The history of any region is rich in diverse, sometimes radically changing the lives of its citizens events. Sumy region also keeps in its memory a lot of interesting things that happened on its territory from the time of the Bronze Age to the present day. Now it is the most beautiful part of Ukraine immersed in the greenery of parks and forests, famous for its agricultural products, industry and cultural centers. Let's talk about it in more detail.
Location
Sumy region covers an area of 23.8 thousand square kilometers, of which 17% are occupied by green massifs.
There are also steppe zones. One of them is Mikhailovskaya virgin soil, which was included in the Ukrainian Steppe Reserve. The region is located in the north-eastern part of Ukraine, next to Russia. The length of the borders is 298 kilometers. Several large rivers flow in Sumy region - Vorskla, Desna, Psel, Sula, Sejm. In addition to them, there are many small rivers, small and large lakes. According to the 2013 census, the population of the region amounted to almost 1 million 138 people, including 68% of citizens and 32% of rural residents. Sumy region, Sumy region have long been famous for their agricultural products (especially potatoes) and industrial goods. In its territory in the 17th century, famous fairs were held, where industrialists of European countries gathered. The most famous of them is Miropolskaya, which now can compete with Sorochinskaya in scale.
A few words about the history of Sumy
Sumy region was inhabited as early as 4-5 centuries BC by the tribes of hunters and fishermen. Later, farmers and pastoralists settled here.
About 70 mounds and burial grounds found in Sumy oblast reveal the life of those times. Around the 8-10th centuries of our era, the northerners settled on the territory of the Sumy region, who later entered Kievan Rus. Then there were already the cities of Glukhov, Sumy, Romny and Putivl and others. These lands were repeatedly subjected to destructive raids of the Tatar-Mongolian and Polovtsian hordes, about which the greatest literary monument “The Word of Igor's Campaign Regiment” was left. But Sumy region, Sumy region and later were the scene of brutal massacres, being hostages of the division of power between Russia and the Commonwealth. In 1658, the region, being the center of the regiment of Slobodsky Cossacks, stood on the defense of the borders of Russia. At the end of the 18th century, by decree of Paul I, Sumy entered the Sloboda-Ukrainian province under a Russian protectorate, renamed Kharkov in 1835. In 1923, this prohibitive province was abolished, and only in 1939 on January 10, the Soviet government issued a decree on the formation of the Sumy region in the Ukrainian SSR. It included 18 districts, 7 regional centers and 8 large district cities. In 2007, between the Ukrainian Sumy and Russian Kursk regions, the Euroregion was created, called "Yaroslavna", which served as an unprecedented act of rapprochement between Russians and Ukrainians, two fraternal peoples.
Sumy
The emblem and flag of this city have a rather peculiar appearance - three identical bags, because according to legend, the Cossacks who stopped in these places found three bags of hunters stuffed with gold near the river. It happened in 1652.
The settlement was then called Sumin settlement, later it turned into Sumin. The Ukrainian version of this name is the sadness and longing of the immigrants for their native places, because in Ukrainian it means "sum". However, it is more likely that the settlement was simply given the name of the river on which it was built.
Sumy region due to its natural resources is unusually beautiful. The Sumka River and its two tributaries Strelka and Popadka flow through its lands, the man-made sea splashes - the Kosovshchinskoe reservoir adjacent to the borders of Sumy. The city is decorated with Lake Ceha and man-made ponds, there are beautiful parks and squares, many architectural and historical monuments. The most popular are Altanka, which is a symbol of the city, the Resurrection Church, built in the 17th century, Trinity Cathedral. It offers modern hotels, theaters, cinema, night clubs.
Akhtyrka, Sumy region
This ancient city arose on the territory of the Novgorod-Seversky principality, defeated by the Tatar-Mongols.
The name comes from the river of the same name, on which it is located. In 1640, a Russian fortress was founded on the territory of the modern village of Volnoe to protect the borders from the Poles. They immediately began the construction of their own fortress - Akhtyrka. For some reason, it was located on Russian territory. Subsequently, it was transferred to Russia by Adam Kisil, the Kiev and Bratslav governor. The regimental city of Akhtyrka, being the largest settlement of Slobozhanshchina, in 1765 entered the Sloboda-Ukrainian province. Akhtyrka (Sumy region) played an important role throughout modern history. During the Northern War, Peter I visited here, and the hero of the war with Napoleon Davydov, composer Alyabyev, Decembrist Muravyov, the famous Lermontov served in the Akhtyr Hussar Regiment.
Glukhov
This city is also very ancient. The settlement arose in the Bronze Age, when Scythian tribes moved here. Now several of their sites have been found, which allows a good study of the ancient life of Glukhov.
It got its name (presumably) because it was founded in a dense wooded area. The history of the city is rich in glorious and fatal events. So, it was owned by Poles, Lithuanians, Russians, Ukrainians. Glukhov changed hands several times, until in 1782 he became a large district city. In different years, Glukhov (Sumy region) was the capital of the Hetman region, the administrative center of Little Russia, the residence of the hetmans of Ukraine, and the center of the bread trade. In 1352, an epidemic of plague destroyed all its inhabitants. In 1748 and 1784, many historic wooden buildings were burned in fires, in 1941-43 the Nazis bombed the city. But Glukhov again and again reborn from the ashes. Now it is the most environmentally friendly and one of the most beautiful and greenest cities in Ukraine with many museums, temples, unique historical monuments, parks and natural lands.
Swan
Studying the cities of the Sumy region, it is impossible not to mention Lebedin, which grew up on the banks of the Olshanka River and Lake Lebedinsky.
Probably, once there lived a lot of swans, who gave the name to the reservoir, and after it the settlement. The first people settled here in the Bronze Age. A new history dates back to 1652, when people moved from the right-bank of Ukraine. At one time, the city bore the name Lebyazhy and was famous for its trading rows. However, after the Northern War, multiple executions of supporters of the traitor Mazepa were carried out on its territory, and the city lost its lyrical-romantic spirit. The most interesting place for tourists in today's Swan is Shelekhovskoye Lake. It was formed in the ice age and is considered as ancient as Lake Baikal. The lake is surrounded by virgin forest, in which there are numerous animals and birds. The water in it is icy and very clean, a lot of fish, crayfish, beavers. But getting there is very difficult, as there are no good roads yet.
Romny
This city lies on the banks of the Sula in the place where the river Romen flows into it. It was founded at the beginning of the 10th century and was first mentioned in the Testament of Vladimir Monomakh. However, he settled, like the whole Sumy region, back in the Bronze Age. In confirmation of this, as well as the stay of the Scythians, several burial grounds and hillforts were found. In the 13th century, the Tatar-Mongols captured him. Later Romny entered the Principality of Lithuania, then into the Commonwealth, and then into the Russian state. In this city were the rates of Hetman Bespaly and King Charles XII. Despite all the military upheavals, Romny developed as a shopping center. Every year large fairs were organized here, at which traders and buyers from different countries came. Now it is a large regional city of Sumy region. There was unveiled a monument to Taras Shevchenko, the first in the world. Romny is a very hospitable city. Guests will find many interesting things: monuments, museums, beautiful old buildings, numerous cathedrals and temples.
Shostka
In Soviet times, Shostka was famous for tape tapes and film produced at the Svema factory. Now the city is sanitized and is waiting for its investors to become an Industrial Park. It was founded in the middle of the 18th century on the banks of the eponymous river, a tributary of the Desna. The basis was the construction of a powder factory, the products of which were used in the war with Napoleon and the Crimean. Sumy region, districts, cities and villages of which played a role in the history of the country, is all saturated with history. For example, in the Shostka district there is the village of Voronezh, bearing the same name as the Russian city, which sometimes causes confusion. So, it is Ukrainian Voronezh and its forests that are mentioned in ancient chronicles. In the vicinity of the village, Prince Romodanovsky defeated the army of the hetman Charnetskiy, here Svyatoslav Lipetsk, the ruler of the Principality of Lipetsk, was hiding.
Konotop
This city for many people is associated with the story of Kvitka-Osnovyanenko “Konotop witch”, however, only in Ukraine there are three towns with this name. Konotop (Sumy region) was a tribal camp site in the Neolithic. It is located on the banks of the Yesuch River. The rivers Kukolka and Lipka also flow through the territory of the city and the region. In the 16th century, the Lithuanians owned Konotop. Later, Poland and Russia fought for its lands. In 1635, the Polish elder built the Konotop fortress. Around it grew a city. Now it is a large regional center. Konotop is famous for the battle of Konotop that took place here in 1659 . This was one of the bloody battles of the Russian-Ukrainian (according to some sources of the Russian-Polish) war, in which the Russian army was defeated. The experienced commander Aleksey Trubetskoy commanded them. Thousands of forces of a coalition hostile to Russia advanced against him. Their army included Crimean Tatars, Poles, mercenaries of other countries and Cossacks who served Vygovsky. In Konotop, celebrations dedicated to this battle are held, with the recreation of the events of those years.
Trostyanets (Sumy region)
Another unusually beautiful city of Sumy is Trostyanets. In Ukraine, there are 20 settlements with this name. Trostyanets (Sumy region) is famous for its tract Neskuchny, created in the early 19th century. Here, in honor of the Battle of Poltava, the Nymph Grotto was created, where theatrical performances were organized. Also of great interest is the hydrological Bakirovsky reserve. He guards one of the largest swamps in the country with rare species of animals, birds and plants. The city of Trostyanets, although small, but interesting to visit. Especially popular with tourists are the Golitsin Manor and the Krugly Dvor, former horse riding arena, as well as an arena for performances by circus actors. Now festivals are held here.
Famous areas of Sumy
In addition to cities, villages of the Sumy region and urban-type villages are interesting. For example, a town with the interesting name Vorozhba, which arose in the 70s of the 17th century. There is no exact explanation of the name, perhaps in those days there lived a well-known fortune teller in the district. A large historical and industrial center is Putivl, founded in the 10th century. At one time it was an important fortress of the Old Russian state. It was on its walls that Yaroslavna cried , mourning for Prince Igor. The Great Pisarevka (Sumy region) is also known, in which in the 18th century they created a shelter for blind bandurists. Of great interest to biologists and people who are simply not indifferent to nature is the town of Krolevets and its 200-year-old miracle apple tree. She is the only one in the world to herself extends her life by rooting branches. Among local residents there is a belief that the old curse is to blame.