Sofiivka National Dendrological Park in Uman

Sofiivka Park in Uman - description, where it is, how to find it

Located on the banks of the Kamianka River in the city of Uman, the national dendrological park "Sophiivka" covers an area of 180 hectares and is an example of horticultural art. Currently, this park is one of the most popular places for recreation in Ukraine, attracting more than 500,000 visitors annually.

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We are surrounded by miracles every day, but often we don't notice them, focusing our attention on the mundanity and grayness of life. We invite you to dive into one of the most mysterious stories - the founding of the Sofiivka Arboretum in Uman.

The park with the usual name is one of the largest natural parks and protected areas in Ukraine. He conquered the hearts of thousands of our fellow citizens, despite the fact that his name seemed ordinary. However, it remains a mystery who was the mysterious girl for whom this park was created and what really happened.

200-year history of Sofiivka Park

Uman has always been different from ordinary Ukrainian cities. Since ancient times, unusual people have lived here. The first mention of the city dates back to 1616. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Sofiivka park was founded by the Polish count Stanislaw-Felix Potocki for his wife Sofia Gliavone-Potocka, which became its name. The place for the construction of the park was chosen very successfully - it was hilly, with ravines and large granite blocks on the banks of the river. The plan of the park was developed by landscape designer Ludwig Metzel, and the idea to create a park in a romantic style using images of heroes from Homer's "Odyssey" and "Iliad" belonged to Sophia herself. Local serfs were employed for construction work for 6 years. In 1802, the Sofiivka park was completely arranged and presented to Sofia for her birthday.

park sofiivka 1

Sofia Pototska - Who is she?

There were rumors that Sofia Pototska came from a noble royal family. However, according to her contemporaries, this story was invented by Sofia. In fact, her father was a bankrupt Greek merchant. After the death of her father, the girl's mother had to work in a brothel to support the family. A few years later, Sofia married Józef Witta, the head of the Kamianetska fortress. After 12 years of marriage, at the age of 31, Sofia was introduced to the rich and influential Potocki. This is where the most interesting part began, because Sofia decided to do everything possible to win Pototsky's heart.

A love story

At first, Sofia's acquaintance with Potocki had a diplomatic purpose. Her task was to convince the count to take Catherine's side and sign the act of confederation. This idea was successfully implemented, but Sophia was aware that marrying a millionaire count would be more prestigious than Witt. In addition, as an expert in love intrigues, she knew that the main word in love is "no". In this way, Sofia tormented Pototsky's heart for almost six months, hiding her feelings.

The park belonging to the Pototskys was confiscated in 1832 and transferred to the management of the Kyiv Treasury. Four years later, by decree of Nicholas I, it was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Military Settlements Administration and renamed Tsaritsyn Sad. The architect Andrey Stakenshneider was invited to build new structures, including the Pink Pavilion, the Flora Pavilion, the Chinese Gazebo and other structures, which marked the heyday of the park.

In 1859, Sofiivka Park became the educational base of the Main School of Horticulture of the Russian Empire, which led to the addition of the park's flora. During this period, the English Park was created, which includes rare species of plants.

After the revolution of 1917, the Tsaritsyn Garden was renamed the Third International Park. The school of horticulture, which was located on its territory, was renamed first to the agricultural technical school, then to the agricultural institute, and now it has turned into the Uman National University of Horticulture.

Since 1955, the Sofiyivka National Dendrological Park has been subordinate to the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and is still under its management.

park sofiivka

What to see in Sofiivka, where is it located?

Sofiivsky Park attracts attention with its romantic atmosphere, beautiful artificial ponds and picturesque architectural buildings. In the park, you can see busts of ancient Greek philosophers and sculptures based on Greco-Roman mythology.

Each sculpture in the park reminds of Greece in different ways, because Sofia was born in this country. Therefore, here you can find an underground river, the Cretan Labyrinth and even the cave of Hades. In addition, the park includes a special area with rare plants and a sad waterfall.

How to get there: If you want to reach Uman, you can use the bus. They depart from Kyiv from the Central bus station or the railway station.

Address: str. Kyivska, 12a/ str. Sadova, 53, Uman, Cherkasy region, Ukraine

Working schedule: every day from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

How much does the entrance cost: The excursion season in the Sofiivka National Dendrological Park lasts from April 7 to November 15. However, the park can be visited at any time of the year, subject to advance booking. A frequent question is how much is the entrance fee to Sofiivka Park. At the moment, the price of an adult ticket is UAH 70/child – UAH 40.

Contacts

Contacts

Travel agency «TurPoisk»

Ukraine, Kyiv - 04073
160 A, Kyrylivska st.

+38 044 227 02 67
+38 050 214 89 96
+38 093 873 47 78
+38 068 859 53 55

info tourpoisk.com.ua

Mon-Fri: 10.00 - 18.00