Capture of Dnepr

«I cannot more in Kiev sit. Give somewhere rvanem on the target!» It seems, my cry from the heart has not seemed Ksjuhe to the unexpected. «I know, that you have already solved, where», - as always, with lovely ironicalness, zrit it in a root. For the sake of formality I offer and there and then I sweep aside «alternative variants», bringing to the main thing – we really did not see till now still Dnepropetrovsk! So, few times in transit … And there after all new acquaintances with whom recently so have fine driven on Kanevshchine! Well, the question is solved – we go on "ekaterinoslavshchinu".

First, a route. There are three base variants:

- Kiev – Borispol – Kremenchug (or Svetlovodsk) – Dneprodzerzhinsk – Dnepropetrovsk (445 km);
- Kiev – Borispol – Lubny – Reshetilovka – Kobeljaki – Dnepropetrovsk (450 km);
- Kiev – Borispol – Lubny – Poltava – Krasnograd – Dnepropetrovsk (510 km).

We consider the first route as the most convenient and beautiful (partially it passes on high coast of Dnepr), but this time disturbed the bridge closed on repair in Kremenchug and, accordingly, possible jams on a dam before Svetlovodsky. Besides, planned to visit some places, which appeared just on road if to go on the third – to the longest route.

Line М-05 Kiev-Poltava is in a condition of slow reconstruction. In particular, the village Big Krucha under Pirjatinym is run all over now by brand new roundabout road. Located here cult «the Brewery with restaurant» has appeared now away from a line, but all looks as invocatory. Here it is better to turn on a return way for now we go further.

The biggest congestion of points of a public catering – under Horolom. The attention is involved with the new building of a hotel-restaurant complex stylised under a medieval castle «the Madrid court yard» (with. Kovtuns; bodies: (05362) 94-351; a double room – 180 grn.) . The Spanish orientation of an institution batteries of bottles of a Spanish wine and bright, similar on plohenkie illustrations to children's books the pictures representing aggressive seafarers konkvistadorskogo of type underline razveshannye under a ceiling vjalennye gammons-hamony. Visitors entice rather low prices (20-30 grn. For the basic dish) and distribution skidochnyh cards, but here to expect authentic Spanish cuisine from local cook is not necessary (for example, a paella it is simple plov with the defrozen seafood). The blessing, in the menu is section of a traditional Ukrainian cuisine. However, and in this discipline in the given district till now is not present equal to the well-known restaurant «At sisters» (with. Lobkovaja the Beam; bodies: (05362) 21-607). Outwardly the institution with 10-year-old history looks unsightly and even kichevo, but quality of meal, service level, speed of service – out of competition!

And here our special action of regional studies begins. Beyond Poltava it is turned off on Karlovku, and soon we in Krasnograde. The "Revolutionary" name should not confuse – at small town interesting history. In the centre, to the left of road, we see a hill with an obelisk on a top. These are the rests of the Belevsky fortress (1731-33) which was a part of the Ukrainian line – chains from 16 strengthenings constructed at empress Elizabeth Petrovne on open spaces from Dnepr almost to Kharkov. Except protection against Tatars, the Ukrainian line played a role of an original dividing strip between free Zaporozhye and under control hetman Ukraine – that it was more difficult to serfs to escape to zaporozhtsam. Here there was also a management of fortresses – more in detail about history it is possible to learn in museum of local lore, that in a nice small house from a line. Or it is simple polazit on abrupt shaft of difficult serf system.

More close to Novomoskovsk we leave on main chetyryohpolosnuju a line is an operating part of the future "avtobana" Dnepropetrovsk-Kharkov. Here too there is a powerful occasion to curtail. Having overcome the broken roads of extensive rural suburbs, we get to the centre of industrial Novomoskovsk built up with five-storey apartment blocks. Intuitively we taxi to the historical centre with one-storeyed small houses of first half of last century. Turn, and … uh! It is necessary to see it. Probably, it is the greatest wooden church in Ukraine, constructed without a uniform nail! Well, or one of the greatest. Huge, devjatiglavaja, already the spirit grasps. Inside – carved beams, ancient icons and pacifying atmosphere. In a court yard the prior consecrates someone's brand new foreign car. Very symbolically. All area before church is occupied with a huge flea market. Here trade, and here divine service. It reminds Something from the Bible …

Last piece of a way – simply glamour! The cloth is ideal, the marking is shone katafortami, outcomes and villages are generously shined. Really, sometime all line Dnepropetrovsk-Donetsk will be such?

Early twilight and fog do not allow to estimate to the full a panorama of Dnepropetrovsk which should open from the Central bridge at moving from the left coast of Dnepr on the right. However, the most perceptible elements of a landscape here – modern vysotki. A city concerning young – only 220 years. Was planned and under construction practically on an equal place, but it is primary as the provincial centre. From here a rectilinear lay-out of streets, very large prospectuses and parkways, thorough architecture in some floors. Such is Charles Marx's prospectus (byv. Ekaterina's) – the main city highway – with old buildings of hotel "Ukraine", the house of the governor and stocky post office, grandiose administrative "stalinkami" on Lenin's square, mirror new buildings of banks and trading complexes. And over roofs domes of an ancient Troitsk cathedral (1837) are seen.

However, if to rummage in history, the city basis can be carried and to earlier – to Cossack times. Local regional specialist Dmitry Javornitsky has taken a great interest in this business a century ago, having headed and having transformed in the present treasury ekaterinoslavsky a historical museum. Building specially constructed for it disappears behind dense trees in silent and nagornoj parts – the most historical heart of a city (Marx's street, 16). Here us also meets Pashka with all family with which one month ago stormed Trahtemirov.

The museum is unequivocally recommended to visiting! Before an input – group «Scythian women», in a modern extension – the greatest, but the panorama not most impressing in Ukraine «Fight for Dnepr», in the basic exposition – copies of Scythian gold from a barrow the Sharp tomb. But the meeting devoted to history of the Ukrainian Cossacks is the most interesting. Javornitsky after all was the most outstanding "kazakovedom"! By the way, and itself Ekaterinoslav has appeared on a place of Zaporozhye fortress Kodak (almost as the camera, only an accent on the second syllable) is hardly more low across Dnepr. For similar researches of the scientist gnobili at the tsar, accused of «bourgeois nationalism» at councils, however knowingly its Repin has represented the clerk in a picture «Zaporozhtsy write the letter …».

To the house-museum Javornitsky (square Shevchenko, 5) we move through square with the harmonous Spaso-Preobrazhenskiy cathedral reminding a spike of the Peter and Paul Fortress in Peter. Cathedral building, by the way, have dated for Catherine II travel on southern possession of what «the Ekaterina's mile» reminds verstovaja. Even the initial name of a city has been urged to glorify the empress-conqueror – Ekaterinoslav.

We enter into park of Shevchenko. The building in style of classicism more to the right is Potyomkin's former palace (1786), the oldest building in a city! Svetlejshy the prince Taurian has the direct relation to the basis of "garden city" which reflected as Southern capital of Russian empire. Initially it wished to place around present Novomoskovsk, but have then picked up more convenient hill on high coast of Dnepr. The prince and has not had time to be in the new residence – not completed building long was in desolation, has then passed in conducting meeting Of noble family, carried out various economic functions, has not turned yet to a present Palace of students.

By summer theatre, having inspected vicinities from a viewing platform, we go down to the foot bridge conducting on Monastic island. Pedestrians, the truth, here continually inconsiderately shugajut cars scurrying about there-here – the control any.

There is an ancient legend – on it dneprovskom island during immemorial times there was a Byzantian monastery. It is precisely known, that in 957 year, on road to Tsargrad (Constantinople), in him princess Olga waited a storm. Some theologians believe, what is it the most northern point where apostle Igor Pervozvannyj has reached with Christian mission. As kievljanin, I categorically do not agree with this version! And who then vozdvignul a cross on the Andreevsky hill?

Memory of the Byzantian monks is immortalised by a wooden cross, on picturesque granite cape last years the orthodox temple is built. Personally to me belokamennaja the Nikolaev church (1999) in the pseudo-Byzantian style has seemed quite pertinent in this place though many townspeople consider, that it spoils an authentic landscape. But after all the place really the most sacred and most, that on is, historical in all Dnepropetrovsk! Really the zoo and children's attractions here are more pertinent?

From coast of Monastic island once again we take a view of city panoramas. At the left – pipes of industrial giants. On the right – nasypannaja in the sixties unique 20-kilometre granite quay. Over it – mixed new buildings and the thrown ferro-concrete monster of hotel "Sail" in the distance. And we – in a place, where from something warmly on a shower even in cold and slushy weather. A remarkable final point of travel!

Certainly, it is impossible to ignore a spending the night question. Dnepropetrovsk concerns those cities of Ukraine (usually industrial), where hotels either very expensive, or very bad. An optimum variant – a complex "Hutorok" (Victory Quay, 40; bodies: (056) 370-6600) over Dnepr near to the centre has disappointed – for an hour to settlement to us have cancelled bron, having referred on technical problems. In towering at the Central bridge tryohzvyozdochnom "Dnepropetrovsk" (Lenin's Quay, 33; bodies: (056) 245-5327) decent numbers begin from 600 grn., and it would not be desirable that for 280 to settle at all. Even worse affairs were in similar hotel "Dawn" at cost (street Fuchika, 30; bodies: (0562) 46-0037). But also to spread 500 grn. For number in enough respectable "Hope" (Lenin's Quay, 16а; bodies: (562) 778-3022) too it would not be desirable. It was necessary to use services in moving in private apartments – the blessing friends have helped with co-ordinates.

I will add, that we had supper in an excellent institution "JAffo" in the European parkway – a foot zone at Lenin's nicknamed in the people the square «New Arbatom». The kitchen is declared as east, but the Jewish dishes (30 grn dominate thus. For hot). kreativnostju "Da Vinci" coffee house (street Javornitsky, 6) Also was pleasant, that is direct at an input in park of Shevchenko. At it and stylish restaurant "Charli Chaplin". On quay at visitors two institutions use invariable popularity: fantastic «the Gold cockerel» (Lenin's emb., 37-d) and traditional "Float" (Lenin's emb., 7). Well also it is necessary to mention one more Dnepropetrovsk sight – a rest complex "Bartalameo" (Victory emb. 9-Б; bodies: (0562) 33-73-32). In this not cheap and improbably stylish club in a park zone over Dnepr necessarily carry foreign tourists, and ljumpen sharpens a teeth on "gilt youth" having a rest here. About the prices for residing at all do not ask …

The return route is recommended to lay through famous for sewing and lists Petrikovku where there is a museum is national-applied art, and also Kitajgorod – here three Cossack churches and the rests of the Kitajgorodsky fortress (1667) which was a part mentioned above the Ukrainian line. If to go in the summer, it is possible to be in time all before dark. More shortly, practically ready route for an exit meeting of the Ukrainian club of autotourists!