The history of any region is rich in various events that sometimes radically change the lives of its citizens. The Sumy region also keeps in its memory a lot of interesting things that happened on its territory from 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% is occupied by green natural areas.
There are also steppe zones. One of them is the Mikhailovskaya virgin lands, 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 the Sumy region - Vorskla, Desna, Psyol, Sula, Seim. In addition to them, there aremany 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 urban residents and 32% of rural residents. Sumy region, Sumy region have long been famous for their agricultural products (especially potatoes) and industrial goods. As far back as the 17th century, famous fairs were held on its territory, where industrialists from European states gathered. The most famous of them is Miropolskaya, which now in its scale can compete with Sorochinskaya.
A few words about the history of Sumy region
Sumy region was inhabited in 4-5 centuries BC by tribes of hunters and fishermen. Later farmers and pastoralists settled here.
About 70 mounds and burial grounds found in the Sumy region reveal the life of those times. Approximately in the 8th-10th centuries AD, 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 devastating raids by the Tatar-Mongolian and Polovtsian hordes, about which the greatest literary monument "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" was left. But the Sumy region, the Sumy region and later were the scene of brutal massacres, being hostages of the division of dominion between Russia and the Commonwe alth. In 1658, the region, being the center of the regiment of Sloboda Cossacks, defended the borders of Russia. At the end of the 18th century, by the Decree of Paul I, the Sumy region entered the Sloboda-Ukrainian province under the Russian protectorate, in 1835 it was renamedin Kharkov. In 1923, this overgrown province was abolished, and only in 1939, on January 10, the Soviet government issued a decree on the formation of the Sumy region as part of the Ukrainian SSR. It included 18 districts, 7 regional centers and 8 large regional cities. In 2007, a Euroregion called "Yaroslavna" was created between the Ukrainian Sumy and Russian Kursk regions, which served as an unprecedented act of rapprochement between Russians and Ukrainians, two fraternal peoples.
Sumi
The coat of arms and the flag of this city have a rather peculiar appearance - three identical bags, since 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 Sumina settlement, later it turned into Sumin. The Ukrainian version of this name is the sadness and longing of the settlers 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 began to be built.
The Sumy region is unusually beautiful due to its natural resources. The river Sumka and its two tributaries Strelka and Popadka flow through its lands, a man-made sea splashes - the Kosovshchina reservoir, adjacent to the borders of Sumy. The city is decorated with Chekha Lake and man-made reservoirs, there are beautiful parks and squares, many architectural and historical monuments. The most popular are the Altanka, which is a symbol of the city, the Resurrection Church, built in the 17th century, and the Trinity Cathedral. Guests here are waiting for modern hotels, theaters, cinemas, nightclubs.
Okhtyrka, 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 Volnoye to protect the borders from the Poles. They immediately began building their own fortress - Akhtyrka. For some reason, it was located on Russian territory. Subsequently, it was handed over to Russia by Adam Kisil, the Kyiv and Bratslav governor. The regimental city of Akhtyrka, being the largest settlement of Slobozhanshchina, in 1765 entered the Sloboda-Ukrainian province. Akhtyrka (Sumy region) has played an important role throughout modern history. During the Northern War, Peter I visited here, and the hero of the war with Napoleon Davydov, the composer Alyabyev, the Decembrist Muravyov, the famous Lermontov served in the Akhtyrsky Hussar Regiment.
Glukhov
This city is also very ancient. The settlement arose in the Bronze Age, when the Scythian tribes moved here. Now several of their settlements have been found, which makes it possible to study the ancient life of Glukhov well.
It got its name (presumably) from the fact that it was founded in a remote wooded area. The history of the city is rich in glorious and fateful events. So, Poles, Lithuanians, Russians, Ukrainians owned it. Glukhov changed hands several times until it became a large county town in 1782. Over the years Glukhov(Sumy region) was the capital of the Hetmanate, the administrative center of Little Russia, the residence of the hetmans of Ukraine, the center of the bread trade. In 1352, a plague epidemic destroyed all its inhabitants. In 1748 and 1784, many historical wooden buildings burned down in fires, in 1941-43 the Nazis bombed the city. But Glukhov was reborn from the ashes again and again. 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 areas.
Lebedin
Studying the cities of the Sumy region, it is impossible not to mention Lebedin, who grew up on the banks of the Olshanka River and Lake Lebedinsky.
Probably, many swans once lived here, which gave the name to the reservoir, and after it to the settlement. The first people settled here in the Bronze Age. The new history dates back to 1652, when the people from the right-bank Ukraine moved. At one time, the city bore the name Lebyazhy and was famous for its shopping malls. However, after the Northern War, numerous executions of supporters of the traitor Mazepa were carried out on its territory, and the city lost its lyrical and romantic spirit. The most curious place for tourists in the current Lebedino is Lake Shelekhovskoye. It was formed during the ice age and is considered as ancient as Baikal. The lake is surrounded by virgin forest, which is home to numerous animals and birds. The water in it is icy and very clean, there are 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 at the point where the Romen River flows into it. It was founded at the beginning of the 10th century and was first mentioned in the Testament of Vladimir Monomakh. However, it was settled, like the entire Sumy region, back in the Bronze Age. In confirmation of this, as well as the presence of the Scythians here, several burial grounds and settlements were found. In the 13th century, it was captured by the Tatar-Mongols. Later, Romny entered the Principality of Lithuania, then the Commonwe alth, and then the Russian state. In this city were the headquarters of Hetman Bespaly and King Charles XII. Despite all the ups and downs of the war, Romny developed as a trading center. Every year large fairs were held here, which were attended by merchants and buyers from different countries. Now it is a large regional city of Sumy region. A monument to Taras Shevchenko, the first in the world, was unveiled here. Romny is a very hospitable city. A lot of interesting things await guests here: monuments, museums, beautiful old buildings, multiple cathedrals and temples.
Shostka
In Soviet times, Shostka was famous for its tapes and film produced at the Svema plant. Now the city has been 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 river of the same name, a tributary of the Desna. The basis was the construction of a gunpowder factory, the products of which were used in the war with Napoleon and the Crimean. The Sumy region, whose districts, cities and villages have played a role in the history of the country, is all saturated with history. For example, in the Shostka district there is a village of Voronezh,bearing the same name as the Russian city, which sometimes confuses. 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 Hetman Charnetsky, Svyatoslav Lipetsky, the ruler of the Lipetsk principality, was hiding here.
Konotop
This city for many people is associated with the story of Kvitka-Osnovyanenko "Konotop witch", but only in Ukraine there are three places with this name. Konotop (Sumy region) was a place of settlements of tribes in the Neolithic. It is located on the banks of the river Ezuch. The rivers Kukolka and Lipka also flow through the territory of the city and the region. In the 16th century Lithuanians owned Konotop. Later, Poland and Russia fought for his lands. In 1635, the Polish headman built the Konotop fortress. The city grew around her. Now it is a major regional center. Konotop is famous for the Battle of Konotop that took place here in 1659. It was one of the bloody battles of the Russian-Ukrainian (according to some sources, Russian-Polish) war, in which the Russian army was defeated. It was commanded by an experienced commander Alexei Trubetskoy. Thousands of forces of a coalition hostile to Russia advanced against him. Their army included Crimean Tatars, Poles, mercenaries from other countries and Cossacks who served Vygovsky. Celebrations dedicated to this battle are held in Konotop, with a recreation of the events of those years.
Trostyanets (Sumy region)
Another extraordinarily beautiful city of the Sumy region is Trostyanets. There are 20 settlements in Ukraine withby such a name. Trostyanets (Sumy region) is famous for its Neskuchny tract, created in the early 19th century. Here, in honor of the Battle of Poltava, the Grotto of the Nymphs was created, where theatrical performances were held. Also of great interest is the hydrological Bakirovskiy reserve. It protects one of the largest marshes in the country with rare species of animals, birds and plants. The city of Trostyanets, although small, is interesting to visit. Especially popular with tourists are the Golitsyn Manor and the Round Yard, a former horse arena, as well as an arena for performances of circus actors. Now festivals are held here.
Famous districts of Sumy region
In addition to cities, the villages of the Sumy region and urban-type settlements are interesting. For example, a town with an interesting name Vorozhba, which arose back in the 70s of the 17th century. There is no exact explanation for 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 wept, grieving for Prince Igor. Velikaya Pisarevka (Sumy region) is also known, in which a shelter for blind bandura players was created back in the 18th century. The town of Krolevets and its 200-year-old miracle apple tree are of great interest to biologists and people who are simply not indifferent to nature. It is the only one in the world that prolongs its own life by rooting branches. There is a belief among the locals that an ancient curse is to blame.
