Located on Vorskla River in Ukraine, Poltava is the capital city of Poltava Oblast. It is considered as a city of oblast significance. There are many things to indulge in at Poltava. Let us have a look at the nine best things anyone can do while in Poltava.
1. October Park
It is also known as the park of reformation and is the biggest park in the city. The October Park is located in the southern part of the city. There are numerous paths for walking, two artificial lakes and fields and sports ground in October Park. There is also merry-go-rounds for kids. It is one of the most visited parks. It was established around 1968 during the October Revolution and thus it has the unique name, October.
2. Spassky Church
This is an ancient church in Ukraine. There are two side altars; on the right, there is an altar of St. Sergius of Radonezh and on the left, there is the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the year 1820, all the old iconostasis were replaced by new ones. The interiors of the church are closed, but the exterior is open to the public and tourists.
Spassky Church
Website: Spassky Church
3. Gold City Underground Shopping Center
The Gold City Underground Shopping Center is one of the well-known landmarks and famous tourist spot in Poltava. There is a classic casino located on the left of this center. The entire center is glass covered. There are many city souvenirs shops in this center, and many restaurants and beauty salons. The center has the best ice cream shops in the town. Also, Zhevneva and Oktoberskaya Street is behind this glass covered underground section. Those streets provide the most interesting views of the Poltava city. Make sure to visit this center for shopping for some souvenirs and relishing in the classic dishes.
Gold City Underground Shopping Center
You might be interested in these Airbnbs!
4. The Museum of Poltava Battle history
The Museum of Poltava Battle history is the first stationary museum of Poltava. It was founded in the year 1909 because of the initiative by I. Pavlovsky to honor the Poltava Battle which was fought during the year 1709. During the Civil War, the museum was closed because of numerous robbery cases. In the year 1981, the museum and its rare monuments were incorporated into the State Historical and Cultural Reserve.
There are unique exhibits from the XVII century and Northern War period. Some of the famous exhibition items here are the portraits of Ukranian Hetmans, medals, engravings, personals of Peter I, arms and firearms of European and Oriental types. There is an amazing diorama which shows the last minutes of the Great Battle in the largest hall of the museum. Don’t forget to check out this museum to get an insight into the history of Poltava wars.
The Museum of Poltava Battle history
Website: The Museum of Poltava Battle history
5. Statue of Nikolai Gogol
The famous dramatist was born in Ukraine. Famous for literary realism and romantic sensibility in his work, Nikolai Gogol’s work showed strains of surrealism and the grotesque. His famous work such as Marriage and The Portrait is still widely talked about among writers. Whether you are his fan or not you ought to visit this famous Statue of Nikolai Gogol which is located at the intersection of Gogolya and Lenina streets. The posture of the statue is very unique and interesting.
Statue of Nikolai Gogol
Address: intersection of Gogolya and Lenina streets
6. The Poltava Statue of Shevchenko
Located in Petrovsky Park, The Poltava Statue of Shevchenko is a unique monument of the famous Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko. He was a famous Ukrainian poet, thinker, and artist. He is also considered as the greatest fighter of independence for Ukraine. The Poltava Statue of Shevchenko was built by Kavaleridze in distinct cubist style in the year 1926. Lots of people in Ukraine believe that without Shevchenko an independent Ukraine would not have existed.
Poltava Statue of Shevchenko
Address: Petrovsky Park, facing the Poltava Regional Museum
7. Mazepafest - A rock festival
The Mazepafest is a great rock festival held in Poltava. It is held at different times every year. Mostly it is held in summer and autumn, though the timings are irregular.
Mazepafest
Website: Mazepafest (in Ukrainian)
8. Air and Space Museum
Located near the monument at the northwest corner entrance of Park Peremoho there is a small and interesting museum in Poltava. It is dedicated solely to the work of Yuri Vasyiyovych Kondratyk. The one and only museum in Ukraine which represents the history of aviation and astronautics of Ukraine.
It is a great source of knowledge related to Soviet collaborations with the U.S Air Force during the war. Also, there is a model of the first Sputnik satellite on display at the Air and Space Museum. There are many original cockpits of early Soviet Union spacecrafts on display too.
Air and Space Museum
Website: Air and Space Museum
9. Uspensky Cathedral
The Uspensky Cathedral was once a central building in Poltava city center within the Poltava Cossack Fortress during the 17th-century. However, it was destroyed in 1934 by Bolsheviks and rebuilt in 2004. It was originally wooden and was the main building of Poltava fortress. In the year 1801, the bell tower was erected to showcase the religious complex. As it was built by Cossacks it didn’t follow strict Russian regulations for the building of churches. Once upon a time, it was considered significant as it was a potential base of the statue of Stalin but somehow it didn’t pass.
The tower of the cathedral was saved by several people despite the risk of losing their jobs by registering it in the Register of Buildings of Architectural Importance. It is built strategically to overlook the valley. The Uspensky Cathedral has 17th and 18th-century icons which are sadly not in good condition. There are a few primitive ones too. Those icons were gifts from the museum and private sources.
Beautiful Poltava
As we have seen, Poltava is a unique blend of ancient and modern culture. For any lover of history, art and culture, it is a must visit.
Get Trip101 in your inbox
Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data
Create an account to bookmark our articles, like local expert tips, receive great stories in your inbox, and follow writers and topics that you love.
Log in with Google ×