Kyiv is famous for its parks, squares, shady alleys. It is considered one of the greenest cities. Some of the cultural plantings are not only areas for recreation in the shade of trees, but also real monuments of antiquity. Such is Goloseevsky Park. Kyiv honors the traditions of its ancestors and tries to preserve their heritage.
History of the park
The first mention of the park dates back to the middle of the 17th century. In those days, the lands in the Holosiyevo tract, covered with forests, ravines and vast wastelands, belonged to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. The initiative to create a man-made park belonged to the Lavra Archimandrite Peter Mogila.
Years passed, and plantings, ponds and alleys ennobled by caring hands merged with the neighboring forest and formed one whole. Now it is difficult to say where the first park was located.
There were years of desolation, and the inhabitants of the surrounding areas used to call the green massif a forest. Paths wound along shady ravines, ducks and swans nested in the lakes, mushroom pickers called to each other on the hills in autumn.
The city grew, and the former sparsely populated outskirts turned into one of the central regions with developed infrastructure. The people of Kiev, like air, needed a park for walking, spending leisure time on weekends. At the end of the fifties of the last century, Goloseevsky Park celebrated its second birth.
Since 2007, the ennobled part of the forest has been given the status of the National Natural Park named after Maxim Rylsky.
Park today
The area of the cultural zone yields to the forest more than five times. And despite this, the park is considered one of the largest in the city.
The landscape was formed around the Orekhovatskaya valley, where a cascade of four ponds is located. This is a favorite vacation spot of the townspeople. It is difficult to find a free bench or gazebo along the perimeter of reservoirs on weekends. The shores are chosen by fishermen, and boats glide smoothly on the water surface, which the local ducks and swans have long ignored.
The basis of greenery is poplar, willow, maple and acacia. In the old part of the forest zone there are centuries-old trees - hornbeams and oaks. Alleys are formed from juniper and arborvitae. Plane trees in the meadows attract the attention of vacationers with their majestic views.
It is not uncommon to see squirrels jumping through trees and lawns. Mushroom pickers claim that the little-visited part of the park is inhabited by hedgehogs, hares, snakes. And some couple of decades ago you could meet a fox or even a wild boar.
Now Goloseevsky Park cannot boast of an abundance of living creatures, but its paths are full of joggers, andspecial cycling trails built through the hills attract many extreme cyclists.
The lower alleys are so covered with the shade of trees that even in the heat it is cool there. This is especially attractive to young mothers with babies and the elderly.
How to get there? Main facilities
It's hard to believe that in the city, surrounded on all sides by residential buildings, there is a huge (over 900 hectares) forest area, which includes Goloseevsky Park. How to get to this oasis of clean air?
From the central districts of the city, the road will take no more than ten minutes by car. For owners of personal vehicles, the administration has equipped a parking lot near the Barracuda cafe.
There are two metro stations along the perimeter of the park - Goloseskaya and Exhibition Center. This is very convenient for those who want to spend a weekend in nature, but live in remote areas of the city.
Also can be reached by public transport from the Lybidska metro station. Trolleybuses No. 2 and 11 will take you directly to the central entrance to the park.
Main objects of the green array:
- Monument and museum to the poet Maxim Rylsky.
- Central fountain.
- Cascade Ponds.
- Boat station.
- Kart track.
- Amusement town.
- Goloseevsky monastery and deserts.
- Wudu tubs.
Residents of the surrounding areas in their reviews emphasize the importance and necessity for the metropolis of green space. The park is compared tohuge lungs, thanks to which you can breathe fresh air without leaving the city limits.
Park Attractions
The main attraction of the park is the monument to the Ukrainian poet Rylsky, set opposite the main entrance to the territory. Closer to the northern border is a museum with an exposition dedicated to the activities and work of the poet.
Deserving attention is the stele in honor of the defense of Kyiv at the beginning of the Patriotic War and the memorial to the dead, among whom, in addition to military personnel, there are students and teachers of Kyiv universities. These monuments still attract the views of vacationers, and not only on holidays. Teachers of Kyiv schools express their gratitude to the district and city administrations for preserving the cultural heritage, which makes it possible to demonstrate vivid examples of masculinity and patriotism to the younger generation.
A huge fountain on the main alley adorns Goloseevsky Park (photo below). Taking pictures against its background has become a kind of tradition for all walkers.
Not every park can boast of a Green Theater and its own library. And although there are not so many people currently visiting the reading room, but on almost every bench you can see a person with a book in their hands.
Entertainment
Those who prefer not only communication with nature and its representatives, but active, entertaining pastime, Goloseevsky Park is ideal.
The organizers were able to combine the natural properties of the green massif with modern requirementsto entertainment.
On the largest pond, services are provided for those who like to spend their holidays on the water. At the boat station, at the rental point, you can rent a boat or a catamaran.
At the service of parents who want to spend a few hours together, a children's room, where animators will entertain the child with fun and educational fun.
Two amusement parks offer something for adults and children alike. You can take the whole family up on the Ferris wheel and try to find your house or other sights of the city with your eyes. All kinds of carousels, jumping, children's boats will provide an adrenaline rush.
For those craving even more thrills, there is a go-kart track. You can arrange a competition and compete in races with friends or family members.
Tir will help those who want to test accuracy and skill with weapons.
You can spend the whole day in the park without worrying about anything. There is where to relax and what to do. For those who are hungry, a cafe, a restaurant, and several outdoor summer terraces are open on the territory.
Holy places
For hundreds of years true believers have been attracted to Christian shrines that Goloseevsky Park is proud of: the monastery, Kitaevskaya hermitage, tombs and relics of locally venerated saints, fonts for he alth dipping.
This place is, so to speak, marked by divine providence. The proof can be the fact that during the Patriotic War the second line of defense of Kyiv passed through the desert, and the destructioneverything was subjected to, except for the monastic cemetery, where the Monk Alexy Goloseevsky rests.
The monastery and hermitage more than once fell into disrepair and was reborn again. The last heyday began in the nineties of the last century. Nowadays, you can attend a service in the temple, bow to the saints of these places, ask for help from Mother Alipia.
There are many stories associated with this woman. They could be attributed to the category of fairy tales and legends, if not for the fact that the events took place at the end of the 20th century, and thousands of eyewitnesses who were helped by the hermit are alive.
It is also surprising that Alipia lived all year round in a hollow tree outside the gates of the desert. She fed on alms and prayed for the salvation of all those who turned to her for help. Now the body of the hermit rests in the temple of the Goloseevsky monastery, and everyone can come and bow to her.
Locals claim that even after the death of this amazing woman, miracles happen. Diseases recede, long-awaited children are born, family problems are solved…
After going a little further beyond the desert, you can find an equipped font. You can plunge into it and pray for healing. The spring water is rich in silver and other elements. There are always many who wish at any time of the year.
Whether you prefer quiet or active rest, Goloseevsky Park meets all requirements. Time flies quickly there, and visitors always want to come back again.
