In Gogol places on the car

In Gogol places we some times chose a trip as day off round (more precisely, two-three days off) when decided to go on searches of new impressions, accessible by the car from in a current of 2-4 hours. From Kiev to Poltava hardly 300 kilometres – it there are more. On road – weight of interesting places, worthy visitings. The majority of them is connected with a name of great writer N. V.Gogol: Mirgorod, Sorochintsy, Dikanka...

For the first time in those edges have got out in May, 2003 Have left Kiev in second half of day towards Borispol. The road across Kiev awful – is more than hour per stoppers have killed. And on departure from Kiev livanul a strong rain. So long for it waited (droughty spring was), and here now was very much inopportunely... But to us that, to us the sea knee-deep! Not speaking already about these unfortunate pools. I was attached for any dzhipjaroj with numbers of a series of KM which a wide breast cleared away road, and have rushed off 140-150! Only the wind whistled!

To Pirjatina driving does not represent any difficulties: a highway to Borispol, further constantly supported in a good condition chetyryohpoloska (there is even a small piece with as much as possible resolved speed 110). But also ambushes meet not only in settlements so it is necessary to be attentive.

Not that vzhe Mirgorod...

If to go round a city on district, it is possible to look at the main sight of this edge - the Mgarsky Spaso-Preobrazhenskiy monastery (1619). From road star domes and a belltower of the Preobrazhenskiy cathedral (1684-92гг are visible.) in popular style of the Ukrainian baroque. During Soviet times the disciplinary battalion, warehouses here was deployed, then even there was a pioneer camp. Having come back in a church bosom in 1993, a monastery it is rendered again habitable and favourably accepts both pilgrims, and tourists (nevertheless it is better to women to have a long skirt and to cover a head though monks not too pay attention to small infringements of the form of clothes). On territory peacocks freely walk about, in hen house eagles and other feathery predators miss.

To Mirgorod it is turned off at once for Lubnami. There very artful outcome (from road Lubnov minor – it is necessary to concede to those who goes on district) and constantly is on duty DAI, watching for observance of priorities. Further road narrow and hilly, but without hollows and almost empty. Here only it is very desirable not to run into herds of cows which drive early in the morning, and also till a dinner. At us any "Muscovite" strongly «has given on horns» to one buryonke when made the way through herd. Anything, all are live-are healthy...

Resort Mirgorod have for the first time reached already zatemno. A city unfamiliar – we go on slightly shined main street and we calculate hotel... And have driven all centre. Have come back back where earlier have noticed an invocatory neon of restaurant – there was a pizzeria. Have decided, that we will have a bite and from the local we learn, where it is possible to spend the night. As it has appeared, it was the most decent institution in a city where hang well-founded having a rest. Well, we too type not poor though by the form you will not tell. The waitress has explained, that in a city there is only one very much strashnenkaja hotel that there are still sanatoria, but they so late do not accept. As well as on any normal resort, in a city the settlement on private apartments and in private houses prospers, grandmas with tablets are on duty at an input in the central park, but again taki not so late. We had supper, and have gone to lodge – hotel "Mirgorod" (bodies: (05355) 25-737) it has appeared metres in 100.

Hotel really awful. It, like, have already redeemed and were going to to begin repair but then there was a scoop in the worst sense of a word. Ragged, collapsing, with cockroaches – brrrr! Cold water is, and that pleasure... Had a drink pivka in the next institution – volume that worked after 23:00, and have gone to sleep – tomorrow is a new day...

And it has appeared! In the afternoon the small town looked very nicely. Tiny, of course, hour for ones and a half have bypassed all local sights. In the centre – a resort zone with ancient park, small river Horol, the central beach and sanatoria, best of which "Southern" (bodies: (05355) 55-006, 52-152) with suites and cottages it is recently named Gogol's by name. All sanatorium part looks very picturesquely and well-groomed – marvellous quay, huge fur-trees, athletic fields, arbours, flowers, fountains. It is possible to roll about easy on a lawn, to get warm on the spring sun. Even it wanted to arrive somehow purposefully and to be pair-three days, to have a rest as cultural people.

Evenings on farm...

Further we go to village Gogolevo where the writer was born, there have passed its children's and youthful years where it came often subsequently. Here it is important to remember, that in this area there are whole two Gogolevyh. That is more, between Mirgorod and SHishakami, does not approach us – it only confuses unlucky autotourists. And so, from Sorochintsev it is necessary to go on SHishaki, further – 4 km towards the Poltava line, and then there will be a turn on the left under the index on "correct" Gogolevo. Very picturesque place. The manor of a family of Gogols, with the landowner house, a wing and park, is restored. However, constructions not original, restored after war. There now there is a memorial estate with an exposition of personal things and the first editions of products of the writer. There is a beautiful pond with an arbour and a grotto …

And again minor, but quite travel roads we make the way aside Dikanki. Settlement large enough. Once here the manor of count Paul Kochubey has been located, to the manor constructed by the Italian architects the oak avenue conducted. The age of the saved four giants makes approximately 800 years. As a reference point the triumphal arch on line Oposhnja-Poltava which Kochubey has erected in XVIII century to arrival of the friend to emperor Alexander I, and also the Nikolaev church (XVIII century) with Kochubey's underground patrimonial crypt serves. On a local legend, this church has served as a prototype of that in which read the burial service Pannochku from "Vija". The doubtful version. First, Gogol has arranged anonymous farm, where naterpelsja to fear bursak Homa Brut, over Dnepr. And secondly, the church there was wooden. Knowingly nature for shootings of the well-known Soviet horror "Vy" on motive of mystical imagination of Gogol have found in due time under Kanevom.

But in Dikanke it is possible to find other "literary" places. In the settlement centre there is a beautiful Troitsk church (XVIII century) . It is considered, what exactly it in "Nights before Christmas" was painted with smith Vakula. Unfortunately, frescos were not saved: their most part has been destroyed by Bolsheviks. In 30th years in this church there was warehouse potrebsojuza, here stored a herring, sugar. And in two kilometres towards Poltava not so long ago there was almost present "a farm near Dikanki". The local administration has decided, that under Gogol's description is better the farm Proni approaches, near which have arranged an entertaining historical and cultural complex with shinkom and other entertainments (horses, boats, fishing). Excursion will be incomplete without visiting of this sample of "a rural creative" with rest in an arbour over a pond and poglashcheniem varenikov "from pani Solohi" (the truth, they in a mouth do not jump). The prices ridiculous, and under the advanced order (bodies: (05351) 97-136, (050) 305-5192) it is possible to participate and in the dramatized action with Gogol heroes.

As "the Moscow member of the Komsomol" in number wrote from 22.01.2005, in Dikanke Gogol has found prototypes of many products. "Legends about Patsyuk's prototype — huge big fellows which swallowed flying vareniki till now go, — the director of a museum continues. — Cossack Pashchenko from whom Gogol wrote Patsyuk, was the huge muzhik of an athletic build. At one go he drank a milk bucket, ate a bucket of a potato and a little huge kavunov... And the prototype of smith Vakuly of veins in Poltava, was the artist, the builder, the architect and has died at the age of 95 years. Its descendant now lives in Dikanke and till now carries surname Vakula though many fellow countrymen have replaced it on more traditional for local places — Vakulenko...". Local residents are proud of the nice fellow countryman and remember its heroes, but to untwist high-grade tourist business on this material could not yet. For example, to spend the night near Dikanki simply there is no place even before Christmas.

If you souvenirs and the goods of a national craft, and before Sorochnisky fair still far interest, I advise to call in in Oposhnju. It is capital of the Ukrainian pottery, national memorial estate. Local pottery is considered as masterpieces of a folk art and even is exhibited on many world's fairs. To join to useful and perfect it is possible in a museum or in the souvenir market, that at road to the centre of village. We, for example, have looked after to ourselves very picturesque makitru for varenikov. The big fairs pass on Sundays. To reach from Dikanki it is possible all minutes for 15.

On it Gogol places have ended and it is possible to move further.

Small Peter

Small town wonderful! With rich history, not too pathos, but tidy. A heap kafeshek and other pleasure institutions. Calmness and regularity... But the most important thing – this special spirit of a province in a combination to grandiose monuments of imperial times to the Roman motives! In memory of Peter's stay І and its heroic victory over Swedes. A gold eagle on stele in the centre «Round area», a memorable sign on Peter's vacation spot (!), other monuments to heroes. And these one-storeyed small houses in the historical centre with their court yard, the bared laying, the lop-sided windows, colours and toys on window sills... The Main Uspensky cathedral (1774-1801) Recently have restored (there was only a belltower) earlier. Kotlyarevsky's interesting manor-museum where it has been written well-known "Eneida". Good rajonchik the muzhik for a small house – in most tsentrovom a place, on the Grief Ivanovoj has chosen. From this place the perfect kind on the bottom city and the river the Vorskla opens. A little in a distance domes of temples of the Krestovozdvizhensky monastery (XVII-XIX centuries) with unique in Ukraine the seven-head church in a Baroque taste tower. Well and special colour – the Red lane! A footpath. On the one hand high-rise buildings, and with another – rural court yard. Hens go, women behind water to a column... It in the centre enough the big city! Super!

From architectural sights I advise to pay attention to a painted building on street Zhovtneva, 39. Even it is difficult to believe that the most gloomy establishment of Soviet times once has lodged in these cheerful walls of the former bank Of noble family – regional management of KGB (now SBU). And on Lenin's former square, opposite to park with a monument of Shevchenko, the building of the Provincial zemstvo (1903-08) with the arms of district cities on a facade is allocated. Now the museum of local lore here is based. There is also a new underground trading complex in style of the Maidan nezalezhnosti, and foot street with little shops and kafeshkami, and many cosy parks where on days off walk poltavchane.

And in the most fashionable and expensive restaurant «Ivanov the mountain», whence opens a smart panorama on hills and the river, us have not started up. Abydna, yes? The grey-haired door-keeper in a white shirt with the butterfly has declared, that all little tables are reserved. But there almost all little tables were free! Then all became clear. It when we sat in cafe "Оболонь" (very good place, by the way, and that near the area, and that on ZHovtnevoj) in the evening, and there instead of music broadcast by radio the air with Victor Yushchenko! Main, in those days, the oppositionist of the country, appears, just these days was in a city, and we have understood, who has occupied all little tables in "grief Ivanovoj". But had supper at class Georgian small restaurant "Мимино" (streets of Marshal Birjuzova, 15), to Kiev "Mimino", speak, any relation not having. Judging by photos on walls to estimate an excellent Georgian cuisine here many celebrities dropped in. 30 grn. For excellent shashlychok to give it is not a pity. Have disappointed us there only with that have demanded to pay in addition money over the bill for job after 23:00. To warn it is necessary... And the most interesting, that the present Poltava kitchen in a city to try and it was not possible. European, Georgian, Chinese, Japanese – please. Poltava is not present. Classical illness of growth...

Early in the morning we have gone to a museum of the Poltava fight, that in area the Swedish tomb where Peter I in 1709 has broken Charles XII together with hetman Mazepa (on entrance to a city from party Oposhni). The disgraced hetman there for some reason is considered till now the traitor. I have been assured, that new trends will concern this centre of national culture, but about nation revival there, apparently, know nothing. The exposition the interesting, sounded diopama of the Poltava fight, but in the rest without the guide plainly not to understand. In eight halls works of art, the weapon, awards, medals, regimentals and equipment of Russian and Swedish armies, numerous documents, Peter the Great personal things and its associates, banners, historical relics are placed. And Peter Ljakseich taki was a giant for time – under 2 m growth! Near to its caftan of a uniform of officers of Russian army seemed clothes of Liliputians. There is also a monument to Peter full-scale. The field of the Poltava fight disappears behind a fence. Speak, two armies have chosen it in common far away from settlements that peace inhabitants have not suffered. Since those times there were only the entrenchments-redoubts which have strongly "pleased" Swedes during approach. But the Samsonovsky church (1852-56), constructed over a communal grave of soldiers of Russian army was well saved. Their memory is immortalised also by a stone cross on a barrow. Their opponents broken in fight also are worthy memories – to the fight 200 anniversary monuments to Swedes from Russian and to Swedes from Swedes are established. Such here the certificate of national reconciliation.

Way home

The way back was perfect. Weather solar, sinjushchee the sky both smart clouds. And landscapes... For Pirjatinym it is turned off in with. Berezova Rudka. At once behind the bridge through a pond the gate conducting in park of manor Zakrevsky are seen. In the beginning of XIX century the outdoor adviser has constructed here a two-storeyed palace where then Shevchenko repeatedly stayed. In the heart of park where the arbour of Shevchenko has hidden, dampness adored by mosquitoes and twilight reigns. Now the manor belongs to Agrarian university, but, at desire, it is possible to glance in museum of local lore. It is more interesting to drive further, to the centre of village, to glance in a public garden behind the Village Soviet at a cemetery. Here, in an environment of unattractive buildings, there is a small "Egyptian" pyramid. Such exotic form Zakrevsky has decided to give to a family chapel. Strangely enough, he has died in Egypt.

Over a line in area Pirjatina the impressive roadside tower towers. To each Soviet citizen it is familiar on a cult film of a film studio to them. Dovzhenko "the Queen of a gaz station". Certainly, that old refuelling where there passed shootings, you any more will not find out - its place was occupied with a modern refuelling complex "TatNeft" together with the roadside market. But that a place this uneasy, reminds the cafe name "Queen of a gaz station".

Well and to all who will go this road, very much I advise zatarivatsja svezhesvarennym beer in private minibrewery with small restaurant (the first in Ukraine!). And the Brewery with restaurant "(is called" with. Big Krucha, Pirjatinsky r-n; bodies: (05358) 68-319), works already since 1994 the hotel-camping "Big Krucha" (bodies Nearby is located: (05358) 68-631) from cafe, the double room in which costs 70 grn., in a junior suite - 90, and in lux - 150 grn. There is a sauna (30 grn./hour) and a small supermarket. We necessarily fetch two-three litres of live beer that the house to relax and in good mood to recollect the next trip.