http://www.ukraine.com/blog/ en 2013-05-16T05:09:54-05:00 hourly 6 2013-05-16T05:09:54-05:00 http://www.ukraine.com/blog/rafting-on-ukraine-s-dniester-river 2013-05-16T05:09:54-05:00 en Editor Travel Originating near the city of Drohobych in Ukraine, the Dniester River follows a 1,362 km route on its way to the Black Sea. The river forms part of the border between Ukraine and Moldova before flowing through Moldova and then back into Ukraine where it remains until the end of its journey. There are many places of interest along the Dniester River, and a few travel options to choose from, with rafting being the perfect choice for water-loving adventurers. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/delve-into-cossack-history-at-mamajeva-sloboda 2013-05-02T04:25:48-05:00 en Editor Features Located in Kiev, just seven kilometers from the city's famed Khreschatyk, the open-air museum of Mamajeva Sloboda covers an area of more than nine hectares with an authentic replica of an historical Cossack settlement. Surrounded by wattle fences, the settlement consists of numerous buildings in a village setting, with the Cossack three-domed wooden church being the centerpiece. Called the Church of the Most Holy Mother of God, this interesting building was constructed as a replica of churches in the times of Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, known for leading his Cossacks during the seventh century War of Independence. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/ukraine-s-forest-dwelling-deer 2013-04-18T02:47:37-05:00 en Editor Features With its numerous national parks and wildlife reserves, Ukraine is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, and nature-loving travelers will not be disappointed when exploring these conservation areas. Species of birds and animals are as varied as the habitats that support them, with the country’s forest zone being home to mammals such as elk, roe deer, red deer, squirrel, wild boar, brown bear, lynx, beavers, wolves and foxes, as well as wood grouse, starlings, cranes and blue titmice, to mention a few. Forests in Ukraine consist primarily of fir, beech, spruce, hornbeam and ash trees, and fill an essential role in counteracting climate change in an increasingly industrial world. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/take-time-out-in-the-parks-of-kharkiv 2013-04-04T02:47:17-05:00 en Editor Features With a host of interesting places to visit, Kharkiv is a popular tourism destination in the north-east of Ukraine. Founded in 1654, its ancient history and rich culture add to the charm of the second-largest city in Ukraine, which is also an important educational, scientific and industrial center, as is evident by its sixty scientific institutes, more than thirty centers for higher education, and eighty libraries. With its larger-than-life statue of Lenin and superb examples of Constructivist architecture, Freedom Square is a prominent landmark in Kharkiv. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/shopping-galore-at-seventh-kilometer-market 2013-03-19T06:27:18-05:00 en Editor Features Located between Odessa and the airport, around 7 km from the city, the Seventh-Kilometer Market is thought to be the largest informal market in Europe. Known locally as 'Tolchok', the market consists primarily of brightly painted shipping containers, stacked two high and set out in rows, covering an area of 170 acres. With an estimated 16,000 vendors plying their trade, shoppers have a choice of everything from reasonably price authentic products to cheap rip-offs of Western luxury goods. Certainly, it is the rare shopper that will leave Tolchok empty-handed. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/history-of-the-inkerman-cave-monastery 2013-03-07T00:58:22-06:00 en Editor Features The Inkerman Monastery of St. Clement, more commonly referred to simply as the Inkerman Monastery, is said to date back to the 8th century CE when it was founded by worshippers of icons who were forced to flee from their homeland due to persecution. Built into the cliff-face at the mouth of the Chorna River in Crimea, this cave monastery has eight chapels and an inn which can be accessed via a stairway. Still functioning as a monastery today, the Inkerman Cave Monastery is a fascinating tourist attraction not to be missed when exploring the town of Inkerman. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/history-and-culture-in-lviv-s-old-town 2013-02-21T01:26:24-06:00 en Editor Features The historic center of the city of Lviv, generally referred to simply as the 'Old Town', was declared by UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site in December 1998, and visitors to this charming part of the city will soon agree that the Old Town is something worth preserving. Covering an area of around 7,400 acres Lviv's historic center features a host of interesting attractions providing insight into the history and culture of the city, which was clearly heavily influenced by religion. The majority of the attractions in the Old Town are ancient churches, cathedrals and monasteries, many of which are superb examples of the architecture of the time, where Eastern European styles were blended with the styles of Germany and Italy. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/visit-the-naval-museum-complex-balaklava 2013-02-07T01:04:58-06:00 en Editor Features Built during the Cold War as a top-secret military facility, the Naval Museum Complex Balaklava is an underground submarine base located in Balaklava Bay in Ukraine's Crimea region. The facility is currently open to the public, and incorporates a museum dedicated to the Crimean War of 1853-1856. The town of Balaklava was designated as part of the city of Sevastopol in 1957 under the Soviet Government. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/explore-kiev-s-shevchenko-raion 2013-01-24T01:51:28-06:00 en Editor Travel The Shevchenkivskyi District, or Shevchenko Raion, of Kiev was established on 4 April 1937 and is home to a number of significant attractions well worth visiting when in the capital city of Ukraine. Among the historically significant attractions are the Golden Gate of Kiev and three of the main churches of Kiev – Saint Sophia, Saint Andrew and Saint Michael. Moreover, it was in Shevchenko at the Ukrainian Club Building that Ukraine's first parliament met, and it was there that Independence was declared in 1917. The European Square is also located in this district of Kiev, as is the Kiev Zoo and Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) which was one of the main sites for the Orange Revolution of 2004/2005. http://www.ukraine.com/blog/awards-for-excellence-at-molodist-42 2013-01-10T01:28:57-06:00 en Editor Features Established in 1970 as an event for viewing short films produced by students of the Kiev State Theatrical Art Institute, Molodist has grown into an event which is considered by the International Federation of Film Producers Association (FIAPF) to be one of the premium cinema events in both Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Also referred to as the Kyiv International Film Festival, Molodist is a key platform in the region for presenting the latest offerings in mainstream and experimental film. The 42nd edition of the event took place in Kiev on October 20-28, 2012, and was by all accounts a resounding success.