Attractions of Chernivtsi district

The cozy Turkish Well (Turetska Krynytsya) Square is a new landmark of Chernivtsi, emphasizing the multi-ethnicity of the city.

In the 17th century, a Turkish community lived in this area of the Lower City, immediately outside the city walls. Next to the old wooden well, the Turks built a stone fountain. From time immemorial, there was a city bath here, which operated even in Soviet times.

The ensemble of the square consists of the Turkish bridge (XIX century), a restored oriental-style pavilion above the spring, and a round arcade with a fountain. The decoration of the square is a flower clock, opened in 2008.

In 2009, during Blacksmiths' Day, a forged bicycle was installed on the square. Ancient houses around the perimeter continue to be restored.

Turkish Well Square is especially beautiful when illuminated in the evening.

The Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, designed by the Czech architect Josef Hlavka, was built for the Armenian community of Chernivtsi.

The architecture of the Armenian church combines features of the Romanesque, Byzantine and Gothic styles.

With the arrival of Soviet power in Bukovyna, the church was closed and used as a warehouse. The sculptures of Saints Peter and Paul, which decorated the entrance to the church, also disappeared. Already during the period of Independence of Ukraine, they were found in a cemetery in a neglected state by the researcher Valery Kvitko. The sculptors Petro Lemskyi, Mykola Lysakivskyi, Dmytro Horshkovskyi, artist Volodymyr Hrypko took part in the restoration of the sculptures. In 2010, the sculptors returned to their place.

The excellent acoustic hall has been used since 1992 for classical and chamber music concerts. The organ for the church was made by the Czech firm "Rieger-Kloss".

The Old Believer Assumption Cathedral in Bila Krynytsia was built in 1901-1908, and later became the main temple of the Bila Krynytsia Convent.

Moscow Old Believers Hlib and Olha Ovsyannikovy allocated large funds for the construction to perpetuate the memory of their son who died early. Architect Oleksandr Kuznetsov developed the project in the style of Russian Orthodox architecture of the XVII-XVIII centuries. The construction was carried out under the supervision of the Austrian architect Klik. Individual stone parts of the structure were delivered from Moscow.

The elegant brick cathedral with five onion baths, covered with glazed tiles on the outside, resembles the Moscow Cathedral of Saint Basil the Blessed. A carved oak iconostasis was made for him by masters from Volodymyr and Palekh. Sketches of paintings were prepared by Viktor Vasnetsov, but they did not have time to paint the temple due to the First World War.

In Soviet times, the premises were used as a warehouse for mineral fertilizers.

In 1988, on the initiative of Rayisa Horbachova, a branch of the Andriy Rublev Moscow Museum of Ancient Russian Art was opened in the Assumption Cathedral. Currently, the church has been returned to the Bila Krynytsia Convent.

It was the residence of the head of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church.

After the start of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, in May 2022, the majority of Old Believers voted for the registration of an independent church and exit from the subordination of the Moscow Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church. Today, the Assumption Cathedral is the spiritual center of the Ancient Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

The Church of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin Mary was built in Dubivtsi in 1775 and reconstructed in 1782.

It is considered one of the best examples of Hutsul wooden architecture. A three-log temple with a dome over the central log. A small five-tier carved iconostasis has been preserved in the interior.

In recent years, the compositionally harmonious structure of the Church of the Assumption has been covered with galvanized iron, as a result of which the church has lost the specific charm characteristic of wooden religious buildings.

The names of two world-class Ukrainian singers - Orest and Denys Rusnak - are associated with the Assumption Church. Their father was a priest in this church, and they themselves sang in the church choir as children. The museum exposition in the nearby one-story building of the village school tells about it.

The Roman Catholic Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which has the status of a minor basilica, was built in 1814 by the personal order of the Austrian Emperor Joseph II, who during his visits to Chernivtsi was outraged that the Catholic community of the city had only a small chapel at its disposal.

Despite the financial and political support of the monarch, the construction of the temple was delayed for three decades. In 1818, the first clock was installed on the tower, which was then twice replaced with new ones. And on the side wall of the basilica there is a sundial.

The building acquired its modern appearance after the reconstruction in 1910.

In Soviet times, the Church of the Ascension in Chernivtsi was one of the few active Catholic churches on the territory of the USSR, due to which the interiors were completely preserved.

The church was granted the status of a minor basilica on July 19, 2014.

Concerts of classical and sacred music are held in the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross before significant dates.

The Botanical Garden of Chernivtsi National University is one of the oldest in Ukraine. Founded in 1877 by Professor Eduard Tanhle on the initiative of the Chernivtsi city magistrate.

There is a collection of more than 920 plants from different continents. Today, the botanical garden has departments of dendrology, tropical and subtropical plants, park science and herbaceous plants.

The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the first stone Greek-Catholic church in Chernivtsi.

In Austrian times, it was called the Ruska Church (that is, Ruthenian - Ukrainian). The street leading to the cathedral from the main square is also called Ruska.

The Church of the Assumption in Empire style was built on the initiative of a wealthy citizen Thaddeus Turkul for the Greek Catholics of Chernivtsi, consecrated in honor of Saint Thaddeus. In the 1930s, the church was rebuilt in the Baroque style according to the project of the architect Volodymyr Zalozetsky and rededicated in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

A luxurious carved iconostasis created by Italian masters has been preserved.

In Soviet times, the building was used as a chemical warehouse.

Assumption Cathedral was returned to the Greek Catholic community in 1990. The main shrine is the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Chernivtsi "Hope of those who have lost hope".

The Catholic chapel in Dubivtsi was founded in the 18th century. In its current form, it was rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century by Baron Shymonovych in neo-Gothic forms with admixtures of local architectural traditions.

On the pediment of the chapel, a family coat of arms with two lions holding a crown is inlaid.

Now the building is not used, nothing has been preserved inside.

The construction of the City Hall on Rynok Square in 1847 cemented its status as the center of Chernivtsi.

The construction of the Chernivtsi City Hall was supervised by the architect Andreas Mikulich with the participation of regional engineer Adolf Marin. The architecture of the building shows features related to the departure from the principles of classicism and the turn to the Italian Renaissance: the facade is designed in a classical style, while the clock tower shows Renaissance motifs.

The building is still used for its intended purpose - it is where the Chernivtsi City Council meets. The facade is decorated with the coat of arms of the city.

Every day, a trumpeter in Bukovyna folk costume climbs the 126 steps to the 50-meter clock tower and at exactly 12:00 p.m. performs from the balcony the melody from the song "Marichka" - the musical business card of Bukovyna.

Upon prior agreement with the Tourist Information Center of Chernivtsi, it is possible to climb to the observation deck, which offers a wonderful panorama of the city and its surroundings (groups of up to 5 people).

The facades of several Austrian-style buildings, which in the 19th century housed the city's best hotels: "Under the Black Eagle", "Golden Lion" and others, also overlook the square.

Chernivtsi Regional Art Museum is located in an imposing building, built in 1901 by architect Ayzenberh for the Bukovyna Savings Bank.

The building is considered one of the best examples of the Viennese Art Nouveau style in Eastern Europe. The upper part of the facade is decorated with a majolica panel, which symbolizes the economic prosperity of Austria-Hungary. The coat of arms of Bukovyna on the chest of one of the allegorical figures gives reason to believe that other figures also symbolize the various provinces of the empire.

Now the building exhibits rare canvases of Bukovyna artists, from Turkish times to the present day (XVIII-XX centuries): Epaminond Buchevskyi, Yevhen Maksymovych, Avhusta Kokhanovska, Leon Kopelman, Mykola Ivasyuk, Yevzebiy Lipetskyi, Huho fon Retstsori, Artur Kolnyk and others . Opanas Shevchukevych plastic collection - miniature figurines made of terracotta - is also presented.

There is a souvenir shop and a literary cafe on the first floor of the Chernivtsi Art Museum.

Chernivtsi Open-Air Museum is one of the few museums of folk architecture and life in Ukraine.

On the territory of two exposition zones (Khotyn region and Western Transnistria) wooden residential and farm buildings typical for the villages of these regions are collected. The interiors in which household items, tools, national clothes, etc. are exhibited are plausibly recreated.

Numerous thematic exhibitions are held on the basis of the Chernivtsi Museum of Folk Architecture and Life.

The Chernivtsi Regional Museum of Local Lore occupies a two-story building of the former Orthodox Religious Foundation on the pedestrian street Olha Kobylyanska, next to the cathedral.

The funds have 90 thousand exhibits. The exposition of the museum presents rare samples of Slavic literature, including the sometimes exhibited Ostroh Bible of Ivan Fedorov. Of great interest are the numismatic collection and exhibition of weapons of the XVIII-XIX centuries. Among the historical rarities of the Museum of Local Lore is the flag of Chernivtsi, made for the 500th anniversary of the first written mention of the city, which was celebrated in 1908.

Icons of the 16th-18th centuries, the works of prominent Bukovyna artists Mykola Ivasyuk, Yustyn Pihulyak, Yevhen Maksymovych, Avhusta Kokhanovska form the basis of the collection of works of fine and decorative and applied art.

The Church of Saint Paraskeva of Serbia is the first Orthodox stone church in Chernivtsi.

It was built on the site of a wooden parish church according to the project of architect Antin Pavlovsky.

In 1864, on the third anniversary of Taras Shevchenko's death, the Chernivtsi Ruthenians first commemorated Kobzar in the church of Saint Paraskeva, thus recognizing themselves as Ukrainians.

In Soviet times, a chess club was located here.

Since 1992, the church has acquired the status of a cathedral. Since then, the Church of Saint Paraskeva has been the cathedral of the Chernivtsi Diocese of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

The Defense Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin in Chernivtsi is the oldest brick Orthodox church in the city. Recognized as an architectural monument.

It was built in the early 1760s on the site of an old wooden church on the territory of the Orthodox male monastery "Horecha" (1712). The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin was built in the Baroque style, was used as a fortress, along the second tier there is a battle gallery.

After the closure of the "Horecha" monastery in 1784, the church became a parish church. The church was seriously damaged during the First World War. In the post-war period, the temple was renovated. The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin remained active even in the Soviet period. In 1992, the temple was thoroughly renovated. In 1995, the "Horecha" monastery was restored and the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin became a monastery again.

The frescoes of the 17th century have been preserved.

The Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Bila Krynytsia was founded in 1740 and rebuilt in the 19th century.

The stone and wooden temple has typical features of Bukovyna sacred architecture. The main volume of the Cosmas and Damian church is made of brick, the tops are wooden. From the west, a three-tiered square wooden belfry rises above the vestibule.

An iconostasis with nine rows of Old Believer icons, a portrait of the first Bila Krynytsia Metropolitan Amvrosiy, his companions Kyril and Olympias, the following metropolitans, have been preserved in the interior of the Cosmas and Damian church.