There are many historical and cultural sites in Cherkassy region which reflect different stages of the development of history and culture of the territory, the life and work of famous people, and which have artistic and scientific value. 000000021

Shevchenko National Reserve in Kanev

Contemporary history of Chernecha Mountain began on May 22, 1861, when the Ukrainian land for ever embowered the body of the bard of liberty and humanism, the prophet of national renaissance, the ingenious poet and artist, Taras Shevchenko. This day his last will and testament was fulfilled: to find eternal rest in his ?beloved Ukraine?.

Being immediately renamed by Kanev residents into Tarasova Mountain, this peak became one of the main national centers of unifying of Ukrainians around the idea of establishing the United Ukrainian State.

Shevchenko National Reserve in Kanev is the oldest historical and cultural reserve in Ukraine and the first of the humanitarian institutions, honored with the status of the national one.

The museum collection of the reserve is located in the central building, which is the monument of architectural of the first half of the 20^th century (total area is 1,932 square meters) and contains over 20 thousand unique objects of interest, the gem of which is Taras Shevchenko?s memorabilia and etchings, rare editions of his books, highly artistic works of Ukrainian and foreign artists, masterpieces of folk art, valuable archive documents, photographic and film materials, audio and video recordings of performances of famous bandura- and kobza-players.

Come to this enchanting and blessed land. Touch the incomparable beauty of the land which brought forth, nursed and fed with its healing juice the immortal poet - the carrier of truth, goodness and love.

On the hill, a handsome museum flowered with marigolds, asters and strawflowers, which was ceremonially opened for the 125^th anniversary of the Folk Minstrel?s birth, will warmly smile to you. This is Taras? cozy house. Step over the threshold of this sanctuary, and you will meet dozens of exhibit items gathered in Taras? villages. Among the priceless treasures of the poet?s childhood there are things of his sister Katerina and his brother Iosif, and a table from his parents? house. In the small chamber halls everything will tell you about those distant years, when the future Titan of Ukrainian literature was growing up in this land. Bow to Taras? land, touch its beauty, walk the paths of Taras? childhood!

Trakhtemirov territory

Historically, it was the geographical location and the incomparable natural beauty of the territory which became a kind of magnet for scientists of different fields.

Trakhtemirov and Buchach area is an inexhaustible treasury of scientific material for historians, archaeologists, botanists, zoologists, ichthyologists, ornithologists, geologists and researchers of many other fields of science. Every resident of the district is proud of this picturesque corner located in the very heart of our country. The locality was no less attractive in the Paleolithic era, as the first settlements in the territory date from the late Paleolithic Age.

Trakhtemirov land rightfully belongs to the national treasury of historical memory of the Ukrainian people, where in the 16^th century Cossacks fulfilled their dream of liberty and desire to be masters of their land, when Trakhtemirov together with the monastery and the surrounding lands became the Cossacks? property. However, Trakhtemirov mountains are famous not only for Cossacks? glory; as early as in prehistoric times Kanev steeps became the ancient man?s residence.

Archaeologists well know the sites of ancient farmers who were the first to reclaim these lands. They belonged to the tribes of Tripoli culture, who were succeeded by the population of the Bronze Age. Years-long studies of several generations of Ukrainian archaeologists reconstruct the real picture of life in the past millennia; and the building of ancient settlements and villages, which is reflected in archaeological material and reconstructed by scientific methods, becomes the domain of anyone interested in the history of his native land.

Trahtemirov Reserve is a unique natural and archeological object in Ukraine, where monuments of history, geology, archeology and nature, which must be preserved for future generations, coexist in inseparable unity.

"Chigirin" National Historical and Cultural Reserve

Historical and cultural potential of the reserve is unique. The monuments of different times have been preserved here. This is Motroninskoe settlement of Scythian period (7^th ? 6^th century BC), one of the largest in Eastern Europe, the settlement of the end of the Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age.

Chigirin and Subotov are associated with the establishment of the Ukrainian people?s statesmanship. Chigirin is the first capital of Ukraine of the times of Hetman Bohdan Khmelnitsky. Here was the great Hetman?s residence. Subotov is his family estate, where St. Elias church, built at the hetman?s order in 1653, is located. He was buried in it four years later.

Chigirin territory was one of the centers of the haidamaks? movement. Motroninsky monastery in Kholodny Yar played a key role in the haidamaks? rebellion, Koliivschina, which engulfed large areas of Right-Bank Ukraine. In the second half of the 19^th century, the villages of the territory became the center of the peasant uprisings which went down in history as Kholodny Yar Republic.

The villages, which are part of the reserve, have ethnographic peculiarities. Their inhabitants retain knowledge and skills of many crafts, including pottery with the center in Golovkovka village, where the school of ceramics existed as early as in the end of the 19^th century.

Rich is the nature of the protective zones of "Chigirin" National Historical and Cultural Reserve. It includes the territories of Kholodny Yar with Maxim Zalizniak?s 1000-year-old oak in Buda hamlet, ?Three Wells? in Subotov village and Maxim Zalizniak?s well in Medvedevtsy village, and areas of natural landscape in Stetsovka.

Korsun-Shevchenkovsky State Historical and Cultural Reserve

Korsun-Shevchenkovsky State Historical and Cultural Reserve combines the territories of the historical-cultural and natural-reserve fund of Korsun-Shevchenkovsky town, Steblov urban-type locality, and Kvitki and Vygraiev villages. Total area is 103 hectares, which contain 27 monuments of archeology, architecture, history, art and nature, including objects of national importance. Unmatched is the landscape park with the palace complex. Within the reserve there are the graves of Ivan Soshenko, the father and the grandfather of Nechuy-Levitsky, and Vasiliy Avramenko. The reserve includes Museum of Korsun-Shevchenkovsky Battle History, a historical museum, a branch of literature-memorial museum of Ivan Nechuy-Levitsky, Memorial Museum of Kirill Stetsenko, and an art gallery. All of them are able to satisfy the diverse interests of their visitors. Those interested in weapons will be positively interested in the samples of military equipment from the period of World War II, which are located in front of the museum.

The funds of the Reserve and its branches are a unique informative bank in Ukraine?s history. In particular, researchers can explore the materials, which tell about the classic of Ukrainian literature Ivan Nechuy-Levitsky, about history of Korsun-Shevchenkovsky offensive operation, both from Soviet and German side; significant are collections of items of Vasiliy Avramenko, a prominent Ukrainian choreographer in Diaspora, and of Pyotr Zhura, a writer who studied Shevchenko?s life; quite valuable are the works of Ivan Soshenko, an artist and Taras Shevchenko?s friend, of black-and-white artist Nikolay Prokopenko, painter Boris Fedorenko and others.

Kamensky State Historical and Cultural Reserve

The reserve includes literature-memorial museum of Alexander Pushkin and Pyotr Tchaikovsky, a historical museum and an art gallery. Apart from museum institutions, the reserve also includes four monuments of history and architecture of national importance: the wing of Davydovs? manor, a water mill, built in 1825 - a unique monument of architecture; a park and an architectural decoration of this park - a grotto, which were built in the end of the 18^th century.

Literature-memorial museum of Alexander Pushkin and Pyotr Tchaikovsky, founded in 1937, is located in one of the wings of the former Davydovs? manor, so called Green Little House. Outstanding heroes of the War of 1812 were visiting this little house: Denis Davydov, Nikolay Raevsky, Mikhail Orlov; Decembrists conducted their meetings here. The museum exposition tells about the activity of Kamensky council of the Southern Society headed by the owner of the Kamensky manor Vasiliy Davydov, about Alexander Pushkin?s stay in Kamenka, and it was here, that he wrote one of the masterpieces of world lyrics ?The Clouds Are Breaking (Redeet Oblakov Letuchaya Gryada)? and finished ?The Prisoner of the Caucasus? poem. The museum department dedicated to Pyotr Tchaikovsky tells about the special role, which Kamenka played in the composer?s life. After all, Pyotr Ilyich was coming to the family of his sister Alexandra Ilyinichna Davydova during 28 years. Of all the cities of the world which Tchaikovsky visited, Kamenka, and Davydovs? family connected with it, is most frequently mentioned by him in his letters and diary. It was here that he worked on the largest number of his works.

The exposition of literature-memorial museum of Alexander Pushkin and Pyotr Tchaikovsky presents the memorabilia of Davydovs? family and Tchaikovsky?s private piano. Davydovs? family grand piano, which was often played by Pyotr Ilyich, still sounds within the memorial building walls. As a matter of fact, literary and musical evenings by candlelight, which are enjoyed by both Kamenka residents and the guests of the town, have already become traditional.

The highlight of these evenings is a chamber ensemble, which consists of the reserve employees and operates on a voluntary basis.

The historical museum is located in the former house of Pyotr Tchaikovsky?s sister, where the composer lived during his stays in Kamenka.

In 1997, the museum opened the only exposition in Cherkassy region, which tells about the period of the liberation struggles in Ukraine in 1917-1920 and, in particular, the activity of Kholodny Yar Republic. Interesting is the collection of World War II period, which presents the samples of weapons and military equipment and war relics. The picture gallery is located in the premise of the historical museum. Among its most interesting exhibit items are the works of Makar Mukha, the honored master of folk art of Ukraine, and Pavel Kutsenko, the honored artist of Ukraine. It also exhibits the works of contemporary local artists and regularly organizes exhibitions of artists and craftsmen of folk art from different corners of Ukraine.