Attractions of Okhtyrka

The architecturally original temple of Archangel Michael with ball domes on thin "necks" was built on the outskirts of Okhtyrka in 1884 as a military church.

Relief masonry made of red brick with decorative elements of Byzantine and Rus architecture of the 17th century vaguely resembles the image of military churches of the beginning of the 20th century, found in Right Bank Ukraine.

A feature of the interior decoration of Saint Michael's Church is a belt of deep semi-circular niches with works of easel painting stretched under the lunettes. A conch is covered with thematic oil painting. The interior decoration was done later.

The Church of Archangel Michael in Okhtyrka is distinguished by the originality of the three-dimensional solution and the clarity of the silhouette.

The Holy Intercession Cathedral is the main temple of Okhtyrka, a visiting card of the city.

The place where the priest Danylo Polyansky found the miraculous icon of the Okhtyrka Mother of God in 1739 was chosen for its construction.

The project of the Intercession Cathedral in the Ukrainian Baroque style was developed in 1753 by the famous architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Part of the funds was allocated by Empress Elizabeth, who visited the city in 1744. Construction lasted 15 years and was completed in 1768. The famous Russian architect Stepan Dudynskyi took part in the construction. The interior is decorated with pilasters with capitals of the Ionic order, sculpting of plant and rocaille motifs, painting on sails.

The building was damaged during the Second World War, restored in 1970-1972.

The icon of the Okhtyrka Mother of God was stolen in 1903 during restoration in St. Petersburg, the cathedral keeps a list. Other lists are in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Samara, Kharkiv and many other cities.

The ensemble of the cathedral also includes the Introduction belfry church (1784) and the Church of the Nativity (1825).

The three-tiered Introduction Church-Bell Tower is part of the complex of the Intercession Cathedral in Okhtyrka.

It was built according to the project of the Kharkiv architect Petro Yaroslavskyi, a native of the city of Okhtyrka. Made in baroque style with elements of classicism. It has a centric pyramidal composition and consists of three tiers installed on a low plinth. The church is located on the first floor, the two upper ones are intended for bells. The building has good proportions and a clear silhouette.

The Introduction Church-Bell Tower is located near the main entrance to the Intercession Cathedral and is its bell tower.

The Church of the Nativity of Christ, which is part of the ensemble of the Intercession Cathedral in Okhtyrka, is called the "Count's Church" because it was built at the expense of Countess Anna Chernyshova.

According to legend, her mother, Baroness fon Vedel (Veydel), fell fatally ill in Okhtyrka on the way to St. Petersburg. Before her death in the Intercession Church, she had an apparition of the Mother of God, who ordered her to give away her wealth to beggars, and promised to take her two young daughters under her care. Soon after the death of the baroness, her orphaned daughters ended up at court and successfully married, and since then they made large donations to the Intercession Temple. In particular, they financed the construction of the Nativity of Christ Church.

The temple is original in terms of its volume-spatial and decorative solution, and is more like a palace building than a religious one. Indeed, living rooms were provided in the side rooms, in which the pious countess often lived for months, spending time in prayers.

Okhtyrka City Museum of Local Lore is located in a former private mansion of the late nineteenth - early twentieth century, located in the center of Okhtyrka.

The museum was founded in 1920. There are three permanent exhibitions: "Fauna of the native land", "History of Okhtyrka", "Okhtyrka in the occupation period" and an exhibition hall.

The most interesting exhibits of the museum: personal belongings of the writer-countryman Ivan Bahryany, antiques, photographs, books on historical themes, index "Kharkiv Provincial Assembly of 1786-1919", books on the liberation of Ukraine from fascist invaders, theatrical costumes.

During the large-scale Russian invasion in 2022, the museum building was damaged by an explosion and is now in need of restoration. Part of the exposition was damaged. But the most valuable exhibits were saved.

Employees of the museum conduct tours of the city of Okhtyrka and its surroundings.

The majestic church of Saint George the Victorious in Okhtyrka is also known as Yuriyivska Church.

Its history begins in 1660, when the first Saint George's Church was built in Okhtyrka. Subsequently, it was repeatedly reconstructed by the efforts of the hussar regiment of Denis Davydov, but in 1860 it was decided to build a new one instead of the old church. Construction lasted 45 years. The temple was consecrated only in 1905, and it was active for a short time. In 1920, it was closed and partially looted by the Bolsheviks, for a long time the premises were used as a warehouse.

In 1993, the church was handed over to the community of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

In May 2022, during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Saint George's Church was severely damaged by a Russian missile attack. Damaged upper, over-door and arched windows, as well as wall structures.

The beautiful Transfiguration Church is located in the center of Okhtyrka.

A small temple in the Byzantine style was built according to the project of the architect Volodymyr Nemkin instead of the wooden Transfiguration Church, founded in the 18th century. The project of the new stone church was approved and adopted in 1904, and a year later the church was consecrated. The construction was carried out on the donation of the burgher Hryhoriy Chykalo.

Previously, a now lost belfry towered above the temple, on the second tier of which there was a bell weighing 5 tons. During the Soviet struggle against religion, the bell tower was dismantled, the church was closed. Until 1994, the premises were used as a gym. Currently, the Savior-Transfiguration Church belongs to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Its dome is gilded, restoration work has been carried out inside, and an iconostasis has been installed.

On March 2, 2022, as a result of Russian shelling during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Church of the Transfiguration suffered significant damage.