Buchak

The artificial lake Buchak was formed on the site of the lower pit of the unfinished Kanivska HPP, the construction of which was started in 1984.

Construction was stopped after the accident at the Chornobyl NPP, and in 1992 it was completely frozen for economic reasons.

During construction, the village of Buchak was partially displaced and destroyed, part of the oak forest was uprooted, and the ecosystem of this area was disturbed. Currently, the issue of resuming the construction of the Kanivska HPP is under consideration.

Meanwhile, Lake Buchak, replenished with spring water, self-cleansing and overgrown with reeds on the banks, is a wonderful place for secluded recreation in nature. It has very clean water, fish are found there.

The Local Lore Museum of the village of Buchak in Cherkasy Region is the only museum institution on the Trakhtemyriv Peninsula. It created in 2021 at the initiative of the State Historical and Cultural Reserve "Trakhtemyriv" in partnership with the Society of Creative Initiatives "Buchak" thanks to the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Fund and the State Agency for Tourism Development.

The exposition of the Buchak Local Lore Museum presents the ancient historical, cultural and natural heritage of the Trakhtemyriv region, the history of the village and the artistic depiction of the picturesque Buchak in painting and cinema. Much attention is paid to traditional housing, everyday life and the peculiarities of crafts of the original Dnieper village.

In particular, visitors to the Buchak Local Lore Museum can learn about the centuries-old history of the settlement of the Trakhtemyriv Peninsula, which is confirmed by more than 80 archaeological sites. Although the village of Buchak itself is mentioned in documents only from the middle of the 18th century, it is known for certain that there was a settlement here from the 1st millennium BC (Scythian and Zarubynet cultures) and a large settlement from the times of Rus.

Of particular note are the materials about the period of the middle of the 20th century, when the outstanding Ukrainian director Oleksandr Dovzhenko drew attention to Buchak as a location for filming. The exposition introduces many film works created in this "Hollywood on the Dnieper" by Serhiy Paradzhanov, Yuriy Illenko, Volodymyr Denisenko, Andrey Tarkovsky and others.

The exposition also mentions the tragic events of the 1980s, when the Soviet authorities destroyed most of the village for the construction of the Kaniv hydroelectric power station, and the subsequent restoration of the village by enthusiasts.

The old wooden windmill in Buchak is the only one of three mills preserved in this village-museum near Kaniv. It is located on a hill in the center of the village.

This traditional four-bladed pillar-type windmill was built in 1946 by a local craftsman Yevdokym Pidlisniy, who worked as a miller in the village. For half a century, this Buchak mill served the residents of the surrounding villages.

The windmill has survived to this day without the blades, but with all the other authentic mechanisms inside. Thanks to the initiative of the local community, the building has been preserved and electrified. Further restoration is planned.

The spring "Rozhena Krynytsya" is located on the northwestern outskirts of the village of Buchak (convenient drive-in from the village of Ivankiv).

The name of the spring is connected with the name of the legendary beauty Rozhena. According to local legend, Rozhena treated the Kyiv princes Svyatoslav, Ihor and Volodymyr, who were on their way to the battle with the Polovtsy, with their wives.

A large ancient Rus settlement and burial ground were discovered on the hill closer to the river.