Ukraine lies in Eastern Europe. It borders Belarus in the north, Russia in the north and east, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Hungary in the west and Romania and Modavia in the south-west. The north is very densely forested, in the other parts of the country steppe and forest steppe predominate. The main river Dnieper flows into the Black Sea.
The capital Kiev is a city which can look back on 1,500 years of history. The most important sights are the St. Sophien Cathedral and St. Andrijiv Church, as well as the 11th century mountain monastery. In the Black Sea region, Odessa is an important Harbor and a well-known health resort with a pretty lake promenade.
One of the most popular resorts on the Black Sea is the Crimean peninsula. Holidays and cures are popular here because of the pleasant climate and the numerous mineral springs. In Greater Yalta there are numerous attractive spa and seaside resorts. In Yalta, the “Pearl of the Crimea”, the Chekhov Museum is located in the former home of the writer.
The Ukrainians make up the largest part of the population in Ukraine (approx. 78%), the largest minority are the Russians (a good 17%). On a map of Ukraine you can see that the people of Russian descent mainly live in the east of the country. In Ukraine, Germans were considered a minority until the outbreak of the First World War. At that time there were several hundred thousand German-speaking residents in Ukraine. The descendants of these immigrants of German origin number around 40,000 people today.
The Poles were much stronger until 1944 represent. Several million lived in what is now Ukraine. These were mainly distributed in Galicia, Bukovina and Volhynia. In the latter area in particular, there were serious massacres of the Polish population around 1944. Over 40,000 Poles were killed. After the end of the war, the remaining Poles living there were expelled from the Ukraine.
The Jewish population was also strongly represented in Ukraine until World War II. But when the Germans occupied the country, most of the Jewish population were expelled or murdered. The survivors who had established the center of the Yiddish language in Ukraine at that time emigrated to the USA, Israel and later also to Germany.
Ukraine – landmarks
According to best-medical-schools, Ukraine has a lot to offer. So you shouldn’t miss the old town center of Lviv. There you will find one attraction next to the next. In Lviv there are many wonderful churches, some theaters and philharmonic orchestras to see, as well as a large number of different onesMuseums. Furthermore, the medieval old town of Lviv is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Debribasivska Street in Odessa is primarily for spending money. Here are the most expensive restaurants in thecityand numerous shops where you can dress in the latest fashions.
Also worth seeing is the swallow’s nest, which is a tiny castle near the city of Yalta. The little castle is thatLandmarkthe Kimm peninsula and was built in 1911 by a German baron on a forty meter high cliff.
Today the Schwalbennest is a luxury restaurant.
The Livadija Palace near Yalta is also worth a visit. It was built in 1911 and had the original purpose as a summer residence for Tsar Nikolai II. There are beautiful gardens around it. But not only the exterior and the surroundings of the palace are impressive, the interior design leaves the visitor’s mouth open in amazement.
Volodimirska Hirka Park in Kiev is the location of the Monument to St. Volodimir. It was through this nobleman that the Christian faith was declared the state religion in Ukraine in 988. There is a cable car right next to the monument with which you can reach the Michael monastery.
The Babir Yar Gorge serves as a silent memorial to commemorate the mass murders of the Jews by the German military.
The Odessa Opera House is impressive. For the construction towards the end of the nineteenth century, the architectural styles of the Renaissance and Baroque were mixed. At the main entrance you can admire the statues of the muses for drama, comedy, dance and music.
In Ukraine, too, you can visit the famous Struve Arch, a cross-border scientific monument that runs through several countries.
Ukraine not only has a lot of old historical buildings to offer, but also some natural beauties.
You shouldn’t miss the Wolodimirska Hirka Park in Kiev. It is not for nothing that it is said to be an integral part of Kiev’s green lung. The park itself is located in the middle of a hilly landscape through which the Dnieper river meanders. From Wolodimirska Hirka Park you have a fantastic view of the city.
One should have seen the Vishnoji Slawi Park. It lies a little above the Dnieper River in a south-easterly direction. There is an impressive memorial to the memory of the war victims in the form of an obelisk.
Other natural beauties of Ukraine would be the Crimean peninsula, the monastery island, the Danube Delta biosphere reserve and the Askania-Nova nature reserve. The country also has a rich flora and fauna to offer.
There is also a long list of different sacred buildings to visit in the country, such as the Armenian Church, the Cathedral of Dnepropetrovsk or the Dominican Church.
