Attractions of Odesa

The Port of Odesa is one of the largest seaports in Eastern Europe, and was the largest in the Russian Empire. The construction of a new port at the Khadzhibey fortress, which was captured by Russian troops, started the city. Completely reconstructed in 1968.

In front of the building of the sea station, a sculpture of Ernst Unknown "The Golden Child" was installed, on the pier there is a monument to the sailor's wife. The tower of the high-rise "Odesa" hotel (2001) rises above the naval station. At the end of the pier - the church of Saint Nicholas, a new yacht club. On the territory there is a museum of open-air anchors.

The neo-Gothic building on a steep slope at the very beginning of Hoholya Street is called the Shah Palace in Odesa, because it was once rented by the Persian Shah.

The palace was built in 1851-1852 according to the project of the architect Feliks Gonsorovsky for the Polish nobleman Zenona Bzhozovsky, and the last owner was Count Yosyp Shenbek. Part of the premises was rented out.

From 1909 to 1917, the Persian Shah Mohammad Ali, who fled to Odesa from the revolution in Iran, lived in the palace. According to legend, with the beginning of the revolution in Russia, he also left the country, this time abandoning his harem.

During Soviet times, the "Shah Palace" housed the House of Folk Art. For some time, the restored building was occupied by the main office of the Maritime Transport Bank. Currently - the office of the transfer company "Eximnaftoprodukt".

The "Starokonka" flea market in Odesa arose around the historic Starokinnyi bazaar, which was built back in 1832 for the trade of cattle and horses. It began to turn into a flea market from the mid-1930s.

Today, the Odesa flea market is spread over several blocks between Rozkydaylivska, Rizovska, Oleksandra Kutukaziya and Skisna streets. At "Starokonka" you can find antiques, household utensils, second-hand clothes, collectible coins, old books, various Soviet paraphernalia, etc.

The "Masks" theater in Odesa was opened in 2003 by the famous Odesa comedy troupe "Masks" in the premises of the former "Druzhba" cinema.

Performances of "Masks", based on the rich classical traditions of the Theater Del Arte, the Theater of the Absurd, comedians "Big Dumb", European clowning - are fireworks of fresh unbridled fantasy, embodied in the form of pantomime, choreography, drama, trick, where each actor develops his own unique image.

The theater has a "Masks" cinema, which shows the best arthouse and festival films every day. Creative parties and children's matinees take place in the art cafe "Mana-Mana Restaurant", the interior of which was created by the members of the "Masks Show" troupe.

The Transfiguration Cathedral is the main Orthodox church of Odesa, rebuilt from scratch in 2002 after it was blown up in 1936 by the decision of the Soviet authorities.

Contemporaries were impressed by the magnificence of the interior of the temple. After the reconstruction in 1903, the Transfiguration Cathedral was one of the largest churches in the Russian Empire and could accommodate up to 9,000 people. Its dimensions in plan were 90 by 45 meters, and the height of the belfry was 72 meters.

In 2005, the remains of the governor-general of the Novorossiya region Prince Mykhaylo Vorontsov and his wife were reburied in the restored church.

On the night of July 23, 2023, Russia launched a massive missile attack on the historic center of Odesa, as a result of which the Savior and Transfiguration Cathedral suffered significant destruction. A Russian rocket hit the central altar, as a result of which the cathedral building was partially destroyed, the three lower floors were covered, the interior decoration and icons were significantly damaged, and the service premises of the lower part of the cathedral were completely destroyed.

The Ukrainian Cossacks Development History Museum in Odesa was founded in 2006 by the Interregional Public Organization "Black Sea District. Zaporizhzhian Cossacks". The institution is located in a restored building of the 19th century in the central part of the city, on Peresyp.

In three halls on an area of 120 square meters, there is a permanent exhibition, which presents about 1,000 exhibits and various dioramas.

The "Ukrainian Cossacks Heroic" hall tells about the prerequisites for the emergence of Cossacks, the creation of Zaporizhzhian Sich, the liberation movements of the XVII-XVIII centuries, the destruction of Sich and the creation of the Black Sea Cossacks, the liberation of southern Ukraine from Turkish-Tatar influence, the role of Cossacks in the First and Second World Wars. The dioramas "Assault of the Turkish frigate by the Cossacks", "Settlement on Peresyp", "Assault on the Khadzhybey fortress", "Outpost on Shkodova Hill" are presented. The decoration of the exhibition is a copy of Illya Repin's painting "Zaporizhzhians writing a letter to the Turkish Sultan" by an unknown artist.

In the "Cossack life and works of art" hall, typical Cossack clothing, crockery of the 18th-19th centuries, ancient icons, as well as the works of the sculptor Petro Kravchenko are exhibited. The "Ukrainian room of the 19th Century" hall recreates the life of Ukrainian peasants and displays everyday items, including a collection of embroidered and home-woven towels and shirts from more than a century ago.

Museum employees organize tours of Cossack sites in Odesa, as well as thematic tourist and excursion programs with master classes.

The Palace of the Governor-General of the Novorossiya Region Mykhaylo Vorontsov in Odesa was built in 1827 in the Empire style according to the project and under the direction of the architect Frants Boffo.

The interiors of the palace, designed by the outstanding sculptor and painter Karl Scotti, are the best examples of the preserved interiors of Odesa from the empire era. Prince Vorontsov arranged elegant balls here.

In Soviet times, the premises were occupied by the Palace of Children and School Youth.

The belvedere colonnade on the embankment is considered one of the symbols of Odesa. In 1994, the "Day and Night" fountain by Mykhaylo Reva was installed nearby.

In May 2022, during the Russian-Ukrainian war, the Vorontsov Palace was damaged by Russian missile fire.

Odesa Zoo "Biopark" is another project of the owners of Nemo Dolphinarium. Located on the bypass road in the western part of Odesa, in the "Two Pillars" area.

The zoo is equipped with modern, spacious enclosures designed in accordance with the animals' natural habitat. Giraffes, Himalayan bears, Ussuri tigers, lions, chimpanzees, lemurs, gibbons, llamas, alpacas and others live in the Biopark.

The youngest visitors can interact with domestic animals in the petting zoo. There are playgrounds and animation shows for children, photo zones, public catering points.