Attractions of Transcarpathian region

The Mini-Statue of Freedom in Uzhhorod, which is also the smallest functioning lighthouse in Ukraine, was made by sculptor Mykhailo Kolodko in the style of Fernando Botero and installed in 2011 in honor of the Uzhhorod River Regatta.

The 17-centimeter-tall figure holds a lamp with a flashing LED. Little Freedom Lighthouse (Svobodka lighthouse) is installed on the railing of the bridge over the Uzh River.

The only monument to the postman in the country is installed in the park on the central square of Perechyn.

The monument is dedicated to Fedir Feketa, a resident of the village of Turya Remeta, who in the middle of the 19th century worked as a postman and every day covered 10 kilometers of the mountain road from his native village to Perechyn and back. He worked regardless of the weather, repeatedly met wild animals on the road, but he always delivered the mail on time, for which he received the respectful nickname "Ambassador" from his fellow villagers. After his death in 1839, grateful compatriots installed a memorial plaque on the local church with the inscription: "Fedir Feketa. In memory of the ambassador's kindness, sobriety, honesty, service."

The monument in Perechyn was erected in 2005.

A monument to the Transcarpathian artist Ihnatiy Roshkovych in Uzhhorod is located on the embankment, which used to bear his name, next to the pedestrian bridge.

At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, Roshkovych became famous for his sacred paintings of many churches in Europe, in particular. St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest and the Transfiguration Church in Uzhhorod.

Sculptor Mykhaylo Kolodko depicted the artist at work on the cityscape of Uzhhorod with the embankment and the bridge over the river. Moreover, the bridge in the picture looks as it was during Roshkoviych's time.

A similar monument will be erected in Budapest.

The "Old School" museum complex in Kolochava is housed in an old school building built in 1879 and consists of two school-museums: the Soviet and the Czech.

The Museum "Soviet School" conveys the atmosphere of children's education in the second half of the 20th century. The walls here are hung with portraits of Soviet leaders, there are inkwells on old desks, and there is a stove in the corner. In the director's office there is a massive telephone, an old typewriter, a radio receiver.

The Museum "Czech School" reflects the conditions of education of children during the time of the Czech government in the 1930s. The school, which operated for only 7 years, is recreated based on the memories of former students. It consists of two rooms: a classroom and a teacher's room. Here you can see a bust of the president of Czechoslovakia, a geographical map of the country in the old borders, school supplies and other items of the era. 

The monument "To teacher from Ukraine" has been installed in the museum courtyard, dedicated to all teachers who came to Transcarpathia from central and eastern Ukraine after the Second World War to teach children in remote mountain villages.

"Mustard Seed" Lane (Mustard Lane) in Uzhhorod is a reconstructed corner of the old town.

The colorful shopping arcade in the center of Uzhhorod was created in 2010 for family recreation. A 70-meter pedestrian lane connects Koryatovych Square and Oleksandra Fedynetsa Street.

The architectural solution of Mustard Seed, designed by Mykhailo Kolodko, is made in the unique old style characteristic of Uzhhorod in the 1930s. Along the passage, there are cafes and pastry shops, small shops, a children's hairdresser, as well as a coffee museum with a coffee map of Uzhhorod. There is a place for the stage.

A particularly romantic atmosphere prevails here in the evenings, when the warm lights of retro-style lanterns are lit.

The legendary Narcissus Valley is located in the Kireshi tract between the Tysa and Khustets rivers on the outskirts of Khust.

The nature of this relict valley has been preserved since the Ice Age. The narrow-leaved narcissus population growing here is unique in that it is not in the mountains, but on the plain (180-200 meters above sea level). Similar thickets, but of a smaller area, remained in a few places - the Alps, mountainous regions of Romania and some Balkan countries.

There is an adapted legend about the ancient Greek god Narcissus, who allegedly saw his reflection in the mirror waters of Khustets, fell in love and died of longing, turning into a flower.

Protection of the valley began during the times of Austria-Hungary. Under the Soviet government, they wanted to plow the land, reclamation work began, but thanks to the efforts of Professor Vasyl Komendar, the territory ended up under the protection of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve.

The mass flowering of Narcissus Valley usually begins in the first half of May and lasts about two weeks (the exact date depends on the weather). The earth is covered with a white flower carpet of unusual beauty, which thousands of tourists come to see.

There is an ecological and educational center "Narcissus Museum", which tells about the unique flora and fauna of the valley, the history of its preservation.

The Romanesque-Gothic Nevytsky Castle on the top of a hill above the Uzh River valley was built in the 13th century, probably on the site of an earlier wooden fortification.

For the first time Nevytsky Castle is mentioned in 1274 as the royal castle of Unh County. He controlled the trade route to the Uzhotsky Pass. Until 1321, it was a stronghold of Transcarpathian feudal lords who rebelled against the new king Karl I Robert. Later, for three centuries, the Nevytsky Castle was owned by the Drugets Counts, who rebuilt the castle on the Italian model.

The legend tells about one of the mistresses from the Druget family, nicknamed the "Pagan girl" (evil maiden) for her extreme cruelty, who had to be personally punished by the Hungarian king Matthias for her atrocities.

The castle was destroyed by the Transylvanian prince Dyerde (Yuriy) I Rakotsi in 1644 during the religious wars with Austria (Drugets were Catholics, and Rakotsi were Protestant-Calvinists). A square tower-donjon, four corner towers and an overgate tower, fragments of defensive walls, ramparts and a moat have been preserved. There is a siege well with a diameter of 3.5 meters in the castle yard.

Currently, the ruins of Nevytsky Castle are located on the territory of the "Verkhovyna" camp. The castle has been partially restored and conserved, access is free.

The pompous administrative building of the Komitat (county seat) Court in Berehove dominates the pedestrian square of Koshuta, which is built up with low-rise buildings.

It was built at the beginning of the 20th century according to the project of the architect Ferents Yablonskyi.

In Soviet times, the premises were occupied by a factory of precision mechanics.

Since 2002, the Transcarpathian Hungarian Institute named after Ferents II Rakotsi has been housed in the former building of the Chamber of Justice. Partial restoration has been carried out.

The Palace of Princes Rakotsi in Mukachevo is better known as the "White House". It is located in the center of the city, inside the block on Cyril and Methodius Square. The palace was built in the XVII-XVIII centuries in a mixed Renaissance and Baroque style. It owes its second name to the initial color of the facade.

The palace served as the city family residence of the princes of the Transylvanian Rakotsi dynasty. In 1726, it became the property of the Shenborn family, for whom the famous German architect Yohan-Baltazar Neyman carried out a major reconstruction of the building and completed a new building in compliance with architectural proportions and symmetry. A powerful baroque portal stands out, next to which is placed a sculptural portrait of Prince Ferents II Rakotsi (according to legend, it was here that the prince wrote an appeal to the Hungarian people calling for an uprising against the Habsburgs).

Despite its respectable age, the "White Palace" is in excellent condition. Inside, the original interior has been largely preserved: cross vaults, ancient stucco, a marble fireplace, a bronze chandelier in the Art Nouveau style. Since Soviet times, the palace has been home to the Mukachevo Children's Art School, named after the founder of the Hungarian school of realistic painting, Mihay Munkachi. In the hall of the school there is a museum exposition dedicated to the artist, in particular, a plaster form of the future monument to Munkachi. There is a bust of Mihay Munkachi on the square in front of the palace.

The Palace of the Princes of Rakotsi is an architectural monument of national importance. Restoration is planned, after which the White House will be equipped with a museum of the Rakotsi family and a hall for receiving distinguished guests.

Mukachevo Castle "Palanok" is an outstanding historical and architectural landmark, the ancestral nest of the Transylvanian princes Rakotsi.

The castle was built on a high volcanic mountain (65 meters) in several stages. In the 11th century, by order of King Laszlo I, a stone tower-donjon was built on the site of the ancient Rus wooden fortifications, in 1321, by the will of King Karl Robert, Italian masters expanded the fortress, in 1394, Prince Fedir Koratovych, exiled from Podillya, took up the reconstruction ), and the fortress acquired its current appearance in the 17th century under Dyerd I Rakotsi.

Mukachevo Castle controlled the trade routes through the Veretsky Pass connecting the Middle Danube Valley with Eastern Europe. The outer lines of defense included a moat, a rampart, and a stockade (palanok), which gave the entire castle its name. A bridge across a dry moat led to the Lower Castle, a square for celebrations was provided in the Middle Castle, and princely chambers and a siege well (86 meters) were located in the Upper Castle.

The castle withstood many sieges. The most famous defense in 1685-1688 was led by Ilona Zrini, the widow of Ferents Rakotsi. For three years, she repelled the attacks of the Austrians, who were able to force the garrison to surrender only by trickery. For a long time, the castle was a stronghold of the Hungarian national liberation struggle under the leadership of her son Ferents II Rakotsi. Monuments were erected to both of them.

Under the Austrians, a prison for political prisoners was located here, and under the Soviet authorities - various institutions.

Since 1993, the premises of the Mukachevo Castle have been occupied by a historical museum and an art gallery. You can relax and have a snack in a cozy cafe. A wine tasting room of the "Chizay" trademark has been opened in the castle cellars.

The two-story palace under a whimsical shingle roof in Vynohradiv is one of the oldest examples of the palace architecture of Transcarpathia.

Built in the 16th century by Baron Peter Pereni, the palace was originally one-story and had defensive functions. After the reconstruction, a second floor was added to the residential residence, a baroque pediment with the coat of arms of the Pereni family appeared.

The original layout has largely been preserved. On the first floor there were utility rooms and the entrance to the large cellars. Living rooms were located on the second floor. The frescoes of the 18th century on the walls of the central hall have been preserved.

The palace is surrounded by a large park, nearby are outbuildings.

Barons Pereni lived here until 1944. During Soviet times, the district education department was placed in the building. In recent years, restoration has been carried out, the opening of the museum is planned.

The Church of the Cathedral of the Holy Archangel Michael in the village of Uzhok is one of the most outstanding monuments of wooden architecture in Ukraine.

This is one of the most interesting buildings of the Boyko style. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in the category "Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Region of Ukraine".

Saint Michael's Church was built in 1754 by masters Pavlo Toniv and Ivan Tsyhanyn. It is located on the slope of a hill near the Uzhok pass, it offers wonderful views of the mountains. The forms of the church seem to repeat the natural surroundings: the powerful hump is dominated by the central tent top, it is complemented by a small tent above the altar part, and a small tower above the nave acts as a complement to the overall composition.

Fragments of ancient carvings and a carved iconostasis of the 18th century have been preserved in the interior. The interior is partially damaged by modern alterations.

In 1927, a classic Verkhovyna wooden belfry, square in plan, two-story, covered with a four-slope tent, was erected near the Church of Saint Michael.

The Church of Saint Paraskeva in Oleksandrivka is probably the oldest Gothic church in Khust region.

The exact date of its foundation is unknown. It is likely that the lower beams belong to the 15th century. The year 1753, when the reconstruction was carried out, is considered to be the official date of foundation.

The 25-meter Gothic spire is decorated with decorative towers. The walls and vaults are covered with rich paintings made in 1779 by the artist Stefan Terebelsky. A two-story bell tower rises in front of the main facade.

The oldest sakura alley in Uzhhorod stretches along Brashchaykiv Street from Pushkina Square on Nezalezhnosti Embankment to the intersection with Ferentsa Rakotsi Street. This is the most popular tourist location in the city during the cherry blossoms in the second half of April.

Sakura is recognized as a tourist card of Uzhhorod. The ornamental Japanese cherry was brought here in 1923 from Vienna, and now it grows all over the city. But the first sakura alley was planted along Braschaykiv Street and on the adjacent streets - in the so-called Czech quarters, which were built in the 1920s in the style of interwar modernism. In the spring, hundreds of sakura trees bloom here in an incredibly lush pink and white color. This fascinating sight attracts thousands of tourists to Uzhhorod every year.

New sakura alleys in Uzhhorod were planted in 2009-2011 on the opposite bank of the Uzh River, on the Slovyanska, Kyivska and Pravoslavna embankments.

Almost at the same time as cherry blossoms, magnolias bloom, flowers of Japanese quince and Nedzvetskyi, Florida and Chinese apple trees bloom.

The private cheese factory "Selyska Cheese Factory" in the village of Nyzhnie Selyshche is a social project of the Transcarpathian Association of Local Development and the European cooperative "Longo May".

At Selyska cheese factory, using modern equipment, four types of cheese are made according to Swiss technology, processing ecologically clean milk supplied by private farms of local peasants.

Excursions are held at the cheese factory with tastings of all four varieties: "Selysky", "Khust", "Menchul" and "Narcis Carpathians". It is advisable to make an appointment in advance and come on the day while the cheese-making process is in progress.