Buki village in Cherkasy region is one of the most interesting places in Central Ukraine. Travelers here are primarily attracted by the picturesque canyon on the Gorny Tikich river. What to see in the village and how to get to it, our article will tell.
Buki, Cherkasy region: a short story about the village
Many are very surprised: why does the plain river have such an inappropriate name - Mountain Tikich? But everything becomes clear and obvious, if you look at it with your own eyes. The river valley is deep and narrow, bordered by high steep cliffs. It is on its shores that the village of Buki is located. In the Cherkasy region, as well as beyond its borders, it is well known to all lovers of rafting and outdoor activities.
Buki is an urban-type settlement in the Mankovsky district, the first mention of which dates from the beginning of the 17th century. This toponym is not at all associated with the name of a famous tree species. Previously, “beeches” were called the rapids of the river, in which water was boiling very strongly.
The village of Buki, Cherkasy region was founded in 1601 by the Bratslav headman Yuri Strusem. A stone castle was erected here, which, alas, has not been preserved to this day. In the XIX century, beeches receive the status of a hair center, which positively affected its development. Gradually, the village turned into one of the main centers of grain trade in the Kiev province.
With the advent of Soviet power, the wave of universal industrialization reached the Cherkasy region. A small hydroelectric station named after Petrovsky with a capacity of 0.57 MW was built in Buki. In 1990, the hydroelectric power station was closed and abandoned.
Today, about 2 thousand people live in Buki.
Buksky canyon
Hundreds of millions of years ago, a powerful mountainous country existed on the site of the modern Cherkasy region. Its individual ridges, according to researchers, were much higher than the Alps.
But time played a role: these mountains gradually collapsed and turned into a plain. One of the remnants of former mountain greatness is precisely the canyon on the Gorny Tikich river, formed in Proterozoic granites. The age of these rocks is estimated by geologists at two billion years (for comparison: our planet - 4.5 billion years).
The canyon begins in the center of Buki. Its total length is 2.5 km, width - about 80 meters, maximum depth - 30 meters. In its appearance, it resembles a Scandinavian fiord, although by its genesis it is not. Many of the local rocks and stones got their names: for example, “Hippopotamus”, “Broken heart”, “Golden fish”.
Buksky Canyon is a popular recreational area. She was chosen by climbers and kayakers for their training.
Other interesting places in Buki
In addition to the picturesque canyon, in Buki you can visit several other interesting sites. Among them:
- Waterfall "Vyr" of artificial origin (height - 2 meters).
- The ruins of an old water mill (1838). Near them you can see huge stone millstones.
- The ruins of a hydroelectric power station with a dam (1929).
- "Ukrainian Stonehenge" is a man-made structure consisting of massive granite blocks. By whom and when it was created is unknown.
- Zemstvo hospital complex with two outbuildings and gates (early twentieth century).
- Relay television tower 237 meters high (the highest in Cherkasy region).
How to get to Buki from Kiev?
If you travel by your own car, leave the Ukrainian capital along the highway “Kiev - Odessa”. In the city of Zhashkov, turn left onto the T 2405 highway (direction to Zvenigorodka, Shpola). Another 30 kilometers away - and you are there! GPS coordinates of the village: 49 ° 5 '47.02' 'N, 30 ° 23' 48 '' E.
You can also get to Buki by public transport. So, two regular buses go from the capital through the village: “Kiev - Talnoe” and “Kiev - Mankovka”.
The nearest train station is Potash. It is located 25 km south of the village. The Lviv - Cherkassy passenger train stops here, as well as the Uman - Cherkassy electric train (runs twice a day).