotel Caspiy, Shevchenka vul., 53-A, 0562 371-00-22
Dnipropetrovsk Sights
Preobrazhensky Cathedral – The cathedral was founded by Prince Potemkin by order of Catherine the Great in 1786 and is an example of Russian Classicism. The initial ambitious plan was to surpass The St. Peter & Paul’s Cathedral in Rome (150 m long, 139 m high).
Potemkin Palace – The palace is located in the Shevchenko Park which is an example of the 18th century landscape gardening. Currently it is the Palace of Students (National University).
The Monastery Island – The island is the most legendary place in the city. The monastery on the island was founded by Byzantine monks in the 9th century. According to the legend, the monastery was used as a place of rest by pilgrims including Christ’s disciple Andrey Pervozvanny, Prince Vladimir the Great or Princess Olga. The monastery was destroyed by Tatars in 1240.
Historical Museum - On a small ground next to the museum there’s a unique and very big collection of Babas (86 statues) - oval sculptures of ancient Gods made of stone by ancient nomadic people.
Sightseeing Tours out of Dnipropetrovsk
Zaporozhie and Khortitsa - Zaporozhie city (90km), Khortitsa Island and the museum of Cossacks history, DneproGES (the first Soviet hydroelectric power station).
Petrykivka Village (50 km) – Worldwide famous Petrykivka-style craftsmen live and work here. Visit their studios and showrooms, buy traditional Ukrainian handicraft paintings.
Famous Citizens
Helena Blavatskaya (founder of Theosophy), politicians Leonid Brezhnev, Leonid Kuchma, Pavlo Lazarenko and Yuliya Tymoshenko, business oligarch Viktor Pinchuk, contemporary artist Ilya Kabakov, Olympic champion Oxana Bajul and many others
Where to eat and enjoy your time
| Venue |
Type |
Address |
Phone |
| NOBU |
Japanese Cuisine |
K.Marxa Ave.49 |
+380 56 744 6055
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| Gelateria |
Ice-Cream Restaurant |
Gagarin Ave. 7 |
+380 56 238 9049 |
| Sparta |
Restaurant |
Teatralniy Sq. 1 |
+380 56 370 1826 |
| BraSSerie |
European Cuisine |
Katenoslavsky Sq. 2 |
+380 56 373 6486 |
| Moon |
Cafe |
Korolenko 2 |
+380 56 236 7574 |
| Gragda |
Ukrainian Cuisine |
Pravda Ave.118 |
+380 56 785 1689 |
| Karpaty |
Ukrainian Cuisine |
Pravda Ave. 118 |
+380 56 372 9427 |
| Caspiy |
Restaurant |
Shevchenko 53 a |
+380 56 371 0022 |
| Bartolomeo |
Restaurant |
Naberezhnaya Pobedy 9/b |
+380 56 236 8416 |
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