Attractions of Kharkiv district

Kharkiv Art Museum is one of the oldest and most valuable art collections in Ukraine.

It is located in two old houses in the style of classicism with elements of baroque and modernism, built in 1912 by the famous Kharkiv architect Oleksiy Beketov for the merchant and industrialist Ivan Ihnatyshchev.

The museum's collection was started in 1805 by the founder of Kharkiv University Vasyl Karazin, who bought for the university 2477 graphic works by Albrekht Dyurer, Anton van Deyk, Fransua Bushe and other Western European masters.

The Department of Ukrainian and Russian Art of the XVI-XX centuries is based on the collections of the Kharkiv Art and Industrial Museum and nationally used private collections.

Now the funds of the Kharkiv Art Museum have more than 20 thousand exhibits. Works by Ivan Ayvazovsky, Ivan Shishkin, Mykola Ge, Vasyl Surikov, Mykola Pymonenko, Fedir Krychevsky, Oleksandr Murashko, Yuriy Narbut, Tetyana Yablonska, etc. are exhibited.

A separate hall is dedicated to the work of Illya Repin. In particular, one of the versions of Illya Repin's painting "Cossacks write a letter to the Turkish sultan" is presented.

The museum offers audio guides for people with visual impairments, tactile replicas of exhibits for touch viewing (4 works from the collection) and a video tour in sign language.

The Kharkiv Historical Museum is named after Mykola Sumtsov, a Ukrainian folklorist, ethnographer, literary critic and public figure.

It was on his initiative that the Museum of Slobidska Ukraine named after Hryhoriy Skovoroda was created in Kharkiv in 1920, which is where the history of the current museum began.

In Soviet times, the museum was located in the premises of the Holy Intercession Monastery, but in 2003 it finally moved to the building of the former pawnshop, built in 1908-1912 according to the project of architect Borys Korniyenko. During the reconstruction in 2021, a glass pavilion was added to it.

Currently, the stock collection of the Kharkiv Historical Museum includes more than 330,000 items. Archaeological finds from the excavations of Bronze Age settlements, a set of objects from the Ancient Rus period from the Donets Hillfort of the XI-XII centuries, numismatic collections, ethnographic collections, collections of weapons, flags, etc. are collected in four departments. In particular, the only Ukrainian hetman flag of the 17th century, which belonged to Ivan Mazepa and two other Ukrainian hetmans, is presented. Another key exhibit is the "Kharkiv Fortress" diorama, which shows the appearance of the city in the 17th century.

The outdoor area displays military equipment, including the British Mark V heavy tank from the First World War and the Soviet T-34-85 from the Second World War. The nearby metro station "Historical Museum" was named in honor of the institution.

The mansion of the family of Kharkiv architect Oleksiy Beketov has been occupied by the Center for Science, Culture and Art "Kharkiv House of Scientists" since 1934.

Academician of architecture Oleksiy Beketov is considered a luminary among Kharkiv architects. In his work, he gravitated towards classical architecture, although he worked mainly in the Art Nouveau style. During more than half a century of work, he built about 40 buildings in Kharkiv, which largely determined the current architectural appearance of the city.

His own house in the former Myronosytskyi Lane is particularly elegant. The date of the start of construction - 1897 - is carved on the frieze under the pediment. The eclectic architecture of the building uses the forms of ancient Greece of the Hellenistic era. To the right of the entrance on the second floor there used to be a loggia, the entablature of which was supported by three caryatids. Multi-figure high-relief inserts are placed above the windows of the first floor. The second floor is framed by a colonnade of the Ionic order.

The ceremonial hall is decorated with stucco molding and a painted ceiling on the ceiling by the artist Mykola Uvarov. The dining room is painted in the style of ancient Russian terems by the artist Mykhaylo Pestrykov. Beketov's office is decorated with carved oak.

A central wooden staircase with carved oak handrails, lit by a large stained-glass window, connects the rooms.

The noble estate of the Kulykovsky family in Rokytne is called the pearl of classicism.

The estate with a palace and a park was established at the end of the 18th century by the Kharkiv colonel Matviy Kulykovsky, after he married the widow of the former owner of the Rokytne Lipetsk centurion Chernyak. The palace was rebuilt in its current form by his son Mykhaylo Kulykovsky, the leader of the Valkiv nobility.

A luxurious two-story manor house with loggias is decorated with a colonnade in the Doric style. A stable, a kennel, an aviary, a greenhouse and a water mill were built on the territory of the manor. A magnificent garden with terraces and ponds was laid out around the palace.

After the death of the owner of the manor, his daughters lost the estate in Rokytne, and in 1880 it passed to the treasury. The wing was dismantled for building materials, but the main house was preserved - later a horticultural school was opened in it. Today it is the Rokytne Professional Agrarian Lyceum.

The square in the center of Kharkiv at the intersection of Hryhoriya Skovorody, Zhon Myronosyts and Darvina streets near the metro station named after the architect Beketov is called  Maidan Arkhitektoriv.

In 2009, the square was completely reconstructed and turned into a kind of sculpture park. Sidewalks were laid, lawns were laid, and benches were installed. In the center of the square is a romantic Monument to Lovers, created based on a sketch that won the city's student competition.

Around the monument are the "Seven Wonders of Kharkiv" - white marble models of the city's best architectural buildings: Derzhprom, Assumption Cathedral, Taras Shevchenko monument, Annunciation Cathedral, "Mirror Stream" rotunda, "House with Spire", Intercession Cathedral.

The Maidan Konstytutsii arose at the same time as the Kharkiv Fortress and until the 19th century was called the Yarmarkova (Fair) Square (since 1659, the annual Assumption Fair was held here, which by the middle of the 19th century had become one of the largest in the country).

In winter, the square was a favorite place for sledding. Over time, the square was named Mykolaivska in honor of the church of the same name, which was located on it.

In the 19th century, the first brick buildings appeared on the square. In particular, the Noble Gathering, near which stood two cannons that were once armed with the Kharkiv fortress (not preserved). Opposite, according to the project of the architect Oleksiy Beketov, the following bank buildings were built: St. Petersburg International (building 22; now the Central branch of the Savings Bank), Volga-Kamsky (building 24; now the Puppet Theater), Moscow Merchant (building 26; now the House of Technology) and Zemelny (building 28 ; currently a motor vehicle technical school).

At the beginning of the 20th century, the building of the square was supplemented by the Metropol hotel, the multi-apartment residential building of the insurance company "Russia" (building 1/17; now the Labor Palace), the building of the Azov-Donskoy Bank (building 14; now "Ukrbiznesbank") and others.

In 1919, Mykolaiv Square was named after Moisei Tevelev, a member of the Kharkiv underground regional committee of the CP(b)U. In Soviet times, the stock exchange building and the Mykolaiv Church were demolished to make way for a tram line.

During the Second World War, many buildings were destroyed. After the liberation of the city, the people of Kharkiv restored the Maidan, including the Beckett houses. For a long time, the square had the name of the revolutionary Tevelev, then - Soviet Ukraine. Since 1996 - Maidan Konstytutsii.

In 2012, the Monument to the Independence of Ukraine was opened in the center of the Maidan Konstytutsii, created by Kharkiv sculptors Oleksandr Ridnyi and Hanna Ivanova.

On March 2, 2022, during the battles for Kharkiv during the Russian-Ukrainian war, the Maidan Konstytutsii in Kharkiv was fired upon by the Russian army. The Palace of Labor was severely damaged. Buildings adjacent to it were damaged, in particular, an adjacent residential building, the building of the Kharkiv City Council, and others.

Maidan Svobody in Kharkiv is the central square of the city. It is among the twenty largest areas in the world.

According to legend, at the time of its construction it was the largest square in Europe (11.9 hectares), although in reality Chess Square in Bordeaux had a similar area (12 hectares), and Kuybyshev Square in Samara with adjacent squares was even larger (17.4 hectares ).

Maidan Svobody was built in 1926-1928 as the new administrative center of Kharkiv, which was then the capital of Ukraine. Initially, it bore the name of the revolutionary Dzerzhynskyi, who was engaged in construction (it is believed that he was the initiator of the clearing of chaotic buildings in the historical center of Kharkiv).

Since 1995, the square has had its current name - Maidan Svobody. Political actions, fairs, festivals and concerts often take place here.

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine on March 1, 2022, Maidan Svobody was attacked by Russian Kalibr missiles. One of them hit the historic building of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, injuring twenty people and killing ten. All the windows were broken and significantly damaged, and in some places the ceilings were completely destroyed. According to preliminary estimates by experts, the building cannot be restored.

Terraced Pokrovsky Square (architects Heorhiy Vehman, Ihor Zhylkin, Mykhaylo Lutsky, Hanna Mayak, 1951-1952), located on Sobornyi descent, adjacent to University Street.

Previously, the buildings of the Old Passage, which belonged to the merchant Pashchenko-Tryapkin, were located on this place, but were destroyed during the occupation of Kharkiv by German-fascist troops. In 1951, on the site of the ruins, a terraced square with stairs, a fountain and a cascade was built using the method of folk construction. From the upper terrace, you can admire a wonderful panorama of the Zalopanska part of the city, Serhiyiyivsky Maidan and the Annunciation Cathedral.

A monument to Hryhoriy Skovoroda (architect Yuriy Shkodovsky, sculptor Ivan Kavaleridze) was installed on the site of the square. The territory of the former Kharkiv fortress begins a few tens of meters from the monument.

In 2009, the square was reconstructed and handed over to the Holy Intercession Men's Monastery. An Orthodox cross is placed at the top of the fountain, the water in the fountain is consecrated.

The Scientific and Educational Museum of Sex and Sexual Cultures of the World was established in Kharkiv in 1999 by the staff of the Department of Sexology and Medical Psychology of the Kharkiv Medical Academy.

The first museum of its kind in the post-Soviet space covers the sexual cultures of 12 countries. The exhibition presents paintings by ancient Egyptian artists, ancient Chinese drawings, ancient statuettes, reproductions of paintings by Picasso, Manet and other artists, modern drawings and photographs.

Part of the exhibition is devoted to the sexual education of children and adolescents. Particular attention is paid to the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, especially AIDS.

The materials of the Sex and Sexual Cultures of the World Museum are selected in accordance with the requirements of the programs of educational institutions. There is a sex shop at the museum.

Kharkiv Passenger Railway Station (South Railway Station) is the main passenger station of the Kharkiv Railway .

The first Kharkiv railway station was laid in 1868 on the Arkhiyereyska Levada near Kholodna Hill. In addition to this building, designed by the architect Andriy Ton, a house for the road manager and other residential and commercial buildings were built on Pryvokzalna Square.

The first train arrived in Kharkiv on May 22, 1869, and regular traffic on the Kursk-Kharkiv-Azov railway was soon opened. By the end of the 19th century, the intensity of freight and passenger traffic had increased significantly, and therefore the station building had to be expanded: a new building was added to it on the south side, and then the old premises were reconstructed according to the project of architect Serhiy Zahoskin. The Kharkiv railway station became one of the largest in the Russian Empire. One of the largest buildings of pre-revolutionary Kharkiv was built nearby - the building of the Administration of Southern Railways.

In 1952, the construction of a new building in the style of the "Stalin empire" was completed on the site of the station destroyed during the Second World War. Ten massive columns of white Inkerman stone support the portico, flanked by two towers. On the portico - sculptural groups, stucco decorations. The height of the central hall is 26 meters. All platforms are connected to the station by underground tunnels.

In 2003, the last reconstruction was completed, as a result of which the station received modern equipment.

A monument to father Fedir from "12 chairs" is installed on platform No. 1.

The monument to Taras Shevchenko in Kharkiv is considered the best of all the existing monuments to the poet.

The project was developed by the sculptor Matviy Manizer. According to the author's plan, the multi-figure sculptural group personifies the struggle of the people for freedom sung by Kobzar. Actors of Kharkiv theater "Berezil" posed for the sculptor.

The grand opening took place on March 24, 1935. At that time, it was the largest bronze composition in the USSR (total height - 16 meters, height of the poet's figure - 5.5 meters).

Some student traditions of students of Kharkiv University are connected with the monument.

The church in honor of the Three Saints - Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom was built in Kharkiv in 1915 on the initiative of the head of the City Merchant Society, merchant of the first guild Hryhoriy Holdberh, who had brothers Vasyl and Ivan (probably the choice of the name of the church is connected with this).

The project of the church in the form of a Moscow pentacle with a tent bell tower was developed by the authoritative Kharkiv architect, professor of the Institute of Technology, Mykhaylo Lovtsov, taking as a basis the volume-planning and constructive decision of the church in the St. Petersburg yard of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The foundation of the church took place in 1906, the construction took 9 years.

Highly artistic interiors are of particular value. The painting was done by St. Petersburg artist Oleksiy Sokol. The original iconostasis was made in Italy according to the drawings of Volodymyr Pokrovsky.

After 1917, the Three Saints Church was turned into a warehouse, but it was reopened in 1925.

The Botanical Garden of the Vasyl Karazin Kharkiv National University was founded simultaneously with Kharkiv University in 1804 on the initiative of Count Seweryn Potocki. It is the oldest botanical garden in Ukraine. It is an object of the Nature Reserve Fund of Ukraine of national importance.

The first collection was based on a small plot directly on the territory of the university. Currently, the total area of ​​the Kharkiv Botanical Garden reaches about 42 hectares.

The botanical garden has valuable collections of woody and herbaceous plants: more than seven thousand species of local and world flora are presented in the expositions of the departments of dendrology, natural flora, flower and ornamental plants of open ground and tropical and subtropical plants. The botanical garden has over one thousand species and forms of woody and shrubby plants, over one thousand species of herbaceous plants of natural flora, over two thousand species and varieties of flower and ornamental plants, three thousand taxa of tropical and subtropical plants.

Relict species and endemics are of particular value. 15 species are listed in the European Red List, 95 - in the Red Book of Ukraine. About one and a half thousand species and varieties of woody and herbaceous plants were first introduced in the north-east of Ukraine.

The arboretum of the garden is laid out according to the botanical-geographical principle with elements of phytocenoses: expositions "Europe", "Mediterranean", "Siberia", "Far East", "Central Asia", "North America", "China and Japan". Aboriginal flora is presented in the exposition "Northeast of Ukraine".

Herbaceous plants of the natural flora are presented in the expositions of medicinal, ground cover, mountain plants and the system of angiosperm plants of Ukraine. Collections of flower and ornamental plants are collected for the exposition in the form of separate monoculture gardens and combined sections "Annuals" and "Perennials".

Plants of humid tropical forests, humid and dry subtropics, deserts and semi-deserts (trees, shrubs, grasses) are grown in the greenhouse complex. These are representatives of Australia and New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Africa, the Mediterranean, Central and South America, Japan and China. The most widely represented collections are bromeliads, aroids and succulents.

The first, and so far the only, Museum of Women's and Gender History (Gendermuseum) in Ukraine was founded in Kharkiv in 2008 with the support of the Ukrainian Women's Fund, the Global Fund for Women, and the Program for Equal Opportunities and Rights of Women in Ukraine.

The mission of the museum is to promote the ideas of gender equality, create new models of social roles for women and men, and strengthen the international feminist movement.

The Gendermuseum collection includes over 4,000 diverse exhibits collected in Ukraine and transferred from different countries of the world. Among them are documents, books, textbooks, children's toys, discs, personal belongings of gender theorists and practitioners, souvenirs, tools of "light" women's labor, and photographs. The museum's exposition provides an opportunity to experience firsthand how gender construction takes place in society.

The highlight of the project are four panoramas of social roles - panoramas showing the social roles of men and women in different historical eras, photo albums "A World Without Violence".

The Kharkiv Museum of Women's and Gender History is a member of the International Association of Women's Museums.

A high-rise apartment building in the center of Kharkiv in the style of the "Stalin Empire" is called "House with a Spire".

It occupies an entire block on the corner of maidan Konstytutsiyi. It was built in 1950-1954 according to the project of the architect Petro Oreshkin for the employees of the Kharkiv Turbine Plant.

The main 7-story part of the building with an 11-story tower is topped by a spire, which gave the building its name.

According to the voting results in 2008, the "House with a Spire" was included in the list of "Seven Wonders of Kharkiv".