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The Vanishing World of the Ukrainian Jewry
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KHERSON
Quick Facts and HistoryThe administrative center of Kherson Province. Major river and sea port. Industrial center specializing in ship-building, agricultural machine-building, and canning industry. The area of the province - 28,500 sq.km. The population of the province - 1,283,000. The population of the city - 375,000.Like all of the southern Ukraine, the province is densely spotted with archeological excavation sites (mezolithic, copper and bronze ages). In 8th-7th centuries B.C. the Kherson steppes were a part of the Scythian state. In the 2nd century B.C. the area was inhabited by the Sarmats and proto-Slavic tribes. In the 2nd-6th centuries A.D. there were rather numerous Slavic settlements. In the 10th-13th centuries the area was a part of Kyiv Rus, but after the Tartar-Mongol invasion it fell under the control of the Crimean Khannat, which in its turn in the 15th century became a part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. After the Cossacks, the most militant of the Ukrainian population, founded Zaporizka Sich, a heavily fortified military base on the southern frontier of the Slav territory, numerous raids against Tartars and Turks were carried out. In the 18th century several more "siches" (military bases) were founded, which considerably lessened Moslem control of the territory. In 1774 the territory became a part of the Russian Empire. In 1778 on the site of Fort Alexander-Schanz the city of Kherson was founded. In 1803 it became the administrative center of Kherson Province. Ukrainians, Russians and German colonists contributed to the development of the territory.
Included in: "Super Grand Tour of Ukraine" (brief description, detailed program).
Places of InterestThe standard city tour is usually a brief drive along the main boulevards of the city with the stops at the main sites of relatively old architecture (18-19th century) - Ammunition Depot, St.Sophia's Church, St.Catherine's Cathedral, the Cathedral of Saint Spirit - and a visit to the Local History Museum.
Side TripsDay trip to the Askania-Nova National Preserve.Day trip to the Bird Islands Preserve (50 km one way). Founded in 1927. Covers over 142,500 acres of sand islands, shoals, swamps and estuaries in the mouth of the Dnipro and Southern Bug rivers. Alongside with the local species, there are numerous flocks of migratory birds, whose routes cross there.
HotelsFRIGATE HOTEL *** +
RestaurantsAt the hotel.
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